History Main / FirstInstallmentWins

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
* ''Franchise/{{Alien}}'':
** Many fans prefer to watch ''Film/{{Alien}}'' and ''Film/{{Aliens}}'' and then stop there. There are fanbases for ''Film/Alien3'' and ''Film/AlienResurrection'' (which to be fair are actually okay films - though the over-the-topness of the fourth one is a point of contention - though definitely not as good as the original). Opinions are split on ''Film/{{Prometheus}}''; half the Alien fanbase considers it to be an incredible and intriguing new entry into the canon which gives a whole new area of the Alien Universe to explore and accepts it as canon, the other half believes it to be an unoriginal mess of ideas and tries to ignore it. ''Film/AlienCovenant'' featured a lot of PanderingToTheBase starring the Xenomorphs heavily but ironically only managed to divide fans further and make people appreciate the first's film subtlety and smaller scope even more.
** Similar to ''Franchise/{{Terminator}}'' below, there's a good deal of people who even argue ''Alien'' is better than its acclaimed sequel ''Aliens'', simply by the virtue of the fact that's a true horror film steeped in darkly gothic sexual symbolism, thanks to Creator/HRGiger's imput and leans right into the SpaceIsolationHorror -- whilst ''Aliens'' is largely an [[ActionizedSequel action film]] with horror elements. The fact the lone Xenomorph in the first film feels so much more frightening than the many easily killable Xenomorphs in the second film, is also a reflection of this.
* Despite having three theatrical sequels and four DTV installments to its name, the first ''Film/AmericanPie'' is still the most-remembered of the franchise. In addition to being released the most times of any of the films (in both rated/unrated Collector's/Ultimate editions and compilation boxsets), it featured most of the signature moments the series became famous for.
* The first ''Film/BackToTheFuture1'' film is well-remembered in the popular imagination for many iconic elements, such as the [=DeLorean=] time machine, the Spinning License Plate, Marty's performance of "Johnny B. Goode", the clock-tower climax and the ending line "where we're going, we don't need roads". What are the two sequels, which were both really good, remembered for? Hoverboards, Gray's Sports Almanac, and cowboys. But mostly hoverboards.
* ''Film/TheBadSeed1956'' is undoubtedly a psychological horror classic that successfully displaced the book it was based on. The movie was remade twice, in 1985 and again in 2018, which are nowhere near as remembered, if they are ever fortunate enough to be mentioned.
* ''Film/Batman1989'' is widely beloved in comparison to its far more controversial sequels: the {{Contested|Sequel}} ''Film/BatmanReturns'' (though it was later VindicatedByHistory), the even more contested ''Film/BatmanForever'', and the widely-reviled ''Film/BatmanAndRobin''. It's also the obvious favorite within [[Film/BatmanFilmSeries the "classic" Batman quadrilogy]].
* ''Film/AChristmasStory'' is far more well known than its direct sequel''Film/ItRunsInTheFamily1994'' (also known as ''My Summer Story'' (an adaptation of another part of the source novel), to the point that its universally panned and more obscure [[DirectToVideo Direct-to-DVD]] threequel was titled ''A Christmas Story 2''.
* ''Film/TheCrow1994'' has three sequels, but most people have usually only seen the first one.
* Among the ''Film/{{Predator}}'' films while most fans agree ''Film/{{Predators}}'' and ''Film/Prey2022'' are very good (some people even mistaking ''Predators'' for the actual ''Film/Predator2''), the first film with Arnie and Carl is still considered the best and most iconic. It's also the most frequently quoted e.g "I ain't got time to bleed", "What's got Billy so spooked?", "GET TO THE CHOPPER!", "If it bleeds we can kill it" and "Dillon, you son of a bitch!" -- que '''epic handshake'''.
* ''Film/CruelIntentions'' and ''Film/WildThings'' both had several DTV sequels (''Cruel Intentions'' had 2 sequels, while ''Wild Things'' had 3)
* ''Film/FantasticBeastsAndWhereToFindThem'' was deemed a fun movie that kept true to the ''Film/HarryPotter'' franchise even if with massive AdaptationExpansion. The sequels are divisive at best.
* ''Film/FirstBlood'' manages to somehow be both this and EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: while the name "Franchise/{{Rambo}}" is more associated with the wanton death and destruction featured in the sequels, the general consensus is that the first movie is still the best, with a more compelling plot and dramatic study of trauma, rather than the mindless jingoistic war porn that followed.
* The ''Film/FreeWilly'' films. Yes, there was more than one, [[AppealToObscurity proving the point of this trope]].
* ''Film/{{Highlander}}'' is much better known than its sequels, like [[SoBadItsGood the notorious]] [[Film/HighlanderIITheQuickening second one]]. A common saying among the fandom is "There should have been only one."
* ''Film/HoneyIShrunkTheKids'' to its sequels. ''Film/HoneyIBlewUpTheKid'' did fairly well, but ''Film/HoneyWeShrunkOurselves'' doesn't hold up as well as the first two movies.
* ''Film/RaidersOfTheLostArk'' is quite a bit more well known than its sequels, ''especially'' the very first scene. References to ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheTempleOfDoom'' and most importantly ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheLastCrusade'' do pop up infrequently, especially the latter's earlier parts. WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes indeed. (Also, ItBelongsInAMuseum.)
* ''Film/{{Jaws}}'' had sequels. The second is mostly remembered for the tagline ("Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water..."). The other two, for ''[[{{Sequelitis}} intense]]'' decay (culminating in the VoodooShark and another famous tagline: "ItsPersonal"). In a variant, many consider this to apply to [[FollowTheLeader all the movies that tried to follow the steps]] of it, with the first ''Jaws'' being the only good movie about sharks (at most ''Film/OpenWater'' and ''Film/TheShallows'' get a pass, and both had to take a different approach to the overall "shark attack" story).
* ''Film/TheKarateKid'': The [[Film/TheKarateKid1984 first film]] is considered a pop culture classic, with the "wax on, wax off," and the crane stance being the most referenced scenes in the series, even with [[Film/TheKarateKidPartII the second film]] being considered a strong improvement over the first. Most felt that [[Film/TheKarateKidPartIII the third film]] was mediocre in comparison to the previous two because it's just the first movie but a different guy fighting Daniel in the tournament. You also have Daniel's character, who matured a bit in the second film, while in the third he suffered a case of {{Flanderization}}. The less said about ''Film/TheNextKarateKid'' the better. [[Film/TheKarateKid2010 The 2010 remake/reboot]] was met with decent critical and fan reception, but didn't leave a lasting impact on pop culture.
* Both [[Film/KingsmanTheGoldenCircle the sequel]] and [[Film/TheKingsman the prequel]] to ''Film/KingsmanTheSecretService'' could not replicate the original's acclaim.
* ''Film/TheMatrix'': Though the sequels are not without their own share of fans, quite a few see them as inferior films when compared to the original, if they not outright treat them as FanonDiscontinuity. The fourth film ''Film/TheMatrixResurrections'' managed to achieve the impossible and make fans retroactively view the second and third films in a better light in comparison, especially in terms of action.
* A lot of people [[FanonDiscontinuity try to forget]] that there are two sequels and a TV spinoff to ''Film/TheNeverEndingStory''.
* When it comes to ''Film/TheMummyTrilogy'' the first film ''Film/TheMummy1999'' is near universally loved, the sequel ''Film/TheMummyReturns'' has plenty of fans but is not a patch on and the threequel ''Film/TheMummyTombOfTheDragonEmperor'' is a [[BoxOfficeBomb strong reminder]] of how good the first film is. And the less said about ''Film/TheScorpionKing'', its sequels and ''Film/TheMummy2017'' the better. Fair to note the 1999 film is not even the first installment but ''Film/TheMummy1932'' has simply been overshadowed in the public zeitgeist by its 90s revamp.
* Did you know that ''Film/ButchCassidyAndTheSundanceKid'' has a prequel? Or that ''Film/TheSting'' has a sequel? Didn't think so.
* Film/CharlieChan spoofs and homages pay little attention to ''The House Without a Key'', which in both film and prose started the Charlie Chan series (the film remains lost as of 2009, however). The "Number One Son" Henry first appeared in the novel ''Black Camel''. Keye Luke played him in the films (in the first film, they explicitly refer to Luke's role as Henry).
* ''Franchise/{{Rocky}}'' unlike Stallone's other long running franchise ''Rambo'' is generally better liked film to film across its six film run and spin-off ''[[Film/Creed2015 Creed]]'' films with only ''Film/RockyV'' being considered the real dud. However when it comes to overall quality, the first three films are considered the best, with [[Film/{{Rocky}} the first film]] in particular for its underdog LoserProtagonist and "[[SecondPlaceIsForWinners winning doesn't matter, going the distance does]]" themes.
* ''Film/{{Psycho}}'' has had several sequels, [[Film/BatesMotel1987 a TV movie]] and a remake. But the original Creator/AlfredHitchcock film from 1960 still reigns supreme, with the ''Series/BatesMotel'' prequel series its closest competition.
* This trope very much applies to the ''{{Film/Scream}}'' sequels. Though ''Film/ScreamVI'' has manage to break this trend being a SurprisinglyImprovedSequel despite the lack of Neve Campbell's Sidney.
* ''Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey'' vs. its sequels, both cinematic and literary.
* ''[[Film/{{K91989}} K-9]]'' had two direct-to-video sequels, though unlike most DTV sequels, these two were a rare case in which the original star (James Belushi) returned.
* ''Film/FinalDestination'', even though the fanbase's split on whether [[Film/FinalDestination1 the first]] or [[Film/FinalDestination2 the second installment]] wins.
* ''Film/SawI'' is near unanimously regarded as the best ''Saw'' movie, with many going so far as to call it the only good one. Of the nine sequels only ''Film/SawX'' has recieved anywhere near the same level of praise. Some of this can be explained by the abrupt shift from PsychologicalHorror PoliceProcedural to TorturePorn, a subgenre that not only alienates a large number of potential viewers but also largely fell out of favor in TheNewTens. The other commonly cited reason is the growing KudzuPlot, which really started to kick in after [[spoiler: the death of the original Jigsaw, John Kramer,]] in ''Film/SawIII.''
* Most ''Film/{{Scanners}}'' fans don't know that there are three movies in the main series... and that there are FIVE of them if you count the spinoffs. That they are all {{B Team Sequel}}s is a major factor. Also applies to the other BTeamSequel to a Creator/DavidCronenberg film, ''Film/TheFlyII''. In this case, fans of [[Film/TheFly1986 the first film]] are well-aware of its existence and it has support among monster movie fans, but its ''much'' less ambitious and complex themes and characters mean it can never be regarded as an equal to its forbear.
* You didn't even ''know'' there were [[Film/TheAdventuresOfAntoineDoinel four sequels]] to ''Film/The400Blows'', did you?
* ''Film/JamesBond'':
** The first era, in which Creator/SeanConnery starred as the title character, is the most widely referenced in pop culture, and Connery is often considered to be the best Bond, though the most popular individual film in his era is the third one, ''Film/{{Goldfinger}}''.
** ''Film/GoldenEye'', the first film with Creator/PierceBrosnan as Bond, is generally regarded as his best film. There ''are'' fans who prefer either ''Film/TomorrowNeverDies'' or ''Film/TheWorldIsNotEnough'', but those ones are more [[BrokenBase divisive]] entries than ''[=GoldenEye=]'' is.
** A similar occurrence is at play with Creator/DanielCraig era as his first film, ''Film/{{Casino Royale|2006}}'', is generally the most unambiguously loved for its action sequences, tense poker scenes, chilling villain, fan favourite Bond girl and heartbreaking ending. Among the Craig sequels only ''Film/{{Skyfall}}'' (the highest grossing Bond film ever) truly rivals ''Casino Royale''.
* ''Film/DieHard'' is the most well known of [[Franchise/DieHard the series]] - it even originated [[DieHardOnAnX an action subgenre]]!
* While ''Film/JumanjiWelcomeToTheJungle'' and ''Film/JumanjiTheNextLevel'' have their fans and are undoubtedly successful, the original ''Film/{{Jumanji}}'' with Creator/RobinWilliams is still considered the best decades on being the most heartfelt, compelling and actually thrillingly scary of the franchise, despite not making the Dwayne the Rock Johnson box office money like its sequels did.
* Most fans of ''Film/StarshipTroopers'' don't even realize there are 2 DTV sequels. ''Film/StarshipTroopers2HeroOfTheFederation'' experiences a major GenreShift (from sci-fi action to sci-fi horror) and is generally considered to be terrible.''Film/StarshipTroopers3Marauder'' is a step-up from ''that'', but still much less impressive than the first one due to the scaled-down budget.
* The first film in the ''Film/{{Friday}}'' franchise is definitely the most well-known spawning a whole FountainOfMemes and gaining a huge cult following. Despite that, most fans (not critics) consider ''Next Friday'' decent but the less said about ''Friday After Next'', the better. Losing Creator/ChrisTucker saw the sequels take a hit in quality.
* ''Franchise/StarWars'':
** ''Film/ANewHope'' won the most Oscars, got the most significant nominations, was the biggest commercial success, and the most parodied and referenced of the original films. On a wider scale, the Original Trilogy as a whole is the most acclaimed group of films in the franchise and is particularly prevalent when contrasted with the ContestedSequel status of the Prequel Trilogy and the Sequel Trilogy.
** In regards to the Sequel Trilogy, ''Film/TheForceAwakens'' is the least controversial of the three films and had the most consistently positive critical reception from both critics and audiences (''Film/TheLastJedi'' was subject to CriticalDissonance and major BrokenBase, and ''Film/TheRiseOfSkywalker'' has received mixed reviews across the board).
** Among the Special Edition releases of the original trilogy, the 1997 Special Edition, for all its flaws, is the best-received and the least controversial due in no small part to the glaring defects of later Special Editions. It also helps that the marketing for its theatrical release proved effective at appealing to both the old guard and franchise newcomers, and also that ample warning had been given a year and a half in advance for discontinuation of the original versions in favor of the Special Edition.
* ''Film/SupermanTheMovie'' is usually considered the best of the four films, often garnering the highest star reviews among critics, and having the highest rating on Website/RottenTomatoes. The film is the highest grossing of the Creator/ChristopherReeve films as well.
* ''Film/Ghostbusters1984'' is more popular than [[Film/GhostbustersII its 1989 sequel]] and the [[WesternAnimation/TheRealGhostbusters 1980s cartoon]] that followed, which only added the mood slime and Slimer as the TeamPet to the series. Not even the mid-to-late 1990s animated reboot ''WesternAnimation/ExtremeGhostbusters'' is remembered much (though it has been somewhat VindicatedByHistory and does have a following by those nostalgic for obscure 1990s cartoons that aired in first-run syndication). And the less said about the [[Film/Ghostbusters2016 2016 all-female remake]], the better. Much of why ''Film/GhostbustersAfterlife'' was so warmly received by the fandom revolves around its extended homage to the original movie. The phrase "lightning in a bottle" is frequently used to describe the original movie, as it features a cast of seasoned comic actors in the height of their prime giving some career-highlight performances, whereas most sequels and adaptations hinge far more on the novelty of the core "supernatural extermination service" premise rather than on the quality of the humor, to decidedly mixed results.
* There have been over thirty ''Franchise/{{Godzilla}}'' movies, and [[Film/Godzilla1954 the original 1954]] one is STILL the highest rated on Website/RottenTomatoes, Website/{{IMDB}} and Website/{{Letterboxd}} (as well as amongst the fanbase) and the most famous in the popular mind, [[MainstreamObscurity even if few have actually seen it]]. It wasn't until the release of ''Film/GodzillaMinusOne'' almost 70 years later that fans felt there was another Godzilla film that rivalled it.
* Most people consider [[Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanTheCurseOfTheBlackPearl the first]] of the ''Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean'' series to be the best because it was fresh and original in its style and humor, although the [[Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanDeadMansChest second]] and [[Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanAtWorldsEnd third]] were bigger at the box office.
* ''Film/JurassicPark1993'' is a widely-acclaimed visual masterpiece, whose [[Film/TheLostWorldJurassicPark two]] [[Film/JurassicParkIII sequels]] are generally reviled. Although the belated fourth entry ''Film/JurassicWorld'' was much better received commercially, most people would agree that it doesn't live up to the first film's standards, and its followup ''Film/JurassicWorldFallenKingdom'' even less so (to the point that the reputation of the second film ''The Lost World: Jurassic Park'', which shares some plot points, was slightly upgraded). Once ''Film/JurassicWorldDominion'' came out, it ended up creating a subsection of this trope, as everyone agreed the first of the ''World'' trilogy was the best.
* The first two ''Film/HomeAlone'' films are considered absolute classics (in particular the first). The next four? Not so much. The only thing that people ever bring up about the [[Film/HomeAlone3 third film]] is that [[RetroactiveRecognition the lead character's older sister was played by a teenage actress]] named Creator/ScarlettJohansson.
* Did you know that there have been ''eight'' official Franchise/KingKong movies?
** While the [[Film/KingKong1933 original]] from 1933 is one of the most referenced and recognizable films of all time, up there with ''[[Film/ANewHope Star Wars]]'', its sequel ''Film/TheSonOfKong'' failed to make an impact on release and has languished in obscurity ever since.
** Most people are vaguely aware that Kong [[Film/KingKongVsGodzilla fought Godzilla]] once, but hardly anybody knows about the followup ''Film/KingKongEscapes,'' a live-action adaptation of the 60s Kong animated series in which he fights a robotic duplicate of himself (pre-dating [[Film/GodzillaVsMechagodzilla Mechagodzilla]] by seven years!).
** The [[Film/KingKong1976 1976 remake]] is somewhat well known, but not nearly as iconic as the original. Its sequel, ''Film/KingKongLives,'' is only known among B-movie connoisseurs for being one of the worst films ever made.
** The Creator/PeterJackson-helmed [[Film/KingKong2005 remake]] is also pretty well-known, but again not as much as the original, and certainly not as much as Jackson's ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'' trilogy.
* Franchise/TolkiensLegendarium:
** Out of ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'' films, ''[[Film/TheLordOfTheRingsTheReturnOfTheKing The Return of the King]]'' won the most awards and ''[[Film/TheLordOfTheRingsTheTwoTowers The Two Towers]]'' was the best-reviewed, but in the years since the trilogy's release, ''[[Film/TheLordOfTheRingsTheFellowshipOfTheRing The Fellowship of the Ring]]'' has proven to be the most well-remembered of them by far. For instance, the ''Fellowship''-exclusive character Boromir is far more well-known than his brother Faramir despite the latter's large role in the sequels, the showdown between Gandalf and the Balrog is ''the'' single most iconic moment in the trilogy, a disproportionate number of ''Fellowship'' quotes have been immortalized as memes, and Gandalf's grey outfit is far more recognizable than the white one he dons in the sequels.[[note]]Strictly speaking, they're not "sequels" so much as the latter two-thirds of a single story DividedForPublication, but the point stands.[[/note]]
** ''Film/TheHobbit'' trilogy, although far from obscure, is nowhere near as iconic as the prior ''Lord of the Rings'' trilogy.
** ''Series/TheLordOfTheRingsTheRingsOfPower'' also borrowed a lot from the first trilogy and tried to compete withe it, but is clearly overshadowed by the movies in the eyes of the viewer.
* As both the first movie based on ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' sketches (though it's been at odds with ''Film/WaynesWorld'' for a while) and the first in its series, ''Film/TheBluesBrothers'' is one of the best known of them while ''Film/BluesBrothers2000'' -- and many other ''[=SNL=]'' movies -- proved to be silver screen flops.
* When it comes to ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'' and his LiveActionAdaptation the very first [[Film/SpiderManTrilogy first film trilogy]] by Creator/SamRaimi (particularly the first two movies) are far more conclusively liked than their successors ''Film/TheAmazingSpiderMan'' duology and the ''Film/SpiderManHomecomingTrilogy'' which is set within the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse despite the latter instalments having numerous fans especially the latter. Telling the third film of the Homecoming films ''Film/SpiderManNoWayHome'' is such a crowd pleaser in no small part because it brings back characters from the original Raimi films.
* Creator/QuentinTarantino is an unusual example. His best-known film, ''Film/PulpFiction'', was his second directorial effort, but it was the first to see a wide theatrical release.
* ''Film/WillyWonkaAndTheChocolateFactory'', the first film ever based on one of Creator/RoaldDahl's books, is still indisputably the most iconic and beloved film ever adapted from his work. Ironically enough, it was the least successful at the box office; the most successful was [[Film/CharlieAndTheChocolateFactory the book's second trip to the big screen]], which later faced intense backlash for being seen as an insult to the original. While ''Film/{{Matilda}}'', ''Film/JamesAndTheGiantPeach'', and ''WesternAnimation/FantasticMrFox'' are still cult classics, and generally more respected today than the 2005 ''Charlie'', neither of them are quite on the level as the 1971 ''Willy Wonka''.
* ''Film/TheGodfather'': While both ''Part I'' and ''Part II'' were widely acclaimed by both critics and audiences, with some even arguing that ''II'' was an EvenBetterSequel, ''Part I'' is the installment that more firmly cemented itself in the public consciousness. This view is exemplified by the films' Rotten Tomatoes scores, with ''Part I'' just barely edging out ''Part II'' for both the critics' score and the audience score[[note]]''Part I'' has a critics' score of 97% and an audience score of 98%; ''Part II'' comes in at 96% and 97%, respectively[[/note]]. Meanwhile, ''Part III'' is nowhere near as well-known and celebrated as the first two.

** When it comes to the ''Film/IronManFilms'' it's safe to say RDJ's first outing is easily most the beloved and whilst [[Film/IronMan2 2]] and [[Film/IronMan3 3]] have their genuine positives and fans they still come under fire and are far more critically and audience divided than the first film is. Hell this applies to the greater franchise as a whole as ''Iron Man 1'' still ranks very high for many several decades on despite the competition simply for its freshness and un-family friendly grittiness before the MCU fully ballooned in its wake.
** When it comes to the ''Avengers'' films and which one truly stands on its own merits, ''Film/TheAvengers2012'' has by far the least BrokenBase and tightest story of the tetralogy with a manageable cast of characters, best balance of grittiness and lightheartedness, many spectacular fights sequences and is what truly made the MCU the industry juggernaut that it became. Of its sequels ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'' and to a slightly lesser extent ''Film/AvengersEndgame'' rival its acclaim but have far more caveats and discourse, though its generally agreed that ''Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron'' is the real weakest entry (despite having its fair share of fans).
* ''Film/ScaryMovie'' serves for both its own series (though the third has its fans) and the ouvre of co-writers Creator/SeltzerAndFriedberg, who went on to make their own {{Narrow|Parody}} and ShallowParody films with the suffix "Movie" (''Film/DateMovie'', ''Film/EpicMovie'', ''Film/MeetTheSpartans'' and ''Film/DisasterMovie''), almost universally hated by critics. Although it wasn't their actual first screenwriting gig, that being ''Film/SpyHard''.
* ''Franchise/RoboCop'' has quite a few sequels as well as a 2014 remake, but most likely will never match the [[Film/RoboCop1987 1987 original]] in terms of reception and impact on pop culture, with its ultra-violence and memorable quotes.
* ''Film/Terminator2JudgmentDay'' is the more iconic of the original two James Cameron films. However, there are also many people who consider [[Film/TheTerminator the first film]] superior due to its greater focus on horror, its darker tone, and its self-consistent timeline, as opposed to the more action-oriented sequels which involve changing the timeline in one way or another, opening up questions of paradoxes and bringing about an extremely confusing and flimsy canon. Also, because Kyle and Sarah are mere humans all alone without any Terminator allies like in the sequels, their situation and that of humanity at large feel much more desperate in a way that is virtually impossible for the sequels to match. Tellingly it also has the highest critical score on Website/RottenTomatoes, the only film in the franchise to have a 100% score.
* ''Film/Transformers2007'' is widely considered the best (aside from ''Film/{{Bumblebee}}'' or [[WesternAnimation/TheTransformersTheMovie the 1986 animated movie]]), as it is devoid of all the problems caused by SequelEscalation, such as overtly complicated plots and action scenes that border on SensoryOverload.
* The first ''Film/PoliceAcademy'', while often viewed as little more than 80s slapstick, is still the best of the series. A certain portion still consider the 2nd and 3rd to be "good", but after that the less said the better.
* Most fans of the first ''Film/{{Hellraiser}}'' probably aren't aware of how prolific a franchise is-- as of 2023, there are ''eleven'' films in the series, including a whopping six DTV sequels, all but two of which star Doug Bradley. One of them, ''Hellseeker,'' even functions as a direct sequel to the second film in the franchise. In terms of the big horror franchises of the 80s and 90s, this actually places ''Hellraiser'' second only to the Friday the 13th series in terms of the number of entries.
* In the ''Film/AustinPowers'' trilogy, only the first film, ''International Man of Mystery'' holds up today due to the sequels' jokes becoming {{Unintentional Period Piece}}s and overuse of gags. Though ''Goldmember'' got some VindicatedByHistory when Film/{{Spectre}} would ironically burrow its evil brother reveal, in a rare case of the original franchise copying the parody.
* The Franchise/UniversalHorror classics are almost, well, universally examples of this. The originals --''Film/{{Dracula|1931}}'', ''Film/{{Frankenstein|1931}}'', ''[[Film/TheMummy1932 The Mummy]]'', and ''[[Film/TheInvisibleMan1933 The Invisible Man]]'' in the first wave, ''[[Film/TheWolfMan1941 The Wolf Man]]'' a decade later, and ''Film/CreatureFromTheBlackLagoon'' a decade after that -- spawned sixteen sequels, not including the Creator/AbbottAndCostello comedies. Of those 16, ''Film/BrideOfFrankenstein'' is almost universally (there it is again) considered an EvenBetterSequel; ''Film/FrankensteinMeetsTheWolfMan'' is remembered for CanonWelding the gang into a shared universe; and, for those who have seen it, ''Film/DraculasDaughter'' is a ContestedSequel in terms of comparison to the original's quality. The rest, well...
* ''Franchise/{{Halloween}}'': The [[Film/Halloween1978 first film]] is considered a horror movie masterpiece that helped codify [[SlasherMovie a genre]]. The reputation of its numerous sequels ranges from SoOkayItsAverage to nearly incomprehensible garbage, to the point the franchise had to be [[ContinuityReboot remade or rebooted]] three times.
* ''Franchise/FridayThe13th'': [[Film/FridayThe13th1980 the original]] is still widely considered the one film in the series the whole fandom can agree is good and the one critics are most likely to give good remarks on. While there are a decent number of fans who prefer the sequels, ''[[Film/FridayThe13thPartVIJasonLives Part VI: Jason Lives]]'' tends to be the only one that fans and critics unanimously like.
* French TimeTravel comedy ''Film/LesVisiteurs'' was a smashing national success none of its sequels (or [[Film/JustVisiting its remake]]) could replicate and remains the most memorable and critically lauded. Of note, Creator/ValerieLemercier's portrayal of Béatrice de Montmirail was felt as sorely missing from the sequel (TheOtherDarrin Muriel Robin was felt as inferior).
* ''Film/WhiteWolves'': All of the films have about the same critical reception (although some people dislike either the third or fourth ones), but the first one is viewed as being a little better due to being directly based on the Newberry-Medal winning ''Literature/BriansSaga'', while the sequels follow original characters.
* ''Film/PlanetOfTheApes1968'' compared to its four sequels, with only ''Film/EscapeFromThePlanetOfTheApes'' being unanimously liked.
* ''Film/TheBlairWitchProject'' was followed by two sequels and launched a multimedia franchise due to its massive financial success in spite of a minuscule budget. However, the other installments are considered forgettable at best, in large part due to the original film's gimmick being heavily ViralMarketing oriented, tricking the audience with advertising that insisted the events shown were real (as well as being one of the first FoundFootageFilms). [[OnceOriginalNowCommon This was an innovative new promotion strategy at the time]], but it would be impossible to play it off again, turning the rest into basically bog-standard horror movies.
* The entire ''Film/ResidentEvilFilmSeries'' has a largely negative reception from both critics and fans of the games, but of them, only [[Film/ResidentEvil2002 the first film]] is the one held in any sort of regard by any of the fans, because, even if it has almost nothing to do with the games to the point of being an InNameOnly adaptation, it at least captures the ''tone'' of the games. The sequels were not treated with the same sentiment, veering even ''further'' from the story of the games, having more ridiculous action and plots, [[AssPull/ResidentEvilFilmSeries non-existent continuity]] that make watching the whole series pointless, and especially because they turned Alice (the CanonForeigner main character who is, not coincidentally, also the director's wife) into an InvincibleHero.
* ''Film/PacificRim'' launched a small franchise of comic books, licensed games, [[Anime/PacificRimTheBlack a spinoff anime]], and a sequel movie, ''Film/PacificRimUprising''. However, only the reception of the original movie is largely positive, while the reception to all the follow-ups and tie-ins ranges from forgettable to terrible, with the sequel in particular being a FranchiseKiller and [[FanonDiscontinuity many fans try not to think about its existence]].
* Out of the ''Film/ThreeFlavoursCornettoTrilogy'', ''Film/ShaunOfTheDead'' is the most beloved and well-regarded. The film even manages to avoid the OnceOriginalNowCommon effect long after zombies grew so ubiquitous and oversaturated in pop culture that parodies and deconstructions of zombie fiction have become a genre unto themselves.
* ''Film/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles1990'' is the only installment in the 90s live-action film series whose quality the fanbase can widely regard as good. ''Film/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtlesIITheSecretOfTheOoze'' has its defenders, but many criticize it for being LighterAndSofter and not having enough action, ''Film/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtlesIII'' is widely considered the worst film in the entire franchise, and animated quasi-sequel ''WesternAnimation/{{TMNT}}'' is a ContestedSequel at its finest.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* ''Series/ThirteenReasonsWhy'' caused a huge impact upon its release. The following seasons, on the other hand, are considered exploitative and non-sensical and gathered negative reviews all around (the Rotten Tomatoes score dip is particularly impressive: 78% for the first season, ''27%'' for the second, and everything after scored on the 10% mark).
* Creator/{{AMC}}'s first two original scripted shows in its current format, ''Series/MadMen'' and ''Series/BreakingBad'', are two of the network's three best-known shows ([[Series/TheWalkingDead2010 the other]] is its fourth).
* ''Series/DowntonAbbey'': The first season is regarded the most favorably with almost universal appreciation. The second season is reasonably popular but criticized for its more soap-opera like elements, the third is disliked because of [[spoiler:Sybil and Matthew's deaths]] and the fourth went past the point of no return for a lot of viewers.
* ''Series/FamilyFeud'' has run non-contiguously since 1976: from 1976-85 with Richard Dawson; from 1988-95 with Ray Combs (except for the last season, which reverted to Dawson); and from 1999 onward with four different hosts (Creator/LouieAnderson, Richard Karn, Creator/JohnOHurley, Creator/SteveHarvey). Despite the contemporary incarnation running longer than its two predecessors combined, the original Richard Dawson version is still what most people think of when they think of the ''Feud'', and the persistence of the Dawson and Combs eras in reruns has not hurt either.
* Many fans feel this way about the first season of ''Series/{{Glee}}''. More charitable ones will extend it to the first lineup of the titular glee club.
* While ''Series/GreysAnatomy'' has been around [[LongRunners for a while]], many fans feel it was at its best with the original five interns - Meredith, Alex, George, Izzie, Cristina - and feel that it lost some magic after [[spoiler: George]] died in Season 5.
* ''Series/{{Heroes}}'', as the first season is the only one which [[SeasonalRot didn't disappoint most of the fanbase.]]
* Creator/{{VH1}}'s ILoveTheExties miniseries has spun-off many different incarnations of decades, toys and ''holidays'', but ''I Love the 80s'' (and in particular the first two of the eventual three collections) remains the most memorable. Although ''I Love the 70s'' also has its share of fans, it's not nearly as celebrated as the 80s by the mostly Generation Xers or Yers who tuned in (and most noticeable, while many people complained about celebrities who were born in the 1980s being commentators for ''I Love the 80s'', the latter series had ''far more'' celebrities born in the 1970s as commentators, yet these ageist "experts" [[{{Hypocrite}} suddenly fell silent.]])
* The first ''Series/KamenRider'' series is the one most recognizable in Japan. Not to say that other, more recent series (like ''[[Series/KamenRiderDenO Den-O]]'') haven't enjoyed their share of success, but the first series is the one that started it all. Takeshi Hongo, the first Kamen Rider, is also the most iconic character in the franchise by extension, with Hayato Ichimonji, his successor turned ally, as a close second.
* Virtually any ''Series/{{Lost}}'' parody will focus on elements introduced in the first season - the survivors, the Others, the Hatch, the Monster, the Numbers, and the polar bears. Nearly the entire remainder of the series' pop culture reputation comes from the second season, with DHARMA Initiative. The first season is also the least disputed one as [[BrokenBase all five that followed are accused of]] SeasonalRot, if only for [[KudzuPlot making the plot weirder as it went.]] The fact that the show completely changed focus around Season 3 makes it very easy to identify someone who hasn't watched the show since the first season, and the fact that it continued changing focus every season after that makes it also easy to identify when someone stopped watching.
* ''Series/TheLWord'': Any trouble digesting the ridiculousness of the latter seasons will either be soothed or completely exacerbated by the dramatic superiority of any episode from the first three.
* ''Series/TheMandalorian'' remains a bigger crowd-pleaser than its spin-off shows. The majority of fans believe that its peak lasted through either the first or second season, the latter of which marked the last one Creator/DisneyPlus released prior to the spin-offs.
* Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse:

* FirstInstallmentWins/Literature

[[folder:Literature]]
* In an odd case of this happening to a portion of a single book, most people don't know that there is more to ''Literature/GulliversTravels'' than just the Lilliput section. This gets compounded by a lot of publishers choosing only to publish that section.
* Proust's ''In Search of Lost Time'': only "The Way By Swann's" (volume one of seven) is at all known; it contains the famous madeleine reminiscence (which also comes right at the beginning of the volume). There is a bookshop with about seven copies of Vol. I on the shelf, and one or two each of all the others: they know most people give up.
* ''Literature/CarryOn'' is a well-beloved and best selling YA QueerRomance. The book has two sequels that make a trilogy, but these two sequels are quite controversial, especially the second book, due to a darker tone and pacing issues.
* OlderThanPrint: Creator/DanteAlighieri's ''Literature/TheDivineComedy'': ''Inferno'' is a cultural touchstone. ''Purgatorio'' and ''Paradiso'', meanwhile, are the province of literary professors.
* ''Literature/{{Beowulf}}'' has three sections, each linked to the monster that Beowulf fights. His first fight with Grendel is by far the most famous. Not surprisingly, Grendel has become a somewhat famous mythical monster, even inspiring a TwiceToldTale (John Gardner's ''Literature/{{Grendel}}'') in which he is the antihero of the story. Grendel's mother and the dragon, neither even having a name, are not nearly as well remembered.
* Most people have heard of ''Literature/KingSolomonsMines''. Creator/HRiderHaggard's other fourteen Allan Quatermain books: not so much.
* Some fans of ''Literature/TheEmpiriumTrilogy'' feel that the first book, ''Furyborn'', is the best of the three. Those that do usually cite it has having stronger character writing and better pacing than the latter two.
* ''Literature/RobinsonCrusoe'' got two sequels, ''The Further Adventures of Robinson Crusoe'' and ''Serious Reflections of Robinson Crusoe'' (although the last one is a series of essays [[DolledUpInstallment to which Crusoe's name was added in order to boost sales]]).
* ''Literature/AnneOfGreenGables'' (by Creator/LMMontgomery) goes on to become ''Anne of Avonlea, The Island, Windy Poplars,'' her own ''House of Dreams,'' and ''Ingleside'' - then her kids take over. A popular "boxed set" of this series includes only the first three books.
* When it comes to ''Literature/TheHungerGames'' while its two sequels have a lot of fans, most people simply enjoy the first book of the trilogy the most for its ''Literature/BattleRoyale''-esque DeadlyGame simplicity with the YA dystopia being the backdrop, rather than the main focus. This also reflected in the box office of the film adaptations as while ''Film/TheHungerGames'' and ''Film/TheHungerGamesCatchingFire'' which both contained Hunger Games were huge hits, ''Film/TheHungerGamesMockingjayPart1'' and ''[[Film/TheHungerGamesMockingjayPart2 Part 2]]'' which were about the revolution did far less well. Although granted splitting the book into two films wasn't exactly a point in its favour either.
* ''[[Literature/CatchTwentyTwo Catch-22]]'' received a sequel called ''Closing Time''. It was written 33 years after the original novel and has essentially been ignored. Nothing else Joseph Heller ever wrote came close to Catch-22 in popularity. His rather brilliant comment on the situation:
--> When I read something saying I've not done anything as good as ''Catch-22'' I'm tempted to reply, "Who has?"
* ''Literature/AWrinkleInTime'' is the most famous of L'Engle's Time Quintet partially because of the tidy little Newberry Award on the cover. In addition, the Time Quintet has a whole series in between the fourth book in the series (''A Swiftly Tilting Planet'') and the fifth and last book (''An Acceptable Time'') that is about Calvin and Meg's children.
* ''Literature/LandOfOz'':
** Perhaps because of [[Film/TheWizardOfOz the film adaption]] being [[AdaptationDisplacement a lot more popular than the book]], most people are unaware that ''Literature/TheWonderfulWizardOfOz'' has [[Literature/LandOfOz thirteen sequels written by L. Frank Baum and an additional 26 "official" books written by other authors after that]]. Clearly, it was ''not'' a dream all along.
** The original W.W. Denslow illustrations portray Dorothy with dark hair in GirlishPigtails. John R. Neill's illustrations, which were used in most of the books, portray her as having a blonde TwentiesBobHaircut. Denslow's design is slightly truer to the text as, though Dorothy's appearance isn't touched upon much, it is mentioned that she only has two dresses, but Neill was fond of giving Dorothy an UnlimitedWardrobe. W.W. Denslow's pigtailed brunette design is how most people see Dorothy and is also the one used in [[Film/TheWizardOfOz the movie]] and most other adaptations (though, a number of fanfics and ''Oz'' derivatives do make Dorothy a blonde).
* Almost no one knows ''Literature/TheGiver'' has three sequels, rendering all those English essays about the "ambiguous" ending completely moot. One of the "sequels" only barely references ''Literature/TheGiver'', another is plenty ambiguous itself, but the third clearly explains the ending of the original.
* Everyone knows about ''Literature/LittleWomen''. Its sequels, ''Little Men'' and ''Jo's Boys'' however... not so much. In the UK only the first half of ''Little Women'' is known, because the second part was published separately as ''Good Wives''.
* ''Literature/TheLionTheWitchAndTheWardrobe'' was the first book written in ''Literature/TheChroniclesOfNarnia'' (though second in chronological reading order due to the {{prequel}} ''Literature/TheMagiciansNephew''). It's by far the best remembered, to such a degree that many aren't even aware it's only the first in a series. This also seems to have carried over into adaptations, with [[Film/PrinceCaspian the film adaptation]] of ''Literature/PrinceCaspian'' not doing as well as [[Film/TheLionTheWitchAndTheWardrobe its predecessor]].
* ''Literature/EndersGame'' is definitely the most popular book in its the series. Ironically, Creator/OrsonScottCard only expanded the short story upon which it's based so he could provide backstory for ''Literature/SpeakerForTheDead'', the story he really wanted to tell.
* ''Literature/LeftBehind''. Would you believe that, counting the three prequels, there are SIXTEEN books in the series? The later ones tend to suffer a bit from ArcFatigue.
* ''Literature/TheAdventuresOfHuckleberryFinn'' is probably as famous as or more famous than the earlier ''Literature/TheAdventuresOfTomSawyer''. But Twain's next two sequels, ''Tom Sawyer Abroad'' and ''Tom Sawyer, Detective''? Not so much. (Yeah, that's right, Creator/AlanMoore didn't make up [[Film/TheLeagueOfExtraordinaryGentlemen that part about Tom being an action hero]].)
* ''Literature/TheMysteriousIsland'' is much less well known than ''Literature/TwentyThousandLeaguesUnderTheSea''.
* Many people know Creator/AlexandreDumas' ''Literature/TheThreeMusketeers'' but not the sequel, ''Literature/TwentyYearsAfter''. The next sequel, ''Literature/TheVicomteDeBragelonne'', is split into multiple parts, of which only the last, ''The Man in the Iron Mask'', is well known.
* Thanks to a well-known movie version, ''[[Literature/{{Ripliad}} The Talented Mr. Ripley]]'' is much better known than its four sequels (though some of them have been made into movies too).
* ''Scarlett'' was the sequel to ''Film/GoneWithTheWind''. Bet most of you didn't even know there was one, Timothy Dalton fans not included. It was written by another author after Margaret Mitchell died and generally regarded as a cheap attempt to cash in on the demand for a sequel. Mitchell's Estate regards ''Scarlett'' as non-canon, but commissioned an official sequel titled ''Rhett Butler's People''.
* ''Literature/TheBlackStallion'' is a series spanning over 20 books. Most people have only read the first few though.
* Happens a lot with Latin texts, as most likely, a student had to translate the first part of an author's work, but not the rest. Most Latin students have read Creator/{{Cicero}}'s First Catilinarian Oration ("To what end, Catiline, do you abuse our patience?"), but not the other three. Most have read the beginning of UsefulNotes/JuliusCaesar's ''Literature/CommentariesOnTheGallicWar'' ("All of Gaul was divided into three parts"), but not all eight books.
* All the aspects of ''Franchise/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy'' which have experienced PopculturalOsmosis are exclusively from [[Literature/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy1 the first book]] in the series. You'd be very hard-pressed to find someone aware of anything beyond that book; that it was the only installment [[Film/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy2005 adapted for film]] doesn't help. This also extends to the work of Creator/DouglasAdams in general; ''Hitchhiker's'' is by far his best-known work, and [[Literature/DirkGently his other books]] are dwarfed to a massive degree by it. In a subversion, not many people are aware that ''Radio/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy1978'' was a BBC Radio series before it was a book. (Though the radio series is itself an example: the well-known parts of the story are all from the "primary phase".)
* ''Literature/Santa2007'': Most fans agree that the Christmas atmosphere and the way the SecretSanta exchange is used to fuel a LoveDodecahedron makes a fun atmosphere that none of the sequels quite capture (although they still have their fans, especially ''Be Mine'' and ''Spring Fling'').
* ''Literature/SonicTheHedgehogAdventureGamebooks'': While the series consists of six books and each have different set of author(s) per two books, majority of the fans tend to agree that the James Wallis books - more specificity ''Metal City Mayhem'' and ''Zone Rangers'' - are the best books in the series, mainly for having a darker edge, sharper humor and engaging stories compared to the other books.
* ''Literature/WarriorCats'':
** The first series of ''Warriors'' is universally considered the best of the numerous story arcs (there are five total series planned, plus plenty of ExpandedUniverse books out.)
** The other Creator/ErinHunter series are financially successful but are not nearly quite as popular, probably because ''Warriors'' is a tough act to follow.
* Out of all the ''[[Literature/NightWatchSeries Watch]]'' books, most people know the name ''Night Watch''. ''Day Watch'' is also fairly well-known due to the same style of writing. Then you have ''Twilight Watch'' and ''Final Watch'', which many non-fans simply haven't heard of, and the two spin-offs (one of which by the [[Creator/VladimirVasilyev co-author]] of ''Day Watch''). The first novel gained some international fame, mostly due to TheFilmOfTheBook.
* ''Literature/{{Neuromancer}}'' is much more popular and critically acclaimed than the other novels in Creator/WilliamGibson's ''Literature/SprawlTrilogy''.
* Believe it or not, there were books after the original ''Literature/{{Corduroy}}''.
* For ''Literature/DeltoraQuest'', most people outside Australia will likely only be familiar with the very first book series which is about the protagonist Lief and his friends Barda and Jasmine finding the seven gems to put on the belt. Far less people will be familiar with the second or third book series despite them containing plenty of great adventure and interest to fans [[spoiler:like Lief and Jasmine becoming an OfficialCouple for one and taming dragons for another.]] Of course the popularity of the [[Anime/DeltoraQuest anime adaptation]], that only covers the first book series, helps with the Pirran Pipe and Four Sister sequel series books obscurity. Usually resulting in "Wait there's more?" responses from people whom have only watched the anime or read the manga adaptations and are informed that there were more adventures afterwards. The video game and board game adaptations are also based purely on the first book series.
* The ''Little House'' series by Laura Ingalls Wilder falls victim to this trope, though the effect is enhanced by AdaptationDisplacement and SequelDisplacement. The series is known as the ''Literature/LittleHouseOnThePrairie'' series, owing in part to [[Series/LittleHouseOnThePrairie the television show]] and the fact that said book is the most popular of the series. However, it's not the first book in the series (it's the third), and finding people who even know it ''is'' part of a series (of more than eight books) is hit-or-miss.
* The original ''Literature/{{Dune}}'' novel is still the most popular in the series.
* ''Literature/FlowersInTheAttic'' is the best known and most notorious of the Dollanganger series. You'll probably get people who didn't even know that there were three sequels and a prequel. It didn't help that for a long time ''FITA'' was the only book to receive a film adaptation (at least until Lifetime made adaptations of all the books sans the last).
* Allen Drury's ''Film/AdviseAndConsent'' was a best-seller that won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction, inspired a successful [[TheFilmOfTheBook film adaptation]] and remains a TropeCodifier for the modern GovernmentProcedural. Its sequels have faded into obscurity, largely because they veer into [[AuthorTract right-wing polemics against Communism, liberals, the UN and minorities]]. To give you an idea, one book ends with a Soviet takeover of the United States.
* Though not the first book written by Creator/DrSeuss, most people remember him for the first of his sixteen Beginner Books, ''Literature/TheCatInTheHat''.
* Creator/PeterDavid enjoyed quite a bit of popularity with the first book in the ''Literature/KnightLifeSeries'', by comparison, the two sequels got far less attention and reviews, though they were largely positive. Granted, the original title was published in 1987 before being reissued in 2002 with a number of modernized revisions and expansion and was then followed with a sequel the next year and another three years later.
* The ''[[Literature/TheBookOfTheDunCow Book of the Dun Cow]]'' series by Walter Wangerin, Jr. is an interesting case. The first book, ''The Book of the Dun Cow'', is the most well known book in the series, receiving widespread critical acclaim as well as an off-Broadway theater adaptation. While the sequel, ''The Book of Sorrows'', was also well-received critically, its DarkerAndEdgier tone (even compared to the already pretty dark first book) made it a tough read for some fans of the original. Then the author [[GeorgeLucasAlteredVersion rewrote and cut large parts of the second book to fit the third book]], causing a ContinuitySnarl, leading to criticism from fans of the first two books as they already stood, and making the third book, ''Peace at the Last'', the most divisive of the three. It was quietly [[SequelGap published in 2013]] with almost none of the first two's fanfare or acclaim.
* While the follow-up novels were just as critically acclaimed, ''Dawn'' and ''Day'' don't hold up to Elie Wiesel's ''Literature/{{Night}}''.
* The first book in ''Literature/TheTwilightSaga'' is considered to be the best and is the most well known. While not considered a great work of art by any stretch of the imagination, it's seen as an overly long and flawed but enjoyable paranormal teen romance. It's also the lowest-stakes book and focused on the romance rather than the world around it. The sequels are a lot more divisive due to increasingly bizarre and uncomfortable plot developments (like an eighteen year old boy falling in love with a baby), {{Wangst}}, CharacterDerailment, and lots and lots of {{Padding}}.
* ''Literature/JustWilliam'' is by far the best-known of Richmal Crompton's long-running series. Most readers couldn't name any of the 38 subsequent books, and may not even be aware of their existence. This often leads to the incorrect assumption that stories and characters not featured in the first one (in particular, EnsembleDarkhorse Violet Elizabeth Bott) were invented for adaptations in other media.
* Even hardcore fans of the whole ''Literature/EarthsChildren'' series tend to agree the first book, ''The Clan of the Cave Bear'', is the strongest book; it's the most critically acclaimed entry, is less divisive amongst readers compared to the sequels, and lacks some of the writing flaws of the later entries such as excessive {{padding}} and narrative bloat (most fans still enjoy the next three books despite their flaws, while the last two got a far more mixed reception and are agreed to be [[{{Sequelitis}} the weakest entries]]). Chances are you'll be more familiar with the title ''The Clan of the Cave Bear'' than ''Earth's Children'' (the title of the whole series); one of the alternate titles for this series' TV Tropes entry is ''Clan of the Cave Bear''.
* ''The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo'' remains the most popular book of Stieg Larsson's ''Literature/MillenniumSeries''. ''The Girl Who Played with Fire'' and ''The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest'', [[TwoPartTrilogy being a two-parter story]], are considered a bit inferior, and the continuation trilogy after the original author's death is [[OnlyTheCreatorDoesItRight very controversal]]. It also helps that the [[Film/TheGirlWithTheDragonTattoo2011 American adaptation of the first book]] was a critical hit while the subsequent film ''Film/TheGirlInTheSpidersWeb'' (adapted from the fourth book) was a flop.
* ''Literature/TheLongEmergency'' is considered a classic of PostPeakOil non-fiction and has been translated to many languages. The sequel, ''Too Much Magic'' only received two translations, in French and Chinese. The third book, ''Living on the Long Emergency'' did not receive any translations.
[[/folder]]

* Creator/{{AMC}}'s first two original scripted shows in its current format, ''Series/MadMen'' and ''Series/BreakingBad'', are two of the network's three best known shows ([[Series/TheWalkingDead2010 the other]] is its fourth).

* The first book in ''Literature/TheTwilightSaga'' is considered to be the best and is the most well known. While not considered a great work of art by any stretch of the imagination, it's seen as an overly long and flawed but enjoyable paranormal teen romance. It's also the lowest stakes book and focused on the romance rather than the world around it. The sequels are a lot more divisive due to increasingly bizarre and uncomfortable plot developments (like an eighteen year old boy falling in love with a baby), {{Wangst}}, CharacterDerailment, and lots and lots of {{Padding}}.

* ''The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo'' remains the most popular book of Stieg Larsson's ''Literature/MillenniumSeries''. ''The Girl Who Played with Fire'' and ''The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest'', [[TwoPartTrilogy being a two-parter story]], are considered a bit inferiors and the continuation trilogy after the original author's death is [[OnlyTheCreatorDoesItRight very controversal]]. It also helps that the [[Film/TheGirlWithTheDragonTattoo2011 American adaptation of the first book]] was a critical hit while the subsequent film ''Film/TheGirlInTheSpidersWeb'' (adapted from the fourth book) was a flop.

* When it comes to ''Literature/TheHungerGames'' while its two sequels have a lot of fans, most people simply enjoy the first book of the trilogy the most for its ''Literature/BattleRoyale''-esque DeadlyGame simplicity with the YA dystopia being the backdrop, rather than the main focus. This also reflected in the box office of the film adaptations as while ''Film/TheHungerGames'' and ''Film/TheHungerGamesCatchingFire'' which both contained Hunger Games were huge hits, ''Film/TheHungerGamesMockingjay'' which is about the revolution did far less well. Although granted splitting the book into two films wasn't exactly a point in its favour either.

* Everyone knows that smallpox was the first infectious disease to have been fully eradicated from the wild. Hardly anyone can name the second ([[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rinderpest rinderpest]], declared eradicated in 2011.) This is in large part because, unlike smallpox, rinderpest only afflicts livestock.

* There have been over thirty ''Franchise/{{Godzilla}}'' movies, and [[Film/Godzilla1954 the original 1954]] one is STILL the highest rated on Website/RottenTomatoes, Website/{{IMDB}} and Website/{{Letterboxd}} (as well as amongst the fanbase) and the most famous in the popular mind, [[MainstreamObscurity even if few have actually seen it]].

** Similar to ''Franchise/{{Terminator}}'' below, there's a good deal of people who even argue ''Alien'' is better than its acclaimed sequel ''Aliens'', simply by the virtue of the fact that's a true horror film steeped in darkly gothic sexual symbolism, thanks to Creator/HRGiger's imput and leans right into the SpaceIsolationHorror -- whilst ''Aliens'' is largely an [[ActionisedSequel action film]] with horror elements. The fact the lone Xenomorph in the first film feels so much more frightening than the many easily killable Xenomorphs in the second film, is also a reflection of this.

* The original Wrestling/BigGoldBelt used in [[Wrestling/NationalWrestlingAlliance NWA]] and Wrestling/{{WCW}} from February 1986 to January 2001 is almost unanimously considered to be superior to the versions that replaced it, especially the ones made by WWE. [[note]]The original Big Gold was hand-engraved by a silversmith whose exact methods are a closely-guarded trade secret, making it impossible for anyone to make an exact copy of it (even Crumrine Jewelers themselves weren't able to perfectly replicate the original when a fan named Teddy Srour ordered a personal copy from Crumrine). The replacement used in the last few months of WCW and in WWF/E until early 2003 was a cast copy of the original (and the molds used to make it and four other copies no longer exist, meaning no further direct copies can be made unless the original belt is cast again at some point), but the plates were entirely gold-plated instead of the silver and gold two-tone of the original, making it harder to see the detailing on the plates and overall looking more generic. When WWE made their own version of the Big Gold with their company logo on it, it was smaller and less detailed than both the original and its cast copies.[[/note]]

* ''Film/TheCrow'' has three sequels, but most people have usually only seen the first one.

* ''Film/SawI'' is widely regarded as the best ''Saw'' movie. Despite having six sequels, most believe that none of them compare to the original; some fans even consider the first movie the only good ''Saw'' movie. Ironically, the first movie [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness lacked most of the franchise's signature elements]]; the deathtraps weren't particularly elaborate nor overly gory, being much more of a psychological thriller about kidnapping victims and the police trying to figure out what happened; to some this is the reason why the first film is the best one.

** Creator/DanDiDio has used this as justification for replacing many characters with their [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] incarnations, specifically Characters/{{Supergirl|TheCharacter}} (Kara Zor-El), ComicBook/TheFlash ([[Characters/TheFlashBarryAllen Barry Allen]]), ComicBook/GreenLantern (Hal Jordan) and Characters/{{Batgirl}} (Barbara Gordon).[[note]] although in the case of the latter three; that honor goes to Jay Garrick, Alan Scott (and InUniverse, Hal was replacing Abin Sur), and Bette Kane[[/note]]

* Every single Franchise/DisneyAnimatedCanon film with a direct-to-video sequel is always better remembered than its sequel.
** This is the main reason why [[WesternAnimation/TheLittleMermaidIIReturntotheSea Melody]], [[SpinOffspring Ariel's daughter]], is not considered as an official Franchise/DisneyPrincess, despite her own mother actually being considered as one.

* When it comes to ''Film/TheMummyTrilogy'' the first film ''Film/TheMummy1999'' is near universally loved, the sequel ''Film/TheMummyReturns'' has plenty of fans but is not a patch on and the threequel ''Film/TheMummyTombOfTheDragonEmperor'' is a [[BoxOfficeBomb strong reminder]] of how good the first film is. And the less said about ''Film/TheScorpionKing'', its sequels and ''Film/TheMummy2017'' the better.
** Fair to note the 1999 film is not even the first instalment but ''Film/TheMummy1932'' has simply been overshadowed in the public zeitgeist by its 90s revamp.

* ''Film/JurassicPark'' is a widely-acclaimed visual masterpiece, whose [[Film/TheLostWorldJurassicPark two]] [[Film/JurassicParkIII sequels]] are generally reviled. Although the belated fourth entry ''Film/JurassicWorld'' was much better received commercially, most people would agree that it doesn't live up to the first film's standards, and its followup ''Film/JurassicWorldFallenKingdom'' even less so (to the point that the reputation of the second film ''The Lost World: Jurassic Park'', which shares some plot points, was slightly upgraded). Once ''Film/JurassicWorldDominion'' came out, it ended up creating a subsection of this trope, as everyone agreed the first of the ''World'' trilogy was the best.

* Music/LizPhair's ''Music/ExileInGuyville'' got a '''huge''' amount of praise, and [[http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5938174/the_rs_500_greatest_albums_of_all_time/4 is considered one of the best albums of all time]]. Too bad the rest of her albums didn't match up to the success of her debut. Not the same level of critical success perhaps, but they got a lot more radio airplay.

* Concerning the Creator/DisneyPlus MCU shows, easily the best reviewed, the most bang for the buck, least controversial (barring its final episode) and most liked all around is ''Series/WandaVision'' the first one. ''[=WandaVision=]'''s refreshingly different and weird direction for the studio and generally good pacing and character drama make it effortlessly the favourite of the bunch.

* Creator/{{Netflix}}:
** The network has released ten original comedy series, but its first (''Series/UnbreakableKimmySchmidt'') remains its most popular.
** When it comes to MCU Netflix shows ''Series/{{Daredevil|2015}}'' especially its first season is considered the absolute best despite ''Series/{{Jessica Jones|2015}}'', ''Series/{{Luke Cage|2016}}'' and ''Series/{{The Punisher|2017}}'' having their fans (''Series/{{Iron Fist|2017}}'', not so much). ''Daredevil'' is also considered superior to the official Creator/DisneyPlus Marvel TV shows which have plenty of broken bases and critics. Such is the acclaim and popularity of Creator/CharlieCox's Daredevil that he's the first Netflix Marvel character to make his way into a mainline film: ''Film/SpiderManNoWayHome''.
** ''Series/ThirteenReasonsWhy'' caused a huge impact upon its release. The following seasons, on the other hand, are considered exploitative and non-sensical and gathered negative reviews all around (the Rotten Tomatoes score dip is particularly impressive: 78% for the first season, ''27%'' for the second, and everything after scored on the 10% mark).
** For a lot of people the first season of ''Series/StrangerThings'' will always dwarf the second and third seasons, simply for having the right combination of 80s grittiness and heart with its cast as well as having enough unexplained mystery and intrigue. When discussing the series, the now iconic moments of Joyce using the Christmas lights to communicate to Will and Eleven saving Mike and Dustin before having a GroupHug are brought up far more than moments from the second and third seasons. Incredibly, the fourth season, thanks to numerous great scenes and new characters and what is generally considered a huge improvement from Seasons 2 and 3, has managed to rival the first, being extremely acclaimed and discussed, even if the first season is still the best liked overall.

* Many ''Franchise/{{Alien}}'' fans prefer to watch ''Film/{{Alien}}'' and ''Film/{{Aliens}}'' and then stop there. There are fanbases for ''Film/Alien3'' and ''Film/AlienResurrection'' (which to be fair are actually okay films - though the over-the-topness of the fourth one is a point of contention - though definitely not as good as the original). Opinions are split on ''Film/{{Prometheus}}''; half the Alien fanbase considers it to be an incredible and intriguing new entry into the canon which gives a whole new area of the Alien Universe to explore and accepts it as canon, the other half believes it to be an unoriginal mess of ideas and tries to ignore it. ''Film/AlienCovenant'' featured a lot of PanderingToTheBase starring the Xenomorphs heavily but ironically only managed to divide fans further and make people appreciate the first's film subtlety and smaller scope even more.

* ''WesternAnimation/ThePenguinsOfMadagascar'': This show is easily the most popular and well-liked of the three shows Creator/DreamworksAnimation made in association with Creator/{{Nickelodeon}} (partly because ''[[WesternAnimation/KungFuPandaLegendsOfAwesomeness Legends of Awesomeness]]'' is very divisive among the ''Franchise/KungFuPanda'' fanbase and ''WesternAnimation/MonstersVsAliens2013'' is universally regarded as [[{{Sequelitis}} a weak effort]]). Some fans would go further and argue is still the best show based on a Dreamworks movie, although ''WesternAnimation/DragonsRidersOfBerk'' and ''WesternAnimation/AllHailKingJulien'' have solid fanbases who disagree.

* The original Wrestling/BigGoldBelt used in [[Wrestling/NationalWrestlingAlliance NWA]] and Wrestling/{{WCW}} from February 1986 to January 2001 is almost unanimously considered to be superior to the versions that replaced it, especially the ones made by WWE. [[note]]The original was hand-engraved by a silversmith whose exact methods are a closely-guarded trade secret, making it impossible for anyone to make an exact copy of it (even Crumrine Jewelers themselves weren't able to perfectly replicate the original when a fan named Teddy Srour ordered a personal copy from Crumrine). The replacement used in the last few months of WCW and in WWF until early 2003 was a cast copy of the original, but the plates were entirely gold-plated instead of the silver and gold two-tone of the original, making it harder to see the detailing on the plates and overall looking more generic. When WWE made their own version of the Big Gold with their company logo on it, it was smaller and less detailed than both the original and its cast copy.[[/note]]