Brain Bleed: The Shows We Hate & The Reasons We Hate Them

[selkie]

I enjoyed about the first 2-3 seasons of Sex and the City because it actually made me laugh on a regular basis. I really didn't care about Carrie/Big or Carrie/Aidan or the other attempts at romantic relationships on the show- it was all about the tantric yoga sex scenes and the' you've got to be kidding me?' reactions. Then the show stopped being funny and I only really watched out of habit.

[Rick Kitchen]

Seinfeld.  I don't know if I ever made it through an episode.  Boring and mean-spirited.

[Popples]

Glee: I love musicals. I was in choir in high school. Should be a slam dunk for me, right? Wrong. I just found it annoying.

 

The same with me and Smash. I flove Broadway and musicals, it even had the super-yummy Jack Davenport in it, but I just couldn't get interested in it.

[ToxicUnicorn]

Smash had too many characters who were sleazy, or stupid, or both.  

 

I was so excited about the premise and the fact that it wasn't going to be about people still in high school.  

 

What a disappointment.

[Jaded]

Smash made me not want to hear the word "Bombshell" ever again. I still need to watch the last few episodes of the 2nd season someday. I enjoyed seeing Thorsten Kaye in primetime viewing hours though.

[potatoradio]

 

That is exactly how I feel about The Sopranos.  I think the show is well written, I think the acting is excellent, but I just don't like the show.  All the more odd considering that I could watch The Godfather, Casino, and Goodfellas on an endless loop.

 

Same here! I loved all those movies, but I fell asleep every time I tried to watch The Sopranos. I rented it about four times, so eager was I to get into this show, but I couldn't get past the first ep.

 

I am currently trying to watch "Gilmore Girls," because it's on when we get home and it's a fave of DW's, but...ugh, what insufferable, hipster, spoiled, self-important and, somehow, still boring, characters. I don't think I'm supposed to be cheering on Lorelai's mom - evol rich, suffocating parental unit, but dang, was I ever. She's the only character I halfway like.

 

 

[decembar13]

Like many already stated, Mad Men and Downton Abbey - I love period drama (is it a period drama if the setup is in 20. century?), but those 2 shows are just too boring! And Peggy woman from MM is someone I never ever want to see on my TV screen, ever again!!! (yes, this talk deserves this many exclamation marks)

 

To add, The Tudors. I love history, I love period drama, I loved so much pretty in it (a.k.a., guys!), but just no. And trust me, I've tried.

 

Caprica, also known as BSG prequel, on paper sounds like something I will watch to no end (it's scifi plus it had Eric Stoltz). It was too contrived, it was made to be smart and interesting, but I think it failed enormously. Btw, it lasted only for 1 season, so it seems that finally me and "general public" had the same opinion.

 

Dawson's Creek... I was considered to be a well spoken, well educated and smart teen, but nor I nor any of my "well educated, smart and well spoken" friends talked that way! Ever! (that said, maybe those who considered me and my friends to be all the above, plain and simply were in the wrong, thus my merit on the way teens spoke is nonexistent) ... Those two, also known as title character and his will they/won't they girl across the creek, were just too obnoxious in their phrasing, their smartness, their everything... Only redeeming quality in that idiotic show was Andie (and Pacey, when they were together as friends / couple), but she left, and I left with her.

Edited February 9, 2015 by decembar13

[Sandman87]

Seinfeld.  I don't know if I ever made it through an episode.  Boring and mean-spirited.

A coworker recommended the show to me back in 1992, during the fourth season. I watched two episodes. Not funny.

[Beezel]

To add, The Tudors. I love history, I love period drama, I loved so much pretty in it (a.k.a., guys!), but just no. And trust me, I've tried.

 

 

I actually made it through about a season and half of the show and enjoyed it for the most part (being a fan of his from Dead Like Me, I have to admit I'm still a bit miffed that Callum Blue's character contributed nothing in the first season before disappearing forever), but then my interest just kind of dwindled. *shrugs* Maybe I'll go back one day.  

 

I tried to make it through the pilot of the Mindy Project. But I just couldn't do it. I even stopped myself and then thought "just finish the episode." But alas, no. 

Edited February 10, 2015 by Beezel

[proserpina65]

To add, The Tudors. I love history, I love period drama, I loved so much pretty in it (a.k.a., guys!), but just no. And trust me, I've tried.

 

For me, The Tudors strayed too far from actual history to be enjoyable on that level, but not far enough to be enjoyable on a crazy "can you believe they did that?" level.  And since my pretty in it was Jeremy Northam, once he was gone, so was I.

[decembar13]

For me, The Tudors strayed too far from actual history to be enjoyable on that level, but not far enough to be enjoyable on a crazy "can you believe they did that?" level.  And since my pretty in it was Jeremy Northam, once he was gone, so was I.

 

Jeremy Northam, also known as Mr Knightley... Le purr and le sigh!

 

Which leads to another show I've tried to like, but I couldn't: Emma, mini-series with Jonny Lee Miller and Romola Garai. I couldn't detect any chemistry between them. And my personal opinion is that they were both wrong for the part(s).

[Actionmage]

Doctor Who: I really tried and I wanted to like it. I get why people do, but the biggest thing for me was that there weren't enough characters. The are really only two characters who serve any purpose and they would be the doctor and the companion (Rose for what I saw). And the companion's get replaced and mean nothing to the doctor.

 

blueray, as a nuWho fan who went back and has watched chunks of the original run, you might try that. The companions still get replaced, but they hang around for various amounts of time and do seem to leave an impression on The Doctor. At least, from the ones I have seen. Also, there usually isn't just one "official" companion and there is a cool mix of  folks from the past and present and future (Leela?).  

 

More on topic: Shows I tried and just couldn't--

*2 Broke Girls; I don't mind some slobcom in my TV mix, but it has to be funny (hence "comedy"). It got too slobby for me and I bowed out despite liking the cast. If the cast got another show, I'd probably at least try it.

*The Millers; I adore Margo Martindale and the cast is fun and totally wasted in this mean-spirited "comedy". I think it is supposed to be read as edgy, in that the characters aren't warm fuzzy folks, but we have tons of Not Warm And Fuzzy characters as leads done better, imo. I love JB Smoov's character, but he is even horrible in encouraging Carol in her nuttiness. *sigh*

*NCIS: LA; I watched the mothership for the better part of their 11 or so seasons, so since I, again, liked the cast,  I thought I'd drift off into enjoying the inoffensive procedural. It just never really grabbed me. It's not horrible. It's not so OTT I just can't with it. I just...don't watch it. Even when I was curious as to Julie Chen's turn as an ambassador, when it rolled around, I just didn't stay on the channel. I don't hate it; I just don't watch.

[proserpina65]

Which leads to another show I've tried to like, but I couldn't: Emma, mini-series with Jonny Lee Miller and Romola Garai. I couldn't detect any chemistry between them. And my personal opinion is that they were both wrong for the part(s).

 

I'm with you there.  I gave up about halfway through the second part because there was just no charm or lightness there at all.

[ParadoxLost]

More on topic: Shows I tried and just couldn't--

*2 Broke Girls; I don't mind some slobcom in my TV mix, but it has to be funny (hence "comedy"). It got too slobby for me and I bowed out despite liking the cast. If the cast got another show, I'd probably at least try it..

 

I think I tried to watch this once.  I did not like it.  I have no idea if it ever got better.  I figure if they are still showing the same promo, with the hair flip /Willow Smith reference that wasn't funny in the first place, all these years later then there is no hope it improved so why bother checking.

[amensisterfriend]

The Good Wife. I like some of the actors and do often like legal/courtroom dramas, so this one should have been near the top of my DVR priority list. Somehow it just doesn't work me at all, though. 

 

And I agree totally re New Girl and 2 Broke Girls! 

[ToxicUnicorn]

Caprica, also known as BSG prequel, on paper sounds like something I will watch to no end (it's scifi plus it had Eric Stoltz). It was too contrived, it was made to be smart and interesting, but I think it failed enormously. Btw, it lasted only for 1 season, so it seems that finally me and "general public" had the same opinion.

 

I'm glad you posted this, decembar13.  I remember being so jazzed that I could go to Caprica straight from BSG (which I watched and mostly loved long after it was over).  I think I watched an episode and a half.  I should have loved that premise but, alas, too many teenagers with no charisma.  (too many freaking "teens" on tv!)

 

And Peggy woman from MM is someone I never ever want to see on my TV screen, ever again!!! (yes, this talk deserves this many exclamation marks)

 

Add me to those who snooze through Mad Men.  Just not interested.  But Elizabeth Moss (Peggy) is who prompted me to tune in, initially.  Loved her on West Wing.  Then again, maybe I should put her in the Actors you only see as ... thread, because she will always be Zoe Bartlett to me.

[Athena]

There are many shows that I have watched casually, but not been addicted to or lost interest in after awhile. I think there are only a couple of shows that I tried to like. The most memorable being Lost. I saw most of the first season. I didn't hate it. It had some good actors, intriguing plot, but a lot of it dragged for me. I tried to like it for the ensemble, but there were so many characters that I didn't care about. I tuned in half-heatedly until the last couple of seasons and just gave up altogether.

[Jaded]

Stalker is another one. The commercials drive me crazy too especially Maggie Q in them.

[amensisterfriend]

Speaking of Maggie Q, I really tried to like Nikkita and still somehow feel like I should have, but the characters and overall feel of the show just didn't connect with me. 

[decembar13]

Speaking of Maggie Q, I really tried to like Nikkita and still somehow feel like I should have, but the characters and overall feel of the show just didn't connect with me. 

 

My problem with the show is that it's not La Femme Nikita. I like Maggie Q, but she is nowhere near Peta W (acting, looks, charm, looks, charisma, looks - and if you can't already tell, I have a girl crush for Peta), Shane West... the idea that someone actually thought that he would be good in role of Michael?! Laughable at best. Especially when compared to Roy Dupuis!

[Chaos Theory]

There are plenty of shows That I tried that I was never going to like. Like 30 Rock for example. I love Tina Fey but I am very much not a 30 minute comedy person. So me liking the show was slim to none.

I have a friend who rarely leaves the Big 4 networks so the fact she didn't like Breaking Bad is not surprising. Only reason she tried it in the first place is she was bored and I kept telling her she should.

I think this category is a bit difficult. Are we looking at shows we were never going to like that we eventually tried out of curiosity? Or are we talking about shows we should have liked but didn't? Very different animals.

Maybe someone should open a group: shows we shouldn't have liked....but did.

Edited February 12, 2015 by Chaos Theory

[amensisterfriend]

I think this category is a bit difficult. Are we looking at shows we were never going to like that we eventually tried out of curiosity? Or are we talking about shows we should have liked but didn't? Very different animals.

 

I think it's pretty simple---people have just been chatting about shows that they wanted and/or expected to like for whatever combination of reasons, but didn't. 

 

Another one: Six Feet Under. I like many of the actors, I like the premise, I like the potential for dark humor and sly but insightful observations about life (and death!), etc., but for some reason I found this show totally unwatchable! 

[Jipijapa]

Downton Abbey!  I normally love British period dramas of stuffy manners.  I can't get into this one.  Even the dreary theme music sends me into fits.

[DittyDotDot]

Maybe someone should open a group: shows we shouldn't have liked....but did.

 

There is a thread for this already: http://forums.previously.tv/topic/10434-pleasantly-surprised-shows-characters-etc-that-were-better-than-you-expected/#entry374581

[CabotCove]

Any or most prodecural/case of the week/hospital shows that pop up.

 

Thats me too.

 

X Files - I tried but the two leads just seem very boring and the guy was kind of obnoxious.

Agents of shield, Constantine - it infuriate me to no end that these sorry excuses are considered Comic book shows.

CBS- almost the whole network

NBC-their sitcoms,stop making them they suck

ABC- Scandal, Grey's, Marvel shows

Fox-New girl, their stupid late night animations, the following, house

CW- T100, Jane the virgin, Reign, Whose line ,Ringer, One tree hill

Edited March 2, 2015 by Conell

[DkNNy79]

Anything Kardashian.

 

Reality dating shows, especially the bachelor and bachelorette.  No one looks good on those shows.  I just get embarrassed for the women who are fighting and crying over a guy they just met.

 

Three and a half men

How I met your mother

Everyone loves Raymond

King of Queens

NCIS

X-files

Any show on MTV these days (catfish, teen mom...etc)

Ghost Whisperer

Touched by an angel

[Bruinsfan]

I remember thinking, based on zero times watching it, that this sounded like the stupidest show ever, and perhaps it was.  That didn't keep me from laughing out loud despite myself, the one time I saw it on.  (At the insistence of some college buddies who were, let us say, impaired at the time.)  Somehow, it hit the culture exactly right when it aired.  Never saw it again.

It was too stupid for me to take in large doses, but I must admit one of the best laughs of my life was had when their response to Bananarama's "Venus" video was "WHOAH, Satan's got back!"

[proserpina65]

Suits - no way would a legitimate law firm hire someone AS A LAWYER who had not only not passed the bar exam but had never attended/finished law school.  I couldn't get past the ridiculous premise.

 

Same goes for Royal Pains -  my initial impression was that it involved a doctor who decided to waste his life catering to spoiled, pampered rich assholes, which turned me off completely.  Never mind that the premise is somewhat different; it was already too late.

 

And don't get me started on the "I'm sick/divorced and poor so I'll become a drug manufacturer/dealer" genre.  Breaking Bad and especially Weeds just pissed me off with their premises.  (Seriously, you're getting divorced and can't afford your lifestyle.  Tough.  Downsize and get a job, spoiled bitch.)

[DittyDotDot]

And don't get me started on the "I'm sick/divorced and poor so I'll become a drug manufacturer/dealer" genre.  Breaking Bad and especially Weeds just pissed me off with their premises.  (Seriously, you're getting divorced and can't afford your lifestyle.  Tough.  Downsize and get a job, spoiled bitch.)

 

Not to try and dissuade you from disliking the show, but the main character on Weeds wasn't getting divorced, her husband suddenly died of a heart attack and apparently had put the family in debt in which she was unaware of. Granted, she still could've just scaled back her lifestyle, though.

[proserpina65]

Not to try and dissuade you from disliking the show, but the main character on Weeds wasn't getting divorced, her husband suddenly died of a heart attack and apparently had put the family in debt in which she was unaware of. Granted, she still could've just scaled back her lifestyle, though.

Okay, well that gives me a little more sympathy for her initial situation.  Then she decided to become a drug dealer.  I have no sympathy for drug dealers.

Edited March 3, 2015 by proserpina65

[Chaos Theory]

Okay, well that gives me a little more sympathy for her initial situation. Then she decided to become a drug dealer. I have no sympathy for drug dealers.

That is often my point. It is not about "sympathy" and people who need to feel sympathy for the main character often miss the point of the main premise of these shows. BB was literally about a good man becoming an evil one and how that could happen. Weeds was about the deconstruction and disillusionment of white middle class America. Drugs were just a convenient way to do it.

<------SPELLING

Edited March 3, 2015 by Chaos Theory

[proserpina65]

That is often my point. It is not about "sympathy" and people who need to feel sympathy for the main character often miss the point of the main premise of these shows. BB was literally about a good man becoming an evil one and how that could happen. Weeds was about the desconstruction and disalusionment of white middle class America. Drugs were just a conveient way to do it.

But that was not my initial impression of either show and therefore I chose to dislike them based on that impression.  Hence they are shows I've never watched but hate anyway, however unfair that initial assessment might've been.  Nothing I've read about either show, regardless of whether or not it contradicted my first impression, has made me want to try watching them.  Same goes for Suits and Royal Pains, although clearly my understanding of RP's premise was somewhat off.

 

I absolutely refuse to ever watch The Walking Dead, no matter how good it might actually be, because zombies scare the crap out of me.  I made an exception to my "No zombies ever!" rule for Game of Thrones, but that's it.

[Chaos Theory]

But that was not my initial impression of either show and therefore I chose to dislike them based on that impression. Hence they are shows I've never watched but hate anyway, however unfair that initial assessment might've been. Nothing I've read about either show, regardless of whether or not it contradicted my first impression, has made me want to try watching them. Same goes for Suits and Royal Pains, although clearly my understanding of RP's premise was somewhat off.

I absolutely refuse to ever watch The Walking Dead, no matter how good it might actually be, because zombies scare the crap out of me. I made an exception to my "No zombies ever!" rule for Game of Thrones, but that's it.

Oh trust me, I get it. For me it is Mad Men. No interest in that show no matter how well written it is.....and Modern Family. My pet peeve of chose is people who need someone to sympathize or connect with to like a show. I just need to find someone fascinating. Edited March 3, 2015 by Chaos Theory

[Bruinsfan]

With you on Mad Men. While in the abstract I'm happy that there's a place for glacially-paced period dramas on TV, I've regretted the hour lost every time I tuned in. And if a show can't get me to watch by featuring James Wolk as a sympathetic gay man in short shorts, there's no hope for it.

[proserpina65]

Oh trust me, I get it. For me it is Mad Men. No interest in that show no matter how well written it is.....and Modern Family. My pet peeve of chose is people who need someone to sympathize or connect with to like a show. I just need to find someone fascinating.

I don't necessarily need a character with whom to sympathize, but sometimes the characters in a particular show just sound too unsympathetic to me.  And I will admit that drug dealers are a specific hang-up for me.  Although I've watched the first 2 seasons of The Wire and really enjoyed them, so I'll confess to being inconsistent.  :-)

 

I'm with you on Mad Men and Modern Family.  Sofia Vergara's voice in the ads for Modern Family drives me crazy, and I actually liked her on Knights of Prosperity; of course, on KoP she played an intelligent character, which definitely helped.

[Jipijapa]

For me?  Mad Men.  I especially hate the fact that less than a million people a week watch this show and yet we're all supposed to think it's some sort of modern cultural touchstone.

[AstaCharles]

Blech!http://www.bleedingcool.com/2014/10/07/static-shock-comes-to-the-big-screen/

 

When I saw the photos of Kanye West's latest fashion show, I thought he dressed his models like Static Shock. I'm thinking of the cartoon that Warner Bros. did over 10 years ago. From what I remember it was teens with superpowers running around in long coats and sports gear .

On topic : Don't watch State of Affairs but from the bits that I've seen, it irritates me.

[Kromm]

On topic : Don't watch State of Affairs but from the bits that I've seen, it irritates me.

It's one of the most unbelievably bad shows out there.  And yet on some level I think a bunch of us keeping watching, kinda for the same reason you rubberneck past a traffic accident. 

[AltLivia]

I don't think I'll ever watch anything on the CW again. I'm in my late 20s and I don't have the patience for shows that center on teens, especially superhero/dystopian world teens (The Flash, The 100). I'm also just about through with medical dramas. I watched E.R. in reruns and enjoyed that a few years ago. I also watched Grey's Anatomy (with mixed reviews). I see shows like The Night Shift and I think,"why are people still producing stuff like this if there's one still on the air?" It's not that deep of a genre to mine.

 

Same goes for Chicago Fire. Conventionally good looking dudes staring pensively, halfheartedly (laughably) fighting and fighting fires. Where every week it seems like they've forgotten someone inside. 

Edited March 5, 2015 by AltLivia

[ChaseMCP]

Suits - no way would a legitimate law firm hire someone AS A LAWYER who had not only not passed the bar exam but had never attended/finished law school.  I couldn't get past the ridiculous premise.

See that's not what bugs me about Suits. Oh don't get me wrong, the premise is pretty ridiculous as is the fact that it seems like everyone is in on it, but what bugs me the most is that the guy they're all risking their careers for? Is an entitled ass. He's cocky beyond belief and it annoys the crap out of me considering if his secret ever got out to someone who shouldn't know, not only would all of them lose their careers but they'd probably deal with lawsuits from former clients for the rest of their lives and the firm would no doubt shut down, leaving so many others out of work. Yet this guy is constantly cocky when he should really always be on his knees considering how much they're risking for him. I live with someone who watches the show so I see bits of it from time to time, but I hope the show ends with all of them getting completely screwed over by this cause every single character on the show deserves it.

[proserpina65]

Empire - I'm not interested in rap or hip-hop, and I think Terrence Howard is not much of an actor, so it wouldn't have interested me anyway, but the more ads I see with Cookie, the more I hate her and the show.

[Rick Kitchen]

Cookie is awesome, and one of the best characters ever on TV.  And I'm not into rap or hiphop either, but it's a great soap opera.  :D

[Kromm]

I don't think I'll ever watch anything on the CW again. I'm in my late 20s and I don't have the patience for shows that center on teens, especially superhero/dystopian world teens (The Flash, The 100). I'm also just about through with medical dramas. I watched E.R. in reruns and enjoyed that a few years ago. I also watched Grey's Anatomy (with mixed reviews). I see shows like The Night Shift and I think,"why are people still producing stuff like this if there's one still on the air?" It's not that deep of a genre to mine.

 

Same goes for Chicago Fire. Conventionally good looking dudes staring pensively, halfheartedly (laughably) fighting and fighting fires. Where every week it seems like they've forgotten someone inside. 

To be fair, The Flash is very different from The 100.  There's no inherent teen dramaness to it, and if it's developed that it's unfortunate and didn't have to be that way (especially since zero of the cast are teens, or playing teens, unlike The 100--in theory the youngest characters on The Flash are mid 20s at a minimum).

 

The Night Shift and Chicago Fire are good examples though, I guess, that you can have the same stupid ass plots as the teen shows even if most of the characters seem to be in their 30s.

[galax-arena]

Empire - I'm not interested in rap or hip-hop, and I think Terrence Howard is not much of an actor, so it wouldn't have interested me anyway, but the more ads I see with Cookie, the more I hate her and the show.

I don't hate Empire, exactly, but I'm prejudiced against it even though I haven't seen a single ep because I can't stand Lee Daniels or Terrence Howard. Well, in the latter's case, it's more like I can't take him seriously because whenever I see him on screen, I think about baby wipes.

[Jipijapa]

See, any show that's super-popular, I automatically hate (The Walking Dead, for one) - least common denominator and all that.  A show that appeals to a broad audience MUST be disappointing crap.

 

But there's always an exception.  For me, it's Empire.  Yup, I never cared about hip-hop, soaps or Lee Daniels either.  Maybe the key difference is that I already knew and liked Taraji Henson (Cookie), from her days on Person of Interest (and I HATED her in the beginning of that show but came to really like her).  But, I'm hooked on the show.  And for me to enjoy a high-rated TV show is extremely rare.  I'm usually all about the shows nobody else watches...

Edited March 5, 2015 by Jipijapa

[jhlipton]

Mad Men -- I have zero desire to watch the scum who ruined the 60s.  Gloria Steinem was my hero and I won't reward a show where the main characters are the Enemy, even if I'm supposed to root against them.

 

Ditto Sopranos.  Awwww,  Poor Tony has a sad. Fuck. Off.

 

I will watch shows where we're rooting against the main character if it's done right.  Prime example: Vic Mackey on The Shield.

[bmasters9]

See, any show that's super-popular, I automatically hate (The Walking Dead, for one) - least common denominator and all that.  A show that appeals to a broad audience MUST be disappointing crap.

That's another reason why I strongly disliked Friends, Seinfeld, and Everybody Loves Raymond: that they appealed to wide audiences, IIRC. 

[Kromm]

That's another reason why I strongly disliked Friends, Seinfeld, and Everybody Loves Raymond: that they appealed to wide audiences, IIRC. 

Of the three I think Seinfeld is the one that didn't abuse that--it was WATCHED by a wide audience, sure, but didn't cater to it.  It started weird and stayed weird.

[bmasters9]

Of the three I think Seinfeld is the one that didn't abuse that--it was WATCHED by a wide audience, sure, but didn't cater to it.  It started weird and stayed weird.

You got a point there! I never thought of it that way. 

[Kromm]

You got a point there! I never thought of it that way. 

I'm one of the 1% who LIKED the finale.  People moaned and groaned and bitched about it, but Seinfeld was a show about a bunch of people who were jerks.  The people doing it knew it, even if the public fooled themselves into thinking these people were "likable".  Them going to jail in an over the top way in the finale for BEING jerks?  I laughed my ass off.

 

And then I laughed even harder at the public outrage over the finale.  I said to myself "you've been watching a show about these people being total shitheads for years and you're butthurt that they not only admitted it at the end but tweaked the viewers for going along with it? Come on!"

 

I do understand on one level--viewers don't like to feel they're the ones being made fun of.  And that's basically what that finale did. But for those who kinda realized all along it was a show about schmucks (not really "nothing" as they claimed), it was a fitting way to end. 

Edited March 6, 2015 by Kromm