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

[Athena]

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. 

 

I thought the ending was fitting. It was strange and surreal, but that was the show.

 

I don't know who started the whole "the show is about nothing" business, but Jerry Seinfeld did a Reddit AMA last year where a commentator said, "Yeah, I'm always annoyed by people who describe Seinfeld as a show about nothing. Even in the later years when you guys strayed from the "how a comedian gets his material" formula, it was still about social faux pas and ridiculous social customs." To which he replied, "FINALLY I have met someone that understands the show. Thank you for your rare and perceptive analysis."

 

I've rewatched the show and totally think it's about social customs and strangeness.

[Joe]

Hannibal. For a moment I thought, awesome, the man who nearly conquered Rome! Bring on the war elephants! What? Serial killer? No thanks. Unless there's war elephants in that one too.

[opus]

Re: topic title

Way too many to count.

[ToxicUnicorn]

Downton Abbey.  First, second, and third, I hate it for taking away attention from Sherlock.  Fourth, it looks so stuffy.

 

I think there is a food show where someone travels around and eats really weird food.  Yeah, I'm not interested in watching that.

[Kromm]

Downton Abbey.  First, second, and third, I hate it for taking away attention from Sherlock.  Fourth, it looks so stuffy.

Interesting on that last bit, since one of the big criticisms of the show in it's home land is that it's lowbrow.

[Kel Varnsen]

I thought the ending was fitting. It was strange and surreal, but that was the show.

 

I don't know who started the whole "the show is about nothing" business, but Jerry Seinfeld did a Reddit AMA last year where a commentator said, "Yeah, I'm always annoyed by people who describe Seinfeld as a show about nothing. Even in the later years when you guys strayed from the "how a comedian gets his material" formula, it was still about social faux pas and ridiculous social customs." To which he replied, "FINALLY I have met someone that understands the show. Thank you for your rare and perceptive analysis."

 

I've rewatched the show and totally think it's about social customs and strangeness.

Over the years I have gotten tired of people talking about how Seinfeld is a show about nothing. The more I hear it the more I think people didn't really understand the show. The whole show isn't about nothing, it is just the basic concept is about nothing. I mean George basically explains it when he and Jerry are trying to come up with a concept to pitch to NBC. The concept is not about a gymnastics teacher, or a antique store owner, or a circus manager, it is a concept of nothing, just people and their lives with no hook after that. But stuff still happens so the whole show isn't about nothing.

 

I also liked the concept of the finale, for the most part. Just hated how they made a big chunk of it a clip show for the millions of fans tuning in who hadn't seen the show, not the millions who watched it all the time and knew who those characters were. 

 

 

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.

 

I could never really get into Walking Dead for 2 reasons (I think I might have watched one or two episodes). First I can't help but constantly wonder how nature is dealing with all these zombies. I mean in areas where it is really cold do they all freeze, in areas where it is very hot do they rapidly decompose? Are they constantly falling into holes and things like that (is there a ton of zombies at the bottom of the Grand Canyon), and are wild animals constantly trying to eat them?  Plus considering how slow and unorganized they are, I find it hard to accept that an organized effort to wipe them out wouldn't be successful. Especially with all the guns and other weapons that would be available.

Edited March 6, 2015 by Kel Varnsen

[Joe]

I find it hard to accept that an organized effort to wipe them out wouldn't be successful. Especially with all the guns and other weapons that would be available.

 

Read this. Short answer: the writer says there's just too many of them to make a noticeable dent.

[Kel Varnsen]

 

Read this. Short answer: the writer says there's just too many of them to make a noticeable dent.

 

Interesting article, although 400 million zombies seems like a stretch, since while everyone who dies I guess would become a zombie once a body has decomposed long enough it would no longer be a threat.  Plus that would not include everyone who was cremated, or anyone who died in a way where they would no longer be mobile.  Not to mention a zombie killing force of 10,000 people seems way too small. The US armed forces has 1.3 million active personnel, and about  850,000 reserve. Not to mention there is something like 14 million people in the US alone with hunting licences. Imagine if you told all of those people that it was open season on zombies, with no limits. I think that would pretty easily take care of all the zombies walking around in places where the weather or the natural environment wouldn't.  I live in  Eastern Ontario, Canada, and the weather right now would take of any zombie walking around, as they would probably freeze in under an hour. 

[proserpina65]

I hate Seinfeld.  I actually watched one or two episodes, so maybe it doesn't count, but still, could not stand it.  And I actually used to like Jerry himself when he'd do his stand-up stuff on various late night shows.

[Linderhill]

I pretty much hate any show that people insist I HAVE to see.  I tried with Mad Men, snooze fest, have no desire what-so-ever to see Walking Dead.  A friend tried to sell me on it saying that it wasn't about zombies; sorry, nope, no interest.  Hannibal, I've read Thomas Harris' books, "The Red Dragon" and "Silence of the Lambs" and have no desire to see Hannibal glorified in anyway.  Empire, no interest in Rap or the industry.  Nothing against the actors, I actually enjoyed Terence Howard in Iron Man, but no interest and no amount of shrill commercials or flashy magazine articles are going to entice me to watch.  30 Rock, never saw an episode and never wanted too because of all the pimping that was done for it.  I used to enjoy Tina Fey but after 30 Rock, just no.  Any show involving David Spade, I'm not going any where near it.  He can take his smug-a$$ and stay off my TV.  Never saw Fringe and never wanted to, and I like genre stuff.  I tried to watch the new Battlestar Galactica but despite a lot of actors I like, couldn't stand it.  Way too depressing.  The original was cheesy but I prefer it. 

 

I've also gotten to a point that I'm starting to hate anything involving Buffy the Vampire slayer and Doctor Who.  Too many people think that Joss Whedon is God and and that anything he touches is the most inovative thing to be broadcast.  I used to like Buffy to a limited extent but I've gotten so tired of people, commentators, etc. referring to it, Whedon and Sarah Michelle Geller as minor saints that I instantly backlash with hate.  Not everything is inspired by Whedon or the Buffyverse or the Who'verse.  Its fantasy and sci fi, ideas get recycled all the time. 

 

And a poster up thread mentioned the travelling food guy's show.  I fully agree because when I travel, its not for the food.  And the host guy needs his peroxided hair shaved off.  Of course I hate practically all of the numerous competitive chef shows too and haven't seen a one. 

 

I might as well add on my hate for televised golf.  zzzzzzzzzzzz

[bmasters9]

I might as well add on my hate for televised golf.  zzzzzzzzzzzz

You're not alone there! Don't know exactly how to explain it, but I'm not much of a golf fan. 

[Kromm]

I pretty much hate any show that people insist I HAVE to see. 

I understand the impulse, believe me, but the danger is falling into the reverse. Any time something becomes a knee-jerk response, be it watching stuff because everyone says you must OR not watching stuff specifically because it's popular, it's essentially the same problem in different forms.  

 

The main difference is if you're trying too hard to conform, or trying too hard to be a non-conformist.  

This is versus, lets say... refusing to watch anything with Guy Fieri, because he's a douchenozzle.  Now THAT's a reasonable generalization!

[MaryPatShelby]

 

I've also gotten to a point that I'm starting to hate anything involving Buffy the Vampire slayer and Doctor Who.  Too many people think that Joss Whedon is God and and that anything he touches is the most inovative thing to be broadcast.  I used to like Buffy to a limited extent but I've gotten so tired of people, commentators, etc. referring to it, Whedon and Sarah Michelle Geller as minor saints that I instantly backlash with hate.  Not everything is inspired by Whedon or the Buffyverse or the Who'verse.  Its fantasy and sci fi, ideas get recycled all the time. 

 

 

Have you been on this site much? ha ha   Luckily it's easy to scroll past the incredible number of Buffy/Who posts, of which there are many no matter what the forum discussion is!

[Linderhill]

 

Have you been on this site much? ha ha   Luckily it's easy to scroll past the incredible number of Buffy/Who posts, of which there are many no matter what the forum discussion is!

yes, I have for the past year.  Unfortunately those pesky Buffy/Who posts sneak in there.  Its not just on here that they are prevalent.  It seems any blogger or podcaster that wants to comment on any show drags them up and tries to relate anything there to how awesome they are.

 

 

I understand the impulse, believe me, but the danger is falling into the reverse. Any time something becomes a knee-jerk response, be it watching stuff because everyone says you must OR not watching stuff specifically because it's popular, it's essentially the same problem in different forms.

No, its because I'm stubborn and don't need anyone telling me what I need to watch or that I'll love it.  I may start out being tempted into watching but with numerous sources telling me I HAVE to watch or that I NEED to watch and that I'll LOVE it, just tires me out and there for resist even more.  Very rarely I'll try it out and possibly like the gushed over show but mostly, just no.

 

Last night it came to me that I hate 24 and everything associated with its hype.  Never saw and episode, never wanted to.  Everything I've heard about it seemed tiresome and I dont think Keifer Sutherland is all that great. 

[SmithW6079]

I liked the ending of "Seinfeld" precisely because they were all asshole who finally got what they deserved (I would have been more satisfied if they had died in the plane crash, but you can't have everything). I can't stand to watch the show now, mostly because I think Jerry Seinfeld is a gigantic douchebag. My Jerry hate really kicked in when he started dating a married woman fresh from her honeymoon.

[Kromm]

I liked the ending of "Seinfeld" precisely because they were all asshole who finally got what they deserved (I would have been more satisfied if they had died in the plane crash, but you can't have everything). I can't stand to watch the show now, mostly because I think Jerry Seinfeld is a gigantic douchebag. My Jerry hate really kicked in when he started dating a married woman fresh from her honeymoon.

I'd be more inclined to blame the married person in that scenario than the single one. But maybe it's a matter of degrees, with neither of them coming off that great. The press on their marriage seems to indicate that she's claimed it was a 5 year relationship with the guy she married and that Seinfeld didn't break them up.  But maybe she's covering for him.  Really none of these guys get off clean. Robin Williams, for example, banged the babysitter, got her pregnant, got divorced and married the pregnant babysitter, for example. 

[bmasters9]

Another one that gets this from me: Law and Order. SVU is most assuredly the worst, but the entire Law and Order franchise is the archetype of television stupidity in my opinion. 

[Chaos Theory]

Another one that gets this from me: Law and Order. SVU is most assuredly the worst, but the entire Law and Order franchise is the archetype of television stupidity in my opinion.

Better then CSI,

The original L&O had its moments and was good depending on the episode the same could be said for Criminal Intent. SVU I never saw the point of and was far to...something for me.

CSI always seemed stupid to me. A bunch of crime scene techs solving crimes like they were Detectives.

[bmasters9]

CSI always seemed stupid to me. A bunch of crime scene techs solving crimes like they were Detectives.

I think you have a better point than I did: not only that, but CSI was far too graphic and realistic. 

Edited March 8, 2015 by bmasters9

[Bruinsfan]

I think there is a food show where someone travels around and eats really weird food.  Yeah, I'm not interested in watching that.

The basic premise sounds interesting enough to me, but watching Andrew Zimmern stuff his face with bugs and offal while making moans of ecstasy was very nearly enough to put me off eating altogether.

[Kromm]

Better then CSI,

The original L&O had its moments and was good depending on the episode the same could be said for Criminal Intent. SVU I never saw the point of and was far to...something for me.

CSI always seemed stupid to me. A bunch of crime scene techs solving crimes like they were Detectives.

I actually think both L&O and CSI were pretty good in their earliest days, before they became sequel factories (and also in terms of the mother shows, not knowing when to end those when people stopped caring about their latest casts of replacement actors).

Both shows were ruined by greed. By overexposure, overreplication and letting their original trailblazing status become it's own trap. I know L&O: SVU seems to have fans, and CSI Miami people who celebrate it specifically for how TERRIBLE it was, but honestly no show outside of the originals of both franchises existed for any reason other than easy ratings/profits, IMO, or perhaps in the case of L&O:SVU for NBC to crow about Mariska Hargitay getting another Emmy nod for doing the same damn thing over and over again.

[Kel Varnsen]

Last night it came to me that I hate 24 and everything associated with its hype.  Never saw and episode, never wanted to.  Everything I've heard about it seemed tiresome and I dont think Keifer Sutherland is all that great. 

I never watched 24 either but it always seemed so stupid to me. The real time thing seemed like just a gimmick and after that it just seemed like a bunch of bad action movie cliches. I did love how on Happy Endings, Elisha Cuthbert, totally mocked the crappy story lines her 24 character had. 

 

I actually think both L&O and CSI were pretty good in their earliest days, before they became sequel factories (and also in terms of the mother shows, not knowing when to end those when people stopped caring about their latest casts of replacement actors).

 

 

L&O and CSI seem like weird ones today. I get how looking at them now they seem like everything else on TV. But to me that is like watching old movies and not being impressed because things that were revolutionary when they came out got copied by everyone else.  Same with those shows. I didn't watch either in the most earliest of seasons but I get the sense that back then they were both a very new concept, even though now they seem pretty bland.

[bmasters9]

I never watched 24 either but it always seemed so stupid to me. The real time thing seemed like just a gimmick and after that it just seemed like a bunch of bad action movie cliches. 

I never saw 24 either, and I never plan to; you make a great point about how stupid it is, and you've also saved me a lot of money in the process (referring to the DVD releases of course, which I also never plan to get any of in the future).

[proserpina65]

I never watched 24 either but it always seemed so stupid to me. The real time thing seemed like just a gimmick and after that it just seemed like a bunch of bad action movie cliches.

 

I just couldn't with 24 because, despite often taking place in major cities with immense traffic issues, there was never an episode where Keifer Sutherland spent the entire time stuck in traffic.  I mean, L.A. traffic jams are notorious.

[Joe]

I watched the first season, but I gave up during the second one. It was too tense, and I don't like constantly sitting on the edge of my seat. Also, I'm in Australia. By the time S2 aired, I'd heard about various silly plot twists and turns.

[kassygreene]

I watched the three episodes of 24 that Steven Culp was in, because: Steven Culp.  They made me sad, because even though: Steven Culp, it wasn't good.

 

But I did not like the concept, thought the format was just too self-consciously artsy, and further dug in my heels because I had a co-worker who wanted me to watch it, even though she wasn't.  I suspect she wanted to borrow the tapes (I taped everything then, as it was pre-DVR and I couldn't guarantee I'd be home in the evening).

 

I do credit 24 with being part of my entertainment liberation - just because an actor or two that I admire is in a thing it really doesn't mean I need to watch it.  Which is why I also passed on Psych, and on Turn, that recent Revolutionary War-era series that was not adequately about the Culper Ring.  Never watched Dexter, but sorry, American criminals can get glory without my help.   Passed on Revolution despite: Steven Culp, because the format was just not up to a series, the actors were all too well-nourished, and the characters who grew up after the blackout had perfect teeth.

[bmoore4026]

Just about everything on what was once the great Learning Channel.  Ditto with The History Channel.  And A&E.  And Discovery.  Just makes me sad now.

[DearEvette]

I admit I watched the first season of 24 because of the gimmick.  And it was non-stop, but I stuck around for Penny Johnson Jerold.  She was a revelation at the time.  yeah, people talked about Dennis Haysbert being the black President on this major tv show.  But she as the First Lady and she was so deliciously evil.  She was such a Lady MacBeth character and she killed it.  Uh.  I wish she had gotten more recognition for her work. 

 

I never came for S2 because I'd lost interest int he show & concept by then and she wasn't in it.

[joelene]

I admit I watched the first season of 24 because of the gimmick. And it was non-stop, but I stuck around for Penny Johnson Jerold. She was a revelation at the time. yeah, people talked about Dennis Haysbert being the black President on this major tv show. But she as the First Lady and she was so deliciously evil. She was such a Lady MacBeth character and she killed it. Uh. I wish she had gotten more recognition for her work.

I never came for S2 because I'd lost interest int he show & concept by then and she wasn't in it.

Just FYI, she is in it! But she appears later on, episode 10 an onwards or something like that. Still deliciously evil. She was one of my favorite characters on that show as well. She's in the third season too.

[bmasters9]

Star Trek: DS9. The reason I hate this one (though not having seen much of it) is because despite staying on a space station, the show is still called Star Trek. I always thought that Trek meant going somewhere, not staying on a space station. If they were going to stay on a station, they should have simply called it DS9 and left off the Star Trek.

[Joe]

For a show based on a station, they really do get around a whole lot and do a bunch of discovering new life, new civilisations, and boldly going where no one has gone before.

[Janet Snakehole]

Pretty much anything that gets touted as being very violent or gory. Like Walking Dead, Hannibal, serial killer shows. Call me a pearl clutcher if you'd like, but I just have zero desire to want to throw up or feel a lot of anxiety while watching tv.

[bmasters9]

Three and a Half Men.  Not a single actor on the show appeals.

No kidding! Not only did I not like anybody on the show, it, like Friends, also had one of the worst title tracks I have ever had the misfortune of hearing. 

[Brandi Maxxxx]

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.

Actually if the Nielsen ratings are anything to go by (Pretend they are), it's closer to 2 million people who watch Mad Men. Now Girls on the other hand...

[Joe]

An old one, but Dawson's Creek. It was described as Buffy without the monsters. Are you kidding? IMO the monsters were the whole appeal of Buffy. What's left after you take them out? High school melodrama. I've been to high school, I never wanted to go back.

[Kromm]

My recollection is that Dawson's Creek was almost nothing like Buffy, monsters or no monsters.  It happened around a high school. It has teenagers on it (or rather, 20-somethings playing teenagers).  That was about it.  The characters weren't even remotely the same kinds of characters (and I don't mean "slayers and witches" by that, I mean their social positions, attitudes and relationships).  If you heard that comparison... either someone was playing a joke on you, or... I dunno.  I don't want to criticize someone I know nothing about.  Let's stick with the "joke" theory then.

[Joe]

No, I think it was part of the marketing. You know how pitches are often shorthanded as X meets Y? Then this sounded like X without the Y. And regardless of how much like Buffy or not it was, I don't like straight drama. So no thanks on any count. :)

[festivus]

 

Not to mention there is something like 14 million people in the US alone with hunting licences. Imagine if you told all of those people that it was open season on zombies, with no limits.

Okay you just seriously gave me the giggles. I just started picturing my Dad out huntin' zombies. Thanks for that!

 

I cannot stand the commercials for Salem. They have ensured that I will never watch that show.

[galax-arena]

I cannot stand the commercials for Salem. They have ensured that I will never watch that show.

I've watched a few eps and I don't hate it, but good god, the CGI for the commercials is really bad. 

[bmoore4026]

I cannot stand the commercials for Salem. They have ensured that I will never watch that show.

 

I had the misfortune of eating when one commercial popped up that featured maggots coming out of a man's mouth.

 

Fuck you, WGN America.  Fuck you so much.

[festivus]

Ugh. Haven't seen that one. They are just so stupid. The one where a kid licks the woman's face. One with a chick making an iron mask thing and then screaming with it on her face. The show may be good, I don't know but I know I'll never watch it because of those commercials.

[bmasters9]

Just about everything on what was once the great Learning Channel.  Ditto with The History Channel.  And A&E.  And Discovery.  Just makes me sad now.

Indeed it does! It became troubling when The History Channel became less about actual history and more about Bible Code, Nostradamus, and similar bullsmoke. Since when is that history?!

Edited March 19, 2015 by bmasters9

[jah1986]

Judging by the ratings I'm sure this is unpopular opinion but for me it's Empire. I'm just sick of over the top ridiculous and something about TPH rubs me the wrong way.

[meep.meep]

Buffy - I tried once but it was so stupid.  And people are always bringing it up.

The Jersey Shore and those Housewives shows.

And nobody really watches golf on TV do they?  Like watching paint dry.

 

Hannibal. For a moment I thought, awesome, the man who nearly conquered Rome! Bring on the war elephants! What? Serial killer? No thanks. Unless there's war elephants in that one too.

TV needs more war elephants!  I bet they're expensive though.  And he did lose most of them on his way to Rome.

[Sandman87]

Indeed it does! It became troubling when The History Channel became less about actual history and more about Bible Code, Nostradamus, and similar bullsmoke. Since when is that history?!

You forgot an entire category:Secret Nazi Things of WWII.

[meep.meep]

The H is for Hitler.

[Snipsa]

For me it's every Shonda Rhimes show post Grey's Anatomy - watched the entire first season of that trainwreck hoping it would get better - especially since everyone was comparing it very favourably to my beloved ER at the time. When I saw that the medical parts of the show was total crap and the "love stories" were going to dominate I cut my losses and haven't looked back - and haven't looked at another Shonda show yet... Except for Off the Map which I watched solely for Zach Gilford. Was very happy when that was cancelled as I couldn't see myself making it through another season...

The Office - UK and US. Not even my love for Martin Freeman can get me to give these shows a try. Hate when I'm supposed to root for assholes!

Agree with those who said any of the Kardashian shows as well as any Bachelor or other finding love show. Can't imagine anything more boring!

[bmasters9]

You forgot an entire category:Secret Nazi Things of WWII.

I totally did! That's another patently obvious pseudohistory thing of theirs. Good catch!

[Kromm]

I thought I would totally be on the "Shows You've Never Watched But Hate Anyway" train with ANY show having Zombies in it (just as I am with any movie, game, book, etc.).  Zombies alternately gross me out, and bore me.  I get that they're an allegory for all kinds of things, yada yada, and I don't give a shit.

 

That said, the name "Rob Thomas" and the word "Zombie" in the same project ("IZombie" on The CW) broke that record of avoiding any and all Zombie material (actually, if I'm being 100% honest, last year I read the "Afterlife With Archie" zombie comic book as well--not having anything to do with Rob Thomas, but it also was something that broke through that wall of disdain I have for anything Zombieish). 

 

Anyway, despite that one comic book and that one TV exception?  I still hate Zombie stuff, even most of it sight unseen. Fuck you, Walking Dead, I don't give a shit (and DOUBLE fuck you, Chris Hardwick, for wasting electrons with an annoying looking talk show ABOUT the Zombie show I don't want to watch in the first place). Screw off, various Zombie movies people annoyingly gush about all of the time--maybe one or two of you might not actually deserve my disdain, but in general I'm going to play the percentages and avoid you like the plague (ha, drum roll please--I didn't even intend that pun but just noticed it).

Edited March 20, 2015 by Kromm

[Chaos Theory]

Maybe this should go in tropes because I can't think of a show in recent memory because I don't think I give TV a pass just because but I will be more likely if a show is solely about teenage TWU LUV or any kind of romance. I hate love stories.

Oh wait RomComs. I refuse! Just no.