Party of One: Unpopular TV Opinions

[Bastet]

I have been grumbling for years that Discovery/TLC was shameful in putting the Duggars on the air in a way that glossed over the extent to which they are batshit crazy in their beliefs and lifestyle.  While it makes me sick that the police report was so badly redacted most of the victims were readily identifiable, I am glad it came out what Josh did and how his parents (mis)handled it – all while going around blathering about the lack of morals in others, even accusing entire groups of people of being child molesters – and that at least a few members of the media finally bothered to look into and report on Gothard, ATI, Quiverfull, etc.

[Julia]

I genuinely can't stand, never enjoyed, and did not see the point of the raft of shows about rich white assholes from somewhere else living in airplane hangar-sized apartments in Manhattan, including but not limited to Seinfeld, Friends, Sex in the City, and How I Met Your Mother.

The only things Joss Whedon has ever done that I found genuinely clever are the script for the Buffy movie and the Commentary album from Dr Horrible, and I'm pretty sure that was mostly his SIL. I can't stand the way he writes women, and I think he has a really unhealthy fixation on punishing them, generally with some form of degrading sex.

Jared Padalecki has not aged well, and his character is a whiny mess.

[UYI]

The Duggars covered up multiple sexual assaults, are claiming the victim role, and are massively hand waving religion as a white wash. These people deserve everything they get. 

 

I just wish the kids and the victims themselves didn't have to suffer. Jim Bob, Michelle, and Josh(and, depending on what she knows, Anna) ? Absolutely. But the Duggar kids and Josh's kids with Anna (one of whom has yet to be born)? I wish there was a way they could be protected. 

[Brandi Maxxxx]

The only things Joss Whedon has ever done that I found genuinely clever are the script for the Buffy movie and the Commentary album from Dr Horrible, and I'm pretty sure that was mostly his SIL.

Surely you're forgetting Toy Story. (I know there were several other writers, I just felt the need to mention it.)

[UYI]

Surely you're forgetting Toy Story. (I know there were several other writers, I just felt the need to mention it.)

 

 

He also was a writer on Roseanne in the early years. He wrote the "To whom it concerns..." poem Darlene recited in season 2. 

[Chaos Theory]

He also was a writer on Roseanne in the early years. He wrote the "To whom it concerns..." poem Darlene recited in season 2.

That poem still makes me cry.

[Anna Yolei]

And then you have Glee and people HATE Ryan Murphy for it and yet I think American Horror story is damn near genious and am looking forward to Scream Queens. It works both ways.

Admittedly,Glee was almost the example I used in that post and I am unabashed in saying I will never watch another comedy of his again. Not just because of the trainwreck he turned that into, but his shows get into patterns and fast. Even the New Normal which wasn't too terrible had a knockoff Sue Sylvester, who was an upgraded Bobby Glass from Popular.

[truthaboutluv]

The issue with Ryan Murphy in my opinion, is that while he is creative and can create amazing Pilots, he can't sustain the quality. So he has the ability to lull you into a false sense of security if you will and then before you know it, the show you once loved becomes complete crap. I think that's what has helped AHS not go completely off the rails, because it's an anthology series where every season is a new story with new characters and setting. And even that show has had its issues in my opinion. Sometimes Murphy can't even sustain quality and consistency in the same season. 

 

I also think he has a bit of ADD in that he gets bored with one project and moves onto another and once he's bored with the other projects, it shows in the quality of writing and the shows go completely off the rails. It happened with Nip/Tuck and it most definitely happened with Glee. Glee was a complete and utter joke and unmitigated disaster by the end. If someone's only experience with Ryan Murphy shows was Glee, I would not blame them for not wanting to watch anything he does again.

 

The show was just awful by the end - horrible characters, no consistency, stupid, nonsensical storylines, unfunny. And what's worse, he and the other writers seem to take no responsibility for the awfulness of the show and instead spent the last season mocking the fans and viewers and acting like the show's failure was their fault.

[Anna Yolei]

I just wish the kids and the victims themselves didn't have to suffer. Jim Bob, Michelle, and Josh(and, depending on what she knows, Anna) ? Absolutely. But the Duggar kids and Josh's kids with Anna (one of whom has yet to be born)? I wish there was a way they could be protected.

Absolutely.

I've seen comments bashing on Jessa for coming to her brother's defense as she was one of the victims; but that ignores the fact that she and the rest of her sisters have been taught that women tempt men by wearing the wrong clothing and all that nonsense. I even saw a checklist given about the subject by their church that boiled down to "there are situations where sexual assault is the woman's fault."

So, I can't bash her too much on her comment because on top of everything else,she's a victim of indoctrination as well. I do hope that some of these kids will be able to escape from all that as they get older.

[Anna Yolei]

The issue with Ryan Murphy in my opinion, is that while he is creative and can create amazing Pilots, he can't sustain the quality. So he has the ability to lull you into a false sense of security if you will and then before you know it, the show you once loved becomes complete crap. I think that's what has helped AHS not go completely off the rails, because it's an anthology series where every season is a new story with new characters and setting. And even that show has had its issues in my opinion. Sometimes Murphy can't even sustain quality and consistency in the same season.

I also think he has a bit of ADD in that he gets bored with one project and moves onto another and once he's bored with the other projects, it shows in the quality of writing and the shows go completely off the rails. It happened with Nip/Tuck and it most definitely happened with Glee. Glee was a complete and utter joke and unmitigated disaster by the end. If someone's only experience with Ryan Murphy shows was Glee, I would not blame them for not wanting to watch anything he does again.

The show was just awful by the end - horrible characters, no consistency, stupid, nonsensical storylines, unfunny. And what's worse, he and the other writers seem to take no responsibility for the awfulness of the show and instead spent the last season mocking the fans and viewers and acting like the show's failure was their fault.

The absolute worst part was him trying to blame the season five tank in ratings on Cory Monteith's death. The irony of that is the tribute episode for Finn was not only the highest rated episode of the season, but the ratings it got most likely skewed the end-of-season average higher than a show whose season finale lost out to a CW rerun episode should have had.

If anyone in the in the cast pulls a Dustin Diamond and does a tell all,I'd totally buy it.

[Mick Lady]

I have been grumbling for years that Discovery/TLC was shameful in putting the Duggars on the air in a way that glossed over the extent to which they are batshit crazy in their beliefs and lifestyle.  While it makes me sick that the police report was so badly redacted most of the victims were readily identifiable, I am glad it came out what Josh did and how his parents (mis)handled it – all while going around blathering about the lack of morals in others, even accusing entire groups of people of being child molesters – and that at least a few members of the media finally bothered to look into and report on Gothard, ATI, Quiverfull, etc.

 

Thank you! What has happened to TLC? Years ago it was a favorite if mine. They used to run a show entitled  "Great Books" where they spent an entire hour discussing just one novel like Great Expectations or Moby Dick. I adored it! What happened to that channel?

 

I had to Google Duggers and Kardashians to know what the hell people were talking about. How far we have fallen. Dumbing down of America indeed! Reality TV is just scripted crap. Competition shows are different, but I don't even watch them anymore. It breaks my heart, it truly does. The potential is still there, we just have to demand it!

[Chaos Theory]

TLC used to be The Learning Channel now it's the laugh at assholes chsnnel which is why it is just TLC now and why the Sci-Fi Channel changed its named to SYFY so they didn't have to put on shows they were originally supposed to have.

[spaceytraci1208]

TLC used to be The Learning Channel now it's the laugh at assholes chsnnel which is why it is just TLC now and why the Sci-Fi Channel changed its named to SYFY so they didn't have to put on shows they were originally supposed to have.

The History Channel and Animal Planet should consider name-changes as well

[DearEvette]

The issue with Ryan Murphy in my opinion, is that while he is creative and can create amazing Pilots, he can't sustain the quality. So he has the ability to lull you into a false sense of security if you will and then before you know it, the show you once loved becomes complete crap. I think that's what has helped AHS not go completely off the rails, because it's an anthology series where every season is a new story with new characters and setting. And even that show has had its issues in my opinion. Sometimes Murphy can't even sustain quality and consistency in the same season.

 

Yes. Yes and even more Yes!  I watched Popular (until I stopped because it became crappy).   I watched Nip/Tuck and then I stopped because it because it became crappy.  Ditto with Glee.    By then should have learned, but I didn't because I watched The New Normal.   In my own defense, the point at which I stopped watching shortened with each successive show.    I hung out on Popular and Nip/Tuck for several seasons.  I only made it halfway through Season 2 before I gave up on Glee.  And I didn't even make it past episode 4 of The New Normal.  I finally learned my lesson.  I have not even been tempted to started any other ones.  He is an opener, not a closer.

[amensisterfriend]

Arrested Development may be my pick for the most overrated comedy of all time. (Overrated in terms of its lavish critical acclaim, not the actual ratings, which were low for reasons that IMO have less to do with Joe Public being too dopey to grasp the show's alleged brilliance and more to do with the fact that many just didn't find the show a fraction as stellar as it's made out to be.) It's got solid acting, a couple interesting characters and maybe 1-2 good lines per episode, but IMO that's just about it. And I'm not even sure about it having as many as 1-2 good lines every single episode :) The show features a truly maddening amount of repetitiveness praised effusively by critics as 'continuity'---and some of what the scripts kept repeating ad nauseam wasn't even remotely funny the first time, let alone the 112th! It often just felt like the writers were mentioning things again (...and again...and again...) to remind us that they recalled former scripts. Then there was the obnoxiously excessive narration. Yes, we can SEE that a certain character just walked into a room---no need to have Ron Howard explicitly telling us so! For all the talk about how uncommonly 'smart' the show is, the goofy and clunky physical humor and the constant, embarrassingly bad sexual innuendo jokes were stuff that seem geared towards pre-teens to me. Largely one-note, repetitive storylines went on for approximately forever, or at least felt that way---and they generally consisted of the same exact type of scenes being trotted out in every episode. I'm sorry for the rant and really hope the many posters who love that show won't take offense, but I think I just grew really weary of my 'real life' TV snob friend informing people who don't love the show that they just "don't get it." I get it (and how can you not when 1) most of the humor is pretty goofy and juvenile and 2) they keep repeating everything over and over and also have narrator Ron Howard spelling things out for you just in case you missed it?!)...I just happen not to find the majority of the funny or even especially engaging. *exhale* Thanks for allowing me to vent :)   

Edited June 7, 2015 by amensisterfriend

[callmebetty]

The History Channel and Animal Planet should consider name-changes as well

I would include Bravo in that as well.

[Bastet]

Not to mention MTV.

[Chaos Theory]

Well from what I understand the History Channel still has history shows on it even if it is historical dramas so it is still mostly what it says it is.

Bravo is a perfect name for a station because it doesn't say it is anything in particular. Spike used to call itself television for men but then it started to attracted female viewers. I know one show it dropped because it scewed female heavy. I am not sure I would count that either because all you have to do is drop the "TV for men".

With the History Channel, the Learning Channel, the Sci-Fi and even MTV you have networks naming themselves what they are and in a lot of cases putting everything on their channel but what there name suggests. The Learning Channel and the Sci-Fi Network got around it by slightly changing the name of the network.

It was a cheap ploy on both their parts.

[Ambrosefolly]

I hate it when show runners, creators and like keep harping about giving the viewers what they need instead about what they want or their bravery killing off characters.I got some news for them, they are writing fictitious stories, not broadcasting news .  It is one thing if they say to the audience that they are the ones telling the story and they are going to commit to it, that needs to be said more. But a lot of "serious" and "edgy" writer/producers kill off characters and do controversial things even if it leads to bad storytelling. For example Joss Whendon (albeit in movies) killed of Wash from Firefly and Agent Coulson in The Avengers, but he later admitted he regretted killing off Wash and Agent Coulson was brought back to anchor Agents of Shield.

[andromeda331]

But a lot of "serious" and "edgy" writer/producers kill off characters and do controversial things even if it leads to bad storytelling. For example Joss Whendon (albeit in movies) killed of Wash from Firefly and Agent Coulson in The Avengers, but he later admitted he regretted killing off Wash and Agent Coulson was brought back to anchor Agents of Shield.

 

 

This is something I've wondered about for a while. Why risk their shows by killing off characters or changing the show? Whether their bored or think they've come up with a cool new idea. Aren't they worried about the money they lose when they do stuff like that? If they don't care about viewers don't they at least care about money? People see their show changed and/or characters killed off their going to stop watching and not buy the DVDs when they come out and lose the money they would have made in syndication. Their also less likely to tune into a new show by them because how badly they ruined the last show. Why not make the show you have really great. If their bring in the big bucks and viewers aren't the networks going to be more likely to green light a new show?

[Anna Yolei]

Yes. Yes and even more Yes! I watched Popular (until I stopped because it became crappy). I watched Nip/Tuck and then I stopped because it because it became crappy. Ditto with Glee. By then should have learned, but I didn't because I watched The New Normal. In my own defense, the point at which I stopped watching shortened with each successive show. I hung out on Popular and Nip/Tuck for several seasons. I only made it halfway through Season 2 before I gave up on Glee. And I didn't even make it past episode 4 of The New Normal. I finally learned my lesson. I have not even been tempted to started any other ones. He is an opener, not a closer.

I do have one teensy,tiny defense of The New Normal in that the Sue Sylvester knockoff character gets considerably less cartoony as the season went on. That, and I loved the way the precocious daughter of the surrogate manages to pwn some girl bullies at her school.

My biggest complain with that show was that it got to be too sugary sweet sometimes. I was glad it ended after one season not because it was horrible,but because I thought that's kinda all it needed.

[Anna Yolei]

Well from what I understand the History Channel still has history shows on it even if it is historical dramas so it is still mostly what it says it is.

Bravo is a perfect name for a station because it doesn't say it is anything in particular. Spike used to call itself television for men but then it started to attracted female viewers. I know one show it dropped because it scewed female heavy. I am not sure I would count that either because all you have to do is drop the "TV for men".

With the History Channel, the Learning Channel, the Sci-Fi and even MTV you have networks naming themselves what they are and in a lot of cases putting everything on their channel but what there name suggests. The Learning Channel and the Sci-Fi Network got around it by slightly changing the name of the network.

It was a cheap ploy on both their parts.

As for MTV specifically, I'm not sure how they would have survived past the 2000s if they didn't offer up something besides music videos. Now, music videos can be watched on demand on YouTube, so they'd have to come up with something else.

That being said,that "something else" doesn't need to glorify bottom of the barrel stupidity. There's a reunion season of the original Teen Mom group, and I wanted to gouge my eyes out. I was stationed overseas when it first primer ed so when I started to see Amber, Farrah and the other twit on the tabloids I had no idea who they were, but they've all been screwed up with being apart of this show and having fame at a young age. And it's probably even worse for the kids that are living in this.

[Quof]

Since she just chewed up the scenery on my television for three hours.....

Kristin Chenoweth makes me want to stick needles in my eyes, and ears.

[Wiendish Fitch]

While I agree it's a shame she died, does it make me an evil person if I admit that I never found Farrah Fawcett attractive, and she looks, quite frankly, terrifying in that iconic poster?

[DeLurker]

Nah...she's not your cuppa, but that doesn't make you a terrible person.

 

I always thought Farrah Fawcett was one of those "technically" attractive people (one that the majority of the population finds über hot but I'm pretty neutral on). 

[applecrisp]

Nah...she's not your cuppa, but that doesn't make you a terrible person.

 

I always thought Farrah Fawcett was one of those "technically" attractive people (one that the majority of the population finds über hot but I'm pretty neutral on). 

Thank god we don't all think alike on looks and attraction.  I did find her attractive but she was not even the prettiest on her show, I always thought that was Jacklyn Smith.

 

I have never found either Brad Pitt nor Tom Cruise attractive but both are good looking.  We all like different things and that is great.

 

I find Mike Rowe from Dirty jobs attractive and Kyle Chandler. My UO is that I really am not attracted to George Clooney.  It is his personality.

[Princess Sparkle]

The issue with Ryan Murphy in my opinion, is that while he is creative and can create amazing Pilots, he can't sustain the quality. So he has the ability to lull you into a false sense of security if you will and then before you know it, the show you once loved becomes complete crap. I think that's what has helped AHS not go completely off the rails, because it's an anthology series where every season is a new story with new characters and setting. And even that show has had its issues in my opinion. Sometimes Murphy can't even sustain quality and consistency in the same season. 

 

 

I remember reading a review of his once (maybe in Entertainment Weekly?  I think it was before the first American Horror Story) that Ryan Murphy shows are basically great for 13 episodes, and then they all tank from there.  With the exception of American Horror Story (which is wildly uneven within seasons), I think this does bear out.

[mansonlamps]

... and Kyle Chandler. My UO is that I really am not attracted to George Clooney. It is his personality.

Kyle Chandler is the hottest man on earth IMO and just keeps getting better with age. And you are not alone on having no attraction to George Clooney. Something about his mouth is definitely weird and agree also that his personality is a turnoff.

[FormerMod-a1]

As for MTV specifically, I'm not sure how they would have survived past the 2000s if they didn't offer up something besides music videos. Now, music videos can be watched on demand on YouTube, so they'd have to come up with something else.

That being said,that "something else" doesn't need to glorify bottom of the barrel stupidity. There's a reunion season of the original Teen Mom group, and I wanted to gouge my eyes out. I was stationed overseas when it first primer ed so when I started to see Amber, Farrah and the other twit on the tabloids I had no idea who they were, but they've all been screwed up with being apart of this show and having fame at a young age. And it's probably even worse for the kids that are living in this.

They'd survive the way radio still survives despite at first records, tapes and CDs, then digital downloads like iTunes, etc. Plus, how am I going to look up a video on youtube that I've never heard of? MTV had themed music blocks (Headbangers Ball, Alternative Nation and 120 Minutes) that would introduce viewers to new videos and music and genres, etc. They had music stars in as guest VJs, they had music industry news. It was actually quite informative and fun and I found a lot of new (to me) artists through them and learned a lot about artists I already liked. Now I never watch. They should just change their name to EmptyV.

[andromeda331]

Kyle Chandler is the hottest man on earth IMO and just keeps getting better with age.

 

He really is. I never found Brad Pitt or Tom Cruise hot and found their acting boring. Clooney's kind of odd for me I preferred his tv shows to his movies.

[Kel Varnsen]

They'd survive the way radio still survives despite at first records, tapes and CDs, then digital downloads like iTunes, etc. Plus, how am I going to look up a video on youtube that I've never heard of? MTV had themed music blocks (Headbangers Ball, Alternative Nation and 120 Minutes) that would introduce viewers to new videos and music and genres, etc. They had music stars in as guest VJs, they had music industry news. It was actually quite informative and fun and I found a lot of new (to me) artists through them and learned a lot about artists I already liked. Now I never watch. They should just change their name to EmptyV.

There is also the fact that back in the day when MTV first started, they were basically getting videos for free from the record labels and not having to pay royalties. So basically they had no production costs for the majority of their content. Then the labels realized they were basically spending money to produce content almost exclusively for MTV (at least in the US).  So even before they had to worry about every 14 year old (their target audience) being able to get any video he/she wants at any time even if they are no where near a TV, they had to worry about all of the sudden the content they were playing costing way more.

[ribboninthesky1]

Sex scenes and expletives don't bother me much.  I'm way more disturbed by graphic violence.  I get that sometimes, there is a point to be made.  But often, it feels more gratuitous than sex or curse words.  

[Bastet]

Scream 4 was on some basic cable station this weekend, and I shook my head - as I always do with American television - over the fact language was censored (as nudity would have been if the Scream franchise featured any), yet the various murder scenes were left intact.

[SmithW6079]

Sex scenes and expletives don't bother me much.  I'm way more disturbed by graphic violence.  I get that sometimes, there is a point to be made.  But often, it feels more gratuitous than sex or curse words.  

I once watched a movie where the breasts of a pirate ship's bow were blurred. It makes me roll my eyes that we're fine with kids watching murder and killing, but somehow, breasts are too much for their little minds to handle.

 

I do have one teensy,tiny defense of The New Normal in that the Sue Sylvester knockoff character gets considerably less cartoony as the season went on. That, and I loved the way the precocious daughter of the surrogate manages to pwn some girl bullies at her school.

My biggest complain with that show was that it got to be too sugary sweet sometimes. I was glad it ended after one season not because it was horrible,but because I thought that's kinda all it needed.

I hated the Ellen Barkin character on "The New Normal" because she had absolutely no redeeming qualities. I understand if you have an agenda you want to promote, but I think you owe it to your audience not to make the nemesis a complete cartoon.

 

The thing that bothered me most about the show -- which I never saw addressed -- was that the TV producer character decided he wanted to have a family because he saw a little boy's sailor suit that he found adorable and wanted a child to dress up. What an incredibly selfish reason to have a child.

[ABay]

I've become more and more averse to violence in scripted TV the last few years. Explicit sex and nudity do make me uncomfortable but violence disgusts me.

 

What really bothers me about nudity is that it's rarely equal opportunity. For every one instance of male frontal nudity, or even full dorsal nudity, there must be 1,000 instances of female nudity. I gave up on Sens8 and Marco Polo in part because of the gratuitous female nudity with no compensating naked male bodies. Also, they're boring.

 

I hope when DaVinci's Demons eventually returns, they've decided to go back to season 1's nearly-equal balance and not like it was in season 2. Also, enough with the New World already. The Olde World was infinitely more interesting. And if they could make Lorenzo more Magnificent, I'd really appreciate that. If that involves him being naked a lot, so be it.

[ganesh]

Oh I can't wait for DaVinci. There's just not enough shows that really go for it. 

 

I'm equal opportunity nudity. We talk about gender imbalance, but the imbalance with violence/nudity is ridiculous. I don't care if it's gratuitous or not, people should be naked for most of the show. It's like you only see naked people in a whorehouse. 

[kassygreene]

I once watched a movie where the breasts of a pirate ship's bow were blurred. It makes me roll my eyes that we're fine with kids watching murder and killing, but somehow, breasts are too much for their little minds to handle.

 

I hated the Ellen Barkin character on "The New Normal" because she had absolutely no redeeming qualities. I understand if you have an agenda you want to promote, but I think you owe it to your audience not to make the nemesis a complete cartoon.

 

The thing that bothered me most about the show -- which I never saw addressed -- was that the TV producer character decided he wanted to have a family because he saw a little boy's sailor suit that he found adorable and wanted a child to dress up. What an incredibly selfish reason to have a child.

IIRC he saw an adorable little kid first; the sailor suit gushing was the sort of thing gestating and wanting-to-gestate mommies are supposed to do.

[Kel Varnsen]

What really bothers me about nudity is that it's rarely equal opportunity. For every one instance of male frontal nudity, or even full dorsal nudity, there must be 1,000 instances of female nudity. I gave up on Sens8 and Marco Polo in part because of the gratuitous female nudity with no compensating naked male bodies. Also, they're boring.

On the other hand it kind of isn't really equal opportunity the other way either. What I mean is that a male can appear shirtless on pretty much any show on at just about any time of day. But if a female appears shirtless, on network tv at least, someone is going to get a big-ass fine.

Edited June 9, 2015 by Kel Varnsen

[Chaos Theory]

Oh I can't wait for DaVinci. There's just not enough shows that really go for it.

I'm equal opportunity nudity. We talk about gender imbalance, but the imbalance with violence/nudity is ridiculous. I don't care if it's gratuitous or not, people should be naked for most of the show. It's like you only see naked people in a whorehouse.

I don't know how to use spoiler tags (so I won't name names) on my iPhone but on Sense8 there is frontal nudity of at least one of the male 8 at least twice. You see boobs a few times so I don't see the problem with that show. On some shows yes. On many (like Spartacus) it is a matter of degree. Tops for the ladies bottoms for the men. Which kinda makes sense. Edited June 9, 2015 by Chaos Theory

[DittyDotDot]

I just prefer my nudity, language and gore to be story relevant. Don't do it just because you can, but because it's organic to the scene and/or the story. I hate it when you can tell shows are just doing it just to make their quota and say they're a show for grown ups.

[Chaos Theory]

When it comes to sex and nudity my response is it had its place. I agree it was overdone with Marco Polo but I think it was used perfectly with Sense8. Instead of clunky dialog to show two women in love they had a sex scene (mind you the dildo was a little unnessary). But I prefer a sex scene to clunky dialog that never comes out right when mere closeness and touching works so much better.

[SmithW6079]

IIRC he saw an adorable little kid first; the sailor suit gushing was the sort of thing gestating and wanting-to-gestate mommies are supposed to do.

Was that it? All I remember is the sailor suit and him saying how wonderful it would be to have a child because they could dress him up in the suit.

 

I just prefer my nudity, language and gore to be story relevant. Don't do it just because you can, but because it's organic to the scene and/or the story. I hate it when you can tell shows are just doing it just to make their quota and say they're a show for grown ups.

Yeah. Plus, it's nice to look at pretty men and women all naked and stuff. :-)

[Craphole Island]

So I just started watching Arrow on Netflix and I'm really loving it, but after reading some of the threads I felt I should put this here: I don't hate Laurel.

 

I mean, she isn't my favorite character and I don't exactly love her either, but it seems like people REALLY hate her and I can't figure it out why that is? But granted, I've always liked Katie Cassidy so maybe that has something to do with why I like her fine here. Also, I've only finished season 1 so I don't know if something happens in future seasons to change my opinion.

 

I also don't LOVE Felicity like so many others do. I really like her but again, she's not my favorite. As far as females go, I love Thea and Moira personally. But that might be unpopular in and of itself? I don't know I just enjoy Oliver's relationship with his mom and sister.

 

Again, I've only seen season 1 so this could all change.

[Enigma X]

So I just started watching Arrow on Netflix and I'm really loving it, but after reading some of the threads I felt I should put this here: I don't hate Laurel.

 

I mean, she isn't my favorite character and I don't exactly love her either, but it seems like people REALLY hate her and I can't figure it out why that is? But granted, I've always liked Katie Cassidy so maybe that has something to do with why I like her fine here. Also, I've only finished season 1 so I don't know if something happens in future seasons to change my opinion.

 

I also don't LOVE Felicity like so many others do. I really like her but again, she's not my favorite. As far as females go, I love Thea and Moira personally. But that might be unpopular in and of itself? I don't know I just enjoy Oliver's relationship with his mom and sister.

 

Again, I've only seen season 1 so this could all change.

 

I started watching Arrow on Netflix in the beginning of the year. I have seen all the episodes that are available on there. (I think that is everything but this season.) I honestly think you will find other more cringeworthy characters than Felicity or Laurel. Well, maybe not. It seems the unpopular opinion is not to like one or both of these women.

 

Anyway, enjoy the early episodes while you can. My UO on Arrow is that it is repetitive and formulaic. After you have seen one season, you have pretty much seen them all. To further my UO, as over the top as Gotham is, I like it much better than Arrow or Flash. Then again, Gotham only has one season under its belt.

[amensisterfriend]

So people have confessed how constant, excessive hatred for a certain character can dampen their enthusiasm for watching the show (or at least chatting about it!), and it's made me realize that constant, excessive LOVE for certain characters can have the same effect on me. For instance, I actually like(d?!) Criminal Minds' Spencer Reid, but the nonstop, relentless obsessing over him and the actor at the exclusion of discussing any other aspect of the show  and even counting how many words he gets per episode has kind of turned me off to him and the overall show. It's that childish 'okay, enough, he's really not THAT great' impulse in me. Similarly, the Logan Echolls obsession was part of what makes Veronica Mars, a show I once loved, weirdly unwatchable to me now. And the gushing over Gilmore Girls' Luke Danes (who I hold the very UO of disliking) and the total whitewashing of his flaws annoys me to the point where I now find myself liking the character and his joyless romance with Lorelai even less than I used to. And it kind of goes without saying that constant heated "ship wars" can mar my enjoyment of a show---or at least talking about it, which IS part of why I enjoy many shows---but that's probably not too unpopular, at least around here!   

[ToxicUnicorn]

So people have confessed how constant, excessive hatred for a certain character can dampen their enthusiasm for watching the show (or at least chatting about it!), and it's made me realize that constant, excessive LOVE for certain characters can have the same effect on me.

 

Good twist, amensisterfriend.  I can remember getting a similar feeling about Revenge's Nolan Ross (the brainy, sexually omnivorous sidekick).  Ok, so he's bi.  And then?  At least on TwoP, I got tired of hearing cheers every time Nolan slept with someone new.  It seemed to me that people were so busy supporting his proclivities that they stopped talking about all the rest of the characteristics that made him interesting.

 

Nuanced character, plot, and discussion is fun.  But, it's not really the p.c. thing to say in a situation like that.

 

ETA: (And don't get me started about Glee.)

Edited June 10, 2015 by ToxicUnicorn

[Craphole Island]

I started watching Arrow on Netflix in the beginning of the year. I have seen all the episodes that are available on there. (I think that is everything but this season.) I honestly think you will find other more cringeworthy characters than Felicity or Laurel. Well, maybe not. It seems the unpopular opinion is not to like one or both of these women.

Anyway, enjoy the early episodes while you can. My UO on Arrow is that it is repetitive and formulaic. After you have seen one season, you have pretty much seen them all. To further my UO, as over the top as Gotham is, I like it much better than Arrow or Flash. Then again, Gotham only has one season under its belt.

Yeah I probably could have just said my UO is that I like BOTH Laurel and Felicity just fine.

And thabks for the heads up! Just started season 2 so we'll see!

[galax-arena]

For instance, I actually like(d?!) Criminal Minds' Spencer Reid, but the nonstop, relentless obsessing over him and the actor at the exclusion of discussing any other aspect of the show  and even counting how many words he gets per episode has kind of turned me off to him and the overall show.

Yeah, the constant stanning over Reid was what eventually turned me off the show/fandom as well.

 

I'm not sure if all the gushing over Kenzi on Lost Girl was what made me sour on the show (because the show itself was pretty bad on its own) but it definitely didn't help. It's to the point that when I heard Ksenia Solo was going to appear on Orphan Black, I might have inwardly groaned. I like Orphan Black well enough, although I still need to catch up on the end of season 2, and I did not relish the Kenzi talk/fandom migrating over. There was a lot of overlap between fandoms already, since they're both SF/fantasy shows with major LGBTQ presence - a lot of gay girl websites went crazy over the casting news - but I just was not looking forward to all the Ksenia/Kenzi stuff. It's made me less enthusiastic about finishing up season 2 and catching up on the current season, heh.

[ByTor]

Good twist, amensisterfriend.  I can remember getting a similar feeling about Revenge's Nolan Ross (the brainy, sexually omnivorous sidekick).  Ok, so he's bi. 

My UO about this is that even though Nolan himself said he was bi, I thought it was ridiculous; I never saw him have sexual chemistry with a female like he did with a male.

[ribboninthesky1]

Good twist, amensisterfriend.  I can remember getting a similar feeling about Revenge's Nolan Ross (the brainy, sexually omnivorous sidekick).  Ok, so he's bi.  And then?  At least on TwoP, I got tired of hearing cheers every time Nolan slept with someone new.  It seemed to me that people were so busy supporting his proclivities that they stopped talking about all the rest of the characteristics that made him interesting.

 

I actively disliked Nolan from the beginning, though I only intermittently watched the show after season 1.  He was so childish to me, and I always felt he forced his way into Emily's life.  He presumably would keep his nose in her business no matter what, so yay, I guess, for her eventually seeing him as a friend. The way he spoke was nails on a chalkboard for me.  I always liked Jack, though. 

 

Of all her love interests, I thought Emily had the most chemistry with Daniel.  Which I guess makes sense, since the actors were (are?) together outside of the show.  I've never bought into the "actors who are together in real life don't generate onscreen chemistry" thing.  It depends.