Party of One: Unpopular TV Opinions

[PepSinger]

I do not understand why more shows aren't filmed and/or based in Boston.

[King of Birds]

4 hours ago, PepSinger said:

I do not understand why more shows aren't filmed and/or based in Boston.

They would need better actors and extras who can do the accent and not make all Bostonians wicked pissed.

[ganesh]

Oh please no. The Boston accent is great when it's done right, but there's barely any wiggle room and then it's horrid. 

[GaT]

On 3/17/2017 at 10:39 AM, Neurochick said:

I believe NYC give a lot of tax breaks; Bloomberg started it and DeBlassio continued it.  

 

 

21 hours ago, Ambrosefolly said:

Too many shows are filmed in NYC. The well is drying up as far as procedural are concerned. The entire Law and Order franchise probably has 1,000 + episodes that take place and deal with NYC, and that is just 5 shows, 3 of them that lasted 10 years of which 2 of them lasted 20. It is a nice change of place to have a shows take place in Miami, Las Vegas or Baltimore. I get NYC is useful because it is a large, multi cultural city, but it isn't the only one in the United States.

California is giving tax credits to a number of shows to get them to move filming to California, including the newest Law & Order show, Law & Order: True Crime.

[PepSinger]

1 hour ago, King of Birds said:

They would need better actors and extras who can do the accent and not make all Bostonians wicked pissed.

Eh, I really don't know about that. I live in the metro area, and I rarely hear the so-called "Boston dialect." I really only hear it from the old Irish families that are still in Southie and in the nearby suburbs. I mean, does everyone on a show based in NYC have a New York dialect?

[memememe76]

All of those David E Kelley shows like Ally McBeal, The Practice, Boston Common and Boston Legal were set in Boston. And of course Cheers. 

My unpopular opinion is I like Morales on Chicago Med, Rebecca on This is Us, and Daisy on Madam Secretary. 

[kiddo82]

7 hours ago, PepSinger said:

Eh, I really don't know about that. I live in the metro area, and I rarely hear the so-called "Boston dialect." I really only hear it from the old Irish families that are still in Southie and in the nearby suburbs. I mean, does everyone on a show based in NYC have a New York dialect?

TV taught me that the only people in Boston ARE from old, Irish families.

Edited March 19, 2017 by kiddo82

[millennium]

2 hours ago, kiddo82 said:

TV taught me that the only people in Boston ARE from old, Irish families.

LOL, I nearly spit my tonic on the computer screen.

[Kel Varnsen]

17 hours ago, King of Birds said:

They would need better actors and extras who can do the accent and not make all Bostonians wicked pissed.

More Boston shows would just mean more excuses for Donny Wahlberg to show up on tv, which I do not want.

[millennium]

My UO:

I hate The Simpsons.   From day one.   For twenty-five years or however long they have blighted the cultural landscape.

I don't find the show to be socially relevant or especially funny.   I cringe when actors I like or respect agree to be caricatured on the show. 

I hate it when people use Simpsonisms in every day life, i.e., "Doh!" (for the record, I also hate that Everybody Loves Raymond made "Holy crap!" America's reflexive expression for virtually every situation).

But what I hate most of all about The Simpsons is that the show Just. Won't. Go. Away.   As of now, it has been renewed well into 2019.  

[Blergh]

millennium,

 I totally agree! I consider "The Simpsons" to be like  Flo the Progressive Shill     re Bad Pennies! And to think, that I once thought "Gunsmoke" the previous TV show longevity holder to be a wheezing, annoying bore but even that show wound up being less stale when it finally was mercy-killed compared to how "The Simpsons" has been for at least the last decade! GO AWAY SIMPSONS AND FLO!

[Neurochick]

9 hours ago, Kel Varnsen said:

More Boston shows would just mean more excuses for Donny Wahlberg to show up on tv, which I do not want.

What's funny is that he's in Blue Bloods, which is filmed in NYC!  Should I be wicked pissed?

[Shannon L.]

I'm really enjoying Iron Fist (we watched the first three episodes last night).  I agree that the other Netflix Marvel series are more sophisticated, but I don't think IF anywhere near as bad as everyone is making it out to be.  Luke Cage may be technically superior (the directing, acting, lighting, etc are stellar), but I found it really boring and had to force myself to hang in there.  It wasn't until the second half of the series that I was seriously interested.  This one, though, I liked from the first episode.

But then again, I don't mind cheese.  My tastes run from high quality, award winning shows, to down right cheesy stuff and I'm ok with that. 

[Enigma X]

This is a Previously TV UO, since most people here rank Iron Fist over Luke Cage in the forums. They both rank last equally for me. Luke Cage, in my opinion, had the better actors (barring the lead and Diamondback). 

I get that critics panned IF and liked LC. But on this forum I feel my opinion is UO.

[GHScorpiosRule]

3 hours ago, Shannon L. said:

I'm really enjoying Iron Fist (we watched the first three episodes last night).  I agree that the other Netflix Marvel series are more sophisticated, but I don't think IF anywhere near as bad as everyone is making it out to be.  Luke Cage may be technically superior (the directing, acting, lighting, etc are stellar), but I found it really boring and had to force myself to hang in there.  It wasn't until the second half of the series that I was seriously interested.  This one, though, I liked from the first episode.

But then again, I don't mind cheese.  My tastes run from high quality, award winning shows, to down right cheesy stuff and I'm ok with that. 

 

11 minutes ago, Enigma X said:

This is a Previously TV UO, since most people here rank Iron Fist over Luke Cage in the forums. They both rank last equally for me. Luke Cage, in my opinion, had the better actors (barring the lead and Diamondback). 

I get that critics panned IF and liked LC. But on this forum I feel my opinion is UO.

Disclaimer: I didn't read any of the critical reviews.

I found Iron Fist to be a big giant borefest. It didn't help that they cast an actor who, for me, didn't have the talent or charisma to carry this show on his own shoulders. The fight scenes were just as boring and disappointing. Unlike Daredevil, Jessica Jones, and to some extent, Luke Cage, this show didn't engage me or my interest, and I actually fell asleep while watching. A first for me. 

Maybe it might have been different with a different actor as the lead? 

Either way, despite the cheese, the utter stupidity and gullibility of Danny, which was supposed to come off as naïvity, the show just dragged. And so much stuff, as the motivation and reasons for why some characters hated Danny, or decided everything was his fault, made no fucking sense.

[DearEvette]

On 3/20/2017 at 0:42 PM, Enigma X said:

This is a Previously TV UO, since most people here rank Iron Fist over Luke Cage in the forums. They both rank last equally for me. Luke Cage, in my opinion, had the better actors (barring the lead and Diamondback). 

I get that critics panned IF and liked LC. But on this forum I feel my opinion is UO.

I think my UO is that I rank Jessica Jones lower than Luke Cage.  I just couldn't with the dark, gritty and depressing trauma & sexual torture.  I liked Luke Cage mainly because of its absolute grounding in black culture and Harlem.  So many great references!  If they had just lopped off the second half of the series (which was weak sauce compared to the stellar first half) LC would have been damned near perfect for me.

[Danny Franks]

Luke Cage was terrible, in my view. I already knew the actor was bad, from his appearances in Jessica Jones, but he was actually far from the worst thing about his own show.

The only new character I found compelling was Cottonmouth, the rest felt like thinly drawn clichés, taken from a dozen different sources. And the main villain was just silly. It felt like the last four or five episodes consisted of one long, boring, 'daddy loved you more than me!' fight between two people I didn't like. And ultimately, Claire Temple is far more deserving of her own show than Luke Cage is.

I've not watched Iron Fist yet, but it will have to go some distance to be worse than Luke Cage was. To be honest, some of the reviews I've read have wreaked of an underlying agenda to paint the show negatively at all costs. Io9 (a website I used to like, but has really gone to shit over the last year or so) must have posted half a dozen articles now, telling people how iredeemably bad it is. Even one that purports to list everything you might need to know for The Defenders, so you don't have to even watch Iron Fist.

Edited March 22, 2017 by Danny Franks

[tiramisue]

I don't hate Mon-El on Supergirl and I don't think saying you're a palace guard instead of a prince is the worst and most unforgivable lie in the history of lies. Even if his parents are fans of slavery.

[ribboninthesky1]

I feel the same way about the Netflix Marvel shows as the Marvel films - usually overhyped and average.  The shows are savvy enough to cast some talented actors who manage to rise above the material, but I've not been able to watch an entire season of the first 3 without skipping past scenes.  No comment on Iron Fist, as I don't plan to watch it, but the premiere seasons of Daredevil, Jessica Jones, and Luke Cage all fell apart in their second halves.  I hung in there for Luke Cage because of the black female characters, who weren't done much justice (particularly Misty).  

And to be extra petty, I gave a huge side-eye to production of Luke Cage once I read that Simone Missick had to do her own hair for the show.  Strange times - a supposedly black show where a natural-haired black woman can't get an on-set stylist? Really?

But as I referenced in the movie UPO thread, the genre rarely translates well to live-action, IMO.  I have no problems with animation. 

[HunterHunted]

3 hours ago, ribboninthesky1 said:

I feel the same way about the Netflix Marvel shows as the Marvel films - usually overhyped and average.  The shows are savvy enough to cast some talented actors who manage to rise above the material, but I've not been able to watch an entire season of the first 3 without skipping past scenes.  No comment on Iron Fist, as I don't plan to watch it, but the premiere seasons of Daredevil, Jessica Jones, and Luke Cage all fell apart in their second halves.  I hung in there for Luke Cage because of the black female characters, who weren't done much justice (particularly Misty).  

And to be extra petty, I gave a huge side-eye to production of Luke Cage once I read that Simone Missick had to do her own hair for the show.  Strange times - a supposedly black show where a natural-haired black woman can't get an on-set stylist? Really?

But as I referenced in the movie UPO thread, the genre rarely translates well to live-action, IMO.  I have no problems with animation. 

Retta has said that she had use and do her own makeup on Parks and Recreation. Both of which I attribute to the lack of roles for people of color. If you're a hairstylist or makeup artist, you could go quite a while never working on a person of color. Even you learned how to do makeup for people of color or work on black hair, your skills could quickly atrophy if you worked on a show with a really white cast. For example, The Big Bang Theory if you exclude Raj and his family, the person of color who has the next highest number of episodes has been in 6 episodes over 10 years. However, Luke Cage has a majority black cast and a black showrunner. They really should have known better.

[ribboninthesky1]

Oh, it's been well known for years that black and biracial actresses have often had to do their own hair (or wear weave/wigs) and make-up because of stylists who are clueless about Afro-textured hair and darker skin.  But to have that problem on a production like Luke Cage is absurd.  

[Kel Varnsen]

On 3/21/2017 at 8:49 PM, Danny Franks said:

And ultimately, Claire Temple is far more deserving of her own show than Luke Cage is.

 

Agreed. And if they could make a Claire Temple/Trish Walker team up show I would watch the hell out of that.

[Shannon L.]

On 3/20/2017 at 9:42 AM, Enigma X said:

This is a Previously TV UO, since most people here rank Iron Fist over Luke Cage in the forums.

When I wrote my UO, I had only seen the first 3 episodes and the PTV forums didn't seem to like it much.  But, since about episode 5, they started liking it much better.  My UO, then, is really that I liked IF from the first episode.  We just watched episode 7 and it's just getting better, imo.

[HunterHunted]

I have no idea why they made Iron Fist. I know that Iron Fist and Luke Cage have this storied friendship in the comics, but can anyone imagine this Luke Cage being friends with this Danny Rand. This Danny Rand is so dumb that his complete plan to stop a bad guy is to fly to another continent and grab said bad guy. To which, the other characters were like...and...do what. He then petulantly responds he'll think of a plan on trip. He never does. Danny is a billionaire with a 5th grade education. He is so privileged that no one says to him as he's incompetently making decisions for his family's corporation that he maybe study to get his GED, get some counseling, and learn what's been going on in the world for the 15 years he's been away rather than trying to run a billion dollar business. I know that Luke and Danny have this opposites attract friendship, but Luke feels like an adult, which Danny never does feel that way.

Every other member of the Defenders feels like an adult, messed up dysfunctional adults, but adults nonetheless. Danny feels like a very dangerous privileged toddler. I feel like most of season 1 of the Defenders is going to be Jessica, Matt, and Luke ignoring dumbass Danny.

I don't know if they still have the rights to him, but I would have happily subbed Moon Knight for Iron Fist.

I will say that I don't think Iron Fist is as apocalyptically bad as some of the reviews said it was.

Edited March 24, 2017 by HunterHunted

[millennium]

I don't know if this qualifies as an unpopular opinion (I know it was back in the 90s) but I loved thirtysomething and miss it to this very day.  Network television has not produced that calibre of writing since.

If there are any diehard thirtysomething fans out there, I recommend "The thirtysomething podcast."   To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the show, a pair of longtime fans somehow convinced all the actors, writers, and directors/creators of the show to participate in a series of hour-long personal phone interviews about the making of thirtysomething.    Lots of behind the scenes information, discussions of how certain episodes came to be, the actors' perspectives on their characters ...  The project is ongoing but I think they already have at least 15 interviews available for listening.   

The thirtysomething podcast

[Madding crowd]

Thirtysomething was my favorite show at one point. I will check out the podcast-thanks!

[Lady Calypso]

I haven't been able to finish Luke Cage. I know that having an all black cast is important and I really did want to like it, but not only have I not finished it, I haven't been able to get past the second episode. It's been months and I've just had zero interest. But I had issues with Luke Cage on Jessica Jones, so part of it has to do with my interest in that character. 

I also haven't watched Iron Fist and have no interest in watching. It's a shame because I love JJ and I enjoy Daredevil. I had plans to watch everything Marvel, but this seems to be the start of my downfall. But since I do want to watch The Defenders when it comes out, I feel obligated to find a way to watch both shows, even if it kills me (metaphorically). 

[Kel Varnsen]

12 hours ago, Lady Calypso said:

I haven't been able to finish Luke Cage. I know that having an all black cast is important and I really did want to like it, but not only have I not finished it, I haven't been able to get past the second episode. It's been months and I've just had zero interest. But I had issues with Luke Cage on Jessica Jones, so part of it has to do with my interest in that character. 

Luke Cage was a an mostly boring guy with boring powers who generally fought dumb bad guys. Seriously i watched the whole season and all they ever did was try to fight him or shoot him. Why didn't anyone try to poison him or gas him or drown him?

[ribboninthesky1]

I think Mariah suggested drowning once, but I can't remember Cottonmouth's response.  

[Chaos Theory]

On 3/26/2017 at 9:40 AM, Lady Calypso said:

I haven't been able to finish Luke Cage. I know that having an all black cast is important and I really did want to like it, but not only have I not finished it, I haven't been able to get past the second episode. It's been months and I've just had zero interest. But I had issues with Luke Cage on Jessica Jones, so part of it has to do with my interest in that character. 

I also haven't watched Iron Fist and have no interest in watching. It's a shame because I love JJ and I enjoy Daredevil. I had plans to watch everything Marvel, but this seems to be the start of my downfall. But since I do want to watch The Defenders when it comes out, I feel obligated to find a way to watch both shows, even if it kills me (metaphorically). 

Luke  Cage kind of worked for me as a reluctant hero type character.  That dude who wakes up with super powers but doesn't particularly want them.  Anyway although not nearly as good as Daredevil or Jessica Jones I did like the first half of Luke Cage.  

I couldn't even get through the first two episodes of Iron Fist.  It was just a mess and i didn't really care.  Nothing pulled me in like Daredevil and Jessica Jones did pretty much from the first five minutes.  And the image of a bullet proof black guy getting shot at by just about everyone did work for me so there is that.

Edited March 27, 2017 by Chaos Theory

[Shannon L.]

So, I've discovered that I have a really unpopular opinion here:  I didn't start enjoying Luke Cage until about half way through.  Sounds like I'm one of the very few who didn't like the first half and did like the second half instead of vice versa.

[Hybridcookie]

3 hours ago, Shannon L. said:

So, I've discovered that I have a really unpopular opinion here:  I didn't start enjoying Luke Cage until about half way through.  Sounds like I'm one of the very few who didn't like the first half and did like the second half instead of vice versa.

Nope I'm the same, from around the time Claire Temple showed up. I did love Misty from the beginning though, especially in the basketball scene.

I didn't mind Iron Fist, but out of the four shows the only one I've really liked is Jessica Jones

[Kel Varnsen]

2 hours ago, Hybridcookie said:

I didn't mind Iron Fist, but out of the four shows the only one I've really liked is Jessica Jones

I think I like Daredevil the best but in my brain I recognize that Jessica Jones is the better show.

[supposebly]

I watched Daredevil season 1 because of Vincent d'Onofrio and Deborah Ann Woll. It was good, I liked it enough to finish the season. Unfortunately, I couldn't care less about Mr Daredevil himself, so I kind gave up on it. I still can't remember what his real name is.

Jessica Jones hooked me from the start and I wasn't a fan of Krysten Ritter at all. Maybe because I never liked the characters I'd seen her playing, not sure. 

The one thing I didn't like about Jessica Jones was Luke Cage. I thought he was so very very boring. So, I'm not watching Luke Cage. 

Iron Fist, yeah, I'm no comic book person at all and the description was just so.....1950s. Pass.

Still waiting for Jessica Jones, season 2.

[ganesh]

No spoilers, but the character of Norman Bates wasn't "destroyed" on Bates Motel. Dial it down internet. 

[Enigma X]

I like Chicago Justice and Chicago PD (but not Med and Fire). Chicago Justice is turning out to be my favorite in the franchise.

I also like learning about the characters personal lives, even on a law drama or police procedural.

[Jaded]

I saw one episode of Chicago Med and it didn't really interest me enough to watch more. I've kinda given up on medical shows for the moment due to some personal stuff.

I quit watching Chicago Fire regularly a couple seasons ago. I saw enough episodes last season to know that I'd only want to tune in again if something changed concerning Gabby chewing up all the scenery and Severide plugging every female hole with his penis.

I've enjoyed Chicago Justice from the episodes I've seen. I think there are two I haven't. I thought it was kind of neat how they made Peter Stone Ben's son. I doubt we'll see Ben again unless they recast the role though.

Edited March 29, 2017 by Jaded

[Chaos Theory]

17 hours ago, ganesh said:

No spoilers, but the character of Norman Bates wasn't "destroyed" on Bates Motel. Dial it down internet. 

Don't want to spoil either but is that really an unpopular opinion or just people going nuts because well people are nuts?   People do need to dial it down though.

[ganesh]

50-50

[Hanahope]

I totally agree with the Simpsons hate.  My husband's family loves it and so I constantly have to be exposed to Simpson merchandise, characters, sayings and other things about the show, that I have no clue about and no desire to learn whatsoever.

I also really don't like Jimmy Fallon.  He's such a lowest common denominator panderer, bland and frankly I don't think he's all that funny.  And now I'm deluged with commercials for his new Universal ride.

[Ohwell]

58 minutes ago, Hanahope said:

I also really don't like Jimmy Fallon.  He's such a lowest common denominator panderer, bland and frankly I don't think he's all that funny.  And now I'm deluged with commercials for his new Universal ride.

Yes to this!

[JustaPerson]

I don't mind Jimmy Fallon, but if you're looking for a real talk show host Graham Norton is much better.

[zxy556575]

7 hours ago, JustaPerson said:

I don't mind Jimmy Fallon, but if you're looking for a real talk show host Graham Norton is much better.

I really enjoy Graham having 2-3 guests on the couch at once, but find it annoying when Corden does it. Go figure.

[Chas411]

I really dislike Jimmy Fallon. Every interview he does is so suck uppy. Hes always just repeating what they say and laughing like it's hilarious but I don't feel like he's actually listening to anything if that makes sense. 

[Enigma X]

I am a Jimmy Fallon fan either.

[UYI]

On 3/25/2017 at 0:41 AM, millennium said:

I don't know if this qualifies as an unpopular opinion (I know it was back in the 90s) but I loved thirtysomething and miss it to this very day.  Network television has not produced that calibre of writing since.

If there are any diehard thirtysomething fans out there, I recommend "The thirtysomething podcast."   To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the show, a pair of longtime fans somehow convinced all the actors, writers, and directors/creators of the show to participate in a series of hour-long personal phone interviews about the making of thirtysomething.    Lots of behind the scenes information, discussions of how certain episodes came to be, the actors' perspectives on their characters ...  The project is ongoing but I think they already have at least 15 interviews available for listening.   

The thirtysomething podcast

I LOVE thirtysomething! I was only 2 when the show went off the air in 1991, so I watched it on DVD later on, but my mom watched back then and I love it now, too. I'll have to check this out.

They also had some of the greatest music cues I've ever heard on TV.

On 3/19/2017 at 1:33 PM, millennium said:

My UO:

I hate The Simpsons.   From day one.   For twenty-five years or however long they have blighted the cultural landscape.

 

It premiered in 1989, the year I was born. And the renewal to 2019 may mean they just want to reach the 30th anniversary (which means I'll be 30...no, I'm shaking and ready to barf right now, really I'm not), and then finally go off the air.

On 3/31/2017 at 4:25 AM, Chas411 said:

I really dislike Jimmy Fallon. Every interview he does is so suck uppy. Hes always just repeating what they say and laughing like it's hilarious but I don't feel like he's actually listening to anything if that makes sense. 

He brays like a donkey over everything. I liked him on SNL, but not as a talk show host. 

[tribeca]

Don't mind snark or people not liking the same shows but don't like show forums where all the posts/posters hate the show.  

[ganesh]

Or when posters post in the episode thread about how they didn't actually watch the episode but they're going to comment on it regardless. 

[friendperidot]

I have what is probably an unpopular opinion about a dead celebrity. They died about a year ago and on the celebrity death thread, it was all about the tragedy in their lives and that they were a terrific actor. They were a terrible actor. They had a terrible tragedy that they came back from and that is wonderful, but it doesn't change that this person couldn't act their way out of a paper bag. I watch the tv show they were a star on a few times a week, and I just cringe at the bad line delivery. I just feel bad for disliking their acting since they can no longer do anything about it. From what little I know about them personally, they were a good person.

[GHScorpiosRule]

11 hours ago, friendperidot said:

I have what is probably an unpopular opinion about a dead celebrity. They died about a year ago and on the celebrity death thread, it was all about the tragedy in their lives and that they were a terrific actor. They were a terrible actor. They had a terrible tragedy that they came back from and that is wonderful, but it doesn't change that this person couldn't act their way out of a paper bag. I watch the tv show they were a star on a few times a week, and I just cringe at the bad line delivery. I just feel bad for disliking their acting since they can no longer do anything about it. From what little I know about them personally, they were a good person.

So many died last year. Is there a reason why you didn't mention who it was?