Party of One: Unpopular TV Opinions

[BlackberryJam]

51 minutes ago, DoctorAtomic said:

All this tiger fucking show sounds the like stupidest thing ever. 

That’s the general consensus. It is truly, truly stupid. Unfortunately our taste in television is declining because our entertainment options are so limited.

[DoctorAtomic]

I actually disagree. There's more original content now than there's ever been. Statistically, you're going to have some show you like and some shows that suck. The real question is why something as suck ass as this is so popular - vs the tons of watchable shows out there. Not that everything is a Great Show, and it doesn't have to be, but there's plenty of cool stuff to watch than tigers fucking. 

[doesntworkonwood]

The thing about The Tiger King is that it's pretty much built to keep you watching. Every episode there's a new bombshell which makes you want to watch the next episode. There's so much crazy shit going on that you can't help but keep watching. It's as popular as it is because people will watch one episode to see what it's about and be drawn in to the batshit crazy story. It's a Netflix documentary through and through, and by that I mean that it's sole purpose is to make you binge watch it. It's incredibly biased, it's obvious that the film makers lied to people about the story they were actually going to tell, they cut out some of the worst parts about Joe Exotic to keep him sympathetic (some of the videos he came out with are horrific, and the fact that the story paints him as someone who is capable of having any valid opinion on Baskin's husband that isn't based on his extreme misogyny is crazy). 

It's not a documentary, in that it doesn't exist to educate. You cannot take anything it tells you at face value. But it's like a trainwreck, you can't look away. 

So yeah, my unpopular opinion is that the Carole Baskin hate is almost entirely fueled by misogyny. 

[Hiyo]

Here is an interesting take also on the series:

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/apr/01/tiger-king-joe-exotic-netflix-southern-queerness

[ramble]

I almost always find ScreenRant’s Pitch Meetings on YouTube funny. This one was also slightly sad because of references to the mistreatment of animals and the nasty nature of the people involved. It did reinforce my complete non-interest in watching. Side note: if you’ve never watched Pitch Meetings it is a rabbit hole that can suck you in for an enjoyable few hours.  

[BlackberryJam]

9 hours ago, DoctorAtomic said:

I actually disagree. There's more original content now than there's ever been. Statistically, you're going to have some show you like and some shows that suck. The real question is why something as suck ass as this is so popular - vs the tons of watchable shows out there. Not that everything is a Great Show, and it doesn't have to be, but there's plenty of cool stuff to watch than tigers fucking. 

By limited entertainment options, I meant entertainment that does not involve sitting on a couch.

[Danny Franks]

On 4/10/2020 at 1:57 PM, Ohwell said:

I have no desire whatsoever to watch Tiger King.

Same here. I had no desire to watch a bunch of rednecks abuse animals and each other even before everyone online starting forcing references to the show into everything they can.

I just don't get the whole 'I watch these people to feel better about myself' thing. It just depresses me that some people are so appalling.

[Blergh]

32 minutes ago, Danny Franks said:

Same here. I had no desire to watch a bunch of rednecks abuse animals and each other even before everyone online starting forcing references to the show into everything they can.

I just don't get the whole 'I watch these people to feel better about myself' thing. It just depresses me that some people are so appalling.

Amen to that, (at least IMO)! That's also why I never bothered with 'Jerry Springer' , 'Maury',etc. even with no animals involved.  Give me historic documentaries that chronicle folks triumphing over the odds and adversity any day (especially these days)!

[Shannon L.]

4 hours ago, doesntworkonwood said:

So yeah, my unpopular opinion is that the Carole Baskin hate is almost entirely fueled by misogyny. 

IIRC, in an article I read a couple of weeks ago, the head of the Humane Society (or someone near the top anyway) said that she'd been to Carol's refuge and that it wasn't nearly as bad as it was portrayed in the show.  Still, though, I'm glad the tigers are at a zoo now where they have even more room and better quality care.

[BlackberryJam]

Here's my massively unpopular opinion, animal abuse ranks pretty low on my list of causes to champion. I don't want any animal to be abused, but I'm not up in arms about Tiger King not focussing on the animals. Watching it made me much more concerned about the prevalence of meth use, gun violence and abusive, controlling relationships.

 

[sistermagpie]

47 minutes ago, Shannon L. said:

IIRC, in an article I read a couple of weeks ago, the head of the Humane Society (or someone near the top anyway) said that she'd been to Carol's refuge and that it wasn't nearly as bad as it was portrayed in the show.  Still, though, I'm glad the tigers are at a zoo now where they have even more room and better quality care.

One of the many ridiculous things about that on the show was how Joe Exotic made it seem like Carol being an accredited sanctuary that was checked to make sure the animals were getting good care etc. was just another way she was getting special treatment and of course the show let him do it.

[Blergh]

12 minutes ago, BlackberryJam said:

Here's my massively unpopular opinion, animal abuse ranks pretty low on my list of causes to champion. I don't want any animal to be abused, but I'm not up in arms about Tiger King not focussing on the animals. Watching it made me much more concerned about the prevalence of meth use, gun violence and abusive, controlling relationships.

 

While I know that there are some horrible folks out there, I sure don't like seeing animals abused (which is why I quickly gave up on Animal Detectives). Moreover, while I know that meth use, gun violence and abusive, controlling relationships exist far too much in this world, I ALSO don't want to see any of the above either any more than I'd want to have diarrhea depicted on my set! To each one's own, of course.

[janie jones]

23 hours ago, DearEvette said:

I did so you don't have to.  Take my word.  It is terrible.

It wouldn't have been so bad if the show had really focused on the breeding and mistreatment of the exotic animals.  It had the potential to be what the documentary Blackfish was to Sea World wrt to  Orcas raised in captivity.  But instead it chose to play up the  batshit OTT personalities and ramp up on unconfirmed murder allegations and only use the animals as a backdrop & prop, playing lip-service here or there to their plight.  

The fact that more people are talking about freeing Joe Exotic or trying to get Carole Baskin tried for a murder there is no proof that she committed than the cruelty to the animals and the widespread shadiness of the exotic animal trade in the US is all you need to know to stay away from that mess.

I haven't seen it either.  Is your complaint that it isn't about what it purported to be about (i.e., you went into it thinking it would document animal cruelty, but that wasn't the angle the show went with), or that it isn't about what you wanted it to be about (i.e., a show that focused on their abuse would have been better/more beneficial), or that it is indeed about the animal abuse, but that isn't what everyone is paying attention to?

To be honest, when it first showed up on Netflix, my interest was piqued, but I wasn't eager to immediately start watching it.  Now I'm just tired of hearing about it.  Maybe I'll check it out; maybe I won't.

[BlackberryJam]

49 minutes ago, Blergh said:

While I know that there are some horrible folks out there, I sure don't like seeing animals abused (which is why I quickly gave up on Animal Detectives). Moreover, while I know that meth use, gun violence and abusive, controlling relationships exist far too much in this world, I ALSO don't want to see any of the above either any more than I'd want to have diarrhea depicted on my set! To each one's own, of course.

I never watch animal shows, period, and I gave in to my mother's peer pressure to watch Tiger King. She's 78 and wanted me to be "in the loop." (Gee THANKS Mom, can't we go back to talking about Victor Neuman and Bill Spencer?)

There are plenty of fictional shows that include meth use (Breaking Bad anyone?), gun violence (every episode of SEAL Team and all the crime shows) and abusive, controlling relationships (Killing Eve, The Affair, Game of Thrones). Sure, I enjoy watching it in fiction because then I can hope for some justice and if that doesn't happen, comfort myself with knowing it's not real. 

Tiger King is like spying at your crazyass neighbors with binoculars x20,000. It's so uncomfortable. 

 

[DoctorAtomic]

I refuse to believe there is a human being with the name Joe Exotic.

[praeceptrix]

I have not watched the Netflix "documentary," nor do I intend to. I find that I can watch (some) fictional portrayals of horrible people doing horrible things to other people, but simply can't handle anything involving cruelty to animals (note to those who make shows about serial killers and psychopaths: yes, it's a documented fact that they often start by torturing animals, but I can't cope with seeing that).

For those who are interested in the legitimate sanctuary which is mentioned in the "documentary," here's their website:

https://bigcatrescue.org/?amp

[Hiyo]

Quote

Here's my massively unpopular opinion, animal abuse ranks pretty low on my list of causes to champion. I don't want any animal to be abused, but I'm not up in arms about Tiger King not focussing on the animals. Watching it made me much more concerned about the prevalence of meth use, gun violence and abusive, controlling relationships.

I'll join you at that table.

[Blergh]

1 hour ago, DoctorAtomic said:

I refuse to believe there is a human being with the name Joe Exotic.

Not one whose parents actually had  had the legal surname of Exotic before having him (but I could be wrong). 

[DearEvette]

2 hours ago, janie jones said:

haven't seen it either.  Is your complaint that it isn't about what it purported to be about (i.e., you went into it thinking it would document animal cruelty, but that wasn't the angle the show went with), or that it isn't about what you wanted it to be about (i.e., a show that focused on their abuse would have been better/more beneficial), or that it is indeed about the animal abuse, but that isn't what everyone is paying attention to?

I did not go into the show with any expectations.  Mostly, I was curious.  I had heard about it from various places and the most people were saying is 'This shit is CRAZY!'  So if I had any expectation at all, it is I was expecting weird entertainment. 

What happened as I watched it though, was that I couldn't enjoy it as weird entertainment.  What played out in front of me was too fucked up to really enjoy.  Even in the 'This Shit is CRAZY' way.

Going into the show, I would say my attitude was one where academically I know and understand that animal abuse is wrong and condemn it  generically from a distance way.  I won't pretend that I am a crusader of that as a cause in any way, shape or form.  But seeing it played out in front of your face is a little different. 

So you expect to watch a fun show, but in the end I felt a little sick seeing the animals bred in captivity and removed from their mothers well before they are supposed to be, and put in closed carry-on luggage to be transported, or a snow leopard being held in sweltering Florida heat in the back of a van.

So yeah I came out of it feeling bad that I watched it.

[Zella]

2 hours ago, DoctorAtomic said:

I refuse to believe there is a human being with the name Joe Exotic.

 

1 hour ago, Blergh said:

Not one whose parents actually had  had the legal surname of Exotic before having him (but I could be wrong). 

He came into this world a Schreibvogel. 🤣

[DoctorAtomic]

That is quite the exotic surname. 

[Mabinogia]

4 hours ago, DearEvette said:

What happened as I watched it though, was that I couldn't enjoy it as weird entertainment.  What played out in front of me was too forked up to really enjoy.  Even in the 'This shirt is CRAZY' way.

I just can't enjoy "this shit is crazy" when that shit really happened. I have no problem watching something totally batshit, but when it's true, and not being used to point out how horrible it is but for pure amusement, I feel uncomfortable with it. I don't care how "out of the loop" it makes me, I will not have anything to do with that horrible, exploitative crap. I don't care if every sentence I hear for the rest of my life references it, I'd rather just not be in on the joke than send a second with what sound like some truly terrible people. 

My UO is that, even if I start watching a show, be it a reality show with a "winner" at the end or a mystery show with a "solution" at the end, I can drop it without looking back if I am not enjoying it. I don't have to "see what happens next" and no amount of producer manipulation is going to get me to tune in weekly. That's why god made the internet, so I can read about what happened in a short recap and not waste my time watching. lol

Sorry, that was ranty. It's been a rough day. 

[proserpina65]

8 hours ago, BlackberryJam said:

Here's my massively unpopular opinion, animal abuse ranks pretty low on my list of causes to champion. I don't want any animal to be abused, but I'm not up in arms about Tiger King not focussing on the animals. Watching it made me much more concerned about the prevalence of meth use, gun violence and abusive, controlling relationships.

 

Whereas it's near or at the top for me, because while adults generally have some ability to defend themselves or extricate themselves from a bad situation, animals rarely do.  And often those who abuse animals tend to be horrible to other people as well.

4 hours ago, Zella said:

 

He came into this world a Schreibvogel. 🤣

Isn't that the name of a type of wesen on Grimm? lol

[Zella]

4 minutes ago, proserpina65 said:

Isn't that the name of a type of wesen on Grimm? lol

I have no clue, but I remember enough from my college German classes to get "writing bird" out of it. LOL

Edited April 13, 2020 by Zella

[proserpina65]

2 minutes ago, Zella said:

I have no clue, but I remember enough from my college German classes to get "writing bird" out of it. LOL

I don't think it actually was, but it sounds like it should've been.

[topanga]

On 4/10/2020 at 8:57 AM, Ohwell said:

I have no desire whatsoever to watch Tiger King.

Same. I usually watch all of the hot shows and movies on Netflix, but this one, I’ll skip. 

[bmoore4026]

Archer should have ended after season two.  Season three was when things started to go downhill despite the train to Canada episode and "The Ellllllegant Dinner Party".

Edited April 17, 2020 by bmoore4026

[DoctorAtomic]

I genuinely like Better Call Saul. I make sure I watch every week. I'm rooting for Kim. She's a great character. But they're up in the their own shit a little too much. 

[Kel Varnsen]

On 4/18/2020 at 11:26 PM, DoctorAtomic said:

I genuinely like Better Call Saul. I make sure I watch every week. I'm rooting for Kim. She's a great character. But they're up in the their own shit a little too much. 

I haven't watched the current season of Better Call Saul because we downgraded our cable package and lost AMC. But my unpopular opinion is that I hope at the end of the series there is a reveal that Kim was Saul's partner during Breaking Bad but just never shown on camera.

[DoctorAtomic]

I'm hoping she gets away with it, whatever that may be. 

[Ohwell]

I hope Kim gets killed.

[Dancingjaneway]

I HATE Seinfeld. I never found it funny, smart or entertaining. All of them were unlikable & I think Jerry Seinfeld is a creep. Even though the Simpsons isn't as good as it was I still find it to be enjoyable. I guess for me it's what I call a comfort show. I can pop it on & it allows me to relax & be happy. 

[Anduin]

I never liked Seinfeld or Friends. And I recently discovered something surprising about the Simpsons. Out of curiosity, I looked up an Itchy & Scratchy supercut. Wow. Those cartoons don't work as a marathon. For that matter, most of the time Scratchy isn't even doing anything!

Say what you like about Tom, Coyote, Elmer Fudd, and the like, but at least they're actively hunting their foes. Scratchy's repeated fate turns from funny to horrifying faster than you'd think.

[CrazyInAlabama]

I loathe ventriloquists, clowns, and Liberace.   My late mother loved all of them, and especially when Liberace was on a TV show, or anything else, (we only had one TV when I was a kid) my Mom had to watch.     After his film career ended, Liberace wasn't just in Vegas, he was on any TV show that would have him.     

And clowns seem to be everywhere lately.     

Also, I really don't like the super popular series, like Seinfeld, and Friends.    Don't like Big Bang Theory.    I don't understand what people see in a lot of the huge following shows.   I never watched West Wing, or the Simpsons.   

Edited April 29, 2020 by CrazyInAlabama

[DoctorAtomic]

I wasn't expecting a Liberace reference. That's a reach way back. 

[Katy M]

1 hour ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

After his film career ended, Liberace wasn't just in Vegas, he was on any TV show that would have him. 

I remember seeing him on an episode of Batman.  It was especially ridiculous.  Batman was, of course, supposed to be ridiculous.  But, sometimes you can go too far with it.

[DoctorAtomic]

I need to see that. 

[Hiyo]

Looks like he dressed down for the role.

 

[DoctorAtomic]

YOU DIDN'T SAY THERE WERE TWO OF HIM

[Katy M]

9 minutes ago, DoctorAtomic said:

YOU DIDN'T SAY THERE WERE TWO OF HIM

Honestly, I forgot. It's been a long time.  Now that you mentioned it, I remember.

[DoctorAtomic]

That's burying the lede, lady. 

[juno]

When I define "shipping" it is the plan to have two characters get together (marriage, proclamation of love etc.).

Why do I hate it so much? I think it derails tv shows. It takes a show off its path and forces the audience to focus on the shipping and not the show.

I watch a show and think wow those 2 are great together but realize that it can't happen because the commandment of shipping will not allow it. Here are some examples.

1. Ephram and Lainey (Everwood) great together. Sorry he has to be with Amy who is horrible to him.
2. Josh and Amy (West Wing) great together, loads of chemistry. Nope Donna.
3. Lip and Mandy (Shameless) it worked! Lip and Tami yawn.
4. Stevie and David (Schitt's Creek) so much chemistry, so great. Patrick, sorry no, just no.
5. Otto (Sex Education) and anyone else besides Maeve. Worst shipping in history.
6. Friends-Best shipping and chemistry was Joey and Chandler. The rest was horrid (honorable mention to Monica and Richard, Brad Pitt and Phoebe)

[Irlandesa]

44 minutes ago, juno said:

When I define "shipping" it is the plan to have two characters get together (marriage, proclamation of love etc.).

Why do I hate it so much?

I think you hate it because you do ship, it's just that you didn't ship the people either the show runners or other shippers preferred.

Been there.  Shipping the wrong characters (i.e. non-end game couples) suck. 

But shipping the right ones is divine.

Edited April 28, 2020 by Irlandesa

[juno]

2 minutes ago, Irlandesa said:

I think you hate it because you do ship, it's just that you didn't ship the people either the show runners or other shippers preferred.

Been there.  Shipping the wrong characters (i.e. non-end game couples) suck. 

But shipping the right ones is divine.

Good point. There are times though when it wrecks the show. I think the shipping wrecked Friends and is currently wrecking Sex Education.

[DoctorAtomic]

55 minutes ago, juno said:

Why do I hate it so much? I think it derails tv shows.

It's also derivative and lazy writing.

[GaT]

2 hours ago, juno said:

1. Josh and Amy (West Wing) great together, loads of chemistry. Nope Donna.

That was so annoying, Josh & Donna had zero sexual chemistry. Josh & Amy were great, Josh & Joey were great, Josh & Mandy (remember her?) were great, so how does he end up with the only person he has no chemistry with?

[BlackberryJam]

Oh, I loathed Amy on TWW. She was a women’s rights activist who kind of hated actual women.  Josh should have remained single because he was going to make a horrible life partner. Why inflict him on some nice female character? Early Donna was babyish and wimpy. S7 Donna was a great character, but had nothing to do with early Donna. 

Give me back Sam and Ainsley. Or Sam and Mallory. Wait, just give me Sam. Get rid of Josh.

[Irlandesa]

Full disclosure, I loved Josh and Donna but @BlackberryJam you also aren't wrong. I agree with you about Amy.

Mandy was actually supposed to be Josh's main love interest but she had such little chemistry with him and they never managed to figure out how to make her work even independent of that so she was sent off after the first season. 

Joey Lucas was great, though.

 

[callie lee 29]

3 hours ago, BlackberryJam said:

Oh, I loathed Amy on TWW. She was a women’s rights activist who kind of hated actual women.  Josh should have remained single because he was going to make a horrible life partner. Why inflict him on some nice female character? Early Donna was babyish and wimpy. S7 Donna was a great character, but had nothing to do with early Donna. 

Give me back Sam and Ainsley. Or Sam and Mallory. Wait, just give me Sam. Get rid of Josh.

My person!!!!  I loved San and Ainsley so much they are probably still my favorite tv couple. I   liked Mallory as well, she was just a pretty good character overall. 

 

Actually I probably agree with everything in this post. Sam and Amy  may have been better if Amy just wasn't just such an unpleasant character. I'm not sure who who I disliked more, Amy or Mandy. 

[Bastet]

Ooh, unpopular opinions about WW pairings?  I'm in.

I quit watching before the stupid (hello, she's his assistant!) Josh and Donna thing went anywhere, but I hate the very idea of them as a couple, even after she wasn't his assistant -- those characters were somehow simultaneously each too good for the other.  Just an awful match.

Amy I liked, but not with Josh.  The only character I ever liked with Josh in terms of a love interest was Joey Lucas.

I hated Sam and Ainsley, because I hated Ainsley.  I did not find her quirky and charming, I found her annoying.

Even though I didn't watch it, I am still irritated C.J. wound up with Danny (and a kid) in the end.