Party of One: Unpopular TV Opinions

[Wiendish Fitch]

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964):

I never thought "We are Santa's Elves" was such a bad little ditty. In fact, I think I prefer it to "Holly Jolly Christmas".

[Mr. Sparkle]

59 minutes ago, Wiendish Fitch said:

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964):

I never thought "We are Santa's Elves" was such a bad little ditty. In fact, I think I prefer it to "Holly Jolly Christmas".

Both "We are Santa's Elves" and "Why am I Just a Misfit?" are better than HJC, IMO. 

[kathyk24]

I've been reading comments on various threads claiming that kids are brats. Kids aren't capable of telling the director that they can't say certain things because it will look bad. Adults can play villians and no one thinks that they are like that in real life but children don't get the benefit of the doubt.

[Egg McMuffin]

This may be off topic but speaking of Rudolph, did you ever notice how many of the Rankin Bass specials depend on Santa being a jerk? He’s a complete a*hole to Donner, Mrs. Santa, and the elves in “Rudolph”. He cancels Christmas in “Year Without a Santa Claus”. And he decides to bypass Junctionville in “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” because of a newspaper letter to the editor that he didn’t like - talk about thin-skinned.

[Ambrosefolly]

In light of the recent Spiderman: Far From Home, 

Spoiler

& the redemption of Andrew Garfield's Spiderman,

I stand by that they shouldn't have created a brand new, never before seen "War Doctor" in the Doctor Who anniversary special (no matter how good William Hurt was) and should have had Paul McGann be the third Doctor in the trio if he didn't have scheduling conflicts.

Edited December 27, 2021 by Ambrosefolly

[JustHereForFood]

3 hours ago, Ambrosefolly said:

In light of the recent Spiderman: Far From Home, 

  Hide contents

& the redemption of Andrew Garfield's Spiderman,

I stand by that they shouldn't have created a brand new, never before seen "War Doctor" in the Doctor Who anniversary special (no matter how good William Hurt was) and should have had Paul McGann be the third Doctor in the trio if he didn't have scheduling conflicts.

The only pre-2005 Doctor Who I watched were some of the 1st Doctor's episodes, so I have no attachment to Paul McGann's Doctor, but the short clip called Night of the Doctor that was released before the Day of the Doctor had so much more impact on me than the entirety of Day of the Doctor. So, I tend to agree.

[Blergh]

On 12/25/2021 at 7:43 PM, kathyk24 said:

I've been reading comments on various threads claiming that kids are brats. Kids aren't capable of telling the director that they can't say certain things because it will look bad. Adults can play villians and no one thinks that they are like that in real life but children don't get the benefit of the doubt.

I agree that  performers of any age (who are solely performers) should be given the benefit of the doubt that they are NOT brats offstage- as long as one has no evidence to the contrary. However, if characters are brats,etc. then the fictional  characters DO deserve to be called on for their less positive traits- regardless of age (and the adult producers, writers and directors by extension also deserve to be called out for the characters being depicted this way).

[DoctorAtomic]

I think TPTB got painted into a corner because they really wanted Nine for the Doctor Who special, and he was into it, but then backed out. At that point I think it was too late for McGann to have the availability to step in. Of course, I would say he should have been included right from the start. I know he's done tons of audio adventures, but it's criminal he hasn't been in anything but the short. 

[Haleth]

21 hours ago, Kyle said:

This may be off topic but speaking of Rudolph, did you ever notice how many of the Rankin Bass specials depend on Santa being a jerk? He’s a complete a*hole to Donner, Mrs. Santa, and the elves in “Rudolph”. He cancels Christmas in “Year Without a Santa Claus”. And he decides to bypass Junctionville in “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” because of a newspaper letter to the editor that he didn’t like - talk about thin-skinned.

I make the point every year that Rudolph is the worst Christmas show because of the message to children that without presents Christmas has to be cancelled.  (Whereas without presents or any other trappings the Whos of Whoville still celebrate the holiday.  Yay, Dr Seuss!)

[Blergh]

4 hours ago, Haleth said:

I make the point every year that Rudolph is the worst Christmas show because of the message to children that without presents Christmas has to be cancelled.  (Whereas without presents or any other trappings the Whos of Whoville still celebrate the holiday.  Yay, Dr Seuss!)

I never thought of it like that but you're right! Also, hooray for Charlie Brown for actually calling out on the holiday having been too crass in his very first animated special (in 1965!)!

[Egg McMuffin]

Year Without a Santa Claus also deals with Christmas being cancelled because Santa can’t deliver presents.

[Ohiopirate02]

44 minutes ago, Kyle said:

Year Without a Santa Claus also deals with Christmas being cancelled because Santa can’t deliver presents.

I just watched this last week, and it's not that Santa can't deliver presents, it's that he won't that year.  He has a cold and just does not want to do his  one job that year because reasons.  He's perfectly capable of going after Jingle, Jangle and Vixen when they get lost.  

[BlackberryJam]

Betty White is lovely and I'm glad she's going to reach 100, but I really, really don't care to see even one second of her birthday celebrations. 

[Blergh]

5 minutes ago, BlackberryJam said:

Betty White is lovely and I'm glad she's going to reach 100, but I really, really don't care to see even one second of her birthday celebrations. 

To each one's own (and I perfectly respect your call). Speaking strictly for myself, I could truly said celebrations to cheer me up!

[Crashcourse]

My only reservation about Betty White's celebration is that we've still got 21 more days to get there and I hope she makes it. 

So I think there should have been a celebration a few days after she turned 100.

[katie9918]

Betty White’s 100th would be a small victory for me in a shitstorm of a year, so I will be celebrating with bells and whistles. And it’s come to mean more to me in the last 24 hours due to circumstances that continue to remain completely out of my control thanks to the CCP.

 

I do, however, understand why others are not particularly invested, so we’re all good.

[sistermagpie]

6 hours ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

I just watched this last week, and it's not that Santa can't deliver presents, it's that he won't that year.  He has a cold and just does not want to do his  one job that year because reasons.  He's perfectly capable of going after Jingle, Jangle and Vixen when they get lost.  

I remember even as a kid thinking he had a lot of nerve saying he wanted "a day off" when he worked one day a year. It's the elves that make the toys, after all. As an adult maybe he's doing a lot of managerial stuff but...I'll believe it when I see it! 

Also kind of funny that he's annoyed at people not believing in him when he's actually delivering presents every year, so everyone would have proof of his existence...

[DoctorAtomic]

Who actually sorted all the mail? That had to be a job. 

[Zella]

Please don't hurt me, but I don't give a shit about Betty White. LOL I have nothing against her personally and don't begrudge other people being excited about her, but I've never watched her in anything, so she doesn't evoke warm and fuzzy vibes for me. Nor does she evoke negative ones. I hope she has a lovely birthday, but it means nothing to me. 

Edited December 29, 2021 by Zella

[SusanM]

On 12/28/2021 at 2:27 PM, Blergh said:

To each one's own (and I perfectly respect your call). Speaking strictly for myself, I could truly said celebrations to cheer me up!

Same,  It is nice to anticipate something positive in the news where a celebrity is concerned,  Mostly, lately, it's been either which celebrity has died, which one has Covid or which one has come out as an anti-vaxxer/Covid denier so I can't watch them in anything anymore because seeing selfish stupidity burns my eyes.

Edited December 29, 2021 by SusannahM

[Crashcourse]

14 hours ago, Zella said:

Please don't hurt me, but I don't give a shit about Betty White. LOL I have nothing against her personally and don't begrudge other people being excited about her, but I've never watched her in anything, so she doesn't evoke warm and fuzzy vibes for me. Nor does she evoke negative ones. I hope she has a lovely birthday, but it means nothing to me. 

Oh, I know what you mean and I understand.  I feel the same way about Dolly Parton. 

I wish them both the best, but I just don't care.

[Zella]

6 minutes ago, Crashcourse said:

Oh, I know what you mean and I understand.  I feel the same way about Dolly Parton. 

I wish them both the best, but I just don't care.

I really like Dolly, but I totally get it! LOL 

 

[Cloud9Shopper]

I have no idea of how unpopular this is, but I am getting tired of people complaining about seeing spoilers for either shows that ended long ago or getting mad when they go into a forum/subreddit for an active show and every little thing isn’t spoiler tagged for them.

I write fanfic for a show that ended over 10 years ago (ER) and I’ve definitely had people complain when I post links to my stories or mention something that I’ve seen in a later season because “but I didn’t want to be spoiled that far!” Or “I did my see that part yet!” Well how is that my problem? Especially as I’m not breaking any rules by sharing it? You could just not click on it…? I just don’t think for any show that’s that old that spoiler tags are necessary. I just started watching The Resident, so I try to stay away from the fandom spaces for it, but I know if I want to Google an episode or a character that I might accidentally get spoiled. But so be it. 

And for shows that are currently on, I don’t think spoiler warnings are needed for episodes that already aired past a certain amount of time. New Amsterdam was in its third season last year and yet someone got mad at me on Reddit for commenting on something that happened in the first season because they hadn’t seen that episode yet. OK sorry that I didn’t spoiler tag my comment about a two-year-old episode, I guess. 

Edited December 30, 2021 by Cloud9Shopper

[Annber03]

Yeah, I'm all for fandom sites having spoiler-free sections/discussions, and people tagging for spoilers in discussions and fics and such. And if one knows full well someone doesn't want to be spoiled about something and they purposefully spoil it for them anyway, that's not cool. 

But with the way people watch TV nowadays, be it old shows or new ones, and given the fact it's the internet in general, I think people also generally need to be prepared for the possibility they'll run into spoilers at some point if they go online, and figure out a method that works for them if they really, absolutely need to try and avoid spoilers for one reason or another. And indeed, if it's an older show/movie/book, then, yeah, again, if people want to tag for spoilers, great, but they shouldn't be expected to do so. 

[ifionlyknew]

8 hours ago, Annber03 said:

And if one knows full well someone doesn't want to be spoiled about something and they purposefully spoil it for them anyway, that's not cool. 

I watched Scandal when it was on TV but I didn't watch the episodes till the morning after they aired on Hulu.  I watched before I went to work so about 6-7 hrs after it aired. So I'm watching an episode and I'm scrolling through FB and I see that someone posted her reaction to something that happened on the show.  It was a pretty big thing and was a shock.  I guess she had the right to post whatever she wanted but I still thought you bitch.  Today you have to assume there are going to be spoilers everywhere.

I had another (now former) FB friend who would post score updates on football games.  I think someone finally told her to stop.  Apparently she didn't realize or care how many people record the games if they can't watch them live.

[Cloud9Shopper]

9 hours ago, Annber03 said:

Yeah, I'm all for fandom sites having spoiler-free sections/discussions, and people tagging for spoilers in discussions and fics and such. And if one knows full well someone doesn't want to be spoiled about something and they purposefully spoil it for them anyway, that's not cool. 

But with the way people watch TV nowadays, be it old shows or new ones, and given the fact it's the internet in general, I think people also generally need to be prepared for the possibility they'll run into spoilers at some point if they go online, and figure out a method that works for them if they really, absolutely need to try and avoid spoilers for one reason or another. And indeed, if it's an older show/movie/book, then, yeah, again, if people want to tag for spoilers, great, but they shouldn't be expected to do so. 

Yeah I generally do include a summary in my fic or an author’s note if a fic is a gapfiller or missing scene from a specific episode. I even have a friend who’s refusing to read one of my fics because she’s five seasons away from the plot point that inspired the story. Which is dedication I guess, even though I’m secretly disappointed that she’ll probably never catch up enough to read it. 

I do listen to an ER podcast and the hosts said they once got a bad review or a negative email (can’t remember which) because they talked about an episode the listener hadn’t gotten to yet. This is even when the hosts said that this is a retrospective and you may not want to listen until you have watched the whole series. There is just no winning with certain people. 

[DoctorAtomic]

There used to be a you tube video way back with actors from BSG, the Wire, and Dexter doing a bit about spoilers. 

[sistermagpie]

On 12/28/2021 at 11:54 PM, Zella said:

Please don't hurt me, but I don't give a shit about Betty White. LOL I have nothing against her personally and don't begrudge other people being excited about her, but I've never watched her in anything, so she doesn't evoke warm and fuzzy vibes for me. Nor does she evoke negative ones. I hope she has a lovely birthday, but it means nothing to me. 

I knew all those people planning her 100th birthday would jinx it - she just died at 99!

[Zella]

1 minute ago, sistermagpie said:

I knew all those people planning her 100th birthday would jinx it - she just died at 99!

I just saw that and now feel like an asshole about my original indifference comment!

[sistermagpie]

1 minute ago, Zella said:

I just saw that and now feel like an asshole about my original indifference comment!

Nah, still not an asshole comment. And I say this as someone who was watching Mary Tyler Moore reruns over Christmas!

[SmithW6079]

On 12/29/2021 at 11:32 PM, Cloud9Shopper said:

I have no idea of how unpopular this is, but I am getting tired of people complaining about seeing spoilers for either shows that ended long ago or getting mad when they go into a forum/subreddit for an active show and every little thing isn’t spoiler tagged for them.

Bravo. 👏👏

I'll go one further. Once something has aired (in whatever format), it's not my responsibility to ensure you (the plural you) remain unspoiled. Also, I don't get upset if I do read a spoiler about a show I watch. I mean, it's just TV.

On the subject of Betty White: while I found her funny in her signature roles (Sue Ann Niven, Rose Nylund), she wasn't some comedy genius,  and I never understood how she came to be perceived as a comedy god. Was it just her longevity? It's sad she died, but c'mon, she was 99 years old. She had a full, apparently happy, life and remained active throughout. 

[Annber03]

12 minutes ago, SmithW6079 said:

Also, I don't get upset if I do read a spoiler about a show I watch. I mean, it's just TV.

Same here. It's a rare occasion when I do decide to avoid spoilers for something I'm about to watch, but even then, that's my choice, I don't expect everyone around me to be careful. 

I also wonder how much stuff really even requires spoiler warnings in the first place. Surprise moments/endings and story twists certainly have their place in storytelling, of course, and there's been many brilliant examples of those kinds of moments.

But I also feel like a lot of shows rely too much on them nowadays, to the point where it's more about the shocking twist than the actual story. Just because one knows or can predict where a story will go, that doesn't automatically make it bad. I've never felt like knowing what will happen ahead of time has ruined the enjoyment of a story for me.

There's also the fact that it's one thing to read or hear about what will happen in a story, it's another to actually experience it for yourself. Someone could tell me exactly what will happen in a show, but even then, there's things about those scenes that they might not catch that I will, or aspects they might focus on that I won't, or whatever. 

[Blergh]

Here's a Betty White UO: IMUO, Rose Nyland wasn't nearly as clever, funny or memorable as Sue Ann Nivens. Yes, I liked them both but even so I always cherished those rare moments when Rose let her inner Sue Ann come out (like when she wrestled her teddy bear away from the kidnapping Girl Scout)!

[DoctorAtomic]

56 minutes ago, SmithW6079 said:

Also, I don't get upset if I do read a spoiler about a show I watch. I mean, it's just TV.

To a point, and it depends what show. I don't think it's entirely fair that I'm going to bed on a Sunday night, and I want to check FB and see what my friends are up to, and you've got several media outlets posting spoilers to the big shows in the headlines literally the second the credits roll on the east coast.

Edited December 31, 2021 by DoctorAtomic

[Bastet]

21 minutes ago, DoctorAtomic said:

and you've got several media outlets posting spoilers to the big shows in the headlines literally the second the credits roll on the east coast.

Headlines are almost the only place I object to spoilers.  People who click on an article once an episode has had its first US airing have no right to complain, but headlines should not spoil.

[Mabinogia]

43 minutes ago, Blergh said:

Rose let her inner Sue Ann come out (like when she wrestled her teddy bear away from the kidnapping Girl Scout)!

That is hands down my favorite Rose moment. She is always so sweet and everyone around her assumes that makes her a push over. Rose had an edge when pushed. 

I like that she and Rue switched roles because both actresses wanted to play a character different than their former roles. I am glad it turned out the way it did because I can't imagine anyone but Rue being Blanche or anyone but Betty being Rose. I honestly think I would have found Rose insufferable if anyone but Betty had played her. 

18 minutes ago, DoctorAtomic said:

I don't think it's entirely fair that I'm going to bed on a Sunday night, and I want to check FB and see what my friends are up to, and you've got several media outlets posting spoilers to the big shows in the headlines literally the second the credits roll on the east coast.

I do think there should be a buffer, maybe a week, before people go spilling all the spoilers all over the place. Sadly, I think there are people out there who do it on purpose, to ruin it for others, or to "show off" that they got to see it first. 

My way of thinking on spoilers is that if getting spoiled about a twist ruins the show, it probably wasn't a show for me. I don't like anything that is just done for the shock value, I need engaging characters and a good story.

That said, I am VERY grateful that I didn't know how season 1 of The Good Place ended because that moment gave me chills. Because of that moment, I try my hardest not to spoil other people, but at some point it is absurd to not expect people to talk about a twist that happened months or years ago. 

[Irlandesa]

On 12/30/2021 at 7:47 AM, ifionlyknew said:

So I'm watching an episode and I'm scrolling through FB and I see that someone posted her reaction to something that happened on the show.  It was a pretty big thing and was a shock.  I guess she had the right to post whatever she wanted but I still thought you bitch.  Today you have to assume there are going to be spoilers everywhere.

I had another (now former) FB friend who would post score updates on football games.  I think someone finally told her to stop.  Apparently she didn't realize or care how many people record the games if they can't watch them live.

I mean....they do.  They absolutely do.  Especially since it's social media which is often used for reactions.

I've never understood policing someone else's social media use unless it's dangerous.   Follow or Unfollow. 

I get extremely careful if there are spoilers I want to avoid. I avoid Twitter and Facebook.   Instagram is probably the one place I think is safe.

1 hour ago, SmithW6079 said:

On the subject of Betty White: while I found her funny in her signature roles (Sue Ann Niven, Rose Nylund), she wasn't some comedy genius,  and I never understood how she came to be perceived as a comedy god. Was it just her longevity? It's sad she died, but c'mon, she was 99 years old. She had a full, apparently happy, life and remained active throughout. 

Longevity and relevance.  Her genius is in her performance and her natural wit.  It's tough to have multiple signature roles that are different.   She did.  She also created quite a persona on game shows. She was naturally smart and funny even before the writers got to her. 

 

[DoctorAtomic]

re: Betty White, there's a Netflix documentary I watched last year that was really comprehensive if anyone is interested. 

2 hours ago, SmithW6079 said:

Was it just her longevity?

Largely, yes. One could argue she and maybe 3 - 5 other people literally made television. On her radio variety show, she was doing 5-6 hours live per day. That's the writing, getting the ads, etc. She didn't invent comedy, or reinvent it, but in terms of 'show biz', she was a progenitor of modern entertainment. 

35 minutes ago, Irlandesa said:

She also created quite a persona on game shows.

This isn't a thing anymore, so a lot of people don't realize what tv was back then. 

[Mabinogia]

1 hour ago, Irlandesa said:

She also created quite a persona on game shows.

I LOVED her on Match Game. She was this great combo of adorably sweet and naughty at the same time. I've been watching a Hot in Cleveland mini marathon in her honor. It's not the greatest show but the actresses have great chemistry and it's fun. 

[Shannon L.]

I didn't watch anything that Betty White was in, but I'd seen clips that were funny and charming and I knew about her animal charity. She seemed like a fun, vibrant woman to the end.

My friend was a flight attendant and was on flights with her many times and just loved her. She said that not only was she nice to everyone,  but when she said that her dad was a big fan and would be jealous that they'd met, Betty called her father and chatted with him for a few minutes. She was class act, in spite of the dirty comedy that she didn't seem to shy away from  :)

Even though I never saw her shows, I'm sad today. I think most people are because it's been a tough year for most of us and Betty's 100th birthday was something bright that we could look forward to reading about.  The fact that she still seemed so healthy and died just 17 days early stings a little.

Also, and this may be terrible to say,  but I think Ryan Reynolds popularity got people interested in her because he loved her.

[Cloud9Shopper]

My mom and I love watching The Golden Girls together so I’m a big Betty White fan. I loved her when she hosted SNL, and she has a bit part in a comedy movie called You Again that I really like. I asked my mom before if she wanted to play “oogle and flugle” this weekend or if we should remember the Great Herring War. (“Tell me Rose, did they ever shoot a herring out of a canon?”)

[Bastet]

7 minutes ago, Shannon L. said:

Even though I never saw her shows, I'm sad today. I think most people are because it's been a tough year for most of us and Betty's 100th birthday was something bright that we could look forward to reading about.  The fact that she still seemed so healthy and died just 17 days early stings a little.

I did watch her in quite a few things (including still watching The Golden Girls regularly), and I think why this bums me out when I would normally not be sad about someone dying after nearly 100 fulfilling, healthy years, is that she was just a straight-up good person, because she actively worked at being a good person.  She was like Fred Rogers in that way.

Yes, she was inherently an optimist - and most relentless optimists annoy the shit out of me, but she didn't - but those who knew her said she also made a conscious choice every day to practice a mindset of looking for and celebrating the good, and adding to it.

Ted Danson had recently said "she leads a very purposeful life", and I think that's what I responded to, and what I'm sad there's one less example of in a world that desperately needs it.

[Spartan Girl]

A lot of people thought Debra Messing’s reenactment of I Love Lucy on Will and Grace was spot-on, but I was not one of them. I didn’t think she looked a thing like Lucy. And no, I don’t think she would have been a better choice for that biopic. Know why? Because there was only ONE Lucille Ball, and no actress could ever do her justice.

[Stats Queen]

38 minutes ago, Spartan Girl said:

A lot of people thought Debra Messing’s reenactment of I Love Lucy on Will and Grace was spot-on, but I was not one of them. I didn’t think she looked a thing like Lucy. And no, I don’t think she would have been a better choice for that biopic. Know why? Because there was only ONE Lucille Ball, and no actress could ever do her justice.

I wasn’t a fan of her reenactment either, I also really don’t like her so there’s that….

[SVNBob]

5 hours ago, Bastet said:

I think why this bums me out when I would normally not be sad about someone dying after nearly 100 fulfilling, healthy years, is that she was just a straight-up good person, because she actively worked at being a good person.  She was like Fred Rogers in that way.

Case in point: a popular story on Reddit is about why Betty's variety show got canceled.  In 1954, she was getting criticized for featuring an African-American tap dancer named Arthur Duncan on the show.  Her response: "I'm sorry.  Deal with it", then gave Duncan more time on her show.

That's what led to the cancellation.

[Bastet]

44 minutes ago, SVNBob said:

Case in point: a popular story on Reddit is about why Betty's variety show got canceled.  In 1954, she was getting criticized for featuring an African-American tap dancer named Arthur Duncan on the show.  Her response: "I'm sorry.  Deal with it", then gave Duncan more time on her show.

That's what led to the cancellation.

Exactly; I'd earlier noted that in the In Memoriam thread, after talking about it in the relevant Golden Girls and TV Movies forums years ago when the PBS documentary (which later aired on Netflix) was released. 

I'll repeat myself again to say she was quite the pioneer of '50s TV - she produced her own show, hired another woman as a director, and told the southern stations who wouldn't air the show if Duncan remained part of it to get stuffed.

[DrSpaceman73]

8 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

A lot of people thought Debra Messing’s reenactment of I Love Lucy on Will and Grace was spot-on, but I was not one of them. I didn’t think she looked a thing like Lucy. And no, I don’t think she would have been a better choice for that biopic. Know why? Because there was only ONE Lucille Ball, and no actress could ever do her justice.

This brings up my unpopular opinion. :. I hate the show I love Lucy.  I can appreciate her talent and recognize her as a female tv pioneer but I don't like that show. 

 

[ABay]

If I could like that post 100 times more, I would @DrSpaceman.

[SusanM]

3 hours ago, DrSpaceman73 said:

This brings up my unpopular opinion. :. I hate the show I love Lucy.  I can appreciate her talent and recognize her as a female tv pioneer but I don't like that show.

With I Love Lucy here are certainly scenes that can have me crying with laugher but I find it pretty much unwatchable now.   

[DoctorAtomic]

I just can't imagine having to write 5 hours of content to air *every day*.