Party of One: Unpopular TV Opinions

[Wiendish Fitch]

Showing my age, but here goes:

I recently developed a perverse interest in watching Popular (anyone else remember that show?), a show that was on during my youth, but I never particularly cared about at the time, and I have to be brutally honest...

I don't think Mary Cherry was all that funny. I mean, God love Leslie Grossman for giving it her all, but I'm mostly unimpressed.

[Jaded]

3 hours ago, Wiendish Fitch said:

Showing my age, but here goes:

I recently developed a perverse interest in watching Popular (anyone else remember that show?), a show that was on during my youth, but I never particularly cared about at the time, and I have to be brutally honest...

I don't think Mary Cherry was all that funny. I mean, God love Leslie Grossman for giving it her all, but I'm mostly unimpressed.

I've felt like the only person to remember that show. I've mentioned it to other people only for them to say they never knew it existed. I liked it for what it was back then. 

[Chaos Theory]

On 5/29/2023 at 9:01 PM, EtheltoTillie said:

UO:  what’s so great about Succession?  I don’t get the extreme adulation. It’s very good but not in my top five or even ten.
I watched the first season and liked it but when when it came for the second I found myself bored by the circular arguments and in particular the discussions of alleged deals. However, I decided to watch the final season as it was very buzzed about. I thought the sibling psychology was well done, and the acting was excellent. But I still found it impossible to understand the business discussions. I had to just sleepwalk through that. 

My Unpopular Opinion is my complete hatred for HBO in general.   I think 90% of their shows are pretentious and on any other network would not have gotten half the adoration.   But HBO is like the Yankees.  They are the best network money can buy so if they don’t end up in the World Series….sorry the awards shows something is deeply deeply wrong.

Edited August 6, 2023 by Chaos Theory

[JimmyJabloon]

Legion- Not sure how unpopular this is, but i did not buy syd and David's love at all. And i think it might be because of Rachel keller's "acting". She was just zoned out the entire time and i had trouble taking her seriously. Maybe she was being mind controlled the entire time. David had more chemistry with literally everyone except her.

Edited August 13, 2023 by JimmyJabloon
Spelling

[Egg McMuffin]

On 7/24/2023 at 7:48 PM, BlueSkies said:

I tried to watch Parks and Recreation more than once.

 

It bored me to tears both times 

That’s a show whose following has always baffled me. I find Amy Poehler and her smug, preening performances unbearable.

[Shannon L.]

Parks and Recs grew on me, but I think it was because of the supporting characters instead of Amy Poehler.

Based on the number of seasons both shows, I'm assuming that it's an unpopular opinion that NCIS: Los Angeles is much, much better than NCIS.

[Mabinogia]

5 minutes ago, Shannon L. said:

Based on the number of seasons both shows, I'm assuming that it's an unpopular opinion that NCIS: Los Angeles is much, much better than NCIS.

I am of the opinion that any show is better than original NCIS. While I loved Ducky and Abby and Kate from the very early seasons, I loathe Mark Harmon (always have) and always found the show a bit too far up Gibbs' ass. 

Never saw the LA version but basically, if it doesn't have Mark Harmon and Michael Weatherly (Who I just find kind of smug prickish) then it is surely better to me. 

[callie lee 29]

1 hour ago, Shannon L. said:

Parks and Recs grew on me, but I think it was because of the supporting characters instead of Amy Poehler.

Based on the number of seasons both shows, I'm assuming that it's an unpopular opinion that NCIS: Los Angeles is much, much better than NCIS.

In my humble opinion (and having watched NCIS LA) yes it was a much, much better show. Still pissed it got cancelled and that clusterfuck original one is still on. 

Edited August 19, 2023 by callie lee 29

[partofme]

I could never get into NCIS: LA, but the original NCIS was my favorite show during the Ziva years.  It’s a shadow of itself now.  

[andromeda331]

1 hour ago, callie lee 29 said:

In my humble opinion (and having watched NCIS LA) yes it was a much, much better show. Still pissed it got cancelled and that clusterfuck original one is still on. 

I'm surprised it's still on with most of the main cast gone and so many new people.

[andromeda331]

My other issue with NCIS besides how much I ended up hating most of the main characters. Is how depressing it is. Ziva's father left her for dead and then is killed off as was her brother and we know she had a sister who was killed, Tony's mother died young and his father wasn't a good father, Abby's parents' were killed in a car accident, and Tim had issues with his father. Gibbs first wife and daughter were killed, Leon's wife was killed, Fornell was got back together with Diane and she was killed and later they killed his daughter off, they killed off Jimmy's wife. Kate was murdered, Michelle had that weird spy double spy and was killed off, Langer was murdered, etc. It's so depressing. 

[kathyk24]

46 minutes ago, andromeda331 said:

My other issue with NCIS besides how much I ended up hating most of the main characters. Is how depressing it is. Ziva's father left her for dead and then is killed off as was her brother and we know she had a sister who was killed, Tony's mother died young and his father wasn't a good father, Abby's parents' were killed in a car accident, and Tim had issues with his father. Gibbs first wife and daughter were killed, Leon's wife was killed, Fornell was got back together with Diane and she was killed and later they killed his daughter off, they killed off Jimmy's wife. Kate was murdered, Michelle had that weird spy double spy and was killed off, Langer was murdered, etc. It's so depressing. 

You left out Paula Cassidy and Jenny Shepard who were murdered. I think Criminal Minds and NCIS had the most unhappy backstories. I wish writers understood that a character can be good at their job and have a happy home life.

[magicdog]

19 hours ago, kathyk24 said:

I wish writers understood that a character can be good at their job and have a happy home life.

THIS!

Sometimes I think it's one part a reflection of the writer's lives (unhappy ands dysfunctional) and the lack of being able to write drama that didn't involve tragedy.  Just once I want to see grown adults in a dramatic series that had a good relationship with their families.*

 

* I did see an episode of Emergency in which we see the father of Dr. Kelly Brackett (Robert Fuller) being admitted to the hospital for a serious condition.  Later, Brackett stops by his dad's room and chats with him about the surgery he'll need and his guilt over not being home as much as he'd like and suggesting they plan a fishing trip together.  I remember thinking that if this show were made now, there would be all sots of drama about how irascible dad would be and how distant he and Dr. Brackett would be!  It was so refreshing to see a normal father [adult] son relationship!!

  

[Bastet]

On 8/19/2023 at 11:04 AM, kathyk24 said:

I wish writers understood that a character can be good at their job and have a happy home life.

That's one of the things I liked about Major Crimes -- Sharon was just a nice, normal person at work and at home.  I especially loved that she had a good relationship with her grown children, instead of the tired storyline of them being resentful she worked a lot.  And when work interrupted while they were visiting, she was apologetic, but not guilty (and they were disappointed but understood).

[kathyk24]

On 8/20/2023 at 9:35 AM, magicdog said:

THIS!

Sometimes I think it's one part a reflection of the writer's lives (unhappy ands dysfunctional) and the lack of being able to write drama that didn't involve tragedy.  Just once I want to see grown adults in a dramatic series that had a good relationship with their families.*

 

* I did see an episode of Emergency in which we see the father of Dr. Kelly Brackett (Robert Fuller) being admitted to the hospital for a serious condition.  Later, Brackett stops by his dad's room and chats with him about the surgery he'll need and his guilt over not being home as much as he'd like and suggesting they plan a fishing trip together.  I remember thinking that if this show were made now, there would be all sots of drama about how irascible dad would be and how distant he and Dr. Brackett would be!  It was so refreshing to see a normal father [adult] son relationship!!

  

I think there should be more women writers for these shows. They can remind others when they are overdoing the dead wife trope. They can advocate for more storylines for character's spouses so that actresses won't want to quit.

[scarynikki12]

I've had Modern Family on in the background a lot lately and my UO is how much I hate Haley's story in the final years. Dylan was fine in the role of high school boyfriend but that's all he should have ever been. If he'd been presented as ditzy in personality but booksmart then I could accept him being Haley's forever guy. Instead he was so stupid I'm amazed he remembered how to breathe and I think putting Haley back with him just brought her part of the show down. If the show absolutely had to have one of Dunphy kids have kids at around the same age as Claire (they did not) I would have gone with Alex. Have Alex's story include her falling in love in college, getting married after graduation, and having her first baby during a year off before graduate school/starting her career. Meanwhile I would have kept Haley single, or just casually dating, and letting her career take off. Luke was as stupid as Dylan so he was a lost cause. The show was so determined to make Haley just like Claire and it was a mistake as the show went on.

[proserpina65]

I think the last two seasons of Game of Thrones are actually quite good, excepting the Last of the Starks episode which is half good and half lousy.  Not seasons 1-4 good, but far, far better than the mostly dismal season 5.  Which is also an unpopular opinion, I've discovered, although I cannot fathom why that season is viewed favorably.  Sure, it has Hardhome, which is fantastic, and a few other good episodes but it also has that terrible Dorne storyline and the not nearly as interesting as it could've been Arya storyline.  And don't get me started on Tyrion's boring-ass travels in Essos which, again, could've been cool (although his chapters were not interesting in the book, imo) but were mostly tedious.  Except for him and Jorah seeing Drogon, and their fight with the stone men.

Edited August 31, 2023 by proserpina65
because Stannis Baratheon, Grammar Nazi, would not have approved of "he seeing Drogon" at all

[JustHereForFood]

19 hours ago, proserpina65 said:

I think the last two seasons of Game of Thrones are actually quite good, excepting the Last of the Starks episode which is half good and half lousy.  Not seasons 1-4 good, but far, far better than the mostly dismal season 5.  Which is also an unpopular opinion, I've discovered, although I cannot fathom why that season is viewed favorably.  Sure, it has Hardhome, which is fantastic, and a few other good episodes but it also has that terrible Dorne storyline and the not nearly as interesting as it could've been Arya storyline.  And don't get me started on Tyrion's boring-ass travels in Essos which, again, could've been cool (although his chapters were not interesting in the book, imo) but were mostly tedious.  Except for him and Jorah seeing Drogon, and their fight with the stone men.

Season 5 was my least favorite by far (the writers' treatment of Sansa and Shireen's death were mostly responsible for that), season 6 was a huge improvement.

[proserpina65]

5 hours ago, JustHereForFood said:

Season 5 was my least favorite by far (the writers' treatment of Sansa and Shireen's death were mostly responsible for that), season 6 was a huge improvement.

Shireen's death was my line in the sand and I thought I was done with GOT at that point.  Then I started seeing location pics for season 6 which hinted at the Tower of Joy and they pulled me back in.

[Haleth]

On 8/31/2023 at 1:52 PM, proserpina65 said:

it also has that terrible Dorne storyline

It's criminal what the tv writers did there.  Create a bunch of outlandish characters, ignore or underuse the more interesting ones, then when they didn't know what to do with them?  Kill them all off.

Poor Quentyn.  LOL

 

[Blergh]

With all these revelations re how downright disturbingly toxic it appears to have been  behind the scenes of  That 70's Show being in the news after the Masterston conviction and his cronies' kudos, I have to say that the few times I ever attempted to see it, it always rubbed me the wrong way- as though  I was stuck at a party/function with the most snotty,  meanspirited and jaded of my high school peers and I was relieved to change the channel to get out of there! Seriously, it seemed like quasi- Happy Days update but with a needless and  relentless nasty tone!

IOW, that the regulars turn out to have treated extras and guest performers  churlishly (to say the least) seems to jibe with  said  tone (and, not unlike their characters, they seemed to have needed more direct supervision  on set to say nothing of immediate consequences for actions  instead of being treated as though they could do no wrong [which almost always gets used as a license TO do wrong].

[Egg McMuffin]

I like That 70s Show, but I can’t say you’re wrong about the mean spirited aspect. I always hated Danny Masterson’s character. He had this big attitude that was way out of whack considering he wasn’t particularly smart or talented or good looking.

Edited September 17, 2023 by Egg McMuffin

[bluegirl147]

20 hours ago, Egg McMuffin said:

I  hated Danny Masterson’s character. He had this big attitude that was way out of whack considering he wasn’t particularly smart or talented or good looking.

The same could be said about Danny Masterson.

[Mabinogia]

I am ashamed now that I actually loved Hyde, Danny Masterson's character on That 70s Show and wanted him and Jackie together. I was so young and naive then. Now I don't think I can watch that show again knowing what all was going on behind the scenes. Poor Topher having to put up with that shit because he was the only one smart enough not to drink the Kool Aid.

[AstridM]

6 minutes ago, Mabinogia said:

I am ashamed now that I actually loved Hyde, Danny Masterson's character on That 70s Show and wanted him and Jackie together. I was so young and naive then. Now I don't think I can watch that show again knowing what all was going on behind the scenes. Poor Topher having to put up with that shit because he was the only one smart enough not to drink the Kool Aid.

Me, too. 😢

[Zella]

I liked Hyde too. Fez was the one who annoyed me. 

[Irlandesa]

1 hour ago, Mabinogia said:

I am ashamed now that I actually loved Hyde, Danny Masterson's character on That 70s Show and wanted him and Jackie together. I was so young and naive then. Now I don't think I can watch that show again knowing what all was going on behind the scenes. Poor Topher having to put up with that shit because he was the only one smart enough not to drink the Kool Aid.

I loved Jackie and Hyde.  Still do..at least in memory.   I haven't seen the show in ages do I don't know how I'd feel watching it back but I'm not ashamed about it.   I don't know that you should be either. This didn't come out until long after the show was over so unless you had some way to have inside knowledge...You liked a show.

Edited September 18, 2023 by Irlandesa

[Bastet]

3 hours ago, Mabinogia said:

I am ashamed now that I actually loved Hyde, Danny Masterson's character on That 70s Show and wanted him and Jackie together. I was so young and naive then. Now I don't think I can watch that show again knowing what all was going on behind the scenes.

The only thing I've ever seen Masterson in is Cybill, and I really enjoyed his character and performance at the time.  I recently re-watched it, and was glad that he hadn't retroactively ruined it for me, but knowing what we now know did distract from my experience sometimes and I was glad when the character left.  I understand, though, it is a different thing to watch a show in which he's a main character, and throughout, and especially knowing specifically that shit was going on on that set at that time.

[Lugal]

On 9/11/2023 at 8:33 PM, Blergh said:

With all these revelations re how downright disturbingly toxic it appears to have been  behind the scenes of  That 70's Show being in the news after the Masterston conviction and his cronies' kudos, I have to say that the few times I ever attempted to see it, it always rubbed me the wrong way- as though  I was stuck at a party/function with the most snotty,  meanspirited and jaded of my high school peers and I was relieved to change the channel to get out of there!

Yeah, I never watched That 70's Show because I was a few years out of high school then and had no desire to relive that and I was too young for the 70's nostalgia wave.

[andromeda331]

On 9/17/2023 at 8:54 PM, Bastet said:

The only thing I've ever seen Masterson in is Cybill, and I really enjoyed his character and performance at the time.  I recently re-watched it, and was glad that he hadn't retroactively ruined it for me, but knowing what we now know did distract from my experience sometimes and I was glad when the character left.  I understand, though, it is a different thing to watch a show in which he's a main character, and throughout, and especially knowing specifically that shit was going on on that set at that time.

That's where I've seen him. He and his brother are also in one of my favorite White Collar episodes where they have to follow a treasure hunt to find a will to pay the guy who kidnapped one of the brother's kid and Mozzie plays a blind man at the plantarium who "Likes the idea of stars". Thanks for ruining a really good episode.

[Danny Franks]

Caught another bit of House of the Dragon, and I can't see how anyone enjoys this shit.

This clip was of a serving girl confessing to the queen that the queen's son raped her. And the queen poisons the girl so she can't tell anyone because it would be embarrassing. This is supposed to be entertaining? Oh, they're so evil and dastardly! What fun! They murder innocents to cover up their crimes, and it's so entertaining!

"But it's realistic!" the cry goes up... about a show that has magic and dragons in it.

No fucking wonder there's such a rise in casual misogyny, when this passes for high quality entertainment.

[badhaggis]

7 minutes ago, Danny Franks said:

Caught another bit of House of the Dragon, and I can't see how anyone enjoys this shit.

This clip was of a serving girl confessing to the queen that the queen's son raped her. And the queen poisons the girl so she can't tell anyone because it would be embarrassing. This is supposed to be entertaining? Oh, they're so evil and dastardly! What fun! They murder innocents to cover up their crimes, and it's so entertaining!

"But it's realistic!" the cry goes up... about a show that has magic and dragons in it.

No fucking wonder there's such a rise in casual misogyny, when this passes for high quality entertainment.

It was not exactly a poison it was a tea that prevents pregnancy.

Edited October 4, 2023 by badhaggis

[Danny Franks]

49 minutes ago, badhaggis said:

It was not exactly a poison it was a tea that prevents pregnancy.

But then in the next scene, someone asks the queen where the girl has gone and she won't answer. Unless she shows up again later, it seems like she was casually killed.

[badhaggis]

1 hour ago, Danny Franks said:

But then in the next scene, someone asks the queen where the girl has gone and she won't answer. Unless she shows up again later, it seems like she was casually killed.

She paid her off to leave. This all isn't saying she treated the girl well. She basically threatened her if she said anything to anyone about her loathsome son. Then said loathsome son sees no consequence of his brutal crime.

Edited October 4, 2023 by badhaggis

[proserpina65]

On 10/4/2023 at 2:39 PM, Danny Franks said:

But then in the next scene, someone asks the queen where the girl has gone and she won't answer. Unless she shows up again later, it seems like she was casually killed.

No, she wasn't killed.  The beverage was moon tea, which has been mentioned in both GOT and HOTD as the Westerosi equivalent of the morning after pill.  But there's no way the maid would continue to work in the Red Keep, so she would indeed have been gone.  She was given a large payoff to leave in that very same scene.

 

[JustHereForFood]

7 hours ago, proserpina65 said:

No, she wasn't killed.  The beverage was moon tea, which has been mentioned in both GOT and HOTD as the Westerosi equivalent of the morning after pill.  But there's no way the maid would continue to work in the Red Keep, so she would indeed have been gone.  She was given a large payoff to leave in that very same scene.

 

I love how fantasy often has a potion/herb that works as both contraception AND abortion pill, is commonly known to every character who needs it and easily available.

[Anduin]

7 minutes ago, JustHereForFood said:

I love how fantasy often has a potion/herb that works as both contraception AND abortion pill, is commonly known to every character who needs it and easily available.

That's the great thing about secondary worlds. Sometimes you can just make up something incredibly useful. As long as you don't do it too often, the audience will accept it. :)

Oh, and I agree about Westeros being an unpleasant place. That's why I've only read ASOIAF twice and didn't even bother watching HOTD, while LOTR and Rings of Power are far more my thing.

Edited October 7, 2023 by Anduin

[proserpina65]

On 10/6/2023 at 8:27 PM, JustHereForFood said:

I love how fantasy often has a potion/herb that works as both contraception AND abortion pill, is commonly known to every character who needs it and easily available.

Well, I'm not sure available to the wealthy who have the services of maesters who know how to make moon tea equals easily available to everyone.  Presumably poor women generally just have babies they didn't necessarily plan.

[Gharlane]

On 8/6/2023 at 12:27 PM, proserpina65 said:

Musical episodes suck. All of them.

When did they start doing that crap? I want to blame it on Joss Wedon in Buffy but someone said they were earlier ones.

[kathyk2]

TV shows don't need to add babies to comedies to make them better. This is especially true when actresses aren't pregnant in real life. I doubt Jay from Modern Family would want to become a father when he had grandchildren.

[Avabelle]

On 9/18/2023 at 1:16 AM, Irlandesa said:

I loved Jackie and Hyde.  Still do..at least in memory.   I haven't seen the show in ages do I don't know how I'd feel watching it back but I'm not ashamed about it.   I don't know that you should be either. This didn't come out until long after the show was over so unless you had some way to have inside knowledge...You liked a show.

I rewatched it a few years ago and although I initially loved Jackie and Hyde I don’t as much in rewatch. The sneaking around was funny but then they start to get a bit too earnest. Jackie in general could be annoying. In later seasons especially I just found her to be always whinging about something and it would be a more “serious” plot in the show. Mila Kunis serious acting in general isn’t great though in my opinion. I never understood her rise to the top.

[andromeda331]

On 10/13/2023 at 10:18 PM, kathyk2 said:

TV shows don't need to add babies to comedies to make them better. This is especially true when actresses aren't pregnant in real life. I doubt Jay from Modern Family would want to become a father when he had grandchildren.

Adding a baby to a show should be thought out as if adding a new member to the show. Black-ish added baby Devante even though Dre and Bow had four kids and we never saw either of them taking care of him afterwards.  Junior took care of him more then anyone else. If you hadn't seen the episode where Bow gave birth to him you would assume it was Junior's. There's a lot of episodes where they forget he exists saying they have four kids or talking about some kid thing they won't do again because their kids are too old for it. Seventh Heaven added the boring twins supposely because someone thought it would be fun to have twins and then didn't do anything with them. Did Ben really add anything to Ross's or the show? I'm sure I'm forgetting other shows that added a baby and then did nothing with them. Even Bewitched didn't do much with Adam when he was born they already did all the baby stuff with Tabitha and really must not have wanted to do it again since they aged him up to two in the last season. Growing Pains with Chrissy. Step by Step with Lilly. I'm sure there's other shows I'm forgetting. If your not going to do anything with them then don't a baby. 

[kathyk2]

I think the only time shows should add a baby is if the actress is pregnant in real life. It's sad that writers can't imagine plots for women other than mother. I love when shows subvert this trope like the Closer not having Brenda get pregnant or Speechless deciding that three children was enough.

[Bastet]

7 minutes ago, kathyk2 said:

I think the only time shows should add a baby is if the actress is pregnant in real life.

There is absolutely no need to do that, and a huge downside to opting for that, if they wouldn't knock the character up if not for the actor's pregnancy; audiences have rolled for decades with the various blocking tricks to pretend a character isn't pregnant even though the actor playing her is.  We can see, but it's not blatantly distracting, so we just wink and nod and carry on, understanding the difference between fiction and reality.

One of the best examples of this is mega-hit Seinfeld, where Julia Louis-Dreyfus was pregnant twice during its run, but Elaine having a baby would have been insane, so they never wrote it in.

[Browncoat]

Or they could pretend the character is simply gaining weight, then send her off to a "fat farm" where she loses the weight in the form of "eight pounds and six ounces" or whatever Jane Leeves' baby was when she was pregnant during that season of Frasier.  It definitely would not have made sense for Daphne to be pregnant at that time.

[magicdog]

3 hours ago, Browncoat said:

Or they could pretend the character is simply gaining weight, then send her off to a "fat farm" where she loses the weight in the form of "eight pounds and six ounces"

Poor Erica Kane on All My Children got that treatment too!

[Apathy]

10 hours ago, Bastet said:

There is absolutely no need to do that, and a huge downside to opting for that, if they wouldn't knock the character up if not for the actor's pregnancy; audiences have rolled for decades with the various blocking tricks to pretend a character isn't pregnant even though the actor playing her is.  We can see, but it's not blatantly distracting, so we just wink and nod and carry on, understanding the difference between fiction and reality.

One of the best examples of this is mega-hit Seinfeld, where Julia Louis-Dreyfus was pregnant twice during its run, but Elaine having a baby would have been insane, so they never wrote it in.

You could also deal with a real life pregnancy by making the character a surrogate, like Joy from My Name is Earl or Dee from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. I think Dee in particular having her own kid might have derailed the show, because as Frank Reynolds said "We've got a good thing going. Why blow it with a baby?"

[Laura Holt]

10 hours ago, Bastet said:

We can see, but it's not blatantly distracting, so we just wink and nod and carry on, understanding the difference between fiction and reality.

Best example of this for me was on The Nanny when the actress playing C.C. was pregnant but is made no sense to write that into the show.  Instead they rolled with it and made a lot of jokes about her carrying a strategically placed suitcase or plant or whatever.  The audience knew and it was part of the fun.

 

[RunningMarket]

2 hours ago, Laura Holt said:

Best example of this for me was on The Nanny when the actress playing C.C. was pregnant but is made no sense to write that into the show.  Instead they rolled with it and made a lot of jokes about her carrying a strategically placed suitcase or plant or whatever.  The audience knew and it was part of the fun.

 

Didn't Seinfeld do the same with Julia Louis Dreyfus?

[JustHereForFood]