Party of One: Unpopular TV Opinions

[Danny Franks]

Yes, that would be Cookie Lyons (Taraji P. Henson), one of the main reasons I stopped watching.

 

'Cookie Lyons'? Seriously? Is she a children's cartoon character?

[Ohwell]

'Cookie Lyons'? Seriously? Is she a children's cartoon character?

 

Seriously.  I don't know if they ever said what her "real" first name was.





[Julia]

I guess I'm not a responsible citizen, because as much as I love Taraji P Henson, I would support her nomination even if I didn't as a slap in the face to the idiot producers of the barely-renewed Person of Interest.

Edited July 16, 2015 by Julia

[Rick Kitchen]

Seriously.  I don't know if they ever said what her "real" first name was.

 

 

Her real name is Loretha, maiden name Holloway.

[Ohwell]

Her real name is Loretha, maiden name Holloway.

 

Thanks

[joelene]

I only made it about seven episodes into Empire, but I love that it exists because I miss the campy soaps of the 80s and 90s that weren't teen oriented. I need more Central Park Westses and Model's Inc.ses and Savannahs on my teve. They didn't have to die with Aaron Spelling!

[Haleth]

I've never watched Empire but I heard it was based on A Lion in Winter.  I love that play (and movie) so I may get around to watching Empire some day.

[ganesh]

Oh, it is? I watched both movies and thought they were great. 

[DittyDotDot]

I only watched two episodes--just not my thing--but I can see that...you could say it's the music video version of A Lion in Winter.

[ribboninthesky1]

I guess I'm not a responsible citizen, because as much as I love Taraji P Henson, I would support her nomination even if I didn't as a slap in the face to the idiot producers of the barely-renewed Person of Interest.

 

Ha! I share the sentiment. She's the reason that, despite my lack of interest in the show, I'm pleased with the ratings coup.  Now if I could just wish Nicole Beharie as the lead of a different show...

[Chas411]

I can see why peopl enjoy it as a soap but I can't understand the critical acclaim that it gets. I'm baffled by that.,

[Spartan Girl]

I didn't like Joyce. When I first started watching Buffy in season 5, I thought she was a decent enough mother....then I saw the earlier seasons: her constant "we had to uproot our whole lives because of you"; throwing Buffy out when she found out she was a vampire slayer and the fact she never owned up or apologized for it, choosing instead to get hypocritically anggry at Buffy for doing what she said and blame Giles for everything; trying to kill Buffy and saying she'd rather have a normal daughter in "Gingerbread"...that last one in particular bugs me because even though she was under a spell, she still never apologized for it.

For all these reasons, whatever esteem I had for her quickly diminished. Yes, it was sad that she died and mothers can't all be perfect, but I still dislike her.

[Featherhat]

Yeah I agree a lot about Joyce. She had it terrible a lot and was otherwise ignorant a lot I agree but she brought early S3 down upon herself at least, even though she was terrified and sad/angry, her final words to Buffy in The Becoming mean than her terrified anger at Buffy in early S3 could have been more explorative at least. She acted like Buffy had moved in with a teen druggie for the Summer, not that insane apocalyptic events had happened. She was just as useless at the start of S2's Buffy freakout but had much less knowledge.   

[andromeda331]

I only made it about seven episodes into Empire, but I love that it exists because I miss the campy soaps of the 80s and 90s that weren't teen oriented. I need more Central Park Westses and Model's Inc.ses and Savannahs on my teve. They didn't have to die with Aaron Spelling!

 

I think I made it to six because it did remind me a lot of those old soaps. Sometimes its fun

to watch something that campy. I do remember people talking about it like it was the best

written show, best performances and best drama. But then I would have said the same thing

about General Hospital during the era I thought it was the best among other soaps. But Cookie

got on my nerves after awhile and so did Terrence Howard's character.

I guess I'm not a responsible citizen, because as much as I love Taraji P Henson, I would support her nomination

even if I didn't as a slap in the face to the idiot producers of the barely-renewed Person of Interest.

 

Me too. And that's another reason why I lost interest in the show if not the main reason.

Although hating Terrence Howard's character is right up behind it. Detective Carter was

such an awesome character on that show. I hated to see her go and stopped watching

Person of Interest because of it. I wanted to like Cookie because I loved Carter, Cookie

just isn't as awesome.

Edited July 18, 2015 by andromeda331

[Ohwell]

I never watched "Person of Interest" so that's probably why I'm lukewarm towards Taraji P. Henson.  I did like her in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" though.

[mansonlamps]

I guess I'm not a responsible citizen, because as much as I love Taraji P Henson, I would support her nomination even if I didn't as a slap in the face to the idiot producers of the barely-renewed Person of Interest.

Wouldn't that be more of a slap in the face to the person who would have received the nomination instead of Henson if she didn't really deserve it?

[DearEvette]

On Firefly I could never truly get into the Kaylee character and wasn't a big Wash fan either.

 

I have to say, I didn't like Wash but only because of Zoe.  If he were just the pilot, I would have been fine with him.  But because he was her husband and was a bit of a doof, i could never reconcile him in my head.  Zoe was this Amazon Goddess.  What did she see in him?

[Julia]

Wouldn't that be more of a slap in the face to the person who would have received the nomination instead of Henson if she didn't really deserve it?

 

Arguably. But assuming there was a potential nominee who did more for their show, it wouldn't be the first time someone's gotten an award for being screwed in a previous year.

[Cobalt Stargazer]

I didn't like Joyce. When I first started watching Buffy in season 5, I thought she was a decent enough mother....then I saw the earlier seasons: her constant "we had to uproot our whole lives because of you"; throwing Buffy out when she found out she was a vampire slayer and the fact she never owned up or apologized for it, choosing instead to get hypocritically anggry at Buffy for doing what she said and blame Giles for everything; trying to kill Buffy and saying she'd rather have a normal daughter in "Gingerbread"...that last one in particular bugs me because even though she was under a spell, she still never apologized for it.

 

Eh. I cut Joyce a lot of slack, because Buffy never really apologized either. Not just to her mom, but to anyone else. Instead, she gets all mad when she comes back from those three months of silence, like they're doing something to her by being upset by how her thoughtlessness hurt them. For all her insistence later in the season that Faith should absolutely, positively, definitely face the consequences of her actions, she was none too willing to take any responsibility for her own behavior. Because her angst is just so much more "important" than anyone else's.

Edited July 19, 2015 by Cobalt Stargazer

[Chaos Theory]

When it comes to Joyce Summers I cut her a ton of slack. First off technically they did move because of Buffy. Buffy burned down a school and Joyce had no way of knowing why. The incident screwed up her marriage and yet she took her daughters side even without knowing why and uprooted her life to move to a new place. Joyce isn't perfect and her reactions I finding out the truth is what anyone's would be. Buffy's reaction is that of an immature teenager who instead of trying to explain to her mother runs off.

Edited July 19, 2015 by Chaos Theory

[Spartan Girl]

I don't know if this is an unpopular opinion among The Simpsons fans or not, but I have come to utterly despise Marge Simpson.

She annoys me on so many levels, especially because everyone praises her as a long suffering saint to put up with Homer and the rest of her family. She's not. She's a prissy, blathering, resentful, passive aggressive bitch that thinks everyone should have the same opinions as everyone else. You can't even say she's that great of a mother anymore. Lisa could be the first world leader that solves world hunger, but Marge won't be happy unless she ends up as a Catholic meat eating Stepford wife. And with Bart she's either completely smothering or in deep denial.

Simply my opinion, of course.

[galax-arena]

Is it unpopular that I think the Glee Project was more entertaining than Glee itself?

 

I mean, okay, a lot of the elimination choices and some of the winners drove me nuts, but still. 

[kiddo82]

Here's a weird one:

So, I'm up to season 7 of Dexter and it got me thinking that it doesn't squick me out that Michael C. Hall and Jennifer Carpenter got together in real life. At all. They're just actors playing a role but by the way some people/media reacted you'd think that they were actually brother and sister.

Edited July 20, 2015 by kiddo82

[Rick Kitchen]

Here's a weird one:

So, I'm up to season 7 of Dexter and it got me thinking that it doesn't squick me out that Michael C. Hall and Jennifer Carpenter got together in real life. At all. They're just actors playing a role but by the way some people/media reacted you'd think that they were actually brother and sister.

 

They weren't even brother and sister, they were foster brother and sister.

[Anna Yolei]

First, let me preface my statement by saying I was cheering when we were finally talking about taking down the confederate flags in the Southern states. I even called out Haley for her nonsense, because talking about talking when to take down the flag in South Carolina is BULLSHIT. Just take it down already.

That said, I think it's beyond ridiculous that TVLand removed The Dukes of Hazzard from its line up because the General Lee sported that damned thing on its hood. That show is a part of my childhood. It was a part of the Friday night line-up that I watched with my parents:

The Incredible Hulk, Dukes of Hazzard, Dallas.

It was such a light-weight and light hearted show. Does watching it, enjoying watching it make me a racist? I don't think so. That show didn't promote hate. And frankly, it didn't even hit me what was on the hood of that car--I was too busy laughing at Bo and Luke getting the best of Rosco, Cleetus and Boss Hogg. And enjoying when Uncle Jesse and J.D. Hogg went up against each other.

As a black woman, I completely agree this was unnecessary and not one other black person I know has ever combined about that flag on the show. I don't want to get too political, but there's a big difference with folks flying a flag on their own property in a misguided sense of culture and the state Capitol flying g that flag, and for the reasons that got it put up there when Civil Rights be a me a thing.

But I get the network's position . It's stupid, but it's also the culture we live in.

[applecrisp]

As a black woman, I completely agree this was unnecessary and not one other black person I know has ever combined about that flag on the show. I don't want to get too political, but there's a big difference with folks flying a flag on their own property in a misguided sense of culture and the state Capitol flying g that flag, and for the reasons that got it put up there when Civil Rights be a me a thing.

But I get the network's position . It's stupid, but it's also the culture we live in.

I understand their position, but it is a knee jerk reaction.  I never ever understood Hogan's Heros.  I never will.  My brothers watched it and even as a kid the Nazi uniforms creeped me out.  They could've called it "Those Crazy Nazis".  It was so silly and I think produced in the sixties only 20 years after WWII.  

 

At least, on The Dukes of Hazzards no one was ever in KKK regalia.

[mansonlamps]

I guess that's kind of the point, The Dukes of Hazzard had zero racist overtones despite the Confederate Flag, so KKK regalia on that show wouldn't even have been on the producers' radar.

 

As for Hogan's Heroes, I watched it as a very young kid and didn't realize the Nazi atrocities at the time.  But I'm guessing the show was deemed "ok" because the Nazis were always the fools and the American POWs were always outsmarting them.

 

These shows were made before the world decided that ignoring certain events in history apparently means they never happened.

[Chaos Theory]

I guess that's kind of the point, The Dukes of Hazzard had zero racist overtones despite the Confederate Flag, so KKK regalia on that show wouldn't even have been on the producers' radar.

As for Hogan's Heroes, I watched it as a very young kid and didn't realize the Nazi atrocities at the time. But I'm guessing the show was deemed "ok" because the Nazis were always the fools and the American POWs were always outsmarting them.

These shows were made before the world decided that ignoring certain events in history apparently means they never happened.

It's not that they never happened it's that none of us can agree on what happened. We can't even agree on why the civil war was fought. I have no issue with The Dukes of Hazzard because despite the location and the Confederate Flag painted on the car the themes of the show were universal and had nothing to do with race and race relations.

[Neurochick]

I can see why peopl enjoy it as a soap but I can't understand the critical acclaim that it gets. I'm baffled by that.,

 

Empire is like a novella, soapy and over the top.  Today most soaps have gone off the air.  There's also nothing like Empire on TV.  Most things on network TV are reality shows, survival reality shows and lukewarm comedies.  Empire is silly and soapy, and I love the clothes and the music.  Nothing is like it on TV.  I mean it's not Masterpiece Theater but should everything be a classic?

 

My UO is that I don't know why show runners think that depressing=real.  No, not everything in life is depressing, sometimes life can be fun and silly.

 

I don't like the Astronauts Wives Club or whatever it's called because I don't need to see shows about white folks in the 1960's because you know back then, black people didn't exist, except if they were maids.  Fuck that shit.  Not all black women were maids in the 1960's, shit my mom was a stay at home mother, as was her grandmother and great grandmother, but they'll never write shows about that.  No, they want to show black women as domestics, with a child, but NO husband, and oh yes, we must be overweight.  They can miss me with those shows.  

Edited July 20, 2015 by Neurochick

[truthaboutluv]

Most things on network TV are reality shows, survival reality shows and lukewarm comedies.

 

 

I would also add many very well-written and well-acted dramas. Again, no I don't think anyone is saying everything on television has to be a classic. I was recently just posting about Scream on MTV that some posters have been very harsh about and my feeling was it's clear a light, fun, summer who-dun-it so I don't need it to be some high brow, amazingly written show. The issue for me personally with regards to Empire and as the poster stated, it's the critical love and claims by many that it deserved an Emmy nomination for Best Drama and the writing. 

 

That's where I disagree. Is it soapy and likely a lot of fun for the viewers, yes but I'm sorry, in my opinion, nothing I saw of that show sold me on it being one of the best written and all around best dramas on television right now. How To Get Away With Murder was one of the biggest hits of the fall season and I haven't seen anyone really expecting or considering it some Emmy worthy drama. Yes, Viola was amazing, without question but that show had a lot issues, same with Scandal. A popular, soapy, fun show sure, but riddled with issues and by no means one of the best written dramas on television. That's Empire as well in my opinion. 

[Neurochick]

Another UO does have to do with the Emmys.  What's well acted to one person may be crap to another, what's well written to one person may be stupid to another.  I watched Mad Men but I'd never give it an Emmy nod.  Why?  Because there was zero story.  All it was, was showing how the events of the 1960's impacted a bunch of well to do white people.  Homeland was okay this season, better than last season.  I've never been able to sit through an episode of Downton Abbey because I was bored, I liked that show better when it was called Upstairs Downstairs.  

 

Another UO, how can you have shows nominated that aren't even on TV at all, House of Cards and Orange is the New Black aren't really on TV, they're on the computer, why not have awards shows for streaming stuff?

[truthaboutluv]

Well I think most agree that art is subjective and many don't always agree with award shows and nominees. I mean a glance in the Emmy's thread will show many disagreements about some of this year's nominees. Again, I don't think anyone is suggesting that their opinion is a fact. So just speaking for myself, my opinion on Empire is all mine and just my belief that while it was a fun enough show, I did not understand the critical hype around it.

 

And that's been true of many shows. Hey, I've never even been interested to watch Mad Men ever and I ranted in the Emmy thread about Downton Abbey still being nominated because in my opinion, while Empire is a glorified soap opera based around the music/hip hop industry, Downton Abbey is a glorified soap opera set in early 20th Century England. 

 

As for the Emmy's and categories, well that's a whole other can of worms, People have been arguing for a dramedy category for years for shows that don't naturally fit in comedy or drama. 

[Kel Varnsen]

Another UO, how can you have shows nominated that aren't even on TV at all, House of Cards and Orange is the New Black aren't really on TV, they're on the computer, why not have awards shows for streaming stuff?

I watch Orange is the New Black on my TV. Sure it is streaming through my blu-ray player, but it is still on TV. And alternatively I watched a recent episode of Hollywood Game on my computer, streaming from the network's website.  Having separate awards shows would just kind of cheapen everything for me. Sure it doesn't always work out that way, but I want the best shows from every platform competing against each other to see what is the best.

[Kromm]

Can we consider a real person a "character" if that person puts on a persona for a TV program?

 

Everyone seems to slather love all over Blake Shelton on The Voice, and I seem to be in the tiny minority who can't stand him.  Now apparently he and wife Miranda are getting divorced, and the cheatin' rumors are in the wind. Can't say I'm surprised.

[Neurochick]

I watch Orange is the New Black on my TV. Sure it is streaming through my blu-ray player, but it is still on TV. And alternatively I watched a recent episode of Hollywood Game on my computer, streaming from the network's website.  Having separate awards shows would just kind of cheapen everything for me. Sure it doesn't always work out that way, but I want the best shows from every platform competing against each other to see what is the best.

 

That's true, though it's stretching it.  I think most people watch Netflix on the computer.  But then again cable used to have its own awards, now it's included in the Emmys.

[Kel Varnsen]

I think most people watch Netflix on the computer.  

I looked it up, and most of the data I was able to find indicated that more people watch netflix on their TVs than on computer. Which makes sense when you think about all the different ways you can get netflix on your TV (most DVD/Bluray players, Smart TV's, game consoles and set top boxes like Roku or Apple TV, how many people don't have one of those things in their house) and the fact that for most people their TV is going to be bigger than their computer monitor. 

[Chaos Theory]

Original content is original content. If and probably when YouTube starts providing it's own shows and if they are quality I'd count them.

[ribboninthesky1]

And that's been true of many shows. Hey, I've never even been interested to watch Mad Men ever and I ranted in the Emmy thread about Downton Abbey still being nominated because in my opinion, while Empire is a glorified soap opera based around the music/hip hop industry, Downton Abbey is a glorified soap opera set in early 20th Century England. 

 

Yeah, this is why I pay little attention to what's critically acclaimed.  Downton Abbey has gorgeous set pieces (I actually hate the women's fashion of the period, another UPO), but it's on par with Empire as far as I'm concerned.  They're both over-the-top, poorly written soaps.  And that's fine by me, but most things British are automatically deemed superior.  British TV is as hit or miss as American TV in my experience.      

[Rick Kitchen]

There are a lot of original shows on YouTube.

[selkie]

 

As for Hogan's Heroes, I watched it as a very young kid and didn't realize the Nazi atrocities at the time.  But I'm guessing the show was deemed "ok" because the Nazis were always the fools and the American POWs were always outsmarting them.

 

Werner Klemperer, who played Colonel Klink, was actually born in Germany and had a Jewish father. Fortunately his family was able to immigrate to the USA right before things would have gotten really bad for them in Germany.  One of his first big acting roles was in "Judgment at Nuremberg" and he took the Klink role only after being promised that his character was a total idiot who would never be allowed to succeed or have a substantial win against the prisoners' espionage efforts on the program.

[ganesh]

I think Netflix shows should be included in awards because it shows that there's lots of platforms for original content, which means hopefully room for more good shows.

[Danny Franks]

I looked it up, and most of the data I was able to find indicated that more people watch netflix on their TVs than on computer. Which makes sense when you think about all the different ways you can get netflix on your TV (most DVD/Bluray players, Smart TV's, game consoles and set top boxes like Roku or Apple TV, how many people don't have one of those things in their house) and the fact that for most people their TV is going to be bigger than their computer monitor. 

 

I do both. I've got Netflix on my computer, but also on my Xbox One. So flitting between the two, depending on what else I'm doing at the time, is easy enough. And I definitely think those shows should be considered for the same awards that your average CBS procedural is.

 

It's a pretty great platform for television watching, and as a committed binge watcher, I really don't think it can be beaten. I'm actually okay with prices rises that will result in more original content, because Netflix is creating some really good stuff. There are some very good one-off documentaries on there as well, which are Netflix Originals. But what I'd really, really like them to do is universalise their content. I find it insulting that an American Netflix user can watch a show or a movie that I can't, just because of their geographical location. The internet is global, without boundaries, and the idea that there are still laws limiting what you can legally watch in one country over another is crazy. Of course, there are ways to get around those restrictions, which I couldn't possible endorse or admit to using.

[Neurochick]

I looked it up, and most of the data I was able to find indicated that more people watch netflix on their TVs than on computer. Which makes sense when you think about all the different ways you can get netflix on your TV (most DVD/Bluray players, Smart TV's, game consoles and set top boxes like Roku or Apple TV, how many people don't have one of those things in their house) and the fact that for most people their TV is going to be bigger than their computer monitor. 

 

Sad to say, I don't have either one of those things.  My TV from the 90's still works, why should I get rid of it?  It makes more sense for me to get a computer and watch on there (and some Macs do have HUGE monitors).

 

Back to the topic, my UO is that Downton Abbey and Empire are very similar to me; though I have never been able to watch an entire episode of Downton because I find it boring.  But as ribboninthesky1 stated, because something is British it's seen by many as superior, which is why IMO Downton got an Emmy nod and Empire didn't.  

Edited July 21, 2015 by Neurochick

[truthaboutluv]

I find it insulting that an American Netflix user can watch a show or a movie that I can't, just because of their geographical location. The internet is global, without boundaries, and the idea that there are still laws limiting what you can legally watch in one country over another is crazy.

 

 

Agreed. I am especially bitter about not having ANY of my Investigation Discovery shows anymore. 

[DearEvette]

Back to the topic, my UO is that Downton Abbey and Empire are very similar to me; though I have never been able to watch an entire episode of Downton because I find it boring.  But as ribboninthesky1 stated, because something is British it's seen by many as superior, which is why IMO Downton got an Emmy nod and Empire didn't.  

 

I actually watched  Downton Abbey for about three seasons, but I love soap operas.  That said, I have been baffled for years about the Downton love when it comes to awards.  I do not feel it is any more a quality show when it comes to writing or characterization or plot than Empire or Nashville or Scandal.  Sure, it is fun to watch stuffy rich people in pretty clothes and big castles, but the plot is pure soap opera and the character development is about as deep as a puddle. And veteran soap watchers can telegraph storyline developments a mile away.  And I don't know if this is a UO or not, but this also extends to Michelle Dockery who I feel has all the emotive ability of  a block of wood and yet gets acting nom after acting nom go figure. 

[ganesh]

I'm actually using a tivo that beams the recordings over to my computer until I get a tv. The transfer isn't great, and the tivo handles netflix, youtube, etc. I'd rather watch on a tv because the living room is cooler and not as cramped and I can watch from the kitchen. 

 

For now though, I go from computer, to tablet or phone easy.

[ABay]

I find it insulting that an American Netflix user can watch a show or a movie that I can't, just because of their geographical location

I was annoyed to find I couldn't access Netflix at all while vacationing in Italy earlier this year. I also couldn't access some content I wanted to watch on YouTube.

[ribboninthesky1]

It's a pretty great platform for television watching, and as a committed binge watcher, I really don't think it can be beaten. I'm actually okay with prices rises that will result in more original content, because Netflix is creating some really good stuff. There are some very good one-off documentaries on there as well, which are Netflix Originals. But what I'd really, really like them to do is universalise their content. I find it insulting that an American Netflix user can watch a show or a movie that I can't, just because of their geographical location. The internet is global, without boundaries, and the idea that there are still laws limiting what you can legally watch in one country over another is crazy. Of course, there are ways to get around those restrictions, which I couldn't possible endorse or admit to using.

 

I take for granted, as an American, the amount of content I get to watch, so you make a very good point.  Still, I agree with the sentiment - the few times I've been blocked from content because of my country, it SUCKS.  I don't think it's a simple solution, but I look forward to the future where there are few, if any, restrictions on viewing content, no matter where you are in the world.  

 

Also, I do 99% of my TV watching on my computer now.  My two TVs are all still old-school, small screen, from the early-to-mid 00s. My family gives me hell when they visit (they still use traditional methods of watching).  One day, I'll become more modern. Until then, my laptop gives me better HD quality than either of my TVs.  Ah, technology. 

 

Since we're discussing viewing habits, I almost never watch TV shows live anymore.  That might not be unpopular here, but most people still do.  I'd much rather watch online, and reduce (if not eliminate) commercials.  Plus, I'm less likely to multi-task or get distracted when I watch a show on demand. 

Edited July 21, 2015 by ribboninthesky1

[Shannon L.]

 

Since we're discussing viewing habits, I almost never watch TV shows live anymore.

We'll watch them live, but we'll hit the pause button when it starts and do whatever (some chores, get ready for bed....) for about a half hour so we can get through the commercials, but, because we have a few Netflix shows that we're watching, that doesn't happen often.  We usually record and get to them when we can.

 

I hate watching things on the computer, even though it's a sizable screen, but it's probably because it's a desk computer and it gets uncomfortable after a while. I'd rather sit in my comfy chair.

[andromeda331]

British TV is as hit or miss as American TV in my experience.

 

You mean I'm not the only one? I've been around so many people all my life that loved

every British show they've ever seen I've watched and only like one or two. 

 

I agree about Hogan's Heroes, I know it was a popular show that but I've never found it

funny for the same reason. Its hard to watch an episode and not think of the horrible

things they did.

 

And about Downton Abbey I gave it a try after my sister-in-law recommended it and found

it boring. The sets are beautiful, I do like the clothing, but I really don't care about their

problems.