Party of One: Unpopular TV Opinions

[ABay]

I was just settling in for the History marathon of America: The Story of Us. Because it's the 4th and I thought it would be innocuous wallpaper until the outer edges of Arthur arrive and knock out TV reception. And then the short-fingered vulgarian (TM Spy) himself, Donald Trump, showed up as one of the talking heads during the Jamestown segment. Click.

 

That's probably not an unpopular opinion but I needed to share.

[potatoradio]

 

Every episode of every one of his shows that I've seen followed the same trite formula. A manic character does something manic, a quirky character does something quirky, several bland characters react to the manic quirkiness, and the main character, who's smarter than everyone else in the room, gives a huge, overwrought speech in the final act that either wins the big case, lands the big account, or solves everyone's problem.

 

Hee! I remember The Practice and LA Law being appointment teevee back in the day, but I remember James Spader pretty much ruining The Practice when he became the Manic Know it All who could do no wrong. Also, though not unique to Kelley cliches by any means, I noticed that on both shows, there was always a bland, mildly ansgty dark haired white guy caught in a triangle between one bland Mary Sue white woman and another, slighty, erm, forward white woman. Can't remember the third leg of the triangle between Susan Dey and whatshisname on LA Law, but I know much was made about that boring triangle and I was so over Helen/Lindsey/Bobby I couldn't stand it. For the record, Bobby gotz it wrongz.

 

 

And I think that's reasonable - there are a few shows I'm willing to give a chance if I'm not initially impressed or intrigued, but that's usually if I'm marathon-watching.  I'm usually more cutthroat watching a show live - between commercial breaks and waiting a week between episodes, it's easier to get distracted.

 

Funny - I'm the total opposite. Once I put a show on the teevee and it's live, I'm kind of committed, like picking up a book I know has a return date and therefore I must finish. If I'm just looking for something to marathon watch, though, I'm much choosier, giving up a show after five minutes or so. I only have so much couch potato time in this life and it cannot be wasted waiting for a show to get interesting.

 

 

[Enigma X]

I am at home from work today due to the holiday, and I am finding that I am not enjoying any part of daytime tv that I used to enjoy. So my UO is the whole of daytime TV.

[ribboninthesky1]

While I do enjoy reading others' thoughts on a show, I sometimes find it more enjoyable to watch a season, or at least several episodes, make up my mind on the show and characters, and THEN read opinions.  I'm not necessarily looking for agreement with my view, as I appreciate different perspectives.  But if my perception is wildly divergent from what most are saying about the show, or the focus of the discussion include aspects I don't care about (usually shipping), then I'll just watch on my own.   

 

 

Funny - I'm the total opposite. Once I put a show on the teevee and it's live, I'm kind of committed, like picking up a book I know has a return date and therefore I must finish. If I'm just looking for something to marathon watch, though, I'm much choosier, giving up a show after five minutes or so. I only have so much couch potato time in this life and it cannot be wasted waiting for a show to get interesting.

 

I can understand this as well.  For me, marathon watching means I can watch several episodes/seasons within a relatively short timeframe, which enables me to more quickly assess if I like story, characters, etc.  If a character bugs me, I watch more episodes immediately to see if my annoyance dissipates, or if other aspects of the show override it.  With live watching, if I'm annoyed with a character or writing, I'm less likely to wait and see over X amount of weeks if it changes.  I'll just move on because it's not worth sitting through commercials and waiting a week or more to change my mind.  It was one thing when I had little choice, prior to DVRs and streaming content, but it's why my TV watching is very different now.

 

Thinking on it further, I never got into live tweeting or Facebooking about shows.  I tried it once, for the social aspect, but I found it too distracting.  If I'm busy reacting to every moment on the show, I don't absorb what's happening, and I miss things.  I'm not fond of watching episodes multiple times, so I'd prefer to truly watch and absorb, then post my thoughts later.  Twice is usually my max. A pet peeve of mine is circular discussion about something that didn't even happen on the show.  

 

On the flip side, I'm not big on speculation, either.  It's fine in moderation, but I just don't give much thought to what COULD happen on a show.  I'd rather wait and see what it will be and discuss that.  Talking about things that likely will not happen seems futile, particularly in entertainment.  But I'm one who mulls over what has happened on a show, so I'm not giving extra brain power to how things may or may play out. 

[Neurochick]

I don't know if this is a UO but I have a problem with the show, "What Would You Do?"  My problem is it's often implied that if a person doesn't do something directly to stop racist/classist/sexist/homophobic behavior, they are condoning it.  If I saw a store clerk racially profiling someone, I might not say something to that clerk, but you can bet I'll call the store, ask to speak to the manager, complain about the clerk, go on social media and talk about what I saw; some people might take video on their phones and post it to youtube.  So, just because you don't directly act, doesn't mean you agree with bad behavior.  

[kiddo82]

Completely agree. It just feels like emotional manipulation sometimes. People may very well have their reasons for not speaking out in a public place.

[Tunia]

^^^Not to mention that it sometimes seems like the observing participants have the scene all figured out because there are many times that they just don't seem all that surprised to see John Quinones show up.  In fact, I've seen episodes where it appears they're almost looking around for John Q.  Guess it could be that Candid Camera effect where, after being on the air for so many years, everyone was expecting Alan Funt to pop up when something weird was happening.

[galax-arena]

I don't really judge anyone who just stays quiet, but I do judge the people who speak up and say stupid shit. Like that one guy who was confronted with a racial profiling scenario, and when the "racist clerk" character tried to get him on her side, said knowingly, "Oh yeah, she was trying to play the race card, right?" And then when John Q approached him outside the store, tried to play it off as, "Yeah, it was so awful!" Bitch please, you showed your hand. The "race card" comment was a total tell. 

[mightycrone]

Okay, I might really be the party of one here because I've never heard anyone say it, but due to the number and speed of "quick cuts" both in newer tv shows, and in particular, commercials, I actually experience something close to "sea sickness" when I watch just about anything other than older shows (which have longer--in duration, I mean-- shots) and God help me, the shopping channels.  (This is changing though-- I noticed that HSN, for example, is taking after its" broadcast" counterparts).  But even watching older shows, I have to mute the commercials and find something to do or something else to look at because of this feeling of nausea/anxiety brought about by the sheer speed of it all.

 

Part of it could be due to the fact that from 2000- 2006, I did not own a TV and therefor was not exposed, on a regular basis anyway, to the kinds of changes going on during that time.  So years later, when I did get a TV, it kind of freaked me out-- this ADD edit style felt, to me, like TV on crack.  

 

There are some shows that I like to watch on DVD, and some really interesting doc's on NetFlix, but for the most part, I have to leave my set off.  It's a hard thing to explain, and maybe this isn't the place to do it, but is there anyone else who is experiencing a similar reaction-- or knows of someone who does?  I'm just curious.

[DittyDotDot]

When I was in college, I rarely watched TV and the last summer I worked in such a remote area that I didn't see a lick of TV for months. When I emerged, I stayed at a hotel and I remember TV making my head hurt--It was way too much input for my brain to accept. That was many, many years ago and I seem to have adjusted somewhat now. 

 

I notice, not only quick cuts, but the sheer pace at which a story is told now can be mind boggling. It seems like they do a lot more talking and a lot less showing nowadays. For instance, my 11-year-old niece was bored to death watching E.T., it wasn't actiony or talky enough for her. But I watch some of the stuff she likes and I find them to be basically a long string of catch phrases and big action--like Frozen--but lacking in actual story.

 

Look at me putting on my curmudgeon pants and hiking them all way up while I shout at those kids on my lawn. ;)

[ribboninthesky1]

I do think that kind of snappy dialogue popularized by showrunners like Whedon and Sherman-Palladino has permeated the TV landscape overall.  Banter is fine, but when that's the primary type of communication, it's a turn off.  Most people don't speak that way that in real life, so it detracts from any sense of realism, even in a non-genre, contemporary TV show. 

[Cobalt Stargazer]

Most people don't speak that way that in real life, so it detracts from any sense of realism, even in a non-genre, contemporary TV show.

 

This is an attitude that always puzzles me, because it seems to be a bit of a disconnect. Most people on TV don't speak or *behave* the way people on television do. That's why it's television. Is it unpopular to like banter on shows precisely because real people don't talk that way?

[CoderLady]

Okay, I might really be the party of one here because I've never heard anyone say it, but due to the number and speed of "quick cuts" both in newer tv shows, and in particular, commercials, I actually experience something close to "sea sickness" when I watch just about anything other than older shows (which have longer--in duration, I mean-- shots) and God help me, the shopping channels.  (This is changing though-- I noticed that HSN, for example, is taking after its" broadcast" counterparts).  But even watching older shows, I have to mute the commercials and find something to do or something else to look at because of this feeling of nausea/anxiety brought about by the sheer speed of it all.

 

I didn't want to quote your whole post but yes, I have the same problem especially with commercials. When one starts jump-cutting I have to close my eyes until it's over. I thought it was just me. Could be intentional, but the speed at which the images are presented make it impossible for me to critically process each one before the next one gets slammed at me. Oh, wait -- it probably is intentional.

[DittyDotDot]

I do think that kind of snappy dialogue popularized by showrunners like Whedon and Sherman-Palladino has permeated the TV landscape overall.  Banter is fine, but when that's the primary type of communication, it's a turn off.  Most people don't speak that way that in real life, so it detracts from any sense of realism, even in a non-genre, contemporary TV show. 

 

I actually don't mind snappy dialogue, but don't care for lots of dialogue instead of story. I just prefer to be shown things rather than told them.

[Enigma X]

Count me in as one who does not mind snappy dialogue (as long as the whole cast is not doing it). I like it when done right, which often means that it is a quirk for one character or an endearment between two characters. What I don't like is snappy pretentious dialogue that is passed off as intelligent or funny dialogue. I really think some writers believe that snappy automatically equals either intelligent or funny. It does not. 

[ribboninthesky1]

This is an attitude that always puzzles me, because it seems to be a bit of a disconnect. Most people on TV don't speak or *behave* the way people on television do. That's why it's television. Is it unpopular to like banter on shows precisely because real people don't talk that way?

 

I assumed it was popular, which is why it's seen/heard commonly.  I fully realize TV is entertainment and has its own rules, but that doesn't mean I have to like all aspects of it, either.  As for other things most people don't do on TV, I'm always surprised at how much is assumed to be normal based on what is shown on TV.  In addition, I've seen people (usually youngsters) try to pull off that kind of banter in real life, because they think it's cool.  The results are usually not great, heh.

 

I actually don't mind snappy dialogue, but don't care for lots of dialogue instead of story. I just prefer to be shown things rather than told them.

 

That's why I specified that KIND of snappy dialogue because most of the time, the banter is the focus or point rather than the story itself, at least from my perspective.  

[mstaken]

I've realized that I tend to hate the allegedly sexy 'bad boys' who always seem wildly popular----Lost's Sawyer, Veronica Mars' Logan, Vampire Diaries' Damon, Buffy the Vampire Slayer's  Spike, etc. (Weirdly and even more unpopularly, I happen not to find any of the above at all physically attractive, either---except maybe Sawyer/James Holloway, and only when his hair is under control!)

 It really bugs me how even their most sociopathic behavior and unthinkably vicious (and often racist, homphobic, etc.) words are merrily excused and handwaved away because these bad boy woobies are sometimes amusingly snarky, have been through paaaaiiiiin (unlike, you know, everyone else on the planet) and manage to act occasionally like actual human beings around  whatever woman they happen to be lusting after. Meanwhile, a lot of halfway decent characters get crucified mercilessly for the smallest perceived misdeed and are deemed hypocritical or excessively 'judgmental' if they dare to point out that maybe the bad boy woobie is a tad out of line. And I hate for so many reasons when these jerks 'get' the girl and are temporarily "tamed" by them. 

Edited July 6, 2014 by mstaken

[Wiendish Fitch]

I've realized that I tend to hate the allegedly sexy 'bad boys' who always seem wildly popular----Lost's Sawyer, Veronica Mars' Logan, Vampire Diaries' Damon, Buffy the Vampire Slayer's  Spike, etc. (Weirdly and even more unpopularly, I happen not to find any of the above at all physically attractive, either---except maybe Sawyer/James Holloway, and only when his hair is under control!)

It really bugs me how even their most sociopathic behavior and unthinkably vicious (and often racist, homphobic, etc.) words are merrily excused and handwaved away because these bad boy woobies are sometimes amusingly snarky, have been through paaaaiiiiin (unlike, you know, everyone else on the planet) and manage to act occasionally like actual human beings around the time around whatever woman they happen to be lusting after. Meanwhile, a lot of halfway decent characters get crucified mercilessly for the smallest perceived misdeed and are deemed hypocritical or excessively 'judgmental' if they dare to point out that maybe the bad boy woobie is a tad out of line. And I hate for so many reasons when these jerks 'get' the girl and are temporarily "tamed" by them.

 

 

Amen. And can I add Dick Casablancas to your list? I have the UO that Dick was never, ever the "lovable rogue" the show framed him as, but a sick, bullying, perverted, hedonistic, attempted rapist. Yet who was the top villain in Rob Thomas's eyes? Who was number one on Veronica's shit list? Who were we supposed to hate the most? Madison Sinclair.

Yes, Madison was a hateful brat, and she did hand Veronica the drink spiked with a roofie… but need I remind everyone that Dick was the one who spiked the drink, and Madison had no idea?! All she did was spit in it! She didn't even know after the fact! Dick spiked the drink, and when he found poor, drugged and passed-out Veronica, what did he do? He picked up her limp body, plopped her on a bed, manhandled her with everyone's favorite woobie Logan, and then told Cassidy to have his way with her!! Veronica knew this happened, but who does she forgive? Dick! Who does she bear a grudge against? Madison! What the hell kind of sense does that make? Madison is Melanie Hamilton compared to Dick!

 

After seeing the utterly horrible Veronica Mars movie (but that's another UO altogether), I retroactively hate Veronica, because I finally see her for what she really is: a paper tiger with no self-awareness, as male-dependent as a Classic Disney Princess (seriously, why else would she moon over Duncan, then Logan, and date Piz for ten fucking years?), and fucked-up standards regarding who deserves sympathy, understanding, or forgiveness. Fuck you, Veronica, and I hope you're more miserable in Neptune than George Bailey was in Bedford Falls. You deserve nothing less.

[DittyDotDot]

I had the unpopular opinion that I disliked Veronica from about the third episode. I know she's supposed to be a spunky, clever and kickass female, but what I saw was a petty, self-absorbed and judgmental girl with a serious need to jump any guys bones who said a nice thing to her and generally needed a man to protect and save her almost all the time. I seriously never got her appeal. I spent most of the second season wishing Mac would return and take over more of the story--she was sso much more a spunky, clever and kickass female than I ever saw in Veronica.

[Jack Shaftoe]

 

 

I've realized that I tend to hate the allegedly sexy 'bad boys' who always seem wildly popular----Lost's Sawyer, Veronica Mars' Logan, Vampire Diaries' Damon, Buffy the Vampire Slayer's  Spike, etc. (Weirdly and even more unpopularly, I happen not to find any of the above at all physically attractive, either---except maybe Sawyer/James Holloway, and only when his hair is under control!)

It really bugs me how even their most sociopathic behavior and unthinkably vicious (and often racist, homphobic, etc.) words are merrily excused and handwaved away because these bad boy woobies are sometimes amusingly snarky, have been through paaaaiiiiin (unlike, you know, everyone else on the planet) and manage to act occasionally like actual human beings around  whatever woman they happen to be lusting after. Meanwhile, a lot of halfway decent characters get crucified mercilessly for the smallest perceived misdeed and are deemed hypocritical or excessively 'judgmental' if they dare to point out that maybe the bad boy woobie is a tad out of line. And I hate for so many reasons when these jerks 'get' the girl and are temporarily "tamed" by them.

 

This. So much. If I had a penny for every time I saw people raging about some "good" character not being absolutely perfect and simultaneously praising to high heaven "the bad boy" every time he showed the smallest shred of not being a monster, I would be a lot richer than I am now. And I am sorry but hurting someone's feelings can never be considered worse than being a murderer. Sure, those are fictional murders but then again the feelings being hurt are fictional too, so if that's all right I will keep on disliking the killers more, thank you very much. 

 

And let me add that some female characters are quite similar in terms of being Karma Houdinis and (inexplicable, for me at least). Like Anya from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Great comic relief character. Terrific acting performance. And yet a cartoonishly flat character that fit with the rest of the show as much as snow fits in the Sahara. And of course, you are much more likely to hear people complaining about Xander mistreating her than mentioning the insignificant fact that she was sexist serial killer or that she tried to trick Xander friends into murdering him via a wish. those things are actually comic relief. Now, if Anya were a male a character who murdered unfaithful women for a millennium Joss Whedon would (rightly) never get away with using this for an endless source of cheap jokes.

 

There are also the two sociopaths on Pretty Little Liars - Alison and Mona. Again, superb acting. And again, I just can't fathom why the show expects me to have any sympathy for them (and it clearly does expect the viewers to do so). Grey characters are great. Cuddly sociopaths, not so much. Mona was awesome as the funny mean girl in seasons 1-2. And it's all downhill from there, IMO. I bet even the writers have no clue about her motivations and plans any more because they seem to change every other episode. And now she has a whole "army" of people who want her to protect them from Alison...never mind she tormented the high school "losers" as much as Alison and to boot was locked in a mental institutions for months for, wait for it, bullying people. 

 

Moral of the story - no matter how good an actor might be, some effort needs to be made to include their character organically in the story so their stay in the show can be extended without it seeming horribly forced. And no, "But he has chemistry with the lead actress" does not count as making an effort.

Edited July 6, 2014 by Jack Shaftoe

[Ghost]

Amen. And can I add Dick Casablancas to your list? I have the UO that Dick was never, ever the "lovable rogue" the show framed him as, but a sick, bullying, perverted, hedonistic, attempted rapist. Yet who was the top villain in Rob Thomas's eyes? Who was number one on Veronica's shit list? Who were we supposed to hate the most? Madison Sinclair.

Yes, Madison was a hateful brat, and she did hand Veronica the drink spiked with a roofie… but need I remind everyone that Dick was the one who spiked the drink, and Madison had no idea?! All she did was spit in it! She didn't even know after the fact! Dick spiked the drink, and when he found poor, drugged and passed-out Veronica, what did he do? He picked up her limp body, plopped her on a bed, manhandled her with everyone's favorite woobie Logan, and then told Cassidy to have his way with her!! Veronica knew this happened, but who does she forgive? Dick! Who does she bear a grudge against? Madison! What the hell kind of sense does that make? Madison is Melanie Hamilton compared to Dick!

 

I was sitting here nodding emphatically at my monitor while reading this post. I absolutely hate, hate, hate the way Veronica Mars (the show, not the character) handled rape culture, but this right here was its worst offence, and still makes me angry to think about all these years later.

[kiddo82]

Moral of the story - no matter how good an actor might be, some effort needs to be made to include their character organically in the story so their stay in the show can be extended without it seeming horribly forced. And no, "But he has chemistry with the lead actress" does not count as making an effort.

I agree. My long standing unpopular opinion has been that I don't blame the Buffy writers for being tempted to pair Buffy and Spike. The scenes they shared together in This Years Girl wre sizzling. Granted the characters were actually Spike and Faith but the actors were still Marsters and Gellar. (Buffy and Spike also had great scenes in Something Blue but part of the fun of that was the absurdity of the coupling) In any event, and where I fall in line with your sentiment, is that although the chemistry was there the pairing never made sense and Spike's perpetual existence was explained away by some weak sauce plot turn like the chip or Spike getting re-souled. So while we got some memorable moments out of it, it just seemed too forced and the long term results didn't do the show any favors.

Edited July 6, 2014 by kiddo82

[scarynikki12]

 

date Piz for ten fucking years?

They didn't.  She and Piz dated a few months in college, broke up when she went to Stanford, then reconnected and started dating again a year before the movie started.  Piz says all this to his boss at the beginning of the movie.

[ParadoxLost]

I agree. My long standing unpopular opinion has been that I don't blame the Buffy writers for being tempted to pair Buffy and Spike. The scenes they shared together in This Years Girl wre sizzling. Granted the characters were actually Spike and Faith but the actors were still Marsters and Gellar. (Buffy and Spike also had great scenes in Something Blue but part of the fun of that was the absurdity of the coupling)

 

At the time I thought that "Something Blue" was an object lesson from the writers on how the pairing of Spike and Buffy was absurd and fans should stop shipping them because it was ridiculous.  It worked on me.  I liked the idea before that and didn't after.

 

Although I'll admit that I was a puddle for everything that involved Spike's reaction to Buffy returning from the dead.  But there was too much self-loathing from Buffy during the actual relationship for me to support it.  That and Dawn were the biggest contributors to my spotty viewing towards the end.

[Wiendish Fitch]

date Piz for ten fucking years?

They didn't.  She and Piz dated a few months in college, broke up when she went to Stanford, then reconnected and started dating again a year before the movie started.  Piz says all this to his boss at the beginning of the movie.

 

 

Whoops, my bad. Still, I stand by my opinion, because Veronica has certainly known Piz for ten years, and she must have had at least an inkling that he wasn't really the one for her, that he was strictly "just friends" material. Veronica is not some inexperienced naif, she's old enough to know her own mind. And it doesn't say very much about her character that she was only dating nice but boring Piz and pursuing a career she actually didn't want just because it was societally acceptable. Um, I thought Veronica was supposed to be "screw what everyone thinks of me" tough chick? I think this just proves my theory of what a paper tiger she really is.

Rob Thomas is a fuckwit for dropping the FBI storyline, because it was perfect for Veronica: lucrative job doing what she loves in a new setting… oh, but that would be-gasp! Character development! And altering the status quo! And we wouldn't want that, would we?!

Edited July 6, 2014 by Wiendish Fitch

[Sun-Bun]

I hate all medical, political and legal dramas---never could find one single fuck to give about *any* of them out there in all my over 35 years worth of television-watching.

(although I did enjoy "Miami Vice" back in the day, but mostly due to its stylish, fast-paced vibe, 80's music and my mad former crush on Don Johnson)

I actually enjoyed "Models Inc", the trashy spin-off to the equally trashy-but-fun "Melrose Place." Someone recently uploaded its entire 1st(and only) season on YouTube, and I had such a blast revisiting all those bad 90's fashion trends and ridiculous plotlines.

I adored "Punky Brewster", but it always bothered me that she was not portrayed as being remotely bothered or emotionally-scarred by the fact that her mother officially dumped her in a parking lot.

And how did her mom just mysteriously go missing without a trace? You mean old dude Henry is allowed to just adopt this abandoned kid without authorities ever even bothering to find this missing woman who dumped her 7-year-old child in the streets?!

Similarly, those girls from "Full House" never seemed very bummed out about the fact that their mom suddenly DIED and left them all to the mercy of their bumbling father and his equally daft best buddy and brother-in-law, did they?

No wonder Michelle Tanner was such a self-centered little bitch.

Steve Urkel was actually some sweet and quietly pessimistic geek when he first appeared on "Family Matters"---then he mysteriously turned into the annoying, snorting caricature he became after his third or fourth appearance on the series.

I loved "The Golden Girls", but I actually loathed Sophia Petrillo---she had a few funny lines here and there, but overall, she was such a nasty and cruel little hag.

She was verbally abusive to her daughter and everyone else in that house, she was always bossily butting into everyone else's business, and her endless "Picture this..." stories made me groan with annoyance. I'd take 12 of Rose's goofy "Back in St. Olaf.." stories for one of windbag Sophia's "Picture this..." borefests.

I worshipped JR Ewing and thought Bobby was the biggest pussy who ever pussied around in "Dallas."

Speaking of "Dallas", did anyone else find it weird and oddly creepy that Patrick Duffy and Sasha Mitchell both went from leading men co-starring on "Dallas" to bumbling boymen co-starring in that crappy ABC sitcom, "Step by Step" together, only Sasha played this ridiculous caricature of a stoner dude?

Finally: I thought Captain Kirk was hot...when I was 5-years-old.

[Wiendish Fitch]

I think Picard has it all over Kirk! Let the tomato hurling commence!!

[wallflower75]

Okay, somewhere in this thread, someone said Corey Stoll should've gotten some recognition for House of Cards. Is there room for me at that table? Cuz everyone kept talking about Spacey and Wright and I was all, but but but....but what about THIS guy?

I really like BtVS Season 6. It's not my favorite, but I like it a lot.

I keep trying and failing to get into Orphan Black. I've seen the pilot twice now but still haven't made it through episode 2.

Unpopular GoT opinion: I'm sorry, but as much as I love Peter Dinklage, I thought his acting was over the top at the end of Tyrion's trial. Just...no.

I'm sure I'll think of more later.

[Hava]

I liked Matt and Carlotta too and I was shocked that a popular opinion was that she raped him or something like that.  Didn't get that at all.  I thought they had a sweet relationship and I never could get what he saw in Julie.  She was so annoying to me.

 

Yeah, the reactions to Carlotta were so over-the-top. Rape is not to be taken lightly, and if there was any indication that their age difference constituted statutory rape or that she had sex with him without his consent, I would completely agree that she was a rapist. But the show never even suggested either of these things. In fact, the whole time I thought she was like 19 or something, not in her mid twenties. I guess the show should have cleared it up. But it seemed clear to me that most people were just upset that Matt had feelings for someone other than Julie, but calling Carlotta "Whorelotta" and that she was the worst thing to happen to the show was so strange to read. 

 

Unpopular GoT opinion: I'm sorry, but as much as I love Peter Dinklage, I thought his acting was over the top at the end of Tyrion's trial. Just...no.

 

 

I'll take that a step further and say that I find his acting to be overrated, at least compared to other actors on the show who, IMO, deserve more praise. Don't get me wrong, he is still a very good actor. But, in addition to overacting in some scenes, I find his accent distracting a lot of the time. I know that Westeros has its own language and that there is no correct accent, but it becomes distracting when most other characters have an English accent and Dinklage is trying to mimic one, and not succeeding very well. 

Edited July 7, 2014 by Hava

[ganesh]

I think it's silly to make actors talk in an accent not their own. I think TPTBs can do a reasonable workaround for it.

[Jeezaloo]

Community - Many of the cast are funny in their own right, but the show felt like Dan Harmon knew a lifeforce-draining wizard who owed him a big favor. One episode of that shitfest aged my liver ten years and had my hair greying and falling out in clumps.

 

Battlestar Galactica - Loved the way it ended. I understood that it was supposed to represent a

higher form of life watching humans repeatedly self-destruct over the course of countless millenia and iterations of civilization

. And the fact that, after all the war it had been through, the Galactica's

demise

came from its own

crappy construction by a corner-cutting military contractor

? I think that was pure genius. Human weakness being its own downfall, indeed!

[scarynikki12]

I adore Once More with Feeling.

That one is pretty popular but loving season 6 isn't. And I agree with you on both!

[Wiendish Fitch]

I preferred the Eleventh Doctor to the Tenth. Yeah, the Tennant episodes were consistently better, but the Tenth Doctor was a sanctimonious asshat, and I never, ever forgave him for what he did to Harriet Jones. It raised my hackles that they swept that under the rug.

[DittyDotDot]

I prefer the Ninth Doctor to either Ten or Eleven...he was more a mix of both of them--heavy and judgmental, but also light and full of whimsy at times.

[Pollock]

I liked Crisis.

Pfweeewwwww, I feel better now. Thanks for the topic.

[Princess Sparkle]

Megan/Jessica Pare from Mad Men doesn't bug me in the least.  I've never felt like she was an airtime hog, or that she needed to be taken out and shot for being a mediocre actress with big chompers LOL.  (Peggy, however, needs to die.  I don't give a poop about her "journey.")

 

I don't really like her on the show (the character, because the writing for her is terrible), but I agree with you that her teeth never bothered me in the slightest.  It's refreshing to see some people on tv without cookie cutter perfect features. 

 

House of Cards UO: Actor most deserving of an Emmy on that show was Corey Stoll, closely followed by Michael Kelly.

 

I was so, so bummed that Corey Stoll didn't get an Emmy nomination for that first season, because he was just flat-out fantastic.  

 

The biggest: I don't agree with the entire next sentence.  "Danny Tidwell is the bestest dancer ever, aside from Alex Freaking Wong."  Yup, I said it.

 

Come sit at my table!  I think Danny is the most overrated dancer on SYTYCD, followed very closely by Mark K.  

 

About choreographers: I mostly enjoy whatever NappyTabs does, whether it is real hip hop or not.

 

Agree with you here too.  Considering they've choreographed hip hop for other shows (including America's Best Dance Crew), I think they dumb down their routines in order to help out non-hip hop specialists on SYTYCD, and I don't have a problem with that.  At the very least, I like that the two are totally dorky together.

 

Hee! I remember The Practice and LA Law being appointment teevee back in the day, but I remember James Spader pretty much ruining The Practice when he became the Manic Know it All who could do no wrong.

 

Is it an UO to hate James Spader?  Because I do.  No matter how over the top The Practice got, I thought his presence ruined the show, and I certainly never thought he was Emmy worthy.  And I would've preferred that they cancelled the show all-together than get rid of the few people that made the show in the first place - The Practice without Bobby just seemed wrong.

Edited July 7, 2014 by Princess Sparkle

[amaranta]

Is it an UO to hate James Spader?

 

I don't think it is because I feel quite alone in my fondness for Boston Legal.  Now I didn't see Spader in The Practice; I think I quit that show after a nude Lara Flynn Boyle shot the crazy killer guy who was dressed up as a nun while trying to off Camryn Manheim, which was after said nun-dressing killer guy had unsuccessfully tried to kill Lindsay earlier that same year.  And the reason I stopped watching The Practice should likely be evident from the sentence I just typed.

 

But the partnership of Spader/Shatner, Alan/Denny?  Loved it. Throw in some Candice Bergen and I was good.

 

I didn't care how weird or contrived the case of the week was, if there was soap-box pontificating or slanted diatribes about the designated Big Bad (person or corporation.)  I think I liked it  because of the OTT-ness, not in spite of it.  Even after a not so great episode, as long as I got my 5-10 minutes of Alan Shore and Denny Crane  on the balcony I was happy.  They had me from Finding Nimmo.

 

So I think that's my UO.

[Helena Dax]

I loved Common Law. I guess it's an unpopular opinion because the show was cancelled, but I still miss it. Warren Kole and Michael Ealy had an amazing chemistry.

[Neurochick]

I loved Common Law. I guess it's an unpopular opinion because the show was cancelled, but I still miss it. Warren Kole and Michael Ealy had an amazing chemistry.

I agree.  I think the problem with this show was the suspense as to what was it that happened to end them in couple's therapy.  Then when it was revealed, I was like WTF?  The show was great IMO and I think it would have been better on another night.

[Sweet Tee]

I love Boston Legal too. You're not alone.

[ToxicUnicorn]

Come sit at my table!  I think Danny is the most overrated dancer on SYTYCD, followed very closely by Mark K.

I am so relieved to find another like mind.  Yes - agreed about Mark K.  I will never forget his interesting frog audition because it was so unusual, but I didn't think he lived up to that promise.  Well, that makes two of us, Princess Sparkle! 

 

But the partnership of Spader/Shatner, Alan/Denny?  Loved it. Throw in some Candice Bergen and I was good.

 

I enjoyed the OTT-ness of Alan and Denny as well.  And yes, I didn't even mind the pontificating or diabtribes (which I totally agree were there) because the actors committed so ... hard.  I thought it was all very tongue in cheek.  How can you be serious when you're showing flamingo costumes and actual man friends sleepovers?  So silly.

 

Battlestar Galactica - Loved the way it ended. I understood that it was supposed to represent a . And the fact that, after all the war it had been through, the Galactica's came from its own ? I think that was pure genius. Human weakness being its own downfall, indeed!

 

I hate Candice Bergen, though.  That must be a UO because her Murphy Brown show was very popular.

 

Battlestar Galactica - Loved the way it ended. I understood that it was supposed to represent a . And the fact that, after all the war it had been through, the Galactica's came from its own ? I think that was pure genius. Human weakness being its own downfall, indeed!

 

Hmm.  This is not my usual line of thought, Jeezaloo, but it does make some sense.  Thanks for writing it.  I would love to feel BSG was trying for something in the finale instead of basically making goulash with rejected plot proposals (which is partly how it felt to me). 

 

I feel like I should come up with a new UO while I'm here, but the only thing I can think of is that I have never found Jay Leno funny, which is ... not very current.

[kiddo82]

I feel like I should come up with a new UO while I'm here, but the only thing I can think of is that I have never found Jay Leno funny, which is ... not very current.

Regarding Leno, my UO is that NO ONE came off well regarding the whole Leno/Conan/NBC fiasco, including Conan. I don't think NBC handled the situation very gracefully but he acted like a petulant child about it. TV is all a numbers game and if you don't bring them in, the network isn't going to be too happy. And while I still find him funny, the whole "team CoCo" thing is off putting.

[Neurochick]

Ugh, don't remind me of BSG.  To me the ending made no sense, but I had check out when Dee, the only Black woman on the fucking show

blew her brains out

.

[BoogieBurns]

I think Danny is the most overrated dancer on SYTYCD,

 

That's funny because I always feel like Danny is forgotten. Outside of forums, he is never mentioned. Casual fans seem to only remember Travis Wall and Twitch from the first 5 seasons. I thought I was being original when I confessed my love of Danny Tidwell.

[MaryPatShelby]

I loved "The Golden Girls", but I actually loathed Sophia Petrillo---she had a few funny lines here and there, but overall, she was such a nasty and cruel little hag.

She was verbally abusive to her daughter and everyone else in that house, she was always bossily butting into everyone else's business, and her endless "Picture this..." stories made me groan with annoyance. I'd take 12 of Rose's goofy "Back in St. Olaf.." stories for one of windbag Sophia's "Picture this..." borefests.

 

Oh my gosh, so much this!  I really thought I was a true party of one in my hatred of Sophia and my inability to find her funny.

Edited July 8, 2014 by buffylew

[ParadoxLost]

Regarding Leno, my UO is that NO ONE came off well regarding the whole Leno/Conan/NBC fiasco, including Conan. I don't think NBC handled the situation very gracefully but he acted like a petulant child about it. TV is all a numbers game and if you don't bring them in, the network isn't going to be too happy. And while I still find him funny, the whole "team CoCo" thing is off putting.

 

Kimmel, Letterman, and Fallon came out of it just fine.  It made Kimmel.  Letterman got his mojo back because he finally got his network back to rail against, which he was doing long before the Carson/Leno/Letterman debacle, which he lost when he went to CBS and got control of his show.  Fallon didn't get bumped farther back (or cancelled) and took the Tonight Show once NBC wasn't terrified of Leno competing or having to pay him off.

 

Conan was in a bad spot.  There was really nothing he could do to save his standing in late night.  NBC killed primetime with Leno.  Conan accepts the push back because the network execs are morons and waits around he looks like a chump and he'd lose the support of "team Coco" which was more social media than Conan, in my opinion, because there was a sense of retire and let the next generation move up underlying all that.  He leaves and he's on TBS which no one can find, even him.

 

It irritates me that in the end, NBC got what NBC wanted.  Those that leave the network cut off at the knees and not really able to compete.

[lucindabelle]

A maranta, I'm with you on Boston legal. My father (sniff, I I miss him) hailed from Boston and he lived the show (yes, in part for the credits) and one day pleasantly surprised me by his comment that he was waiting for spaders monologue at the end and something about the david Kelly style. And he thought Shatner was hilarious, I can still hear his giggle in my mind when Shatner cracked him up. Nice memory, thanks for that!

Best bromance show, occasionally over the top, but mostly great.

[Pollock]

This one is really random but I hate that so many shows now have a character named Daniel.  Daniel is always a special snowflake of some kind, he is ALWAYS a love interest, and usually dies/gets killed to advance the story of of his love interest.  Alias, Nikita, Once Upon a Time, Days of Our Lives (that one is still alive), 

Arrow this upcoming season

, to name a few, all have this character and he is ALWAYS named Daniel.  Pick a new name television!  But not Jack, that's overplayed too.

Daniel Rosen from Orphan Black. Not exactly a special snowflake but

he's killed and that makes Paul Rachel's body guard/sex toy

.

 

Lol Stargate had a Daniel and a Jack. And Daniel was the special snowflake there too.

Daniel Pierce, Perception, a high functionning crazy man who is part time professor, part time detective.

Daniel Faraday in Lost. The physicist and inventor of time travelling stuff, if my memory is good.

Daniel, in BSG,

Cylon number 7, the only one who was unique

. Which lead to Daniel Graystone in Caprica.

Daniel, in Helix,

the only inuit child Dr. Hiroshi Hatake "kept".

 

Daniel Grayson, Revenge.

Hahaha !

 

 

I never noticed the Daniel pattern before. I can't unsee it now. Since yesterday when I first read the post, I'm obsessing about it !

[Kel Varnsen]

Conan was in a bad spot.  There was really nothing he could do to save his standing in late night.  NBC killed primetime with Leno.  Conan accepts the push back because the network execs are morons and waits around he looks like a chump and he'd lose the support of "team Coco" which was more social media than Conan, in my opinion, because there was a sense of retire and let the next generation move up underlying all that.  He leaves and he's on TBS which no one can find, even him.

I often wonder if Conan would have been better off if he had just accepted that Leno was coming back to late night for a half hour show and just moved his show back. My sense is he probably would have been. Plus after reading the Bill Carter book on the subject, I think Seinfeld was right, it is the host who makes the show not the other way around.

[scarynikki12]

 

I often wonder if Conan would have been better off if he had just accepted that Leno was coming back to late night for a half hour show and just moved his show back.

Maybe but Conan would still have been punished for Leno's primetime failure.  Leno's show was such a disaster that the local affiliates were losing money and revolted, promising to replace his show with reruns.  Putting him in for the first half of the Tonight Show's traditional start time would mean that NBC had two shows competing with Letterman (Kimmel was made by this debacle), doubling their chances of people just not watching.  There are so many ways it still could have gone wrong with this format, though I think that Seinfeld's Tonight Show theory is somewhat disproven with Leno's primetime failure.  If it were Leno that everyone was clamoring to see, then his talk show wouldn't have failed so badly.  

 

I think Conan's big mistake was not bringing in Lorne Michaels as a producer like Fallon did and that's why NBC was able to muscle him out so easily.  If he had him in his corner, Leno wouldn't have returned to the Tonight Show but, for whatever reason, he seemed to want to do the show on his own merits and that left him vulnerable to the studio executives.  Fallon didn't make that mistake so he's safe.