Party of One: Unpopular TV Opinions

[proserpina65]

I don't have a huge investment in Sleepy Hallow, so I had a good laugh at shipper's expense at the last episode. Maybe now they'll shut up for a few hours.

I enjoyed the show (not so much during season two, admittedly) but am not unhappy with this season's ending and wouldn't be too upset if that turned out to be the series' finale.  It was kind of a fitting end.  I will, however, miss the hotness that is Ichabod on my tv set.

 

Edited to note that I'm not an Ichabbie shipper, although I did enjoy the chemistry between Tom Mison and Nicole Beharie.

Edited April 11, 2016 by proserpina65

[proserpina65]

MY UO is that I'm perfectly OK with what happened on Sleepy Hollow as a series finale. As a season finale, maybe not but it depends on what happens. I've enjoyed the show from the start and found that I enjoyed it even more when I stopped reading the forum. 

I loved the first season, soured on the second, but liked a lot (though not all) of season three.  I found out early on that NOT reading the various forums made my enjoyment of the show increase exponentially.  Not that I think fans shouldn't express their opinions freely - I do so myself - but for some shows, and this was one of them, I want to go with the flow and not analyze it too much.  I found myself getting to tied up in knots over what I wanted to just experience rather than think about it too deeply, so I gave up more than one SH discussion board.  I also discovered that I should either roll with what the show was, rather than what I wanted it to be, or stop watching; I very nearly gave up on season two for this very reason but am glad I saw it through to what I'm fairly sure will end up being the series finale.

Another probably UO: I don't generally care about the behind-the-scenes stuff and rarely read about it.  Which is kind of odd, since I do sometimes enjoy reading actors' memoirs.  What can I say: I'm a walking contradiction.

Edited April 11, 2016 by proserpina65

[proserpina65]

A Call the Midwife UO: I like the idea of Barbara with Tom much better than I did Trixie with Tom.  Of course, Trixie is probably my least favorite character on the show.  I like her, but less than pretty much all the rest of the regular cast.

[Popples]

A Call the Midwife UO: I like the idea of Barbara with Tom much better than I did Trixie with Tom.  Of course, Trixie is probably my least favorite character on the show.  I like her, but less than pretty much all the rest of the regular cast.

 

To add on to that UO: I don't mind Tom at all. I completely agree that he's a much better fit with Barbara than Trixie. One of my local PBS channels (MPT2 for those in the DC area) has been repeating the episodes lately and the week before last was when Tom and Trixie got engaged and Trixie wanted a grand, flashy engagement party and a high-end registry list, but seemed to forget Tom's vocation was of a modest, religious type. And since Barbara's father was a vicar, she understands that life so much better than Trixie would. Maybe because of that, the connection with Tom and Barbara seems more natural and believable than his relationship with Trixie.

 

From the book:

It's been a while since I've read them, but I think Trixie does actually marry a vicar.

[Ms Blue Jay]

Sex and the City started out pretty revolutionary in that 3 out of 4 of the women were unabashedly single and cynical about romance and love being dead and just wanted to have sex like men.  I would say as the show went on , it became a much more traditional / conventional romantic comedy with all of the heroines meeting their princes and all that crap, and Carrie progressively got worse as a character.  I love the show very strongly so there's a lot of nuance there for me, but yes, a lot of outsiders seem to hate the show and Carrie.  I personally loved Carrie once upon a time and then grew to hate the character.  Lots of writing changes there making an impact in my opinion.

[zxy556575]

I watched a few episodes of Outlander but thought the lead male character was extremely callow and ... kind of dumb? His romantic relationship is the heart of the story but I found him, and it, laughable.

[vibeology]

I'm so glad someone else feels this way. Jamie is such a boring character to me. I don't really like him and I think compared to Claire he's not smart or interesting enough to be her match. He's fierce and proud and a good person, but I think that intellectual spark which is so clear in Claire is just missing with him.

[Danny Franks]

I watched a few episodes of Outlander but thought the lead male character was extremely callow and ... kind of dumb? His romantic relationship is the heart of the story but I found him, and it, laughable.

 

I watched half of the pilot episode, and honestly thought it was some cheap, hacky cash-grab show that would last about a season. Everything about it was bad. The writing, the acting, the direction. Just amateurish, and all laughable. To later find out it's a supposedly 'serious' show was a huge surprise.

 

Not sure if I ever even saw the guy who is the lead (presumably not Tobias Menzies, who is the only actor I recall seeing).

[zxy556575]

Sorry, I should have specified. Outlander kind of has two male leads, but most of the fandom is about Jamie, the guy back in the 1700s.

[Minneapple]

With Sleepy Hollow, I was never a fan of the Ichabbie ship -- partly because the smushname is stupid, secondly because he was married. I almost wish they'd straight out of the gate shut down any notions of a ship with Ichabod and Abbie. They did it with Sherlock and Joan on Elementary and the show has been eight million times better for it -- this iteration of Sherlock and Watson is one of my favorite friendships on TV right now. 

[ganesh]

partly because the smushname is stupid

 

Marry me.

 

I really like Outlander mainly because of the depiction of the their way of life, and their political landscape. 

[festivus]

I agree that the name Ichabbie is dumb. Why would folks not go with Crabbie? It's so cute. I guess my UO is that I'm not against shipper names so much as that I'm against dumb shipper names. I'm trying to think of any I like and I'm drawing a blank. I'm sure there's got to be a least a couple.

[ganesh]

It's lazy and uncreative. No one called Scully and Mulder anything but "Scully and Mulder."

[Minneapple]

I'm not against shipper names either. But Ichabbie is awkward and cumbersome. I agree that Crabbie is better. 

[Julia]

Marvel has the best ship names.

[SmithW6079]

partly because the smushname is stupid

All "smushnames" are stupid.

It's lazy and uncreative. No one called Scully and Mulder anything but "Scully and Mulder."

Preach!

[ganesh]

I also think the "ScarJo" or "JLaw" nicknaming for individual people is kind of ignorant and dumb too. I don't know how it got into the lexicon. 

[ribboninthesky1]

I assumed that smushnaming (hee!) was a by-product of the electronic messaging surge.  Using fewer words and letters to express oneself, and voila!  Social media shorthand! I have to catch myself from doing it at times, despite my own annoyance with it.   

[UYI]

I also think the "ScarJo" or "JLaw" nicknaming for individual people is kind of ignorant and dumb too. I don't know how it got into the lexicon. 

To be fair, Jennifer Lawrence has said she first got the nickname J-Law in the seventh grade. 

[ganesh]

Exception that proves the rule.

[FormerMod-a1]

When I see JLaw I think of Jude Law. Every time. It takes me a moment to figure it out.

[Rick Kitchen]

I don't see how those nicknames are any worse than JFK or LBJ.

[DearEvette]

I assumed that smushnaming (hee!) was a by-product of the electronic messaging surge.  Using fewer words and letters to express oneself, and voila!  Social media shorthand! I have to catch myself from doing it at times, despite my own annoyance with it.   

 

Yeah, I think it was an outgrowth of message boarding.  i first saw it on Soap Opera message boards in the 90s.  It just seems easier to smush your couple name while writing instead of spelling out both names over and over every time you refer to them in writing. Fewer keystrokes.    I think the idea of couple portmanteaus came out of niche and into the mainstream with "Bennifer" driven by popular press co-opting the convention.

[UYI]

The first one I ever heard was Folly, for Fletcher & Holly on Guiding Light, and that would have been in 1995, which in Internet years might as well be when dinosaurs ruled the Earth (their fan site, Follyworld, was a website first created in the VERY early years when the Internet first started to become a huge thing). 

[Bastet]

Folly as a means of referring to Guiding Light's Fletcher & Holly originated (at least on the Prodigy bulletin board) as a shorthand way of saying sticking Holly with Fletcher was an absolutely idiotic idea that ruined the show for many viewers (including me).  I had forgotten their fans later took the portmanteau and used it for their website.

 

That was the first for me, and I had no idea such portmanteaus would later become commonplace; that one was so specific to the circumstances, where the names could be mushed together to make a statement on the idiocy of the show's new exec producer and head writer.  When "Bennifer" became a typical way of referring to Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez - in traditional media as well as online - I thought it was ridiculous.  And now it's common practice.  It annoys me and, yeah, I'm glad I didn't have to endure "Sculder" or "Mully" all those years I spent geeking out over The X-Files on the atxf newsgroup.

Edited April 12, 2016 by Bastet

[ganesh]

Prodigy?! Did you have triceratops eggs for breakfast too? That was back when everyone used to turn off their car radios.

Edited April 12, 2016 by ganesh

[Gudzilla]

Damn ... Prodigy ...my 2400 baud modem used to tear that up !.

[Shannon L.]

Since we're talking about "smushnames", I'd like to throw in "McNames".  I can't even begin to tell you how much I hated "McDreamy", "McHottie", etc...even typing them sets my teeth on edge.  Thank God we're over that phase.

[SmithW6079]

I don't see how those nicknames are any worse than JFK or LBJ.

Those are the men's initials. No one called Jack Kennedy and Marilyn Monroe "Marja" or "Kenroe."

***

I don't care if plots are recycled or if X show did it first or Y show did it better than Z show. There are only so many plots in the world, and someone did it before any of them.

[zxy556575]

Pegging a 10 on the unpopular-o-meter: I don't think Samantha Bee is the end-all and be-all of liberal comedy current events shows. Funny and occasionally insightful, okay, but I wouldn't tear myself limb from limb if her show was cancelled. I had to unfollow that thread because the slavering ecstasy was too much.

 

I also listened to a recent interview with Bee on Fresh Air and found her to be kind of smug and full of herself.

[festivus]

I thought of one I like. Richonne. Michonne is such a pretty name that that one works for me. Yeah I'm glad Mulder and Scully never got one. But if they did I bet it would be Sculder. shudder

Edited April 13, 2016 by festivus

[ganesh]

If someone smushed Mulder and Scully, Gillian Anderson would have probably kicked their ass. 

 

I like the Samantha Bee show, but it's not appointment tv for me. It's good. I'll get to it during the week. I'm not really finding what she's saying to be so groundbeaking or insightful, though she is funny. 

[Haleth]

Speaking of smooshed names, anyone remember Marjoe Gortner?  I think the smooshing started with him.

[BrittaBot]

I am really not all that upset that HBO cancelled Togetherness. In fact, I think it probably DESERVED to get canceled. While not my favorite show on earth, the first season was engaging and made you want to keep watching to see what happened. The second season was a sore disappointment. The Dune storyline was boring and interminable and turned into Facebook on my phone time. Michelle's charter-school storyline gave me 'Nam flashbacks to Kristina on Parenthood and I still don't understand how non-teachers or administrators can formulate a curriculum for a school where kids would actually learn something. Between those two shows, I have developed a deep, deep hatred for charter schools and I can't even explain why. Michelle and Brett's storylines sucked. The only thing that even kept me watching season 2 was Steve Zissis. I think he is a talented actor and I hope he finds a valuable role on another show soon. But all the crying and tears on Twitter from various other celebrities and whatnot about it being canceled? Sorry - nope. I actually think HBO made the right decision.

[proserpina65]

I don't mind Juliette/Eve on Grimm.  Yeah, I said it.

[Misslindsey]

I like Bethenny Frankel. I still find her funny on RHoNY. I did not watch her spin-off or her talk show, so maybe that is why.

[Shannon L.]

 

I don't mind Juliette/Eve on Grimm.  Yeah, I said it.

I don't mind her either (I never had a problem with the character or actress).  In fact, I'm really enjoying this season a lot (with the exception of the Nick/Adalind romance and even that I don't hate with the same passion that others do).

[raezen]

I also think the "ScarJo" or "JLaw" nicknaming for individual people is kind of ignorant and dumb too. I don't know how it got into the lexicon.

I think it started with the amalgamation of celeb names when they became a powerful media couple. The oldest one I can think of is Bennifer. Who was half of that couple? Jennifer Lopez, and incidently she is the first celeb I remember getting her own name amalgamated.

Edited April 14, 2016 by raezen

[Bastet]

Jennifer Lopez, and incidently she is the first celeb I remember getting her own name amalgamated.

 

J. Lo was the title of one of her albums, but I have no idea which came first -- the album or the nickname.  All I know is my poor friend whose first name begins with J and last name with Mo spent a good two or three years in Lopez' heyday being referred to as J. Mo.

Edited April 14, 2016 by Bastet

[Ambrosefolly]

The nickname, I believe. She made it the title of her album in tribute to them. 

[Raja]

I think it started with the amalgamation of celeb names when they became a powerful media couple. The oldest one I can think of is Bennifer. Who was half of that couple? Jennifer Lopez, and incidently she is the first celeb I remember getting her own name amalgamated.

Ben Affleck and J Lo

[ganesh]

I feel like Trevor Noah can't catch a break. He's stands up sometimes, the show isn't *exactly* the same, he sucks at interviewing, his fake accents aren't funny. It amazing the guy can get out of bed in the morning. 

[Misslindsey]

 

I feel like Trevor Noah can't catch a break. He's stands up sometimes, the show isn't *exactly* the same, he sucks at interviewing, his fake accents aren't funny. It amazing the guy can get out of bed in the morning.

I like Trevor. I liked Jon too. I expected the show to be a bit different and it is, but it isn't really that different. For some, I do not think he will be able to do anything right.

[ABay]

I feel the same about Stephen Colbert.

[Neurochick]

I like Trevor. I liked Jon too. I expected the show to be a bit different and it is, but it isn't really that different. For some, I do not think he will be able to do anything right.

 

I agree.  One UO I have is that things change, life changes, if it didn't shit would be boring. 

 

I don't mind if another character is introduced in a story and that character is focused on.  I don't feel that just because someone was there "from day one" they should be over a character who was recently introduced. 

[ganesh]

I feel like I can't talk about the actual show sometimes because everyone else just "ff-ed through it'.

Edited April 14, 2016 by ganesh

[Enigma X]

I like Trevor. I liked Jon too. I expected the show to be a bit different and it is, but it isn't really that different. For some, I do not think he will be able to do anything right.

 

I do as well. People these days don't seem to know how to like something without disliking something else. It seems that disliking this proves your loyalty or love to that other thing. And this is my big UO.

 

In other news and a UO, I like Lincoln on Agents of Shield.

 

Also, it is official that I find every last CW DC character to be annoying and their shows unbearable.

 

These following shows fall into genres that I would normally like and that everyone else seems to like but they suck to me: Mad Men and Black Sails.

 

I don't despise every unusual name that a celebrity (or anyone else) names their kid and if I do, it really is not my business. I won't cry foul unless it truly is an obscene name. I know that the argument is the kid will be made fun of. This same argument is used with biracial children (as my bf and I were recently told by his aunt as a reason why we should not have kids). Kids will be made fun of by other kids and adults period! They get made fun of for having old-fashioned names, ethnic (usually ancestral) names, "ugly" names, things not dealing with names, and so much more. Besides, "unusual" names (and multiracial people) I think in this day and age for most of the U.S. it is common-enough-place for it not to be a shocker.

[Chaos Theory]

Don't know how unpopular it is or even if it is but I needed a place to put it.

A good presitige drama does not need more then five seasons to tell a good story. Almost every fantastic prestige drama I have seen went on a steady decline after season 5.

[zxy556575]

People these days don't seem to know how to like something without disliking something else. It seems that disliking this proves your loyalty or love to that other thing. And this is my big UO.

 

This is probably because I watch a lot of them, but talk shows seem to exemplify this. Like, if you were a Letterman fan you automatically disliked Leno and Kimmel even though you didn't really watch their shows.

[UYI]

This is probably because I watch a lot of them, but talk shows seem to exemplify this. Like, if you were a Letterman fan you automatically disliked Leno and Kimmel even though you didn't really watch their shows.

 

Not me. I love (d) both Letterman and Kimmel. The fact that Kimmel idolizes Letterman probably helps, though.