"Oh HELL No!": TV Moments That Make You Irate

[Affogato]

I don’t normally get irate at shows. I can something get upset by fans, even triggered. But I don’t even remember the episode well enough to discuss it. I also don’t feel protective of Cordelia or Xander. 

Edited September 13, 2024 by Affogato

[Blergh]

Here's an oldie but baddie:

 In the Canadian series, Road to Avonlea, (1990-1997)they had the protagonist have a most toxic reaction in the very first episode.

Let me explain. Sara Stanley (played by the even-then brilliant Sarah Polley) had been the preteen only child of the wealthy magnate Blair who she believed had been framed but had been sent to the home village of her late mother Ruth King Stanley to try to spare her from being tarred via the scandal with her lifelong caregiver called Nanny Louisa. Alas, almost immediately Nanny Louisa clashed with Ruth's eldest unmarried  sister Hetty King (who, as it turned out was also the town schoolteacher so Sara had to deal with her in and outside class) and this resulted in Hetty throwing Nanny Louisa out of her house of Rose Cottage with Nanny Louisa attempting to sneak Sara out but being caught by Hetty with Hetty threatening to press kidnapping charges against the elderly caregiver if she didn't leave PEI sans Sara at once! Now, I perfectly understand WHY Sara would get upset over this turn of events (along with being teased by her initially mean cousins Felicity and Felix King for being too pampered). However Sara's reaction was rather appalling- she went  on a HUNGER STRIKE refusing to eat ANYthing either Hetty or her sweet youngest aunt Olivia offered her unless they brought back Nanny Louisa. As I said, I understand why the girl was upset losing the last link to her old life and the only reliable caregiver she'd known. However, what were the showrunnners THINKING depicting a preteen girl having a hunger strike on a show with its main intended audience being OTHER preteen girls (a demographic not unknown to have eating disorders)?! Did they not consider that promoting a self-destructive, health if not life-risking action by their protagonist might not have been the healthiest storyline to depict -especially considering that Hetty dismissed it to be a mere dramatic ploy on Sara's part(as, alas far too many RL so-called parents and guardians have done often to the detriment  and wrecked health of their anguished offspring). Thankfully, the hunger strike got resolved and two of them somewhat made up their differences by the end of the episode and decided to give each other a chance to get to know each other and possibly like each other for who they were (and it should be said that even her initially mean cousins wound up showing more likable sides by the end of that episode). However (for the audience's sake) I still think the writers should have found another means for Sara to express her initial anger,etc. besides conducting a hunger strike!

Edited September 14, 2024 by Blergh

[Affogato]

On 5/5/2024 at 9:45 PM, Mabinogia said:

That is kind of surprising given how racy/dirty that show was. Honestly, I loved it as a kid so most of what they were saying/implying went way over my head at the time. Watching it back now (Pluto TV) often has reruns and I'll go on a binge because I love Brett and Charles being all drunk up on the top row and Dickie Dawson being all sexy on the bottom, I see just how far that show pushed the envelope that I'm a bit surprised the network pushed back on genitalia. I guess that was one step too far for them? Wonder if they'd have allowed any of the slang words for it as you could pretend they were referencing other things, like kitties or hot dogs haha

It is funnier if it is bleeped out or left hanging. 

[ABay]

I don't know where to put this. Rock paper scissors says here, so...

Last night I was watching a YT video about the Mandela Effect and bailed during the first segment.

It was about Mickey Mouse and the Mandela effect concerns whether or not he wore suspenders. The images all show him without them and it's probably those two weird button/dots/whatever on his shorts that lead people to the suspenders idea. So far, so good.

But the next bit was about how some people insist Mickey had a tail, which the narrator tells us he did not. Except at least half of the images show him with a tail. If that isn't a tail, I dread to think what that long string coming out the back of his shorts is. WTF, Narrator Dude?

 

[andromeda331]

I watch Wagon Train on Saturday mornings with my dad. This one episode the Benjamin Burns. The wagon train is out of water and still a could days before they can get to the next place with water. This old man Benjamin Burns says he knows of a pond nearby. No one believes him because no one else has ever heard of it. But they also have no choice but to send a few men looking for it. Benjamin goes, along with a jerk, McCullough and Benjamin's granddaughter's fiance John who insists on going with. 

The men set off looking for the water. They get to a point with a whole bunch of rocks blocking the path. Benjamin insists the pond is somewhere around here. They all split off and no one finds it. Benjamin climbs the rocks but he slips and falls. He's seriously injured and looks like he's going to die at any moment. The jerk wants to live Benjamin behind since he's going to die anyway. McCullough insists on waiting with Benjamin and so does the fiance. The jerk leaves. John and McCullough keep waiting for Benjamin to die. But he doesn't. They're out of water and all very thirsty and it's very hot as time goes by. The John suddenly starts saying they should leave and getting upset that Benjamin won't die. He thinks they should just leave him behind. Remember, this is his fiancee's grandfather and he chose to stay. McCullough doesn't want to leave Benjamin and he falls asleep. John keeps going back and forth on killing Benjamin. He has his gun out ready to shoot him. Instead he covers him with clothing and smothers him. Benjamin struggles but soon falls still.

John quickly tells McCullough that Benjamin died, they bury him and start back to the Wagon Train when they find the water Benjamin talked about. It really did exist. They get back to the Wagon Train and tell everyone that Benjamin died. His fiance is very sad but glad he wasn't alone when he died. 

Well, Benjamin's not dead. He returns to the Wagon Train pissed but he thinks it was McCullough who killed him. He tells everyone and they immediately grab McCullough playing to kill him right then and there. John says nothing. McCullough doesn't remember doing it but he had a dream of killing Benjamin so he's not completely sure. Benjamin has a button from McCullough shirt so everyone grabs him again abount to kill him. John finally admits that he was the one who tried to kill Benjamin. 

Everyone gets rightly mad at the John including his fiancee. Benjamin speaks up and defends John and forgives him for trying to kill him and thinks he's granddaughter shoud forgive him too. For trying to kill her grandfather. And she forgives him.

Ah, what? I know they were out of water, in the sun and stuff. But John chose to go with Benjamin to look for water. He chose to stay after John was hurt when he could have returned with the other guy. He then immediately gets mad that Benjamin won't die and tried to kill him. It's only pure luck that Benjamin didn't die and managed to crawl back to the Wagon Train or no one would have ever found out what he did.

And he's just forgiven? Why would you forgive someone who just tried to kill you? Or your grandfather? Why should he be forgiven? Everything he did was his own fault! He tried to kill a man, he lied to everyone and he original said nothing when everyone though McCullough did it. Also Benjamin also wanted to make sure McCullough paid for it when he thought he did it. But no not John who actually did do it? What the hell? John should be in jail. Not get off scot free.

[GHScorpiosRule]

Just finished a binge marathon of Miami Vice and I‘m peeved that:

• the show never had Rico learn his baby wasn’t murdered and someone would have returned him to his dad. 
• That idiot writers in season 3 totally rewrote Gina’s history-her FATHER was alive and warned her about rebounding men!
• that the show ended with Sonny abandoning Elvis! Poor Gator. Sonny should have stolen the boat. I’m assuming he would have kept his promise to take Billy for the summers wherever he and Rico ended up.

Sigh. Different writers and producers since the the third season would account for this I guess. Can’t believe Dick Wolf who gave us original awesome Law & Order, was so awful as producer and writer for this show. Along with Robert Palm, Michael Duggan, and Daniel Sackiem(sp?).
 

[magicdog]

I happened to be watching repeats of 911 on WE (they seem to be showing the same bunch of episodes - like first 2 seasons!) when I caught a moment that bugged me.  

In, "They're Not coming to Save You", an earthquake strikes L.A. and of course various chaos ensues.  At a local market, a near riot is about to break out and Athena is dispatched to deal with the problem.  Turns out the store owner was accused of jacking up prices for cases of water - selling them for $100 bucks each!  Understandably, Athena points out that's price gouging and it's illegal during an emergency.  The owner responds that he's trying to prevent one person from buying everything at once. 

OK, he's got a point, but jacking up the price wasn't the only answer - he could have just limited 1-2 cases of water per person, not to mention limit how many people shall be invited into the store at one time to make sure no one steals anything or gets out of control.  What does Athena do?

She threatens the owner with arrest (dangling cuffs in front of his face) and demands he give a 50% discount on EVERYTHING in the store!!  People are thrilled to rip the owner off (who has to take that loss) and Athena takes advantage by buying a candy bar for 50 cents before leaving.    That's not right!! 

[Spartan Girl]

The Sadira episodes of Aladdin the Animated Series. I know it sucks to like a guy that is in love with someone else, but using magic to get your way? No. Even as a kid, I knew how messed up it was. And as an adult, it seems way worse.

It’s frustrating how easily she was forgiven as far back as her first episode, when she conjures a sand monster to capture Jasmine…only to be horrified when it blows up in her face when the sand monster actually wants to *gasp* kill Jasmine and destroy the city. Points to the sand monster for giving Sadira a much-deserved “what did you expect when you created me” speech when she whines that she never wanted Jasmine hurt, just “out of the way.” Really didn’t think that through, did you?

Even after she helps stop the monster and Aladdin and Jasmine are ridiculously nice to despite what she tried to pull, you’d think she’d finally learnt her lesson, but nope…next episode she’s in, she rewards their kindness by using magic to rewrite reality and switch places with Jasmine. I repeat, Sadira literally stole Jasmine’s entire life—her father, boyfriend, friends, title, her memories, and her home—and left her to live the life as a homeless streetrat.

And what’s really messed up was that Sadira knew firsthand how much that life sucks. How hard it was to live on the streets and be forced to steal just to get by. And yet she didn’t hesitate to do that to Jasmine, all so that she could have her boyfriend. So much for not wanting to “hurt” her!

Edited December 27, 2024 by Spartan Girl

[Wiendish Fitch]

8 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

The Sadira episodes of Aladdin the Animated Series. I know it sucks to like a guy that is in love with someone else, but using magic to get your way? No. Even as a kid, I knew how messed up it was. And as an adult, it seems way worse.

It’s frustrating how easily she was forgiven as far back as her first episode, when she conjures a sand monster to capture Jasmine…only to be horrified when it blows up in her face when the sand monster actually wants to *gasp* kill Jasmine and destroy the city. Points to the sand monster for giving Sadira a much-deserved “what did you expect when you created me” speech when she whines that she never wanted Jasmine hurt, just “out of the way.” Really didn’t think that through, did you?

Bolded mine. I'm not a linguist, would never try to present myself as such, but even I know that, the vast majority of the time, "out of the way" means dead. I didn't buy Sadira's innocent protestations then, I don't buy 'em now. 

I really don't get why writers latch on to a character that they believe is above and beyond reproach, no matter how horrific their actions. It's always gone on, and it doesn't appear to be going away any time soon.
 

p.s. I shared your precocious distaste for Sadira when I was a kid watching this show, and it wasn't helped that she was voiced by whiny, sniveling Kellie Martin.

[Spartan Girl]

Kellie Martin wasn’t so bad as Roxanne in A Goofy Movie…

1 hour ago, Wiendish Fitch said:

I'm not a linguist, would never try to present myself as such, but even I know that, the vast majority of the time, "out of the way" means dead. I didn't buy Sadira's innocent protestations then, I don't buy 'em now. 

I really don't get why writers latch on to a character that they believe is above and beyond reproach, no matter how horrific their actions. It's always gone on, and it doesn't appear to be going away any time soon.

Might have had a better time believing Sadira if she learned her lesson the first time and just left Aladdin and Jasmine alone the first time instead of just looking up another spell, not once but twice. 

I think the writers wanted people to sympathize with Sadira as a street kid too shortsighted to see how selfish she was being. Which, again, would have worked better if she had been a one-episode character. Or, at the very least, shown more remorse and shame over her own actions and understood why Aladdin took so long to accept her as a friend afterward—kidnapping his girlfriend and later giving him a magical roofie is NOT going to get him to like you!

[Cloud9Shopper]

I’m watching Parenthood for the first time and while I would say this is more eye roll worthy than making me “irate”, Julia being all put out that her daughter wants to be a beauty queen for Halloween. I mean, this kid can’t be older than five, and while I get that a career-driven woman would want to raise her daughter to avoid stereotypes and encourage education…it’s Halloween and this is a little kid. It’s not going to define her whole life trajectory or ruin her chances at college just because she wants to wear a tiara and pretty dress one day. I was Miss America for Halloween in elementary school too…I still went to college and have a career path and was never actually in a beauty pageant. Julia needs to chill.

Also, Lauren Graham’s character in this is like watching Lorelai Gilmore’s worst traits in a different universe. 

 

[Blergh]

17 hours ago, Cloud9Shopper said:

I’m watching Parenthood for the first time and while I would say this is more eye roll worthy than making me “irate”, Julia being all put out that her daughter wants to be a beauty queen for Halloween. I mean, this kid can’t be older than five, and while I get that a career-driven woman would want to raise her daughter to avoid stereotypes and encourage education…it’s Halloween and this is a little kid. It’s not going to define her whole life trajectory or ruin her chances at college just because she wants to wear a tiara and pretty dress one day. I was Miss America for Halloween in elementary school too…I still went to college and have a career path and was never actually in a beauty pageant. Julia needs to chill.

Also, Lauren Graham’s character in this is like watching Lorelai Gilmore’s worst traits in a different universe. 

 

Julia, Sarah (Lauren Graham's character) and even Crosby all had their faults as parents. However, they each DID change for the better and improve over the course of the series (granted, Sarah barely did).

Yet, the two who were touted as being the IDEAL parents (Adam and Kristina) were not only IMO the WORST but they regressed via raising their austistic son Max to be an entitled  monster at the expense of every other person in their family including their poor neglected daughter Haddie.

[Bastet]

The entirety of Parenthood is a lesson in how not to parent (Jasmine and Crosby weren't on the same level, which is why theirs was the only household not ruled by the kids), yet the show didn't know it.  I think I only made it through two seasons -- it was just a weekly collection of "Oh, HELL no!" moments.

[Cloud9Shopper]

2 hours ago, Blergh said:

Julia, Sarah (Lauren Graham's character) and even Crosby all had their faults as parents. However, they each DID change for the better and improve over the course of the series (granted, Sarah barely did).

Yet, the two who were touted as being the IDEAL parents (Adam and Kristina) were not only IMO the WORST but they regressed via raising their austistic son Max to be an entitled  monster at the expense of every other person in their family including their poor neglected daughter Haddie.

I feel bad for Haddie honestly (I’m on early season 2). I mean, in the pilot everyone misses her soccer game and then recently Kristina was completely over-involving herself in Haddie’s campaign for class president. And don’t forget how Amber slept with her boyfriend…

I was watching a recent episode where everyone was yelling at each other in Adam and Kristina’s house and I just thought about how stressed out I’d be living there. Which is a shame because I like Peter Krause in 9-1-1 and that’s part of the reason I started watching him in Parenthood. 

[andromeda331]

8 hours ago, Blergh said:

Yet, the two who were touted as being the IDEAL parents (Adam and Kristina) were not only IMO the WORST but they regressed via raising their austistic son Max to be an entitled  monster at the expense of every other person in their family including their poor neglected daughter Haddie.

Oh, God, yes they were so terrible. And there's no way Max isn't going to end up in prison because of their "awesome" parenting.  

[tennisgurl]

On 3/2/2025 at 10:45 PM, andromeda331 said:

Oh, God, yes they were so terrible. And there's no way Max isn't going to end up in prison because of their "awesome" parenting.  

Oh my God they were the WORST. I ended up feeling bad for Max and for Haddie, Max is going to end up struggling so much as an adult because his parents never helped him learn how to function in the world, instead coddling him and encouraging his worst impulses, and Haddie was just ignored, and every time they said that they would make more of an effort with her they would just forget and go back to forgetting she existed. They even made a whole school just so that Max could be the center of attention and get away with everything.

Edited March 14 by tennisgurl

[Notabug]

10 minutes ago, tennisgurl said:

Oh my God they were the WORST. I ended up feeling bad for Max and for Haddie, Max is going to end up struggling so much as an adult because his parents never helped him learn how to function in the world, instead coddling him and encouraging his worst impulses, and Haddie was just ignored, and every time they said that they would make more of an effort with her they would just forget and go back to forgetting she existed. They even made a whole school just so that Max could be the center of attention and get away with everything.

Not only did they start the school so Max could have free rein, they ended up expelling another student who Max assaulted because the girl Max liked was seeing the other kid.

Then, there were the many times Max manhandled friends and family to get his way.  I recall one episode where Max wanted to use the computer at the photography studio Ray Romano's character owned but his aunt, who worked there, too, was busy working at the desk.  Max just walked up, shoved her off the chair and commandeered the computer while Max' parents acted it like it was no big deal.

Considering that one of the creators of the show had a child who had autism, the show did a terrible job of showing decent parenting for a kid with special needs.

[Bastet]

13 minutes ago, Notabug said:

Not only did they start the school so Max could have free rein, they ended up expelling another student who Max assaulted because the girl Max liked was seeing the other kid.

I had stopped watching long before then (Kristina and Adam's horrible parenting and the monster that is Max who resulted from it being a big reason), but when I read about the school, my first thought was to wonder how many students they treated unfairly in favor of Max -- expelling a kid who was the victim of Max's assault is completely on brand for them.

I still wouldn't have kept watching, as everyone except Jasmine and Crosby (who had realistic flaws and mistakes) were failures at parenting, and the writers all came down with a terminal case of sexism during the hiatus after the first season, but Max was hands-down the most unbearable thing about the show, yet Kristina and Adam were, week after week, presented as the good parents the screw-up siblings aspired to be.

[AgathaC]

Good Lord! I’m glad I didn’t watch more than an episode of that show. My blood pressure would have been through the roof. One of my nieces is autistic (high functioning — you wouldn’t know when first meeting her) and one of my sisters has developmental delays. No one has ever coddled or made excuses for either one. There are modifications made as far as functioning and expectations, but they are still expected to meet certain standards of behavior. And neither has ever been treated like they’re the princess of the universe. They’re just part of the crew. And they’re very much the better for it. Seeing parents act like what you’re describing would send me into orbit.

[Cloud9Shopper]

I’m on the point of Season 2 now where Haddie is dating Alex, who’s a recovering alcoholic, and Adam and Kristina decide to bar her from seeing him. Like they should know what happened the first time they were averse to her dating. She is going to find a way to see Alex just like how she managed to still hang out with Steve and order a Victoria’s Secret bra without her parents’ knowledge. They don’t even try to talk about healthy dating or red flags or anything with her then go shocked Pikachu face when she keeps up the behavior. Kristina tries to win her back over by making her favorite pancakes or saying hey let’s paint your room, as if Haddie is five and this will totally work. 

I agree that I like Crosby and Jasmine the best and how Crosby had a moment of growth by being firm with Jabbar that he needs to clean his room. Joel is boring, so I couldn’t really care less about him and Julia even though she annoyed me a couple episodes back. 

On 3/14/2025 at 9:34 AM, AgathaC said:

Good Lord! I’m glad I didn’t watch more than an episode of that show. My blood pressure would have been through the roof. One of my nieces is autistic (high functioning — you wouldn’t know when first meeting her) and one of my sisters has developmental delays. No one has ever coddled or made excuses for either one. There are modifications made as far as functioning and expectations, but they are still expected to meet certain standards of behavior. And neither has ever been treated like they’re the princess of the universe. They’re just part of the crew. And they’re very much the better for it. Seeing parents act like what you’re describing would send me into orbit.

My brother is has high-functioning Asperger’s, and has never been catered to by our parents. He didn’t even want to accept disability accommodations in college. I work in higher ed now, and a lot of students these days seem to think that their ADHD and/or anxiety gives them a free pass to do whatever they want and flaunt the rules. It very much does not. They have to play on the same field and organize their work and meet deadlines like their non-accommodated classmates. 

[GHScorpiosRule]

After finally getting the complete mini-series of the 1985-86 North and South-which is STILL AMAZING with its production values and the star-studded cast, I didn’t know there was a Book III that was also made into a three parter. While I didn’t watch it-it’s included in the DVD set-I am NOT going to watch it! Like What in the Everloving FUCK?!! That sadist, and blackmailing murdering ARSEHOLE Bent survived when his guns and powder exploded with him INSIDE?!!🤬🤬🤬🤬 This wasn’t the 21st century, or hell, even the 20th! 

I just rewatched this yesterday after decades, and there is more misery than happiness for Orry and George. But it’s still a great mini-series! THAT’S how they should be done to do the books justice and Roots (original).

And now I’m watching Ken Burns’ documentary, because North and South tried to sell me that Sherman was some avuncular person when he was one of the worst when it came to the genocide of the Native Americans after the Civil War. 

ETA-and also trying to sell me Jefferson Davis was some honorable person because he was played by Lloyd Bridges! Wish they’d had the guts to show him in his wife’s dress after the war was over!😂😂

Edited Sunday at 04:50 PM by GHScorpiosRule

[Spartan Girl]

2 hours ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

ETA-and also trying to sell me Jefferson Davis was some honorable person because he was played by Lloyd Bridges! Wish they’d had the guts to show him in his wife’s dress after the war was over!😂😂