Before the movie thread spirals into a TV thread, might as well create the TV thread.
Enterprise has already been mentioned. I offer one of my favorites that most people didn't warm up to:
Dark Angel. I loved Dark Angel. It was a deeply flawed merging of futuristic cyberpunk with urban hip hop, a combination that never gelled properly. And how could it, really? Jessica Alba was 19 when she was cast as Max Guevara and Alba's skills as a thespian did not quite equal her ability to pout and wear tight leather. And yet, I really dug Dark Angel, it's "broken world" of 2021 Seattle post-nuclear Pulse that left America a third world country. I enjoyed the forbidden love story between Max and Logan Cale, crusading, wheelchair-bound cyber journalist. I liked season one more a bit more than season two, which was more of a mutant monster mystery show with the secret cult villains and Max's talking dog sidekick. But Dark Angel had a pretty great 90 minute series finale directed by co-creator James Cameron himself, one of his first directorial outings during his long hiatus between Titanic and Avatar. Also, I am of the firm belief to this day that one on one, all things being equal in a straight fight, genetically engineered Max Guevara would wipe the floor with magical vampire Slayer Buffy Summers.
Dark Angel also gave us Jensen Ackles, who would go on to Supernatural and had one of the first TV appearances of Rainn Wilson of The Office, who guested in one episode as Seattle's ill-advised "superhero", the Street Sweeper.
(edited by John Orquiola on 4.2.12 0701) @BackoftheHead
This is a harder thread for me to comment on. First thing that pops in my head is Lost, but I can understand people not getting into it (especially the last season).
Originally posted by ScottyflamingoThis is a harder thread for me to comment on. First thing that pops in my head is Lost, but I can understand people not getting into it (especially the last season).
This is why these kinds of conversations annoy me. Inevitably someone (many people, actually) will offer a show (or whatever the subject is) that is almost universally praised by people who watch it as an example of something that gets hated.
Lost averaged more than 10 million viewers per episode its final season. It was nominated for and won many awards. I've seen many, many lists putting it among the top television series in U.S. history.
*Every* show has someone who hates it. But that doesn't mean there is "hate" not to "get" regarding Lost. If Lost was hated, there has never been a show in the history of television that was liked.
hmmm this is tricky. So I will only say the ones I had to defend to my friends as good shows
Smallville, a ton of my friends hated Smallville cuz it wasn't about superman, and their was no Batman and other minor tweaks to the over all story. I loved the last few seasons of it and thought while they didn't explore the idea of all the heroes working together and Clark learning how to be a leader to its full potential it was very good.
Dont say its not worth it, when you can sleep with no fear, that kind of time is worth any thing.- FFX
I thought 'Joey' was pretty entertaining and not anything close to the horror that its critics claim it to be. It was a fun, inoffensive 22 minutes of comedy --- a solid B- in every episode, like Friends was over its last few seasons. It doesn't belong anywhere near a list of the worst spinoffs in TV history.
"It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone." --- Bart Giamatti, on baseball
Originally posted by Big BadI thought 'Joey' was pretty entertaining and not anything close to the horror that its critics claim it to be. It was a fun, inoffensive 22 minutes of comedy --- a solid B- in every episode, like Friends was over its last few seasons. It doesn't belong anywhere near a list of the worst spinoffs in TV history.
Thank you. I'm glad I'm not the only one who enjoyed it.
I loves me some NASCAR, too. I catch all the races. I heard all the detractors - they can't steer...it's repetitive, yadda yadda...but who cares? I love it.
I know Star Trek Voyager didn't have as many fans as say...TNG, but I loved it.
Finally, keeping sports in mind: I enjoyed the XFL.
(edited by Oliver on 4.2.12 1625) All I want for Christmas is WORLD DOMINATION.
Smallville, yes. Oh, I get the hate for Smallville. But I looooove Smallville. This has been well-established on this board. I miss Smallville dearly.
I miss it for the same reason you do, something to bash. I am a hater of Smallville for a lot of reasons. I think with any show like Lost if you have a rather shitty ending or an ending that makes people scream WTF!! There is some hate, but the reality is, people loved that show up until the end. I am going to go with Dollhouse. Those last five episodes maybe some of the best ever done on TV that year.
(edited by lotjx on 4.2.12 2110) The Wee Baby Sheamus.
Twitter: @realjoecarfley its a bit more toned down there. A bit.
Originally posted by OliverI know Star Trek Voyager didn't have as many fans as say...TNG, but I loved it.
I have to second this. I don't get why so many people still hate this show. Janeway was a fantastic starship captain, Tuvok was a kick-ass Vulcan, and eye candy doesn't get any better than Seven-of-Nine. This is still one of my favorite Star Trek shows and I just don't understand the hate that people have for it.
Originally posted by ScottyflamingoThis is a harder thread for me to comment on. First thing that pops in my head is Lost, but I can understand people not getting into it (especially the last season).
This is why these kinds of conversations annoy me. Inevitably someone (many people, actually) will offer a show (or whatever the subject is) that is almost universally praised by people who watch it as an example of something that gets hated.
Lost averaged more than 10 million viewers per episode its final season. It was nominated for and won many awards. I've seen many, many lists putting it among the top television series in U.S. history.
*Every* show has someone who hates it. But that doesn't mean there is "hate" not to "get" regarding Lost. If Lost was hated, there has never been a show in the history of television that was liked.
So, 10 million people makes it immune from hate? I hated that show. I hated all the people who continuously blabbed about how great it was. I hated how everybody just ASSUMED everybody on the planet loved it. It's just like the Sapranos to me. Totally boring, and overrated.
Originally posted by StaggerLeeSo, 10 million people makes it immune from hate? I hated that show. I hated all the people who continuously blabbed about how great it was.
As did I. I thought it was a massively overrated show that was slow moving and often poorly acted and wasn't 1% as clever, ground breaking or original as people kept trying to tell me it was.
But this was TBF's point. Every TV show, every film, every song, every sporting event, every painting, every anything-people-can-​have-an-opinion-on has some people who hate it. If you start including hugely successful series' like Lost in a "shows you don't get the hate for" discussion you may as well start listing every show you ever liked because, hey, somebody somewhere doubtless hated it. When people start naming massively popular, critically acclaimed shows in these threads it really grates on me because it comes across as people thinking some things are worthy of literally universal praise which is patently ridiculous.
So yeah, I hate Lost, but it has absolutely no place in this thread. Now if there was a "shows you don't get the love for" thread I'd merrily find a home for it, but that thread would be a more negative, less happy place than this.
Back on topic, I shared John's enjoyment of Smallville while being completely able to understand why people hated it. I liked Flashforward more than most as well. Nothing great, but a fun show that got more flak than it deserved.
I'll toss in probably the most obvious show everyone always says they hate:
Saturday Night Live.
I watch SNL practically every week. There are good episodes and bad episodes, bad sketches and good sketches, good hosts and bad hosts. It's catch as catch can; that's the nature of live sketch comedy. I really like the current cast. Hader, Wiig, Armisen, Samberg, Pedrad, Elliot, Killam, Pharoah, etc. is a pretty talented cast. What they do every episode is incredibly difficult. I don't get personally offended with huffy umbrage every time there's a bad episode.
I'll say Rules of Engagement. I think there's a lot of David Spade hate, but he's only part of the show and nearly everything Patrick Warburton says has me absolutely rolling.
Originally posted by John OrquiolaI'll toss in probably the most obvious show everyone always says they hate:
Saturday Night Live.
I watch SNL practically every week. There are good episodes and bad episodes, bad sketches and good sketches, good hosts and bad hosts. It's catch as catch can; that's the nature of live sketch comedy. I really like the current cast. Hader, Wiig, Armisen, Samberg, Pedrad, Elliot, Killam, Pharoah, etc. is a pretty talented cast. What they do every episode is incredibly difficult. I don't get personally offended with huffy umbrage every time there's a bad episode.
I concur 100%. It's a really tough grind to pull off that show, and even last night with a host AND band I don't like, I still watch. Even on an off week, Bill Hader will do something hillarious and memorable.
The "Saturday Night Dead" meme has been around forever... I've been an avid SNL fan since I started watching at the end of the Dana/Phil era. I highly recommend Jon Lovitz' podcast series with Kevin Smith, where he's recounting stories from the mid-80s SNL world.
Originally posted by Reverend J ShaftI'll say Rules of Engagement. I think there's a lot of David Spade hate, but he's only part of the show and nearly everything Patrick Warburton says has me absolutely rolling.
Agreed here, Warburton is the funniest part of that show.
Finally, keeping sports in mind: I enjoyed the XFL.
(edited by Oliver on 4.2.12 1625)
Seconded.
Third.
I also enjoyed the XFL until their response to declining ratings was to change the rules every week to try and make things more exciting. It just made things more confusing and made them look minor league. Going for three should never been an option after a touchdown. That said, the "punts longer than 25 yards are live balls" rule was genius, and the first time I saw a QB take a shotgun snap and punt to a receiver on third and long was a mark out moment.
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