Popular TV shows you don't like...

maestrowork

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Have no interest in:

American Idol
most reality shows
Soprano
Desperate Housewives
Grey's Anatomy (actually, most hospital shows except Scrubs)
all variations of CSI
...

What can I say? I'm not really a TV person. :)
 

Uma

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I agree with your list except for Sopranos, even as an ex-pat I'm a Jersey girl at heart.

Despite being the right demographic I must admit that I abhor most TV shows targeted to women my age. I cannot sit through an episode of Gray's Anatomy and the reruns of Ally McBeal make my skin crawl. Sex and the City I just found dull.

That being said I do watch Desperate Housewives but only because I have a strange strange Kyle MacLachlan fetish (I still think Twin Peaks is pretty much the only show really worth watching). For the same reason I sat through more episodes of Sex & the City then I would like to admit.

I only admit this here because everyone I know loves and adores these shows and I usually just keep my mouth shut.
 

MidnightMuse

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House
24
American Idol
Survivor
CSI
CSI Miami
Lost
Gray's Anatomy
ER
Desperate Housewives
Law & Order: Sport Utility Vehicle( :D )
Criminal Minds
Medium
that other Medium show with the younger girl
Bones
Shark


hmm, maybe it'd be easier to just say what little I DO like :)
 

Southern_girl29

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Any and all of the CSIs, although I did watch the first season of the Los Vegas one.
Desperate Housewives
Gray's Anatomy
Dancing with the Stars
The Bachelor and Bachelorette (are they even still showing this?)
 

askeladd

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The thing is that popularity generally appeals to the lowest common denominator, and hence to the average Joe. Since I am definitely not average, I can't say that I find any of that stuff appealing.
 

pconsidine

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Given that I generally dislike procedurals of any kind (Law and Order, CSI, House, etc.) and I'm on a "reality TV" strike out of solidarity with my TV writer friends, that leaves probably about six or seven shows to even talk about.

And I only like three of those.
 

Jersey Chick

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Desperate Housewives
Grey's Anatomy
CSI Miami
American Idol (once the auditions are over, what's the point?)
Lost
The Sopranos
24


There are actually only 4 shows I make a point of watching. Three are network, but the fourth one is Rescue Me, which I think is the best show on television.
 

ChunkyC

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The Sopranos. Another 'cheer for the dirtbag' show. Nu-uh, don't care how cool the theme song is.
24. Rhymes with snore, say no more.
All the CSIs after they kept getting more and more gross. Don't need gross in my life.
Most reality TV shows, especially Fear Factor. More gross I don't need.
Ghost Whisperer. As dumb as Charmed, another show I couldn't stand.
Friends. Never, ever 'got' this show.
 

CheshireCat

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The thing is that popularity generally appeals to the lowest common denominator, and hence to the average Joe. Since I am definitely not average, I can't say that I find any of that stuff appealing.


The thing is that blanket statements tend to be wrong and usually offensive to somebody. :)

I enjoy both television and movies. I also write for a mass audience, and am rather successful at it. Judging by the other successful writers I know, I have a hunch the two things are not unrelated.

In other words, if you scorn what's popular with "the average Joe," then I certainly hope you aren't trying to write for the popular, mass market.

All that said, I despise reality shows, and most "competition" shows like American Idol; I've watched most of Idol this season, but got both irritated and bored, and pretty much bailed.
 

PattiTheWicked

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I know Gray's Anatomy is hugely popular, but I just thought it was boring the time I tried to watch it. Same with House, although I do like Hugh Laurie.

I don't get American Idol. And Desperate Housewives lost me after the first season.

And why, in the name of all that is holy, is Two and a Half Men still on? Does ANYONE watch it?
 

ChunkyC

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*raises hand*

My wife and I love Two and a half Men. :)

While I'm at it, let me add my voice to the 'don't like Gray's Anatomy' chorus. Oh, almost forgot: That Navy NCIS thing. You can't tell me those bickering twits are elite military criminal investigators. How that show ever got nominated for an Emmy is beyond me.
 
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askeladd

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The thing is that blanket statements tend to be wrong and usually offensive to somebody. :)

I enjoy both television and movies. I also write for a mass audience, and am rather successful at it. Judging by the other successful writers I know, I have a hunch the two things are not unrelated.

In other words, if you scorn what's popular with "the average Joe," then I certainly hope you aren't trying to write for the popular, mass market.

I was merely making an observation, and it was not my intention to be offensive. But by its very nature, a key component of popularity is to have broadest appeal to a (target) market. Most of the time, that does mean reducing things to the lowest common denominator.

Since I don't share these tastes, at least with regards to television programming, I find very few contemporary shows appealing. Ditto with movies. I don't see it as a question of right or wrong, just different strokes and marching to the beat of a different drummer and all that.

If I despise pistachio ice cream, then that's my preference and I really don't care if 98% of the populace raves about it. But that wouldn't necessarily preclude me from making pistachio ice cream and selling it to those who love the stuff - indeed, a smart businessman would seek to take advantage of its popularity. Nothing wrong, as long as no principles are compromised in doing so.
 

ChunkyC

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Quite so. To each his or her own. If you find something entertaining, that's great. We should all have something we find enjoyable. :)
 

seun

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Any reality TV can burn for all I care. And I mean that literally. It is my fond hope that on the first night of the next series of Big Brother - or as it's also known, that vile pile of stinking pus that pretends to be something more than a tacky route to fame for talentless, pointless non entities desperate to validate their shallow lives by achieving their fifteen seconds - the house burns down and everyone involved dies.
 

Will Lavender

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When the slow rock song loops start in the last 10 minutes of Grey's Anatomy, those songs that tell me How I Should Feel, I want to choke somebody.

Worst popular entertainment of all time, maybe.
 

jvc

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And why, in the name of all that is holy, is Two and a Half Men still on? Does ANYONE watch it?

I have to admit I love this show, it is very funny :) .

Popular TV shows I just don't like include just about any reality TV, which goes double for big brother. And of course Lost, the most boring show ever to get commisioned.
 

ChunkyC

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Yeah, LOST should get lost. ;) It's worse than Gilligan's Island for all the people and stuff that keep popping up on this supposedly middle-of-nowhere island. :tongue

At least based on what I've seen in the commercials for it and the few times I've surfed by and watched for a few minutes before I couldn't take it anymore.
 

maestrowork

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I happen to like Two and a Half Men. I like the Monday night line-up, actually. I think How I Met Your Mother is hilarious -- love Neil Patrick Harris and Alyson Hannigan in it.

Don't care much for 24 -- it's a silly thriller.
 

MidnightMuse

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I'll admit to liking Two and a Half Men. At first I thought it had to be the stupidest thing out there - without watching it. Then I caught an episode, surprised myself by laughing, caught another one - now I watch it weekly.
 

ChaosTitan

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All current sitcoms.
American Idol (the theme song sends me into fits)
Big Brother/Survivor/Real World/The Bachelor/INSERT REALITY SHOW HERE
Any CSI incarnation
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Desperate Housewives
Brothers & Sisters

There are too many "past popular" shows to list. I only stick with about 5-6 shows per TV season, so there are more shows on my Don't Watch/Don't Like list than on the Can't Miss TV list.
 

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I was merely making an observation, and it was not my intention to be offensive.

Yes, that's why I added a smiley.

But by its very nature, a key component of popularity is to have broadest appeal to a (target) market. Most of the time, that does mean reducing things to the lowest common denominator.

Since I don't share these tastes, at least with regards to television programming, I find very few contemporary shows appealing. Ditto with movies. I don't see it as a question of right or wrong, just different strokes and marching to the beat of a different drummer and all that.

If I despise pistachio ice cream, then that's my preference and I really don't care if 98% of the populace raves about it. But that wouldn't necessarily preclude me from making pistachio ice cream and selling it to those who love the stuff - indeed, a smart businessman would seek to take advantage of its popularity. Nothing wrong, as long as no principles are compromised in doing so.

Nothing wrong with marching to a different drummer.

But don't kid yourself about the difference between pistachio ice cream and fiction. You can produce the former on autopilot as long as you have the tools, ingredients, and a decent recipe.

Try the same thing with fiction, in particular if you scorn and/or fail to understand the tastes of your target audience, and I can pretty much guarantee you'll fail.

But keep marching. No skin off my nose.

:)
 

gem1122

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hmm, maybe it'd be easier to just say what little I DO like :)

I agree. I despise most TV shows, including any and all reality shows, crime dramas, and sitcoms. The only thing I watch are football and a few documentary-type shows from the History Channel, HGTV, Discovery Channel, etc. Oh, and Jon Stewart. Oh, and I really got into Battlestar Gallactica at the end of this last season.

Other than that, it all sucks.