+57
Save

What's a TV series that you tried to get into but never could?

8 years ago by baron778 with 68 comments

Join the Discussion

  • Auto Tier
  • All
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
Post Comment
Conversation 15 comments by 11 users
  • Boudicca
    +15

    Believe it or not, Breaking Bad. I feel like a pariah.

    • voicesinmyhead
      +7

      I got through maybe seven episodes. At no point in those seven episodes could I identify what was so addictive about the show.

      I've mentioned this to friends who were absolutely obsessed with this show, and their response almost every time was "Oh, you just have to keep watching. It gets really good in a few episodes!".

      Sorry, but I shouldn't have to tolerate almost ten hours of content to get to "the good stuff". If a show can't get me at least moderately interested after the first episode, then I likely won't keep watching.

      • d1rge
        +4

        The problem is some shows do just take time before the creators get into their stride. The Wire is a great example of that, the first season takes a long time building up the characters and the story moves at an almost glacial pace, but I'd argue that it's well worth the time. The payoff is tremendous.

        • drunkenninja
          +2

          This is another show I tried to like! I watched the whole 1st season and wasn't impressed with it. Maybe it gets better down the road but it was like you said, it was slooow and I just couldn't focus.

          • d1rge
            +2

            Well, there's no accounting for taste and ours may just be different :)

            I think part of the reason it already appealed to me towards the end of the first season is just how gritty and bleak it was. I don't think there had been any other show at the time it was released that showed just how dark the social environment (or maybe Baltimore itself) really was and it focussed too on the day-to-day lives of people at all levels of the drug trade.

            I think historic context is often a big influence when people recommend movies and TV shows.

    • SirWinston
      +7

      I experienced the same thing. I know that the show itself is good, but it was so heavy that I needed to be in the right mood to watch it, but I was never really in that right mood.

    • cunt
      +4

      I know what you mean, just couldn't get in to it

    • massani
      +3

      Amen.

      I think I got about two seasons in, then just stopped watching. The thing is, everyone loved Walter White, but I found him so insufferable that I just couldn't watch him. No I did not want to root for him, like everyone else was doing. When you create a show with an unlikeable main character, usually you make the secondary characters more likeable, at least that was my case for The Sopranos. With Breaking Bad, I didn't like any of the characters... so I just stopped watching.

      I'll probably give it another go, but damn it is going to be a chore.

    • DrunkOldMan
      +3

      Agree. EVERYBODY telling me to watch it makes me NOT want to watch it and so far I haven't.

      • idlethreat (edited 8 years ago)
        +4

        Well, then. this is for you ;)

        • DrunkOldMan
          +3

          Bwwwahaaaaa............that's too awesome!! But, "You'll never break me!"

        • Boudicca
          +2

          Thankyou DrunkOldMan and idle threat, I am no longer alone

          • Gozzin
            +1

            I've not seen it either and I really don't care about seeing it.

            • Boudicca
              +1

              I think now that the series has ended the pressure is off. I'm a fan of GOT and I feel sorry for all the people who aren't, not because I think they're missing out, but because when the season is running all the hype must be inescapable.

    • the7egend
      +2

      I'm right there with you, tried watching it and it just felt boring. Then you got the whole of the world clamoring about how amazing it is. Please.

Conversation 12 comments by 7 users
  • HappyApple
    +6

    Dr. Who, for sure. So many of my friends were/are obsessed with that show. I watched a whole season of it before giving up and they were just like, "Oh man, it gets better!" They sound like abused spouses.

    • badger28
      +5

      I'm with you on that. I've watched some of the older stuff and some of the newer stuff, and it's just not for me.

    • Qukatt
      +3

      it doesn't really "get better" it just changes what sort of terrible it is.

      I much prefer the "good story just terrible effects" b-movie type episodes but i really hate the "terrible actors" or "terrible story" type stuff which is reasonably prevalent. At least the old ones are suitably vintage b-movie. It's just a shame I really like Peter Capaldi as an Actor but damn they are really not utilising him as well as they should. And that girl who plays Clara is horrendous. she needs to go away. At least Matt Smith years no one was overly annoying and the stories were camp enough to be watchable.

      I'd probably say i'm a fan of the idea of dr who and not so much the actual show. Same with Star Wars. those movies are sooooo boring but i love the universe it's set in. I love KOTOR and some of the books are really good. and LOTR, love the world and lore, hate the books and the movies.

    • Gozzin
      +2

      The new Dr. Who and Battlestar Galactica.Nope,nope,nope. I did not find the characters or the plots interesting.

    • picklefingers
      +2

      I'd stay and watch if my sister happened to be watching it in her room, but I can never actually watch the series independently. The show is funny and the doctor(s) is brilliant, but I just don't have a draw to the show.

    • douglas77
      +2

      But it actually does get better :)

      In the middle of season 4, the story arc with River Song starts, and then really picks up steam during season 5. It is only resolved at the end of season 7! So if the whole monster-of-the-week approach isn't your thing, you might want to start again with season 5.

      • HappyApple
        +1

        I'll probably give it another shot one of these days, but I have a hard time starting shows in the middle. Even if the plot isn't continuous or anything, I don't like doing it. I don't even mind the monster-of-the-week approach. The show is like Buffy, but not good. Buffy had bad acting and bad effects and bad scripts, but for some reason it was still fun to watch.

        • douglas77 (edited 8 years ago)
          +3

          I have a hard time starting shows in the middle.

          Me too, but for Doctor Who starting at the real beginning would have meant watching 34 seasons :) so I bit the bullet and skipped the first 26.

          • HappyApple
            +1

            Ha, right. I forget about that part sometimes.

  • zyrthofar
    +5

    Arrested Development. I hate how much the guy does for his family, but they repay him by making him miserable. I would have distanced myself from my family a long time ago if it was so dysfunctional.

    • Ajwerth
      +6

      But that's the point its called arrested development, his development is arrested he can't move on for some reason. The character's in the whole show never develop they just do the same stuff everytime. I guess i can see how that would not be appealing. The show just has some amazingly well written jokes.

      • cunt
        +2

        It seems to be an American programme written with British Humour

      • anonycon
        +1

        I would agree, except for George Michael. He seems to develop a little, as you would expect a teen to grow up a little.

      • zyrthofar
        +1

        That kinda makes sense. Maybe I'll give it another shot one day :).

  • UnicornCommando
    +4

    Doctor Who, the Walking Dead, Gotham, Bleach, Naruto and The Big Bang theory

    • the7egend
      +1

      After the first season of Walking Dead, I kind of bailed on the show, that second season was terrible, farm this, farm that, farm farm farm.

    • Ajwerth
      +1

      The big bang theory was good for the first 1 or 2 seasons then I was like ok i get it there stereotypical geeks, lets move on.

  • [Deleted Profile]

    [This comment was removed]

  • Agent37x
    +3

    The Walking Dead for me. I just couldn't even make it through the first episode, and I tried. Multiple times. When does it get good?

    I've tried to get into Arrested Development. Meh?

    Similarly, I haven't watched The Sopranos or Breaking Bad, and Game of Thrones I'm only a few episodes in, I just don't have any drive to keep watching it.

    • cunt
      +4

      Walking dead - It doesn't really. Its a bog standard zombie programme. I find more than 50% of most episodes are filler and so I sit and fast forward through most of it and can watch a series in about an hour

  • anonycon
    +3

    Star Trek: Deep Space 9 - I have seen several episodes randomly, but when I had Netflix, I tried to start from the beginning: it was so slow and dry. They tried by upping the drama, but the actors couldn't pull it off.

    Dr. Who - I started where Netflix did, and it was the 9th Doctor. I watched the first two episodes, hoping for some fun in the watch, and both episodes were just too bleak. I just lost interest.

    IT Crowd (UK) - I laughed, but it was generally uncompelling. So I kind of just let it go, too.

  • GeniusIComeAnon
    +3

    For me it was Game of Thrones. I just couldn't get into it at all. It seems like the lore might be interesting, but only when I hear people talk about it. All the sex scenes seemed really pointless to me, too. They weren't establishing anything, they weren't interesting to watch especially with all of my family; it just felt like pandering or trying to fit in with all the other HBO sex shows.

  • Fuyu
    +3

    Adventure Time, and modern American cartoons in general. I really wanted to like Adventure Time because I had read so much about the backstory lore and how the creator was a D&D player that used untouched campaign ideas for his story and it really interested me. I had given up on cartoons in about '08 thanks to Chowder and Flapjack, and I found Adventure Time to be just as obnoxious as I remember those to be.

    What's sad now is Steven Universe is the next big obsession with everyone I know. They pitch it to me constantly and even before I knew it was an American cartoon or by the dude from Adventure Time I thought it sounded bad. I want to enjoy what my friends enjoy but for the life of me I can't see the appeal. It can't even be nostalgia because modern cartoons are nothing like the cartoons I grew up on.

    • Qukatt (edited 8 years ago)
      +2

      Steven Universe isn't the guy from Adventure time, it's a lady called Rebecca Sugar. (edit: she used to work on adventure time, mostly the songs and a few of the more poignant episodes but hasn't worked on the show in a while now)

      It has a more coherent story line, it does share some animation style and some of the humour with Adventure time. I also shares a lot of traits with obnoxious cartoons but it is certainly well written and compelling if you like the show.

      I would say with any show watch 3 episodes then decide :) it's worth making your own opinions and pilots alone are not always reliable.

  • MePLUR
    +3

    Cowboy Bebop. Everyone recommends it as a good alternative to Firefly. I think I watched the first two episodes but still couldn't quite get into it. I'll give it a second chance someday. It did take me three attempts before I got into Star Trek TOS.

    • SevenTales
      +2

      Yeah, Cowboy Bebop can be hard to penetrate the first few episode. Keep at it, I hope you'll like it, it's awesome :P

    • turtledaze
      +1

      Me too!!! I just couldn't understand what people were raving about...I know I will give it another shot, but I'm not optimistic. Which is a shame because I LOVE Firefly.

    • picklefingers
      +1

      Love the music. Never actually watched it. It's sort of indefinitely been that "I'll get to it" show since the beginning of my interest in anime. Now I've really lost my interest (sans a show or two that catch my eye now and again), so I think I may never actually watch it.

  • Qukatt
    +3

    game of thrones and walking dead. just... nope.

    • cunt
      +2

      I get you on game of thrones - The first 2 or 3 episodes of the series were crap but it steadily got better for me - minus all the unnecessary torture/violence and stuff. I like adventure series.

      Walking dead - I like it but usually skip through more than half of the episode - its mostly filler and so finish an episode in about 10-15 minutes

      • ClassyCritic
        +2

        The books have added to my enjoyment of Game of Thrones for sure. Loved the Walking Dead at first, not a whole lot new happens though.

  • pixelboot
    +2

    Mad Men - I wanted to like it SO bad. Everyone loved it and talked about it. I watched the entire first season and couldn't get myself motivated enough to start the second.

  • phosphorescent
    +2

    Attack on Titan. Many people seem obsessed over how amazing it is. I made it about 14 episodes in, every single one forcing myself to watch. I just couldn't stand it.

    • picklefingers
      +2

      I ended about 14 episodes in as well. It wasn't a bad show in my opinion, but didn't have enough to keep me watching. Oh well. I'll watch the movie if it ever premieres in the US.

      • phosphorescent
        +1

        That might have been it too. The progression was just so slow, and with each episode being double length it just got boring.

  • marenmor
    +2

    Been thinking about this one for a couple of hours now. WEEDS. Made it to season 5-ish first time around. Second time, sesson 6-ish. Over and out.

    • gabe2068
      +1

      I don't remember what season I left but it was right around the heroin thing and it was a good idea at first and they executed it very well but it really started getting repetitive. She sells some weed, gets in some trouble, someone tries to fix it.

  • Civil
    +2

    Dr. Who, Lost, and Heroes. Not sure if it was because I had friends who were already talking a lot about each before I got a chance to watch or what, but I could just never get into them.

  • d1rge
    +2

    Two oldies that created ardent fans:
    * The X-Files. It just didn't appeal to me at all. I can't understand why people are so obsessed with it.

    * Buffy The Vampire Slayer. Maybe it's because I wasn't a teenager when it came out.

  • DrunkOldMan
    +2

    All the CSI / Criminal Minds stuff, I don't think I've ever watched one episode and I don't know why...........

  • SevenTales
    +2

    I really wanted to like House, but apart from the main character, really the show falls completely flat to me. Every other character beside Wilson gets under my skin. When House isn't on screen the show is a chore.

  • eggpl4nt
    +2

    The Office. Kind of. I actually found it pretty funny and I enjoyed watching the first couple of seasons multiple times, but a season or two after Michael leaves, I just kind of stop. It all feels kind of same-old same-old. No matter what "new" thing happened, it just didn't seem new. Kind of like spraying Febreeze in an old room instead of opening a window and letting in fresh air.

    However, I really enjoyed Parks and Recreation, which is filmed in the same style as The Office. I felt that Parks & Rec was so much more interesting, lively, and had more of a story going in it than The Office. So glad I watched it.

    Also, Rick and Morty. My boyfriend thought I'd find it so funny. We watched the pilot and to me it was just awful. Burping, farting, vomit, unattractive art and animation, mediocre jokes. I don't get that hype at all.

    • cunt
      +4

      I find the american Office to be watchable but the UK office absolutely atrocious. Can't think of any programmes with Gervais in it that I like other than an Idiot abroad and even then he spoils it.

      • picklefingers
        +1

        Honestly, I absolutely LOVE Gervais, but I don't love watching him. He is an incredibly smart comedian and just a funny person to watch be them, but I honestly don't think it transfers well to TV. I just love him in Podcasts, interviews, award speeches, quirky tweets, clips of his laugh, etc.

    • Ajwerth
      +2

      Parks and rec is good because of Amy Poehler. Anything that Amy Poehler or Tina Fey have something to do with is usually awesome. 30 Rock, Unbreakable, I'm looking forward to the new Wet Hot American summer show on netflix.

  • drunkenninja
    +2

    I was never able to get into Scrubs, I don't know what it is about that show, at around episode 6 I just gave up.