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Post by Pedantic Editor Type on Apr 21, 2015 9:06:48 GMT -5
@patrickbatman I suspect this is more cultural -- the intensity of feelings about things. The internet tends to feed on fandom (and anti-fandom) and it becomes this rabid cycle of dissection and discussion and adoration. There are always going to be plenty of people in the middle, but they tend not to talk about it -- not much to say. "Yeah, Community's ok" doesn't lend itself to rabid discussion.  |
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Post by Delicious Waffle on Apr 21, 2015 9:09:22 GMT -5
I have no intentions of ever watching Breaking Bad.
I've never seen Mr. Show and have very little interest in changing that.
I gave up after 2 seasons of Game of Thrones.
I enjoy Kanye West.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2015 9:18:16 GMT -5
I have no intentions of ever watching Breaking Bad. I've never seen Mr. Show and have very little interest in changing that. I gave up after 2 seasons of Game of Thrones. I enjoy Kanye West. I also enjoy Kanye West. I have a very strong suspicion that a great number of Kanye's detractors have never actually listened to his music, and are just incapable of separating a personality from the music. That said, I do like Kanye's personal brand of douchebaggery, I find him immensely entertaining. |
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Post by Liz n Dicksgiving on Apr 21, 2015 9:26:55 GMT -5
I watched one episode of Community and was utterly baffled by its popularity. Ditto The Office.
I not only haven't ever seen Mad Men, Breaking Bad, or Game of Thrones, but I also have no interest in watching any of them.
With regard to the previous point, I actually don't like heavy serial TV shows. My preference is non-brainy episodic stuff, preferably procedurals. Sure, I'll say it -- I LOVE NCIS. ::pounds chest and glares defiantly::
Stand-up comedy isn't on my radar at all.
I hate Christopher Nolan with the fiery passion of a thousand suns, and feel watching Inception was the worst 2 1/2 hours of my life.
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Ice Cream Planet
AV Clubber 
I get glimpses of the horror of normalcy.
Posts: 3,833 
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Post by Ice Cream Planet on Apr 21, 2015 9:43:59 GMT -5
I see it as a little bit like Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman and Twin Peaks (although certainly not as good as those two) in how it just has a very specific, postmodern type of humor where you're either on the frequency or you're not. I'll also fully admit I don't like it, but I don't hate it, so I don't think about it too much. If others like it, good for them. I appreciate the attempt, but I don't think that answer quite satisfies me. I didn't hate Community, or even dislike it prior to season 5; I thought it was funny, often smart even. It's not the appeal that I don't understand, it's the intensity of it. For me, the show really just felt like Scrubs 2.0, but with a charming, self-interested dick as a lead character in place of a well-meaning but smarmy one. I think that's what's confusing about the show to me, everyone insists it's a "love it or hate it" affair with no middle ground, and yet here I stand on that middle ground, blinking. When it comes to cult fandom, the intensity is often (not always, of course) inexplicable. It connects and has a weirdness that makes the people who love it think, 'this is fantastic, it speaks to me, blah blah blah.' Personally I never got the 'love it or hate it' approach with Community. Much like you, I'm on ambivalent ground. Funny enough you mentioning Scrubs. That was a show I could never get into. |
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Post by Great Unwashed on Apr 21, 2015 9:48:57 GMT -5
–Watched an episode of Community. It was okay and I can see why it attracts a cult audience, but it wasn't for me. Can you please explain it to me, then? I liked the show quite a bit, but I cannot wrap my head around its cult of personality. What am I not seeing? A emotionally dysfunctional guy has watched a lot of sitcom repeats and attached emotional weight to what would appear to be the trite, banal and easy emotional rhythms of the sitcom, with its weekly revelations as resolutions before the normal behaviour is resumed before the next weekly revelation, as a way of temporarily ameliorating his own flailing and callous selfish jerkiness with self-indulgent emotional castigation and revelations in a similarly repeating cycle, the the point where it actually becomes a means of relating to and understanding the world, perpetuating the intellectual and emotional stuntedness which causes problems when having to deal with other people as they are and not as extensions of oneself and one's dumbass beliefs, in turn causing one to seek comfort in the familiar and predicatable patterns of sitcom repeats, and then this guy made a show. At the risk of casting aspersions, I think some people may have found a certain resonance with that kind of use of pop-culture as an emotional crutch, if not at the same intensity, and that kind of resonance can make people really fucking annoying about the shows they like. |
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Ice Cream Planet
AV Clubber
I get glimpses of the horror of normalcy.
Posts: 3,833
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Post by Ice Cream Planet on Apr 21, 2015 9:49:40 GMT -5
I have no intentions of ever watching Breaking Bad. I've never seen Mr. Show and have very little interest in changing that. I gave up after 2 seasons of Game of Thrones. I enjoy Kanye West. I also enjoy Kanye West. I have a very strong suspicion that a great number of Kanye's detractors have never actually listened to his music, and are just incapable of separating a personality from the music. That said, I do like Kanye's personal brand of douchebaggery, I find him immensely entertaining. Hey, I have listened to his music and still find it and his personality overbearing. That said, I give you immense respect for not clogging up my Facebook feed with posts about him. Thank you, sir. |
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Post by sarapen on Apr 21, 2015 9:57:51 GMT -5
--think Cameron Esposito is an excellent stand-up, just not a very good writer. Have no strong feelings either way about her articles. Huh, I always thought it was Carmen Esposito. I guess I never bothered to learn her name. That would have been awkward if I'd ever met her. Of course, I'd never meet her because I've never seen a live standup show in my life. Also, I have never watched any Mystery Science Theater 3000. I know that the actors are basically reprising their roles on Other Space, which made some people freak out, but the news was meaningless to me. Oh yeah, I've also never seen Veronica Mars. From what I know I probably would have loved it had I watched when it was first broadcast, but watching the whole thing now seems more trouble than it's worth. It is, however, annoying as shit to read the reviews for iZombie and see that every second comment is comparing the show to Veronica Mars (they have the same showrunner). |
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Post by sarapen on Apr 21, 2015 9:58:45 GMT -5
Can you please explain it to me, then? I liked the show quite a bit, but I cannot wrap my head around its cult of personality. What am I not seeing? A emotionally dysfunctional guy has watched a lot of sitcom repeats and attached emotional weight to what would appear to be the trite, banal and easy emotional rhythms of the sitcom, with its weekly revelations as resolutions before the normal behaviour is resumed before the next weekly revelation, as a way of temporarily ameliorating his own flailing and callous selfish jerkiness with self-indulgent emotional castigation and revelations in a similarly repeating cycle, the the point where it actually becomes a means of relating to and understanding the world, perpetuating the intellectual and emotional stuntedness which causes problems when having to deal with other people as they are and not as extensions of oneself and one's dumbass beliefs, in turn causing one to seek comfort in the familiar and predicatable patterns of sitcom repeats, and then this guy made a show. At the risk of casting aspersions, I think some people may have found a certain resonance with that kind of use of pop-culture as an emotional crutch, if not at the same intensity, and that kind of resonance can make people really fucking annoying about the shows they like. Are you Slavoj Zizek? |
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repulsionist
TI Forumite
actively disinterested
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Post by repulsionist on Apr 21, 2015 9:58:55 GMT -5
- I've seen one full episode of Community. Didn't like it enough to seek it out.
- I am aware of the Star Trek variants and watch none of them.
- I haven't seen an episode of Mad Men.
- I've only watched a handful of episodes of The Shield and The Wire. Didn't feel the need to stretch beyond those few.
- I've only watched part of Breaking Bad Season 2. Liked the ride; didn't feel the need to take the journey.
- On occasion I will watch The Simpsons as it broadcasts.
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Post by Great Unwashed on Apr 21, 2015 10:00:16 GMT -5
Also, I have regularly run into trouble at the AV Club for my belief that Jesus is distinct from and subordinate to God the Father.
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Post by haysoos on Apr 21, 2015 10:01:36 GMT -5
Suddenly I feel like the odd-man out for my views that Deadwood, The Wire, The Shield and Breaking Bad are amongst the very finest television shows ever to be produced.
I will say that I never could get into Mad Men beyond an aesthetic appreciation for Christina Hendricks. I did enjoy occasional episodes of 30 Rock, but never watched it regularly. Couldn't get into either version of The Office.
Still haven't watched any of Supernatural, although I've been told I would greatly enjoy it. Some of the people who said I'd enjoy it also thought I should watch Stargate SG-1. Tried some of those, didn't like it enough to wade into 10+ seasons.
I'm not sure if this is AVC heresy or orthodoxy at this point, but I find the Judd Apatow genre of comedies to be mildly amusing for about half an hour at best.
"Creep" is kind of alright, but otherwise Radiohead is stultifyingly boring. I've listened to two Kanye songs and they were AWFUL. I truly don't get how he has a musical career. Kenny G is more talented.
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Ice Cream Planet
AV Clubber
I get glimpses of the horror of normalcy.
Posts: 3,833
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Post by Ice Cream Planet on Apr 21, 2015 10:05:56 GMT -5
haysoos: Hey, I still think The Wire is the best thing HBO has done and is some of the best TV I've seen. repulsionist: Oh, thank God. I thought I was alone in having never watched any of the Star Trek variants.
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Post by sarapen on Apr 21, 2015 10:08:34 GMT -5
Suddenly I feel like the odd-man out for my views that Deadwood, The Wire, The Shield and Breaking Bad are amongst the very finest television shows ever to be produced. I also think those shows are excellent. Despite that opinion, though, I've actually never finished them. I really should get around to that sometime. Something about prestige dramas makes it hard for me to binge watch them. I usually watch an episode then need at least a day to process everything. This slowly turns into a longer period and before I know it I haven't watched the show in years. |
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Post by Lord Lucan on Apr 21, 2015 10:09:59 GMT -5
I'm not familiar with Breaking Bad. Amy Poehler's alright, but I don't fully understand her appeal. I remember when after the Boston Bombing she recorded some nice but uninteresting thoughts and commenters were like, 'WOW, I DIDN'T KNOW A PERSON COULD GET MORE AMAZING', and I didn't get it. I don't think Louis CK is the deepest thinker of our times. Lena Dunham and her show are awful, to my mind, and merit no comment. I don't like Star Wars. Any of them. I watch very few superhero films. Maybe two in recent years, though I'm not against them or anything, and there are a couple of recent ones I wouldn't mind seeing. I think Sean O'Neil is a good writer, but I wouldn't join his cult if he started one, which I think some people might.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2015 10:16:36 GMT -5
Can you please explain it to me, then? I liked the show quite a bit, but I cannot wrap my head around its cult of personality. What am I not seeing? A emotionally dysfunctional guy has watched a lot of sitcom repeats and attached emotional weight to what would appear to be the trite, banal and easy emotional rhythms of the sitcom, with its weekly revelations as resolutions before the normal behaviour is resumed before the next weekly revelation, as a way of temporarily ameliorating his own flailing and callous selfish jerkiness with self-indulgent emotional castigation and revelations in a similarly repeating cycle, the the point where it actually becomes a means of relating to and understanding the world, perpetuating the intellectual and emotional stuntedness which causes problems when having to deal with other people as they are and not as extensions of oneself and one's dumbass beliefs, in turn causing one to seek comfort in the familiar and predicatable patterns of sitcom repeats, and then this guy made a show. At the risk of casting aspersions, I think some people may have found a certain resonance with that kind of use of pop-culture as an emotional crutch, if not at the same intensity, and that kind of resonance can make people really fucking annoying about the shows they like. So you listen to Harmontown too, huh? Edit to be part of the Thread: I enjoy Mad Men, but am fine with waiting until the entire season is on Netflix or doing stuff while the episodes are playing. Not appointment TV for me. Also I have essentially no use for The AV Club at this point. If someone doesn't point me toward an article from this site, I probably won't read it. There are better places for episodic TV reviews/discussion (yay podcast proliferation), and I can't say I've actually read a film review in the last year. Newswires are entertaining but I'm getting to old to give a shit about 90% of the content they cover. |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2015 10:17:17 GMT -5
Both GamerGate and anti-GamerGate are mostly made up of morons. The only real lesson to be learned from it is that if someone makes unflattering claims about you, you should just wait for the whole ruckus to die down instead of trying to censor them. Trying to silence someone will only invoke the Streisand Effect.
Basically, don't feed the trolls, kids.
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Post by Ron Howard Voice on Apr 21, 2015 10:20:20 GMT -5
I don't care for Amy Schumer. Sincere question (not a joke) (seriously): Who is Amy Schumer? I have never seen her in anything. What does she do? |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2015 10:26:32 GMT -5
I don't care for Amy Schumer. Sincere question (not a joke) (seriously): Who is Amy Schumer? I have never seen her in anything. What does she do? Last Comic Standing, stand up, Inside Amy Schumer, Delocated, MTV Awards. |
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Dellarigg
AV Clubber
This is a public service announcement - with guitars
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Post by Dellarigg on Apr 21, 2015 10:38:16 GMT -5
I could only get through the first season of The Americans by treating it as a comedy. Haven't been back for more.
Game of Thrones is a moderately entertaining spectacle, but like being in the company of a fetid 14 year old boy after a while.
I've watched two seasons each of Justified and The Shield, and do intend to go back to them ... in the fullness of time.
(I love Mad Men, The Wire, Breaking Bad, and Louis CK, though. And the Dawes albums are passable.)
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2015 10:40:01 GMT -5
I despise Mad Men
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2015 10:53:55 GMT -5
I hate everything. Especially [INSERT YOUR FAVORITE SHOW]!
I think Dan Savage is overrated.
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Post by Powerthirteen on Apr 21, 2015 10:55:35 GMT -5
Community isn't very good, and it was best in its first season before it turned into the Dan Harmon Imagination Half-Hour.
They Might Be Giants is not a good band and people who make references to that song about Istanbul make me want to gouge my brain out with a quesarito.
The Cameron Esposito articles often seem self-absorbed, and I don't know why they exist.
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Post by ganews on Apr 21, 2015 10:57:29 GMT -5
I'm fine with this going full-on unpopular opinions thread on any subject.
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Baron von Costume
TI Forumite
Like an iron maiden made of pillows... the punishment is decadence!
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Post by Baron von Costume on Apr 21, 2015 11:07:15 GMT -5
I watch and enjoy latter day Simpsons episodes. I will admit that this is likely just extended goodwill from the formative influence of growing up during the golden age.
I loved Scrubs tons, even in the trainwreck later seasons.
Despite the fact that it should totally be in my wheelhouse I have trouble getting through Game of Thrones and have 3 seasons of blu-rays just sitting on my desk.
I enjoyed the Dark Knight but overall I think Nolan's Batman movies are nothing special and that Batman Begins is outright terrible.
I dislike or at least have no positive feelings towards more or less any music I ever see featured on the AVclub
After having watched a friend play one once I have no desire to ever play anything in the Souls family of video games.
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Post by Powerthirteen on Apr 21, 2015 11:13:02 GMT -5
I could only get through the first season of The Americans by treating it as a comedy. Haven't been back for more. Game of Thrones is a moderately entertaining spectacle, but like being in the company of a fetid 14 year old boy after a while. I've watched two seasons each of Justified and The Shield, and do intend to go back to them ... in the fullness of time. (I love Mad Men, The Wire, Breaking Bad, and Louis CK, though. And the Dawes albums are passable.) Last night Sonya asked Twitter why The Americans couldn't find an audience and I told her that it's always going to be hard to be popular with a show about sad sexposition (especially when you can't actually show boobs). |
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Post by Powerthirteen on Apr 21, 2015 11:14:04 GMT -5
Also, I have regularly run into trouble at the AV Club for my belief that Jesus is distinct from and subordinate to God the Father. Are we talking homoousios or homoiousios? |
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Ice Cream Planet
AV Clubber
I get glimpses of the horror of normalcy.
Posts: 3,833
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Post by Ice Cream Planet on Apr 21, 2015 11:15:48 GMT -5
2005 was a weak year for Best Picture nominees admittedly, but Brokeback Mountain wasn't much better than Crash. Yes, I said it.
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Post by MarkInTexas on Apr 21, 2015 11:21:08 GMT -5
I've only seen the first season of Breaking Bad. I do plan to get around to the rest at some point, since I did like it, but it's not high on my priority list.
I've only seen the first episode of Game of Thrones. I've never been big into swords and sorcery and dragons and the like, and there was nothing in the pilot that convinced me I needed to overcome my aversion to fantasy and watch it on a weekly basis. Again, I do plan to get around to it at some point.
Friday Night Lights is another show that's on my "I'll get around to it at some point" list.
I still think Modern Family is pretty funny and while it's often average at best, I don't think The Big Bang Theory represents All That Is Wrong With Sitcoms Today.
I like what Community is trying to do more than I like the show itself.
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Post by Pedantic Editor Type on Apr 21, 2015 11:25:31 GMT -5
OK, further unpopular opinions.
I still watch and laugh at The Big Bang Theory, even though I've had some problems with their treatment of women and nerd culture at large.
I liked Crash. Yes. I did. I'm not sure if I'm supposed to feel guilty about that, though, since I'm a white lady.
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