Back in the day, you know, the 70s in my case, when a TV show was a hit it was a hit with virtually everyone. Heck, we only had 3 channels so if you were watching TV at all, you couldn’t help but catch a popular show.
These days everyone defines “hit show” differently. It can be a cult hit that isn’t popular in the broad sense of the word but creates a lot of social media buzz. Or it can attract a lot of attention at awards time. Or it can simply be a hit.
We are so fragmented and fractured as audiences these days that it’s not unusual to be on the outside of a TV phenomenon. A lot of people felt that way with Lost. You were indeed lost if you tried to catch on to the series partway through its run. You had to start at the beginning.
Now House of Cards is a big hit on Netflix. We watched 1.25 episodes and I not only don’t get it, I actually hate it. Robin Wright is one of my favourite actors but I don’t buy her for a minute in this role as a conniving, power-hungry Washington whip’s wife. Nor do I get how anyone can think Kevin Spacey’s character really talks with that drawl. A fan will say, ‘Oh yeah, it’s dark.” Well I like dark. Or, “you have to see it from the start”. Well, we watched the pilot. Face it, I simply don’t like the show you love! And that’s okay.
Maybe you wouldn’t get into Orange is the New Black or House of Lies (talk about dark!) or any number of shows I enjoy. I didn’t like Mad Men either. Oh I got it. And I like Jon Hamm and some of the other stars. Just didn’t like the show. It’s a difficult concept for some people to grasp. They assume there’s something wrong with your taste or humour or intelligence. Yeah, no. That’s the beauty of having 500 channels, so we can all find something we like because we all don’t like the same thing even when the same thing is wildly successful.
There must have been a show that everyone raved about and you didn’t like, too. Maybe you give a blank stare when talk turns to the marble rye from Seinfeld? If so, I’d love to know what it was in the comments below.
Hi Lisa,
My sisters all love Game of Thrones and I tried but I can’t get into it either. I felt the same way with Mad Men as you do, meh… Seinfeld was one of my favourites and right now I do love Big Bang Theory, can’t get enough of it. I don’t mind if you don’t get it – doesn’t bother me.
We both love BBT! I found it hard to get into, actually, because I couldn’t figure out the dynamic between them. It puzzled me why Leonard was living with Sheldon when all he did was make fun of Sheldon. My brother explained it to me and I’ve been hooked ever since. And now, of course, I’ve seen the early episodes. It’s a rare show that can make me laugh out loud, and that’s usually Howard!
Honey Boo Boo. Duck Dynasty. Bachelor/ette. Real Housewives (of anywhere). There’s a hugely long list of shows that (USA) viewers adore, that I wouldn’t watch if it was the one show on TV and I was in solitary confinement. But as you say, that’s why there are 500 channels. And books. Ah, books!