Why Do We Hate-Watch TV?

Some people say there’s no such thing as “hate-watching” a television show. If if you watch it then you obviously like it. Except that’s not entirely true, is it?  How many times have you suffered through a program on TV because “nothing else was on?”

*Warning: I’m going to hate on a lot of shows, but Once Upon a Time is going to get the brunt of it*
*Warning #2: occasional spoilers for episodes that have been around a few years*

I began watching Lost right around the time it was ending. I had caught Naveen Andrews on an episode of Law & Order: SVU (which is one of my faves) and decided that I needed more Naveen on my screen (I’m a poet and didn’t know it!).  Aside from hating the characters (Jack and Kate, UGH), I found the plot extremely weak. Granted, the first season was entertaining enough, but I got bored fast. I kept with it although it took me about five years to watch the entire series. I had to take breaks between seasons 3 and 4 or else I would have broken my TV.

I know a lot of people had problems with Lost but stuck with it because they had invested so much time and figured it would go out with a bang. Well, there was a bang alright but it was pretty rotten. Like a bad egg. Just my honest opinion. I mean honestly, Jack takes over the role of Island Protector? Everyone at the church was in Heaven? Or Purgatory? WEAK SAUCE.

But honestly, I think my most-hated program has to be Once Upon a Time. I was genuinely excited when the first promos came out for it. I am, after all, a hardcore Disney fan (Tinkerbell FO LYFE). But after Emma gives Henry True Love’s Kiss and starts believing in magic, it just went downhill from there.

First off, Prince Charming is Cinderella’s husband, not Snow White’s. Snow’s man is Prince Florian, thank you very much. Get it together, OUAT and ABC, you’re both owned by the Disney Corporation.  Poor Cindy/Ashley (I admit, that’s clever) ended up a single mother. I mean, what?!

Second: it is established in Beauty and the Beast that Belle is from France. So why is she suddenly Australian? And her father isn’t? Come one, that’s just lazy. If you want to cast an Australian actress, fine (although considering how much I hated Lost, it’s a wonder I can listen to poor Claire muddle through talk of the Beast finding love) but maybe get a dialect coach to work on a French accent. Sure, it’s all fantasy and no one expects a lot of realism, but really?! They’re not even in the same hemisphere!

Third: Rumpelstiltskin is the Big Bad in every story? GIMME A BREAK. The Crocodile. The Beast. Okay so I can only think of two off the top of my head, but really?!

I admit though, having the Evil Queen go through a redemption arc was satisfying. I don’t believe in Happy Endings (frankly I’m fine with Good Enoughs). Seeing her with Robin Hood is fun even if it rages me to think of them in the same universe. Yes, Disney had an animated Robin Hood movie, but he was a fox! No, I don’t mean hot. I mean a literal fox. Although I suppose if Jiminy Cricket can be humanized in Storybrooke then so can Robin.

There’s one other thing I like about OUAT: Colin O’Donaghue.

I asked Twitter if they had any shows they hate-watched.  The answers I received were True Detective, Under the Dome, Dancing with the Stars, and The Apprentice.  I have to agree on the last two. I love dancing, but they’ve become lax on the definition of “star.” *cough* Bristol Palin *cough* And I’ve never been a fan of Donald Trump (all politics aside) but my husband forced me to watch a few episodes when it first debuted.

I’m in the process of hating Fear the Walking Dead. I LOVE The Walking Dead so I assumed I would love the prequel. But I find myself eye-rolling and yelling during each episode. Is it because I know what eventually happens? Maybe. Or maybe it’s because the writers have written the characters as boring sticks, not worthy of making it out of the zompocalypse alive.

So what do you think? How do you feel about shows that you don’t like, but can’t help but watch? Let me know!