Last week, I presented you with 5 shows that I believe were underrated. In addition to those five, I mentioned how difficult it is to be considered underrated in the Hype Machine Age of television. Every show on the major networks is covered, rehashed, discussed, and debated to the point that it makes it nearly impossible to fly under the radar.
On the flip side of that coin, all of that discussion and attention can easily lead to a show becoming overrated. To be clear, being overrated doesn’t mean that the show is bad. As a matter of fact, I enjoy almost all of the shows I am going to present to you today. A television show can become overrated because people want to take a good show and make into something transcendent. In this world where everyone is constantly looking for the Next Big Thing, it’s easy for people to get swept up in a show and make it bigger than it deserves, or even wants, to be. The 5 shows on this list are all good, but none of them are THAT good. Therefore, we have to consider them overrated.
They are not overrated because of their absurd plot lines. Even I understand you have to suspend disbelief for this show. That being said, a lot of the acting is either painful to watch or registers a solid 6 on the unintentional comedy scale. I can’t totally blame the actors because the writers don’t give them much to work with from a dialogue standpoint. That being said, I assume I would probably act a little weird if I lived in dangerous, sex-crazed Bon Temps, Louisiana.
Seems like a lot of people are hopping aboard The Walking Dead is Overrated Train. Sorry, interweb people, I have a lifetime pass. Again, I enjoy watching this show. I love the violence, it’s visually a really impressive show. That being said, it seems like the writers can’t be bothered to watch their own show. Zombie “rules” are established, and then quickly dismissed when it serves their story. The people on the show do some of the most nonsensical things you can imagine. No wonder so many of them die. The other big issue with The Walking Dead? They completely botched the lead. Andrew Lincoln isn’t terrible, but he’s not good either. A lot of the other actors are decent to effective, but the show hinges a lot on Lincoln. He can’t take them to the places they are asking him to go. It’s a shame. This show had maybe the greatest pilot ever, but couldn’t live up to the lofty standard. I will always associate this show with the phrase “What if.”
In reality, I could have put any one of the cult comedies on NBC. The problem is not that Parks and Recreation isn’t funny (it is quite funny at times), but that its defenders are so passionate and adamant that it is a great show that it carries this mythology with people who haven’t seen it. Trust me, dear readers, you aren’t missing the second coming of Seinfeld here. It’s fine for what it is, and its defenders should just let it be.
Burn Notice is the flagship for USA’s lineup of Easily Digestible Dramas. It’s light, fun, and features some quality action sequences. It provides exactly what it sets out to provide. Unfortunately, USA tries to package it a lot as a heavy drama filled with great acting performances. I am as much of a Jeffrey Donovan defender as anybody, but even I don’t think he’s Emmy quality material. The show is sharp, witty, and features lots of shots of attractive people wearing bathing suits. Shouldn’t that be enough?
This is the only show on this list that I don’t like. Whether anyone wants to admit or not, we were in far better hands with everyone’s favorite goddess collector and narcotics connoisseur. While it hasn’t led to a ratings decline just yet, it’s coming soon. Kutcher is ill-suited for any role that doesn’t involve him playing himself pulling pranks on celebrities. I will never understand the massive amounts of love this show gets. It doesn’t break any ground and has a laugh track. If this show ran on NBC, it would have been canceled within 8 episodes. Alas, it shall live on forever in syndication.
Now it’s your turn. Do you think these shows are overrated? What are some other shows that you believe are overrated? Remember, just because a show is good, doesn’t mean that it’s properly rated. Let’s talk it out in the comments or on Twitter.
The TV Czar
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