It's that time of year again.

[rogueslayer452]

Which TV shows did you start watching in 2014?
How To Get Away With Murder, Helix, Agents of Shield, Orange is the New Black, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Broad City.

Which TV shows did you let go of in 2014?
I'm letting go of Game of Thrones. It's just been going downhill for a while now and I've been teetering on the decision on stopping for some time, and after reading some really disturbing things about what D&D have done and are planning for S5 I just can't anymore. I am not here for them grossly justifying rape scenes and having recently-turned-legal actresses to have explicit sex scenes/rape scenes and the unnecessary exploitation of women and erasure of minorities and vital characters of the series. I like the ASOIAF universe, just not with this show anymore.

Which TV shows did you mean to get into but didn't in 2014? Why?
Plenty. Outlander and The 100 are two shows that everyone has been praising, but I just haven't gotten around to watching them yet. Mostly due to procrastination and because I already have so many shows to catch up on as it is. Selfie was one I was curious about since I'd seen so many people say how cute it was (and how adorable Karen Gillan and John Cho were together), but it got canceled, however the entirety of the show is still on Hulu I believe so I may check it all out soonishly. Jane the Virgin is another, and interestingly I wasn't going but I changed my mind after realizing all the promotion was false advertising and it's actually really an amazingly cute show. Also Carmilla, which is a webseries modern adaptation of the novella of the same name, and it has been praised by many people. I wouldn't have known about it otherwise had it not been for Tumblr, and I really want to check all of it out. And I will, when I get the chance, a.k.a. not procrastinating.

Which TV shows do you intend on checking out in 2015?
The shows I mentioned above. Agent Carter, of course. Galavant, the half-hour fantasy musical comedy that looks utterly ridiculous in the best kind of cracky way. And some others I'm sure I'm forgetting, both new and ones that have been on my queue for a while.

Which TV show impressed you least in 2014?
Warehouse 13. It was such an amazing show until those last six episodes, which was hugely disappointing on so many levels. I felt cheated and duped by the fact that the show did the exact opposite of what they series was supposed to have been about, especially with characterizations and relationships. The only good thing that came from it was Claudia becoming the Caretaker of the Warehouse. Other than that, those last six episodes don't exist. Just, ugh. Why show, why? Honorable mentions goes to Game of Thrones, Sleepy Hollow, the latter half of Lost Girl's S4, which I can only hope that their last season can make up for.

Which TV show do you think you might let go of in 2015 unless things significantly improve?
Probably Sleepy Hollow. The first season was fantastic, but the second season has been lacking so much that, aside from the little cute Ichabod/Abbie moments, it doesn't feel like that show I enjoyed from the previous season. It really needs to start improving quick.

Which TV shows do you think you'll never let go of no matter how crappy they get? Why?
Pretty Little Liars. I mean, already there are things that I'm really getting tired of and things I wish the writers would acknowledge and not be repetitive of in terms of the storytelling and with certain subplots, and not really following through with what they reveal. But I'm too sucked into what is happening. I've been following this show for five seasons now and I know they've been renewed for two more, and while I'm wishing they would just hurry up with resolving the main mystery of things I'm going to be with this show for the long haul. I just cannot let it go.

Which TV show did you enjoy the most in 2014?
How To Get Away With Murder. Best new show of this year, to be honest.

Your main fandom of the year?
The Hobbit. One of the best fandoms I've been involved in and was a seriously saving grace for me, personally speaking. It's been one of the best fandoms I've joined during these last two years. ♥ ♥ ♥

Comments

[hbics.livejournal.com]

Those last six episodes of Warehouse literally do not exist for me because I was behind and I just dropped it at the end of S4. It's a cliffhanger but it's better than what I hear happened.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

Yeah, pretty much. I mean, I did watch the premiere because I needed to know what happened after that cliffhanger, but beyond that I just didn't bother watching the rest. It's such bullshit what they did and I can't even begin to comprehend why it even happened in the first place. As a whole I feel so horrible for Joanne Kelly who must have hated seeing Myka butchered, because she loved that character so much and spoke so highly on why Myka was such a huge example and influence amongst women in these kinds of roles.

In hindsight, when you look at their last SDCC appearance, you can actually see where some of the bitterness comes through during the press interviews. :(

[icecoldrain.livejournal.com]

I really liked Selfie, and you should def check out the 100 whenever you have the time. I think that you would really like both tbh. It's a shame that Selfie got canceled.

You're making me glad that I stopped watching Warehouse 13 on accident lol. I wasn't happy with the show at the time either, and then everyone said it just went downhill from there.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

I feel like Selfie would have been better as a webseries, since I feel like it suits the Internet more for the understanding and appreciation of what it was selling instead of the traditional television medium. You know what I mean?

I liked where WH13 was headed until I heard what they did in those last six episodes. Like, the premiere was alright (aside from Myka being miraculously cured from her cancer and walked out from her surgery like it was nbd, which was such a cop-out from her emotional journey she went through in S4), but beyond that yeah it turned to utter shit. It was like not even recognizable to what I had once loved about it. I was incredibly disappointed, but also angered that it even happened the way it did. It's like they abandoned everything they intentionally set out to do from the start, with the characterizations and the relationships between characters, it all shifted and changed for no reason at all. I'm just so bitter and pissed, but at least I'm glad that the WH13 fandom has collectively decided that those last six episodes don't exist. I barely see any gifs of it on Tumblr aside from the Claudia ones in the series finale.

[icecoldrain.livejournal.com]

I know exactly what you mean.

It's really sad because it had so much going and then it really fizzed out with a bang. It started to lose me during season four and then I accidentally stopped watching it when it went on its midseason break. I'm kind of glad that I never returned lol. I'm just... idk, I wish it went differently as we all do.

[ragnarok-08.livejournal.com]

How To Get Away With Murder. Best new show of this year, to be honest.

Yup :)

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

I was genuinely curious about the show, but then that series premiere happened and I was sold immediately. It just got better and better, and I can't wait to see what happens when it comes back. :D

[vapor.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'm going to say you have to start watching Outlander and The 100! ^_^

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I hear they're good, particularly The 100 which surprised many people because it's essentially science fiction for teens, but a good one. And it keeps getting compared to the likeness of BSG, plus it has some great lady characters as well, so I'm very curious to check that out when I can.

[noybusiness.livejournal.com]

I second that about Outlander, not to mention Avatar/Korra although they've fully aired. I haven't watched The 100.

[elizalavelle.livejournal.com]

Yes to the Warehouse 13 disappointment, that's going to make my list as well.

Also yes to HTGAWM! I'm so glad you recommended that one :)

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

I'm just so disappointed that the show gave into the pressures of Syfy/TPTB to do what they thought should be done versus what the story was about all along. :/

You're welcome! HTGAWM certainly was a pleasant surprise. :D

[giallarhorn.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm really on the fence with GoT. At this point, they're literally turning the narrative into something that they want for the sake of drama and exploitation.

Selfie is pretty short, and I think Carmilla is well, if that's a deciding factor.

I'm still way behind on Sleepy Hollow, but the general reaction to it seems to be fairly negative and lukewarm at best, which is such a weird thing given how strong S1 had been.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

I think someone said it best saying that it's no longer a fantasy genre show but your standard HBO drama. They place too much stock on nudity/sex/rape moments instead of focusing on the more important plot points, certain characters get ignored or forgotten entirely. I'm mostly forgiving with adaptations as a whole, particularly with complicated series like ASOIAF, but the decisions they've been making have been questionable even from a narrative standpoint, never mind with why they keep pushing for more uncomfortable scenes with characters when we already know that yeah, this world isn't the greatest ever. Especially with all the added sexual violence and exploitation for the sake of "tantalizing" the audience, I don't think I can stomach anymore. I'd much rather read the books, tbh.

(And I just keep thinking if this wasn't on HBO or handled by D&D it would've been a wonderful fantasy series that complements the books, but as it stands it has gotten worse and worse as the seasons progress.)

I think I'll be starting Carmilla soon, since it's on YouTube and the episodes are pretty short.

And yeah, I don't know what's going on with the Sleepy Hollow writers, but they've been making some questionable decisions. I mean, Jenny hardly gets any screen time and Katrina has no concrete storyline aside from being reduced to a helpless damsel (and really, with all the talk about her being a powerful witch we hardly ever see any evidence of this). It's just a mess. I'm only hoping they can get their act together, because I miss how enjoyable the show used to be.

[giallarhorn.livejournal.com]

Admittedly, I'm not sure what non-cable network would be willing to pick it up, given the source material is full enough with material to make it controversial enough for most networks to want to avoid at risk of alienating part of the potential audience.

Yeah, I plowed through most of the season over the last couple of days and it was just kind of bad? It started out alright, but as it went on it just made some really strange choices to exclude Jenny and Irving for Katrina who was literally turned into a plot device, and the really bland BlondGuyWhatsHisName. Katrina was horribly underused in S1, but the way they've tried to correct it in S2 feels off.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

Personally, STARZ would've been a perfect network for Game of Thrones to be part of their programming, since they are the same network that had Spartacus, which has similar themes and material featured. I kinda wanted those same producers to be in charge of GOT, tbh. Just allow them to have a big enough budget like HBO, and we could have something awesome that has a lot of sex without the exploitation (and equal opportunity re: nudity and representation).

Oh yeah, I agree, especially with Katrina because it seems like they have no idea what to do with her character at all. They really need to get their shit together with the writing, otherwise it'll be one of those shows that started out well, but went downhill fast. :/

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Which TV shows did you let go of in 2014?
I'm letting go of Game of Thrones.

Yeah, I think this is the year I quit, too? It was mostly that I didn't have the time and I wasn't enjoying the show enough to make time for it.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

I spend most of the time cringing and wanting to be spoiled about what happens so I can bypass scenes that would make me uncomfortable. I mean, it's HBO, they have an agenda and quota to meet when it comes to sex and nudity, but that's only part of the problem. S4 was a disappointment with the narrative of the story, there was no seamless way of telling the plot of the entire thing. With all they've been leaving out of the books, they still make it more confusing with how fragmented it was. And it's even going to get even more confusing from S5 on now that they're no longer following the books. And just in general, D&D are rather gross when it comes to learning what's been handled behind the scenes, especially when it comes to the actresses.

So yeah, I'm just done with this show entirely. It's a shame, really, because it could have been great. S1 was practically a wonderful season compared to the others, and I don't think that the show is unwarranted for the praise it received when it first came out. Fantasy being recognized again is pretty awesome, and the show did introduce me to the books, as I'm sure it did to many others as well. But unfortunately, it fell into its own hype. It's no longer a fantasy genre show but just your typical HBO show, just with fantasy elements here and there. *sigh*

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

and wanting to be spoiled about what happens

Actually, I was so spoiled (I hadn't read the books, just from conversations) that it was one of the reasons I stopped watching - I was going to be years before I would be surprised by an episode, and I didn't want to stick around that long.