Today’s question was inspired in part by yesterday’s discussion about The Walking Dead, during which Overflight said:
WHY in logic’s name do people keep watching shows they hate in the hopes that they get better? If they start out as mediocre sure, but outright BAD? I know there have been SOME shows that had a sudden spike in quality (Star Trek: TNG had that infamous first season) but this mentality to me just invokes Einstein’s definition of insanity.
And also by a post by Natalie Dzerins at The F Word, who recently explored “where… you draw the line”:
I think a lot of it has to do with the expectations you have of a group or person. It’s far more disappointing when a group you would hope to be inclusive or “right on” turns out to be just like the rest of the world.
…
My rule of thumb for this is usually “when the person has been made aware of the problems with their comments/stances and refuses to either apologise or even consider that they may need to”.
Dzerins is discussing her process when a show (or writer, or musician) disappoints her politically, by espousing ideas she find upsetting or repulsive, and that can be why we stop loving something we once loved, too — it doesn’t just have to be because something is boring you suddenly.
So:
How do you decide when to give up on a TV show you wanted to like (or once enjoyed) but isn’t working for you? How long do you give a failing entertainment before you lose all patience?
(If you have a suggestion for a QOTD, feel free to email me. Responses to this QOTD sent by email will be ignored; please post your responses here.)
