How much of a 'chance' do you give a series?
Discussion
as it says - how much of a chance do you give a new programme?
As far as I'm concerned if it doesn't grab me in the 1st 45 minutes/1st episode then I can't be bothered. There's so much good stuff to try I can't see the point in plodding through 3 or 4 episodes on the off-chance that it'll 'click'
As far as I'm concerned if it doesn't grab me in the 1st 45 minutes/1st episode then I can't be bothered. There's so much good stuff to try I can't see the point in plodding through 3 or 4 episodes on the off-chance that it'll 'click'
I gave The Sopranos about four seasons. It still didn't click for me. Despite all the hype I found the characters unlikeable, and for me that made it hard to watch. It wasn't the lack of pace, some of my favourites aren't exactly thrill-a-minute types (The Wire, West Wing), I just didn't enjoy it. At all.
Normally though, I'll know within minues whether it will be worth watching, and usually the answer is 'no'. Especially if it is full of superfluous plot twists and right-to-the-top conspiracies. To me that just suggests the writers are winging it and don't actually have a beginning-middle-end story. They just keep hashing stuff together until the show gets cancelled.
Normally though, I'll know within minues whether it will be worth watching, and usually the answer is 'no'. Especially if it is full of superfluous plot twists and right-to-the-top conspiracies. To me that just suggests the writers are winging it and don't actually have a beginning-middle-end story. They just keep hashing stuff together until the show gets cancelled.
It depends. With Breaking Bad I was hooked at the opening scene. It had mystery, great cinematography and an unusual style to it. I just knew I'd love it and I did.
With Sopranos, it took a couple of episodes to get hooked as you have to get to know the characters but again, it was good enough to get me into it and I ended up loving it.
Sons of Anarchy took me a good 5 episodes before I decided to watch it all. Lots of action and drama but the casting was off. Jax was a firm favorite with the ladies but he was totally miscast and the accent was awful.
I ended up watching some seasons of the Walking Dead and Prison Break but they got worse as each series went on and I eventually stopped watching them both.
This one will upset a few on here. I've downloaded the Wire as I'm told it is amazing and yet I've tried to watch it twice already. I've never managed more than 30 minutes. The accents again were awful and the feel of the show was more NCIS than Breaking Bad. I'm told it's not a generic American show but it just felt it. I'll give it another try and I'll force myself to watch the first couple of episodes so I might actually get into it.
With Sopranos, it took a couple of episodes to get hooked as you have to get to know the characters but again, it was good enough to get me into it and I ended up loving it.
Sons of Anarchy took me a good 5 episodes before I decided to watch it all. Lots of action and drama but the casting was off. Jax was a firm favorite with the ladies but he was totally miscast and the accent was awful.
I ended up watching some seasons of the Walking Dead and Prison Break but they got worse as each series went on and I eventually stopped watching them both.
This one will upset a few on here. I've downloaded the Wire as I'm told it is amazing and yet I've tried to watch it twice already. I've never managed more than 30 minutes. The accents again were awful and the feel of the show was more NCIS than Breaking Bad. I'm told it's not a generic American show but it just felt it. I'll give it another try and I'll force myself to watch the first couple of episodes so I might actually get into it.
Depends.
I've binned some off in the first few minutes purely because there was a glaring issue with a piece of dialogue or character reasoning or something.
If they make it past those first few mins then it gets a little more complicated as you have to see if you warm to the characters/plot etc.
I've binned some off in the first few minutes purely because there was a glaring issue with a piece of dialogue or character reasoning or something.
If they make it past those first few mins then it gets a little more complicated as you have to see if you warm to the characters/plot etc.
'Mood' is everything for me.
I got badgered into watching Break Bad, I really wasn't in the mood for it, so I hated it, went back years later an Binged every episodes over a couple of weeks.
Headhunter on Netflix was another, I was expecting some kind of Silence of the Lambs thing, and it wasn't that. I watched the first 20 mins, gave up on it, went back about 6 months ago and now I'm one of those people moaning because Netflix seem to have forgotten about it.
I'm sure there's a lot of other series that I've started and it hasn't been what I was expecting and I've written off something I'd love the next day etc.
Not Snowpiercer though, I knew that was toss within 5 mins, and nothing I've seen in the last 4 episodes has made me change my mind about that.
I got badgered into watching Break Bad, I really wasn't in the mood for it, so I hated it, went back years later an Binged every episodes over a couple of weeks.
Headhunter on Netflix was another, I was expecting some kind of Silence of the Lambs thing, and it wasn't that. I watched the first 20 mins, gave up on it, went back about 6 months ago and now I'm one of those people moaning because Netflix seem to have forgotten about it.
I'm sure there's a lot of other series that I've started and it hasn't been what I was expecting and I've written off something I'd love the next day etc.
Not Snowpiercer though, I knew that was toss within 5 mins, and nothing I've seen in the last 4 episodes has made me change my mind about that.
If it is something I have found myself without recommendation - 1 episode.
If others recommend it (either people I know or review sites) then I'll give it a few episodes.
The longest I have persevered was 6 episodes of Breaking Bad. I really wanted it to be excellent, and it really should've been, but I just couldn't get into it.
If others recommend it (either people I know or review sites) then I'll give it a few episodes.
The longest I have persevered was 6 episodes of Breaking Bad. I really wanted it to be excellent, and it really should've been, but I just couldn't get into it.
LimaDelta said:
irocfan said:
LimaDelta said:
I gave The Sopranos about four seasons. It still didn't click for me.
FOUR SEASONS 
before deciding it wasn't for you!!!! WOWI think it's great, but as you said above, all the characters are terrible, (as in not nice people) there's no one to root for, as soon as you think their might be a hero of the thing, they do something horrible.
I struggled with it whenever it focused on Tony's home life. I mean his Wife was a
, but his kids were much worse. bristolbaron said:
If there’s enough in the first episode to see me into a second I’ll give it a go. After that I’m done.
GOT didn’t last past the first, I fell asleep attempting it twice.
I’ve been told to carry on, but can’t see the point, fantasy isn’t my thing anyway.
I would say it took me most of the first series of GoT to actually get into it, and multiple attempts at that too. It's quite a slow burn with lots of character introductions and background to understand first. GOT didn’t last past the first, I fell asleep attempting it twice.
I’ve been told to carry on, but can’t see the point, fantasy isn’t my thing anyway.I would absolutely persevere though, it really does hot up at the end of the first series and then you're addicted. I'm not into fantasy either to give you some scope
-crookedtail- said:
I would say it took me most of the first series of GoT to actually get into it, and multiple attempts at that too. It's quite a slow burn with lots of character introductions and background to understand first.
I would absolutely persevere though, it really does hot up at the end of the first series and then you're addicted. I'm not into fantasy either to give you some scope
People kept telling me that, so I made it throb season 1&2 and it just didn't click, didn't bother with season 3 as didn't see the point. I would absolutely persevere though, it really does hot up at the end of the first series and then you're addicted. I'm not into fantasy either to give you some scope
P-Jay said:
LimaDelta said:
irocfan said:
LimaDelta said:
I gave The Sopranos about four seasons. It still didn't click for me.
FOUR SEASONS before deciding it wasn't for you!!!! WOWI think it's great, but as you said above, all the characters are terrible, (as in not nice people) there's no one to root for, as soon as you think their might be a hero of the thing, they do something horrible.
I struggled with it whenever it focused on Tony's home life. I mean his Wife was a
, but his kids were much worse. The show is hugely honest about its characters and the world from which they come. Most of them are total sociopaths.
paulguitar said:
P-Jay said:
LimaDelta said:
irocfan said:
LimaDelta said:
I gave The Sopranos about four seasons. It still didn't click for me.
FOUR SEASONS before deciding it wasn't for you!!!! WOWI think it's great, but as you said above, all the characters are terrible, (as in not nice people) there's no one to root for, as soon as you think their might be a hero of the thing, they do something horrible.
I struggled with it whenever it focused on Tony's home life. I mean his Wife was a
, but his kids were much worse. The show is hugely honest about its characters and the world from which they come. Most of them are total sociopaths.
It's not that I didn't give it a fair crack of the whip, it's just that after each episode I felt I had neither enjoyed it, nor educated myself. The Wire on the other hand shares many of those elements you mention, there is no black and white, right or wrong, just varying shades of grey, and I found that absolutely compelling viewing.
LimaDelta said:
You see! That's what people say, don't they!
It's not that I didn't give it a fair crack of the whip, it's just that after each episode I felt I had neither enjoyed it, nor educated myself. The Wire on the other hand shares many of those elements you mention, there is no black and white, right or wrong, just varying shades of grey, and I found that absolutely compelling viewing.
Well, that's fine, and it's more interesting that we all see things and think in slightly different ways. You've given the show four seasons and it still has not grabbed you. I'd say your work is done. It's not that I didn't give it a fair crack of the whip, it's just that after each episode I felt I had neither enjoyed it, nor educated myself. The Wire on the other hand shares many of those elements you mention, there is no black and white, right or wrong, just varying shades of grey, and I found that absolutely compelling viewing.
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