# Help me come up with a list of TV shows (or movies) as disappointing as "The Killing" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 20, 2011, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-come-up-with-a-list-of-tv-shows-or-movies-as-disappointing-as-the-killing/586145 "2011-06-20T13:08:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-come-up-with-a-list-of-tv-shows-or-movies-as-disappointing-as-the-killing/586145/41 "2011-06-21T04:58:07Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Could someone tell us how, exactly, _The Killing_ crashed and burned? Put it in a spoiler box, if you wish. The other big thread on the whole season has the story as it happened. On Page 7 there are some links to reviewers’ rundowns of why the season finale is a ripoff, but my own abbreviated opinion is that AMC pushed the show as a big ticket follower in the style of _Mad Men_ and _Breaking Bad_ and touted it as a new face to crime procedurals. The writing and acting are poor. The plot is little more than random red herrings tossed about willy-nilly and the characters are not the sort of people you care about one way of the other. The season has been a dirty joke, foisted on the audience as so much “fuck you.” YMMV 🙂 ETA: Here’s a link to the other big thread: [The Killing -- new series on AMC - Cafe Society - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=602847) The Killing – new series on AMC ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-come-up-with-a-list-of-tv-shows-or-movies-as-disappointing-as-the-killing/586145/42 "2011-06-21T05:16:46Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Could someone tell us how, exactly, _The Killing_ crashed and burned? Put it in a spoiler box, if you wish. This review is very much in line with what I would call the SDMB consensus opinion: [» Hackery in the First Degree](http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/6680958/hackery-first-degree) ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-come-up-with-a-list-of-tv-shows-or-movies-as-disappointing-as-the-killing/586145/43 "2011-06-21T07:30:34Z")
I’m going to add another objection to _Rome_ being on this list. It was too good, and even if unexpectedly canceled because it was too pricey, it managed to have a decent final episode. I have a few nominations. _Star Trek: The Movie_ – people must have forgotten what a HUGE letdown that snoozer turned out to be. The remake of _Planet of the Apes_ – bad bad movie I had looked forward to. The remake of _The Wicker Man_ – I hesitate to add this one, because it was _so_ bad jumped into the unintentionally hilarious category. I almost fainted from laughing a couple of times. _Rizzoli & Isles_ – another cops show I had some hopes for, but turned out to be boring at best. And what was that chick movie where they drove off the cliff at the end? I actually pretty much liked the film up to that shitty ending. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-come-up-with-a-list-of-tv-shows-or-movies-as-disappointing-as-the-killing/586145/44 "2011-06-21T08:27:37Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > And what was that chick movie where they drove off the cliff at the end? I actually pretty much liked the film up to that shitty ending. _Thelma & Louise_ ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Shine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr_shine/32/464_2.png) [@Mr\_Shine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Shine)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-come-up-with-a-list-of-tv-shows-or-movies-as-disappointing-as-the-killing/586145/45 "2011-06-21T10:39:00Z")
A slight hijack. You are obviously talking about the American version of _The Killing_. I have the Danish one backed up on BBC iplayer at the moment but have not yet watched any of it. Anybody seen the Danish one, and know whether it has the same problems as those **Zeldar** claims the US version does? ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-come-up-with-a-list-of-tv-shows-or-movies-as-disappointing-as-the-killing/586145/46 "2011-06-21T12:24:26Z")
> [@Mr\_Shine](#): > > A slight hijack. > You are obviously talking about the American version of _The Killing_. I have the Danish one backed up on BBC iplayer at the moment but have not yet watched any of it. Anybody seen the Danish one, and know whether it has the same problems as those **Zeldar** claims the US version does? Only from hearsay ( [The Killing (Danish TV series) - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Killing_(Danish_TV_series)) ) I can say that the American copy/remake is the one with the problems. The Danish version had more episodes (20 Danish to 13 American) and was presented as a single season. The second season is a separate crime and story, not a continuation of Season 1. The American version was touted and promoted as a complete season, with some resolution to the main murder, as recently as Episode 12 (of 13), only to have the finale indicate that was nothing close to the real deal. You have to endure the months until the next season starts to have your teasing continued for some further stretch of time. A few (maybe many) of us are of the mood that that’s a bit much! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-come-up-with-a-list-of-tv-shows-or-movies-as-disappointing-as-the-killing/586145/47 "2011-06-21T13:10:56Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > This review is very much in line with what I would call the SDMB consensus opinion: [» Hackery in the First Degree](http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/6680958/hackery-first-degree) Perfect - thanks! ---
**Author:** ![iamnotbatman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/858c86/32.png) [@iamnotbatman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamnotbatman)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-come-up-with-a-list-of-tv-shows-or-movies-as-disappointing-as-the-killing/586145/48 "2011-06-21T18:53:11Z")
I don’t remotely understand why **Deadwood** is on anyone’s list here. Hell, it’s one of the most highly regarded TV shows ever. My contribution: **Battlestar Galactica** (the re-imagined series). Started out very compelling, but essentially pulled a ‘LOST’. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-come-up-with-a-list-of-tv-shows-or-movies-as-disappointing-as-the-killing/586145/49 "2011-06-21T19:31:02Z")
> [@iamnotbatman](#): > > I don’t remotely understand why **Deadwood** is on anyone’s list here. Hell, it’s one of the most highly regarded TV shows ever. Speaking just for myself, the big disappointment with _Deadwood_ is that it’s not still running _today_! One of my all-time top ten shows, for sure. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2011, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-come-up-with-a-list-of-tv-shows-or-movies-as-disappointing-as-the-killing/586145/50 "2011-06-22T20:20:44Z")
Please vote in this poll: > **["The Killing": Yea, Meh, or Nay](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=613530)** > > Okay, enough opinions have been expressed in one thread or another for it to come down to a poll. Anonymous. (poll on the way) “The Killing”: Yea, Meh, or Nay ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2011, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-come-up-with-a-list-of-tv-shows-or-movies-as-disappointing-as-the-killing/586145/51 "2011-06-22T20:51:06Z")
I nominate the TV show **Heroes**. It started OK, got pretty good late in the 1st season, then went off a cliff. Although not as literally as _Thelma & Louise_. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2011, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-come-up-with-a-list-of-tv-shows-or-movies-as-disappointing-as-the-killing/586145/52 "2011-06-22T21:55:26Z")
> [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](#): > > I nominate the TV show **Heroes**. It started OK, got pretty good late in the 1st season, then went off a cliff. Although not as literally as _Thelma & Louise_. I agree. I actually watched the first season as a favorite show and got caught up in the premise enough to look forward to season two. Something happened in the break and it just didn’t do right by me and I bailed after that first episode of S2. A shame. Along that line, _Grey’s Anatomy_ will have to do a real turnaround by next year, or I’m tossing in the towel on it. ---
**Author:** ![cal\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecccb3/32.png) [@cal\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cal_guy)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2011, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-come-up-with-a-list-of-tv-shows-or-movies-as-disappointing-as-the-killing/586145/53 "2011-06-22T23:57:00Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > I liked both the book and the movie of _Friday Night Lights_ a lot, but the TV show just turned it all into a lame-ass, high school drama for teenaged girls. There is no way that Friday Night Lights deserves to be on this list. > [@](#): > > Friday Night Lights was a realistic-looking show that took liberties with reality—letting teenagers get away with truancy and vagrancy, catapulting Tami into heavy professional responsibilities with little experience, and so on. But it never felt less than real, thanks to its remarkable characters, the extraordinary actors who gave them life, and the care that went into creating such a strong sense of place. You won’t find Dillon, Texas on the map. But if you’re like me you feel like you’ve been there. Keith Phipps, AVClub > [@](#): > > Watching “Friday Night Lights” often felt like being put through a ringer. You felt like part of the town, and the team, and you bled with the characters and cried with them, and on occasion you got to soar with them, too. And a lot of people simply don’t want to get that close to the fictional characters they watch - don’t feel that experiencing the devastating lows is worth also getting to share in the glorious highs. Alan Sepinwall, [hitfix.com](http://hitfix.com) > [@](#): > > Things felt immediate on this show: There was no distance between the residents of Dillon and us. In ways we’ll be appreciating for years to come, ‘FNL’ consistently created a bond of empathy and compassion between the people on the screen and the people on the couch. Like few other shows, it was able to create incredibly potent emotional states that reached right into your gut and heart; it depicted and induced happiness and sadness and many inarticulate states in between. Maureen Ryan, [aoltv.com](http://aoltv.com) It wouldn’t be an understatement to call Friday Night Lights one of the best dramas ever to grace network tv. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2011, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-come-up-with-a-list-of-tv-shows-or-movies-as-disappointing-as-the-killing/586145/54 "2011-06-23T07:24:30Z")
**Murder One** , which almost no one remembers. The premise was one case, told very slowly through a 22 episode season. Excellent cast, some stellar performances. The writing was consistently good-to-great for the first 19 or so hours. Then the final episode was just a big fat “what the fuck was that?” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-come-up-with-a-list-of-tv-shows-or-movies-as-disappointing-as-the-killing/586145.md?page=2)