# Self-appointed critics deeming TV shows "stupid" **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 20, 2019, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-appointed-critics-deeming-tv-shows-stupid/842048 "2019-10-20T19:27:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bmasters1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5e925/32.png) [@bmasters1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bmasters1)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2019, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-appointed-critics-deeming-tv-shows-stupid/842048/1 "2019-10-20T19:27:57Z")
Here’s something that I have never understood lately (and that has bothered the living heck out of me): why a good many people self-appoint themselves as TV critics, and take it upon themselves to deem certain shows “stupid”! What do I mean by this? I’ll explain: Consider-- let’s say that someone comes to visit your house, and sees you watching a DVD from _The A-Team_ (1983-87 NBC action/adventure series w/George Peppard, et al.). He/she takes it upon him/herself to pass judgment on you for your supposed enjoyment of that show, and call it “stupid!”, within earshot of you watching and enjoying it (not to leave out calling you “stupid!” as well); you would probably take offense to him/her taking offense to that enjoyment, because you may have been raised to believe in “live and let live” (meaning that people like what they like, and dislike what they dislike). You think to yourself, why was this show even made to begin with, only for certain people to take it upon themselves to call it stupid? It’s even worse if the one enjoying it is autistic (I am), because they take things to heart, and if they hear people calling their favorite shows “stupid”, autistics might react in a way that wouldn’t look too good. This is why I am a “live and let live” type: because I realize that shows like _Friends_ have fanbases, and if I went into the house of one of those fans, and called _Friends_ stupid (and that fan for liking it), what’s to say that that same _Friends_ fan wouldn’t probably call me stupid for liking the shows I like? What I’m wondering about this now is, have you ever had that happen to you? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2019, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-appointed-critics-deeming-tv-shows-stupid/842048/2 "2019-10-20T19:33:57Z")
Stupid is in the eye of the beholder. Calling\*\* your show\*\* at\*\* your house\*\* stupid is extremely rude though. You’ll just have to learn to ignore it as best you can. Calling the show you watch stupid is not the same as calling you stupid, but can easily feel like it is the same. That’s why most people learn not to be rude in that manner, because people react in unpleasant ways. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2019, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-appointed-critics-deeming-tv-shows-stupid/842048/3 "2019-10-20T20:30:11Z")
I would not tell someone who is a fan of a show that their show is “stupid”. Because 1)unsolicited negative opinions are almost always unappreciated and 2) what would be the point? But sorry, I’m not going to refrain from thinking (and occasionally expressing out loud) my disparaging opinions about a TV show. There _is_ such a thing as a stupid TV show. In fact, I am notorious for watching a stupid TV show every now and again. Being stupid doesn’t mean it’s not entertaining. It just means one should not mistake it for fine art. In the future, if someone is talking shit about a TV show you enjoy, just say something like, “Hey, I know it isn’t Masterpiece Theater, but it’s not that bad.” Or you could turn into Archie Bunker and shout "STIFLE!!! real loud in their face. If it’s your house, then you don’t have to be polite. ---
**Author:** ![bmasters1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5e925/32.png) [@bmasters1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bmasters1)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2019, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-appointed-critics-deeming-tv-shows-stupid/842048/4 "2019-10-20T21:09:24Z")
Both excellent points, the responses above-- thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2019, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-appointed-critics-deeming-tv-shows-stupid/842048/5 "2019-10-20T22:46:30Z")
“Easier to watch a stupid TV show than put up with a rude houseguest.” -Benjamin Franklin ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2019, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-appointed-critics-deeming-tv-shows-stupid/842048/6 "2019-10-20T23:36:57Z")
I sometimes call the shows _I_ watch “stupid.” Stupid can be fun. It just means it’s not a show that provokes a lot of thought or speculation: it’s a fast food fried chicken sandwich for the brain. Is it possible that that’s what the person meant? To build on what **monstro** said, there are some phrases you can use if someone’s pissing you off by calling your show stupid: “Hey, don’t yuck my yum,” or, “Dude, you’re harshing my buzz.” Both are playful ways to let someone know that you’re finding their expressed opinion unpleasant to listen to. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2019, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/self-appointed-critics-deeming-tv-shows-stupid/842048/7 "2019-10-20T23:43:14Z")
I have the same thing with food. It’s apparently impossible for anybody in my friends or family to all agree on somewhere to eat out because every single one place is “disgusting” to someone, and then that own person can’t nominate their own choice but instead belittled anyone elses suggestions.