# stuff you should like, but are "meh" about **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 13, 2014, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-you-should-like-but-are-meh-about/681199 "2014-02-13T00:22:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-you-should-like-but-are-meh-about/681199/61 "2014-02-14T22:26:27Z")
Michael Jackson–all the way back to the Jackson 5. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-you-should-like-but-are-meh-about/681199/62 "2014-02-14T22:29:34Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > My wife enjoys the new Dr. Who and just accepts the campy nature as part of the package. But she’s never seen the old shows. I used to watch it back when I was a kid and can’t get past seeing episodes shot in 2013 still featuring giant low-budget salt shakers with plunger arms screaming “Exterminate!” I got all huffy when I read this and went over to Google Image Search to find some photos of the newer Daleks so I could be all, “Oh, right, you think THIS looks like a salt shaker? What kind of crazy high-tech salt shakers do you use?” But looking at the photos… yep, pretty much a giant low-budget salt shaker. With plunger arms. ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-you-should-like-but-are-meh-about/681199/63 "2014-02-14T23:28:27Z")
Dexter for me. I watched the first couple episodes and was turned off by the gore porn. Maybe I’m a wimp but I don’t usually mind a bit of the ultra violence. I remember thinking it was more like watching an autopsy. But everyone I know loves it, so I’ll probably check it out again someday. Maybe when I’m in a grim mood. > [@Quimby](#): > > Adventure Time and the Venture Bros. I like cartoons. I like sci fi. Their senses of humor are right in my wheel house but I just don’t seem to care about either one. Adventure Time’s first dozen or so episodes are really uneven and have weird pacing. I struggled to get through them, but saw potential. It’s one of those shows that gets better and better as they introduce new characters and settle down a bit on the LOL SO RANDUM humor. ---
**Author:** ![expectopatronum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/expectopatronum/32/173_2.png) [@expectopatronum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/expectopatronum)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2014, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-you-should-like-but-are-meh-about/681199/64 "2014-02-15T01:29:29Z")
OP checking in. i probably should have been clearer in my post, but most of ya’ll got it, but i’ve seen a couple of posts that seem to be “popular stuff that i personally don’t like” which isn’t what the thread is about. it’s stuff you **should** like, meaning aspects of it coincide with your interests, but you’re just not into it. that said: > [@MsWhatsit](#): > > Re Wicked, I USED to be on the same page as the OP. I could have written that part of your post word for word a couple of years ago. But then a friend pretty much dragged me to go see it, and I loved it. It was an amazing experience for me. I’m not suggesting you drop a bunch of cash on tickets for a show you are lukewarm about, but in my case it actually worked for me a lot more than I thought it would, just based on hearing some of the songs from it and knowing the general story. (I’d read the book and didn’t particularly care for it, which was also a contributing factor.) like i said, i’d give it a chance if the opportunity arose. i might even spend the money if i had a friend who wanted to go or something. i’m just not going to go too much out of my way. i mean if phantom comes here, i’ll see it more than once and i’ll go alone if i have no one to go with. i have before. i probably wouldn’t go that far for wicked, but who knows. maybe someday. (i’ve not read the book but i have heard it’s not as good as the musical.) ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2014, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-you-should-like-but-are-meh-about/681199/65 "2014-02-15T02:04:48Z")
In the spirit of the intended OP: video games. When I was a teenager we went to arcades and played state-of-the-art games like, Space Invaders, Galaxian, Galaga, Pac Man, Pole Position, Star Wars, Robotron, Donkey Kong, etc. I loved video games. Since I’ve had kids we’ve gone through Game Boy, Game Cube, Wii, Xbox etc. and apart from being mildly interested and playing against my son, so he had someone to play against, I have zero interest in video games. I think it’s probably due to the complexity and the time commitment. I really thought I would be interested in these newfangled games with their realistic graphics, buy they do nothing for me at all. I don’t see the point. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2014, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-you-should-like-but-are-meh-about/681199/66 "2014-02-15T02:22:13Z")
I have about a 45 minute commute, and I like listening to podcasts during that time. I burn through episodes pretty quickly going back and forth to work each day, and was looking for something new to add to my rotation. The _Comedy Bang! Bang!_ podcast had been recommended to me by several people whose judgment I trust and whose tastes are similar to mine. I’d also seen it on “Best podcasts” lists various places online. It seemed like a lot of comedians I enjoy had appeared on the podcast too, so it seemed like a good bet. I downloaded a couple of episodes and…meh. I have to say I didn’t find it particularly funny. One of the episodes I heard featured Kulap Vilaysack, who I like a lot, but also had Horatio Sanz doing a weird impression of Aaron Neville for most of the episode. No thank you! Another podcast recommendation was _Extra Hot Great_, which was recommended to me since I like _Pop Culture Happy Hour_. Again, I downloaded a couple of episodes and…it really made me appreciate _Pop Culture Happy Hour_. One of the _Extra Hot Great_ episodes spent nearly my entire commute time talking about two episodes of a popular TV show that I’ve never seen. And they weren’t talking about it in a way that allowed me as a non-watcher to follow along – I didn’t even really get what the basic plots of these episodes were. There was also a trivia segment that really, really needed the magic of editing. Everyone just kept hemming and hawing before giving their answers, and not in an entertaining way. It was just a bunch of “Oh, what could it be? Ummm…let me think. Gosh, I’m not sure…” and so on. ---
**Author:** ![bldysabba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@bldysabba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bldysabba)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2014, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-you-should-like-but-are-meh-about/681199/67 "2014-02-15T04:47:04Z")
> [@vontsira](#): > > I thought you’d suggested to me in your post #16: “Pick up _Guards ! Guards !_ and read through the Vimes series.” That’s accurate. Guards! Guards! is one of the weaker books in the set. But of course, if you didn’t like it enough to make you want to pick up another one, then you may not like the rest either. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2014, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-you-should-like-but-are-meh-about/681199/68 "2014-02-15T09:02:46Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > The _Comedy Bang! Bang!_ podcast had been recommended to me by several people whose judgment I trust and whose tastes are similar to mine. I’d also seen it on “Best podcasts” lists various places online. It seemed like a lot of comedians I enjoy had appeared on the podcast too, so it seemed like a good bet. I downloaded a couple of episodes and…meh. I have to say I didn’t find it particularly funny. One of the episodes I heard featured Kulap Vilaysack, who I like a lot, but also had Horatio Sanz doing a weird impression of Aaron Neville for most of the episode. No thank you! Yes, the 2/3 of the _Comedy Bang Bang_ podcast that is the improv impressions can be quite dodgy and awkward. Unless it’s Paul F Tompkins who manages to be compelling most of the time. You may prefer _Nerdist_ with Chris Hardwick, _WTF_ with Marc Maron, or _You Made It Weird_ with Pete Holmes. Or my favourites, _The JV Club_ with Janet Varney, _Totally Laime_ with Elizabeth Laime, or _Pop My Culture_ with Vanessa Ragland and Cole Stratton. ---
**Author:** ![vontsira](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/51bf81/32.png) [@vontsira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vontsira)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2014, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-you-should-like-but-are-meh-about/681199/69 "2014-02-15T09:49:55Z")
> [@expectopatronum](#): > > OP checking in. i probably should have been clearer in my post, but most of ya’ll got it, but i’ve seen a couple of posts that seem to be “popular stuff that i personally don’t like” which isn’t what the thread is about. it’s stuff you **should** like, meaning aspects of it coincide with your interests, but you’re just not into it. I, and others, seemingly misread you. I construed “stuff you should like, but…”, as: “acts / artists which it’s ‘in the rules’ that one must be super-enthusiastic about, in order to qualify as a switched-on, trendy citizen; but which just don’t enthuse me”: in my case, “Monty Pratchett and Terry Python”. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2014, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-you-should-like-but-are-meh-about/681199/70 "2014-02-15T13:43:25Z")
YouTube video game reviewers along the lines of Total Biscuit, Angry Gamer, etc. I like video games, I usually like reading written reviews (provided they’re well written) and numerous people whose opinions on games I respect will say “Oh, well Total Biscuit hated it”. But, man, I can’t watch any of them. Bunch of obnoxious guys, usually fast-talking and trying real hard to be clever. Or sometimes just screaming at the camera because, well, they have tons of subscribers so I guess that’s what a lot of people go for. I can’t deny their popularity in some of my circles but I can certainly express bafflement at why they’re popular. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2014, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-you-should-like-but-are-meh-about/681199/71 "2014-02-15T13:55:41Z")
Anime. It seems like the kind of thing I ought to like, as I love animation generally, and I like science fiction and fantasy, and it is an extremely popular form of entertainment amongst my peers. But I completely hate it, even though I did enjoy _Spirited Away_. ---
**Author:** ![jerez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c68b51/32.png) [@jerez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jerez)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2014, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-you-should-like-but-are-meh-about/681199/72 "2014-02-15T19:46:28Z")
> [@](#): > > It’s a show for the average Joe to laugh at geeks and nerds (About “Big Bang Theory”) And geeks and nerds who are able to laugh at themselves. IMO, most of the gags are not cheap shots, either, as they portray real issues, as Cartoonacy pointed out in post #31. I should add, though, that I like the earlier episodes a lot more than the more recent ones I’ve seen. > [@](#): > > My take on Python is that they were incredibly inventive, tried absolutely anything that they could imagine and so sometimes were brilliant and sometimes it just did’nt work. They were more into stretching the envelope, being creative, than always hitting a home run. Not unlike the Beatles, IMO. Don’t get me wrong: I admire both greatly. > [@](#): > > Opera > > I like a pretty wide variety of music, from heavy metal (which I admit I don’t bother listening to any more) to classical, but something about operatic voices leaves me tepid. Agreed. Most operatic singing sounds unnatural to me, as what I value most is sincerity in transmission. Opera reminds me of an exchange in which it seems that the person speaking to you is reciting something from memory or maybe being extra careful not to reveal his/her true intentions. It’s often charged with emotion, for sure, but it has little to do with the human condition, IMO. I was initially surprised at how much I dislike rap music. I find most expensive seafood to be kind of disappointing. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2014, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-you-should-like-but-are-meh-about/681199/73 "2014-02-15T20:14:12Z")
The comic strip Peanuts. I’m a lifelong comic strip fan, especially, or rather almost entirely of, the old ones, but Peanuts does nothing for me. Schulz’s sadness just shines through too much for me. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2014, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-you-should-like-but-are-meh-about/681199/74 "2014-02-15T20:40:12Z")
**Breaking Bad** Nah, just kidding. That show’s F’ing awesome! **Modern Family** is a good one. **Buffy** I never really cared for. John Hughes movies. ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2014, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-you-should-like-but-are-meh-about/681199/75 "2014-02-15T21:40:49Z")
The Beatles. When I say that, conversation usually stops, and people stare at me with big eyes and open mouths. I just can’t get into non-sensical lyrics written while on drugs, among other things. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2014, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-you-should-like-but-are-meh-about/681199/76 "2014-02-15T22:02:28Z")
> [@Helena330](#): > > The Beatles. When I say that, conversation usually stops, and people stare at me with big eyes and open mouths. I just can’t get into non-sensical lyrics written while on drugs, among other things. Which is maybe about 2% of their entire catalogue. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2014, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-you-should-like-but-are-meh-about/681199/77 "2014-02-15T22:57:37Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Which is maybe about 2% of their entire catalogue. 😕 Yeah, I mean, who even KNOWS what “I Want to Hold Your Hand” is about? Probably some kind of crazy LSD dream. Have you ever even heard of a “hand”? I know I haven’t. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2014, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-you-should-like-but-are-meh-about/681199/78 "2014-02-15T23:11:58Z")
> [@MsWhatsit](#): > > Yeah, I mean, who even KNOWS what “I Want to Hold Your Hand” is about? Probably some kind of crazy LSD dream. Have you ever even heard of a “hand”? I know I haven’t. I’m another Beatles meh-er (I don’t _hate_ them by any means, and I do quite like a few of their songs (“Eleanor Rigby,” “Michelle,” and “Yesterday,” primarily)) but I just don’t really see what the big deal is about them. I’m thinking it’s got to be a “you had to be there” thing, where they were a new and different sound at the time. But most of their songs, especially earlier ones like “I Want To Hold Your Hand” and “She Loves Me” just sound like any other sort of trite teenage love-stuff. I just don’t get why they’re practically deified among rock acts. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2014, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-you-should-like-but-are-meh-about/681199/79 "2014-02-16T00:35:56Z")
> [@teela\_brown](#): > > _Dr. Who_. It’s sci-fi, it’s British, it’s drama, it’s written by great writers - everything I ought to like. I’ve tried it a couple of times but can’t get into it. _Doctor Who_ was the one I came in here to mention. It’s a British sci-fi with clever writing and interesting scenarios and premises - but I just can’t get into it (and I’ve tried both “Classic” Dr. Who and episodes with the newer series from Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant). I don’t hate the show or anything, I’m just thoroughly “Meh” about it, not helped by the fact a disproportionate number of its fans (at least in my experience) seem to fall into the “alternative-hipster-geek girl with too many cats who gets way too into the show” category. I’m also “meh” about most of the superhero films - I’ve never actually read a superhero comic (they weren’t a thing when I was growing up in New Zealand and they’re insanely expensive) with the exception of _Watchmen_, which I loved. So when I see yet another comic book superhero that isn’t Batman has been turned into a movie, I go “meh” - but if all my friends were going to see it, I’d tag along and enjoy watching all the special effects and fights and so on. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2014, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-you-should-like-but-are-meh-about/681199/80 "2014-02-16T00:57:49Z")
Family Guy and South Park. They should be right up my alley, but wow, they aren’t. I’d rather watch season 200 of the Simpsons. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-you-should-like-but-are-meh-about/681199.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-you-should-like-but-are-meh-about/681199.md?page=5)