Like many people, Mrs. Wheelz and I were looking for new stuff to watch during the shutdown. While scrolling through Netflix I came across that cartoon about the talking horse who drinks a lot. That was literally everything I knew about BoJack Horseman.
We figured it might be good for a few laughs, but for some reason I expected something on an intellectual par with, say, Aqua Teen Hunger Force or Squidbillies.
Boy, was I surprised when it turned out to be a smart, rich, beautifully-written story with a complex and nuanced protagonist, deeply flawed yet somehow relatable enough to want to root for him and care what happens. Plus strong supporting characters and lots of imaginative silliness thrown in for good measure. We watched the last episode tonight and I already miss it.
So what shows, movies, books, or whatever else did you go into with low or no expectations, and were pleasantly surprised?
As a teenager, I went to see the movie Hackers which was… ok I guess. I enjoyed it but it’s a pretty silly movie. Showing as a double feature was The Usual Suspects, which I had heard nothing about and watched only because I was a teenager with nothing else to do. It was awesome!
I’m not much for sit-coms. Actually have actively avoided them. I got enough with my kids watching them.
Boredom and forgetting to change the channel after the 10o’clock news I watched a few eps of ‘Two and a half Men’
Funny stuff, even if dated and a bit over the top.
That said, the few I’ve seen after Charlie Sheen left are very horrible.
I’d heard it was about a group of high schoolers who liked to sing. Big whoop; it’s a choir.
But after a friend, who knew I had done musical theatre, suggested “just one episode,” I was hooked. It was a different kind of musical theater, but one I could relate to. I watched every episode, and while the last two seasons were weaker than the first three, the music still held up.
She-Ra and the Princesses of Power. I was expecting a fairly generic kid’s show, and I got something surprisingly thoughtful and often downright moving.
That was what I came in to post when I saw the thread title. The name made it sound like just a stupid teen move, but it ended up being really good. I don’t know if that was intentional or not, but I’ve always said that movie would have been a lot more popular if they named it, literally, anything else.
Also, Pineapple Express.
I have a 7 and 10 year old and sometimes I’ll sit and watch their shows with them. Teen Titans Go is solid. The Amazing World of Gumball is also pretty good, the staff is clearly writing side jokes for adults that go over kids heads. They’re on to Apple and Onion now and that might be another surprising find for an adult.
A long time ago, in a state far, far away…
I had a friend who was a projectionist. He said there was a free screening of some new movie, and me and another friend should come watch it, and then we could all go out afterwards. I asked him what it was called, and he didn’t remember, something about archeology. My friend and I figured that since it was free, we didn’t have much to lose.
Of course, the opening scene alone was jaw-dropping. Everyone in the theatre screamed when the huge ball came rolling at the lead…
“The Princess Bride” & “Galaxy Quest” are both far better than I expected. Two of my favorite movies.
Hoodwinked! was a bigger surprise. A barely advertised late winter release. We were just looking for a movie to take the kids to. This was an outstanding little movie made on a very low budget.
A 4 perspective retelling of Little Red Riding Hood and boy did it work.
The Man Who Invented Christmas. Wife rented it, I didn’t even read the jacket. I figured it was just another variation on a theme that doesn’t admit much variation. But it’s brilliant. It was great fun during the Christmas season, but I think it would be fun most any time.
I think I’d be spoiling it by explaining too much of it, but I think I’m saying it’s about Dickens’ life and though processes while he was writing “A Christmas Carol”
Going back a bit, but Dumb and Dumber is way better than I had anticipated. It’s actually one of my favourite comedies, despite it being on the face of it complete rubbish. It’s just elevated above its premise somehow.
Also I’m a big fan of Mr Bean’s Holiday. The first Bean movie was just a poorly constructed rehash of the TV sketches, and felt too reactionary. But the sequel is more organically connective and has a lot less embarrassment humour, and a lot more charm and cleverness. Still hoping they’ll make Mr Bean’s Wedding to top off the trilogy.
Eight Legged Freaks is an underrated horror. I was expecting creepy cheese, but got something well-crafted and fun, more akin to Tremors. Similarly Them is way better than it ought to be.
