# Things you expected nothing of, but turned out to be great **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 1, 2020, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-expected-nothing-of-but-turned-out-to-be-great/919498 "2020-09-01T05:09:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2020, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-expected-nothing-of-but-turned-out-to-be-great/919498/1 "2020-09-01T05:09:01Z")
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? NO SPOILERS IN THIS THREAD, PLEASE! ---
**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:** [September 1, 2020, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-expected-nothing-of-but-turned-out-to-be-great/919498/2 "2020-09-01T05:31:40Z")
> [@Wheelz](#): > > So what shows, movies, books, or whatever else did you go into with low or no expectations, and were pleasantly surprised? From the back of the box, Galaxy Quest had no business being as good as it was. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2020, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-expected-nothing-of-but-turned-out-to-be-great/919498/3 "2020-09-01T05:33:03Z")
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! ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2020, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-expected-nothing-of-but-turned-out-to-be-great/919498/4 "2020-09-01T06:13:16Z")
I only rented “The Hunt” because of the controversy surrounding it. But holy shit that was an awesomely hilarious movie! ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2020, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-expected-nothing-of-but-turned-out-to-be-great/919498/5 "2020-09-01T06:49:30Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2020, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-expected-nothing-of-but-turned-out-to-be-great/919498/6 "2020-09-01T07:31:47Z")
Hot Tub Time Machine was way better than it had any right to be. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2020, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-expected-nothing-of-but-turned-out-to-be-great/919498/7 "2020-09-01T07:47:54Z")
Glee. 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. ---
**Author:** ![galen\_ubal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galen_ubal/32/4440_2.png) [@galen\_ubal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galen_ubal)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2020, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-expected-nothing-of-but-turned-out-to-be-great/919498/8 "2020-09-01T08:25:16Z")
_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. ---
**Author:** ![kitap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@kitap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitap)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2020, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-expected-nothing-of-but-turned-out-to-be-great/919498/9 "2020-09-01T08:34:29Z")
I read **The Great Gatsby** and **Jane Eyre** for a book club. I was not expecting to like either; I loved both. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2020, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-expected-nothing-of-but-turned-out-to-be-great/919498/10 "2020-09-01T11:49:10Z")
> [@Lance\_Turbo](#): > > Hot Tub Time Machine was way better than it had any right to be. 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. ---
**Author:** ![YamatoTwinkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/cc9497/32.png) [@YamatoTwinkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YamatoTwinkie)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2020, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-expected-nothing-of-but-turned-out-to-be-great/919498/11 "2020-09-01T12:44:25Z")
_Dredd (2012)_. From the promos, I assumed it was a low budget “3-D movie!” cash-in, and never gave it a second thought while it was in the theaters. I think it’s probably one of the best action/sci-fi movies from the past decade. Screenplay by Alex Garland (28 days later, Ex-Machina). ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2020, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-expected-nothing-of-but-turned-out-to-be-great/919498/12 "2020-09-01T12:51:21Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2020, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-expected-nothing-of-but-turned-out-to-be-great/919498/13 "2020-09-01T13:25:20Z")
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… [https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/images/newsite/raiders\_ball\_600.jpg](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/images/newsite/raiders_ball_600.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2020, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-expected-nothing-of-but-turned-out-to-be-great/919498/14 "2020-09-01T13:26:41Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > > [@Lance\_Turbo](#): > > > > Hot Tub Time Machine was way better than it had any right to be. > > 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. Also, “The Princess Bride”. Not knowing anything about it other than the title, it’s definitely much better than you would expect. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2020, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-expected-nothing-of-but-turned-out-to-be-great/919498/15 "2020-09-01T13:34:59Z")
“The Princess Bride” & “Galaxy Quest” are both far better than I expected. Two of my favorite movies. [Hoodwinked](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0443536/)! 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. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2020, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-expected-nothing-of-but-turned-out-to-be-great/919498/16 "2020-09-01T13:41:28Z")
_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” ---
**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:** [September 1, 2020, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-expected-nothing-of-but-turned-out-to-be-great/919498/17 "2020-09-01T13:48:44Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2020, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-expected-nothing-of-but-turned-out-to-be-great/919498/18 "2020-09-01T13:49:43Z")
I watched [Vivarium](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8368406/) when I couldn’t find anything better to watch. It was either really interesting or a complete waste of time, I’m still not sure. ---
**Author:** ![kitap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@kitap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitap)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2020, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-expected-nothing-of-but-turned-out-to-be-great/919498/19 "2020-09-01T13:55:13Z")
I was expecting **Return of the Killer Tomatoes** to be awful. It’s a fun little movie with some clever writing. And product placement. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2020, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-expected-nothing-of-but-turned-out-to-be-great/919498/20 "2020-09-01T13:58:38Z")
Used cars is a really funny movie, came out around 1980. Went to it because nothing else at the time seemed good. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-expected-nothing-of-but-turned-out-to-be-great/919498.md?page=2)