# Worst TV Shows, or-Why we call it The Idiot Box **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 21, 2013, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-shows-or-why-we-call-it-the-idiot-box/653559 "2013-03-21T18:56:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-shows-or-why-we-call-it-the-idiot-box/653559/101 "2013-03-22T13:41:25Z")
> [@Meyer6](#): > > My god, I thought I was the only one haunted by Farmgate as a kid. Most boring show _ever_. To be fair, I don’t think it’s actually bad, I think they just inexplicably used to show it in the midst of a bunch of kids shows and it was definitely not kid-friendly. Exactly! What kind of cruel TV programmer puts the farm report in the middle of Saturday morning cartoons? ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-shows-or-why-we-call-it-the-idiot-box/653559/102 "2013-03-22T13:43:51Z")
> [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](#): > > **Boobah** - kids show from the creators of Teletubbies. I guess the target audience was kids who didn’t think Teletubbies was repetitive enough. Even my kids, who were 3 and 1 at the time and watched Teletubbies, thought it was boring and pointless. It didn’t even have Teletubbies’ this-might-be-cool-if-I-were-stoned appeal. No, the Boobahs made you think you were already stoned when you watched it. I didn’t hate it but Lordy, it was one of the weirdest shows I’ve ever seen. > [@FriarTed](#): > > OK, how many of us have fond memories of at least two shows that someone else has named? I really liked Cop Rock, Wizards and Warriors…heck, I even watched Babes without duress. The shows I seem to hate often turn out to be popular, which just goes to show that I’m not anyone’s target demographic. Take BBC3 show _Coming of Age_, which lilterally made me sick to my stomach to watch yet managed to get renewed. Or the award-winning _Mrs Brown’s Boys_ - I cannot stand it, yet it seems to go down well with a lot of people. Chacun a son gout and all that. ---
**Author:** ![Find\_Friends](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@Find\_Friends](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Find_Friends)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-shows-or-why-we-call-it-the-idiot-box/653559/103 "2013-03-22T13:54:46Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > … There were four reasons why I watched that show as a teenaged boy, and they were [Lydia Cornell and Deborah Van Valkenburgh](http://www.cyndi.com/items/2910.jpg). 😉 😕 But, but… you only mentioned two reasons, the two daughters in the show, not four, and that doesn’t make any sense… Oh. Wait a minute… Um, um… :smack: Oh, okay, I get it. 😉 > [@Voyager](#): > > … Space 1999. Spaceships going faster than light without explanation was bad enough, but the Moon? I knew from Mission Impossible that Martin Landau and Barbara Bain could act, so the only explanation for their poor performance here must be the direction… As if the multiple absurdities were not bad enough, the first season episodes started with an intro scene that no doubt many consider “cheesy” to begin with. The two stars are shown separately looking boldly to the future. Personally, I don’t think it was such a bad concept. I mean, I prefer clips of the actors taken from actual scenes in the shows, as opposed to anything that is so staged. It was the execution, though, that drove me crazy. As the camera sweeps around Barbara Bain her eyes glance downward in mid-scene for no apparent reason, completely ruining the concept. Mistakes will happen, of course, but that is what extra takes are for. Sheeeesh! ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-shows-or-why-we-call-it-the-idiot-box/653559/104 "2013-03-22T14:38:39Z")
I know it’s probably just me, but any number of “reality” shows featuring housewives, mobster wives, stinking rich retired rock stars, or the appalling, ubiquitous Kardashians. All of them getting up to previously though-up and semi-scripted hijinks (no one on earth can possibly lead such busy silly lives!) and spending. spending. spending. gobs of money. I think it is so disgusting, it’s money porn. It’s like viewers are the poor folks supposed to be laughing and envying Our Betters as they fly from city to city, yammer away in their cavernous palaces, buy buy buy clothes and jewelry and things for their pets. I will single out “Ice Loves Coco” for special dim-wittery and their non-stop focus on their DOG. I have nothing against dogs and think theirs is a cutie, but of the shows I have watched, it might as well be called “Ice Loves Coco Loves Doggy.” Endless footage of the dog who might as well be their son! Endless debate about the dog’s junk! Should the dog go under the knife, and if so, can the vet implant some Neuticals? It is so silly, tiresome, and such a waste of time. I don’t watch this of my own accord, it’s forced viewing when visiting a dotty relative who thinks they are all just adorable, and “lookit that doggy, he thinks he’s a human, ha ha!”. Well, to each his own. I would rather watch the weather channel. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-shows-or-why-we-call-it-the-idiot-box/653559/105 "2013-03-22T15:01:10Z")
> [@RikWriter](#): > > I LOVED Lancelot Link when I was about 6 years old. As did I. I had the misfortune to watch an episode a few years ago…OMG. Not only was it stupid, but it was glacially slow – long, boring shots of the poor chimps wandering around on the stage, with horrible dialog dubbed in. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-shows-or-why-we-call-it-the-idiot-box/653559/106 "2013-03-22T15:16:56Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > I know it’s probably just me, but any number of “reality” shows featuring housewives, mobster wives, stinking rich retired rock stars, or the appalling, ubiquitous Kardashians… With me, it’s the other end of the income spectrum - I can’t stand TV “reality” shows about hicks, rednecks, and po’ white trash. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-shows-or-why-we-call-it-the-idiot-box/653559/107 "2013-03-22T16:15:02Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > The infamous _Heil Honey I’m Home_. So bad it was pulled after one episode. > > [Watch it here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mf9jJx0NSjw), if you dare. Along with the infamous _Turn On_, this one doesn’t count. Minimum of five episodes for this list. ---
**Author:** ![edwards\_beard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@edwards\_beard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwards_beard)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-shows-or-why-we-call-it-the-idiot-box/653559/108 "2013-03-22T16:22:08Z")
Son of the Beach - this horrid show was shown on FX back in the 90s produced by Howard Stern ---
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-shows-or-why-we-call-it-the-idiot-box/653559/109 "2013-03-22T17:20:58Z")
> [@RikWriter](#): > > I LOVED Lancelot Link when I was about 6 years old. Me too. And I loved Small Wonder when I was six, too. Doesn’t mean they weren’t godawful! ---
**Author:** ![Musky\_Moon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90db22/32.png) [@Musky\_Moon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musky_Moon)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-shows-or-why-we-call-it-the-idiot-box/653559/110 "2013-03-22T17:50:14Z")
> [@Ibn\_Warraq](#): > > From when I was really young, Wizards and Warriors. > > Looking back on it I’d probably slash my wrists before watching it again, but when I was a kid I loved it. This is my pick as well. I simply can not think of another show worse than this. I’ll link it…but you may regret clicking this. https://www.youtube.com/embed/RwvMqoDdfCU?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-shows-or-why-we-call-it-the-idiot-box/653559/111 "2013-03-22T19:33:42Z")
Wizards and Warriors? Great show – Julia Duffy as the spoiled princess made up for a lot, and any show that adds the catchphrase, “I’ve had fun before. This isn’t it” to the lexicon can’t be all bad. ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-shows-or-why-we-call-it-the-idiot-box/653559/112 "2013-03-22T19:59:14Z")
the ones I currently hate the most & give TV a black eye are - Two Broke Girls Two and a Half Men idiot shows for an idiot box! there should be a special category for shows that started out as one of the best and ended as one of the very very worst. That would be “Lost” (just my opinion) ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-shows-or-why-we-call-it-the-idiot-box/653559/113 "2013-03-22T20:11:14Z")
> [@well\_he\_s\_back](#): > > the ones I currently hate the most & give TV a black eye are - > Two Broke Girls > Two and a Half Men > > idiot shows for an idiot box! > there should be a special category for shows that started out as one of the best and ended as one of the very very worst. That would be “Lost” (just my opinion) If there’s enoough interest maybe I’ll start thread for shows people currently hate, but this one is for the top three worst shows you’ve _ever_ seen. ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-shows-or-why-we-call-it-the-idiot-box/653559/114 "2013-03-22T20:23:48Z")
sorry I didn’t read your OP closely enough Czarcasm. I apologize ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-shows-or-why-we-call-it-the-idiot-box/653559/115 "2013-03-22T20:46:23Z")
> [@kneegrow](#): > > that’s weird. > a. when in the series do they claim that the moon goes FTL? > b. given all the crap we accept from sci fi shows, like sound in space, braking, artificial gravity without explanation, all aliens being humanoid, complaining about the moon going FTL seems … petty? > > besides, if you accept a ship going ftl, there’s no good reason why the moon couldn’t. When they explore a planet around another star no more than months after they leave Earth’s orbit? If you remember, the Moon’s propulsion system was an explosion of a nuclear waste dump. And of course they go fast enough to make it between stars in a reasonable time, but slow enough to have long encounters with the planets that they find around them. And the Eagles are fast enough to accelerate to the Moon’s velocity. Though I must admit, the Eagles were cool. The Enterprise had a warp engine. The Moon did not. As Spider Robinson said in his review in Galaxy (from memory) Explain the premise to someone who knows about science. Wait until they stop laughing. Bring a lunch. Shows that didn’t get the special needs of ftl travel were dumb, but I’m a purist. But not anywhere near as dumb as Space 1999. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-shows-or-why-we-call-it-the-idiot-box/653559/116 "2013-03-22T20:54:31Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Yes. Time dilation occurs when going at sublight speed. Doesn’t explain why they passed a planet slowly enough to visit. Or, and I just remembered this now, how they they managed to come close enough for Eagle travel to any planets at all. I leave it as an exercise to the reader to compute the amount of energy required to accelerate the moon to relativistic velocities, not to mention how it would hold together after a reasonably rapid acceleration. BTW I have nothing against the Andersons. I loved Supercar as a kid. But the acting was much better in that show. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-shows-or-why-we-call-it-the-idiot-box/653559/117 "2013-03-22T21:12:54Z")
A few: -Dharma and Gregg: two mentally retarded people puzzled by life -Amish Mafia: a bunch of rural hicks who rob Amish farmers -The Life of Riley: moronic father barely remembers where he lives/works -Lost in Space: weird family who dress in velvet clothing, live on an uninhabited planet with gay medical doctor; monsters extra ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-shows-or-why-we-call-it-the-idiot-box/653559/118 "2013-03-22T21:28:45Z")
Most of you need to thank God fasting that you are too young to have seen [The Smothers Brothers Show](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Smothers_Brothers_Show). No, it’s not the one where they sang “Waist Deep in the Big Muddy”. It’s the one before that, where Tommy Smothers comes back to earth after drowning. As an angel. That show, and Tori, are things Aaron Spelling is going to answer for if there is justice in the afterlife. _It’s About Time_ has already been mentioned, and it is all that has been said about it. I’ll finish with _[Batman](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batman_%28TV_series%29)_, which was (I think) going for “hip and ironic” and made it all the way to “stupid”. I was ten years old, and even I thought it sucked like sucking was going to be outlawed. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![kath94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/67e7ee/32.png) [@kath94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kath94)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-shows-or-why-we-call-it-the-idiot-box/653559/119 "2013-03-22T22:49:42Z")
> [@USCDiver](#): > > Most of my submissions have been mentioned but not the worst of all time. > > [Lancelot Link, Secret Chimp](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lancelot_Link,_Secret_Chimp) > [@RikWriter](#): > > I LOVED Lancelot Link when I was about 6 years old. Lancelot Link is part of my childhood. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-shows-or-why-we-call-it-the-idiot-box/653559/120 "2013-03-22T23:10:00Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > 1. [Aliens in the Family](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X91tsfRmVqA&playnext=1&list=PL988312BD7A7005F4&feature=results_main). **Warning!** Link not safe for your sanity! I don’t remember that show at all. Also, the mom was pretty cute. Also, I think she’s dead. At least if I’m reading IMDB right. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-shows-or-why-we-call-it-the-idiot-box/653559.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-shows-or-why-we-call-it-the-idiot-box/653559.md?page=7)