[TV] Variety's Worst TV Shows of 2015

[Feredir]

http://variety.com/2015/tv/columns/w...ng-1201658055/

Everyone has a show they love, hate, or love to hate. Having been involved in some of the discussions of some of these shows, I'm sure many of the choices will be as applauded as they are equally condemned. So without further delay, here are Variety's choices for the worst television programs of 2015.

“True Detective” (HBO). Yes, the expectations were probably too high, but this star-studded production was as stiff, unimaginative and frequently illogical as the original was refreshing. And seriously, who runs to abandoned woods when being chased by a horde of bad guys?

“Knock Knock Live!” (Fox). Ryan Seacrest hosted and produced this completely misguided summer hour, which went out into the field to test the theory that people will watch anything if there’s a “Live!” label attached to it, and do anything to be seen on TV. Inasmuch as “Live” was pretty much dead on arrival ratings-wise, guess not.

“Truth Be Told” (NBC), “Dr. Ken” (ABC). Neither of these new sitcoms might have made the list on its own, but the fact that they were scheduled directly opposite each other at 8:30 p.m. on Fridays became a sort of referendum on just how stripped of ambition many of this fall’s new comedies appeared to be. (Honorable mention, incidentally, goes to another NBC sitcom, “One Big Happy.”)

“Fear the Walking Dead” (AMC). Again, this spinoff was a victim of its ties to the hugely popular original series, having tried to essentially cross “Parenthood” with the outbreak of the zombie apocalypse. While that was in theory an interesting idea, a lackluster assortment of characters created little incentive to root for anyone to get out alive.

“Best Time Ever With Neil Patrick Harris” (NBC). Reviving the variety show sounded like a potentially fertile notion, especially with the multi-talented Harris as its star. But to quote the legendary basketball coach John Wooden, this NBC series seemed to confuse activity with accomplishment, proving so frenetic and headache-inducing as to blunt the appealing qualities Harris has demonstrated hosting every imaginable awards show.

“Donny!” (USA). Donny Deutsch’s attempt to cast himself at the center of a “Curb Your Enthusiasm”-type comedy – with the ad man-turned-TV-personality playing a (presumably) more egomaniacal version of himself as a daytime talk host – just made one miss new episodes of “Curb.” A lot.

“Falling Skies” finale (TNT). After a five-year run, this Steven Spielberg-produced sci-fi drama reached the point for which its fans had been understandably waiting, when the alien invaders finally get their cosmic comeuppance. But the big finish felt like a total afterthought, suggesting the creative staff ran out of ideas long before the plucky human rebellion ran out of grit and determination.

“Hand of God” (Amazon). This ill-conceived drama cast Ron Perlman as a powerful judge who believes he’s receiving godly visions, pointing him toward the person responsible for a suicide attempt by his son – after watching his wife get raped – that left him in a coma. While the show dealt with the judge’s resistance to taking his kid off life support, it was the series that needed to be put out of its misery.

“Sex Box” (WE), “Seven Year Switch” (FYI), “Neighbors With Benefits” (A&E). All three of these reality shows used a sexually titillating concept – in sequence, a couple having sex on air, spouse swapping and swinging – in pretty desperate attempts to get attention, as if condemnation from the Parents Television Council was their entire marketing campaign. And even then, they were generally plenty stilted and staged, but not very sexy.

“The Dovekeepers” (CBS). Mark Burnett has successfully expanded from reality TV into scripted biblical epics, but his miniseries adaptation of “The Dovekeepers” looked more like a wounded duck. For anyone seeking a truly compelling version of the siege at Masada – where the vastly outnumbered Jews held off a Roman legion, at least for a time – go find the 1981 miniseries by that name.

“Texas Rising” (History). History assembled an impressive cast for this 10-hour miniseries devoted to Texas statehood, but then forgot to provide them with a functional script. So while the familiar cry surrounding these events is “Remember the Alamo,” “Rising” was as flat as it was forgettable.

“Hunting Hitler” (History). Yes, the prospect of the FBI investigating whether Hitler somehow escaped Germany is a tantalizing line of inquiry. But History took history’s greatest act of mass genocide, turned it into fodder for a “Cold Justice”-style reality show filled with “ifs” and “maybes,” and then milked that for eight weeks. There was probably a way to do this that wouldn’t have besmirched History’s already shaky reputation. But in terms of the presentation – setting aside the “evidence” – “Hunting Hitler” isn’t it.

“The Leisure Class” (HBO). After eight weeks of listening to contest-winning director Jason Mann quietly fuss about what a committed auteur he is on “Project Greenlight,” the resulting movie offered a reminder that this franchise is ultimately all about producing a reality TV show, not filmmaking, with a history of setting up its “winners” to fail. Watching the show, in other words, magnified the movie’s mediocrity

[Damajin]

Thankfully never saw any of those, the descriptions were horrible. Haven't watched hardly any tv in awhile but looks like they're really just throwing anything in the blender to see what it makes.

[eschatological]

While the 2nd season of True Detective wasn't up to the first's standards, it wasn't bad. How you can put it on a list of "The Worst" of 2015 while shows like Broke Girls and The Big Bang Theory etc manage to avoid the list?

[Pendulous]

Wait, they actually made a show called "Sex Box"? Was her name Sony?

[eschatological]

I believe the conceit was that two people who didn't know each other would go into a giant (non-see through) box on a stage in front of a large audience, have sex, come out all rumpled, and....generally be embarassed by the interview that followed? IDK.

[Deleted]

While the 2nd season of True Detective wasn't up to the first's standards, it wasn't bad. How you can put it on a list of "The Worst" of 2015 while shows like Broke Girls and The Big Bang Theory etc manage to avoid the list?

Probably due to its potentials. Superstars and lots of backings financially and artistically. Like a polished turd. Easier to forgive a new show with debuting actors and writers if it fails, than a experienced crew who are given any means possible to make a good show.
The critics on Variety are most likely trying hard to deliver a fresh new angle instead of repeating mainstream forum opinions.
Seems like they chose The Americans as best show - which definitely not would have been my choice after seeing s1-s2. Not a bad show, but lacks the ingenuity of a show like Fargo or the sublime dialogue and acting of Transparent

[MrLachyG]

While the 2nd season of True Detective wasn't up to the first's standards, it wasn't bad. How you can put it on a list of "The Worst" of 2015 while shows like Broke Girls and The Big Bang Theory etc manage to avoid the list?

A list like this is completely subjective

[Feredir]

A list like this is completely subjective

Unless you are making an alphabetized list of all things that exist, all lists are subjective.

[TJ]

Fear the Walking Dead wasn't bad at all, way above the complete shit that the actual Walking Dead has become.

[Halicia]

P
Seems like they chose The Americans as best show - which definitely not would have been my choice after seeing s1-s2. Not a bad show, but lacks the ingenuity of a show like Fargo or the sublime dialogue and acting of Transparent

Haven't watched any Americans since season 1, but regardless of how good the 2015 season was, I doubt it was comparable to Deutschland 82. When I watched that show, it felt like I was watching what The Americans *should* have been. So yeah, I dunno how they chose The Americans when even in its specific genre/plottwist, it's far from the best.

All in all the 'worst shows' list feels like, "Don't like the ending, so I don't like the show!"

Even as weird/sketchy as True Detective Season 2 was, there's no reason putting it up there with some Jersey Shore reject reality TV.

[Puupi]

Fear the Walking Dead beats the original Walking Dead (in it's current state) by far. True Detective S2 was vastly inferior to S1, but it still doesn't belong to this list.

[Super Kami Dende]

Yet TV shows like Big Bang theory still manage to somehow thrive. Goddamn.

[Faesroll]

If we're gonna compare every show to true detectives first season they're all shit. The second season wasn't as good by a long shot, but I still enjoyed it. Fear the walking dead doesn't belong on that list either.

Falling skies has been a pile of shit since season 3 and should've been cancelled after.

[Puupi]

Falling skies has been a pile of shit since season 3 and should've been cancelled after.

I stopped watching it after S3. Kind of intrigued to know how the story ends, though....

[announced]

fear the walking dead sucked - after the first 4 or 5 episodes it started getting tiresome. i felt like nothing for any of the characters, aside from the main family mother and son, and god it was so boring. reminded me of the current walking dead season and its depressing.

[Puupi]

fear the walking dead sucked - after the first 4 or 5 episodes it started getting tiresome.

Considering the fact it was 6 episodes long, getting tiresome after 4 or 5 episodes is a pretty good run.

i felt like nothing for any of the characters, aside from the main family mother and son, and god it was so boring. reminded me of the current walking dead season and its depressing.

So you felt nothing for any of the characters, except the two main characters...

[Sorshen]

Fear the Walking Dead wasn't bad at all, way above the complete shit that the actual Walking Dead has become.

You missed the part where they listened to the war criminal and killed everyone in the safezone for two people?

[eschatological]

I stopped watching it after S3. Kind of intrigued to know how the story ends, though....

I watched up until right before the last season. I heard that the last season started and I....just didn't care.

That one girl was hot, though - the one who was on Smallville once upon a time.

[McNeil]

Out of all these shows I've only watched Fear the Walking Dead, which isn't that bad imo. It does have its flaws like not enough zombies and unmemorable characters, but thats something shows usually improve in its second season. The second season from the original Walking Dead was a complete borefest, I'm not expecting the 2nd season from FtWD to be any worse.

[announced]

Considering the fact it was 6 episodes long, getting tiresome after 4 or 5 episodes is a pretty good run.


So you felt nothing for any of the characters, except the two main characters...

well it was more like after the 3rd episode it just, started to drag on and on. the town was getting worse but it just wasnt that exciting. the main protagonist was decent, and her son was ok, but the rest of the family, who cares. there were like 6 additional characters that didnt really fit into the picture anywhere and werent explained that well, as for bad shows i expected more from TWD and FTWD