I try to watch pretty much all new shows that come out that I even have a remote interest in to see if they are any good. But some I just never really can get into, but I read so much praise about them, that I keep watching them, thinking they are really good and I'm just missing something. Eventually I'm finally forced to give up on them, but not before watching way more episodes than I would have otherwise. I was talking to someone else a while back and he said he kind of does the same thing. Good proof that tons of hype actually does sell shows. Also helps to explain the success of a lot of crappy sitcoms/reality shows that people watch just because everyone else does.

The 2 that stick out most in my mind are Rescue Me and the new Battlestar Galactica. Rescue Me I honestly don't see what the hype is about, but I watched 6 episodes of it when normally I'd have given up after 1 (I eventually did ditch it). BSG, I'm still working my way through the first season as I got behind on my recordings, but I just can't get into it at all, but so many people love it that I keep watching. Yeah, I shouldn't let others influence me, but I just can't help it. This revelation came as I was watching another episode of it last night and again questioned myself as to why I was still watching it.

Can you say The West Wing?

The Office (US). Won't watch it next season. It wasn't bad, but there just weren't that many funny moments IMO.

The classic example for me: Six Feet Under. I watched all of S1 based on the hype. It was like a death march. Reality example: American Idol.


However, there are some shows where the exact opposite happened (hype making me tune in) - the quality lived up to the hype (in here):
Coupling-UK
The Shield
Gilmore Girls
The Amazing Race

No. I also watch show others try to convince me are bad.

That's how I started watching the Sopranos and most of the reality TV shows I have on Tivo.

I do this way too much. The major reason is that some of my favorite shows of all time are shows I didn't like at first. I can think of 3 shows (MSCL, Freaks and Geeks, Scrubs) I forced myself to watch that are now series that I not only like, but I love pretty much every episode.

The best example of shows that I trudge through despite not really liking would be some HBO shows. I've watched all of Sopranos and I actually ended up liking seasons 3 and 4 much more than the first 2, but I still never liked the show that much. I watched the first 2 seasons of The Wire and it seems like something I would like, but I have trouble getting into it for some reason. I still can't decide if I should give Deadwood another shot or not. I can check out the dvds from the library, but I couldn't find anything to like about the couple episodes I saw.

"The West Wing"

I watched almost a whole season, but finally decided that no matter how many Otters like it, it's not my kind of show.

I actually watched two seasons. The first because I got it for next to nothing from Columbia House and wanted to see if it was worth all the hype and the awards. It was OK, but I didn't care to see any more of it. But several months later, I thought, I'll give it another shot, and I picked up S2 in the DDD super sale. Again, it was OK.

But outside of a couple of nice things here and there, I was seriously underwhelmed by it all.

No, I'll pass on anything that doesn't grab me, no matter how highly it is praised. Shows that I think might be good have 3-4 shots at making me a regular viewer, but after that I quit.

(It's not as if I won't have anything to watch! )

I watched about 2/3rds of a Season of ER (don't remember which one, but Clooney and Edwards were still both in the cast) because people kept telling me how "great" it was...in short, it wasn't.

If I don't like it, I don't watch it. And if by the end of the first episode I watch, I'm not into it - I won't be watching any more.

So far, seems to have served me well.

How would you know?

das

I'm not watching shows I don't like

But if you don't watch them after the first episode, how do you ... oh, nevermind.

das

If someone I respect suggests a show, I'll give it a couple of viewings, then decide for myself.

Ah...but that's where the "if they don't compel me to watch the next episode..." factor plays in.

I understand crappy episodes of great shows (believe me, I watched 7 years of Buffy) but there was always SOMETHING that compelled me to watch the next in the series.

No, I'll watch a couple episodes on a friends recommendation, but it doesn't grab me after 2 or 3 episodes I give up on it. I'll give up after 1 if I think it's absolutely terrible.

I don't have a lot of time for TV watching, so I have to be efficient in maximizing my enjoyment. Even with Tivo, just not enough hours in the day for me.

I didn't watch the first two season of the X-files. A couple friends kept recommending it and everytime I would catch an episode those first two years it would be one of the stinker episodes. So I wasn't compelled. I gave in and started in season 3. Now I am a huge fan.

My only disappointment so far has been Wonderfalls. I blind bought the set when it was released on DVD since many DVDTalkers loved it. I didn't think it was bad, but it didn't live up to the hype for me. The dialogue was alright, but there wasn't enough else to keep me interested.

I have checked out other a few other series on DVDTalk recommendations, however, and loved them. The Wire and Freaks and Geeks come to mind.

Well, people here convinced me BSG was good, and I'm not a SciFi guy at all. I just happened to catch it in the program guide a few weeks ago the day before they had the entire first season on. I Tivoed it, loved it, and am hooked now. Have a two eps to catch up on though.

I'm in the same boat on Rescue Me. I've tried hard to like it, but just don't. The problem is I keep watching it and I don't know why.

I don't own it, but I started watching nip/tuck after all the hype I was hearing on here. Now I've seen them all and can't wait until next season.

How many episodes in are you?

I didn't like the new Battlestar Galactica mini-series very much, but still started watching the spin-off TV series version. And it took about 4 or so episodes of the TV series before I was hooked.

(when Starbuck had to was the thing that did it for me)

It just got better from there and now it is one of my favorite shows.

I think it can take about half the First Season (say 6 or 7 episodes) to get hooked. So if you're still near the start, keep watching.

I don't think I have run into this problem, but I have kept watching shows because I was too lazy to delete the season pass.

Yes, I always try to find out about shows that I initially had no interest in, but if it comes highly recommended, I have to try - because obviously I've missed something that everyone gets.

I normally give shows a chance by watching at least 2 episodes before I can decide if it will be worth continuing to watch

Shows that have come highly recommended, but they just didn't keep me interested:
West Wing - solid show, but it just didn't move me
ER - I could barely get thru the first 4-5 episodes - I still revisit it every once in a while, but a no go for me
Gilmore Girls - I'm missing the allure
Everwood - *yawn*

However, these shows have really drawn me in based solely on recommendations as I had no interest in these shows:

American Idol - This was the first season that I watched it (reality TV normally wears thin on me) and was addicted - I immediately felt that I'd been missing some great TV - watched every episode and those that I missed, I tracked them down
CSI - Awesome TV for the first 2 seasons, I grew tired after the 3rd season, but continue to watch...
The Apprentice - Missed the 1st season (the whole reality TV thing), but thoroughly enjoyed the 2nd season - hated the 3rd season - had to tune out after 3 episodes (reminded me why I don't like reality TV) - it will be a hard sell to get me to watch this again

Overall, I have an idea of what I will like based on the setup for a show and after watching the first 2-3 episodes once it premieres. Otherwise, it has to be superhyped to get me to watch it

Now, I must check out the Wire and Babylon 5, they're highly touted on this board