Disclaimer
Please note that the views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of SpoilerTV.
There is an unspoken agreement between the viewers and the creators of television shows: in exchange for our attention, no matter how fleeting, shows must deliver some degree of entertainment.
It is a precarious agreement, ready to fall apart at any moment because of any number of variables. When the breakdown happens it can be drawn out over time or sudden and unexpected. It can occur at any point during a show's run.
We all have that show, or those shows, which we stopped watching because of someting. A plot twist or character death or change of writers. Sometimes real-life issues can turn people off. Or a change in time slot or network. A ship that never launched.
Maybe it was something more subtle. Stagnant characters and slow plot movements can try viewers' patience - if a show is spinning its wheels, why watch? Too much world building can be boring. Too little can be confusing. The concept might be great and the execution totally fails. Or maybe you just grew out of a show - personal evolution is a real thing.
There are over 500 hours of television plus streaming content. With more competition than ever before for eyeballs, and that's not even including other entertainment, like video games, social media and YouTube, viewers can afford to be ruthless in cutting off a show.
My number one reason for ditching a show is when it strays too far from reality. I'm not talking about flying aliens or time travel - the ability to suspend your belief is an important part of being a television viewer. My problem is when a show misrepresents or makes a mistake about a basic part of the story they are trying to tell.
Example one: the CPR scenes on 911. That's not how you use a bag valve mask. That's not how a defibrillator works. No wonder you guys are losing your patients!
note: 911 might be luring me back. I love disaster movies and I can't resist tsunamis.
Example two: the law part of Law and Order. This was probably my fault for going to law school after watching the show for years. Once I realized that's not how courtrooms and trials work, it was the end of my long-term relationship with that franchise's mothership.
This is where you all come in. What are some of the reasons why you have stopped watching a show? Any and all reasons can be left in the comments below.
