As the decade comes to a close, it’s time to re-evaluate what we’ve seen in the past 10 years. So much music, television, film and art has been released to and reviewed by the public. While many shows received widespread  praise, not everyone felt the same way. Here are four TV shows aired between 2010 and 2019 that, while well-received, were not well-done. 

Thirteen Reasons Why (Season 1)

Based on the 2007 novel by Jay Asher, “Thirteen Reasons Why” was a highly anticipated series that received a lot of publicity and promotion prior to its 2017 release. Because the novel was so well-received, the Netflix show was expected to be done just as well. The show’s main issue is  that it isn’t a close adaptation of the book. For example, the chronological order of events is altered. One of the most important things about the book was the order of events and how that lead up to the protagonist’s death. To alter the order of events seemed to make very little sense. It also seems to contain graphic material just for the sake of shock-value, rather than to be realistic. 

Glee 

Aired from 2009 to 2015, “Glee” was deemed different for its incorporation of musical numbers. The show’s premise could have resulted in something stellar for how well-cast the actors were. However, the writing is far too cheesy. Many of its  plot lines fall flat or don’t achieve their desired effect. In several cases, stories are never resolved after they begin, making audiences wonder what could have been. For example, the show addresses what became of some of the main characters in the end but not others, when the attention was spread more equally in the beginning. Outcomes within the show often don’t match up to their potential. 

Orange is the New Black

“Orange is the New Black” is based on the book by Piper Kerman about her experience in prison. The television adaptation premiered on Netflix in 2013. I found the concept  interesting and was excited to see how it played out. However, I feel that the show is disjointed with too many characters and stories to follow, many of which aren’t captivating enough. For example, many of the characters were heavily altered or entirely fictional, straying from the novel and original purpose of the show. As the show continued, more ideas for stories had to be thought of, and therefore adding more characters and plot lines that made the show more difficult to follow. I understand why this Netflix show is popular, but I don’t find it a show to stay invested in. 

The Big Bang Theory

Even though “The Big Bang Theory” premiered in 2007, its 12th and final season aired  this year. For a series to last 12 years, and have a spinoff series, shows how strong of a following it has. Despite this, I’ve never found it to be funny. The writing is corny and tries too hard, and I’ve never understood its widespread positive attention. For example, it seems like each character is heavily exaggerated in an attempt to be funny, when it just comes off as unrealistic and corny. This especially applies to the characters of Sheldon and Bernadette. It could be the science-related humor, the writing or the characters, but I could never get into it, even after several tries.