Just like a coin, Netlfix has two faces, as the streaming service can release incredible, thought-provoking, cinematic TV shows such as The Crown and Ozark, but on the other side of the coin are shows that were obviously the direct result of Netflix’s content mill.
Between 20 minute sitcoms, irreverent animated comedies, and inferior adaptations of video games, Netflix houses a lot of shows that have been largely panned by critics and even disliked by general audiences. But somehow, they still end up being wildly popular.
The Ranch
As it was a TV sitcom that first made Ashton Kutcher famous by starring in That 70s Show, and he then returned to the genre years later when he replaced Charlie Sheen in Two and a Half Men, The Ranch is his third sitcom in a row that was bashed by critics and general audiences. But that doesn’t make a difference, as it was still watched by millions. The show has finally ended after 80 episodes, and though there are a lot of characters Ranch fans miss, the show was painfully predictable and full of stereotypical characters.
Emily In Paris
Emily In Paris is almost like a spiritual successor to Sex and the City, as it follows an attractive white woman with an interesting career enjoying life in a metropolitan city. And as Sex and the City wasn’t exactly a critical darling, it’s obvious which way critics sway with this one too. Emily In Paris was hated for lacking any kind of depth, but despite the show’s negative reception and being full of characters Emily fans can’t stand, the culture clash the show has to adjust to is still fun to watch.
The Witcher
Even on TV it seems that video game adaptations struggle to be good, as The Witcher is based on one of the most universally acclaimed video games of all time.
Critics have commented on how the show feels only half formed, and even fans of the game have criticized the show, as there are so many characters that didn’t look right. But as Game of Thrones is now over, The Witcher is similar enough with its fantasy elements that it seems to have filled the GoT shaped hole in fans’ hearts.
Disenchantment
Being Matt Groening’s latest animated project after The Simpsons and Futurama, Disenchantment was first hotly tipped to be the next huge animated success. However, it didn’t exactly go as planned, as the animated series fell flat and felt way too self-indulgent. It also has a narrative that is completely baffling and has left some unanswered questions. But with huge stars voicing many of the characters, including Abbi Jacobson and Eric Andre, audiences found comfort in the familiar voices, and the animation actually looks great, too.
Paradise PD
With adult animated comedies becoming a huge trend in the 2010s, mostly due to the success of Rick and Morty, a whole slew of these types of shows were quickly commissioned by studios, including Netflix. And while the streaming service has an absolutely top tier quality animated show with Big Mouth, the same can’t be said for Paradise PD. One of the lead voice actors is even Sarah Chalke, who also stars in Rick and Morty, but this show, which follows a completely inept police department, isn’t half as clever or funny.
Space Force
Being the passion project of Steve Carell and Greg Daniels, who co-created The Office, Space Force was one of the most hyped shows of 2020. Given that it had an all star cast including John Malkovich and Ben Schwartz and had a high concept about forming the sixth branch of the Armed Forces, Netflix had clearly sunk a ton of money in to the show.
But upon its release, viewers thought its humor was ultimately hit and miss, which is one of the reasons it failed to launch. However, the thing to remember is that almost every first season of a Greg Daniels project is underwhelming, but then they go on to have an incredible second season and more, so there’s still hope for the series to spring back.
#BlackAF
BlackAF was intended to be a new take on Modern Family blended with Black-ish, as the show is filmed in a documentary format and also features direct to camera interviews with members of the family.
The show is largely a retread on the same old stuff audiences have seem a million times before without bringing anything new to the table. But it is full of energy and features a great performance from Rashida Jones, who continues to be the go-to actress for mockumentary sitcoms after she starred in The Office and Parks and Recreation.
The Politician
Being a comedy drama, The Politician could have been a great middle ground between House of Cards and VEEP, but the ideas posited by the show in its early episodes failed to live up to expectations by the end of each season. However, it has been enjoyed by large audiences thanks to its satire, and the soap-like nature of the show has been satisfying enough and just about managed to keep enough viewers watching to warrant another new season.
Ratched
As Ratched is based on a character from one of the most critically acclaimed movies in cinematic history, One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, it never felt right that she was getting her own show in which she’d be humanized, as she’s one of the most evil villains in cinema. And unfortunately, that opinion stuck with a lot of people who watched the show, and there were a lot of differences from the original movie, too. Even though Sarah Paulson’s performance is great, Ratched still massively undermines the movie, but it was still popular is getting another season.
Lost In Space
There have been a few adaptations of Lost In Space, from the original 1965 TV show to the 1998 movie starring Matt LeBlanc, but Netflix’s attempt at rebooting the property is unlike any other interpretation of the source material. The showrunners attempted to make Lost In Space feel more realistic and it had extremely ambitious production values, but the glossy sheen of the show wasn’t enough to hide the fact the narrative was totally surface level.