‘Your Show is Garbage!’: Inside TV’s Biggest Backlashes

The second season of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has arrived, marking a crucial moment for Amazon Prime Video, which backed the series with a staggering $1 billion five-season commitment in 2017. Although the main discussion should be the show itself, much of the conversation will likely focus again on the various controversies it faces. The first season may have had its slow moments, but it was the backlash that captured much of the attention.

Some criticisms held more weight than others. The necessity of the show was questioned, as its purpose seemed to be expanding on the minor details of JRR Tolkien’s stories. The acting was occasionally questionable, and the accents, particularly the Irish ones, were so poorly executed that the Irish Times described it as “famine cosplay.”

Unfortunately, a large portion of the backlash was rooted in racism. Devoted Tolkien fans objected to the casting of Black actors, such as Lenny Henry’s role as a Harfoot. The decision to give a female dwarf facial hair also incited fury, with critics either repulsed by the facial hair or upset that the beard wasn’t big enough. Consequently, the show became a target for review bombers—individuals who intentionally give low ratings to shows they ideologically oppose in order to lower their overall rating.

Amazon had anticipated such reactions. Last year, their studio chief Jennifer Salke acknowledged the darker side of audience manipulation in reviews. To mitigate this, Amazon introduced a 72-hour delay on Rings of Power user ratings to filter out bad faith reviews. However, even this led to backlash with accusations of limiting free speech, and critics on Reddit suggesting that Amazon was protecting its billion-dollar investment by restricting what people could say about the show.

The Rings of Power isn’t alone in facing such challenges. Another Prime Video show, The Boys, experienced a significant drop in its Rottentomatoes user rating, plummeting from a 91% score in its first season to just 54% for season four. Although the recent season wasn’t the strongest, many poor reviews seemed to come from Republicans upset with the show’s satirical take on Trump-era America.

Damon Lindelof, creator of the 2019 Watchmen series, is familiar with review bombing. His show faced backlash even before it aired, partly because of a Black female lead and its focus on the 1921 Tulsa race massacre. Despite rave critical reviews, some users bombed its Rottentomatoes score, reducing it to 43% at one point. Lindelof dismisses politically motivated reviews, often given by people who haven’t seen the show, as baseless.

Another show, True Detective: Night Country, also faced backlash for its female-led direction, despite being well-received. The outcry was amplified by Nic Pizzolatto, the creator of the earlier seasons. Similarly, Disney+’s The Acolyte faced severe criticism, attributed to its female showrunner and its attempt to expand the Star Wars universe. The backlash led to its cancellation after just one season, with its star Amandla Stenberg blaming “hyper-conservative bigotry and vitriol.”

It’s worth noting that such backlashes don’t always represent the majority opinion. Despite criticism, True Detective: Night Country achieved the highest ratings in its series history, and The Acolyte consistently ranked among the top 10 most-viewed shows across streaming platforms. Watchmen won 11 Emmys and a Peabody award, and was HBO’s most-watched new series since 2017.

Shows from other networks also face unique backlashes. ITV’s sitcom Piglets, created by the team behind Green Wing, had a rough start. The show, which follows trainee police officers, was criticized by the Police Federation for its title. Additionally, the show received over 100 complaints to Ofcom.

James Henry, one of the writers of Piglets, shared that they worked with police officers during development, who found the title amusing. Despite the backlash, Henry remains sympathetic to those who disliked the show, noting that comedy is subjective and it’s common for viewers to have different reactions.

Noisy backlashes may grab headlines, but they don’t always reflect how a show is truly received. As of now, The Boys remains Prime Video’s most-viewed original show. The Rings of Power reportedly became its most-watched original show ever, and Piglets ranked as the second most-watched comedy on British TV during its first week of broadcast.

When a show faces heavy criticism, true fans often defend it more passionately. Henry recalls receiving positive reviews from unexpected sources, which balanced the harsh criticisms. Ultimately, for creators and performers, sticking to their vision and maintaining a healthy perspective helps them weather the storm of public backlash.

Source: The Guardian, Irish Times, Rottentomatoes, Ofcom