What seems to be happening here in a lot of cases (but probably not all cases) is that the people who have regularly persisted with the program throughout its teething problems have a higher opinion of the show than those who just watch an occasional episode or a small part of an episode.
In some cases of course that is just because different people have different tastes.
However I believe there is another influence at work here.
Time and again when I have recommended one of my favourite shows to someone else that I know has similar taste in TV to me, I have had to endure the sight of them obviously bored out of their brain, but usually too polite to say much.
The same thing has happened in reverse. I have had shows recommended to me by people whose opinion I respect, but I have been disappointed watching my first episode.
A large part of the reason that happens is because often a lot of our enjoyment of a show comes from our familiarity with the characters and the relationships between them. If we come to the show uninitiated, it is a bit like watching the antics of a lot of strangers we don't care much about.
The same sort of reaction seems to be happening here. Those who have watched most episodes know full well that Steve is trying too hard and that we will cringe at some of his performance. However because we have come to understand that that is the way he is at the moment, we either tick it off as another example to confirm our judgement of him or else we just accept it because at the moment he can't help himself. Of course we hope he will grow out of it.
I'm sure that if some of those who are praising the show were to watch their very first episode next week they would be a bit disappointed. I am equally sure that if some of those who are criticising it had made the effort to watch every episode, they would have a higher opinion of the show.
Of course some people will always hate it. There's just no pleasing some people.![]()


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