Also, when I say I "hate" something, what I usually mean to say is that I'm just really really disappointed. It bothers me that people had to come together to produce a really bad (but popular) movie, TV show, song, or fashion and think "people will love this!" and then the people out there said "You bet your ass we do!". This includes things like G4, Fox News, almost anything on the radio, Indie culture, etc.
AND THIS
I have a friend who is a lot like me, except that he is way more easygoing than I am. We are both really into games, but he is able to tolerate and enjoy games that generally score a 6/10 from reviewers. Games that receive a 6/10 are "mostly good" meaning that there are more things to enjoy than dislike in it. He is able to identify and enjoy those good parts, take them for what they are and walk away satisfied. He is probably aware of the same flaws that I am, but he doesn't let them bother him. I, on the other hand, am probably just the kind of person who focuses on negatives and I usually just don't enjoy it much. I wouldn't rate the game any lower than he would, but I just like it less. I focus on negatives in general a lot more because it's how I do work, son. I focus on negatives in most situations because anticipating them allows me to confront and "neutralize" them. I write the best essays I can in school by reading them and finding parts that suck, then correcting them. This is my normal thinking pattern, and it applies to my intake of media. If I can identify something that can or should be changed, it just frustrates me that a developer left it in. But enough about me, on to the fun part: STUFF I LIKE. What I've neglected to mention so far is that even if something is flawed, even seriously, I can still enjoy it a lot if the good parts of it really stand out. Buffy the Vampire Slayer is an ok example, but I don't want to undermine how awesome it actually is. The show is kind of campy and has its share of 'meh' episodes, and does a lot of things that would be a bit silly if they were in another show. But I don't care because the show is awesome in general. After I got over those things, they just became a part of the show, and I was fine with it. I'm willing to excuse the occasional cheesy monster or line of dialogue because the rest of the show more than makes up for it.
This week: Buffy vs TEH INTERNET
Seriously check it out. Seasons 1-2 are free on Hulu last I heard. So I guess it's not the actual flaws in something like a TV show that piss me off about it. What really bothers me is if it's generally boring or doesn't do a single thing to stand out, even if it's constructed well. If there's no "wow" factor to be found anywhere, then what is there to care about it? They say that you're only as strong (or fast, or something) as your weakest part. This works both ways. Unless there's at least one thing to get excited over, the product will never achieve enjoyment in the viewer past that point.
No comments:
Post a Comment