Requiem for a Hate-Watch

Plus, Hot Auction Action.

Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to mourn what I fear is the passing of a cherished TV tradition: the high-concept network TV hate-watch. “Hate,” of course, being a very strong word that’s really just there for convenience, because it’s much easier to say than “so-bad-it’s-enjoyable-but-also-wow-this-is-awful-OMG-IT-GOT-WORSE-watch.”

We’ve talked before about shows that are fun to take in with a pal or a partner, and there are definitely some that Kevin and I genuinely like and prefer not to watch without each other. But today, I’m grieving a different sort of show. I’m not talking the kind of quality experience that you want to dissect immediately (hi, Severance). I’m referring to a network TV sci-fi style show that’s been blown up as An Unmissable Event, which you end up watching for laughs because it looks incredibly stupid yet unaware of its own stupidity, and then keep watching because you’re curious how much worse it can get. This show must have a bigger concept than ne…