We all find ourselves binge-watching a guilty pleasure show from time to time. The phrase "so bad it's good" when it comes to telly has become commonplace - but one TV writer has pointed out that the trend of "hate-binging" shows can have a lasting impact on the television industry as a whole.
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In light of the critically acclaimed BBC Three show I May Destroy You being snubbed across the board in the 2021 Golden Globes nominations, Dani Fernandez, whose writing credits include FANtasies, Best of Battlecam and Animeme Rap Battles, tweeted: "I’m begging y’all to stop hate-binging shows it DOES affect the rest of us. And affects the notes we get from studios and I'm not even kidding."
WATCH: Michaela Cole's critically acclaimed show wasn't nominated for any Golden Globes
She continued: "I’m so upset to see IMDY snubbed. But it mattered to me and so many people. And there is that. There will always be it’s impact that lives on."
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Following the response to her post, she later added: "I love people replying saying 'that’s your problem' to me, a WOC storyteller with little power in the industry. You really showed me!! Got me there! BIPOC storytellers continue to get snubbed while 'white fluff' that folks tweet about hate-watching, is rewarded."
Fans were outraged when I May Destroy You was snubbed
Replying to the tweet, one person clarified: "So basically: Everyone: This show is bad. I can't stop watching but it's terrible. Studio sees the ratings and buzz: We need to make more shows like this. Everyone: Why does [expletive] like this keep getting greenlit? I must continue to watch though."
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Dani's comments are likely to reference the controversial news that Emily in Paris received two Golden Globe nominations for Best Television Series in a Musical or Comedy as well as Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy.
Emily in Paris received two Golden Globes nominations
The show received mixed reviews critically and an extreme reaction from some viewers, who lapped up the episodes while simultaneously tweeting their disdain of the show. At the time of its release, one person wrote: "I hate how #EmilyInParis glamorises working in social media. But did I hate-watch all ten episodes? Yep," While another added: "Me: I really don’t feel like watching #EmilyInParis. Also me: *Binge watches the entire season in one night.* I hate myself."
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Of course, plenty of people genuinely adored the sweet comedy series, Dani isn't the first person to suggest that its award nominations were controversial. Indeed, Deborah Copaken, who is actually a writer on Emily in Paris, penned a think piece following the news, expressing her surprise at the nominations and heartbreak that I May Destroy You didn't receive the same recognition.
Deborah wrote that IMDY deserved award recognition
Writing for The Guardian, she explained: "I’m a writer on the show. I tried to avoid reading its criticism, but I don’t live under a rock. It never occurred to me that our show would be nominated...
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"Now, am I excited that Emily in Paris was nominated? Yes. Of course. I’ve never been remotely close to seeing a Golden Globe statue up close, let alone being nominated for one. But that excitement is now unfortunately tempered by my rage over [Michaela] Coel’s snub. That I May Destroy You did not get one Golden Globe nod is not only wrong, it’s what is wrong with everything."
Fans had mixed reviews to the show
It isn't only the awards circuit that is seeing the effects of "hate-binging" - but streaming services too. Over the last few years, Netflix has gained a reputation among users for cancelling critically acclaimed shows after they fail to reach the acquired audience ratings to justify the cost of the show, meaning that groundbreaking shows like Sense8 and The OA were cancelled to the disappointment of fans. In the meantime, well known guilty pleasures - such as Riverdale and Love is Blind - keep being renewed.
Riverdale is currently airing season five
One person summed up their frustration in a tweet which read: "Oh you liked that? We ended it in mid-season two. Enjoy the 127th remake of 'Home for the Holidays Wish of Christmas Princess Who Didn’t Know She Was Royalty Who Bought a Farm in Upstate NY and Fell in Love with the Cranky Widower Single Dad Who is Really a Famous Chef' instead."
While we're the first to say that it is enjoyable and occasionally necessary to get stuck into a binge-watch of something fun and silly, it seems that the panels behind the awards season, as well as streaming service bosses, need to find the balance between hit audience ratings, and giving those groundbreaking shows the recognition and the platform that they deserve.
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