Underrated and Overrated Things (in your opinion)

[batson]

When it comes to opinions that goes contrary to what seems to be the trend among pop culture enthusiasts, perhapes my most notable one is this:

Avatar: The Last Airbender is just okay. In other words, extremely overrated.

So let me tell you a little about my history with the show; I never watched it when it came out, but a few years ago I finally watched it with a friend of mine who is a fan of the show. By that point in my life, I had seen a lot of anime. Especially shounen series like Dragon Ball, One Piece, Naruto ect. And when I saw Avatar, it felt sort of like a shounen anime... that never actually got going. Like seriously, while the show does a good job at introducing the characters, the world and the conflict, it just never seem to get particularly intense or dramatic. I get that it probably seems both super deep and  super thrilling to a child watching it, but seeing it for the first time as an adult? An adult with vast familiarity with animated shows that manages to build genuine tension that builds up to outrageously badass and epic climaxes? It just felt underwhelming. Nobody dies, the fights are short and kinda lame... Yeah, it just never got as good as I was hoping it would get.

[Mr. Ion]

Alright, I disagree with this, though note that I'm pretty biased, given that Avatar is my favorite show of all time (heck, I'm drawing an Avatar character as I write this post haha). So, on your point of the show not really starting, I would argue that the show has a solid pace that's more focused on establishing the characters more than anything, and is less focused on major plot points, at least throughout the first season. Even so, I would say the 3rd episode, The Southern Air Temple, is a worthy emotional impact for the viewer, seeing as we see Aang learn of the definite eradication of all of the Airbender, and this furthers the urgency and fear that the Fire Nation gives off. On the point of climaxes, I suppose they wouldn't do for some, but I think they can be pretty good. I personally like the action and think it's pretty good. I wouldn't say it's perfect, and you are right in that during episodes there are better actions scenes. Heck, I've seen better from other American cartoons and anime. When the show tries though, it can really be great. Look at the Agni Kai between Zuko and Azula in the last episode, that's spectacular. I think this may be a case where you came into it with high expectations and then were disappointed, whereas a lot of people, like me, watched it when they were a child or teenager and came into it with lower expectations and a clear frame of reference. Though, to each their own, and you are fully entitled to your opinion. This is just how I feel about it.

[batson]

4 hours ago, Mr. Ion said:

 I think this may be a case where you came into it with high expectations and then were disappointed, whereas a lot of people, like me, watched it when they were a child or teenager and came into it with lower expectations and a clear frame of reference.

Definitely. I had heard so much about the show and how it was either one of the best animated shows of all time or even simply one of the best shows of all time. And don't get me wrong, it's a good show, it does everything well, I just think that appart from the animation quality it doesn't do anything extraordinary, especially not when compared to a lot of the anime shows that it's obviously attempting to be similar to.

[Quicksilver]

In terms of underrated, one of my (if not the) favorite shows I used to watch was Wander Over Yonder on Disney XD.

It's not entirely underrated, but I never hear anyone talk about it anymore, it ended way to soon and was treated horribly by Disney. From what I remember, new episodes would air at 8 or 9pm on Mondays, and reruns where what ever they felt like, could be 3PM or 3AM it was very infrequent. Worst part is it ended on a cliff hanger due to episodes being made a year prier to them airing. If you ever get a chance, I suggest giving it a watch, it's on Disney + and Hulu. I've been re-watching it and its really good

 

Now for overrated, The Loud House, Jesus Christ. First season is fine but not amazing, then it just kept getting worse, with constantly trying to appeal to the demographic its aimed at. I just never found it funny, everyone calls it the best Nickelodeon show in a while, I say its a pale imitation. The concept is cool, but it could've been done better

[batson]

I never really watched a lot of Wander Over Yonder, but from what I've seen it seems that Craig McCracken managed to recapture a lot of the tone and style from his previous show The Powerpuff Girls, a cartoon that I think is really friggin great.

Seriously, McCracken's shows are a lot better than his wife's shows.

[Quicksilver]

20 hours ago, batson said:

I never really watched a lot of Wander Over Yonder, but from what I've seen it seems that Craig McCracken managed to recapture a lot of the tone and style from his previous show The Powerpuff Girls, a cartoon that I think is really friggin great.

Seriously, McCracken's shows are a lot better than his wife's shows.

Powerpuff Girls is all over Wander Over Yonder. The only show that I know his wife made is My Little Pony, and....yeah not a big fan, it's okay just not my thing. Although she has worked on WOY, written some episodes and songs, however the only episode i can name off the top of my head that i know she wrote was The Buddies and that episode is pretty good but not the best

[Mr. Ion]

On 8/21/2021 at 10:42 AM, EveningStar64 said:

In terms of underrated, one of my (if not the) favorite shows I used to watch was Wander Over Yonder on Disney XD.

It's not entirely underrated, but I never hear anyone talk about it anymore, it ended way to soon and was treated horribly by Disney. From what I remember, new episodes would air at 8 or 9pm on Mondays, and reruns where what ever they felt like, could be 3PM or 3AM it was very infrequent. Worst part is it ended on a cliff hanger due to episodes being made a year prier to them airing. If you ever get a chance, I suggest giving it a watch, it's on Disney + and Hulu. I've been re-watching it and its really good

 

Now for overrated, The Loud House, Jesus Christ. First season is fine but not amazing, then it just kept getting worse, with constantly trying to appeal to the demographic its aimed at. I just never found it funny, everyone calls it the best Nickelodeon show in a while, I say its a pale imitation. The concept is cool, but it could've been done better

Highly agree: Wander started out a bit rough but as it went on it became one of the best cartoons in the catalogue, and like many other shows, Disney didn't  treat it well and pushed it to Disney XD. I always hate when networks do that, sending a show with a lot of potential to the sister channel where it dies.

I would also say that Loud House is overrated. It was a breath of fresh air in its first season but it's pretty boring. The show is extremely stereotypical; now, stereotypical isn't necessarily bad, but even for an episodic show, it doesn't have any strong writing to back it up, and it just gets excessively boring. I watched the new movie on Netflix and it was...alright, but it just seemed like a typical kids movie. I could see most of the plot points from a mile away. It's not bad by any means, but I think the reason people latched onto it in the first place was because at the time (around 2016 if memory serves) there were few good cartoons on Netflix, Harvey Beaks had just been cancelled and TMNT 2012 was winding down, and people wanted a good show to latch onto.

I will say though, I really like Powerpuff Girls, and from what I've seen from MLP it's a decent show, though I haven't watched all of it.

[Quicksilver]

3 minutes ago, Mr. Ion said:

Highly agree: Wander started out a bit rough but as it went on it became one of the best cartoons in the catalogue, and like many other shows, Disney didn't  treat it well and pushed it to Disney XD. I always hate when networks do that, sending a show with a lot of potential to the sister channel where it dies.

I would also say that Loud House is overrated. It was a breath of fresh air in its first season but it's pretty boring. The show is extremely stereotypical; now, stereotypical isn't necessarily bad, but even for an episodic show, it doesn't have any strong writing to back it up, and it just gets excessively boring. I watched the new movie on Netflix and it was...alright, but it just seemed like a typical kids movie. I could see most of the plot points from a mile away. It's not bad by any means, but I think the reason people latched onto it in the first place was because at the time (around 2016 if memory serves) there were few good cartoons on Netflix, Harvey Beaks had just been cancelled and TMNT 2012 was winding down, and people wanted a good show to latch onto.

I will say though, I really like Powerpuff Girls, and from what I've seen from MLP it's a decent show, though I haven't watched all of it.

Season one of Wander Over Yonder felt like they were trying to see what works and what doesn't, the worst part is, y'know when it got good? When it got on Disney XD. There of course were some weak episodes but most of the time, episodes had great story, humor, and moral. Seriously, Season 2 of WOY is a spectacle to behold. And the fact it was on Disney XD and not Disney Channel really upsets me, Especially since episodes like My Fair Hatey are so good and should be enjoyed by everyone. Those songs man, are so good. The songs in the show it self are pretty good most of the time, Let the pun fit the crime, Best Friends Forever, Black Cube of Darkness, When you Wander over Yonder, Even the theme song is amazing.

ʷᵃⁿᵈᵉʳ ʷᵃⁿᵈᵉʳ ᵒᵛᵉʳ ᵒᵛᵉʳ ʸᵒⁿᵈᵉʳ ʸᵒⁿᵈᵉʳ ʷᵃⁿᵈᵉʳ ʸᵒⁿᵈᵉʳ

But, The Loud House never got me, it was good for the first season, but could be expanded, and instead in turned into a really predictable show.

Sister or Lincoln does something

other sisters don't like it so they do worse stuff

realize there just as bad

moral

If I can admit something, I kinda liked Sanjay and Craig better, not that good of a show but pretty mindless and can be good fun for 30min's. I might watch TLH netflix movie, but from the way you described it, I think i'll watch Kid Cosmic instead

 

 

[Monkey Destruction Switch]

It's so weird seeing a topic I made 6 years ago on the front page of the board it's in. I was way too harsh on Superman 1978 in the OP, sheesh xP

I think the MTV Spider-Man animated series is underrated. At first the animation style seems weird, but once you get used to it, it looks cool. I think the character dynamics are nice and the stories are often interesting. Yes, there are some rough episodes, which unfortunately includes the first, so I guess I can't fully blame someone who watches it and gives up on the show. The season finale (which ended up being the series finale) was a brutal gut punch in the best possible way.