🔗 Share this article That Drifting Poo Was Far Too Symbolic! These Are the Television Letdowns of the Past Year. Looking back, we reflect on the TV landscape of the recent year, a handful of shows stand out not for their brilliance, but for their notable shortcomings. Ranging from awkward sequels to confusingly bad documentaries, here are the productions that left us utterly bewildered or just reaching for the remote. The 'Sex and the City' Sequel How to start with this divisive follow-up? Burdened with woeful scripts, painful arcs (we demand better for Miranda!), and a mere 71 seconds of fan-favourite Samantha, the show fought to justify its existence. For a moment, as the third series started, it looked like it had finally hit its stride. Then arrived an installment all about Seema’s natural deodorant. Little surprise the creator announced this would be the final series. It concluded on a low point; the closeup of Miranda’s loo full of poo was just way too on-the-nose. Still, fans undeniably had a hoot dissecting every single “what on earth?” episode. And as Carrie – a single woman once more – twirled around her palatial townhouse to Barry White, who couldn't release a small sob? The Kim Kardashian Drama ‘Can Kim Kardashian act? Of course she can’t.’ But that was almost the smallest of this drama's issues. The subject of a exceedingly uncommon no-star review, it was hard to know where to begin listing the flaws. The laughably wooden dialogue? The mind-numbing glorification of affluence and materialism? The seemingly wilful procession of cliches? Performances so bad they felt almost spiteful? Let’s just say “each and every one” and forget about this show again. Except, a new season has been ordered, so we’re probably going to have to. AKA Charlie Sheen Considering the restraining orders, abuse allegations and parental shortcomings, it’s reasonable to say Charlie Sheen has been a troubled figure. Not that you’d really have gleaned it from this three-part docuseries which chuckled along at Sheen’s various bouts of reckless hedonism while struggling to tell us a single thing we weren't already aware of. Instead, it felt as if this loose cannon was being indulged, so any pity this show might induce should be reserved for the people who have had to suffer proximity with this charismatic but flippant egotist. The Supercomputer Drama Of course we knew it was ridiculous from the outset: a drama about a supercomputer known as Charlie Big Potatoes that could either solve global crises – or annihilate all of humanity. We persevered out of pure admiration for its leads … but by the end, it felt like even they had stopped bothering. One scarcely reacted when his character died, and the other ended up slicing Charlie with an axe … in painfully slow-motion. Talk about giving up the ghost. The Gangster Drama Shady figures meeting in deserted boxing gyms? A certain band's Firestarter jackhammering away in club scenes? The late 90s called and wants its gangland drama back. In truth, that is unfair on the crime shows of the late 90s. Many seem a little dated now, but at least they didn’t suffer the ignominy of having to indulge unconvincing dialects. But there were many other issues. Mainly that it was just profoundly boring; a dispute over drug-selling territory between various London picaresques which seemed rather simplistic. With Love, Meghan Given the degree to which she provokes the ire of certain performatively enraged commentators, it’s temptingly tempting to admire the Duchess of Sussex’s various forays into twee lifestyle as deliberate provocations. But then you watch them and are compelled to concede that in this case, they might have a point. It’s like watching a lifestyle magazine animated; a meme for evening drinks with delusions of grandeur; a parade of sleeping dogs, buzzing beehives, sentimental platitudes and forgettable crafting “hacks” you’ll not remember instantly. All supported by vast, mostly unearned wealth. Ugh. Victoria Beckham There are clearly interesting things to be said about both Victoria Beckham and her struggles with career, self-image, self-worth. But for whatever reason, this documentary series chose not to say them. Rather, the experience was akin to reading a marketing catalogue. She obviously has good reason to bridle at what she describes as her “stern” image. But sadly, she failed to do herself any helps with this cagey non-event of a series. The Game Show It had the potential to be the next big hit – except even more extravagant, with a glamorous star as a deceased benefactor and a sharp-tongued personality overseeing her inheritance. What more could you ask for? As contestants competed, there was plenty of backstabbing and arguing. But the rules quickly became bewildering: it’s even now too complicated to explain what precisely was happening. Even more regrettably, we only saw glimpses of the star via filmed videos. The series ended up smelling of a programme that was trying way too hard to live up to something way beyond it. The Lena Dunham Romcom How do you follow a show that captured a generation? The expectation was enormous for this glitzy romcom about Jessica, a rosy-eyed New Yorker who lands in London with a shattered romance. The star seized the opportunity by the horns and was joyous to watch, reveling in Jane Austen levels of romantic notions. But it was all very slick and, ironically, was insufficient. Plus, the abundance of famous friends involved felt uncomfortable. The Sketch Show Return Not even good enough to be ‘patchy’. Given the shrewd inclusion of talented emerging comics, hopes were high. But unhappily, most of it didn’t land. A recurring sketch was a one-note joke stretched to a husk but recurring in every episode. One star seemed too ready to slip into a familiar irate mode. The writing room sketches, meanwhile, simply provoked the thought that they should probably have stayed in there a bit longer. The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox This dramatisation of the story of Amanda Knox was overseen by Amanda Knox and pretty much exclusively presented the viewpoint of Amanda Knox. So, while there probably is an compelling drama to be made about the tragic 2007 murder, this was not it. The material needed to be treated sensitively. Instead, the series laboured awkwardly to find the right voice, lumbering from oddly jaunty, slightly mannered farce to inevitably, real-life horror. Twisted? Perhaps. A complete mess? Absolutely. Prime Target We love the lead actor … but did we buy him playing the greatest maths genius in history, a man so smart he’s on the brink of a discovery that could ruin society? No! This international thriller about secret services targeting – and eliminating – academics honestly got more absurd by the second. Silliness-by-numbers. 1000 Men and Me: The Bonnie Blue Story This hagiography followed the content creator renowned for explicit escapades as she prepared for her biggest feat yet. What on earth would possess her? What we wanted was far greater examination of her actual psychology, plus those of the men in the queue. They could at least have spoken to the now-famous mum who showed up to drag her son away from the queue. What we got was disturbing imagery and zero interrogation of her notoriety whatsoever. It's staggering to consider, the filmmaker has a young daughter too.