The original post: /r/television by /u/Doctor-Grimm on 2026-01-12 00:26:03+00:00.
You’re watching a TV show, loving every second of it, and eagerly clicking next episode despite the fact that it’s one in the morning. The ending leaves you in tears, and you can’t wait to gush about it with your friends that watched it.
Then, you see a few things online that prompt you to consider what you just watched, and you find more flaws every time you do so. You still enjoy the show, and that enjoyment isn’t necessarily dulled by actually giving it a second thought, but you wonder why the hell you didn’t notice/didn’t care about all this when watching. Sloppy writing, lacklustre art direction, gaping plot holes, flanderised characters - whatever it may be, you can’t understand how you didn’t see it when watching for the first time.
This is something I noticed in particular about Stranger Things 5. I loved S1-4, though I had some issues with 3, and 4 was higher highs but lower lows. ST5 comes along, and I love it when watching for the first time, but there are a ton of issues it turns out I have with the season, and yet I just… didn’t see them the first time round?
It’s not just me, either - some of my friends are like this with Hazbin Hotel, and other shows too. I noticed the flaws straight away with Hazbin, but couldn’t until looking back at it with Stranger Things, and vice versa for my friends.
So - anyone else have shows that they’re like this with? And any thoughts as to why, ‘cause it’s been stumping me a bit 😅