đ Share this article This Drifting Poo Was Way Too Symbolic! These Are the TV Letdowns of the Past Year. As we consider the television landscape of the recent year, a handful of shows emerge not for their excellence, but for their spectacular failures. Ranging from cringe-inducing spin-offs to bafflingly poor docuseries, here are the programmes that had us scratching our heads or just reaching for the remote. The 'Sex and the City' Sequel How to start with this love/hate spin-off? Plagued with woeful writing, painful arcs (justice for Miranda!), and a paltry 71 seconds of beloved Samantha, the series fought to justify its existence. Briefly, as the final season began, it looked like it had at last found its groove. Then arrived an episode centered on Seemaâs natural deodorant. Little surprise the creator declared this would be the final season. It ended on a bum note; the lingering shot of Mirandaâs toilet flooded with poo was simply too symbolic. Still, viewers undeniably found joy picking apart every single âwhat on earth?â moment. And as Carrie â once again single â danced around her sprawling townhouse to Barry White, who couldn't let out a little sob? Allâs Fair âCan Kim Kardashian act? Of course she canât.â But that was almost the least of this drama's issues. The subject of a very rare zero star assessment, it was difficult to know where to begin listing the problems. The hilariously leaden dialogue? The mind-numbing glorification of affluence and consumption? The seemingly wilful procession of cliches? Acting so poor they felt almost spiteful? Letâs just say âall of the aboveâ and never speak of this series again. Except, a new season has been commissioned, so weâre likely going to have to. The Charlie Sheen Documentary Considering the restraining orders, abuse claims and fatherly shortcomings, itâs reasonable to say Charlie Sheen has been a troubled figure. Not that youâd really have gleaned it from this three-part docuseries which smirked its way at Sheenâs various bouts of self-destructive excess while failing to tell us a single thing we didnât already know. Rather, it felt as if this loose cannon was being indulged, so any pity this show might evoke should be saved for the people who have had to endure proximity with this charming but flippant narcissist. The Iris Affair Naturally we knew it was ridiculous from the outset: a drama about a AI known as Charlie Big Potatoes that could either save the world â or annihilate all of humanity. We persevered out of pure love for its stars ⊠but by the end, it felt like even they had given up trying. One scarcely reacted when his character died, and the other ultimately hacking Charlie with an axe ⊠in super slow-motion. Talk about admitting defeat. The Gangster Drama Shady figures convening in deserted boxing gyms? The Prodigyâs Firestarter blaring in club scenes? The late 90s called and demands its crime drama back. Actually, that is unfair on the gangland dramas of the late 90s. Many seem a bit old-fashioned now, but at least they didnât suffer the embarrassment of having to indulge unconvincing dialects. But there were plenty of other problems. Primarily that it was just really dull; a dispute over drug-selling territory between various cockney picaresques which seemed a bit basic. With Love, Meghan Given the extent to which she provokes the ire of the nationâs ostentatiously enraged commentators, itâs almost easy to applaud the Duchess of Sussexâs various ventures into quaint lifestyle as deliberate provocations. But then you view them and are forced to concede that in this case, they may have a point. Itâs like watching a homeware catalogue come to life; a poster for evening drinks with ideas of grandeur; a parade of snoozing dogs, humming beehives, Hallmark sayings and forgettable crafting âtipsâ youâll not remember instantly. All supported by immense, mostly undeserved wealth. Ugh. The Beckham Documentary There are obviously fascinating things to be discussed about regarding Victoria Beckham and her struggles with vocation, self-image, self-worth. But for whatever reason, this documentary series opted not to explore them. Instead, the viewing was like consuming a marketing brochure. She clearly has good reason to resent what she describes as her âmiserable cowâ image. But sadly, she failed to do herself any helps with this cagey non-event of a series. The Inheritance It had the potential to be the next cultural phenomenon â except even more extravagant, with a glamorous star playing dead and a well-known personality managing her inheritance. What more could you ask for? As players battled it out, there was plenty of backstabbing and arguing. But the rules quickly became bewildering: itâs even now too confusing to explain what exactly was happening. Even more regrettably, we only saw glimpses of the star via prerecorded videos. The series ended up reeking of a production that was trying way too hard to live up to something way beyond it. Too Much How does one succeed a show that captured a generation? The pressure was immense for this glitzy romantic comedy about Jessica, a rosy-eyed New Yorker who arrives in London with a shattered romance. The lead actress took her biggest role by the horns and was joyous to watch, reveling in Jane Austen levels of romantic ideals. But it was all very glossy and, paradoxically, was insufficient. Plus, the sheer amount of famous cameos involved felt uncomfortable. Mitchell & Webb Are Not Helping Not good enough to be âunevenâ. Given the shrewd inclusion of gifted younger comics, expectations were high. But sadly, most of it fell flat. A particular sketch was a one-note joke milked to a husk but recurring in every episode. One star seemed too ready to slip into a well-known ranting mode. The behind-the-scenes sketches, in contrast, simply inspired the thought that they should probably have remained in there a while longer. The Knox Dramatisation This retelling of the story of Amanda Knox was executive produced by Amanda Knox and pretty much solely showcased the perspective of Amanda Knox. So, while there undoubtedly is an interesting drama to be made about the tragic 2007 murder, this isnât it. The subject matter needed to be treated sensitively. Instead, the series struggled painfully to find the right voice, lumbering from oddly breezy, slightly stylised farce to inevitably, real-life horror. Twisted? Perhaps. A complete mess? Absolutely. Prime Target We love the star ⊠but did we believe him playing the most brilliant maths genius in history, a man so intelligent heâs on the verge of a discovery that could destabilise society? Nope! This international thriller about secret services targeting â and eliminating â academics frankly got more farcical by the second. Silliness-by-numbers. The Bonnie Blue Documentary This hagiography followed the content creator notorious for sexual escapades as she undertook her biggest feat yet. What on earth would possess her? What we craved was far greater examination of her actual psyche, plus those of the men in the queue. They could at least have spoken to the now-famous mum who showed up to haul her son out of the queue. What we got was disturbing shots and zero critical analysis of her notoriety whatsoever. And to think, the documentary-maker has a teenage daughter too.