đ Share this article That Drifting Poo Was Way Too Meaningful! It's the Television Disappointments of the Year. As we reflect on the television offerings of the recent year, a handful of shows stand out not for their excellence, but for their notable shortcomings. Ranging from cringe-inducing sequels to bafflingly poor docuseries, here are the programmes that left us scratching our heads or simply reaching for the remote. And Just Like That How to start with this divisive follow-up? Burdened with dreadful writing, cringe-inducing arcs (justice for Miranda!), and a mere 71 seconds of beloved Samantha, the series fought to find its footing. Briefly, as the final season started, it seemed as if it had finally hit its stride. Then came an installment centered on Seemaâs natural deodorant. No wonder the showrunner announced this would be the final series. It ended on a low point; the closeup of Mirandaâs toilet flooded with poo was simply too symbolic. Still, fans undeniably had a hoot dissecting every single âwhat on earth?â episode. And as Carrie â a single woman once more â twirled around her palatial townhouse to Barry White, who couldn't let out a little sob? Allâs Fair âIs Kim Kardashian an actress? Of course she canât.â But that was almost the least of this drama's issues. The subject of a very rare no-star review, it was hard to know where to begin enumerating the flaws. The laughably leaden writing? The tedious veneration of wealth and materialism? The seemingly wilful parade of cliches? Performances so poor they felt borderline spiteful? Letâs just say âall of the aboveâ and never speak of this series again. However, a new season has been ordered, so weâre likely going to have to. AKA Charlie Sheen Considering the restraining orders, domestic violence claims and fatherly failures, itâs reasonable to say Charlie Sheen has been a troubled figure. Not that youâd truly have known it from this multi-part docuseries which chuckled along at Sheenâs various episodes of self-destructive hedonism while failing to tell us a single thing we weren't already aware of. Rather, it felt as if this loose cannon was being pandered to, so any sympathy this series might induce should be reserved for the people who have had to endure close contact with this charming but flippant narcissist. The Supercomputer Drama Naturally we knew it was preposterous from the get-go: a drama about a AI known as Charlie Big Potatoes that could either save the world â or annihilate all of humanity. We stuck with it out of sheer admiration for its leads ⊠but by the end, it felt like even they had given up trying. One scarcely cared when his character died, and the other ultimately slicing Charlie with an axe ⊠in super slow-motion. Talk about admitting defeat. The Gangster Drama Shady figures convening in deserted boxing gyms? A certain band's Firestarter blaring in club scenes? The late 90s called and wants its gangland drama back. In truth, that is harsh on the gangland dramas of the late 90s. Many seem a bit old-fashioned now, but at least they didnât endure the ignominy of having to indulge unconvincing dialects. But there were many other problems. Primarily that it was just profoundly dull; a conflict over drug-selling territory between various London rogues which felt a bit basic. The Meghan Markle Series Given the degree to which she grinds the gears of the nationâs ostentatiously enraged commentators, itâs temptingly easy to admire the Duchess of Sussexâs various ventures into quaint lifestyle as intentional statements. But then you watch them and are forced to concede that in this case, they may have a point. Itâs like watching a homeware magazine come to life; a meme for evening drinks with ideas of grandeur; a parade of snoozing dogs, humming beehives, sentimental sayings and pointless crafting âtipsâ youâll forget instantly. All underpinned by vast, largely unearned wealth. Ugh. Victoria Beckham There are obviously interesting things to be said about regarding Victoria Beckham and her journey with career, identity, self-worth. But for some reason, this three-part series chose not to say them. Rather, the experience was akin to consuming a sales catalogue. She obviously has good reason to bridle at what she describes as her âsternâ image. But unfortunately, she didnât do herself any helps with this cagey letdown of a series. The Inheritance It had the potential to be the next big hit 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 contestants battled it out, there was plenty of betrayal and arguing. But the rules quickly became incomprehensible: itâs still too complicated to detail what precisely was happening. Even more disappointingly, we only saw glimpses of the star via prerecorded videos. The show ended up reeking of a production that was straining desperately to live up to something way beyond it. The Lena Dunham Romcom How does one succeed a show that captured a generation? The pressure was enormous for this starry 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 a delight to watch, reveling in Jane Austen levels of romantic notions. But it was all very glossy and, paradoxically, was insufficient. Plus, the sheer amount of celebrity friends involved felt uncomfortable. Mitchell & Webb Are Not Helping Not good enough to be âpatchyâ. Given the smart recruitment of gifted younger comics, hopes were high. But unhappily, most of it didnât land. A recurring sketch was a single joke milked to a dry pulp but recurring in every episode. One star seemed too willing to slip into a well-known ranting mode. The writing room sketches, meanwhile, simply inspired the thought that they should probably have remained in there a while longer. The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox This dramatisation of the story of Amanda Knox was overseen by Amanda Knox and pretty much solely showcased the perspective of Amanda Knox. So, while there undoubtedly is an compelling drama to be made about the tragic 2007 murder, this was not it. The subject matter needed to be handled with care. Instead, the series struggled painfully to find the right voice, lurching from strangely jaunty, slightly stylised farce to ultimately, real-life horror. Twisted? Perhaps. A total mess? Absolutely. Prime Target We admire the lead actor ⊠but did we buy him playing the greatest maths genius since, a man so intelligent heâs on the brink of a discovery that could ruin society? Nope! This international thriller about government agencies spying on â and eliminating â intellectuals frankly got more absurd by the second. Silliness-by-numbers. 1000 Men and Me: The Bonnie Blue Story This hagiography followed the online personality renowned for explicit exploits as she undertook her most extreme feat yet. What on earth would possess her? What we craved was way more interrogation of her true psyche, plus those of the men in the queue. They could at least have interviewed the now-famous mum who appeared to drag her son out of the queue. What we got was horrific imagery and zero critical analysis of her notoriety whatsoever. It's staggering to consider, the filmmaker has a young daughter too.