*sigh*
It can be really difficult to know when enough is enough. That moment when a TV show has run its course, and it’s more of a chore to watch something than exciting. But when is it OK to quit on a show? I keep doing the math in my head, factoring in time already invested, time left to invest, and the enjoyment or rage you’re currently feeling.
That’s not everyone’s method. My mum, for instance, nopes out of shows at any time, no matter how many episodes in she is or has left. Seriously, I’ve seen her on more than one occasion quit out of a 10-episode series on installment eight. I can’t live like that! I’m the guy who FINISHED Supernatural, for Pete’s sake.
So, when are acceptable times to nope out of a show? Here are my milestones.
It might be slightly harsh, but 15 minutes in is sometimes all I can handle. In these types of shows, you can tell almost instantly that it’s not your type of sh*t. I felt this in the first 20 minutes of Dead Boy Detectives and the Charmed reboot. With the former, I couldn’t handle the awful acting and just the overall tone of the show. The latter, however, was a pale imitation of the original series, and it annoyed me so much… plus the bad acting and tone of the show.
At this point, you’ve not invested any real time, so it’s easy to simply throw it in the bin. No harm, no foul.
This milestone is your “Am I going to commit to a whole series of this?” check. You’ve given it a good old college try, and you’ve been introduced to the main cast and should have a good idea of the general direction of the story and tone of the show. Is this something you’re really vibing with, enough to watch another six to eight episodes of (or, God forbid, 20)? I dipped out of Rings of Power and House of the Dragon at this stage. Something about them felt lesser than their source material or previous incarnations, and I was not up for a wish.com version then.
Again, you’ve only really lost two hours at this point, so it’s not a big deal. Better than feeling you’ve lost 10 hours to something kinda meh.
If the show is lucky enough to be renewed for another season, it's a good time to decide whether you want to continue. Did you feel like it warranted another season? Are you excited to continue with the show? And does committing to another season fill you with existential dread? A season’s end or beginning is usually a good break point. I’m including the first couple of episodes of the next season if you’re not feeling it anymore. That lull after the conclusion of a cliffhanger can be a b*tch to overcome.
Vikings and The Umbrella Academy are shows that fell by the wayside in this way for me. But there is an extra calculation here that needs to be accounted for. How many seasons deep are we? If I’m honest with myself, I shouldn’t have finished Supernatural or Pretty Little Liars, but I was so close to the end when I thought I should quit that I felt too guilty not to continue. Be stronger than me!
This is subjective. Everybody has their own tolerances here that may cause a rage quit at a non-milestone time. Did they needlessly kill a fan-favorite character? Are the characters making decisions that they just WOULD NOT DO IN A MILLION YEARS? Has it been building and building over time, and one scene broke you? Or did they bring in Chevy Chase as a series regular? All of these could cause me to nope out of a show. Something that makes you say, “f*ck this sh*t,” and back out.
No spoilers here, but I have definitely done this before. A good example of this would be, in the vaguest terms, The Walking Dead’s Negan introduction. Heck, Liza already has an article about her experience with Outlander on the site! It’s a rare occurrence, for sure, but no one can question its legitimacy as a reason to nope out.
The exception that proves the rule. The only way I would quit a show outside of the above times is this: a show I’m more excited for takes precedence, and I forget that I even started the show in the first place. Now, this is a weird one because I’m not actively noping out. I’m prioritising a better show.
I couldn’t tell you what I was watching before Andor Season 2 was released, but there ain’t no way I’m not watching that show. It’s at the forefront of my every thought! However, the very fact that I’ve forgotten what I was watching means that I wasn’t that thrilled about it, right? I might go back to it if I remember what it was, but I might not.
Why waste your time on things that don’t bring you joy? Just don’t be weird and stop at the penultimate episode. That is unhinged behavior.
I feel pleasantly surprised that the exact moment I quit the Walking the dead is the one you chose for this article Iain. Kudos!
Just as a small comment, I would definitely say another good time to nope out is at a "Logical closure point" Like when J.D leaves in Scrubs.
I'd agree but usually that happens at the end of a season right? Usually
I noped out of Evil after 2.5 full seasons. It didn't do it for me. It's right down my alley, but I was not interested in how they developed the story. It was a wish.com Lucifer IMO.