đ Share this article This Drifting Excrement Was Far Too Symbolic! These Are the Television Disappointments of the Year. As we reflect on the TV offerings of the recent year, a handful of series emerge not for their excellence, but for their spectacular failures. From awkward sequels to bafflingly bad docuseries, here are the programmes that left us utterly bewildered or simply reaching for the remote. The 'Sex and the City' Sequel Where to begin with this divisive follow-up? Plagued with dreadful writing, cringe-inducing arcs (we demand better for Miranda!), and a mere 71 seconds of beloved Samantha, the show fought to find its footing. For a moment, as the final season began, it seemed as if it had at last found its groove. Then came an episode centered on Seemaâs natural deodorant. Little surprise the showrunner declared this would be the last series. It ended on a low point; the closeup of Mirandaâs toilet full of poo was just way too on-the-nose. Yet, viewers certainly had a hoot picking apart every single âwhat on earth?â episode. And as Carrie â once again single â danced around her sprawling townhouse to Barry White, who didnât let out a small sob? Allâs Fair âIs Kim Kardashian an actress? The answer is a resounding no.â But that was almost the least of this show's issues. The recipient of a very rare zero star review, it was hard to know where to begin listing the flaws. The hilariously wooden dialogue? The mind-numbing glorification of wealth and materialism? The seemingly wilful procession of cliches? Performances so poor they felt almost spiteful? Suffice it to say âall of the aboveâ and forget about this series again. Except, a second season has been ordered, so weâre probably going to have to. AKA Charlie Sheen Considering the restraining orders, domestic violence allegations and fatherly shortcomings, itâs fair to say Charlie Sheen has been a bad boy. Not youâd truly have gleaned it from this three-part docuseries which smirked its way at Sheenâs various episodes of self-destructive excess while struggling to tell us anything we weren't already aware of. Instead, it felt as if this volatile personality was being indulged, so any sympathy this show might induce should be reserved for the people who have had to endure proximity with this charismatic but flippant narcissist. The Supercomputer Drama Naturally we knew it was preposterous from the outset: a drama about a AI known as Charlie Big Potatoes that could either solve global crises â or annihilate all of humanity. We persevered out of sheer admiration for its leads ⌠but by the end, it felt like even they had stopped bothering. One barely reacted when his character died, and the other ultimately slicing Charlie with an axe ⌠in painfully slow-motion. Talk about admitting defeat. MobLand Dodgy figures convening in deserted boxing gyms? A certain band's Firestarter blaring in club scenes? The late 90s called and demands its crime drama back. In truth, that is unfair on the crime shows of the late 90s. Many look a bit dated now, but at least they didnât suffer the embarrassment of having to indulge unconvincing accents. But there were many other issues. Mainly that it was just really dull; a dispute over drug-selling territory between various London rogues which seemed a bit basic. The Meghan Markle Series Given the degree to which she provokes the ire of certain ostentatiously angry commentators, itâs temptingly easy to admire the Duchess of Sussexâs televised ventures into quaint lifestyle as deliberate statements. But then you watch them and are compelled to admit that in this case, they might have a point. Itâs like watching a homeware magazine come to life; a meme for evening drinks with ideas of grandeur; a parade of sleeping dogs, humming beehives, Hallmark sayings and forgettable crafting âhacksâ youâll not remember instantly. All underpinned by vast, mostly unearned wealth. Ugh. Victoria Beckham There are clearly interesting things to be said about both Victoria Beckham and her journey with vocation, identity, self-acceptance. But for whatever reason, this three-part series chose not to say them. Instead, the experience was like consuming a sales catalogue. She obviously has every right to bridle at what she describes as her âsternâ image. But unfortunately, she failed to do herself any helps with this cagey letdown of a series. The Game Show It had the potential to be the next big hit â except even camper, with a glamorous star playing dead and a sharp-tongued personality overseeing her estate. What more could you want? As players competed, there was plenty of backstabbing and squabbling. But the rules quickly became bewildering: itâs even now too confusing to detail what precisely was happening. Even more regrettably, we only saw brief appearances of the star via prerecorded videos. The show ended up smelling of a production that was straining desperately to emulate something far greater than it. Too Much How does one succeed a show that defined a generation? The expectation was enormous for this glitzy romantic comedy about Jessica, a hopeful New Yorker who arrives in London with a broken heart. The lead actress took her biggest role by the horns and was joyous to watch, reveling in Jane Austen levels of romantic notions. But it was all very slick and, paradoxically, was insufficient. Plus, the sheer amount of famous friends involved felt uncomfortable. Mitchell & Webb Are Not Helping Not good enough to be âunevenâ. Given the smart recruitment of gifted emerging comics, hopes were high. But unhappily, most of it fell flat. A particular sketch was a one-note joke milked to a husk but repeated in every episode. One star seemed too ready to slip into a well-known irate mode. The behind-the-scenes sketches, meanwhile, simply inspired the idea that they should probably have remained in there a while longer. The Knox Dramatisation This dramatisation of the story of Amanda Knox was overseen by Amanda Knox and pretty much exclusively presented the perspective of Amanda Knox. So, while there probably is an interesting drama to be made about the tragic 2007 murder, this isnât it. The subject matter needed to be handled with care. Instead, the series struggled painfully to find the right tone, lumbering from strangely jaunty, slightly mannered farce to ultimately, real-life horror. Twisted? Arguably. A complete mess? Very much so. The Maths Genius Thriller We love the star ⌠but did we believe him playing the most brilliant maths genius in history, a man so smart heâs on the brink of a discovery that could ruin society? Nope! This globe-trotting thriller about government agencies targeting â and eliminating â academics honestly got more farcical by the second. Formulaic nonsense. 1000 Men and Me: The Bonnie Blue Story This hagiography followed the online personality renowned for sexual escapades as she prepared for her most extreme challenge yet. What on earth would motivate her? What we craved was far greater examination of her actual psyche, plus those of the men in the line. They could at least have spoken to the legendary mum who showed up to haul her son out of the queue. What we got was disturbing shots and zero interrogation of her infamy whatsoever. It's staggering to consider, the filmmaker has a young daughter too.