after finishing Ghost in the Shell S.A.C. from start to finish for the first time, and with the memory of Cowboy Bebop and Firefly1 in mind, I realized why I intensely dislike shows like Battlestar Galactica and The Office.
the characters in shows I enjoy are excellent people in exceptional situations. they do not suffer from stupid miscommunications, traffic jams, or mismanagement. they can think at least as fast as you, so you don't find yourself shouting "HE'S THE MURDERER DON'T TRUST HIM!" at your television. I don't enjoy these uncomfortable feelings—embarrassment on behalf of a fictional character isn't entertainment. I leave the room when these shows are on; I can not stand them.
if I wanted to watch characters with normal personalities in normal situations ruining unsuspecting people's lives with their incompetence, I'd sit in on a seven hour catered meeting populated by nodding suits and led by incomprehensible charts and spreadsheets2.
this bullshit happens often enough in real life that I don't want it as entertainment. it's depressing and obnoxious, not entertaining.
1 Firefly included to prove that I don't exclusively enjoy anime, though I guess I'm still a big nerd
2 I saw a slide deck a few weeks ago whose title slide had a subtitle that claimed that "we're going to win {MARKET} because we deserve it!" gag me. assuming you do win that market, it will be because you've made excellent products. no one deserves anything.
