Some of the year’s lousiest movies and TV shows were the ones we were looking forward to the most.
Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Why we were excited: Geek god Joss Whedon returned to TV with a series that expands on the Marvel universe he helped bring to life in The Avengers. The show focuses on covert law-enforcement organization S.H.I.E.L.D., which has been around since 1965 but rarely given its own spotlight.
Why we were disappointed: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, this is not. It's not even Dollhouse. The characters are flat, the plots forgettable, and the budgetary constraints make the Marvel universe feel more limited than ever. Even Samuel L. Jackson looked bored doing his cameo as Nick Fury.
What the critics said: "The shame is that a series about a band of heroes trying to hunt down more potential heroes could be the perfect antidote to TV’s own overly dark cliché: the anti-hero. But instead it resists the call, too self-serious to be really goofy, and yet too fan-boyish to rescue even one hour of television from mediocrity." - Willa Paskin, Slate
ABC
The Great Gatsby
Why we were excited: Visionary director Baz Luhrmann applied his unique style to an adaptation of what's widely considered the greatest novel of all time. The always-great Leonardo DiCaprio and Carey Mulligan starred as ill-fated lovers Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan.
Why we were disappointed: Instead of condemning excess, the film was an exercise in overindulgence. The 3D added nothing but headaches and only served to distract from a story that never really needed this opulent a production. And somehow, it was also really boring.
What the critics said: "There may be worse movies this summer than The Great Gatsby, but there won't be a more crushing disappointment." - Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
Warner Bros.
Star Trek Into Darkness
Why we were excited: The 2009 Star Trek was one of the rare reboots that managed to incorporate the original franchise. In doing so, it appealed to hardcore Trekkies and new fans, geeks and otherwise. The sequel promised much of the same — plus Benedict Cumberbatch!
Why we were disappointed: You know that iconic Star Trek character Benedict Cumberbatch supposedly wasn't playing? Turns out he was. The big reveal caused massive eye rolls, proving both clunky and unnecessary. Also, why was Alice Eve in a bikini? No wonder diehard fans hated it.
What the critics said: "It’s hard to emerge from Into Darkness without a feeling of disappointment, even betrayal. Maybe it is too late to lament the militarization of Star Trek, but in his pursuit of blockbuster currency, Mr. Abrams has sacrificed a lot of its idiosyncrasy and, worse, the large-spirited humanism that sustained it." - A.O. Scott, The New York Times
Paramount Pictures
Under the Dome
Why we were excited: An underrated Stephen King novel got the small-screen treatment — with King's approval! Brian K. Vaughan set out to bring his Lost sensibility to the mysteries of the Dome, dreaming up an ending that King said he wished he'd thought of himself.
Why we were disappointed: Everything that made Lost an occasional slog was on display in the first season of Under the Dome, including silly reveals that only asked more questions, none of which felt worth answering. And despite a solid cast, the acting was weak.
What the critics said: "Vaughan, writing and directing these lines, is hauling the Stephen King brand into risky territory. The risk is boredom — the half-puzzled, half-irritated sort of boredom elicited by later seasons of Lost." - Troy Patterson, Slate
CBS
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