🔗 Share this article That Floating Poo Was Far Too Meaningful! It's the Television Disappointments of the Year. Looking back, we consider the television offerings of the past year, a selection of series stand out not for their brilliance, but for their spectacular failures. From cringe-inducing sequels to confusingly bad docuseries, here are the programmes that had us utterly bewildered or just reaching for the remote. And Just Like That How to start with this love/hate follow-up? Plagued with dreadful writing, painful character development (we demand better for Miranda!), and a mere 71 seconds of beloved Samantha, the show struggled to justify its existence. For a moment, as the third season began, it looked like it had finally hit its stride. Then arrived an episode all about Seema’s natural deodorant. Little surprise the creator announced this would be the final season. It ended on a bum note; the lingering shot of Miranda’s toilet full of poo was just way too symbolic. Still, viewers certainly found joy picking apart every single “wtf?” episode. And as Carrie – a single woman once more – danced around her sprawling townhouse to Barry White, who couldn't let out a little sob? All’s Fair ‘Is Kim Kardashian an actress? Of course she can’t.’ But that was practically the least of this show's issues. The subject of a exceedingly uncommon zero star review, it was difficult to know where to start listing the problems. The laughably leaden dialogue? The tedious glorification of affluence and materialism? The seemingly deliberate procession of cliches? Performances so poor they felt borderline spiteful? Suffice it to say “each and every one” and never speak of this series again. However, a second season has been commissioned, so we’re likely going to have to. AKA Charlie Sheen Given the restraining orders, domestic violence claims and fatherly shortcomings, it’s reasonable to say Charlie Sheen has been a bad boy. Not you’d really have known it from this multi-part docuseries which smirked its way at Sheen’s various bouts of reckless hedonism while failing to tell us anything we weren't already aware of. Instead, it felt as if this loose cannon was being pandered to, so any pity this show might evoke should be reserved for the people who have had to suffer close contact with this charming but flippant egotist. The Iris Affair Of course we understood it was preposterous from the get-go: a thriller about a supercomputer known as Charlie Big Potatoes that could either save the world – or destroy all of humanity. We persevered out of sheer admiration for its stars … but by the end, it felt like even they had given up trying. One scarcely cared when his character died, and the other ended up slicing Charlie with an axe … in super slow-motion. That's what you call giving up the ghost. The Gangster Drama Dodgy figures meeting in empty boxing gyms? The Prodigy’s Firestarter jackhammering away in club scenes? The late 90s called and demands its gangland drama back. In truth, that is harsh on the crime shows of the late 90s. Many seem a bit dated now, but at least they didn’t suffer the ignominy of having to indulge baffling accents. But there were plenty of other problems. Mainly that it was just profoundly boring; a dispute over narcotics territory between various cockney picaresques which seemed a bit basic. With Love, Meghan Given the extent to which she provokes the ire of certain ostentatiously enraged commentators, it’s temptingly easy to admire the Duchess of Sussex’s televised forays into quaint lifestyle as deliberate provocations. But then you view them and are compelled to admit that in this case, they might have a point. It’s like watching a lifestyle magazine animated; a poster for evening drinks with ideas of grandeur; a procession of snoozing dogs, buzzing beehives, sentimental platitudes and forgettable crafting “tips” you’ll forget instantly. All supported by vast, mostly unearned wealth. Ugh. Victoria Beckham There are obviously interesting things to be discussed about both Victoria Beckham and her struggles with vocation, identity, self-worth. But for whatever reason, this three-part series chose not to say them. Rather, the experience was akin to reading a marketing brochure. She obviously has good reason to resent what she describes as her “miserable cow” image. But unfortunately, she didn’t do herself any favours with this cagey letdown of a series. The Inheritance It had the potential to be the next big hit – except even camper, with a glamorous star as a deceased benefactor and a sharp-tongued personality overseeing her inheritance. What more could you want? As contestants competed, there was plenty of backstabbing and squabbling. But the rules quickly became incomprehensible: it’s even now too confusing to explain what precisely was happening. Even more disappointingly, we only saw glimpses of the star via prerecorded videos. The series ended up smelling of a production that was trying way too hard to live up to something way beyond it. The Lena Dunham Romcom How do you follow a show that defined a generation? The expectation was enormous for this starry romcom about Jessica, a rosy-eyed New Yorker who lands in London with a broken heart. The star seized the opportunity by the horns and was a delight to watch, reveling in Austen levels of romantic ideals. But it was all very glossy and, ironically, was not enough. Plus, the sheer amount of celebrity friends involved felt uncomfortable. The Sketch Show Return Not good enough to be ‘uneven’. Given the smart inclusion of talented younger comics, hopes were high. But sadly, most of it fell flat. A particular sketch was a single joke stretched to a dry pulp but repeated in every episode. One star seemed too ready to slip into a familiar irate mode. The behind-the-scenes sketches, meanwhile, simply inspired the thought that they should probably have remained in there a bit longer. The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox This retelling of the story of Amanda Knox was overseen by Amanda Knox and pretty much solely presented the viewpoint of Amanda Knox. So, while there undoubtedly is an compelling drama to be made about the tragic 2007 murder, this was not it. The material needed to be treated with care. Rather, the series struggled painfully to find the right tone, lumbering from strangely breezy, somewhat mannered farce to ultimately, real-life horror. Twisted? Arguably. A total mess? Very much so. The Maths Genius Thriller We admire the lead actor … but did we buy him playing the greatest maths genius in history, a man so intelligent he’s on the brink of a breakthrough that could ruin society? Nope! This globe-trotting thriller about secret services targeting – and killing off – intellectuals 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 explicit escapades as she prepared for her biggest challenge yet. What on earth would possess her? What we craved was far greater examination of her true psychology, plus those of the men in the line. They could at least have interviewed the legendary mum who appeared to drag her son away from the queue. What we got was disturbing imagery and absolutely no critical analysis of her notoriety whatsoever. And to think, the documentary-maker has a teenage daughter too.