Fare Thee Well TWoP, Godspeed.
Even though I’m woefully behind with my movie reviewing and DVR binge watching, I must interrupt my slackery to bid a sad goodbye to one of my favorite websites, Television Without Pity.
Say it ain’t so!
With a short statement on the site and via Twitter, TWoP declared that the site would “cease operations on April 4th.” Forums will be live through the end of May, but all new content and recaps stopped immediately.
Harsh.
Buzz in the news is that the site isn’t making enough money for NBC, to which I’ll co-sign the chorus of ‘cancel some of the shitty crap on Bravo then!’
Bring the Snark!
Twas a sunny and bored afternoon when I discovered the site so many years ago, equally attracted by the crackling wit and stunning wisdom of the recaps and the repartee of the fan forums (most of it any way).
TWoP thanks me for my support but I say no, Thank YOU to just a few of the talented writers who made the site my go-to for many, many seasons.
Dawson’s Creek. First to site founders who took a stand against crap TV that tried to saddle us with douchebucket assholes as ‘romantic heroes.’ I type of course of the epitome of shitty leading man, Dawson Leery and the many, many who’ve come since. Sigh, Pacey.
Dark Angel. Blame it on the DVD box set, I wanted to know how it woulda, coulda, shoulda ended – and if I was alone in my deep, abiding appreciation for Alec. The forums assured me it wasn’t just me, and recappers Kim, Amorgan and LuluBates summed up much of thoughts on the show.
LOST. Recaps trying to make any sense of this wild and sometimes wonderful ride, sticking it out to the bitter WTF-was-that?! end. Daniel, Cindy, Kim et al. thanks for trying.
Smallville. Speaking of oh so fucking horrible, bitter ends, Omar G’s Smallville recaps made eight seasons of the show far more entertaining than they had any right to be. Tippi Blevins mopped up the last two years, Smallville becoming a gruesome wreck from which I could not look away. (See also, Supernatural. I mean the Ackles is yummy but damn that show’s a hot mess.)
Battlestar Galactica. Strega made me laugh my ass off and Jacob Clifton made the think (whilst laughing) about this and every show (True Blood, True Detective) he ever recapped.
Rest of the Best:
Pretty sure I read all eight years worth of M. Giant’s take on 24; every word of everything ever typed about any Whedon product; OUAT, The Vampire Diaries and many other Cindy McLennan recapped show. From then to now there’s been The West Wing, fucking Charmed, Jake 2.0. OMG I’ve watched – and read – Fringe, Nikita, Rome, Game of Thrones, Prison Break – way too many to name them all.
I’ve clicked through countless image galleries and spent more than a little quality time debating this plot point or that ‘ship in the Forums. I loved the idea that writing could be critical and funny, entertaining and smart, without being hoity toity. It made so much sense that fans who genuinely like a show would, could, should call it on its bullshit.
It’s been a great ride Television Without Pity, you’ll be missed.
Others who hate seeing TWoP go:
- Aww, TWOP is shutting down (groupthink.jezebel.com)
- Iconic TV Snark Site ‘Television Without Pity’ Gets Cancelled (geardiary.com)
- Television Without Pity: A personal EWlogy – ESSAY (popwatch.ew.com)
- Raised on Television Without Pity (newyorker.com)
- Saying goodbye to Television Without Pity (dailydot.com)