10 Underhyped TV Shows That Blew Everyone Away
Shows that blew everyone away weren't hyped at all by their networks...
When a network or streaming platform puts a ton of cash behind a project, it's usually in the best interest of everyone involved to market the show. To that end, they shoot commercials, send the cast out to talk shows to discuss it, and generally hype it up to gain attention.
If they don't do that, there's a very good chance that a series with promise ends up being canceled because nobody watches it. This could happen for a number of reasons, but in many cases, a studio doesn't build the hype for a project if it doesn't look like it will do well.
Why waste more money on something that's sure to fail? As a business decision, it makes some sense, but in the end, the cast and crew suffer.
However, some of the best series ever created didn't receive the hype they deserved, and succeeded anyway. They proved that the networks didn't know what they had, and went on to blow everyone away. These ten shows should have been given far more support from their networks, but despite receiving very little, they succeeded primarily via word of mouth.
10. Barry
Nobody was expecting HBO’s Barry to be as good as it was - probably not even HBO.
The series, all about the titular hitman who finds himself breaking away from a life of violence and murder after taking a job in Los Angeles, was a sleeper hit in its first season, before going on to gain widespread critical respect in its second year.
You can see why as well. Breaking out the barriers of genre and format, Barry accomplishes so much within the regular 30-minute timeslot. It always has something unique for the viewer - whether that’s impressive, lengthy one-shots or surprising moments of deep pathos - and it results in a show that more than deserves its 30 Primetime Emmy nominations.
Written, directed and starring Bill Hader, Barry is very evidently a passion project, and that passion is felt in every minute of each episode.
It’s been over two years now since Season 2 ended, but expect the show to come roaring back to life with more fanfare than ever with Season 3.