Something I've noticed with recent shows is how unforgiving fandoms seem to be towards showrunners that screw up their ending- literally any other content related to that is filled with obsession and nitpicking about how bad the new content is OR some complaints about how the original content's ending was so bad OR how much they hate said showrunners.
One of the most prominent examples would be how unforgiving the Stranger Things fandom is towards the Duffers Brothers and any new content they've produced: a recent Tales from 85 trailer (a Stranger Things spinoff) had like a 25%ish dislike ratio less than a day after release with hateful comments tearing everything about the final season and the new show apart, and whenever someone mentions the Duffers Brothers it's like they fear/despise them and they murdered their childhood.
It's not going to affect my opinion i.e. that showrunners deserve to be redeemed if they can show they learnt from their mistakes, but I would like to hear what everyone's thoughts are on my questions above.
Also bonus question: If fandoms do actually cool down, how long does it normally take?
I knew this was going to be another Stranger Things post before clicking 😂
I’d wager 90% of fans watched the finale, were relatively happy and then moved on. The only people who think their reputation is damaged is perennially online people who wanted to hate the finale before they even saw it. And those levels of people will be rightly ignored.
3
TheShowLoverMar 28, 2026
+2
> I’d wager 90% of fans watched the finale, were relatively happy and then moved on.
Exactly. I wasn't even happy but I moved on.
For people who are happy or indifferent, the showrunner is just a guy. If they remember them. Right now, I don't remember who the showrunner was for Mad Men, True Blood, and a lot of other shows.
But for haters, the showrunner is evil incarnate. The showrunner lives rent free in their head all day, every day. Meanwhile, I don't even know what the showrunner looks like.
2
DianagorgonMar 28, 2026
-1
There are a lot of women with legitimate complaints about Eleven's ending but it's nice when men on Listnook claim those opinions don't exist and insist that only "perennially online people who wanted to hate the finale before they saw it" are angry about the final season. There final season was bad and people who aren't used to playing video games all day or enjoy Marvel movies were angry about the final season.
-1
[deleted]Mar 28, 2026
-4
[deleted]
-4
DaveShadowMar 28, 2026
+1
It was either GoT or Stranger Things, and the latter is more recent.
1
[deleted]Mar 28, 2026
-1
[deleted]
-1
DaveShadowMar 28, 2026
+1
99% of people don't though.
1
MappleStarsSkyMar 28, 2026
+1
Of course they can, people angry on the internet eventualy move on. George Lucas was throughtly mocked and derided for two decades and now everyone likes him lol.
1
zowietremendouslyMar 28, 2026
+1
With the monopolies now, television is in trouble.
1
tylergetsmeajobMar 28, 2026
+1
Showrunners are given enormous latitude in the wake of a failure. Once that failure becomes a pattern, like Scott Buck for instance, generally it prohibits them from continuing in that authority.
1
DianagorgonMar 28, 2026
+1
I don't think you want to discuss whether people don't watch some shows because they're angry at writers for not writing a decent ending for a popular show. I think you're looking for a reason to insult Stranger Things fans.
>Ngl some fandoms legit are very toxic- it's impossible to reason with them
1
AssociateLittle1487Mar 28, 2026
+1
I actually want to know about other shows too?? I’ve heard about GOT etc. but wanted to verify it here. Also, why do you have this prejudice that men keep shutting down women’s opinions on El’s ending?? Of course no one can reason with that!
1
chicagoredditer1Mar 28, 2026
+1
>Do they deserve to be redeemed?
The f***....
1
AssociateLittle1487Mar 28, 2026
+3
Ngl some fandoms legit are very toxic- it's impossible to reason with them
3
name-classifiedMar 28, 2026
+1
Then there’s the subset of fandoms that toxically “ship” make believe fictional characters into weird real life obsessions that results in real actors/actresses getting harassed online and in real life by sick fucks.
Looking very closely at the Arrow and Flash and all around CW fandoms
1
QyzykMar 28, 2026
-3
Well, Damon Lindelof gave us Lost, but then he more than redeemed himself with the miniseries Watchmen.
-3
Jackbuddy78Mar 28, 2026
-1
It's more like he gave us 1/3 of Lost and the rest was JJ Abrams and studio meddling
-1
iceWarriorWhoMar 28, 2026
oh hells no
0
Huge-DigitMar 28, 2026
By the time the showrunner has finished the series they have already made millions of dollars. What do they care what people think?
21 Comments