Between (WORST)
Seasons: 2 seasons, 12 episodes. Starring: Jennette McCurdy, Jesse Carere, and Jim Watson. Description: Between is set in a town called Pretty Lake, where a deadly disease kills anyone older than 22. This strange phenomenon causes the city to be quarantined, and so the inhabitants are left to their own devices. The show brings up a number of themes, including the desire for trapped people to escape, social power vacuums when a town is left to its own devices, and what happens when you leave young people in charge of a community.
Why it’s a stinker: Between received pretty lukewarm reviews, with critics describing it as “lacking depth and tension.” The acting is sub-par, except for McCurdy, and the character development is poor. You do not feel connected to the story, and it lacks that hook that will make you want to watch the next episode.
Chelsea (WORST)
Seasons: 2 seasons, 120 episodes. Starring: Chelsea Handler Description: The talk show, which isn’t Chelsea Handler’s first, airs three times a week on Netflix and covers social and political topics from a global perspective, as well as interviewing celebrity guests. Despite some of the heavy discussion points, Chelsea tries to inject some of her humor into the show.
Why it’s a stinker: Chelsea has a specific type of humor that brings up feelings of love and hate at the same time. Unfortunately, this doesn’t translate when dealing with issues of a global scale, which are often politically or socially sensitive. It was announced that Netflix would not be renewing the show for a third season.
Marseille (WORST)
Seasons: 2 seasons, 16 episodes. Starring: Gérard Depardieu, Benoît Magimel, Géraldine Pailhas, and Nadia Farès. Description: The story focuses on the Mayor of the charming port city of Marseille. After 20 years in power, he and his former protege are at odds over when he will hand over the reins. There are plenty of challenges for the Mayor, as he deals with corruption, crime, and drug lords.
Why it’s a stinker: Despite being the first French-language series to be released internationally on Netflix, it was canceled after two seasons. It received a very negative reception in France, where critics felt it was dated and cliche. The response to the series was more positive outside of France, but there was still the feeling of it being an average series.
Real Rob (WORST)
Seasons: 2 seasons, 16 episodes. Starring: Rob Schneider, Jamie Lissow, and Miranda Scarlett Schneider. Description: The Real Rob is somewhere between a sitcom and a reality show, where all the cast plays themselves, but the script is written by Rob Schneider and follows the everyday happenings in his professional and personal life.
Why it’s a stinker: We are not sure how this series survived its first season, let alone its third. If you love Rob Schneider, then you’ll probably enjoy this for what it is. So, unless you have an unusual interest in his life, we suggest watching something else.
Flaked (WORST)
Seasons: 2 seasons, 14 episodes. Starring: Will Arnett, David Sullivan, Heather Graham, Kirstie Alley, and Ruth Kearney. Description: Flaked is about a guy called Chip, who is a recovering alcoholic and, supposedly, a self-help guru. Trying to stay one step ahead of the game, Chip gets himself into all kinds of situations, including falling for a girl. The catch here is that someone is already in love with her, and he happens to be Chip’s best friend.
Why it’s a stinker: Flaked was produced by Will Arnett, who created the series alongside Mitch Hurwitz, best known for his hit show Arrested Development. However, Flaked did not receive the same reception, despite the collective genius of these two minds. Flaked benefits from an all-star cast, but this didn’t rescue it from being a complete flop. Something doesn’t translate onto the screen and, unfortunately, we have to agree with the critic who called it “dull and pointless.”