There was a lot of TV to celebrate in 2015, be it the year's best shows or just the smaller moments that make us TV obsessives thankful. But make no mistake: It wasn't all smooth sailing. There was plenty that had us shaking our fists at our screens.
So, in honor of Festivus, that delightful made-up TV holiday from Seinfeld, which is nearly upon us, we're celebrating early the only way we know how: With an Airing of TV Grievances. And, boy, do we have a lot to get off our chests.
1. The Good Wife breaking its Kalicia promise: With Archie Panjabi's exit from The Good Wife this past spring inching ever closer, we were promised one final moment with Kalinda and Alicia (Julianna Marguiles) sharing the screen—something we'd been suspiciously deprived of for many seasons. What we got was an obviously green-screened goodbye that had Robert and Michelle King, the show's bosses, backed into a corner with questions for months until they finally confirmed our suspicions with nary an explanation. Until one of the parties involved writes their tell-all memoir, this bit of weirdness will remain one of TV's strangest (and most frustrating) mysteries.
2. Revenge bungling the end of Victoria Grayson's story: First, Victoria blew herself up in Grayson Manor to take Amanda down once and for all. Then, Madeleine Stowe did press to convince us she was done with the series. Next thing we knew, Victoria was alive, only to be gunned down in the series finale. Pro tip: If you want your series to be remembered fondly, don't manipulate your remaining fans so blatantly.
3. VH1 taking back its season two renewal of Hindsight: We were pleasantly surprised in March when VH1 decided to renew this charming little scripted series about a woman mysteriously sent back in time 15 years to re-do her life at a pivotal moment in 1995, despite its anemic ratings. So, we were more than a little annoyed (and confused) when the network went back on its word in August and scrapped the whole thing. (When HBO did the same with the Jack Black flop The Brink in October, well, we were considerably less bothered.)
4. The Walking Dead trolling everyone by removing Steven Yeun's name from the credits: It's one thing to seemingly kill off a fan-favorite character and then refuse to confirm his fate for what felt like an eternity. But to remove Steven Yeun's name from the opening credits during that time of concern over Glenn felt like nothing more than AMC and the producers blowing a giant raspberry in our face as we wailed in desperation. Not cool, dudes. Not cool.
5. Cable dramas forgetting how many minutes are in an hour: Look, we support meaty dramas that want to deliver us an overflowing plate of goodness each week. It makes us feel loved. But sometimes enough is enough. If Kurt Sutter is still wondering why no one tuned in to The Bastard Executioner this fall, maybe he should consider its near-two hour run time each week. No one's got time to watch Katey Sagal play a witch until almost midnight every Tuesday night. No one.
6. New shows with ever-changing titles: When ABC ordered Chace Crawford's new soap to series, it was called Boom. Then it was Oil. Next it was Blood & Oil. Finally, it was canceled (or trimmed, but more on that later). This fall, networks were so wishy-washy on titles for their new shows, it was a wonder they had a name at all come premiere week. NBC's Truth Be Told was sold as People Are Talking. ABC's Wicked City was originally L.A. Crime. And Fox's upcoming Second Chance began as The Frankenstein Code, briefly went by Lookinglass, and then received its current moniker. If no one even knows what to call your show, how can you expect them to remember to watch it?
7. When trimming became the new canceling: This fall, the networks all got together and decided that nothing would ever be canceled ever again. (Well, except for Wicked City. Sorry, Wicked City.) Instead, the initial episode orders of failing series were "trimmed," thereby shuttering production early while keeping the failed endeavor viable for a streaming afterlife. Because everyone's going to want to watch Minority Report's entire series run on Netflix after ignoring it on Fox.
8. Characters on our favorite shows keeping secrets for the sake of "protecting" someone: Look, we know it's a dramatic trope as old as time, but that doesn't validate the laziness behind its continued use. We're tired of watching people on The Flash or Arrow hide things from the people they love, just for the sake of a dramatic reveal/fight down the road. And guess what? It. Never. Works. Can't drama be generated any other way?
9. Jamal's surprise straight kiss on Empire: Yes, sexual fluidity is real and deserves representation on TV. But there's no way that the Jamal of season one who fought so hard to gain respect from his father as a gay man is still in an experimental stage. That kiss with Alicia Keys felt like a pure plot contrivance. Sorry, not sorry.
What do you think of our 2015 TV grievances? Anything we missed? Sound off in the comments below.
(E! and NBC are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)