ImmacuIate's Profile

When rating shows, I generally care about two things: how effectively the show achieved what I think are its artistic goals, and how ambitious, meaningful, and praiseworthy I think those artistic goals are.

I try to judge shows as holistic works, rather than as a set of individual aesthetic elements which may or may not be especially relevant to the show's goals. I won't punish a dedicated character drama for having mediocre audiovisuals, but I do think truly great works are elevated by all of their individual elements.

I watch shows to completion and assign a 1-10 rating based on the following rubric:

1 - Offensive. Shows that are not only terrible but contain themes or messages that I consider repugnant. Shows that cause me to firmly believe that the world would be a better place if they didn’t exist. Shows that could not possibly do anything else to meaningfully lower my opinion of them.

2 - Awful. Thoroughly terrible shows with zero redeeming qualities. Shows that I don't believe have any artistic merit or entertainment value and can't fathom other people thinking are good.

3 - Bad. Shows that have a few redeeming qualities, but aren’t nearly outweighed by all of their actively negative elements. Probably the threshold at which I would regret having spent my time watching shows this bad or worse.

4 - Poor. Shows with some potentially interesting ideas that are dragged down by its negative elements. Shows that are generally tolerable but consistently inspire frustration or disappointment. Shows this bad or worse I probably would have dropped midway through without good reasons.

5 - Mediocre. Typical, unambitious genre entries that mostly manage to achieve their narrative goals but don't contribute anything novel or interesting. Shows that I don’t dislike but are easily forgettable. Watchable entertainment.

6 - Decent. Shows that are competently produced and do a respectable job of achieving their narrative goals. Otherwise, mediocre shows with some standout, exemplary elements or shows that would otherwise be great if not for some significant flaws. I'd generally be happy to recommend shows this good or better to others.

7 - Good. Well composed shows that exhibit some noteworthy artistic intent through their creativity and intelligence, or shows that are just phenomenally entertaining throughout. Probably the upper rating limit for shows that I feel are enjoyable or entertaining but don’t achieve any other artistic goals I find important.

8 - Excellent. Thoroughly enjoyable shows that also demonstrate significant insight or thematic depth and manage to greatly impress me. Shows that I believe anyone with reasonable conceptions about art would find to be at least interesting. Shows this good or better are shows I can confidently, unconditionally recommend to others.

9 - Exemplary. Shows that are the pinnacle of their genre or shows that achieve something truly brilliant and inspiring. Shows that have what I believe are ambitious or praiseworthy aesthetic, thematic or narrative goals and fully succeed in realizing them. Shows that could have been perfect if not for some minor but consequential flaws. Shows that could perhaps be perfect but merely failed to resonate with me. Shows that I regularly think about and stick with me for a long time. Probably the point around which the quality of the show's storytelling craft surpasses my ability to meaningfully critique it.

10 - Perfect. Shows that I think are so superlatively good that it's pointless to try to evaluate them on an arbitrary numerical scale. Shows that I believe are categorically great and should be watched without exception. Shows that I can’t fathom other people with reasonable aesthetic preferences thinking are less than great. Shows that might profoundly resonate with me on a deep, personal level and dramatically change the way I think about or relate with the world. The point at which any flaws the show might have don’t meaningfully detract from its artistic and narrative goals, and nothing could be done to meaningfully improve my appreciation for the show – certainly not flawless, but perfect all the same.