HBO Max’s Velma series has been confirmed to receive a sequel despite negative audience reception. The Mindy Kaling-led show debuted as the most-watched animated series on the platform, regardless of fans’ aversion to the several changes made by the studio.
The attempt to modernize the series and make it “woke” was poorly received by the audience, and is often labeled as a desecration of a beloved childhood franchise. The backlash focused on the alteration of the lead character’s ethnicity as well as Scooby Doo’s absence in the story.
Velma Series Is Literally Funded By Fans’ Hate Watching
Now that the Velma series is getting a second season, should fans blame themselves for hate watching the show? The next installment is reportedly in the works and ready to air anytime soon. Only after the first episode aired, fans have started bashing the series on social media and review sites.
This practice of hate-watching can be compared to the fate of Netflix’s Emily in Paris. Fans dissed the series a couple of times, and yet, it successfully earned three seasons. The negative posting on social media is still a form of marketing, thus informing other people of the existence of the show.
Hate watching is still watching, and every time someone tunes in, the view counts. It does not matter whether the viewer likes the show or not, it only cares about the time someone spends watching the screen.
Not only the audiences are to blame, but the entire industry, too. It feeds on fans’ thirst for something to talk about online: the more they get agitated, the more the studio will cash in because they are getting free advertising from the public.
Skip HBO Max Series Or Have Another Awful Season
It is disheartening and quite unfortunate that many great shows from HBO have been canceled, yet this series remains on the platform. The show has a lot of questionable decisions, starting from making it an adult-themed show instead of a family-friendly one. Kaling once shared in an interview that they wanted the series to follow the success of adult-themed animations like Harley Quinn and Rick and Morty.
There are many more inspiring shows that represent the LGBTQ community, and there are other series that feature South Asian characters more inclusively. Indeed, the more fans click on the Velma title on HBO Max’s site, the more it gets the money to create another controversial season.
