Why we are hooked on 'bad' shows and films: The psychology behind hate-watching

Last month, I watched a show that annoyed me endlessly. I complained, grumbled and whined about it for its lack of story, and the characters were all over the place. I vowed it was a waste of time—blaming my flu-induced boredom for even finishing it. And yet, somehow, I found myself rewatching certain scenes. Specifically, one slow-burn romance that had me hooked. I needed to watch that one dialogue in the rain, once more...or several times. Sigh.

My husband was baffled. “I thought you didn’t like this?”  he asked.

Cue some embarrassed mumbling.

I am not even sure if I could use the term ‘hate-watch’, because I did reluctantly like parts of it. I was somewhat comforted to know that I’m not the only person who does this: Dubai-based Kieran Coleman, a sales professional laughs and says she does the exact same thing: She watches a rather popular soapy series, just for one particular storyline. “That’s the only thing that makes sense to me, because it just somehow always delivers such a punch to the gut,” she says.

As she summarises, when everything else disappoints, there is just that one factor that carries her through. Lead couple? Man on a mission to find his missing father and finding love along the way? Sure, why not?

This phenomenon has a name. Psychologists describe it as, selective engagement.

The psychology of selective engagement

According to neuropsychiatrist Ashni Singh, our tendency to stick with a show despite disliking it stems from motivated reasoning—we convince ourselves it’s worth watching because we’re attached to one particular aspect. Even if the overall series falls flat, we justify our time spent by clinging to the parts that bring us joy.

Similarly, cognitive dissonance also plays a role in this selective engagement. “When we invest time in a series that ultimately disappoints, we experience an internal conflict: Should we quit and admit that the show isn’t working for us, or should we continue and focus on the parts we do like,” she says. To reduce this discomfort, we fixate on the storyline or characters that still resonate, which lets us maintain our emotional investment without fully acknowledging the show’s shortcomings.

Another key factor is the sunk cost fallacy—the belief that because we’ve already spent time watching a show, abandoning it feels like wasting that investment. This is especially true for long-running dramas, where fans might endure entire seasons just to see the resolution of one specific romantic arc or character’s journey. Even when the rest of the show drags or annoys, that single compelling thread keeps us engaged.

Dubai-based Candace George says she  has ‘firmly’ held on to the medical soap, Grey’s Anatomy, which is currently in its 21^st season. Most of the main characters are either dead, or had unceremonial exits, to the point where even even Meredith Grey, the show’s titular character, now appears only as a guest star “I’ve been in this for far too long now, I can’t stop. It’s just such a predictable watch too, that it’s almost comfort now,” she says.

On the other hand, her sister, ‘hate-watches’ the show, out of sheer frustration. That’s a thing too, and it’s probably the reason why most shows and films that are criticised heavily, still get renewed for several seasons and sequels, prequels, and reboots.

So, why do we hate-watch?

The concept of hate-watching

And sometimes, selective engagement morph into what’s known as hate-watching. While some people stick with a show for a beloved romance or storyline, others keep watching despite their reservations—drawn in by the need to critique, dissect, or even rage about what’s going wrong. Hate-watching and selective engagement aren’t that different; in both cases, we fixate on certain aspects while ignoring the rest, explains Singh.

As Singh and Dubai-based Madison Thawne, a psychologist explain, the truth is, we also hate-watch for connection. We love picking apart movies and shows with our friends, to score those extra laughs. It’s somewhat healing and comforting. “You find a community of hate-watchers and you feel comfortable. Sometimes, people enjoy watching so-called terrible shows together, perhaps more than the good ones, so that they can have more fun and entertainment. It might sound strange, but it’s how people are wired,” explains Thawne.

In a way, hate-watching becomes a form of social catharsis. It offers an outlet for venting irritation, provides easy material for inside jokes, and even fosters a sense of belonging within online communities. So regardless, whether it’s a group of friends texting reactions in real-time, or entire Reddit threads dedicated to analysing a show’s downfall, hate-watching isn’t just about the show—it’s about the experience around it. “Think about it, people loved Game of Thrones till season 8, but were so disappointed with the last season. The discussion still continues as do the jokes. Discussing such shows even becomes an ice-breaker,” she says, remembering a client, who bonded with her current partner over a show that they ‘hate-watched’. “It just brings people together,” she says.

‘Parasocial bonds’ and fandom culture

You would have seen the term ‘parasocial’ bond surfacing quite often on the internet. Thawne laughs at this new term in the lexicon, but continues to explain what it actually means, “It’s essentially referring to the one-sided emotional connections we form with fictional characters. When we feel deeply invested in a particular romance or character’s journey, we crave more of their story, even if it means tolerating the parts of the show we dislike.”

Furthermore, fandom culture further fuels this engagement. Online communities allow viewers to hyper-focus on their favorite aspects of a show, creating fan edits, sharing theories, and celebrating a storyline even when the show itself feels disappointing. These platforms reinforce the idea that watching selectively—whether out of love or frustration—is a valid way to consume media. Thawne admits that she is a clear target for this, “I mean, I sat and watched Emily in Paris, after seeing so many edits on my Instagram reels. People around me would ‘hate-watch’ it, but still had so many theories, and so I, too, got absorbed in the entire discussion. So now, here I am, after watching four seasons,” she says.

So what I learn is, in the end, it’s not always about whether a show is ‘good’ or ‘bad.”’ It’s about whether there’s still something—anything—pulling us back in.