"I Was Not Expecting To Finish It In Tears With My Heart Full" — 19 TV Shows And Movies That People Weren't Expecting To Love As Much As They Did

    "It's quirky and surprisingly gripping."

    Elizabeth Cotton
    by Elizabeth Cotton

    BuzzFeed Staff

    There's always that one TV show or movie we had to convince ourselves to watch that we ended up actually enjoying...

    NBC

    So, when u/me_sarahh asked "what's a movie or TV show you didn't expect to enjoy but ended up loving?" we decided to round up the best answers:

    1. The Queen's Gambit

    Character from 'The Queen's Gambit' standing in a pharmacy with vintage posters behind and holding a newspaper
    Netflix

    "I wasn't sure if I would be interested in a show about chess, but the storytelling and character development were so engaging that I ended up loving it." 

    u/WallsFlowered

    2. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

    Four characters from "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" look surprised in a bar setting
    FX

    u/Sublime9997

    "I went in thinking 'oh this is just another sitcom with extra shouting'… Now it’s one of my fave shows!"  

    u/JJC165463

    3. Schitt's Creek

    Five characters from Schitt's Creek standing together, dressed in their distinctive styles, outdoors
    CBC Television

    "Started it because my wife wanted to see it. Now I think it’s one of the best sitcoms ever." 

    u/Rlpniew

    4. Santa Clarita Diet

    Two actors in character, man in a suit and woman in a coat, in a still from a TV show
    Netflix

    "I’m still mad they didn’t finish it." 

    u/Gregthepigeon

    "Yeah, I didn't think I'd like it. I thought it was just gore for gores sake but it was super funny and really good."  

    u/Wolfeman0101

    5. The Greatest Showman

    Group of performers in a theatrical dance number from a stage production or film
    TSG Entertainment

    "I'm not usually a fan of musicals, but the combination of the catchy songs, stunning visuals, and inspiring story really captivated me. It's now one of my favourite feel-good movies." 

    u/Rave_Dubin66

    6. Ted Lasso

    Jason Sudeikis as Ted Lasso, wearing a whistle, in a coach's blue sweater with logo
    Apple TV+

    "A fish out of water comedy featuring a character from a cable TV ad? Why would anyone watch that?" 

    u/Theduckbytheoboe

    7. The Good Place

    Four characters from "The Good Place" show standing together with concerned expressions
    NBC

    u/hellomarshmallows

    "Same. I almost stopped watching it, but figured I’ll watch a few more episodes. I was not expecting to finish it in tears with my heart full."  

    u/BlueSlushieTongue

    8. Downton Abbey

    Two characters from Downton Abbey in early 20th-century attire, seated with drinks. Victorian decor surrounds them
    ITV

    u/Super-Measurement703

    "Yeah that one sucked me in, while the whole time I kept lying to myself that I was just watching it because it was Christmas and my mum likes it."  

    u/MTMonCrack

    9. I, Tonya

    Tonya Harding in a purple skating costume performing
    Clubhouse Pictures

    "I never would have picked it myself, based on the synopsis, but a friend rated it highly so I gave it a shot. It's quirky and surprisingly gripping."

    u/moosieq 

    10. Desperate Housewives

    Eva Longoria, Marcia Cross, and others in casual attire on the set of "Desperate Housewives."
    ABC

    "A show I would’ve never gotten into on my own, but my at the time girlfriend showed it to me and I was hooked!" 

    u/captaincavalrycam

    11. Young Sheldon

    Character in checkered shirt stands in a room, with a surprised facial expression, from a TV show scene
    CBS

    "It was surprisingly funny. I just finally binged watched it a few months ago. I absolutely hated The Big Bang Theory." 

    u/Huxeley

    12. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

    Animated characters from "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" including Spider-Gwen, Miles Morales, Peter Parker, Spider-Ham, and Spider-Man Noir
    Marvel Entertainment

    "I love superhero movies but had to be convinced to watch this. It was sooooo good." 

    u/nodogsallowed23

    13. Poor Things

    TSG Entertainment

    "Quite disturbing! Weirdest movie I’ve seen since I can remember but worth the watch." 

    u/luv2livfantasy

    14. Stranger Things

    Four actors from Stranger Things standing in front of Surfer Boy Pizza van
    Netflix

    "I’m usually not a big fan of a predominantly young cast, or most horror/sci-fi stuff, but I was pleasantly surprised by this show." 

    u/UsefulIdiot85

    15. The Menu

    Two actors in a scene from a TV show or movie, man in a chef's attire and woman in a formal dress, engaged in conversation
    TSG Entertainment

    "I had a vague notion of what it was about and knew it was horror but didn't think it sounded that interesting. But my mum wanted to watch a horror movie and I was too lazy to really look for one. It ended up being delightfully weird and surprisingly funny with some fantastic performances, particularly Ralph Fiennes as the chef. I've since re-watched it."

    u/Willowed-Wisp

    16. Taken

    Man on phone with intense expression, in a dimly lit room, from a film scene
    20th Century Fox

    "I was expecting a cheesy, goofy, ridiculous action movie to make fun of. And for the first 25 minutes or so it’s exactly that. Cliché backstory, cranky ex-wife, way-too-old actor playing a teen daughter. Just sheer ridiculousness. Then it gets to the 'good luck' scene, and everything after that is just pure unhinged Liam Neeson badassery until end credits. Sure, it’s not Shakespeare, but it turns into a fantastically fun film." 

    u/rhinobutt

    17. Jury Duty

    Group of people sitting in a courtroom gallery with attentive expressions, from a TV show scene
    Amazon Freevee

    "I absolutely loathe reality shows. This was a brilliant twist on the concept." 

    u/kingholland

    18. What We Do in the Shadows

    Characters from the TV show "What We Do in the Shadows" stand together in two different scenes
    Madman Entertainment / FX

    u/hornyroo

    "Love both the movie and the show. Some really great performances and a lot of truly hilarious dialogue!"  

    u/Mari-Loki

    19. The Holdovers

    Two actors portraying father and son, standing outdoors with serious expressions, in a snowy setting for a TV show scene
    Focus Features

    "I saw the trailer and thought 'this looks fine. Not good, not bad, just fine.' I wasn't really interested but my mum saw the trailer and really wanted to see it so I took her. I never imagined it would be my number one favourite movie of 2023 and that I would love it so much."

    u/Zoneae8

    H/T to u/me_sarahh and AskReddit for having this discussion!

    Note: All submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.