History Main / EightDeadlyWords

See also DarknessInducedAudienceApathy, a variation on this that is specifically caused by a setting that is ''too'' GrimDark, to the point where there's no likable protagonist for the audience to root for. [[{{Irony}} Ironically]], many {{Horror}}/monster/{{Disaster Movie}}s that begin with TwentyMinutesWithJerks do so to try and avoid this, but the characters are so unlikable that it just emphasizes the audience apathy instead, or even has them cheering as the jerks are killed off.

* In general, it's best to avoid {{Heel}} Vs. Heel main events, since there's no one for the audience to root for. The over-reliance on these kinds of matches was on of the contributors to WCW's fall.

* YourMileageMayVary (''[[FlameBait greatly]]''), but this is how many people begin to feel about ''WarriorCats'' as the series drags on and on.

* {{Moviebob}} on ''TheEscapist'' makes this observation of the movie ''Film/{{Monsters}}'', noting that both leads are unsympathetic and {{Flat Character}}s.

** the books we are made to read throughout high school. almost all the characters are complete assholes with no redeeming features (im looking at you holden), and you know that everyone will be 1) miserable and depresed or 2) dead, by the end, so you refuse to get in any way attached to the characters.

* the books we are made to read throughout high school. almost all the characters are complete assholes with no redeeming features (im looking at you holden), and you know that everyone will be 1) miserable and depresed or 2) dead, by the end, so you refuse to get in any way attached to the characters.

* Movie Bob on ''TheEscapist'' makes this observation of the movie ''Film/{{Monsters}}'', noting that both leads are unsympathetic and {{Flat Character}}s.

* Quite possibly the worst possible thing to happen to a pro wrestler outside of injuries is to get this sort of reaction. The entire [[{{Kayfabe}} point]] of wrestling is to get the crowds to [[{{Face}} cheer]] or [[{{Heel}} boo]] you. Not getting ''either'' is almost considered to be worse than getting XPacHeat, and is practically guaranteed to put you on the fast track to getting future endeavored.

* Quite possibly the worst possible thing to happen to a pro wrestler outside of injuries is to get this sort of reaction. The entire [[{{Kayfabe}} point]] of wrestling is to get the crowds to [[{{Face}} cheer]] or [[{{Heel}} boo]] you. Not getting ''either'' is almost considered to be worse than getting XPacHeat, and is practically guaranteed to put you on the fast track to getting [[MemeticMutation future endeavored]].

A phrase coined by Dorothy J. Heydt in a science fiction-based {{Usenet}} group in 1991 to describe an AudienceReaction to a work of fiction where the characters are so universally [[FlatCharacter bland]], unengaging or [[JerkAss unlikeable]] that the reader simply loses interest in their fate and, by extension, the work as a whole. This can happen with or without the presence of [[BadWriting more objective shortcomings]], but the most interesting examples tend to be those where this is a critic's main complaint, single-handedly dragging a work down from near-perfection to almost completely unenjoyable.

[[AC:Film]]

[[AC:Literature]]

See also DarknessInducedAudienceApathy, a variation on this that is specifically caused by a setting that is ''too'' GrimDark, to the point where there's no likable protagonist for the audience to root for. [[{{Irony}} Ironically]], many {{Horror}}/monster/DisasterMovies that begin with TwentyMinutesWithJerks do so to try and avoid this, but the characters are so unlikable that it just emphasizes the audience apathy instead, or even has them cheering as the jerks are killed off.

* Movie Bob on ''TheEscapist'' makes this observation of the movie ''{{Monsters}}'', noting that both leads are unsympathetic and {{Flat Character}}s.

A phrase coined by Dorothy J. Heydt in a science fiction-based {{Usenet}} group in 1991 to describe an AudienceReaction to a work of fiction where the characters are so universally bland, unengaging or unlikeable that the reader simply loses interest in their fate and, by extension, the work as a whole. This can happen with or without the presence of [[BadWriting more objective shortcomings]], but the most interesting examples tend to be those where this is a critic's main complaint, single-handedly dragging a work down from near-perfection to almost completely unenjoyable.

See also DarknessInducedAudienceApathy, a variation on this that is specifically caused by a setting that is ''too'' GrimDark, to the point where there's no likable protagonist for the audience to root for.

* Ironically, many horror/monster/disaster movies that begin with TwentyMinutesWithJerks do so to try and avoid this, but the characters are so unlikable that it just emphasizes the audience apathy instead, or even has them cheering as the jerks are killed off.

* Dorothy Heydt coined the words when reading [[http://groups.google.com/group/rec.arts.sf.written/msg/c67003d462c72a07?dmode=source Volume Two of]] ''TheWheelOfTime'', and also [[http://groups.google.com/group/rec.arts.sf.written/msg/c0c86ef8c3d067df?dmode=source applied them]] to a ''[[TheFionavarTapestry Fionavar Tapestry]]'' book.

A phrase coined by Dorothy J. Heidt in a science fiction-based {{Usenet}} group in 1991 to describe an AudienceReaction to a work of fiction where the characters are so universally bland, unengaging or unlikeable that the reader simply loses interest in their fate and, by extension, the work as a whole. This can happen with or without the presence of [[BadWriting more objective shortcomings]], but the most interesting examples tend to be those where this is a critic's main complaint, single-handedly dragging a work down from near-perfection to almost completely unenjoyable.

Also often stated with [[EmphasizeEverything added emphasis]] as "I don't ''care'' '''what''' happens to these people".