History YMMV / PeterPan1954

* Squick: To some viewers, the song "Oh My Mysterious Lady," which has Captain Hook pursuing a "lady" that's actually Peter DisguisedInDrag. It's PlayedForLaughs, similar to [[WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes Bugs Bunny's]] crossdressing to trick Elmer Fudd, and made even funnier by the fact that [[CrossCastRole Peter is played by a woman]], but the fact remains that Hook is unwittingly flirting with a child.

* WTHCastingAgency:
** Many observers' reaction to the decision to cast Creator/ChristopherWalken as Captain Hook, since Walken looks ''nothing'' like the character out of makeup. His makeup for the actual production didn't help much either.
** Another main criticism was that Alison Williams looks too feminine for the role, looking more like a {{Tomboy}} or ButchLesbian than a boy. WebVideo/MusicalHell adds that her performance is "too sophisticated and introspective" for someone that's supposed to be "thoughtless, arrogant, and self-centered".
** Many of the same people who disagree with Walken being cast as Hook are in agreement that Creator/ChristianBorle would have been a much better choice, both because he was already playing Mr. Darling, a role typically double-cast with Hook, and he was already a Tony Award winner with much more experience in live theatre. Not to mention that the aforementioned Tony Award was for ''[[Theatre/PeterAndTheStarcatcher playing (a younger version of) Captain Hook.]]''

** Additionally, look up videos of this show on YouTube and you'll find several people saying they're only there for Creator/ChristianBorle.

** On a lesser scale, fans are also liked Christian Borle's ''arms'' as Smee.

** Peter could also be interpreted as transgender, in that he was assigned female at birth but doesn't want to grow into a woman -- which would not only mean his body would develop in an unwanted way, but also, given the play takes place in Edwardian England, that he would essentially have his freedom taken away by being forced to marry and have children, essentially becoming someone else's property. Hence why he fled to Never Land: to remain comfortable in his own skin and free to do whatever he wants.

** Peter could also be interpreted as transgender, in that he was assigned female at birth but doesn't want to grow into a woman -- which would not only mean his body would develop in an unwanted way, but also, given the play takes place in Edwardian England, that he would essentially have his freedom taken away by being married off and becoming someone else's property. Hence why he fled to Never Land: to remain comfortable in his own skin and free to do whatever he wants.

** Peter could also be interpreted as a trans boy, who fled to Never Land in order not to grow into a woman (which would not only mean his body would develop in a way that would make him uncomfortable in his own skin, but also that he would essentially have his freedom taken away by being married off and becoming someone else's property).

** On a lesser scale, fans are also a fan of Christian Borle's ''arms'' as Smee.

* EnsembleDarkhorse: For all that is divisive or downright hated in this production, the one thing that everyone can get behind is Creator/ChristianBorle's dual role as Mr. Darling and Smee (to the point that many wished that he played Captain Hook over Christopher Walken).

* NeverLiveItDown: Allison Williams preemptively lecturing people about "hate watching" the 2014 live show. Many resented feeling like they were being told they needed her permission to snark at it, with predictable results.

** Additionally, many praised Borle's fellow pirates for doing their very best to add some kind of energy to the screen whenever a seemingly sleepwalking Walken.

* JustHereForGodzilla: Many tuned into the December 2014 TV adaptation either to see Christopher Walken (and his dancing skills). Alternately, many were upset at ''{{Film/Pan}}'' for casting a white actress as Tiger Lily, and tuned in to support NBC's choice to make her Native American, and the song she sings in her language accurate to real Native American culture.

** Many have criticized Creator/AllisonWilliam's clearly feminine appearance as making it impossible for anyone to buy her as a boy.

* {{Narm}}: The 2014 live film asking the viewers to save Tinkerbell via Twitter. At least they didn't go so far as having Peter actually say it, but that hashtag pulls you right out of the moment. Fortunately but unsurprisingly, home video prints don't include such a caption.

** Many observers' reaction to the decision to cast Creator/ChristopherWalken as Captain Hook, since Walken looks ''nothing'' like the character out of makeup.

** Another main criticism was that Alison Williams looks too feminine for the role, looking more like a {{Tomboy}} or ButchLesbian than a boy.

* FridgeLogic: So Hook's actual last name is Hook? That's awfully convenient, isn't it?

* SnarkBait: The crosscasting of Peter is frequently joked about. For modern audiences, it's hard to take seriously a grown woman pretending to be a boy. This is especially contrasted because many portrayals have the kids ''besides'' Peter being played by actual children.

* BaseBreakingCharacter: Christopher Walken in the 2014 live show. People are pretty well split between his being terrible, or the best reason to watch. [[NarmCharm Or both.]]

* ValuesDissonance: A ceremony the Indians hold for Peter consists mainly of singing gibberish meant to sound like a native language. Averted with the December 2014 live-action TV adaption, which not only specifically cast a Native American actress as Tiger Lily, but replaced the gibberish with actual Native American dialogue, in an effort to be more respectful. For [[https://americanindiansinchildrensliterature.blogspot.com/2014/12/true-blood-brothers-in-nbcs-production.html some]], this was not a substantial-enough change.

** Many observers' reaction to the decision to cast Creator/ChristopherWalken as Captain Hook, since Walken looks ''nothing'' like the character out of makeup. Another main criticism was that Alison Williams looks too feminine for the role, looking more like a {{Tomboy}} or ButchLesbian than a boy.

* WTHCastingAgency: Many observers' reaction to the decision to cast Creator/ChristopherWalken as Captain Hook, since Walken looks ''nothing'' like the character out of makeup. Another main criticism was that Alison Williams looks too feminine for the role, looking more like a {{Tomboy}} or ButchLesbian than a boy.

** Many of the same people who disagree with Walken being cast as Hook are in agreement that Creator/ChristianBorle would have been a much better choice, both because he was already playing Mr. Darling, a role typically double-cast with Hook, and he was already a two-time Tony Award winner with much more experience in live theatre. Not to mention that one of the aforementioned Tony Awards was for ''[[Theatre/PeterAndTheStarcatcher playing (a younger version of) Captain Hook.]]''