The year 2024 has been marked by some of the biggest controversies in the history of modern television. Sure, there have been controversial projects over the years, but today’s culture is different. With everyone having Internet access, it is easier for people to share their opinions online and find those of the same mind easier than ever before.

And while this can lead to some good stuff like a show being recognized and seen by a larger number of people, it can also lead to some very negative consequences, like online abuse and the spreading of false information. The latter two are done by the so-called “fans,” people who label themselves as true fans, but are actually – and generally – just bigots who attack the show out of political and/or ideological reasons. In fact, a lot of them haven’t even seen a second of the show.

This toxic culture is a part of the Internet community right now, and we have decided – in this opinion piece – to discuss how this toxic culture impacted The Acolyte and Season 2 of The Rings of Power, two of the year’s most controversial shows.

Both shows have been targeted by such toxic fans. The Acolyte was being harassed by the so-called “true Star Wars fans,” and only the “real Tolkien fans,” those who truly and deeply understand his work, realize how bad The Rings of Power actually is.

But, while these people are often just a loud minority, their “tactical approach” is predictable, and they are usually just loud enough to make it seem like they are the voice of the majority, whereas they aren’t.

So, why both these shows? As we’ve said, these people target projects not because they’re good or bad but because of political reasons. Usually, it is an attack on woke culture, but to be more specific, it is an attack on LGBTQ+ culture and women, with the latter often being targeted.

The Acolyte and The Rings of Power both have female leads, but they also have diverse casts and support LGBTQ+ topics, and that made the “fans” angry. Because it should always be just straight (white) men, right? Well… that’s just plain ol’ stupid.

The reasons for this are numerous, and we won’t be listing them here, as you probably know what they are, but the pattern is identical. As soon as a show has a female lead, a diverse(r) cast, and/or LGBTQ+ characters, it is automatically bad.

These people will never watch such shows, but they will comment on them and give them bad reviews just out of spite. And while it might look like they are succeeding, they are actually not. Their voices, however loud, are – in the end – irrelevant.

The Acolyite did not get canceled because of the review bombers and the toxic “fans”; it got canceled because of low viewership numbers and systemic issues with the show, all of which we have discussed here. If these people had any importance at all, The Rings of Power wouldn’t have gotten a second season, let alone three additional ones, as we have reported how Amazon is very satisfied with the numbers and is looking to renew the series for another season.

Had the voices of these people mattered, The Boys wouldn’t have been in the top three shows of the whole year. And so on. In the end, The Acolyte and The Rings of Power, despite all the differences, do share one thing – they are progressive, and that is why the “fans” hate them. And will continue to hate them.

But that is exactly why these voices shouldn’t be relevant and why people who harass people online, who review bomb shows they haven’t even seen, and who throw out fake news and information just to discredit something they do not agree with should never be considered a majority and should never be labeled true fans of any series of the franchise.