why do so many despise Wicked?

So, I'm new to this web site and I am amazed how many people just despise 'Wicked', WHY IS THIS? just curious.

I can sum it up in one word.

Preference.

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Because the few of us that truly don't like it can't stand to see how nearly every thread on this board was taken over by Wicked this, Idina that, Cheno blah...I mean, its died down a bit which is nice to see, but for a while last year, I just stopped checking this site. People acted as if it was the next coming of Christ and basically ignored all the other quality theatre that occurred last season. My personal reasons for loathing the Jolly Green Monster are its love for spectacle, and the replacement of it for any real heart to heart (PLEASE DONT COME BACK AT ME WITH THAT AWFUL "FOR GOOD" SONG AS A DEFENSE), Joe Mantello's laziest direction ever, the mediocre at best score whose weaknesses are only covered by having the actress scream the lines and blow your ears out, the many holes in the story line (Dragon Clock anyone?), the ill-use of the Wizard (if this were thirty or so years ago, they wouldve brought this back out of town, added an actually good song for the Wizard and make the necessary book and score adjustments to make this thing flow), the so-called political message which doesnt exist (in the book maybe, but not on stage sad to say), and the terrible set design (someone explain the importance of clocks in ANY way to this show). Maybe someone can add a few more.

And to Ordinary Jukebox, i am not simply "going against the grain." I am exercising artistic taste.

Updated On: 1/28/05 at 08:58 AM

That's Entertainment!

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Well, I only wish I hadn't read the book before seeing it. The book is so much darker and richer. If they had stayed true to the feel of the book, I actually may have liked the show (especially if it had been written by Sondheim). I'm not a fan of Schwartz' work, so that colors my opinion of the show also.

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I personally don't despise the show but what does get under my skin are the tweens on this board that obsess about it as if it was the greatest thing since sliced bread.

Most of them have never seen another show and they post on this board with passion about how it's the greatest show ever. For someone who has seen quite a few Broadway shows, going back to around 1974, trust me, it's not even close.

I've seen "Wicked" twice and enjoyed it more the second time than the first but when I constantly see good threads about other shows hijacked by some rabid Wicked fans it just pisses me off.

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And Les Miz was the previous generation's CATS. :)

I liked Wicked, but it does not compare to Les Mis.

Well, at the risk of sounding like one of those folks that hate everything that is popular, I wasn't that crazy about LES MISERABLES. I found it depressing. I found it boring. And I found that the score was built on three chords.

rlb - yup, I saw Les Miz once and that was enough for me.

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You know what, there are fifty threads about why so many people hate Wicked allready. A better question would be "Why do you Wickeders keep starting new threads about it?" or "Why should there be any question in your mind about that it's a mediocre show at all?"
I've given my arguement too many times and I see that it's a futile cause.

becuz its a the biggest show on bway right now...and i think its a great show and has excellent music....and i think is way better than other big hits such as "cats" or "les mis" but what i get kinda tired of ...is about people talking over and over about the same subjects...like"its great u liked wicked...so did i ...but go see what there is out there as well...see other shows on bway" thats my advice. =)

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i loooveee wicked, but i hate the fans.

1) OMG, i hadn't noticed the clock thing. i mean its true, they're very pretty, but they have no connection to the plot or themes whatsoever!!!...if ANYTHING u can say they represent the different visions of the future as the play progresses, or maybe the time thats left before dorothy arrives, but yea, somebody should fix that jajaja

2) i think this show has emotional value only to the people who somehow feel hunted or whatever as the wtich was, or maybe to somebody who has a similar relationship with her best friend...if u dont have these experiences, the show isnt much more than cute ( i do have both these experiences, so it struck a chord, although not as profoundly as i admit it could have)

3) i have HUGE respect for shwartz's music, i think he does a lot of itneresting things with harmonies and chords, in general, but yea, the songs arent really melodic (but are sondheim's??)

4) considering the inactivity of the book, i dont think it'd have been very easy to stage it any other way. maybe as a movie it'd work, but how do u cover the gazillion years in kiamo ko? it'd be too wating for godot-ish for current audiences (the trend being escapist, light-hearted theater)

5) i DEFINETELY agree that this is the next les miz or cats. this is both a good thing and a bad thing. one it's good cause we just added one more show to the list of revival-able (yea spelling whatever) shows, plus a show that can draw nonbroadway audiences to the theaters. that and for many other reasons - good. bad because of the insane crazy fans, the assumption that this (and cats and les miz) are the best that bway has to offer, etc. in general im glad that this is happening.

its a good show. its not a masterpiece, its not necessarily brilliant in all its aspects, its not perfect, but its a good show. wether ppl like it or not, as long as its drawing audiences, its a GOOD SHOW.

i think im going to write a thesis on this...anyway, people, pray that this isnt the only GOOD SHOW that comes out this decade. and by good show i mean that it gets such a response from the audience, after all, its the audience who decides. doesnt matter what the smart people say - so long as the seats are filled.

and i have a feeling that anywhere from 5 to 10 years we'll begin to see a backlash, and shows á la caroline or change will be smashes and happy showy musicals like wicked will be passé.

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