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I think the script makes her annoying. Ian is also ridiculously annoying, but at least he's ridiculous. Poppy just seems like a blowhard and there's never really any relief. Makes her an odd protagonist.

I agree about Ian. He, and most other characters in the show are total memes. They are so unrealistically stuck in their tropes it's almost like reading a comic strip how the jokes play out. That being said, I find it enjoyable as a whole and each of those characters I find very entertaining, with the exception of Poppy Li. I feel like when I see her I see a teenager trying to act in a school play. I see poor acting skills and an overzealous role. I am taken out of the story into a feeling of being bothered by the person. I can try to ignore it for a while and tolerate the show but it just keeps coming back. When I see her trying to act nervous or anxious I just think "Anxious people never act like that. This is so weird."

Poppy seems to be written as a mean spirited, overworked, angry code monkey rather than y'know a person. I agree she doesn't portray anxiety well, though. Just seems like the nature of her character is written under an almost maniacal lens. She isn't someone you want to root for, as whenever she gains power, she tends to turn her back on others or goes mad with it. She's an example of a character that isn't written or portrayed AT ALL to earn the reception she's supposed to receive.

She gets better once they add a bit more complexity to her character and her relationships.

Season 3 has gone downhill since C.W. is no more.

Yeah, Poppy isn't very fun to watch a lot of the time.

I think the show has a bit of a tone problem, where it seems like it wants us to like and support the characters, but they're all terrible people.

With Its Always Sunny, they're also all terrible people, but you're not meant to like or agree with them. You watch to see them do ridiculous things and be humiliated.

The first season sucked me in, the second spit me out, haven't yet made it to the third. F. Murray Abraham is a keeper.

Third season is tough to get thru.

Stopped watching the first season because of her character, also programmers in the background using just one monitor is total BS.

Yeah Poppy sucks. And the testers suck too. Mostly watch it for Rob and Danny

yep, she's the reason I can't stomach the show. Had it not featured her character at all it wouldve been way, way better

I can’t get into this show at all after trying a few times but maybe that’s because I work in games.

I use only one monitor and I'm a programmer, and GASP my main monitor is always my laptop screen.

I'm also about to get rid of the monitor because I don't tend to use it often outside of distracting myself.

Im thinking of starting the Slow Horses show on this streaming platform.

That is not how it works in gaming industry my dude, you need to run the editor on one and do the work on the other, I walk past like 30 programmers working in a studio everyday and they all do that, or equivalent of it.

So I can’t stand Poppy either. BUT I’m not so sure it’s because her actress is bad at acting. I’m also a software developer, and I’ve worked with other developers who are so socially inept it feels like they’re acting, badly, whenever they try to display any kind of emotion. Incorrect or over exaggerated facial expressions, weird badly timed exclamations and outbursts, the whole deal.

Just like Poppy.

So I’m not entirely sure if her actress is dropping the ball, or absolutely nailing it.

Stop after season 1

So you're saying she's a 'good actor'? I have to disagree. I work in tech and work with tons of people in IT, Networking, cyber security and none of them act like she does. Albeit, I don't work with devs, still, I have friends which are reclusive, anxious people, and they do act weird, but Poppy instead acts like an alien in a human skin, not like a reclusive coder.

Idk, I'm saying it could go either way. I've worked with people who instead of just acting naturally they literally have to try to "act" naturally and it comes off super weird and awkward, just like how Poppy often behaves. The easy answer is definitely that her acting is subpar but all I'm saying is there's a small chance it's on purpose.

First season was great. The pandemic episode was a gem. They took some chances in the 2nd season, not all paid off. I'm halfway through and having a hard time with the third season. The character arcs are all over the place. It's a completely different dynamic and doesn't feel organic at all. I'm also not sure if Rob's character even fits into the story anymore.

Totally agree with everything. The quarantine episode was surprisingly excellent. I think it captured the emotions and struggles with the pandemic so well because the actors were actually experiencing them.

Poppy is my favourite character on the show, and I also enjoy her interactions with Ian.

If you find Poppy annoying, the show likely won't get better for you.

Yea I’m not enjoying the larger roles the testers (and Carol) have often this season.

That's cool and all but the comments seem to have a consensus with your comment being one of the very few outliers. They are, however, in agreement that the show does not get better.

Honestly, the show is funny until they decide to add some super-awkard drama moment into it. If they got rid of that, it would be a lot better.

I just finished binging all three seasons.

I generally like it. I found the first season to be the weakest. It felt like a typical hollywood tv show about video games written by no one who has played them. If it wasn't for David Hornsby, I would have bounced off the show.

Second season was way, way stronger. The one-two punch of Backstory! and Peter, especially in the context of it being one of Hurt's last roles, was incredible.

Season 3 was still stronger than season 1, but definitely not as strong as season 2. I really liked the flashback episode, though.

It sounds like you're essentially saying "I think Poppy sucks, reply to my post to reinforce my belief that I'm right".

We're all different. Some people will like Poppy more or less than others.

It would be a boring world if we all enjoyed/disliked everything equally!

Thats true, i simply cant stand Ian anymore..

Agreed.

I really only had the show on in the background until those few CW Longbottom episodes. Those were so standout that it almost felt like they were a different show entirely.

Ok. Great comment. So accurate. /s

Yeah, I'm kinda shocked that the consensus here is people not liking her. Charlotte Nicdao is such a talented comedic actress!

I liked the first couple episodes, and then after that I have found it to be meh. I still think its a solid enough show, but season 1 had me thinking it was S tier, and now after season 2 and most of season 3 its more down in the B tier I think.

I did like the origin story of Ian. But I just watched the catch a rat episode, and wow, what a waste of 30 min.

this. it’s a bad show with a lot of good ingredients and i think it comes down to this. the characters are not funny enough to be this unlikeable and the plots and stakes aren’t interesting when you don’t care who wins or loses.

you seem to be unable to separate acting from writing. she’s a bad character. she might be acting it well, but that’s still going to be unwatchable.

Poppy had an amazing recent flashback episode. What an emotional rollercoaster that was!

Can you show me an example of her acting well, then?

Yes!! Poppy and Ian are incredibly rude, annoying people but the show seems to want me to care about them?

I think it has to be the writing. Poppy's speech at that outdoor women's event was hilarious. I like her calm comedy, which we never get to see because Poppy is screaming half the time.

You mean mister quest?

The testers are next level cringe

I think it's her character that's annoying. Charlotte Nicdao was amazing in the luncheon speech scene. But her character is usually just loud, stubborn, and really rude. Same with Jo. It honestly seems like everyone on this show is an ass except for David. Hard to really get into it when the show wants me to have sympathy for assholes.

People keep saying that she is rude. I don't see her as rude. I see her as deaf, distracted, and overall kind of senseless and overacting. When she is meant to express emotion she still seems like she's trying to play it off too hard. It's like watching an acting class student who paid a lot for a great school but still has no idea how to be convincing. I just see it as overacting. It's like she's watching herself and herself alone in her head and it makes her look weird and disconnected and like she makes too many mannerisms with her hands and face just to speak a single sentence. It's so unnatural. I've never seen any of her other credits. Literally every single other supporting character I like more, even the ones I hate I like more because they give me emotion and a story.

I don't think I can because I don't think you understand what I'm saying.

What she's doing with this character on-screen may be exactly what the director and writers want her to do with this character. That doesn't mean you or I have to think it creates a character that's fun to watch. If someone hires you to be an auto mechanic who breaks cars and you break all the cars you get, then you're still doing well at your job even though everyone will call you a bad mechanic.

>I don't think I can because I don't think you understand what I'm saying.

A good actor would have played other roles. Be known for some good acting. If I told you Tom Hanks didn't act well in Forest Gump or The Terminal you could show me another movie where he acted well besides those to show me he is a dynamic actor with acting skills. I don't see people doing that here. I'm basically seeing white knighting and people saying that the character has poor writing. I could easily imagine other actors carrying this role with more integrity and be funnier and more amusing to watch. If you guys really like her, by all means, Stan for your life. I just don't see why she is necessary or important. In fact, she makes me hold a partial grudge against the show for casting her.

yeah you’re not listening

Overacting as a character. Cool. It still doesn't make it suck less.

yeah, I agree. which you would know if you were reading and not just looking for a fight

It's not writing. The show has good writing. I think you're really the one who doesn't get it. But, by all means, stand on your pedestal and say nothing, more.

ok