你喜欢边骂边追烂剧吗？

有那么多东西可以看、可以做、可以听、可以读：为什么要花宝贵的时间去坐下来一边看一边骂一个烂剧呢？

双语精读

I Heart a Hate-Watch. Don't You?

我喜欢"恨追"烂剧，你不喜欢吗？

Hate-watching is a weird thing. There is so much to see, do, hear, read: Why spend precious time, in an age of nearly infinite media, plopped in front of a bad show to pick it apart?

"恨追"是很奇怪的行为。有那么多东西可以看、可以做、可以听、可以读：在这个媒体内容无限的时代，为什么要花宝贵的时间去坐下来一边看一边骂一个烂剧呢？

It's like gorging yourself on a disgusting meal not because you're hungry, but because you want to gripe about it later.

这就像你狼吞虎咽地吃下一顿恶心的饭菜，不是因为你饿了，而是因为你想事后吐槽它。

Or taking a vacation with someone you find excruciating, not because you don't have any actual friends, but because you want to bellyache afterward about all the stupid things they said and did.

或者像和一个让你感到痛苦的人一起度假，不是因为你没有真正的朋友，而是因为你想事后抱怨他们说过和做过的所有蠢事。

Yet hate-watching is now part of the cultural conversation and arguably contemporary life. Chalk it up to morbid curiosity: We start watching a show because it looks appealing, but we keep watching because we want to complain about it at happy hour.

然而现在"恨追"已是文化对话的一部分，也可以说是当代生活的一部分。恨追可以归结为病态的好奇心：我们开始看一个剧是因为它看起来很吸引人，但我们继续看下去是因为我们想在下班喝酒的时候吐槽它。

It's fun to be the person who describes a particularly terrible story arc or performance to our friends' disbelief. Besides, it's better than whatever is on the news.

向朋友们描述特别烂的情节发展或糟糕的表演，让他们感到难以置信，这是很有趣的。此外，无论剧有多烂，总比新闻上的任何东西要好看。

I'm not talking about guilty pleasures here. This isn't entertainment that we know is bad but that scratches some indefinable itch -- your "Love Islands," your "Girl Meets Worlds."

我在这里说的不是罪恶愉悦。不是我们明知某种娱乐节目不好，但它却能挠到我们的某种说不清道不明的痒处，比如约会真人秀《爱情岛》，喜剧《女孩成长记》。

You could hate-watch those shows, I suppose, but what's the point? They're too good-natured to merit a tongue-lashing. It feels mean, and unnecessary.

我想你也可以恨追这些节目，但有什么意义呢？这些剧太善良了，不值得被责骂。责骂这些剧让你感觉很自己很恶毒，而且没有必要。

No, you can only hate-watch a show that you theoretically should have loved -- entertainment the algorithm pushed at you because it aligns with your tastes, an offering with a modicum of ambition behind it.

不，你只能恨追一部你理论上应该喜欢的剧----因为符合你的口味而被算法推送给你的娱乐节目，带有一点点创作抱负的消遣作品。

In recent years, I've found myself hate-watching "The Gilded Age," "Tiny Pretty Things," "The Morning Show," "And Just Like That …" and, of course, "Emily in Paris."

近年来，我发现自己恨追了《镀金时代》《美丽舞者》《早间新闻》《就这样……》，当然还有《艾米丽在巴黎》。

That final one, a Netflix extravaganza of stereotypes and bafflement, is now embarking upon its mind-boggling fourth season of chronicling the goofy adventures of a peppy young American abroad. (Yes, I've watched every episode.)

最后这部剧是网飞出品的充斥着刻板印象和迷惑情节的浮华剧集，现在正在令人难以置信地开播第四季，讲述了一个活泼的美国年轻人在国外的愚蠢冒险。（是的，每一集我都看了。）

My hate-watches lure me in with subject matter I'm attracted to (generally, women trying to make it in a challenging world) and a slick production value that often suggests an HBO-sized budget.

我恨追的那些剧都是用我感兴趣的题材（通常是女性在充满挑战的世界中获得成功）和暗示着预算达到HBO规模的精美制作来吸引我的。

Then I'm confronted with reality: The show is terrible. It's masquerading as something made for me, but it's rotten at the core, and I'm going to watch it anyway, and its makers and marketers probably know that.

然后我必须直面真相：这部剧，很烂。它伪装成我喜欢的类型，但败絮其中，但我无论如何都要看下去，而且拍这部剧和营销这部剧的人可能也知道这一点。

词汇预习

particularly [高考]
美[pərˈtɪkjələrli] | 英[pəˈtɪkjələli]
adv. 特别；尤其；详细地
curiosity [高考]
美[ˌkjʊriˈɑːsəti] | 英[ˌkjʊəriˈɒsəti]
n. 好奇心；好奇；稀奇的人或物
core [高考]
美[kɔːr] | 英[kɔː(r)]
n. 核心, 精髓, （水果的）果心, （物体的）中心部分 adj. 最重要的, 主要的, 基本的, 核心（信念、价值、原则等） v. 去掉（水果）的果心, 去（水果）的核儿
disbelief [高考]
美[ˌdɪsbɪˈliːf] | 英[ˌdɪsbɪˈliːf]
n. 不相信；怀疑
merit [高考]
美[ˈmerɪt] | 英[ˈmerɪt]
n. 优点；功绩；价值 v. 值得；应得
media [高考]
美[ˈmiːdiə] | 英[ˈmiːdiə]
n. 传播媒介；(medium的复数)媒体；新闻媒介
precious [高考]
美[ˈpreʃəs] | 英[ˈpreʃəs]
adj. 宝贵的；珍贵的；矫揉造作的 adv. 极其 n. [口]宝贝，心爱的人
budget [高考]
美[ˈbʌdʒɪt] | 英[ˈbʌdʒɪt]
n. 预算 vt. 编预算；为 ... 做预算 vi. 节省开支 adj. 廉价的；不贵的
contemporary [高考]
美[kənˈtempəreri] | 英[kənˈtemprəri]
adj. 同时代的；当代的 n. 同时代的人；同龄人
actual [高考]
美[ˈæktʃuəl] | 英[ˈæktʃuəl]
adj. 实际的；事实上的
ambition [高考]
美[æmˈbɪʃn] | 英[æmˈbɪʃn]
n. 雄心；抱负；野心；精力 vt. 追求；有 ... 野心
afterward [高考]
美[ˈæftərwərd] | 英[ˈɑːftə(r)wə(r)d]
adv. 后来；以后
episode [高考]
美[ˈepɪsoʊd] | 英[ˈepɪsəʊd]
n. 一段情节；片段；轶事；插曲
weird [高考]
美[wɪrd] | 英[wɪəd]
adj. 离奇的；古怪的；怪异的 n. 命运；预言者
challenging [高考]
美[ˈtʃælɪndʒɪŋ] | 英[ˈtʃælɪndʒɪŋ]
adj. 挑战性的；有吸引力的
disgusting [高考]
美[dɪsˈɡʌstɪŋ] | 英[dɪsˈɡʌstɪŋ]
adj. 令人厌恶的
infinite [四级]
美[ˈɪnfɪnət] | 英[ˈɪnfɪnət]
adj. 无穷的；无限的 n. 无限
rotten [四级]
美[ˈrɑːtn] | 英[ˈrɒtn]
adj. 腐烂的；腐朽的；[口]极坏的；讨厌的 adv. 非常
theoretically [四级]
美[ˌθiːəˈretɪkli] | 英[ˌθɪəˈretɪkli]
adv. 理论上
arc [四级]
美[ɑːrk] | 英[ɑːk]
n. 弧；弧形物 vi. 形成电弧；按弧形轨迹行进
make it [四级]
美[mek ɪt] | 英[meik it]
成功达到预定目标,性交易,幸存
up to [四级]
美[ʌp tu] | 英[ʌp tu]
胜任；直到；多达；该由 ... 决定
appealing [四级]
美[əˈpiːlɪŋ] | 英[əˈpiːlɪŋ]
adj. 引起兴趣的；动人的；恳求的
offering [四级]
美[ˈɔːfərɪŋ] | 英[ˈɒfərɪŋ]
n. 供品；作品；出售物
arguably [六级]
美[ˈɑːrɡjuəbli] | 英[ˈɑːɡjuəbli]
adv. 雄辩地；可论证地
lure [六级]
美[lʊr] | 英[lʊə(r)]
vt. 诱惑；吸引 n. 诱惑；吸引力；饵
trying [专八]
美[ˈtraɪɪŋ] | 英[ˈtraɪɪŋ]
adj. 难受的；令人厌烦的
itch [专八]
美[ɪtʃ] | 英[ɪtʃ]
n. 痒；渴望；疥癣 v. （使）痒；渴望
morbid [专八]
美[ˈmɔːrbɪd] | 英[ˈmɔːbɪd]
adj. 病态的；不正常的
gripe [专八]
美[ɡraɪp] | 英[graɪp]
n. 抱怨；肠绞痛 v. 抱怨；使 ... 痛苦；抓住；掌握
good-natured [考研]
美[ˈɡʊdˈnetʃəd] | 英[ɡʊd neɪˌtʃəd]
adj. 脾气好的；温厚的
don [托福]
美[dɑn] | 英[dɒn]
n. 先生（西班牙用语）；(牛津、剑桥大学的)指导教师 v. 穿上

重点讲解

I Heart a Hate-Watch. Don't You?

我喜欢"恨追"烂剧，你不喜欢吗？

pick sth apart 撕碎；批评得体无完肤

【例】The critics picked the play apart.

评论家们把这出戏批得一无是处。

【近义词】pick holes in sth 给某事挑毛病

Hate-watching is a weird thing. There is so much to see, do, hear, read: Why spend precious time, in an age of nearly infinite media, plopped in front of a bad show to pick it apart?

"恨追"是很奇怪的行为。有那么多东西可以看、可以做、可以听、可以读：在这个媒体内容无限的时代，为什么要花宝贵的时间去坐下来一边看一边骂一个烂剧呢？

pick sth apart 撕碎；批评得体无完肤

【例】The critics picked the play apart.

评论家们把这出戏批得一无是处。

【近义词】pick holes in sth 给某事挑毛病

It's like gorging yourself on a disgusting meal not because you're hungry, but because you want to gripe about it later.

这就像你狼吞虎咽地吃下一顿恶心的饭菜，不是因为你饿了，而是因为你想事后吐槽它。

gripe n. & v.

1. 作名词：怨言；抱怨

【例】My only gripe about the hotel was the food.

我对这家旅馆唯一不满的是食物。

2. 作动词：抱怨；发牢骚

【例】They always gripe about their boss during lunch.

他们总是在午餐时间吐槽老板。

【辨析】grip n./v. 握/紧握

excruciating adj. 造成剧痛的；极痛苦的

【例】The pain/embarrassment is excruciating.

疼死了/困窘的经历让人痛苦不堪。

【近义词】painful adj. 令人疼痛的

【例】My lower back is painful.

我的腰很疼。

Or taking a vacation with someone you find excruciating, not because you don't have any actual friends, but because you want to bellyache afterward about all the stupid things they said and did.

或者像和一个让你感到痛苦的人一起度假，不是因为你没有真正的朋友，而是因为你想事后抱怨他们说过和做过的所有蠢事。

gripe n. & v.

1. 作名词：怨言；抱怨

【例】My only gripe about the hotel was the food.

我对这家旅馆唯一不满的是食物。

2. 作动词：抱怨；发牢骚

【例】They always gripe about their boss during lunch.

他们总是在午餐时间吐槽老板。

【辨析】grip n./v. 握/紧握

excruciating adj. 造成剧痛的；极痛苦的

【例】The pain/embarrassment is excruciating.

疼死了/困窘的经历让人痛苦不堪。

【近义词】painful adj. 令人疼痛的

【例】My lower back is painful.

我的腰很疼。

Yet hate-watching is now part of the cultural conversation and arguably contemporary life. Chalk it up to morbid curiosity: We start watching a show because it looks appealing, but we keep watching because we want to complain about it at happy hour.

然而现在"恨追"已是文化对话的一部分，也可以说是当代生活的一部分。恨追可以归结为病态的好奇心：我们开始看一个剧是因为它看起来很吸引人，但我们继续看下去是因为我们想在下班喝酒的时候吐槽它。

chalk sth up to 把某事归因于

【例】We can chalk that win up to a lot of luck.

我们可以把那次胜利归因于好运十足。

【近义词】put sth down to 把某事归因于

sth boils down to 某事归根结底是

story arc 故事弧线；故事发展

【例】The story arc of the television series kept viewers engaged from the first episode to the last.

这部电视剧的情节发展吸引观众从第一集一直看到最后一集。

【拓展】character arc 人物弧光

It's fun to be the person who describes a particularly terrible story arc or performance to our friends' disbelief. Besides, it's better than whatever is on the news.

向朋友们描述特别烂的情节发展或糟糕的表演，让他们感到难以置信，这是很有趣的。此外，无论剧有多烂，总比新闻上的任何东西要好看。

chalk sth up to 把某事归因于

【例】We can chalk that win up to a lot of luck.

我们可以把那次胜利归因于好运十足。

【近义词】put sth down to 把某事归因于

sth boils down to 某事归根结底是

story arc 故事弧线；故事发展

【例】The story arc of the television series kept viewers engaged from the first episode to the last.

这部电视剧的情节发展吸引观众从第一集一直看到最后一集。

【拓展】character arc 人物弧光

I'm not talking about guilty pleasures here. This isn't entertainment that we know is bad but that scratches some indefinable itch -- your "Love Islands," your "Girl Meets Worlds."

我在这里说的不是罪恶愉悦。不是我们明知某种娱乐节目不好，但它却能挠到我们的某种说不清道不明的痒处，比如约会真人秀《爱情岛》，喜剧《女孩成长记》。

indefinable adj. 无法定义的；说不清的

【例】In some indefinable circumstances they found themselves involved in a murder.

他们发现自己在难以说清的情况下卷入了一场凶杀案。

【拓展】define v. 定义

【辨析】indefinite adj. 无限期的

itch v. & n.

1. 作动词：发痒

【例】My arm itches from a mosquito bite.

我的胳膊被蚊子咬了，很痒。

2. 作名词：痒；渴望

【例】to have an itch 感觉痒

the creative itch 创作欲

to have an itch to travel 渴望旅行

merit n. & v.

1. 作名词：优点；功绩

【例】I get the job on merit.

我凭自己的才能得到了这份工作。

2. 作动词：值得

【例】He merits promotion.

他值得升职。

【近义词】deserve v. 值得

You could hate-watch those shows, I suppose, but what's the point? They're too good-natured to merit a tongue-lashing. It feels mean, and unnecessary.

我想你也可以恨追这些节目，但有什么意义呢？这些剧太善良了，不值得被责骂。责骂这些剧让你感觉很自己很恶毒，而且没有必要。

indefinable adj. 无法定义的；说不清的

【例】In some indefinable circumstances they found themselves involved in a murder.

他们发现自己在难以说清的情况下卷入了一场凶杀案。

【拓展】define v. 定义

【辨析】indefinite adj. 无限期的

itch v. & n.

1. 作动词：发痒

【例】My arm itches from a mosquito bite.

我的胳膊被蚊子咬了，很痒。

2. 作名词：痒；渴望

【例】to have an itch 感觉痒

the creative itch 创作欲

to have an itch to travel 渴望旅行

merit n. & v.

1. 作名词：优点；功绩

【例】I get the job on merit.

我凭自己的才能得到了这份工作。

2. 作动词：值得

【例】He merits promotion.

他值得升职。

【近义词】deserve v. 值得

不，你只能恨追一部你理论上应该喜欢的剧----因为符合你的口味而被算法推送给你的娱乐节目，带有一点点创作抱负的消遣作品。

In recent years, I've found myself hate-watching "The Gilded Age," "Tiny Pretty Things," "The Morning Show," "And Just Like That …" and, of course, "Emily in Paris."

近年来，我发现自己恨追了《镀金时代》《美丽舞者》《早间新闻》《就这样……》，当然还有《艾米丽在巴黎》。

破折号之前的句子是主谓宾结构，宾语由限定性定语从句修饰，定语从句中的should have loved是虚拟语气，表示你本应该喜欢这部剧，但实际上却不喜欢。破折号后面是两个同位语，进一步解释恨追的剧是什么样的。entertainment由省略了that的定语从句修饰：(that) the algorithm pushed at you because...tastes，其中含有because引导的原因状语从句。第二个同位语offering由后置定语with...it修饰。

That final one, a Netflix extravaganza of stereotypes and bafflement, is now embarking upon its mind-boggling fourth season of chronicling the goofy adventures of a peppy young American abroad. (Yes, I've watched every episode.)

最后这部剧是网飞出品的充斥着刻板印象和迷惑情节的浮华剧集，现在正在令人难以置信地开播第四季，讲述了一个活泼的美国年轻人在国外的愚蠢冒险。（是的，每一集我都看了。）

embark on sth 开始（新的或艰难的事情）

【例】She embarked on a journey of self-discovery after graduating from college.

大学毕业后，她开启了自我发现的旅程。

【近义词】begin/start v. 开始

chronicle v. 载入编年史；记载；叙述

【例】She chronicled her travels through Asia in a series of blog posts.

她在一系列播客文章中记录了她的亚洲之旅。

【近义词】record/document v. 记录

slick adj. 华而不实的；表面精美的

【例】a slick style of writing 华而不实的文体

a slick perfume commercial 华丽的香水广告

My hate-watches lure me in with subject matter I'm attracted to (generally, women trying to make it in a challenging world) and a slick production value that often suggests an HBO-sized budget.

我恨追的那些剧都是用我感兴趣的题材（通常是女性在充满挑战的世界中获得成功）和暗示着预算达到HBO规模的精美制作来吸引我的。

embark on sth 开始（新的或艰难的事情）

【例】She embarked on a journey of self-discovery after graduating from college.

大学毕业后，她开启了自我发现的旅程。

【近义词】begin/start v. 开始

chronicle v. 载入编年史；记载；叙述

【例】She chronicled her travels through Asia in a series of blog posts.

她在一系列播客文章中记录了她的亚洲之旅。

【近义词】record/document v. 记录

slick adj. 华而不实的；表面精美的

【例】a slick style of writing 华而不实的文体

a slick perfume commercial 华丽的香水广告

Then I'm confronted with reality: The show is terrible. It's masquerading as something made for me, but it's rotten at the core, and I'm going to watch it anyway, and its makers and marketers probably know that.

然后我必须直面真相：这部剧，很烂。它伪装成我喜欢的类型，但败絮其中，但我无论如何都要看下去，而且拍这部剧和营销这部剧的人可能也知道这一点。

masquerade v. 假扮；伪装

【例】He masqueraded as a doctor to gain access to the hospital.

他假扮成医生，从而进入了医院。

【拓展】mask n. 面具

【近义词】pretend to be 假装是

disguise oneself as 假装是

课后练习

According to the author, what is the main reason why people engage in hate-watching?
A. Because they have no other entertainment options available.
B. Because they enjoy the quality of the shows they hate-watch.
C. Because they want to have something to complain about later.
D. Because they are forced to watch these shows by their friends.
According to the author, what is a guilty pleasure?
A. A guilty pleasure is a show that is genuinely good.
B. A guilty pleasure satisfies an indefinable desire.
C. A guilty pleasure is recommended by friends.
D. A guilty pleasure is something you hate.
What does the author think about "Emily in Paris"?
A. It is a well-crafted drama series.
B. It is an inspiring and funny show.
C. It is culturally inaccurate and confusing.
D. It is a documentary about American culture.
What attracts the author to hate-watch the bad shows?
A. The well-known leading actors.
B. The interesting subject matter.
C. The aggressive marketing campaign.
D. The social media discussions about them.