There are so many tv shows and movies out there that it only makes sense that you check out the show or movie before you spend your time and/or money. I'm not one to flip through the channels with the remote in one hand and a beer in the other. It's worth it to check out reviews before you waste your time.
I found this site, www.criticsrant.com, and it has pretty good movie reviews on it. It also has movie discussions, which is good because it gives you an idea of the type of people who like the movie. This, of course, applies to the tv shows as well.