Hatewatching for Profit

In the age of algorithm-driven media and participatory digital culture, hatewatching (watching content to critique or mock it) has become a notable audience practice. This thesis explores how online communities engage with and reinforce hatewatching behaviors in discussions surrounding the After- film series, a romantic drama franchise adapted from fanfiction. Despite widespread criticism and depictions of a toxic relationship, the series maintains cultural visibility and online relevance. A qualitative thematic content analysis was conducted on 315 user comments from Reddit and TikTok, guided by grounded theory coding techniques (open, axial, and selective). These platforms were strategically chosen for their complementary communicative affordances: Reddit facilitates in- depth, text-based discussion and reflection, while TikTok emphasizes affective, short-form, and often performative engagement. This contrast enabled a more holistic understanding of how hatewatching manifests across different modes of digital interaction. The analysis identified four dominant hatewatching patterns: Ironized Enjoyment, Reluctant Persistence, Community Bonding, and Hatewatching as Meta-Aware Performance, alongside two counter-patterns: Genuine Critique and Resistance to Hatewatching. These findings were interpreted through a multidimensional theoretical framework, incorporating concepts from the attention economy (Franck, 2019), affect theory (Ahmed, 2004), fan and anti-fan studies (Gray, 2019), and participatory culture (Jenkins, 2018). Results show that users engage with the After series through irony, self-aware critique, and emotional contradiction. Hatewatching functions not merely as rejection but as a productive, socially embedded form of engagement. Through shared memes, ironic captions, and ritualized viewing habits, users contribute to the franchise's longevity and algorithmic visibility, demonstrating how negative affect can serve as a promotional tool in the digital media landscape. This study contributes to broader understandings of contemporary audience practices, especially the interplay between cultural critique and platform economies. It also highlights the need for further research into the sociocultural implications of hatewatching, particularly when it involves media that romanticizes harmful relationship dynamics.