Same. I just stick to my corner and watch shows I like. If a friend recommends me something else, sure, but generally speaking, I stick to my lane. Time is precious these days, and I don't want to waste it on something I know I'll absolutely hate.

This does two things.

1. I don't waste my time.
2. Fans of the show I won't like don't have to hear my negative opinions and whining.

Nothing is more grating to have someone who knows nothing about a series offer an uninformed opinion in bad faith. Don't like it? Stay away. That's also why I don't like to write about anime I don't like. There's simply no point. Let people have their oasis.

But yeah, I'm rather indifferent to popular shows in general. It's not that I actively avoid them, it's just that for some reason, they never interest me the way they would interest your average anime fan. Take last year for example, there are many very highly acclaimed shows, but honestly, none of them made me go, "I HAVE TO WATCH THIS"

I'm watching Dororo, even though it's popular with fans at the moment simply because I read the manga. If I didn't, and wasn't by an author I respect and admire, then I wouldn't have even noticed its existence.

There's another thing I don't care about popular shows: studio hype. I tend to watch shows purely on premise or relation to manga authors, but studio? Na.