What is a fictional work that is genuinely good but has a terrible fan base?

To identify a fictional work that is genuinely good but has a terrible fan base, we can look at several examples where the quality of the work contrasts with the behavior or reputation of its fanbase.

Five Nights at Freddy's

The game series "Five Nights at Freddy's" is often cited as an example of a high-quality work marred by a problematic fanbase. The original games were praised for their style, quality, originality, and plot twists. However, the fanbase became overly demanding and created a plethora of inappropriate content, including R-rated fan art, disturbing theories, and excessive shipping, which overwhelmed the game's creator, Scott Cawthon, and ultimately affected the series' direction negatively2.

Undertale

Another example is "Undertale," a game widely praised for its storytelling, characters, and gameplay. However, its fanbase has been criticized for being overly aggressive and cringeworthy, with fans engaging in intense shipping debates, creating inappropriate fan content, and arguing with anyone who does not share their enthusiasm for the game2.

Star Trek

While "Star Trek" itself is a highly regarded and influential science fiction series, some aspects of its fanbase have been criticized. For instance, the term "Mary Sue" originated from a "Star Trek" fan fiction story to satirize a common trope in fan fiction, but it also reflects on the sometimes overly idealized and self-insertive nature of some fan works. However, this is more about the fan fiction itself rather than the entire fanbase being terrible3.

These examples illustrate how a well-regarded work can have a fanbase that behaves in ways that are seen as negative or problematic.