You don't have to have watched the docs they're parodying, but as a film student, it seems like you would want to watch them. I think it enhances the experience.

Maybe I would have enjoyed it if it was animated.

Awful and hackneyed is exactly correct. In fact, I Googled "hated Galavant" just to see if anyone else hated it as much as I did.

I liked the actors, but felt the show as a whole was juvenile. Definitely not my humor. I quit after watching the first episode. I appreciate ABC attempting something original.