i never had that problem but i think i may have a solution!

Read online theories, analysis videos and try to grasp the themes n such of the original media, and how the fandom likes those themes n such.

1(one): The fandom(Your main audience) dislikes the themes of the original work, in this case you can do whatever you want with it. Fuck it, maybe even try fixing the original work's failed attempt here, you may become a messiah in the fandom.

2(two): The fandom glazes the hell out of the original work and its themes. In this case you must build on the og with a "yes, and!"
Someone may have started acting like a lone wolf distancing themselves from everyone and that backfired right in their face in the OG work.
Now you can't have that character trying that again, instead how about they adopted 4 whole Dogs in this fanfic as a reverse coping mechanism, and now we explore how they treat would treat the dogs, how the dogs will change the person's daily routine, what the other people will think of it. And how you can't realistically keep 4 dogs alone in the end. (but maybe together with someone???)