# Plot Tropes used over and over again.



## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

I was watching Superior Donuts (don't judge me, I like Judd Hirsch), and the latest episode was a standard trope (especially during Christmas season) where the "gang" wants to do something nice for a homeless man for the holidays. I've probably seen that trope in dozens of sitcoms over the years.

What other tropes do TV shows use over and over again?


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## kaszeta (Jun 11, 2004)

Consult TV Tropes which practically beats the topic to death.[/url]


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

kaszeta said:


> Consult TV Tropes which practically beats the topic to death.[/url]


Thanks for the link, but really wanted to discuss here


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## jth tv (Nov 15, 2014)

Damsel in distress.


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## getbak (Oct 8, 2004)

Christmas time is full of them. It's virtually guaranteed that if a show has been on the air at least three seasons, it must have done either an "It's a Wonderful Life" or "A Christmas Carol" episode -- many have done both.

The Mayor had their It's a Wonderful Life episode this week, in its first season.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

There's the Groundhog Day episode that it seems every sci-fi/fantasy show is required by law to do...


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## NJChris (May 11, 2001)

Two characters who love each other but are afraid to do anything about it so they spend seasons giving them close calls to being together.


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## Howie (May 3, 2004)

The arrogant FBI guys coming in and taking over the local police department's case.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

Family Guy had their Christmas Carol episode this past Sunday.


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## EscapeGoat (Oct 12, 2008)

It seem like every police procedural eventually has to do an episode where one of the cops is in a bank when it's robbed, but the robbers don't know it's a cop, but then they figure it out.


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## vertigo235 (Oct 27, 2000)

The dreamscape like vision quest episodes, I cant' stand those.


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## dcheesi (Apr 6, 2001)

NJChris said:


> Two characters who love each other but are afraid to do anything about it so they spend seasons giving them close calls to being together.


Of course there's a very good reason for this one --once the two become a couple, all the sexual tension is lost, and with it most of these shows' appeal. It eventually becomes a sort of damned-if-you/damned-if-you-don't scenario for the writers/producers; either you keep the two apart with increasingly elaborate excuses that strain the viewers' credibility, or else you give the viewers what they "want" and thereby doom the show in the long run.


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## dswallow (Dec 3, 2000)

I think about every current ongoing plot and those that've been on in at least the last 2 or 3 years on Hollyoaks have been heavily based upon either a conversation being overheard or a private text being seen. TV writers are pitiful, unimaginative sorts. (a) Don't scream to someone about how your son murdered someone, and (b) lock your phone, and maybe (c) put a surveillance cam in your home and workplace.


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## NJChris (May 11, 2001)

dcheesi said:


> Of course there's a very good reason for this one --once the two become a couple, all the sexual tension is lost, and with it most of these shows' appeal. It eventually becomes a sort of damned-if-you/damned-if-you-don't scenario for the writers/producers; either you keep the two apart with increasingly elaborate excuses that strain the viewers' credibility, or else you give the viewers what they "want" and thereby doom the show in the long run.


But that is only because they don't know how to write for that situation. There are plenty of sitcoms with married couples and their ridiculous antics.


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## dcheesi (Apr 6, 2001)

NJChris said:


> But that is only because they don't know how to write for that situation. There are plenty of sitcoms with married couples and their ridiculous antics.


True, but that's an entirely different dynamic, and it draws in a different audience to some extent. Most established shows can't survive that drastic of a format-shift. And of course for dramas it's that much worse, since there's no "drama" in a happy couple.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

dcheesi said:


> True, but that's an entirely different dynamic, and it draws in a different audience to some extent. Most established shows can't survive that drastic of a format-shift. And of course for dramas it's that much worse, since there's no "drama" in a happy couple.


Most TV sitcom couples are happy (relatively) but have minor conflict. That's how the majority of family sitcoms work. The usual one goes like this:

Spouse 1 wants spouse 2 to do something
Spouse 2 doesn't want to do it
Spouse 1 tricks spouse 2 into doing it without spouse 2 realizing they've been tricked
Spouse 2 realized it in the end and they have a tiff.
All ends well in the end.

That's the plot of about half the family sitcoms out there. They are a happy couple, they just play the sitcom game to have a little conflict.


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## JYoung (Jan 16, 2002)

Truck coming out of nowhere to tbone our protagonist's vehicle.


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## TriBruin (Dec 10, 2003)

Police Officer/FBI agent/etc is forced (or choses) to engage with the crook before backup arrives.

Corollary: Bad guy is apparently killed, but no one checks the body and they awake at a later time.

Yes, I am looking at you


Spoiler



Designated Survivor


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

JYoung said:


> Truck coming out of nowhere to tbone our protagonist's vehicle.


That one always bugs me. It's usually virtually impossible for the driver to pull off such a delicate maneuver.


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## Peter000 (Apr 15, 2002)

JYoung said:


> Truck coming out of nowhere to tbone our protagonist's vehicle.


That's happened at least twice on Designated Survivor.

I don't really mind tropes as long as they are done well and make sense.

"Dad hates daughter's boyfriend" is another "...but comes to grudgingly respect him." is a sub-trope of that.


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## sharkster (Jul 3, 2004)

One from sitcoms that makes me crazy is where somebody misreads something they overheard, as something horrible, and the whole episode goes on with somebody not knowing something, somebody assuming something (but never speaking up and actually saying it), the person on the other end doesn't realize all this misconstruance about him/her is going on and finally, at the end of the episode, everybody gets to know the thing which is usually nothing at all.

Did that make sense? Oh crap, that was all one sentence.

I call it the 'Three's Company Syndrome'. Somebody always thinks something is going on that isn't going on, but never actually asks the person so it continues like that until it all blows up.


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## TriBruin (Dec 10, 2003)

How could I forget the Girl can't decide between two guys and ends up losing them both. Or she decided on one and then realizes she loves the other one more, but he is now engaged.


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## Peter000 (Apr 15, 2002)

sharkster said:


> I call it the 'Three's Company Syndrome'. Somebody always thinks something is going on that isn't going on, but never actually asks the person so it continues like that until it all blows up.


Aptly named. That happened almost every episode on Three's Company.


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## JYoung (Jan 16, 2002)

Peter000 said:


> That's happened at least twice on Designated Survivor.


Yeah, Designated Survivor set me off on that this week but I was tired of it before this week.



sharkster said:


> One from sitcoms that makes me crazy is where somebody misreads something they overheard, as something horrible, and the whole episode goes on with somebody not knowing something, somebody assuming something (but never speaking up and actually saying it), the person on the other end doesn't realize all this misconstruance about him/her is going on and finally, at the end of the episode, everybody gets to know the thing which is usually nothing at all.
> 
> Did that make sense? Oh crap, that was all one sentence.
> 
> I call it the 'Three's Company Syndrome'. Somebody always thinks something is going on that isn't going on, but never actually asks the person so it continues like that until it all blows up.


If I'm parsing this sentence correctly, I think that goes back to I Love Lucy.


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## pendragn (Jan 21, 2001)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> There's the Groundhog Day episode that it seems every sci-fi/fantasy show is required by law to do...


Which resulted in one of my favorite episodes ever of Stargate SG-1, Window of Opportunity.


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## sharkster (Jul 3, 2004)

JYoung said:


> If I'm parsing this sentence correctly, I think that goes back to I Love Lucy.


Yeah, now that I think about it.  Somebody hears part of a conversation and off they go with some silly notion of what they think just must be going on, and it goes from there.

I remember once when Lucy thought Ricky was going to kill her.


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## tomhorsley (Jul 22, 2010)

I don't know if you'd call it a "plot" trope, but a favorite scene is often something like: Our heroine faints out in the garden, then our hero picks her up in his arms and carries her into the house, through hallways and doors and finally places her in a bed or on a couch. I think of this every time I do laundry and find I can't carry a laundry basket across the house without banging into doorjams and such (and I assure you my laundry basket is a lot smaller, lighter, and easier to manipulate than a woman). I often wonder if they have special sets with extra wide hallways and doors just for filming these.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

tomhorsley said:


> I often wonder if they have special sets with extra wide hallways and doors just for filming these.


Or rehearsals... 

(Personally, I prefer women who aren't easy to manipulate!)


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## the928guy (Sep 30, 2002)

Another sci-fi/fantasy cliche: the consciousness swap. Sometimes deliberate, usually accidental, always predictable.


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## MacThor (Feb 7, 2002)

Teacher who becomes a meth kingpin.


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## astrohip (Jan 7, 2003)

sharkster said:


> One from sitcoms that makes me crazy is where somebody misreads something they overheard, as something horrible, and the whole episode goes on with somebody not knowing something, somebody assuming something (but never speaking up and actually saying it), the person on the other end doesn't realize all this misconstruance about him/her is going on and finally, at the end of the episode, everybody gets to know the thing which is usually nothing at all.


This is one of those tropes that if done well, is hilarious. If done poorly, it becomes really frustrating.

The absolute master of these was Frasier (the show, not the character). And usually done very well.


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## getreal (Sep 29, 2003)

JYoung said:


> Truck coming out of nowhere to tbone our protagonist's vehicle.


The other variation is the person stepping off a sidewalk on a quiet street as they turn to say one more thing to the person behind them when, out of nowhere, a speeding bus or truck runs them over without honking or screeching the brakes or even stopping.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

getreal said:


> The other variation is the person stepping off a sidewalk on a quiet street as they turn to say one more thing to the person behind them when, out of nowhere, a speeding bus or truck runs them over without honking or screeching the brakes or even stopping.


Or the Walking Dead version of this, where a zombie appears out of nowhere to attack a character. It even happened once in an open field when two characters were facing each other (and thus could see behind each other)!


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## vertigo235 (Oct 27, 2000)

astrohip said:


> This is one of those tropes that if done well, is hilarious. If done poorly, it becomes really frustrating.
> 
> The absolute master of these was Frasier (the show, not the character). And usually done very well.


Hah I was going to say that this basically describes 95% of Frasier episodes


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## spartanstew (Feb 24, 2002)

sharkster said:


> One from sitcoms that makes me crazy is where somebody misreads something they overheard, as something horrible, and the whole episode goes on with somebody not knowing something, somebody assuming something (but never speaking up and actually saying it), the person on the other end doesn't realize all this misconstruance about him/her is going on and finally, at the end of the episode, everybody gets to know the thing which is usually nothing at all.
> 
> Did that make sense? Oh crap, that was all one sentence.
> 
> I call it the 'Three's Company Syndrome'. Somebody always thinks something is going on that isn't going on, but never actually asks the person so it continues like that until it all blows up.


As I was reading your first couple of sentences, I immediately thought of Three's Company.


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## vman41 (Jun 18, 2002)

Character X hasn't had sex in 6 months and is desperate for a hookup.


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## Howie (May 3, 2004)

vman41 said:


> Character X hasn't had sex in 6 months and is desperate for a hookup.


You realize this is TV, right? Not real life.


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## Tony_T (Nov 2, 2017)

JYoung said:


> Yeah, Designated Survivor set me off on that this week but I was tired of it before this week.


Deleted my OnePass this morning.
(Don't know why I stayed with it past S1)


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## Graymalkin (Mar 20, 2001)

Small-town heroine foils nefarious real estate developer’s plan to bulldoze her charming house/neighborhood/town.


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## midas (Jun 1, 2000)

Character either has been writing to a pen pal, their parents or, most often, answering a lonely hearts ad and exaggerates their status. An obvious one that comes to mind is the old Andy Griffith show when Otis told somebody that he was the sheriff. 

I'm sure there are earlier versions. It seems like all sitcom tropes come from either I Love Lucy or The Honeymooners.


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## Tony_T (Nov 2, 2017)

Evil Forces hold a Princess hostage in their efforts to quell a rebellion. Two unlikely heroes work together with companionable sidekicks to rescue the beautiful princess, help the Rebel Alliance, and restore freedom and justice to the Galaxy.


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## jsmeeker (Apr 2, 2001)

getbak said:


> Christmas time is full of them. It's virtually guaranteed that if a show has been on the air at least three seasons, it must have done either an "It's a Wonderful Life" or "A Christmas Carol" episode -- many have done both.
> 
> The Mayor had their It's a Wonderful Life episode this week, in its first season.


And also "Gift of the Magi"


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

Girl (or guy) has a best friend of the opposite sex and they forever discuss their dates and romances, and in the end, they fall for each other.


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## andyw715 (Jul 31, 2007)

Good guys get put in a situation where there is a highly contagious disease. They get put in quarantine. At the last minute an antidote is created or found. Happily ever after.


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## Peter000 (Apr 15, 2002)

One person uses a cell phone to call and TALK to another person. Like that would ever happen in real life.


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## TAsunder (Aug 6, 2003)

Snapping someone's neck as if it's a twig, usually using a rear naked choke. The rare occasion when a rear naked choke just renders someone unconscious, they are out for minutes or hours, which is at best extremely rare.



astrohip said:


> This is one of those tropes that if done well, is hilarious. If done poorly, it becomes really frustrating.
> 
> The absolute master of these was Frasier (the show, not the character). And usually done very well.


That is exactly why I consider Frasier to be among the most overrated shows of all time. Almost every episode features this and it was funny maybe 1% of the time (probably less).


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## Howie (May 3, 2004)

andyw715 said:


> Good guys get put in a situation where there is a highly contagious disease. They get put in quarantine. At the last minute an antidote is created or found. Happily ever after.


Someone watched Hawaii 50 recently.


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## alpacaboy (Oct 29, 2004)

Graymalkin said:


> Small-town heroine foils nefarious real estate developer's plan to bulldoze her charming house/neighborhood/town.


I was just about to say this one!
In the Hallmark Christmas movies, there are A LOT of heartless and/or evil real estate developers. I think it kind of splits two ways.
- If the initial boyfriend is the real estate developer, he is evil and she finds a way to raise the money or somehow just get out of the deal.
- If the new boyfriend is the real estate developer, he finds an obscure legal document at the last moment that lets her keep her house/neighborhood/town and wins her heart.

Side note: I wonder what are the plot tropes that are NOT used over and over again. Maybe I should start my own thread. But I think it would be a very short one.


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## hefe (Dec 5, 2000)

Steveknj said:


> What other tropes do TV shows use over and over again?


All of them. Everything's been done, so we're just repeating them sometimes with enough modification to make it seem new.


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## type_g (Sep 9, 2002)

Main character or secondary character gets addicted to drugs/prescriptions and doesn't know he/she is addicted. Once found out it is always in most extreme possible way.


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## tomhorsley (Jul 22, 2010)

TAsunder said:


> Snapping someone's neck as if it's a twig, usually using a rear naked choke.


On a related note, probably in the same movie or TV show: Freeing someone who is tied up with big thick rope using a single slash of a dagger (which also miraculously never slices a wrist or leg).


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## hefe (Dec 5, 2000)

JYoung said:


> Truck coming out of nowhere to tbone our protagonist's vehicle.


Yeah, every time my wife and I are watching a show and they frame the shot from the side, inside the car, we call out "t-bone!"

Just watched the one you refer to last night, and I'm pretty sure off the top of my head I remember the same in episodes of Nashville, How to Get Away with Murder, Glee, Alias


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## ThePennyDropped (Jul 5, 2006)

Any time a woman pukes or faints, it turns out that she's pregnant.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

hefe said:


> All of them. Everything's been done, so we're just repeating them sometimes with enough modification to make it seem new.


Although there's a difference between having been done and having been done to death...


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## hefe (Dec 5, 2000)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> Although there's a difference between having been done and having been done to death...


Or simply done well.


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## NJChris (May 11, 2001)

Everywhere and older woman goes, someone dies.


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## Graymalkin (Mar 20, 2001)

Angels and Santa Claus are real, especially on Hallmark Channel.


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

"I can't tell you over the phone"


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## TAsunder (Aug 6, 2003)

NJChris said:


> Everywhere and older woman goes, someone dies.


 Huh?


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## NJChris (May 11, 2001)

TAsunder said:


> Huh?


Jessica Fletcher... Murder She Wrote. The detective/Mystery show where the main character is always around a death to investigate.


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## TAsunder (Aug 6, 2003)

NJChris said:


> Jessica Fletcher... Murder She Wrote. The detective/Mystery show where the main character is always around a death to investigate.


Is it a trope if it is only used in one show, but used every episode?


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## hefe (Dec 5, 2000)

TAsunder said:


> Is it a trope if it is only used in one show, but used every episode?


Like the trope where they almost get off the island, but then something happens...


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## EscapeGoat (Oct 12, 2008)

hefe said:


> Like the trope where they almost get off the island, but then something happens...


But it didn't matter because it turns out that Gilligan was dead the whole time, and they never did explain why that polar bear was hanging out with the head hunters.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

EscapeGoat said:


> But it didn't matter because it turns out that Gilligan was dead the whole time, and they never did explain why that polar bear was hanging out with the head hunters.


I think hefe was talking about the remake...


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## rgr (Feb 21, 2003)

Character does something relatively benign and for some reason doesn't tell anyone (probably because it was no big deal). Things go wrong and he/she maintains the secret. Things REALLY go wrong and he/she finally breaks down and confesses what was done. Long scene of exclamations of trust/distrust and promises to not keep ANY secrets. Until the next time, of course.


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## NJChris (May 11, 2001)

TAsunder said:


> Is it a trope if it is only used in one show, but used every episode?


Murder She Wrote, Hart to Hart, McMillan & Wife, etc..etc..etc..


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## Graymalkin (Mar 20, 2001)

Hallmark Channel is mixing up the professions of those amateur mystery solvers: Gourmet chef, small-town baker, lawyer/flower shop owner, librarian/Murder Club president, antique store owner, archeologist, house renovator -- and coming soon, Holly Robinson-Peete as a morning show host who, well, solves murder mysteries!

Of course, the police chief or sheriff always tell them to stay out of official police business, but there's the handsome deputy or detective who feeds them information and gets them out of a jam.


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## allan (Oct 14, 2002)

NJChris said:


> Jessica Fletcher... Murder She Wrote. The detective/Mystery show where the main character is always around a death to investigate.


That reminds me, once I mentioned "Diagnosis Murder" to my GF and she asked if that was the one with some old woman going around solving murders. I told her it was an entirely different show. It was some old man going around solving murders.


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## That Don Guy (Mar 13, 2003)

Someone doesn't qualify for some event, until someone who did qualify was disqualified for some reason, so they get in as the "first alternate," and end up winning the whole thing. Even the Emmy Awards got into this! (In 2016, Peter Scolari didn't get nominated for Guest Actor in a Comedy Series, until Peter MacNicol's nomination was revoked as he appeared in too many episodes of _Veep_, so Scolari got his nomination - and the Emmy.)


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## mooseAndSquirrel (Aug 31, 2001)

The cop, 2 days before retirement...


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## getreal (Sep 29, 2003)

Anytime a drop of blood is required for something, out comes a hunting knife and the person (without squinting) slowly slices the entire palm of their hand, severing muscles and nerves and flexor tendons along the way, while the drop of blood began at the beginning of the gruesome procedure. And there is no lingering side effects from causing such a wound, as it heals as quickly as if it was a pin prick! How about just a pin prick on the tip of one finger?
Also, people get stabbed or shot and heal within an hour.


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## NickTheGreat (Aug 31, 2015)

Some misheard or misunderstood statement leads to 18 minutes of antics, followed by 3 minutes of clarification and laughs. 

Instead of just clarifying in the first place.


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## bobcarn (Nov 18, 2001)

NJChris said:


> But that is only because they don't know how to write for that situation. There are plenty of sitcoms with married couples and their ridiculous antics.


Exactly! I was about to say the same thing. Writers already have successful shows starring couples.


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## jr461 (Jul 9, 2004)

Fist fights which, if they were in real life would end about 10 seconds in due to injury. Instead, each is thoroughly beaten, thrown down or into a wall, hard objects and furniture banged into each of their heads, backs and other places, yet they each always have the same strength with which they started, until one is dead or near death while the victor walks away with no visible signs of bodily injury (save for the requisite cuts on the face) or even fatigue.


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## bobcarn (Nov 18, 2001)

I remember when 2 Broke Girls aired. My friend watched it and loved it and told me how funny it was. I watched it the next week and was appalled. I felt insulted that they pulled out every stereotypic Hollywood trope and felt it would be entertaining.
Wise-cracking street-smart girl? Check!
Naïve rich girl having to get a job? Check!
Opposite personalities who should be at odds becoming close friends? Check!
Disgusting co-worker making non-stop sexual innuendos? Check!
Clueless minority boss? Check! (ooooh! Bonus! He belongs to multiple minorities!)
(Each of these is a trope by the way)

To be fair to my friend, after a few episodes, he came back to me and said he didn't know what he was thinking when he thought it was good.  But to jump back to the opening post about the donut show.... I just saw the commercial for it and it seemed like it was trope-laden. Small business open to public, diverse cast, "witty" one-liners... it just screamed to me that it was a recycled premise from twenty years ago.


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## Azlen (Nov 25, 2002)

The Love Boat aka boy meets girl trope. Guy meets girl but one of them is hiding a secret or is not telling the full truth. The secret is discovered which causes breakup, anger and heartbreak. All is forgiven as love conquers all and the two end up back together.


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## sharkster (Jul 3, 2004)

Azlen said:


> The Love Boat aka boy meets girl trope. Guy meets girl but one of them is hiding a secret or is not telling the full truth. The secret is discovered which causes breakup, anger and heartbreak. All is forgiven as love conquers all and the two end up back together.


Of course, they fall deeply in love, having just met on day one, during a three day cruise!


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## NJChris (May 11, 2001)

bobcarn said:


> I remember when 2 Broke Girls aired. My friend watched it and loved it and told me how funny it was. I watched it the next week and was appalled. I felt insulted that they pulled out every stereotypic Hollywood trope and felt it would be entertaining.
> Wise-cracking street-smart girl? Check!
> Naïve rich girl having to get a job? Check!
> Opposite personalities who should be at odds becoming close friends? Check!
> ...


I hated that show yet I couldn't stop watching it. Maybe cuz of the eye candy that had here and there on the show.


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

Probably not a trope but when one or more people enter a room totally unnoticed but there's no way on God's green earth that the people already in the room wouldn't have seen or heard them entering the room.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

cheesesteak said:


> Probably not a trope but when one or more people enter a room totally unnoticed but there's no way on God's green earth that the people already in the room wouldn't have seen or heard them entering the room.


Or the related one where two people take a couple steps away from other people and hold a conversation in a normal tone of voice that they can't hear. Despite being only a couple steps away.


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## bobcarn (Nov 18, 2001)

The monster appearing out of nowhere when you're thinking "how could they have not noticed it?"

I remember one of the last times I watched The Walking Dead. They're going through the woods, but woods in that area aren't exactly dense. You could see quite a distance. Yet somehow a zombie comes in from the side and bites someone. WTH? How could they have not seen that thing? They don't exactly practice stealth!


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## astrohip (Jan 7, 2003)

bobcarn said:


> I remember when 2 Broke Girls aired. My friend watched it and loved it and told me how funny it was. I watched it the next week and was appalled. I felt insulted that they pulled out every stereotypic Hollywood trope and felt it would be entertaining.


Never missed an episode. Love those tropes!


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## getreal (Sep 29, 2003)

bobcarn said:


> I remember when 2 Broke Girls aired... <snip> ...I felt insulted that they *pulled out* ...


[Beavis]... You said "pulled out" ... <snort>[/Beavis]









Is that show off the air / canceled now? I don't know how it got further than one season. Blech!


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## That Don Guy (Mar 13, 2003)

getreal said:


> Is that show off the air / canceled now?


Yes, and it ended with a trope: if somebody mentions how expensive something is, expect it to be damaged somehow.

In this case, the two went to a movie premiere of some sort, and one was in a $10,000 loaner dress, which pretty much disintegrated on the red carpet; the last scene of the series was the "profit meter" dropping from about $10,000 (what a coincidence) to zero.


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## astrohip (Jan 7, 2003)

getreal said:


> Is that show off the air / canceled now? I don't know how it got further than one season. Blech!


Six seasons!


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## Regina (Mar 30, 2003)

Ok, read the whole thread and didn't see this trope (I hope I didn't miss it)-

Two people who totally hate/disrespect each other forced to work together on a project and then they end up liking/respect each other-


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## John Gillespie (Oct 27, 2016)

Not a trope, on 2BG the Fonzie applause every time Stiffler's mom entered a scene killed it for me.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

Of course, maybe the most common trope in all Westerns, war movies, some SciFi etc. Bad guys fire bullet after bullet, and never hit one of the good guys, but the good guys hit the bad guys in one of the first shots.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

The Imperial Stormtrooper School of Marksmanship.


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## BrettStah (Nov 12, 2000)

Good guy walks into a room, suspecting there's a bad guy. After checking around, only one obvious place is left to check - usually behind a closet door. A dramatic and swift opening reveals... no one! Whew! Big relief! Then the bad guy is RIGHT BEHIND the good guy!


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## TAsunder (Aug 6, 2003)

bobcarn said:


> The monster appearing out of nowhere when you're thinking "how could they have not noticed it?"
> 
> I remember one of the last times I watched The Walking Dead. They're going through the woods, but woods in that area aren't exactly dense. You could see quite a distance. Yet somehow a zombie comes in from the side and bites someone. WTH? How could they have not seen that thing? They don't exactly practice stealth!


That's almost every episode. You must have stopped after S1E3 or so.


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## markz (Oct 22, 2002)

getreal said:


> The other variation is the person stepping off a sidewalk on a quiet street as they turn to say one more thing to the person behind them when, out of nowhere, a speeding bus or truck runs them over without honking or screeching the brakes or even stopping.


My wife and I refer to that as "Uncle Franking someone" because Jimmy Kimmel did that to his Uncle Frank in MANY episodes. When it happens, we say "They just Uncle Franked him!"



Steveknj said:


> Of course, maybe the most common trope in all Westerns, war movies, some SciFi etc. Bad guys fire bullet after bullet, and never hit one of the good guys, but the good guys hit the bad guys in one of the first shots.


Reminds me of the meme where a Storm Trooper is in a shootout with a Red Shirt from Star Trek. The storm trooper misses with every shot, but the red shirt dies anyway.

The trope I hate the most is when someone is about to get blindsided by the bad guy, so someone calls their cellphone to warn them. The cellphone is always across the room on silent, so they don't get the warning call.


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## bobcarn (Nov 18, 2001)

TAsunder said:


> That's almost every episode. You must have stopped after S1E3 or so.


After 2nd season. I felt they were all being stupid and deserved to be eaten.


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## That Don Guy (Mar 13, 2003)

BrettStah said:


> Good guy walks into a room, suspecting there's a bad guy. After checking around, only one obvious place is left to check - usually behind a closet door. A dramatic and swift opening reveals... no one! Whew! Big relief! Then the bad guy is RIGHT BEHIND the good guy!


And then there's the close-up of the bad guy squeezing the trigger, followed by the sound of a gunshot that either puts the bad guy down (usually fired by someone who, earlier, refused to carry a gun), or the bad guy turns to shoot whoever fired the gun, allowing the good guy to get the drop on him.


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## loubob57 (Mar 19, 2001)

JYoung said:


> Truck coming out of nowhere to tbone our protagonist's vehicle.


I hate that one!

I'd say that in real life it would be very difficult to manage to T-bone a specific vehicle at high speed.
Or what Rob said.


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## Peter000 (Apr 15, 2002)

markz said:


> The trope I hate the most is when someone is about to get blindsided by the bad guy, so someone calls their cellphone to warn them. The cellphone is always across the room on silent, so they don't get the warning call.


And the cellphone is always vibrating loudly. Even when my iPhone is muted so it only vibrates, my ear is attuned to it so I can hear it.


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## hefe (Dec 5, 2000)

I haven't read them all, but I assume somebody mentioned the one where someone is dead in the sights of the bad guy, a shot rings out, and someone off frame has taken out the bad guy at the last minute.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

Peter000 said:


> And the cellphone is always vibrating loudly. Even when my iPhone is muted so it only vibrates, my ear is attuned to it so I can hear it.


When I'm in my office, when the cell phone of the person who lives above goes off I can hear it quite clearly.


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## jr461 (Jul 9, 2004)

Seems cell phones ring forever on TV and in the movies as well. And only need to be charged when needed in a life and death situation. Or if it has battery life in said situation, there is no service so the character has to hold the phone up to the sky while panicking.


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## BrettStah (Nov 12, 2000)

hefe said:


> I haven't read them all, but I assume somebody mentioned the one where someone is dead in the sights of the bad guy, a shot rings out, and someone off frame has taken out the bad guy at the last minute.


3 posts prior to yours, in fact.


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## Allanon (Nov 2, 2005)

Shows that start with an action scene that has the main character in a precarious situation then the next scene shows number of days/hours earlier printed on the on the screen and the show tells the events leading up to the precarious situation.

Do shows really need to include a spoiler at the beginning just to keep us watching?


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## BrettStah (Nov 12, 2000)

Allanon said:


> Shows that start with an action scene that has the main character in a precarious situation then the next scene shows number of days/hours earlier printed on the on the screen and the show tells the events leading up the the precarious situation.
> 
> Do shows really need to include a spoiler at the beginning just to keep us watching?


That's one of my pet peeves...


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## sharkster (Jul 3, 2004)

jr461 said:


> Seems cell phones ring forever on TV and in the movies as well. And only need to be charged when needed in a life and death situation. Or if it has battery life in said situation, there is no service so the character has to hold the phone up to the sky while panicking.


They always seem to have that same ring, too. One day I asked my husband (as he has an iPhone) if they only have that one ring. He said no. I wonder why everybody on a tv show, reality or otherwise, always has that one ring.


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## Peter000 (Apr 15, 2002)

sharkster said:


> They always seem to have that same ring, too. One day I asked my husband (as he has an iPhone) if they only have that one ring. He said no. I wonder why everybody on a tv show, reality or otherwise, always has that one ring.


Either that or it's an "inside joke" ring, like Tony Stark having the Iron Man song ring on his phone.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

It makes sense...you want the audience to know without thinking that it's a cell phone ringing, and that is easily the most recognizable cell phone ring-tone.


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## sharkster (Jul 3, 2004)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> It makes sense...you want the audience to know without thinking that it's a cell phone ringing, and that is easily the most recognizable cell phone ring-tone.


There ya go again, making sense!  Thanks. I had not thought of that.


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## alpacaboy (Oct 29, 2004)

Allanon said:


> Shows that start with an action scene that has the main character in a precarious situation then the next scene shows number of days/hours earlier printed on the on the screen and the show tells the events leading up to the precarious situation.
> 
> Do shows really need to include a spoiler at the beginning just to keep us watching?


This bugs the heck out of me too, for the same reason.
It actually makes the first 45 or so min of plot really drag for me and highlights the fact that not even the producers/director thought the first 45 min were interesting.

I did realize though that in ancient times, they used to basically have a trailer for the episode at the beginning, like "on tonight's Dukes of Hazard..." or Mission Impossible actually editing the scenes into the opening credits. Oddly, I didn't mind these as much as the "6 days earlier" business. Though those basically had the same purpose.


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## Azlen (Nov 25, 2002)

Steveknj said:


> Of course, maybe the most common trope in all Westerns, war movies, some SciFi etc. Bad guys fire bullet after bullet, and never hit one of the good guys, but the good guys hit the bad guys in one of the first shots.


Except of course on the A-Team where nobody was allowed to get shot. Both sides would fire on each other with nobody hitting anything but then the bad guys would give up for whatever reason.


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## Worf (Sep 15, 2000)

Christmas carol plots. This is usually the Christmas special episode of most TV series.

You know, like shorts based on Rudolph (car/truck/plane/boat filled with toys is lost in fog, hero must lead them to safety complete with a red light on the front).

Bells that ring when an angel gets its wings (angel taken literally or figuratively).

Woman gives birth (in trying circumstances), and three people (who probably were helping through said trying circumstance) then provide gifts. Add bright shining light and you're done.


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## loubob57 (Mar 19, 2001)

A gun related one I've mentioned before. The bad guy is pointing a gun at someone and talking to them. Then he cocks the hammer back to be even more menacing. Only thing is it is a 1911 .45 auto. If you know guns then you know that kind of gun not being cocked in the first place is a big no-no. I realize 90% or more of the viewers don't know this.


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## Jonathan_S (Oct 23, 2001)

Allanon said:


> Shows that start with an action scene that has the main character in a precarious situation then the next scene shows number of days/hours earlier printed on the on the screen and the show tells the events leading up to the precarious situation.
> 
> Do shows really need to include a spoiler at the beginning just to keep us watching?


Or a sci-fi variation of the trope, more in books that TV/movies where a chapter/scene begins with a life or death combat and then after things go horrible wrong ends with "end simulation".
It's not "spoilery" like true *in medias res *but is also annoying.


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## the928guy (Sep 30, 2002)

loubob57 said:


> A gun related one I've mentioned before. The bad guy is pointing a gun at someone and talking to them. Then he cocks the hammer back to be even more menacing. Only thing is it is a 1911 .45 auto. If you know guns then you know that kind of gun not being cocked in the first place is a big no-no. I realize 90% or more of the viewers don't know this.


Then when they get *really* serious, they rack the slide. So ... the chamber was empty before? I guess so, since I've never seen a round get ejected when they did that.

And all the sparks when bullets hit rocks, trees, anything. Sparks from lead ....


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## Worf (Sep 15, 2000)

One more gun related trope.

Our heroes don't have guns, and start counting how many bullets were shot to figure out if the bad guy is running out. They will always be off by one. 

Either they count so there is one left, and when the baddy pulls the trigger, it clicks. It appears they forgot to account for one somewhere.

Or they count and figure he's got zero bullets left. But then one zings by them.

Sometimes this is followed on by them recounting again.


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## Jonathan_S (Oct 23, 2001)

the928guy said:


> Then when they get *really* serious, they rack the slide. So ... the chamber was empty before? I guess so, since I've never seen a round get ejected when they did that.


Can't remember what show but I think I _once_ saw a character rack the slide on a shotgun (to deliberately make that noise and try to intimidate people approaching), catch the ejected shell midair, and feed it back into the shotgun.

But normally you're right, they're apparently walking around, finger on the trigger  of a de-cocked gun  with no round in the chamber


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## rgr (Feb 21, 2003)

The situation where the hero or villain are seemingly juust get about to finally capture or shoot the other and it really turns out that they are at different addresses.


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## andyw715 (Jul 31, 2007)

Allanon said:


> Shows that start with an action scene that has the main character in a precarious situation then the next scene shows number of days/hours earlier printed on the on the screen and the show tells the events leading up to the precarious situation.
> 
> Do shows really need to include a spoiler at the beginning just to keep us watching?


Worked well for Breaking Bad.


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## sharkster (Jul 3, 2004)

I know this isn't a 'plot trope' thing, but it annoys me and I see it virtually every time - 

When somebody introduces him/herself they say their first name twice: e.g. John - John Smith.

Who does that? While I see it pretty much every time on a show/movie, I've never heard somebody say it like that in real life. I've even tried it, sitting here by myself, and it sounds stupid. Ok, sure, it sounds stupid because I'm sitting here by myself. But it also sounds stupid because it sounds stupid!


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## getreal (Sep 29, 2003)

sharkster said:


> I know this isn't a 'plot trope' thing, but it annoys me and I see it virtually every time -
> 
> When somebody introduces him/herself they say their first name twice: e.g. John - John Smith.
> 
> Who does that? While I see it pretty much every time on a show/movie, I've never heard somebody say it like that in real life. I've even tried it, sitting here by myself, and it sounds stupid. Ok, sure, it sounds stupid because I'm sitting here by myself. But it also sounds stupid because it sounds stupid!


How about the way people just end phone calls in tv shows or movies without saying "Bye" or "I gotta' go ... see ya'!" or "talk to you later!". In real life, if someone just suddenly hangs up on you, you get irritated and might call them back to let them know how rude that was!


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## vman41 (Jun 18, 2002)

sharkster said:


> When somebody introduces him/herself they say their first name twice: e.g. John - John Smith.


There's one character that doesn't: Bond -- James Bond.


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## Howie (May 3, 2004)

Or how about John John - John John Kennedy?


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## hefe (Dec 5, 2000)

sharkster said:


> I know this isn't a 'plot trope' thing, but it annoys me and I see it virtually every time -
> 
> When somebody introduces him/herself they say their first name twice: e.g. John - John Smith.
> 
> Who does that? While I see it pretty much every time on a show/movie, I've never heard somebody say it like that in real life. I've even tried it, sitting here by myself, and it sounds stupid. Ok, sure, it sounds stupid because I'm sitting here by myself. But it also sounds stupid because it sounds stupid!


I've done it.


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## Graymalkin (Mar 20, 2001)

There's always a parking spot right where the lead wants to park, and they never lock the car doors.

Related trope: The good guys track the bad guy down, and storm the place, only to find the bad guy has gotten away in the good guys' car.


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## That Don Guy (Mar 13, 2003)

Christmas tropes:

The obvious ones: it is snowing, even if it is man-made snow (exceptions: shows set in Australia), and at least one carol or possibly original Christmas song is sung.

If somebody goes shopping, either at the mall or a supermarket, they drive around and around the parking lot, and at least once, a spot is stolen from them.

If they are in a supermarket, they get into a fight with another shopper over the last turkey in the entire store.


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## jr461 (Jul 9, 2004)

Speaking of snow (and rain, too, for that matter), and this is not so much a trope but a frequently recurring pet peeve of mine, often on TV or in movies they create the snowy scene yet there is bright sunlight and/or distinct shadows so it appears it's snowing out of a clear sky. 

While I know there are occasions, particularly after the passage of a cold front, where the last of snow showers can fall while sun peaks through, snow most commonly falls from a cloudy sky. It just makes these scenes look amateurish with no regard or effort for realism.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

Then again, they're stuck with the weather (and the budget) they have. To me it's worse when they shoot night scenes in full daylight with a filter, but if you pay any attention you can see the sunlight's shadows. That's normally a sign of a very low budget (shooting in daylight is a lot cheaper), although occasionally it happens in surprisingly upscale productions.


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## Penny Lane (Dec 3, 2007)

My pet peeve in tv shows and movies is nobody knocks on doors, they just walk in. Who does that unless it's close family.


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## DeDondeEs (Feb 20, 2004)

getreal said:


> How about the way people just end phone calls in tv shows or movies without saying "Bye" or "I gotta' go ... see ya'!" or "talk to you later!". In real life, if someone just suddenly hangs up on you, you get irritated and might call them back to let them know how rude that was!


One of my colleagues just hangs up without saying bye. The first few times it happened it was off-putting. But after working with him for over 10 years, when talking to him I just hang up too, just like in the movies.


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## John Gillespie (Oct 27, 2016)

Let me let you go.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

DeDondeEs said:


> One of my colleagues just hangs up without saying bye. The first few times it happened it was off-putting. But after working with him for over 10 years, when talking to him I just hang up too, just like in the movies.


My grandfather was like that. I never got used to it (then again, I didn't talk to him on the phone very often).


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## eddyj (Jun 20, 2002)

Graymalkin said:


> There's always a parking spot right where the lead wants to park


Especially in NYC!

My sons and I will call any parking spot right by where we want to go a Kojak spot. As in: Woo Hoo, we got a Kojak spot!

The funniest thing is that we have never watched even one episode of Kojak!


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## jr461 (Jul 9, 2004)

People seem to read things just handed to them with such remarkable speed you would think they are all Evelyn Wood graduates! They get a file, glance down for what seems like a couple of seconds and then have full comprehension of the contents.


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## tomhorsley (Jul 22, 2010)

jr461 said:


> People seem to read things just handed to them with such remarkable speed you would think they are all Evelyn Wood graduates! They get a file, glance down for what seems like a couple of seconds and then have full comprehension of the contents.


Kind of like getting DNA tests back in an hour on virtually all crime shows .


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## That Don Guy (Mar 13, 2003)

Graymalkin said:


> There's always a parking spot right where the lead wants to park, and they never lock the car doors.


I remember a show set back when remote door locks were a new thing; someone took his friends to dinner, and impressed them by locking the doors remotely - then, after dinner, when he tried to open the doors remotely, the car exploded.



eddyj said:


> Especially in NYC!


Gotham City was an exception. On an episode of _Batman_, the Batmobile pulls up in front of a "No Parking" sign, and Batman refuses to park in front of it, until a policeman "takes care of it" by moving the sign away.


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## vman41 (Jun 18, 2002)

That Don Guy said:


> Gotham City was an exception. On an episode of _Batman_, the Batmobile pulls up in front of a "No Parking" sign, and Batman refuses to park in front of it, until a policeman "takes care of it" by moving the sign away.


There was also the time Robin chides Batman for stopping to put a nickel in the parking meter. Batman explained it was their civic duty, yada yada. Robin, now enlightened, exclaims "Holy taxation Batman, your'e right!"


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## Hcour (Dec 24, 2007)

Azlen said:


> The Love Boat aka boy meets girl trope. Guy meets girl but one of them is hiding a secret or is not telling the full truth. The secret is discovered which causes breakup, anger and heartbreak. All is forgiven as love conquers all and the two end up back together.


A variation of "boy meets girl - boy loses girl - boy gets girl back", probably one of the oldest "tropes" there is.

How about when a character starts to knock on the door and the door slowly swings open! 9 out of 10 times this is a sure sign the occupant is dead. Or missing and the place is trashed.


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## tomhorsley (Jul 22, 2010)

Then there is the one and only Hallmark channel christmas movie. They just keep changing the character names and picking a different random crisis to overcome and remaking the same movie again and again.


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

Every group of white people seems to have one black friend. Except in the 50s when black people didn't exist.


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## BrettStah (Nov 12, 2000)

cheesesteak said:


> Every group of white people seems to have one black friend. Except in the 50s when black people didn't exist.


And in horror movies, the black friend dies first.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

BrettStah said:


> And in horror movies, the black friend dies first.


Which is so tropey, even black people in horror movies talk about it.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

cheesesteak said:


> Every group of white people seems to have one black friend. Except in the 50s when black people didn't exist.


What's becoming even more of a trope in the last 5 years or so, is "mixed couples" I'm seeing lots of black and whites married together, or dating, like this has to be a new rule in Hollywood to be politically correct. Doesn't bother me, but just something I've noticed in the shows I'm watching. Seems almost every show has one now.


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## Craigbob (Dec 2, 2006)

rgr said:


> The situation where the hero or villain are seemingly juust get about to finally capture or shoot the other and it really turns out that they are at different addresses.


Jonathan Demme probably did the best version of this in "Silence of the Lambs"


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

Craigbob said:


> Jonathan Demme probably did the best version of this in "Silence of the Lambs"


Possibly the only good version of this that has ever been done.

I remember the season finalé of Spooks/MI-5 (I think the first season) that ended with a cliffhanger...Our Hero showed up on a doorstep, a house explodes...and then the next season premiere they reveal that he was actually at a different (but identical!) house.


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## allan (Oct 14, 2002)

BrettStah said:


> And in horror movies, the black friend dies first.


It would really suck to be a black man in a red shirt!


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

For black men, red shirts come in all colors...


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## midas (Jun 1, 2000)

cheesesteak said:


> Every group of white people seems to have one black friend. Except in the 50s when black people didn't exist.


I tried, I did not succeed, to watch the live Christmas Story on Fox. The first thing that struck me was too many black friends for the time period.


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## Regina (Mar 30, 2003)

midas said:


> I tried, I did not succeed, to watch the live Christmas Story on Fox. The first thing that struck me was too many black friends for the time period.


My mom and I talk about this all the time-there is NO WAY that there would be that many black people in a small town in Indiana (I am from Indiana so I know) at that time!

I totally agree with you! Except I did watch the show-it was cute. I guess there was a lot of hate for it, but I enjoyed it.


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## JYoung (Jan 16, 2002)

allan said:


> It would really suck to be a black man in a red shirt!


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

Steveknj said:


> What's becoming even more of a trope in the last 5 years or so, is "mixed couples" I'm seeing lots of black and whites married together, or dating, like this has to be a new rule in Hollywood to be politically correct. Doesn't bother me, but just something I've noticed in the shows I'm watching. Seems almost every show has one now.


I see mixed couples and their children more and more inn commercials which surprises the hell out of me every time. I bet those corporations' email inboxes must be fun to go through.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

cheesesteak said:


> I see mixed couples and their children more and more inn commercials which surprises the hell out of me every time. I bet those corporations' email inboxes must be fun to go through.


Yeah, I would imagine. But considering that the demo the TV networks are going after, mixed couples is really just not a big deal anymore. I think that's probably progress. The fact that it seems that they need to have one in just about every show these days seems a bit over the top. If feels like they are saying..."Hey look how hip we are?"


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## MikeCC (Jun 19, 2004)

Along those lines, I still get a chuckle at how Hallmark movies (heck, a lot of those Canadian based TV movies) try to make sure the cast ain't lily-white. I mean, in those Christmas movies set in the remote towns in Idaho or Vermont or Washington, just how many black folks ARE there? Yet, invariably, these towns have a black mayor and/or police chief, with a long time black best friend thrown in for good measure. It's nice to see many of the same (African American, er African _*Canadian*_) character actors again and again, but sometimes I think it strains credibility.

Yep, I agree... "Hey look how hip we are!"


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## brianric (Aug 29, 2002)

MikeCC said:


> Along those lines, I still get a chuckle at how Hallmark movies (heck, a lot of those Canadian based TV movies) try to make sure the cast ain't lily-white. I mean, in those Christmas movies set in the remote towns in Idaho or Vermont or Washington, just how many black folks ARE there? Yet, invariably, these towns have a black mayor and/or police chief, with a long time black best friend thrown in for good measure. It's nice to see many of the same (African American, er African _*Canadian*_) character actors again and again, but sometimes I think it strains credibility.
> 
> Yep, I agree... "Hey look how hip we are!"


I was stationed twice in Idaho Falls Idaho while in the Navy. Only black people there were those in the Navy or married to a sailor who was stationed there.


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## mrdazzo7 (Jan 8, 2006)

lol @ comments like "it's so over the top that EVERY show has a mixed race couple in it..." HAHAHAHA. Good lord. That's the same thing people used to say about black people, and then gay people. It's not a "trope" to include a diverse set of characters in your show... It's called displaying a realistic cross-section of our current population... too funny.

Honorable mention to the whole "car suddenly gets t-boned by a targeted assassination attempt"... I can't believe shows are still using this. It may have been a suprise at one point but now as soon as the camera cuts to an interior of the car shot putting that side of the car in view, it's painfully obvious what's about to happen. And it does happen...every. single. time. No suspense.

Also the whole "cops racing to the scene intercut with the killer and his latest victim, back and forth, tension builds, cops kick in the door, and SURPRISE!! They're at the wrong address"... Are there still viewers that fall for that? Same with shows "pretending" to kill the lead character then by next commercial break - shocker - they're fine. No one thinks you're killing off the lead character of a procedural in the middle of a random episode in October.


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## Regina (Mar 30, 2003)

Steveknj said:


> Yeah, I would imagine. But considering that the demo the TV networks are going after, mixed couples is really just not a big deal anymore. I think that's probably progress. The fact that it seems that they need to have one in just about every show these days seems a bit over the top. If feels like they are saying..."Hey look how hip we are?"


..and what about commercials or shows with-GASP-same-sex couples in them? That's really hip!


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## getreal (Sep 29, 2003)

Regina said:


> ..and what about commercials or shows with-GASP-same-sex couples in them? That's really hip!


The same-sex couples trope has now been updated to same-sex parents of several children ... of mixed ethnicity. Boo-yah!


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## astrohip (Jan 7, 2003)

brianric said:


> I was stationed twice in Idaho Falls Idaho while in the Navy.


Isn't that several hundred miles from a littoral area?


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## DeDondeEs (Feb 20, 2004)

In movies or TV shows where the villain reveals to the hero that there is some sort of countdown clock for a bomb to go off or before a hostage dies and the villian says to the hero that they better hurry and then sarcastically says "..tick tock, tick tock.."


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## ej42137 (Feb 16, 2014)

astrohip said:


> Isn't that several hundred miles from a littoral area?


Idaho Falls Naval Nuclear Laboratory


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## brianric (Aug 29, 2002)

astrohip said:


> Isn't that several hundred miles from a littoral area?


Nuclear Power Training Unit (NPTU) site. It was where Navy nukes were trained on prototype reactors before heading out to the fleet, about 60 miles from Idaho Falls.


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## mqpickles (Nov 11, 2004)

There used to be a sitcom trope where the main character would be pet sitting for a friend (or boss or crush), and the pet would always die. So our main character, rather than tell the truth, would buy a new pet and try to pass it off as the original. 

There was another one back in the day about characters getting locked in a room together. Sometimes a walk-in freezer. They would get rescued, but only after some communication breakthrough. 

I haven’t seen either of those in a long, long time.


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## Hcour (Dec 24, 2007)

mqpickles said:


> There was another one back in the day about characters getting locked in a room together. Sometimes a walk-in freezer. They would get rescued, but only after some communication breakthrough.


Will and Grace did a variation on this a few eps ago. Trapped in a shower.


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## mooseAndSquirrel (Aug 31, 2001)

astrohip said:


> Isn't that several hundred miles from a littoral area?


That's what she said


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## astrohip (Jan 7, 2003)

brianric said:


> Nuclear Power Training Unit (NPTU) site. It was where Navy nukes were trained on prototype reactors before heading out to the fleet, about 60 miles from Idaho Falls.


Thanks! Never thought about a training facility. (thanks to @ej42137 also)



mooseAndSquirrel said:


> That's what she said


Ha! Best laugh of the day (so far).


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## mqpickles (Nov 11, 2004)

Hcour said:


> Will and Grace did a variation on this a few eps ago. Trapped in a shower.


That reminds me of Laura Petrie getting stuck in the bathtub putting her toe in the water spout.


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## longrider (Oct 26, 2017)

brianric said:


> Nuclear Power Training Unit (NPTU) site. It was where Navy nukes were trained on prototype reactors before heading out to the fleet, about 60 miles from Idaho Falls.


Talk about a small world, if you were there about 15 years ago you probably new a friend of mine. Unfortunately we lost touch after Jason got his first sea assignment on the USS LaJolla


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

Steveknj said:


> I was watching Superior Donuts (don't judge me, I like Judd Hirsch), and the latest episode was a standard trope (especially during Christmas season) where the "gang" wants to do something nice for a homeless man for the holidays. I've probably seen that trope in dozens of sitcoms over the years.
> 
> What other tropes do TV shows use over and over again?


A large percentage is just regurgitated over the years. So that new generations think it is new. Yet it was done many years prior. This is true with movies, TV shows, and music.


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## brianric (Aug 29, 2002)

longrider said:


> Talk about a small world, if you were there about 15 years ago you probably new a friend of mine. Unfortunately we lost touch after Jason got his first sea assignment on the USS LaJolla


Class of 7601 Mare Island & Idaho Falls.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

mrdazzo7 said:


> lol @ comments like "it's so over the top that EVERY show has a mixed race couple in it..." HAHAHAHA. Good lord. That's the same thing people used to say about black people, and then gay people. It's not a "trope" to include a diverse set of characters in your show... It's called displaying a realistic cross-section of our current population... too funny.
> 
> Honorable mention to the whole "car suddenly gets t-boned by a targeted assassination attempt"... I can't believe shows are still using this. It may have been a suprise at one point but now as soon as the camera cuts to an interior of the car shot putting that side of the car in view, it's painfully obvious what's about to happen. And it does happen...every. single. time. No suspense.
> 
> Also the whole "cops racing to the scene intercut with the killer and his latest victim, back and forth, tension builds, cops kick in the door, and SURPRISE!! They're at the wrong address"... Are there still viewers that fall for that? Same with shows "pretending" to kill the lead character then by next commercial break - shocker - they're fine. No one thinks you're killing off the lead character of a procedural in the middle of a random episode in October.


I would say, the proportion of mixed race couples on TV compared to those in real life is a bit over the top. If FEELS like TV is bending over backwards to be inclusive and that's the latest inclusive thing. Again,it doesn't bother me, I have just noticed it. Beats the alternative for sure.

On that note, I remember when John Mellencamp's video for Cherry Bomb came out and it featured a mixed race couple dancing and how much of an uproar that made with MTV. We've come a long way that it's really no big deal anymore.

Other typical trope characters include:

-The slightly pudgy, witty sidekick (think Jonah Hill type of character)
-the teenage girl who wisecracks about her brothers constantly while she's going through her own crisis.
-the overly nerdy brother

And lots of others.


----------



## BrettStah (Nov 12, 2000)

Someone shows up at the door, and once the person leaves and the door closes behind them, our protagonist walks away. Shortly after, usually within seconds, there's a knock or ring at the door, and OBVIOUSLY it's the person who JUST left, right? So they swing the door open, but surprise! It's NOT the person who just left!!!


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

Steveknj said:


> I would say, the proportion of mixed race couples on TV compared to those in real life is a bit over the top. If FEELS like TV is bending over backwards to be inclusive and that's the latest inclusive thing. Again,it doesn't bother me, I have just noticed it. Beats the alternative for sure.


I don't notice it any more.


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## TAsunder (Aug 6, 2003)

When a wife gets angry at her husband for something he did in her dream. One might think that this is a totally unrealistic trope, but apparently not. Last night, after 2.5 hours of our toddler being up in the middle of the night crying, I've finally fallen back asleep. An hour later my wife wakes up crying, and then was cold to me this morning because in her dream I had cheated on her. I'm thinking about instituting a rule that only one person can wake me up with their crying per night, but I'm not sure how I would enforce it.


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## jr461 (Jul 9, 2004)

The one person everyone wants and needs to keep alive because he/she is the only one with the vital information always dies. 

A variation (or extension of this):
Someone is about to reveal the most important information imaginable while on his/her deathbed and dies just before uttering the key word or name ("...the killer is.......").


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## midas (Jun 1, 2000)

This one goes back from before television. 

The villain can never just kill the hero. There has to be an elaborate plot or mechanism. The Batman series beat this to death. 

And usually the villain will reveal all of his plans to the hero before exiting and leaving the hero alone to get out of his or her predicament.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

midas said:


> And usually the villain will reveal all of his plans to the hero before exiting and leaving the hero alone to get out of his or her predicament.


There's even a trope about the trope with people in the show being aware of this trope and commenting on it, usually by accusing the villain of "monologuing."


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## Azlen (Nov 25, 2002)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> I don't notice it any more.


Me either to the point that I am having trouble naming one off of the top of my head. Just thought of one while I was typing this. Rachel Zane and Mike Ross on Suits.


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

mqpickles said:


> There used to be a sitcom trope where the main character would be pet sitting for a friend (or boss or crush), and the pet would always die. So our main character, rather than tell the truth, would buy a new pet and try to pass it off as the original.
> 
> There was another one back in the day about characters getting locked in a room together. Sometimes a walk-in freezer. They would get rescued, but only after some communication breakthrough.
> 
> I haven't seen either of those in a long, long time.


How about the one where the husband is on the verge of a promotion and invites the boss over for dinner. Hilarity ensues when the wife's attempt to make an impressive dinner goes awry.


Steveknj said:


> I would say, the proportion of mixed race couples on TV compared to those in real life is a bit over the top. If FEELS like TV is bending over backwards to be inclusive and that's the latest inclusive thing. Again,it doesn't bother me, I have just noticed it. Beats the alternative for sure.


It doesn't bother me at all. Hollywood is making a concerted effort to improve diversity both in front of and behind the camera. And mixed-race couples is one of the best ways to do that. Rather than having a white couple and then needing to create forgettable roles for a minority couple, they can just have a mixed-race couple and improve the diversity ratio in the larger roles.


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## JYoung (Jan 16, 2002)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> There's even a trope about the trope with people in the show being aware of this trope and commenting on it, usually by accusing the villain of "monologuing."


"Do you expect me to talk?"
"No Mr.Bond, I expect you to die."


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## tomhorsley (Jul 22, 2010)

DevdogAZ said:


> How about the one where the husband is on the verge of a promotion and invites the boss over for dinner. Hilarity ensues when the wife's attempt to make an impressive dinner goes awry.


Ah yes, Dobby levitates the cake and drops it on the guy with the big potential drill order .


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## hefe (Dec 5, 2000)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> There's even a trope about the trope with people in the show being aware of this trope and commenting on it, usually by accusing the villain of "monologuing."


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

How about the one where the person dumps out a handful of pills, doesn't even look at how many there are, throws them in their mouth, and starts chewing them up. This is TV/movie shorthand to let us know this character is an addict (or at least a serious abuser).


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## ThePennyDropped (Jul 5, 2006)

DevdogAZ said:


> How about the one where the person dumps out a handful of pills, doesn't even look at how many there are, throws them in their mouth, and starts chewing them up. This is TV/movie shorthand to let us know this character is an addict (or at least a serious abuser).


Paging Dr. House. Paging Dr. Gregory House.


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## tomhorsley (Jul 22, 2010)

Or speaking of dumping a handful, literally everyone loading a revolver always dumps the entire box of ammo out on their desktop and then has to fumble around for bullets rolling every which way to load the gun. I can't say I've ever loaded a revolver myself, but this seems remarkably inefficient.


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## rgr (Feb 21, 2003)

Just watched the series finale of Major Crimes (horrible, in my opinion, but I wanted to watch just to see the series end) and it reminded me of the ridiculous way shows treat funds transfers. Money counting down from one account as it counts up in the other. So the more money you transfer, the longer it takes. Oooh, suspense building. Completely stupid, but I've seen it used over and over.

Similar to the way "hackers" crack passwords - one character or number at a time, until that last character is found and whatever they need to find is available.


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## wtherrell (Dec 23, 2004)

Howie said:


> The arrogant FBI guys coming in and taking over the local police department's case.


Best version of this I ever saw was "Mr Monk and the really, really dead guy".


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## wtherrell (Dec 23, 2004)

Graymalkin said:


> Hallmark Channel is mixing up the professions of those amateur mystery solvers: Gourmet chef, small-town baker, lawyer/flower shop owner, librarian/Murder Club president, antique store owner, archeologist, house renovator -- and coming soon, Holly Robinson-Peete as a morning show host who, well, solves murder mysteries!
> 
> Of course, the police chief or sheriff always tell them to stay out of official police business, but there's the handsome deputy or detective who feeds them information and gets them out of a jam.


Or a Priest.


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## wtherrell (Dec 23, 2004)

jr461 said:


> Fist fights which, if they were in real life would end about 10 seconds in due to injury. Instead, each is thoroughly beaten, thrown down or into a wall, hard objects and furniture banged into each of their heads, backs and other places, yet they each always have the same strength with which they started, until one is dead or near death while the victor walks away with no visible signs of bodily injury (save for the requisite cuts on the face) or even fatigue.


Just like professional wrestling!


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

rgr said:


> Just watched the series finale of Major Crimes (horrible, in my opinion, but I wanted to watch just to see the series end) and it reminded me of the ridiculous way shows treat funds transfers. Money counting down from one account as it counts up in the other. So the more money you transfer, the longer it takes. Oooh, suspense building. Completely stupid, but I've seen it used over and over.


And also the way the bad guys are always able to look at a screen and "verify" that the transfer is complete within seconds of the good guy pushing the Send button, despite the fact that banks generally have hold times on these kinds of transactions and they go through a clearinghouse and take days.


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## brianric (Aug 29, 2002)

DevdogAZ said:


> And also the way the bad guys are always able to look at a screen and "verify" that the transfer is complete within seconds of the good guy pushing the Send button, despite the fact that banks generally have hold times on these kinds of transactions and they go through a clearinghouse and take days.


There may be a hold but transactions clearing today is just about instantaneous.


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## Graymalkin (Mar 20, 2001)

wtherrell said:


> Or a Priest.


The Father Brown mysteries, which predate the Hallmark channels.


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## rgr (Feb 21, 2003)

Graymalkin said:


> The Father Brown mysteries, which predate the Hallmark channels.


Hmm. First thing I thought of was Grantchester. I'll have to check out Father Brown.


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

Kinda smeeking...

Has any tv computer hacker ever used a mouse? They all just bang away randomly on the keyboard and mention the word "firewall" a couple of times and voila!, they're in.

5'2", 105 lb women beating the crap out of henchmen.

Just about everybody can hot wire a car and pick a lock.

The alternate universe is remarkably like the "regular" universe, with the same characters and levels of technology even though there's no reason it should be.

The criminal breaks down and confesses to the murder right before the episode ends. C'mon. Almost nobody in real life ever says "Yeah, I did it!. I killed those people."


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## kaszeta (Jun 11, 2004)

cheesesteak said:


> Kinda smeeking...
> 
> Has any tv computer hacker ever used a mouse? They all just bang away randomly on the keyboard and mention the word "firewall" a couple of times and voila!, they're in.


This one doesn't bother me, partly because I work with several computer programmers whose work pattern matches that stereotype to a T.

I wonder if Rob down the hall will let me take a picture of him sitting in his man bun, the empty cans of Red Bull strewn about, and his primary monitor which is a single bash shell with something like a 200x60 character text window. And pretty much everything he can do with a pure text interface, he does that way. Scary to see him launch new web api servers by quickly typing out YAML and launching various docker hosts.

I've seen him go days without touching the mouse except to unlock the screen. If he wasn't a contractor and actually worked here as an employee, he'd also need to do his timesheet on a web page.

As an aside, he also has a Rainman-like ability to look at an entire screenful of text and instantly tell you if all the open and closing delimiters are complete and properly nested.

If I could only get him to chill out about his python proselytizing...


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## getreal (Sep 29, 2003)

cheesesteak said:


> ... The criminal breaks down and confesses to the murder right before the episode ends. C'mon. Almost nobody in real life ever says "Yeah, I did it!. I killed those people."


After the final battle between the good guys and the bad guys, when the bad guy(s) are finally nabbed by the cops, they silently acquiesce ... no shouting or resisting as they quietly and cooperatively move to the paddy wagon while the good guys make wisecracks in the foreground.


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## midas (Jun 1, 2000)

Here's one that I just saw, the guy that chickens out on getting a vasectomy. I don't think I've ever seen vasectomy come up where the guy doesn't chicken out.


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## That Don Guy (Mar 13, 2003)

cheesesteak said:


> Has any tv computer hacker ever used a mouse? They all just bang away randomly on the keyboard and mention the word "firewall" a couple of times and voila!, they're in.


In a way, there's a reason for that. Hackers deal in code, and code necessarily has to be in a fixed-width font. Remember, things like UNIX were developed for 24 x 80-character monitors.

And here's one that I don't think has appeared yet, although I don't know if it exactly qualifies as a "trope": nobody on TV is 2 years old - either they're infants, or old enough for preschool. I think it's called "doing a Little Ricky" as Little Ricky on _I Love Lucy_ was the first one to do it. I thought about this because I have a feeling this is going to happen with the baby on _black'ish_ next season.

If that doesn't qualify as a trope, this almost certainly does: one or more of the show's stars notices the change and does a double-take or other reference. (Will Smith did this on _The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air_ - twice in the same episode, in fact, as not only did his baby nephew suddenly get much older, but the actress that played his aunt changed.)


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## TAsunder (Aug 6, 2003)

cheesesteak said:


> Has any tv computer hacker ever used a mouse? They all just bang away randomly on the keyboard and mention the word "firewall" a couple of times and voila!, they're in.


They use mice in Mr. Robot quite a bit when hacking. That said, I have a couple of friends who do everything in their power to avoid mice. They pick their software and developer tools and configure them to avoid using the mouse. So on the list of bad hacking tropes, that's probably low.


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## jr461 (Jul 9, 2004)

cheesesteak said:


> Just about everybody can hot wire a car and pick a lock.


This absolutely!!! I've commented to my wife various times that I must be the only person on the planet who can't hot wire a car.

Everyone seems to pull down that panel under the steering wheel with great ease and, voila, 2 wires that apparently were not connected to anything but nevertheless have exposed strands can be touched for the car to immediately start.


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## TAsunder (Aug 6, 2003)

That Don Guy said:


> In a way, there's a reason for that. Hackers deal in code, and code necessarily has to be in a fixed-width font.


Not really. There are programmers who use and prefer proportional fonts when coding.


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## kaszeta (Jun 11, 2004)

TAsunder said:


> Not really. There are programmers who use and prefer proportional fonts when coding.


Yup, I know a few of them.

I still prefer mono-spaced fonts for code, but if given a choice between a good proportional font (like, say one where 1, I, and I are different, 0/O, and "mrnm" aren't ambiguous) and a lousy mono-spaced font, bring on the proportional font.

Otherwise, aside from my comments not lining up, it's not a huge issue, although most proportional fonts have a narrower space than I really like for indenting readability, especially if dealing with something that's whitespace picky like python[1]

[1] Nothing like annoying the python guy by alternating indenting styles between spaces and tabs


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## astrohip (Jan 7, 2003)

kaszeta said:


> [1] Nothing like annoying the python guy by alternating indenting styles between spaces and tabs


You're just plain evil, aren't you? 

Back when I programmed, I had a txt editor (Boxer) that had an option "Convert all Tabs to Spaces". You could set it to convert when you opened a file, and again when you saved it. Of course it was checked!


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## wtherrell (Dec 23, 2004)

How did this become a discussion of what font to use for coding? I thought it was about plot tropes? 

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

Coding fonts have become a thread trope...


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

midas said:


> Here's one that I just saw, the guy that chickens out on getting a vasectomy. I don't think I've ever seen vasectomy come up where the guy doesn't chicken out.


It's funny about that, because if you've ever had one, it's really not a big deal (I've had one). I never got that fear. You think the Dr is going to cut it off? But on TV, every guy, especially on sitcoms either chickens out or gets completely scared about it. I got to a certain age, we didn't want kids any more....the decision was pretty easy for me.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

One I saw last night watching The Blacklist. Two people are fighting and they crash through a plate class window or door and either one or BOTH come out without a scratch.


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## eddyj (Jun 20, 2002)

wtherrell said:


> How did this become a discussion of what font to use for coding? I thought it was about plot tropes?


Are you new here?


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## kaszeta (Jun 11, 2004)

eddyj said:


> Are you new here?


Shift happens.


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## thewebgal (Aug 10, 2007)

JYoung said:


> Truck coming out of nowhere to tbone our protagonist's vehicle.


Woah - getting REALLY tired of that special effects trick - saw it just the other day in Atomic Blonde!


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## getbak (Oct 8, 2004)

This week's episode of The Mick had a trope that comes up every so often...

A character consumes some sort of hallucinogen. While under the influence, they must perform some sort of complex task that they likely would struggle with even in the best case. To their own surprise, they actually perform the task remarkably well, even flawlessly. Of course, that's when the camera cuts to the POV of an outside observer and we discover that the character is actually performing horribly and the excellent performance was only a hallucination.


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## vman41 (Jun 18, 2002)

I've mentioned elsewhere the tiny beeping noise that somehow accompanies text being written out on a terminal screen (I guess it's not a plot trope but a cinematic trope). I've never seen a terminal do that in real life, though I have used terminals that beep when they register a keystroke.


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## hefe (Dec 5, 2000)

wtherrell said:


> How did this become a discussion of what font to use for coding? I thought it was about plot tropes?
> 
> Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk


Because discussions meander.

Sent from my Intel NUC typing on a Logitech wireless keyboard using the web page.


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## andyw715 (Jul 31, 2007)

Tense scene where a car/truck is hiding some fugitives. Gets pulled over by the cops. Driver tries not to look suspicious but is. Cops decide to search the vehicle; almost uncovering the fugitives. Call comes over the radio for a burglary nearby. Fugitives are ok.


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## hefe (Dec 5, 2000)

getbak said:


> This week's episode of The Mick had a trope that comes up every so often...


The Mick has its own custom trope...in every episode, somebody bleeds.


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## MikeCC (Jun 19, 2004)

hefe said:


> Sent from my Intel NUC typing on a Logitech wireless keyboard using the web page.


Now _*THAT'S*_ funny,


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## series5orpremier (Jul 6, 2013)

Confidential, classified computer data/shenanigans being securely housed in the Long Lines building at 33 Thomas St. in Manhattan (Winter Kills, Mr. Robot, X-Files).


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## JYoung (Jan 16, 2002)

"Any mistake with Nuclear material/devices will cause a critical mass incident which results in detonation"

(I'm looking at you, Scorpion.)


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

- Bad guys with British accents

- There are two adversaries. One has a gun. The other is unarmed. The one with the gun will walk towards the unarmed guy or allow the unarmed guy to walk towards him. Either way, the unarmed one gets to within an arm's length of the one with the gun and disarm him.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

cheesesteak said:


> - Bad guys with British accents


Or ancient Romans with British accents.


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## sharkster (Jul 3, 2004)

cheesesteak said:


> - Bad guys with British accents
> 
> - There are two adversaries. One has a gun. The other is unarmed. The one with the gun will walk towards the unarmed guy or allow the unarmed guy to walk towards him. Either way, the unarmed one gets to within an arm's length of the one with the gun and disarm him.


I've seen this a zillion times when the one with the gun is a female. She gets closer and says something like 'I'm going to shoot you!' but never shoots, gets close, he gets the gun. I always SMH over that.


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## jr461 (Jul 9, 2004)

The police are chasing someone on public streets. The guy they're chasing doesn't know he's been spotted. Rather than get really close and nab the guy, as soon as he looks up they holler "police", while still so far away they he can easily run somewhere out of sight.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

cheesesteak said:


> - Bad guys with British accents





Rob Helmerichs said:


> Or ancient Romans with British accents.


Fictional stories in Medieval times, especially ones that are in another world or Universe, where every actor has a British Accent. I'm looking at you Game of Thrones! Even Peter Dinklidge from NJ had to have one. But I've seen this type of thing in SO many of these types of shows.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

Steveknj said:


> Fictional stories in Medieval times, especially ones that are in another world or Universe, where every actor has a British Accent. I'm looking at you Game of Thrones! Even Peter Dinklidge from NJ had to have one. But I've seen this type of thing in SO many of these types of shows.


I suspect if they DIDN'T use British accents, a lot of people would think they got it wrong...


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## Azlen (Nov 25, 2002)

Why does every tracker have to have a blinking red light on it?

Another from reality shows and was even on Amazing Race last night is the comeuppance quote. Whenever they show someone saying that they are in control of the game or this task should be easy because they are experts then they are almost guaranteed to fail.


Spoiler



Last night it was the statement "This task should be very easy, we're really great at math"


.


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## phox_mulder (Feb 23, 2006)

Azlen said:


> Why does every tracker have to have a blinking red light on it?


On that note, how does a GPS tracker on TV work when they always hide it under the car, putting a whole lot of metal between it and the GPS satellites?


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## tivotvaddict (Aug 11, 2005)

Azlen said:


> Why does every tracker have to have a blinking red light on it?
> 
> Another from reality shows and was even <snip>".


can you please put this in spoiler quotes?


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## Azlen (Nov 25, 2002)

tivotvaddict said:


> can you please put this in spoiler quotes?


Sorry. Fixed.


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## JYoung (Jan 16, 2002)

phox_mulder said:


> On that note, how does a GPS tracker on TV work when they always hide it under the car, putting a whole lot of metal between it and the GPS satellites?


Ha!
I thought of this post when they did the "hide the GPS in the underside of the car" on SWAT last night.
(I don't watch the show but the live feed came on during that scene and I watched for a few minutes.)

Here's another overused trope:
Two people are struggling for control of a handgun and it drops between their bodies where the viewer can't see the gun. A shot rings out and it's unclear which person was hit.


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## MikeCC (Jun 19, 2004)

JYoung said:


> Ha!
> I thought of this post when they did the "hide the GPS in the underside of the car" on SWAT last night.
> (I don't watch the show but the live feed came on during that scene and I watched for a few minutes.)
> 
> ...


 Well, that's a holdover from the days before DVRs; struggle over gun, shot rings out, both combatants flinch... then go to commercial. It was to keep you in place even after being interrupted by the advertisers.


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## wtherrell (Dec 23, 2004)

An ominous figure wearing a hoodie lurks about in the shadows, threatening our protagonist. This is most likely the murderer we are meant to assume. Hoodie person finally is chased down and brought in for questioning. Turns out to be a red herring.
Or this: Hand - held camera view approaches someone from behind. The someone turns around and says something like "oh, it's you. What are you doing here?" The someone is immediately struck in the head - stabbed - shot, etc. - Take your pick.


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## allan (Oct 14, 2002)

MikeCC said:


> Well, that's a holdover from the days before DVRs; struggle over gun, shot rings out, both combatants flinch... then go to commercial. It was to keep you in place even after being interrupted by the advertisers.


Heh! I was watching something like that. I started to reach for my remote to FF past the commercials, then remembered that I was watching it on Netflix.


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## tivotvaddict (Aug 11, 2005)

I do that on one of the shows - maybe Chicago Med or Chicago PD? they have an opening sequence, heavy drama, then the title of the show, and I hit the auto skip button because I'm trained that it's going to commercial. Nope, they fool me, they go right back to it after the title shot.


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> Or ancient Romans with British accents.


Yeah, but they had attended Oxford.


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## lpwcomp (May 6, 2002)

All computer systems are connected and easily crackable by the right person.


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## Peter000 (Apr 15, 2002)

lpwcomp said:


> All computer systems are connected and easily crackable by the right person.


Or, just BARELY crackable until the last possible moment.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

lpwcomp said:


> All computer systems are connected and easily crackable by the right person.


In about 1 minute! Especially top secret government servers. Imagine if that were actually true? Oh wait...


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

Murderers confess to their crimes. How often does that happen in real life?


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## tomhorsley (Jul 22, 2010)

lpwcomp said:


> All computer systems are connected and easily crackable by the right person.


And they have no fuses because they always explode in a giant shower of sparks when overloaded.


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## getreal (Sep 29, 2003)

How about the bomb with the giant countdown display where it gets defused with one second to spare?


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## lpwcomp (May 6, 2002)

Not used recently: An out of control nuclear reactor will go super-critical.


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## brianric (Aug 29, 2002)

lpwcomp said:


> Not used recently: An out of control nuclear reactor will go super-critical.


Reminds me something Scorpion used.


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## lpwcomp (May 6, 2002)

brianric said:


> Reminds me something Scorpion used.


I quickly gave up on Scorpion. I refused to accept the "we must access a USB port on the plane" stupidity.


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## JYoung (Jan 16, 2002)

lpwcomp said:


> Not used recently: An out of control nuclear reactor will go super-critical.


Haven't been watching Scorpion?


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## lpwcomp (May 6, 2002)

JYoung said:


> Haven't been watching Scorpion?


A nuclear _*weapon*_ detonating is different from a nuclear _*reactor*_ going super critical and detonating rather than melting down or having a pressure explosion.


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

lpwcomp said:


> A nuclear _*weapon*_ detonating is different from a nuclear _*reactor*_ going super critical and detonating rather than melting down or having a pressure explosion.


I stopped watching Scorpion a while ago, but I'm pretty sure they had incidents with both weapons and reactors in the first couple seasons while I was watching.


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## TAsunder (Aug 6, 2003)

Is creatively editing a preview for the next episode to make it look like a particular thing will happen when in fact it doesn't a trope? In any case I sure am sick of it, and it actually applies equally to scripted shows and reality shows! Why did we put the Frasier writers in charge of editing previews?


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## laria (Sep 7, 2000)

I might be smeeking, because I only read the last few pages, but...

A main character walks away from a car and the shot pans out in front of the character with the car centered behind them in the background. That car is totally about to blow up.

See also: There is a side camera angle inside of the car rather than the usual "from the windshield" view. That car is totally about to get T-boned.


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## JYoung (Jan 16, 2002)

DevdogAZ said:


> I stopped watching Scorpion a while ago, but I'm pretty sure they had incidents with both weapons and reactors in the first couple seasons while I was watching.


They have.

And on Scorpion (as well as other shows in the past), if the word "nuclear" is a descriptor, any mistake *will* result in a critical mass incident which causes a detonation.


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## brianric (Aug 29, 2002)

lpwcomp said:


> I quickly gave up on Scorpion. I refused to accept the "we must access a USB port on the plane" stupidity.


I gave up on Scorpion on the episode "Plutonium Is Forever", where Walter and his team try to prevent a decommissioned and abandoned nuclear plant from melting down. Note I worked in the nuclear industry for over 40 years, eight years Navy, 32 civilian. An abandoned nuclear plant with fuel in the pot, yeah right, and then bring an overheated reactor core to normal temperature in seconds. You don't have to be nuclear plant to realize the vessel would shatter due to brittle fracture cooling it down that fast, plus it is impossible to do.


----------



## dcheesi (Apr 6, 2001)

brianric said:


> I gave up on Scorpion on the episode "Plutonium Is Forever", where Walter and his team try to prevent a decommissioned and abandoned nuclear plant from melting down. Note I worked in the nuclear industry for over 40 years, eight years Navy, 32 civilian. An abandoned nuclear plant with fuel in the pot, yeah right, and then bring an overheated reactor core to normal temperature in seconds. You don't have to be nuclear plant to realize the vessel would shatter due to brittle fracture cooling it down that fast, plus it is impossible to do.


To be fair, no show's technical details survive first contact with actual experts 

I still recall watching _E.R._, then widely hailed as the most accurate medical drama on television, with a bunch of visiting German med students. There was non-stop laughter and ridicule.

That said, I never even started _Scorpion_ because I could tell it was going to be one of those "Cyber!!!1!" kind of shows. Probably with a side of "nerd" stereotyping, to boot.


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## kaszeta (Jun 11, 2004)

dcheesi said:


> To be fair, no show's technical details survive first contact with actual experts  .


_Mr Robot_ isn't half bad in that respect.

Heck, _Manhattan_ did a plausibly good job with the technical details as well.

But yeah, suspension of disbelief is always your friend.


----------



## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

I have a friend who had a friend who was a science consultant for Star Trek: The Next Generation. He quit in frustration.


----------



## wtherrell (Dec 23, 2004)

dcheesi said:


> To be fair, no show's technical details survive first contact with actual experts
> 
> I still recall watching _E.R._, then widely hailed as the most accurate medical drama on television, with a bunch of visiting German med students. There was non-stop laughter and ridicule.
> 
> That said, I never even started _Scorpion_ because I could tell it was going to be one of those "Cyber!!!1!" kind of shows. Probably with a side of "nerd" stereotyping, to boot.


The porkpie hat was a dead giveaway for Scorpion.


----------



## dcheesi (Apr 6, 2001)

kaszeta said:


> _Mr Robot_ isn't half bad in that respect.


Yeah, _Mr. Robot_ is pretty good counterpoint/exception to the rule. And pretty much the antithesis of what I presume _Scorpion_ to be, based on the promos for the latter.

Still, I'm sure there's some hacker out there somewhere thinking "that's totally the wrong algorithm for that system! Worst. Episode. EVAR!"


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

Bad guy henchmen are too dumb to hide behind things and get shot out in the open. Stargate's Jaffa were the Olympic gold medal winners in this event.


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## wtherrell (Dec 23, 2004)

cheesesteak said:


> Bad guy henchmen are too dumb to hide behind things and get shot out in the open. Stargate's Jaffa were the Olympic gold medal winners in this event.


And while we're about Stargate, I think it was interesting that every planet looked just like British Columbia. I keep thinking CW folks might find a chappa'ai while they are traipsing around.


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

wtherrell said:


> And while we're about Stargate, I think it was interesting that every planet looked just like British Columbia. I keep thinking CW folks might find a chappa'ai while they are traipsing around.


They didn't call it "Planet Vancouver" for nothing.


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## JYoung (Jan 16, 2002)

It's funny when "Planet Vancouver" tries to fake a desert.


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## brianric (Aug 29, 2002)

dcheesi said:


> To be fair, no show's technical details survive first contact with actual experts


True, but when every detail is totally absurd, that show no longer gets recorded.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

I watch Man with a Plan with my wife who loves this show, but, it's really recycled plot trope central. Last episode they recycled the plot where Matt LeBlanc's father and mother were "fighting" so the Dad comes to "stay" with the family and annoys the crap out of them. I've seen that plot trope on Everyone Loves Raymond and other shows. They recycled the plot trope about Valentine's Day presents a few weeks ago, and I'm sure there were some others.


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## dcheesi (Apr 6, 2001)

cheesesteak said:


> Bad guy henchmen are too dumb to hide behind things and get shot out in the open. Stargate's Jaffa were the Olympic gold medal winners in this event.


Is it bad that my geek-brain immediately went into ret-con mode on this? "Jaffa are trained more for ritualized warfare in the competition between Goa'uld houses, as with the skirmishes between ancient Greek city-states, so modern cover-based fighting techniques don't come naturally..."


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## andyw715 (Jul 31, 2007)

I guess this is a trope, maybe not a plot trope but a commonly used device that for some reason annoys me.

Typically a drama, the last 10 minutes is usually a tie up of the various plots introduced during the show. In the background is louder than normal (usually acoustic) song playing. Sometimes there is dialog sometimes not.

It seems to be a common template for a show these days (Grey's Anatomy, How to Get Away With Murder, This is Us, etc).

Annoys me for some reason. It's as if the plot of the show isn't strong enough that the only way to convey any emotion is through mandolin covers of songs at the end of episodes.


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

andyw715 said:


> I guess this is a trope, maybe not a plot trope but a commonly used device that for some reason annoys me.
> 
> Typically a drama, the last 10 minutes is usually a tie up of the various plots introduced during the show. In the background is louder than normal (usually acoustic) song playing. Sometimes there is dialog sometimes not.
> 
> ...


Yes, I HATE the end of episode music montage in those types of shows. I first noticed it in the later seasons of Alias, and the Shondaland shows use it almost religiously.


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## Howie (May 3, 2004)

andyw715 said:


> I guess this is a trope, maybe not a plot trope but a commonly used device that for some reason annoys me.
> 
> Typically a drama, the last 10 minutes is usually a tie up of the various plots introduced during the show. In the background is louder than normal (usually acoustic) song playing. Sometimes there is dialog sometimes not.
> 
> ...


Yesterday I watched the pilot of X Company from Ovation. The end of it is a prime example of exactly what you're talking about.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

DevdogAZ said:


> Yes, I HATE the end of episode music montage in those types of shows. I first noticed it in the later seasons of Alias, and the Shondaland shows use it almost religiously.


The Blacklist uses it pretty much every week as well.


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## NickTheGreat (Aug 31, 2015)

Saw this last night in Designated Survivor. But Character comes home, late at night. Goes into the bathroom to brush teeth, wash face, etc. 

Camera pans to mirror. Shortly after, some creep shows up in the reflection! Oh NO!!! WHAT WILL HAPPEN!!!!!


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

Fighting scenes where people start doing front or back flips for no apparent reason other than the director thinks it looks cool.


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## Craigbob (Dec 2, 2006)

Steveknj said:


> The Blacklist uses it pretty much every week as well.


So Does the Good Doctor, Blindspot, The Americans have begun doing it.

I hate it. Why do they do it?


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## laria (Sep 7, 2000)

Craigbob said:


> So Does the Good Doctor, Blindspot, The Americans have begun doing it.
> 
> I hate it. Why do they do it?


At first I read this as a response to the backflip fighting scenes and was like, "The Good Doctor... wait, what?!"


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## spartanstew (Feb 24, 2002)

DevdogAZ said:


> Yes, I HATE the end of episode music montage in those types of shows. I first noticed it in the later seasons of Alias, and the Shondaland shows use it almost religiously.


I Despise them.

As soon as it starts, my wife will say "musical montage" and I'll hit the ff button until it looks like dialogue is taking place. It's like writers can't fill the full 60 minutes (or 42 minutes, or whatever it is). Just about every 60 minute drama uses it now.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

Craigbob said:


> So Does the Good Doctor, Blindspot, The Americans have begun doing it.
> 
> I hate it. Why do they do it?


If they are done well and not every week I don't mind them. My recollection is that they started using those to show something bad happening to the main characters with soft, easily listening type music in the background. Now they seem to use it for everything. The Americans don't do it every week, and as often as not, it's front-loaded at the beginning of the episode. I'm also seeing them for time passages. I the case of The Americans this season they used it to move up the timeline in the story.


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

A music montage is a legitimate tool a director can use in telling a story. Where it becomes problematic is when it becomes just a standard part of every episode, basically as a way to depict a bunch of things happening toward the end of an episode as a way to tie up a bunch of plot lines without having to write all the necessary dialogue. As I said earlier, this is a staple of the Shondaland universe.


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## andyw715 (Jul 31, 2007)

out of context quote...but applies to this thread...



Rob Helmerichs said:


> ... show ends with the current season being wrapped up and then in the final moments something big gets introduced to set up the next one....


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

andyw715 said:


> out of context quote...but applies to this thread...


I wish more shows would do that, rather than leaving everything hanging.


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

Probably not a trope but it's something that's used in tv show after tv show. I've never in my life, not even once, heard anyone address their parents as "Mother" or "Father" in conversation. It's always been "Mom" or "Dad" or some other such familiar, non-formal synonym but addressing parents as "Mother" and "Father" is common on tv shows. Or maybe I should have hung out with a higher class crowd.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

Every time I see this thread title, it makes me think we should have another thread entitled "Plot Tropes only ever used once."


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

cheesesteak said:


> Probably not a trope but it's something that's used in tv show after tv show. I've never in my life, not even once, heard anyone address their parents as "Mother" or "Father" in conversation. It's always been "Mom" or "Dad" or some other such familiar, non-formal synonym but addressing parents as "Mother" and "Father" is common on tv shows. Or maybe I should have hung out with a higher class crowd.


I thought using "Mother" and "Father" used to be an uppercrust formal thing. Something Biff and Buffy used at the Country Club while drinking Gin and Tonics and talking about the latest killing on the Stock Market. I've never actually used it myself nor heard anyone else use it. But that's how it's portrayed on TV.


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## Tsiehta (Jul 22, 2002)

I didn't see this one listed. Car chases.

I despise car chases. If there's a car chase, I'm out.


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## getreal (Sep 29, 2003)

There was a variation of the "step backwards onto a clear road and get hit by a bus out of nowhere" trope on "Timeless" (S02) where the story line took place during the Salem Witch Hunts and a pilgrim took a step backwards from the main characters when, out of nowhere, he was run over by a carriage being drawn by two horses! No noises from the approaching horses, or even a bump of the carriage as it ran over him, but the pilgrim was killed instantly. And, of course, the horse & carriage never stopped. I had to yell at the screen: "Come on!! Get Real!!"


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## alpacaboy (Oct 29, 2004)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> Every time I see this thread title, it makes me think we should have another thread entitled "Plot Tropes only ever used once."


Great minds... (#48 side note) 
Plot Tropes used over and over again.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

alpacaboy said:


> Great minds... (#48 side note)
> Plot Tropes used over and over again.


I guess Plot Tropes used only once is a trope that gets used over and over...


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## Donbadabon (Mar 5, 2002)

When people call someone on the phone and tell the other person what their relationship is.
"This is your brother Larry".


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

When the good guys catch the bad guys, they put them in glass cells with apparently no light switch, food, water, bathroom facilities, tv, books, radio or the internet.


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## wtherrell (Dec 23, 2004)

cheesesteak said:


> When the good guys catch the bad guys, they put them in glass cells with apparently no light switch, food, water, bathroom facilities, tv, books, radio or the internet.


Serves them right!


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## Peter000 (Apr 15, 2002)

cheesesteak said:


> or the internet


Yeah, because dangerous prisoners ALWAYS should have access to the internet.


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## the928guy (Sep 30, 2002)

Maybe I just watch predictable TV, but I can't seem to go a week without hearing, "You lied to me!" with the inevitable reply, "I did it to protect you." I think Supergirl does this a few times per episode.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

cheesesteak said:


> When the good guys catch the bad guys, they put them in glass cells with apparently no light switch, food, water, bathroom facilities, tv, books, radio or the internet.


Like on The Flash where they apparently just store people away in a 6x6 box with no bathroom, bed, etc...


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

the928guy said:


> Maybe I just watch predictable TV, but I can't seem to go a week without hearing, "You lied to me!" with the inevitable reply, "I did it to protect you." I think Supergirl does this a few times per episode.


The "I did it to protect you" reason has bugged me for years.


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

the928guy said:


> Maybe I just watch predictable TV, but I can't seem to go a week without hearing, "You lied to me!" with the inevitable reply, "I did it to protect you." I think Supergirl does this a few times per episode.





cheesesteak said:


> The "I did it to protect you" reason has bugged me for years.


Most recently seen on The Americans.


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

Shows that have one person who is an expert in seemingly every scientific field from astrophysics to autopsies.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

cheesesteak said:


> Shows that have one person who is an expert in seemingly every scientific field from astrophysics to autopsies.


I call such people that show's Daniel Jackson. I believe Daniel was a pioneer in that field (Omniscience).


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## kaszeta (Jun 11, 2004)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> I call such people that show's Daniel Jackson. I believe Daniel was a pioneer in that field (Omniscience).


He wasn't quite as bad as his SGA equivalent: Meredith Rodney McKay.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

kaszeta said:


> He wasn't quite as bad as his SGA equivalent: Meredith Rodney McKay.


Yeah, but DJ was the OG.  And it's worse when your Daniel Jackson isn't even a scientist, but rather an ancient historian. Not that there's anything wrong with an ancient historian knowing everything. But hell, they could have at least made him a medievalist! 

Samantha Carter was almost as bad, but she really got into it later.


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## kaszeta (Jun 11, 2004)

I did like that one of Daniel Jackson's very first lines (the movie version) was slagging E. A. Wallis Budge.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

kaszeta said:


> I did like that one of Daniel Jackson's very first lines (the movie version) was slagging E. A. Wallis Budge.


They get bonus points for that, but then they lose points for when he's packing to go on the expedition, and the "reference" book he throws into his suitcase is a popular history of Ancient Egypt.

Hard to believe that's the same actor who is currently in The Blacklist! Back then, he and I were the same age, but now he's turned into an old man!


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## Jonathan_S (Oct 23, 2001)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> Yeah, but DJ was the OG.  And it's worse when your Daniel Jackson isn't even a scientist, but rather an ancient historian. Not that there's anything wrong with an ancient historian knowing everything. But hell, they could have at least made him a medievalist!


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## getreal (Sep 29, 2003)

Okay fellas ... climb out of the rabbit hole!


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## tomhorsley (Jul 22, 2010)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> I call such people that show's Daniel Jackson. I believe Daniel was a pioneer in that field (Omniscience).


Come now, you have totally ignored the true pioneering work of Will Robinson .


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

tomhorsley said:


> Come now, you have totally ignored the true pioneering work of Will Robinson .


Will Robinson may have been impressive, in his own limited way. But he was no medieval historian, or even ancient historian!


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## TAsunder (Aug 6, 2003)

cheesesteak said:


> Shows that have one person who is an expert in seemingly every scientific field from astrophysics to autopsies.


Seems realistic. We have at least a few posters in these forums who probably are experts in every field from astrophysics to autopsies.


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## Peter000 (Apr 15, 2002)

TAsunder said:


> Seems realistic. We have at least a few posters in these forums who probably are experts in every field from astrophysics to autopsies.


At least we've got the A's covered.


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## TAsunder (Aug 6, 2003)

Peter000 said:


> At least we've got the A's covered.


Well, a small portion of the A's anyway.


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

Sounds kind of like Lucy on Timeless. State a date and place, and she'll tell you the significant historical event that occurred there.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

DevdogAZ said:


> Sounds kind of like Lucy on Timeless. State a date and place, and she'll tell you the significant historical event that occurred there.


Yeah, speaking as a former professional historian, I've never met a historian with as broad and deep a knowledge of history as she has...


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## vman41 (Jun 18, 2002)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> I call such people that show's Daniel Jackson. I believe Daniel was a pioneer in that field (Omniscience).


I believe the Professor on Gilligan's Island was one of the original founders.


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## JYoung (Jan 16, 2002)

vman41 said:


> I believe the Professor on Gilligan's Island was one of the original founders.


"The guy could build a nuclear reactor out of two coconuts but could he fix a six foot hole in a boat?".

I seem to recall that Professor Hinkley was originally stated to be a botanist (and a "well known Scoutmaster" ) but of course that became "fountain of all information".


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## vman41 (Jun 18, 2002)

JYoung said:


> "The guy could build a nuclear reactor out of two coconuts but could he fix a six foot hole".
> 
> I seem to recall that Professor Hinkley was originally stated to be a botanist (and a "well known Scoutmaster" ) but of course that became "fountain of all information".


Didn't once formulate a glue they tried to repair the Minnow with, but it failed.

I read his backstory was he was in Hawaii to research a book he was writing, "Fun With Ferms". I wonder if that was the inspiration of Sheldon Cooper's "Fun With Flags" shows.


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## Peter000 (Apr 15, 2002)

vman41 said:


> Didn't once formulate a glue they tried to repair the Minnow with, but it failed.


Not only did it fail, it was an epic fail. The whole boat collapsed.


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## DeDondeEs (Feb 20, 2004)

Not really a plot trope, but more of an editing / post production trope.

When an episode of a TV show has a dramatic or some sort of gruesome ending, they'll roll the credits with some sort of goofy light-hearted music. I think the Sopranos pioneered this.


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## Regina (Mar 30, 2003)

DeDondeEs said:


> Not really a plot trope, but more of an editing / post production trope.
> 
> When an episode of a TV show has a dramatic or some sort of gruesome ending, they'll roll the credits with some sort of goofy light-hearted music. I think the Sopranos pioneered this.


I am binge-watching "The West Wing" (watched it off and on during the original run) and so often the show will end on a sad note, then there's that peppy end credits music! Gets me every time-crazy!

I think I have read this whole thread so I hope this has not been mentioned-it bugs me when people wake up after spending the night at work and get up and go right back to work. I know, suspension of disbelief, but doesn't anyone have to go to the bathroom? Even to freshen up? Just bugs the crud out of me!


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## Worf (Sep 15, 2000)

Better yet, who has seen anyone brush their teeth? It's just like they hop into bed immediately. They must know something we don't, some secret to having perfect teeth without all the brushing and flossing and dentistry work...


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## vman41 (Jun 18, 2002)

I see characters on shows emerge from the bathroom prior to going to bed all the time. Or are you talking specifically about West Wing, which I never watched?


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## randian (Jan 15, 2014)

I hate the "let's keep important information to ourselves" trope (seen most recently by me on Colony) and its corollary "I'm being blackmailed but I'm not going to ask anybody for help" (seen most recently by me on Taken).

I also hate the "children whose only apparent purpose is to put everybody else in danger through disobedience and decisions so stupid a banana slug could have chosen better" trope.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

randian said:


> I hate the "let's keep important information to ourselves" trope (seen most recently by me on Colony)...


The occasionally brilliant Nick Spencer addressed this in an amusing way in his Morning Glories comic book...


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## alpacaboy (Oct 29, 2004)

JYoung said:


> "The guy could build a nuclear reactor out of two coconuts but could he fix a six foot hole in a boat?"..


Yeah, "Back to the Beach" was great at citing tropes of the genre/period.


----------



## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

I don't know why or when I started noticing this but most men who can be even remotely considered attractive seem to sleep bare chested. Meanwhile, women wear two layers of clothing in bed.


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## allan (Oct 14, 2002)

Here's one that I've been noticing. The bad guy has a gun on the good guy and is gloating. The good guy says something about the guy coming up behind BG. The BG says something like, "That one's older than my grandmother". Then he gets clobbered by the guy who really was sneaking up on him.


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## markz (Oct 22, 2002)

cheesesteak said:


> I don't know why or when I started noticing this but most men who can be even remotely considered attractive seem to sleep bare chested. Meanwhile, women wear two layers of clothing in bed.


Sounds like my house!


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## eddyj (Jun 20, 2002)

markz said:


> Sounds like my house!


Mine too...except for the man being even remotely attractive!


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## jr461 (Jul 9, 2004)

Not a trope so much as an observation - it seems that as soon as someone arrives home from wherever they've been on a TV show or in a movie, they must immediately have a drink. Either right to the fridge for a beer, otherwise it's generally wine or whisky. Sometimes it's a soft drink but most often it's alcoholic.

I'm not talking about coming home, settling in, doing a couple of things and then getting a drink. It seems characters go directly from the door to the drink.

Is this common in real life? It's not in my family so perhaps I just don't see it.


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## BrettStah (Nov 12, 2000)

Apologies if this is a dupe - but someone pointed out how rarely people in movies and on TV shows say "bye" when they're finished a phone call, and now I can't help but pay attention to see if they say goodbye or not (and as mentioned, they very rarelydo).


----------



## kaszeta (Jun 11, 2004)

jr461 said:


> I'm not talking about coming home, settling in, doing a couple of things and then getting a drink. It seems characters go directly from the door to the drink.
> 
> Is this common in real life? It's not in my family so perhaps I just don't see it.


I don't, but a few members of the extended family do exactly that (come in door, kiss wife, head directly for the beer in the fridge).


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## BrettStah (Nov 12, 2000)

kaszeta said:


> I don't, but a few members of the extended family do exactly that (come in door, kiss wife, head directly for the beer in the fridge).


Before taking off their pants (but hopefully also putting on shorts or sweats!)??


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

BrettStah said:


> Apologies if this is a dupe - but someone pointed out how rarely people in movies and on TV shows say "bye" when they're finished a phone call, and now I can't help but pay attention to see if they say goodbye or not (and as mentioned, they very rarelydo).


You ever notice that when they're at a restaurant they almost never actually eat the food? Even if they're there for a long time they almost never even take a bite. (unless how someone eats is part of the bit)


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

BrettStah said:


> Before taking off their pants (but hopefully also putting on shorts or sweats!)??


Nothing should happen between coming through the door and shedding pants.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

Dan203 said:


> You ever notice that when they're at a restaurant they almost never actually eat the food? Even if they're there for a long time they almost never even take a bite. (unless how someone eats is part of the bit)


That makes sense, though, considering how many takes they might take.


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

BrettStah said:


> Apologies if this is a dupe - but someone pointed out how rarely people in movies and on TV shows say "bye" when they're finished a phone call, and now I can't help but pay attention to see if they say goodbye or not (and as mentioned, they very rarelydo).


There's a practical reason for this. TV shows are highly edited to get to the correct run time for the available time slot, and eliminating a second or two of rote language at the end of a phone call can allow them to keep a second or two of other content elsewhere. But this doesn't explain why it's done in movies where run time isn't as crucial.


Dan203 said:


> You ever notice that when they're at a restaurant they almost never actually eat the food? Even if they're there for a long time they almost never even take a bite. (unless how someone eats is part of the bit)


There's also a practical reason for this. Since they do multiple takes of each scene, and shoot each scene from multiple angles as well, it helps with continuity and editing if the amount of food on the plate isn't constantly changing. It's also why they keep a spit bucket nearby when an actor actually has to eat food, because depending on the scene and the director, they may have to take that same bite 10+ times before they're done filming that scene.


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## spartanstew (Feb 24, 2002)

BrettStah said:


> Before taking off their pants (but hopefully also putting on shorts or sweats!)??


You take off your pants upon arriving home?


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

DevdogAZ said:


> There's also a practical reason for this. Since they do multiple takes of each scene, and shoot each scene from multiple angles as well, it helps with continuity and editing if the amount of food on the plate isn't constantly changing. It's also why they keep a spit bucket nearby when an actor actually has to eat food, because depending on the scene and the director, they may have to take that same bite 10+ times before they're done filming that scene.


I saw Tom Selleck discussing the family dinners in "Blue Bloods"--he explained that while there were spit buckets around, Donnie Wahlberg actually really did eat the food.


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## getreal (Sep 29, 2003)

jr461 said:


> Not a trope so much as an observation - it seems that as soon as someone arrives home from wherever they've been on a TV show or in a movie, they must immediately have a drink. Either right to the fridge for a beer, otherwise it's generally wine or whisky. Sometimes it's a soft drink but most often it's alcoholic.
> 
> I'm not talking about coming home, settling in, doing a couple of things and then getting a drink. It seems characters go directly from the door to the drink.
> 
> Is this common in real life? It's not in my family so perhaps I just don't see it.


In my experience IRL, coming home is hurriedly followed by a race to the bathroom!


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## astrohip (Jan 7, 2003)

getreal said:


> In my experience IRL, coming home is hurriedly followed by a race to the bathroom!


Wait... is this the Plot Tropes thread, or the Colonoscopy Yechh! thread?


----------



## That Don Guy (Mar 13, 2003)

cheesesteak said:


> I don't know why or when I started noticing this but most men who can be even remotely considered attractive seem to sleep bare chested. Meanwhile, women wear two layers of clothing in bed.


This reminds me of the "L-shaped bedsheet" trope (I think Roger Ebert came up with it); when a couple is in bed presumably naked, the bedsheet covers the woman's chest but not the man's.


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## lambertman (Dec 21, 2002)

spartanstew said:


> You take off your pants upon arriving home?


Is there any other reason to have a home?


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## allan (Oct 14, 2002)

getreal said:


> In my experience IRL, coming home is hurriedly followed by a race to the bathroom!


Which brings up another trope. Nobody pees unless it's part of the plot.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

To be fair, nobody in TV or movies does much of anything unless it's part of the plot. By definition.


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## awsnyde (May 11, 2007)

I read about half the posts in this thread, and tried some searches on this site’s not-that-great search feature, so hopefully this is not a dupe, but the trope I hate, nay loath, the most:

It seems like every sci-fi series has to do a forced fighting episode where one or more characters are captured or kidnapped and forced to engage in brutal fights, sometimes to the death. Every Star Trek series, Battlestar Galactica (the remake—I’m not sure about the original), Agents of Shield, even Under the Dome! That said, while we’ve only started watching season 3, if memory serves—and I’m getting old so it may not—The Expanse has not done one...yet.


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## Jonathan_S (Oct 23, 2001)

DevdogAZ said:


> There's also a practical reason for this. Since they do multiple takes of each scene, and shoot each scene from multiple angles as well, it helps with continuity and editing if the amount of food on the plate isn't constantly changing. It's also why they keep a spit bucket nearby when an actor actually has to eat food, because depending on the scene and the director, they may have to take that same bite 10+ times before they're done filming that scene.


And why showing characters eating Chinese takeout straight from the boxes has been popular - the camera doesn't actually show the remaining food so there's even less room for a continuity glitch.


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## NickTheGreat (Aug 31, 2015)

jr461 said:


> Not a trope so much as an observation - it seems that as soon as someone arrives home from wherever they've been on a TV show or in a movie, they must immediately have a drink. Either right to the fridge for a beer, otherwise it's generally wine or whisky. Sometimes it's a soft drink but most often it's alcoholic.
> 
> I'm not talking about coming home, settling in, doing a couple of things and then getting a drink. It seems characters go directly from the door to the drink.
> 
> Is this common in real life? It's not in my family so perhaps I just don't see it.


And they don't usually shut the door either!


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

People being chased by a car who decide to run in the middle of the road.

All locks can be opened by hitting it once or twice with a rock.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

cheesesteak said:


> People being chased by a car who decide to run in the middle of the road.
> 
> All locks can be opened by hitting it once or twice with a rock.


Any door can be kicked open, first shot, but some out of shape detective. Makes you wonder how safe any of our locks are.


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## jr461 (Jul 9, 2004)

cheesesteak said:


> People being chased by a car who decide to run in the middle of the road.
> 
> All locks can be opened by hitting it once or twice with a rock.


Or with a fire extinguisher.



Steveknj said:


> Any door can be kicked open, first shot, but some out of shape detective. Makes you wonder how safe any of our locks are.


And any car can be started in seconds by anyone by pulling out the panel under the steering wheel (this seems to come off quite easily on all cars) and touching together the 2 loose but already stripped wires that are just there.

Here's another - police, FBI, etc, when spotting the person they're after, always yell and identify themselves while still so far away that the one they're after easily runs away. In the meantime the guy (or gal) was not running or doing anything until they heard "STOP - POLICE (or FBI).

While we're in the action realm, no one gets hurt during a fight until they're mostly or all dead. Getting slammed with objects, head bashed into tables, being thrown to the ground or into a wall, punched 4 or 5 times ....they keep coming back. It's like WWE until something is jabbed into someone's head or heart or they are shot dead. Getting stabbed or shot otherwise isn't usually enough to stop someone from continuing to fight or chase.


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

Steveknj said:


> Any door can be kicked open, first shot, but some out of shape detective. Makes you wonder how safe any of our locks are.


Au contraire: on a recent "Major Crimes" repeat episode (the final or second-to-final?), it took Buzz 2 goes at the door before he broke it open.


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## dswallow (Dec 3, 2000)

Mikeguy said:


> Au contraire: on a recent "Major Crimes" repeat episode (the final or second-to-final?), it took Buzz 2 goes at the door before he broke it open.


The common trope variant is to expressly poke fun at the trope in such a manner.


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

It's not a trope but it bothers me... People being chased in a life or death situation who run at about 4 mph. I assume that it's done to make it easier for the camera to track them but I still yell in my head "Run faster, dumbass!"


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## sharkster (Jul 3, 2004)

Or you see a car chasing them and they are outrunning the car. Reeeely? 

It's especially annoying when they stay in the path of the car, instead of veering off to a place where the car wouldn't be able to hit them.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

sharkster said:


> Or you see a car chasing them and they are outrunning the car. Reeeely?
> 
> It's especially annoying when they stay in the path of the car, instead of veering off to a place where the car wouldn't be able to hit them.


Or giant rolling boulders, or spaceships crashing, etc. They always run along the deadly object's path, instead of simply...stepping aside.

A related trope is earthquake cracks that literally chase people...


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## getreal (Sep 29, 2003)

Running away from danger and stopping suddenly at the very edge of a cliff.


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## jr461 (Jul 9, 2004)

I don't think it's possible to diffuse a bomb with more than 1 second left on the red, digital clock. If shows ever had anyone but the star doing the diffusing it might add some suspense - perhaps some no name from the bomb squad should attempt it and have them fail once in a while. 

Of course we're so conditioned to the star doing it that if some no name did suddenly try they'd be telegraphing a fail.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

Defusing...although watching somebody diffuse a bomb _could _be entertaining!


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## stile99 (Feb 27, 2002)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> Defusing...although watching somebody diffuse a bomb _could _be entertaining!


Bombs tend to handle that part themselves, no?


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## Peter000 (Apr 15, 2002)

jr461 said:


> I don't think it's possible to diffuse a bomb with more than 1 second left on the red, digital clock.


When James Bond diffuses a bomb it's always with 00:07 seconds left.


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## longrider (Oct 26, 2017)

jr461 said:


> I don't think it's possible to diffuse a bomb with more than 1 second left on the red, digital clock. If shows ever had anyone but the star doing the diffusing it might add some suspense - perhaps some no name from the bomb squad should attempt it and have them fail once in a while.
> 
> Of course we're so conditioned to the star doing it that if some no name did suddenly try they'd be telegraphing a fail.


Also, why does the clock always stop showing the 1 second? In reality the clock would continue to zero and nothing would happen as the connection to the detonator was cut or the clock would go out as power to the timer was cut.


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## laria (Sep 7, 2000)

Also why does the bad guy even put a clock on there!


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

laria said:


> Also why does the bad guy even put a clock on there!


To up the tension for the audience, duh!


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## alpacaboy (Oct 29, 2004)

MacGruber... MACGRUBER!!!
MacGruber (5/12/07)


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## john4200 (Nov 1, 2009)

laria said:


> Also why does the bad guy even put a clock on there!


I've always thought they should have a particularly dastardly villain do something like build a bomb with a clock that does not behave as expected. You could do all sorts of things, like have it suddenly start counting up and then down again, suddenly skip 10 seconds, maybe flash a beghilos message or 666, or make it blow up at something other than 0:00.


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## ufo4sale (Apr 21, 2001)

john4200 said:


> I've always thought they should have a particularly dastardly villain do something like build a bomb with a clock that does not behave as expected. You could do all sorts of things, like have it suddenly start counting up and then down again, suddenly skip 10 seconds, maybe flash a beghilos message or 666, or make it blow up at something other than 0:00.


Your a sick sick man but I like where your heads at.


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## jr461 (Jul 9, 2004)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> To up the tension for the audience, duh!


But there's no tension anyway for reasons above


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## BrettStah (Nov 12, 2000)

On almost all cop shows... a baby had to be delivered and they can't get the pregnant woman to a hospital for some reason, so a cop needs to deliver the baby. And the baby is somehow usually not gross looking immediately after being born, and there is no sign of what comes out after the baby, or the umbilical cord.


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## David Platt (Dec 13, 2001)

BrettStah said:


> On almost all cop shows... a baby had to be delivered and they can't get the pregnant woman to a hospital for some reason, so a cop needs to deliver the baby. And the baby is somehow usually not gross looking immediately after being born, and there is no sign of what comes out after the baby, or the umbilical cord.


Ha, I know what show you watched this week.


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

Not a plot trope itself but I'm convinced that the main reason why there are nude sex scenes in tv shows and movies is simply because the director wants to check out the actress's boobs. The sex scene really adds nothing to the plot other than to make family viewing uncomfortable.


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## MikeCC (Jun 19, 2004)

cheesesteak said:


> Not a plot trope itself but I'm convinced that the main reason why there are nude sex scenes in tv shows and movies is simply because the director wants to check out the actress's boobs. The sex scene really adds nothing to the plot other than to make family viewing uncomfortable.


Or her tushy. Man I watched _The Americans_ for that; Felicity, er Keri Russell must have spent a LOT of time in the gym... her backside was super fit. Damn.


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

Everybody's cell phone vibrates loudly like it's laying flat on a hard surface no matter where it actually is - a pocket, a purse, a drawer etc...


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

cheesesteak said:


> Everybody's cell phone vibrates loudly like it's laying flat on a hard surface no matter where it actually is - a pocket, a purse, a drawer etc...


...to the point where when they do it right, it's startling!


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## Flop (Dec 2, 2005)

Not really a trope, and likely mentioned before: lights inside helmets (space, haz-mat, etc) that serve no purpose other than to light up the actor's face, and would be completely counter productive for actual usage.


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## tomhorsley (Jul 22, 2010)

Flop said:


> Not really a trope, and likely mentioned before: lights inside helmets (space, haz-mat, etc) that serve no purpose other than to light up the actor's face, and would be completely counter productive for actual usage.


And instrument displays in spaceships that dramatically project the numbers and graphs onto the pilots face (anyone ever noticed a car driver with a speedometer projected on his face?).


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## Tony_T (Nov 2, 2017)

I'm sure the bomb defused with 00:01 on the digital clock has been mentioned, but how about the blinking red light when the bomb is activated (that when under a car is noticed by the intended target in the nick of time)


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## Worf (Sep 15, 2000)

Flop said:


> Not really a trope, and likely mentioned before: lights inside helmets (space, haz-mat, etc) that serve no purpose other than to light up the actor's face, and would be completely counter productive for actual usage.


Masks too. Basically anything with a faceplate. And yeah, the only purpose is theatrical - because if it wasn't there, you'd really just see dark square of a face - the faceplate glass or plastic just absorbs so much light that the camera will not be able to make out who is behind it. Even worse, it can be reflective in some circumstances and you can end up accidentally filming the crew and set.

So a really annoying light on the inside lights up the face for the camera (so we the audience can identify the character), and eliminates the chance of the faceplate causing a reflection so the actor can move around without the need for movement planning.

I just wonder how the actor can actually see out - the light obviously reflects into the actor's eyes, making it impossible to see out of (and thus see where they're going). It's like when you're driving at night and someone turns on the door light - you can't see outside anymore.

On a similar note - ever notice how things like computer screens and tablets and such always seem to reflect in glasses clearly? Camera zooms into a face of someone using a computer or tablet or phone and you can see what they're reading in their glasses... just like speedometers that project onto faces.

Or, the instruments reflect intentionally on a darkened faceplate...


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## wtherrell (Dec 23, 2004)

Yep, always the burning torch, candle, lantern held up in front of the face as our intrepid heroes advance through the darkness towards the terror that awaits. Always kills the suspense.. for me at least.


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

Why do people keep messing with tough guys who end up killing everybody and their uncle Sammy? Frank Castle and John Wick and every other kung fu movie hero. Why do armies of bad guys keep zooming in from nowhere to end up being bulk surprise presents for the city's coroner when he shows up for work the next day? Don't these henchmen have cable?


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

cheesesteak said:


> Why do people keep messing with tough guys who end up killing everybody and their uncle Sammy? Frank Castle and John Wick and every other kung fu movie hero. Why do armies of bad guys keep zooming in from nowhere to end up being bulk surprise presents for the city's coroner when he shows up for work the next day? Don't these henchmen have cable?


Because they know there's no way for people like that to actually exist!


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## Snappa77 (Feb 14, 2004)

Was watching clips of Boston Legal and the Practice on YouTube and kept noticing this:

Lawyers talking to their clients in jail with a GUARD RIGHT THERE IN THE ROOM WITH THEM! 

Privilege doesn't extend to correction officers. Clients are giving details, talking strategy and some confessing all in front of a prison guard. 

Just about EVERY show has done this. Makes no sense.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

Worf said:


> I just wonder how the actor can actually see out - the light obviously reflects into the actor's eyes, making it impossible to see out of (and thus see where they're going). It's like when you're driving at night and someone turns on the door light - you can't see outside anymore.


...although the sets are probably a lot brighter than they look to us...

(OK, I'm responding to a year-old post. Oops!)


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## Donbadabon (Mar 5, 2002)

Why is it on cop shows whenever they get a call they are always driving in the opposite direction of where they need to be, so they always have to do a u-turn?


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## Regina (Mar 30, 2003)

I am pretty sure I have read all the posts and no one has mentioned this one, so please forgive me if I "smeek" (is smeeking still a thing?)...
With cell phones, e-mail and texting, I find it hard to believe that people would wait until dinner or even when they are ready to go to bed to discuss HUGE news like getting a new job or how their doctor's appointment went...but on so many shows, this is what happens....drives me nuts.
Like the husband and wife (or husband and husband, or gf and gf) will be getting ready for bed and one will say, "So how was your big job interview?" HOW COULD HE HAVE NOT TALKED TO HER ALL DAY?


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

Because that's the next scene, duh!


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## Donbadabon (Mar 5, 2002)

Regina said:


> HOW COULD HE HAVE NOT TALKED TO HER ALL DAY?


Ha!

That happens too when people drive home from some big situation. They will walk in the door and one person will say "I really don't think I did well on the interview". And I am always asking did they not talk about this on the drive home??


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

Regina said:


> I am pretty sure I have read all the posts and no one has mentioned this one, so please forgive me if I "smeek" (is smeeking still a thing?)...
> With cell phones, e-mail and texting, I find it hard to believe that people would wait until dinner or even when they are ready to go to bed to discuss HUGE news like getting a new job or how their doctor's appointment went...but on so many shows, this is what happens....drives me nuts.
> Like the husband and wife (or husband and husband, or gf and gf) will be getting ready for bed and one will say, "So how was your big job interview?" HOW COULD HE HAVE NOT TALKED TO HER ALL DAY?


Well on TV it's the one time the whole family is together


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## Craigbob (Dec 2, 2006)

Donbadabon said:


> Ha!
> 
> That happens too when people drive home from some big situation. They will walk in the door and one person will say "I really don't think I did well on the interview". And I am always asking did they not talk about this on the drive home??


In my case my GF works in retail and isn't available to talk on the phone except for breaks and lunch, which may not coincide with my free time.

Not everyone works in an office where they have time to chat on the phone.


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## Donbadabon (Mar 5, 2002)

^ I was referring to two people riding in the same car from the same place. So they would've had ample time to talk before walking in the front door.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

Donbadabon said:


> ^ I was referring to two people riding in the same car from the same place. So they would've had ample time to talk before walking in the front door.


But only if there was a scene in the car. Otherwise, getting home is the first chance the director has to show the conversation.


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## Snappa77 (Feb 14, 2004)

Is there some omnipotent being who always knows when someone is leaving a jail cell, visiting room, prison area that unlocks the door for them the second they get to v the door?

Also everyone and I mean EVERYONE uses the same universal sound effect for prison doors opening/closing. 

Movies, tv shows, local tv access channel, your kids 3rd grade play.... EVERYONE. Same sound everytime.


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## jr461 (Jul 9, 2004)

Snappa77 said:


> Also everyone and I mean EVERYONE uses the same universal sound effect for prison doors opening/closing.
> 
> Movies, tv shows, local tv access channel, your kids 3rd grade play.... EVERYONE. Same sound everytime.


Also the same sounds are used in everything for banks of lights going on and off. In my experience lights just go on and off pretty quietly.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

And of course there's the Wilhelm Scream...


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## getreal (Sep 29, 2003)

Speaking of sound effects, every time a firearm is wielded and moved slightly it makes a specific sound ... only on the screen ... not in real life.


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

And the sound of a sword being drawn from its sheath, even though that metal-on-metal sound would indicate the sword wasn't being properly maintained.


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## longrider (Oct 26, 2017)

jr461 said:


> Also the same sounds are used in everything for banks of lights going on and off. In my experience lights just go on and off pretty quietly.


While the sound effect of a contactor is legitimate in large installations ( a contactor is a relay used so one light switch can control multiple lighting circuits) what gets me is when they flip the switch and it takes a second for the first bank of lights to go off, then another second for the second bank of lights, etc


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## sharkster (Jul 3, 2004)

I'm finding myself a lot more annoyed with the dramatic music/sounds that feel like they overshadow the talking. It might be partially my hearing problems, but I sure as hell can hear those sounds really well! The dialogue, not so much. 

Often there are two layers of 'background' sounds. You have some dramatic music and then big old booming sounds or high-pitched REEEEEEE sounds that make my head explode. I can't hear that many things at the same time and some of them increase my tinnitus as well.

Aside from that, I'm also still seeing the stupid as hell one that's mostly on sitcoms where one character knows something and everything gets all messed up because that character doesn't tell the other or others about this one important thing, or clear up the misconstruances of the others, so the stupid goes on and on until the end when they find out what actually happened. That annoys me to no end.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

From the brilliant comic Morning Glories, written by Nick Spencer:


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## ej42137 (Feb 16, 2014)

Snappa77 said:


> Is there some omnipotent being who always knows when someone is leaving a jail cell, visiting room, prison area that unlocks the door for them the second they get to v the door?


Yes. He's otherwise known as the lazy writer.



Snappa77 said:


> Also everyone and I mean EVERYONE uses the same universal sound effect for prison doors opening/closing.
> 
> Movies, tv shows, local tv access channel, your kids 3rd grade play.... EVERYONE. Same sound everytime!


Not nearly as irritating to me as the stupid Foley (pointed out above) for a sword being drawn from a scabbard. Not anything like the sound of steel against leather.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

This week's sitcoms we got the normal Valentine's Day troupes. Adults can't figure out what to buy their SO, Teems fall in love with the girl/boy they can't get, and so on. It gets old, but occasionally it's done well and within the conscripts of the show. I thought the Goldbergs did it pretty well this past week.


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## Donbadabon (Mar 5, 2002)

Speaking of Holidays, I don't remember if anyone mentioned when Santa appears and everyone thinks it is one of their friends (e.g. Fred Mertz), and then their friend comes in and they are shocked to realize the real Santa was there. 
And then Santa is suddenly gone.


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## Peter000 (Apr 15, 2002)

Donbadabon said:


> And then Santa is suddenly gone.


That's the way it is with Santa. No commitment.


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## Hcour (Dec 24, 2007)

Not really a plot trope but I always found this irritating - squealing tires on a dirt road.


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

sharkster said:


> Aside from that, I'm also still seeing the stupid as hell one that's mostly on sitcoms where one character knows something and everything gets all messed up because that character doesn't tell the other or others about this one important thing, or clear up the misconstruances of the others, so the stupid goes on and on until the end when they find out what actually happened. That annoys me to no end.


Please don't ever watch Frasier.

But in all fairness, that's a specific type of comedy called Farce that is funny specifically because of the absurdities that are created by these situations.


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## alpacaboy (Oct 29, 2004)

I'm tired of starting an episode with:
Action scene
Danger! Danger!
Cut to... >2 days and 5 hours earlier...<

I realize that structurally this isn't any different than "Coming up in tonight's episode" like Dukes of Hazzard, and they at least sort of work it into the narrative now. But at the same time, it's like explicitly saying "We don't think the first 40 minutes are interesting/engaging either."


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## alpacaboy (Oct 29, 2004)

Oh, one that I saw just now...
"You mean if he dies inside
[the other guy's mind | the computer | the game | the simulation],
he dies out here too?"


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## sharkster (Jul 3, 2004)

DevdogAZ said:


> Please don't ever watch Frasier.
> 
> But in all fairness, that's a specific type of comedy called Farce that is funny specifically because of the absurdities that are created by these situations.


Yeah, I know you're right. I think it's probably me, as I am turning into this older person who is annoyed by a lot more than I used to be. Oddly, I absolutely love Frasier!  I still watch the reruns that I record overnight and it's one of my favorite comedies.


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## Craigbob (Dec 2, 2006)

alpacaboy said:


> I'm tired of starting an episode with:
> Action scene
> Danger! Danger!
> Cut to... >2 days and 5 hours earlier...<
> ...


It's a technique called "In Media Res" and has been used for a log time. But I agree it's overused these days.


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## longrider (Oct 26, 2017)

alpacaboy said:


> Oh, one that I saw just now...
> "You mean if he dies inside
> [the other guy's mind | the computer | the game | the simulation],
> he dies out here too?"


What show did you see this on? I saw it myself just recently and it is driving me crazy trying to remember which show. All I can think of is Black Lightning and while they were definitely in Kaliel's mind I dont remember the dying part in that show


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## vman41 (Jun 18, 2002)

longrider said:


> What show did you see this on? I saw it myself just recently and it is driving me crazy trying to remember which show. All I can think of is Black Lightning and while they were definitely in Kaliel's mind I dont remember the dying part in that show


Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle has been making the rounds on cable TV.


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## JYoung (Jan 16, 2002)

longrider said:


> What show did you see this on? I saw it myself just recently and it is driving me crazy trying to remember which show. All I can think of is Black Lightning and while they were definitely in Kaliel's mind I dont remember the dying part in that show


It was a plot element of the last episode of The Flash.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

JYoung said:


> It was a plot element of the last episode of The Flash.


Just watched that! And chuckled.


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## longrider (Oct 26, 2017)

JYoung said:


> It was a plot element of the last episode of The Flash.


Thank you, that's where i saw it


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## alpacaboy (Oct 29, 2004)

JYoung said:


> It was a plot element of the last episode of The Flash.


Yep, that's what I was watching when I wrote that.
I think Flash may have done it before a couple times whenever he enters someone's mind.(The Thinker, Grace, ...)

It was also in a lot of one season of Agents of Shield (the Construct).

I don't remember where else I've seen it specifically. But it just feels like any time there is a mind meld or a VR experience, there's almost always the "and if you die in there, you die in the real world too."


----------



## ej42137 (Feb 16, 2014)

alpacaboy said:


> I don't remember where else I've seen it specifically. But it just feels like any time there is a mind meld or a VR experience, there's almost always the "and if you die in there, you die in the real world too."


As anti-Vaxxers and investors in time-shares know, if you die in a dream, you will die IRL. This subject has been scientifically proved in many studies of dreams. Link Here.

So it's reasonable to extend this to VR and mind melding.


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## Snappa77 (Feb 14, 2004)

alpacaboy said:


> I'm tired of starting an episode with:
> Action scene
> Danger! Danger!
> Cut to.......


..... some alarm going off, the "dead bad guys" getting up and then the captain, sergeant, chief, commander, general, or some other boss type telling our heroes they gotta run the *DRILL* again.

Some shows like 'SWAT' & 'Seal Team' have done this in MULTIPLE episodes. It is tired, lazy and SEVERELY overused.


----------



## Snappa77 (Feb 14, 2004)

Snappa77 said:


> ..... some alarm going off, the "dead bad guys" getting up and then the captain, sergeant, chief, commander, general, or some other boss type telling our heroes they gotta run the *DRILL* again.
> 
> Some shows like 'SWAT' & 'Seal Team' have done this in MULTIPLE episodes. It is tired, lazy and SEVERELY overused.


And...... Boom. A FOX show just did it tonight. sigh.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

TV Pet Peeves and Tired Tropes


----------



## type_g (Sep 9, 2002)

Also another Trope, the training they did comes in use later in the episode.


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## Donbadabon (Mar 5, 2002)

type_g said:


> Also another Trope, the training they did comes in use later in the episode.


Ha! Yes. And that ends up being the only episode they ever use that training.

Like the buttons on KITT in Knight Rider. Suddenly it would have a parachute button needed for that one episode, and the next week it is gone.


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## Teavo (Feb 12, 2020)

Any time on a cop show where one of the main cops is suddenly kidnapped or in some fire predicament, I check out because I know all the overreacting and added drama is just fluff because the hero will be home safe by close of the episode.


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## type_g (Sep 9, 2002)

Snappa77 said:


> And...... Boom. A FOX show just did it tonight. sigh.


 and it just happened again on a CBS show which has done it many times itself.


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## Hot4Bo (Apr 3, 2003)

Teavo said:


> Any time on a cop show where one of the main cops is suddenly kidnapped or in some fire predicament, I check out because I know all the overreacting and added drama is just fluff because the hero will be home safe by close of the episode.


Not sure of other shows but Chicago Fire has unexpectedly killed off main characters.


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## MikeCC (Jun 19, 2004)

Hot4Bo said:


> Not sure of other shows but Chicago Fire has unexpectedly killed off main characters.


Yeah, in that same universe, Chicago PD killed off a sweet civilian character, Nadia DeCotis, who worked in the Unit as an administrative assistant. Her murder was part of a crossover with Law and Order: SVU, were her killer was convicted.

Her character's death was very unsettling to me: a grisly end to a character once down on her luck but working hard to improve.

And, of course, there was the brutal slaying of Olinsky. Chicago PD is always near the edge of some very dark, very evil stories.


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## Worf (Sep 15, 2000)

NCIS and spinoffs have lost a lot of major characters over the years. NCIS NOLA was the latest this season.



Spoiler: NCIS + Spinoffs


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

We were watching The Neighborhood last night (don't judge!) and it reminded me of another often used trope that they used last night. Two people start dating, they start to fall in love after some time....and suddenly, when they are about the spill their feelings for each other, one of them suddenly is offered their "dream job" and it's (pick one, Paris....usually this....New York, London...Hollywood..if it's a NY based show). We've seen this on Friends among other shows. And usually what happens is the one person doesn't want to stand in the way of the other, so they go.


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## Howie (May 3, 2004)

Probably already mentioned, but how about the one where someone gets really mad or frustrated and then goes on a destructive rampage, destroying all of his/her own stuff anywhere within arms' reach. Upon reflection, I bet they wish they hadn't done that. I saw that one on some show just last week, I don't recall which one, though.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

Howie said:


> Probably already mentioned, but how about the one where someone gets really mad or frustrated and then goes on a destructive rampage, destroying all of his/her own stuff anywhere within arms' reach. Upon reflection, I bet they wish they hadn't done that. I saw that one on some show just last week, I don't recall which one, though.


That just happened on Lincoln Rhyme. Although considering the guy was a serial killer, and what he was upset about...


Spoiler



his wife had discovered that he was a serial killer, and he was upset that in response he had had to murder her


...I guess a more rational response might have been out of character.


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## andyw715 (Jul 31, 2007)

Howie said:


> Probably already mentioned, but how about the one where someone gets really mad or frustrated and then goes on a destructive rampage, destroying all of his/her own stuff anywhere within arms' reach. Upon reflection, I bet they wish they hadn't done that. I saw that one on some show just last week, I don't recall which one, though.


Anakin, Kylo, and to a cerian extent, Luke.


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## Tony_T (Nov 2, 2017)

I'm sure this has been mentioned before, and it's not a Plot Trope, but I can't stand when "the car bomb" has a blinking red light! Black electrical tape guys!!


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

Tony_T said:


> I'm sure this has been mentioned before, and it's not a Plot Trope, but I can't stand when "the car bomb" has a blinking red light! Black electrical tape guys!!


And the countdown timer on a bomb. Why? What purpose does it serve?*

(If I were to make a bomb, I'd be tempted to add a countdown timer...and have the bomb detonate when it hits 3:47.)

*I know, I know...it tells the audience when the bomb's going off.


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## NickTheGreat (Aug 31, 2015)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> And the countdown timer on a bomb. Why? What purpose does it serve?*
> 
> (If I were to make a bomb, I'd be tempted to add a countdown timer...and have the bomb detonate when it hits 3:47.)
> 
> *I know, I know...it tells the audience when the bomb's going off.


That, or have the bomb go off 1 minute afterwards. Everyone will think they're safe, then BAM!


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## Tony_T (Nov 2, 2017)

...oh yeah, and the bomb is always defused at 00:01 (but it’s been done this way so many times that it’s really a wink to the audience now)


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## vman41 (Jun 18, 2002)

Tony_T said:


> ...oh yeah, and the bomb is always defused at 00:01


Unless you're Jame Bond saving the Federal gold reserve.


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## Worf (Sep 15, 2000)

Tony_T said:


> ...oh yeah, and the bomb is always defused at 00:01 (but it's been done this way so many times that it's really a wink to the audience now)


Someone is going to play off this soon enough I think. I remember the old cartoons when they did the countdowns and it would go "4, 3, 2, 1" then instead of 0, we'd get "1/2, 1/4, 1/8" or "0.05, 0.0001, 0.00000001" but never quite reaching 0.


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## ej42137 (Feb 16, 2014)

Worf said:


> Someone is going to play off this soon enough I think. I remember the old cartoons when they did the countdowns and it would go "4, 3, 2, 1" then instead of 0, we'd get "1/2, 1/4, 1/8" or "0.05, 0.0001, 0.00000001" but never quite reaching 0.


So, Zeno of Elara designs cartoon bombs?

To be fair, a timer for an explosive device is reasonably going to have a countdown indicator if for no other reason to tell you how fast you have to run after you press start! Most of the time they aren't going to be used offensively.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

ej42137 said:


> So, Zeno of Elara designs cartoon bombs?
> 
> To be fair, a timer for an explosive device is reasonably going to have a countdown indicator if for no other reason to tell you how fast you have to run after you press start! Most of the time they aren't going to be used offensively.


But if you're building a bomb as a terrorist/criminal act, you will know how long you've given it to go off. There's no reason to let anybody else know (except, of course, the audience)!


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## ej42137 (Feb 16, 2014)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> But if you're building a bomb as a terrorist/criminal act, you will know how long you've given it to go off. There's no reason to let anybody else know (except, of course, the audience)!


If I were about to start a countdown timer on a bomb I had built, I would want to reassure myself that the timer was properly set before I pressed the button. I might also want to use off-the-shelf components to avoid mishaps due to faulty construction.

This discussion reminded me of the grenades in _Starship Troupers_, where the bombs counted down in the Skinnies' language to sow confusion and panic.


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## Worf (Sep 15, 2000)

That's why real terrorists use a cheap off the shelf watch from Casio for their timing needs. I mean, of the billions of models of watches that Casio makes, this one specific model gets its own Wikipedia page!

If you were building your own bomb timer, you would probably just test it. Though given how cheap computers are, a cheap chip could basically do the countdown internally for a few dollars worth of parts and an hour of coding.

Of course, sometimes you can still get it wrong.


Spoiler: Kaboom


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

A few years ago, I bought a super-cheap safe for my office. Since then, TWICE I have seen that exact model used in rich people's offices/dens on TV!


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## eddyj (Jun 20, 2002)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> A few years ago, I bought a super-cheap safe for my office. Since then, TWICE I have seen that exact model used in rich people's offices/dens on TV!


How do you think they got rich? By not spending money!


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## Hank (May 31, 2000)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> A few years ago, I bought a super-cheap safe for my office. Since then, TWICE I have seen that exact model used in rich people's offices/dens on TV!


You've seen this, right?


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

Doesn't really matter...it's just more secure than having piles of cash sitting in a desk drawer (which was my old method of storing cash prior to bank deposits!)...

And the safe is in a closet, and nobody knows it's there except my maintenance person, so I'm not too worried. Considering how solid the office door is, it's probably overkill anyway.


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## astrohip (Jan 7, 2003)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> And the safe is in a closet, and nobody knows it's there except my maintenance person


And all of us!


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

Hank said:


> You've seen this, right?


That's just so bad.


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## Tony_T (Nov 2, 2017)

Wow, I wouldn't buy any safes from that company. 
How could they overlook a proper design of isolating the solenoid?


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## Mabes (Jan 12, 2001)

Maybe has been mentioned before but, the sheriff who is a complete idiot. Seeing this in Fargo season 3 but it was also in Veronica Mars and a lot of other shows and movies


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## Worf (Sep 15, 2000)

Tony_T said:


> Wow, I wouldn't buy any safes from that company.
> How could they overlook a proper design of isolating the solenoid?


Then don't watch any of the guy's other videos. It's just depressing how many people seem to make the same mistakes over and over again. You get a sense of how fed up the guy is of encountering the same flaws over and over and over again that he now uses common things you have at home to open them.

Even more depressing is when the lock can be opened faster using the bypasses than the proper way.

And never get a smart lock. Between plastic construction and exposed screws letting you get in, they are an expensive paperweight.

So many companies have cut so many corners on security products, hollywood has become reality. Some of the tricks you see on screen seem to have become reality in real life.


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## wtherrell (Dec 23, 2004)

Mabes said:


> Maybe has been mentioned before but, the sheriff who is a complete idiot. Seeing this in Fargo season 3 but it was also in Veronica Mars and a lot of other shows and movies


Roscoe Coltrane?


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## dcheesi (Apr 6, 2001)

Throwing someone (often the hero) off a cliff, and assuming that the fall has killed them. Any time you see this, you *know* that person is coming back later on in the show.


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## JYoung (Jan 16, 2002)

wtherrell said:


> Roscoe Coltrane?


Buford T. Justice and son.


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## NickTheGreat (Aug 31, 2015)

dcheesi said:


> Throwing someone (often the hero) off a cliff, and assuming that the fall has killed them. Any time you see this, you *know* that person is coming back later on in the show.


Or just leaving someone for dead.

I've never been in that type of situation, but I wouldn't just shoot someone and assume they'll eventually die after I walk away.

I'd put at least the rest of the magazine in them.


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## dcheesi (Apr 6, 2001)

NickTheGreat said:


> Or just leaving someone for dead.
> 
> I've never been in that type of situation, but I wouldn't just shoot someone and assume they'll eventually die after I walk away.
> 
> I'd put at least the rest of the magazine in them.


Rule 2 of Zombieland: Double Tap


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## sharkster (Jul 3, 2004)

I've seen it countless times, on shows and movies, where (for example) a guy breaks into a woman's dwelling. Big fight ensues. Somehow or other she is able to take him down. Looks like he could be dead. She doesn't even check. She moves only a few feet, or less, away from him WITH her back to him and has a breakdown over the whole thing.

Next bit - he's up and on her before she even knows what's going on.

What idiot would not make 200% sure the guy who has attacked her is dead? If I were shooting, I would empty the gun. He's down - I'm making sure he's dead and sure as hell not standing right next to his hand (seen the one where he grabs her leg before she can respond more times than I can count). 

But, OTOH, I get that it's about the drama. I just don't really like stupidly manufactured drama.


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## MacThor (Feb 7, 2002)

I'm sure this has already been mentioned, but:

Zombie/Monster/Alien takes out an entire heavily armed military squad (even at range).
Said Zombie/Monster/Alien then jumps on top of feeble civilian and is somehow fought off or killed.

Most recently seen in the Epix War of the Worlds.


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## alpacaboy (Oct 29, 2004)

NickTheGreat said:


> Or just leaving someone for dead.
> 
> I've never been in that type of situation, but I wouldn't just shoot someone and assume they'll eventually die after I walk away.
> 
> I'd put at least the rest of the magazine in them.


"Always put one in the brain."
- One of my former supervisors
(quoting "Miller's Crossing"  )


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

sharkster said:


> I've seen it countless times, on shows and movies, where (for example) a guy breaks into a woman's dwelling. Big fight ensues. Somehow or other she is able to take him down. Looks like he could be dead. She doesn't even check. She moves only a few feet, or less, away from him WITH her back to him and has a breakdown over the whole thing.
> 
> Next bit - he's up and on her before she even knows what's going on.
> 
> ...


If I got an intruder down, I think that I would be at one of my neighbors' doors before I even would look back.


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## vman41 (Jun 18, 2002)

NickTheGreat said:


> Or just leaving someone for dead.
> 
> I've never been in that type of situation, but I wouldn't just shoot someone and assume they'll eventually die after I walk away.
> 
> I'd put at least the rest of the magazine in them.


My friend was a juror on a murder trial a couple years ago. It was almost comical how inept the defendants were at killing the victim, though eventually they did get a fatal shot into him.


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## heySkippy (Jul 2, 2001)

Mikeguy said:


> If I got an intruder down, I think that I would be at one of my neighbors' doors before I even would look back.


That's a sure-fire way to get your neighbor killed (since we're talking tropes).


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## Snappa77 (Feb 14, 2004)

Ugh The "Bonnie & Clyde" killing and/or crime spree couple. I think just about EVERY cop show has done this trope. Criminal Minds has done it SEVERAL times. Ditto on the various Law&Orders. Now 'FBI: Most Wanted' has joined the pack.


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## Snappa77 (Feb 14, 2004)

While I'm at it....

Every hospital show has some sort of shooter/hostage situation where they want someone worked on. 

Every courtroom show has some sort of shooter/hostage situation where they want some case retried.


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## randian (Jan 15, 2014)

My "favorite" trope:
Too many shows have child characters when they shouldn't, and all too often the only reason those characters exist is to be monstrously stupid and put everybody else in serious jeopardy.


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

Stupid criminals who devise some sort of Rube Goldberg-ish plan to kill the good guy instead of just shooting him. I watched an old Mannix episode yesterday (50 year old spoilers follow) where the bad guy captures Mannix and a female photographer (Loretta Swit!) , forces them to drive into the desert at gunpoint, then makes them walk for what seems like a day, with no water, until they come across a jeep that he had previously hidden and then makes them walk some more until they collapse while he's following them in the jeep and drinking water. Of course, Mannix then fakes unconsciousness and knocks the villain out with one punch to save the day with two minutes left in the episode. The bad guy's plan was for it to look like Mannix's car broke down in the desert and he and Loretta Swit died of thirst trying to get out but why not just shoot them when they were in the middle of the desert?


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

cheesesteak said:


> The bad guy's plan was for it to look like Mannix's car broke down inn the desert and he and Loretta Swit died of thirst trying to get out but why not just shoot them when they were in the middle of the desert?


Well, if it's an accident nobody will be looking for the murderer...


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> Well, if it's an accident nobody will be looking for the murderer...


Nobody suspected him anyway except Mannix and Loretta Swit and that only happened eight seconds before the bad guy showed up pointing a gun at them.

I noticed that season 1 of the Rockford files is on Prime for free (but with commercials). Between that show and Mannix, I'll get my private eye fix for the quarantine. Maybe I just don't notice them but there don't seem to be as many private eye shows on tv like there used to be way back in my formative years.


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## Tony_T (Nov 2, 2017)

The stopped wristwatch that “proves” when something occurred.


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## Mikeguy (Jul 28, 2005)

Tony_T said:


> The stopped wristwatch that "proves" when something occurred.


How does an LCD display stop?


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

Probably been said before within these 23 pages but every other tv show has someone who can hack into every corporate and government network and database within 14.7 seconds. That and pick locks and hot wire cars.


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## Flop (Dec 2, 2005)

Police investigating some crime originating from an online source: Victim, suspect, and intransigent online company CEO are all local


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## getreal (Sep 29, 2003)

cheesesteak said:


> Probably been said before within these 23 pages but every other tv show has someone who can hack into every corporate and government network and database within 14.7 seconds. That and pick locks and hot wire cars.


And no computer hackers require a mouse or trackpad ... it's all keyboard ...


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## Teavo (Feb 12, 2020)

And hack into every camera system in any town AND zoom in to a crystal clear high def image of the suspect(s).


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## Lady Honora (Oct 9, 2018)

dcheesi said:


> Throwing someone (often the hero) off a cliff, and assuming that the fall has killed them. Any time you see this, you *know* that person is coming back later on in the show.


Soap Opera rule number one. If you don't see the body, the person survived the car crash, burning building, fall off a cliff., whatever. He/she will be gone for a while, only to return unexpectedly weeks, months, even years later. This will be a shock to their friends and enemies alike, especially the spouse who has since remarried at least once.


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## andyw715 (Jul 31, 2007)

2 cops in cop car, they see a suspect and the suspect starts running. Cop A gets out to give chase, B speeds ahead to cut off (and usually hit) suspect as he runs through an alley.


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## Howie (May 3, 2004)

andyw715 said:


> 2 cops in cop car, they see a suspect and the suspect starts running. Cop A gets out to give chase, B speeds ahead to cut off (and usually hit) suspect as he runs through an alley.


That's a good one. Seems like it happens every time.


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## madscientist (Nov 12, 2003)

Here's the thing that always happens on cop shows (I can't remember if someone already mentioned it): they see the guy they're looking for a half a block away, or across the street, or down the staircase, or whatever. They guy doesn't see them. They yell out at him "Police! Freeze!" The guy takes off and they have a long chase scene.

I know they do it so they can have a chase scene, but what idiot would yell at someone from that far away? Why wouldn't you walk up to them and THEN arrest them?

There are other similar situations like they're staking out a location in plainclothes waiting for the bad guy, he shows up, one or more cops are staring at him while talking into their wrist or holding an earpiece, the guy sees them and takes off and they yell "we've been made!" Like, no kidding! Why are you staring at this nervous guy! You all have earpieces; can't the inevitable stakeout van tell you where he is without you having to stare at him?


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## ej42137 (Feb 16, 2014)

andyw715 said:


> 2 cops in cop car, they see a suspect and the suspect starts running. Cop A gets out to give chase, B speeds ahead to cut off (and usually hit) suspect as he runs through an alley.


I would consider that tactics and training, not a trope.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

One trope that always bothered me is the use of every conceivable traffic or store cam to capture a criminal. Now, I know the tech is there and I really don't know how much the police actually use it, but it feels like any crime now is captured on some sort of camera.

On a side note, It's really starting to bug me that every movement we make is now "recorded". Without our permission. It's very Big Brother. But that's for another thread.


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

Steveknj said:


> One trope that always bothered me is the use of every conceivable traffic or store cam to capture a criminal. Now, I know the tech is there and I really don't know how much the police actually use it, but it feels like any crime now is captured on some sort of camera.
> 
> On a side note, It's really starting to bug me that every movement we make is now "recorded". Without our permission. It's very Big Brother. But that's for another thread.


It bugs me that on some shows (Killing Eve for one) they seem to exist in a universe with no surveillance cams.


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

A lot of shows nowadays have someone who can hack through the Illuminati's 27 firewalls and steal their secret accounts after 20 seconds of banging on a keyboard. I've been watching a lot of old Mannix episodes during the lock down and his secretary Peggy could get every obscure piece of information relevant to the case just by using her telephone.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

cheesesteak said:


> A lot of shows nowadays have someone who can hack through the Illuminati's 27 firewalls and steal their secret accounts after 20 seconds of banging on a keyboard. I've been watching a lot of old Mannix episodes during the lock down and his secretary Peggy could get every obscure piece of information relevant to the case just by using her telephone.


The FBI or some covert "good guy" always has some hacker on hand that can do this. If this were the case for real, we'd all be pretty screwed wouldn't we? Speaking of Blindspot (this discussion brings this show to mind), both sides always seem to be able to hack into anything, just as you describe, and also access the most high tech, secure facilitates in a matter of minutes.


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## Donbadabon (Mar 5, 2002)

Kind of trope-related I think.

Has anyone ever seen a bad guy on a show use an Apple iPhone?

I ask because I heard a discussion on the radio the other day about Apple not giving permission for their phones to be used in shows and movies if that phone will be used by a 'bad guy'. So only non-bad characters can be seen using an iPhone.

I've never paid attention before. But if this is true, it could unintentionally reveal a hidden plot early on. Like if the 'good' Senator is using a generic phone while everyone else that is 'good' is using an iPhone, it could reveal that the Senator was really a bad guy.


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## andyw715 (Jul 31, 2007)

Donbadabon said:


> Kind of trope-related I think.
> 
> Has anyone ever seen a bad guy on a show use an Apple iPhone?
> 
> ...


Rian Johnson said something like that. Good catch!


----------



## Craigbob (Dec 2, 2006)

Donbadabon said:


> Kind of trope-related I think.
> 
> Has anyone ever seen a bad guy on a show use an Apple iPhone?
> 
> ...


Yeah, that's a fairly recent development by Apple. ISTR in the not to distant past bad guys using iPhones. I wonder if applies only to those provided to the show/film by apple for promotional consideration only. What happens if a production goes out and buys an iPhone (new or used) and has it in the hands of a bad guy? Does Apple then sue? And if so, on what grounds?


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

Craigbob said:


> Yeah, that's a fairly recent development by Apple. ISTR in the not to distant past bad guys using iPhones. I wonder if applies only to those provided to the show/film by apple for promotional consideration only. What happens if a production goes out and buys an iPhone (new or used) and has it in the hands of a bad guy? Does Apple then sue? And if so, on what grounds?


Not recent...I remember reading about this ages ago (ten years? Twenty?) when it was computers. And IIRC, you're exactly right...Apple would give you the gear if it's for the right characters.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

Craigbob said:


> Yeah, that's a fairly recent development by Apple. ISTR in the not to distant past bad guys using iPhones. I wonder if applies only to those provided to the show/film by apple for promotional consideration only. What happens if a production goes out and buys an iPhone (new or used) and has it in the hands of a bad guy? Does Apple then sue? And if so, on what grounds?





Rob Helmerichs said:


> Not recent...I remember reading about this ages ago (ten years? Twenty?) when it was computers. And IIRC, you're exactly right...Apple would give you the gear if it's for the right characters.


This is so silly.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

Steveknj said:


> This is so silly.


To be fair, a lot of marketing (and that's what this is) seems silly. But it also seems to work...I suspect Apple's hard work at keeping Apples out of the hands of TV and movie villains helped make "villains only use PCs/Androids" a trope.


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## stevel (Aug 23, 2000)

OTOH, almost every ringtone I hear on a TV show is the Apple “Marimba”.


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## sharkster (Jul 3, 2004)

stevel said:


> OTOH, almost every ringtone I hear on a TV show is the Apple "Marimba".


I didn't know the name of it (I don't have an Apple phone), but I have wondered for a long time why it seems like every phone that rings on a show has that same (annoying) ring.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

sharkster said:


> I didn't know the name of it (I don't have an Apple phone), but I have wondered for a long time why it seems like every phone that rings on a show has that same (annoying) ring.


Probably because that's the most instantly recognizable ringtone...


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## sharkster (Jul 3, 2004)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> Probably because that's the most instantly recognizable ringtone...


I had actually never heard it until I started hearing it on tv shows. But now, yeah, if you hear that you know that somebody's phone is ringing.

Conversely, I've never heard that ring IRL.


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## stevel (Aug 23, 2000)

It’s the default iPhone ringtone.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

sharkster said:


> I had actually never heard it until I started hearing it on tv shows. But now, yeah, if you hear that you know that somebody's phone is ringing.
> 
> Conversely, I've never heard that ring IRL.


Oh, I have. E.g., my Dad, who has an Apple phone and isn't the type who would ever use anything but the default settings. And I often hear it in the wild.


----------



## Howie (May 3, 2004)

I changed mine from the default so I wouldn't be pegged as a Boomer. Is it still cool to have the 24 ring tone after 10 or 15 years? If so, I'm still cool.


----------



## laria (Sep 7, 2000)

I don't know when it changed, but my Xs has a different default ringtone. I never change the default.


----------



## getbak (Oct 8, 2004)

It's funny how you can tell the era of a tv show by the ringtones on the phones. I remember the old Nokia ringtone that everyone on Alias had or the Motorola one on 24.


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## Craigbob (Dec 2, 2006)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> Not recent...I remember reading about this ages ago (ten years? Twenty?) when it was computers. And IIRC, you're exactly right...Apple would give you the gear if it's for the right characters.


This started back in Feb. with Knives out.

Apple tells moviemakers that villains can't use iPhones, Rian Johnson says


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

Craigbob said:


> This started back in Feb. with Knives out.
> 
> Apple tells moviemakers that villains can't use iPhones, Rian Johnson says


Trust me...they've been doing this for a very long time. Decades. That's just when Johnson encountered it.

E.g., here's somebody noticing it in 2005:

24's Good Guys Do Use Macs


----------



## JYoung (Jan 16, 2002)

sharkster said:


> I had actually never heard it until I started hearing it on tv shows. But now, yeah, if you hear that you know that somebody's phone is ringing.
> 
> Conversely, I've never heard that ring IRL.


Oh, I have.



Rob Helmerichs said:


> Oh, I have. E.g., my Dad, who has an Apple phone and isn't the type who would ever use anything but the default settings. And I often hear it in the wild.


IMO and experience, most people don't change it from the default.
Apple (and Android) do make it easier than before but still.....

When Corporate first started rolling out cell phones to employees, I changed mine right away because you'd be in a meeting or just a group of fellow employees and someone's cell phone would go off and everyone would reach for their phone because they all had the same ringtone.

Even then, the selection was limited and that was part of the reason I started rolling my own custom ringtones. It enabled me to easily identify that it was my phone ringing (or getting an email or text) as opposed to someone else's.

(I know some people will buy custom musical ringtones but is it worth paying more for the ringtone than you would for the actual song.)

On TV (and in the movies), it's kind of rare that someone is using a custom ringtone.
(Although Mark Wahlberg's character did in the Ted movies.)


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

I switched mine to a (free) ringtone that emulates an old-fashioned rotary-style phone ringing. Both because I like the retro aspect of it, and because nobody, but NOBODY, else ever has it.


----------



## JYoung (Jan 16, 2002)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> I switched mine to a (free) ringtone that emulates an old-fashioned rotary-style phone ringing. Both because I like the retro aspect of it, and because nobody, but NOBODY, else ever has it.


Actually, my brother does.
(Seriously.)


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## EdwPowers (Apr 15, 2002)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> I switched mine to a (free) ringtone that emulates an old-fashioned rotary-style phone ringing. Both because I like the retro aspect of it, and because nobody, but NOBODY, else ever has it.





JYoung said:


> Actually, my brother does.
> (Seriously.)


I use it too, for that very reason.


----------



## Hot4Bo (Apr 3, 2003)

Howie said:


> I changed mine from the default so I wouldn't be pegged as a Boomer. Is it still cool to have the 24 ring tone after 10 or 15 years? If so, I'm still cool.


If that makes you cool, I'm still cool too.

Funny story, I was at a party at a friend's house about a year and a half ago, I think, and I was sitting on the back deck. My phone was in my hand and not ringing and yet, I heard it ringing. Turns out the guy next to me had the same ringtone on his phone.


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## Hank (May 31, 2000)

EdwPowers said:


> I use it too, for that very reason.


Same here. It's included in the iPhone list of standard ringtones.

Anyone remember "ringback" tones where you could change the sound of the ringing tone people heard when they called you? That was fun while it lasted but wow flamed out fast.

edit: Looks like it's still a thing on Verizon. I can't remember the last time I heard one though.


----------



## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> I switched mine to a (free) ringtone that emulates an old-fashioned rotary-style phone ringing. Both because I like the retro aspect of it, and because nobody, but NOBODY, else ever has it.


I heard this in public just a couple days ago. Was waiting for take out food in a restaurant, along with about 20 other people (the place was very small, and only had a couple people working). This lady kept receiving calls on her phone and had that horrible, obnoxious ringtone.

I don't understand why people use audible ringtones at all, especially when they're in public and know it will annoy other people. (Probably because they have no awareness of those around them, and have never considered that it's incredibly annoying.)


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## allan (Oct 14, 2002)

DevdogAZ said:


> I don't understand why people use audible ringtones at all, especially when they're in public and know it will annoy other people. (Probably because they have no awareness of those around them, and have never considered that it's incredibly annoying.)


I don't always detect the non-audible ringtones. If I'm in a meeting, I'll turn off the sound, but normally I have an audible ring.


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## eddyj (Jun 20, 2002)

My ringtone is a Puertorican tree frog (coqui). Very distinctive, and not common at all, so I never wonder if it is my phone that's ringing.


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## Craigbob (Dec 2, 2006)

DevdogAZ said:


> I don't understand why people use audible ringtones at all, especially when they're in public and know it will annoy other people. (Probably because they have no awareness of those around them, and have never considered that it's incredibly annoying.)


I always change my ringtone. My current one is the theme from Close Encounters of the Third Kind. I've always been partial to distinct tones and Electronic music. I use an audible ringtone when out in public since the phone is in my pocket and I don't always feel the vibration. I'll hear the ringtone however.


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## EdwPowers (Apr 15, 2002)

Craigbob said:


> I always change my ringtone. My current one is the theme from Close Encounters of the Third Kind. I've always been partial to distinct tones and Electronic music. I use an audible ringtone when out in public since the phone is in my pocket and I don't always feel the vibration. I'll hear the ringtone however.


I'm back to the old style phone ring now but for a while, I had sounds of the Jetsons.

I always mute when I am somewhere that I don't want the phone ringing. It is rare that I feel the vibration so not much use for me to even try that.

As for the ring on 24, it sounded just like the conference room phone at work. Didn't know if it was just coincidence or not but I am a retired federal worker.


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## Hank (May 31, 2000)

I think I want to get this as my ringtone now:


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> I switched mine to a (free) ringtone that emulates an old-fashioned rotary-style phone ringing. Both because I like the retro aspect of it, and because nobody, but NOBODY, else ever has it.


I used to meticulously change all my regular contacts to distinct ringtones (my wife's was set to Hells Bells because of all the bells that go off at the beginning of the song, wife took it to mean something different ). But now I just leave the defaults. In fact since my phone is with me 90% of the time I just leave it on vibrate more often than not. I just don't get all that many calls.


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## kaszeta (Jun 11, 2004)

Steveknj said:


> I used to meticulously change all my regular contacts to distinct ringtones (my wife's was set to Hells Bells because of all the bells that go off at the beginning of the song, wife took it to mean something different ). But now I just leave the defaults. In fact since my phone is with me 90% of the time I just leave it on vibrate more often than not. I just don't get all that many calls.


I'm not sure I've ever heard a ringtone on my current phone. Either I feel the phone vibrate, or my watch vibrate.

If I'm not carrying the phone or the watch, I'm in a circumstance where I don't want calls.


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## laria (Sep 7, 2000)

I recently turned my ringer back on because I have a piece of exercise equipment scheduled for delivery in a few weeks that was ordered back on April 10, and the people delivering will sometimes call to schedule you sooner if they have an opening. I don't wear my Apple Watch to sleep and I don't want to miss the call if they call in the morning, so I have started not only having the ringer on but also answering all the calls on it because I don't know what number the call is going to come from if they do call.  I'll be glad to turn it back off. Before that I had it on because we were refinancing the house and I kept getting calls from unknown bank/appraiser/title people.


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## eddyj (Jun 20, 2002)

laria said:


> I have a piece of exercise equipment scheduled for delivery


Peloton?


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## laria (Sep 7, 2000)

eddyj said:


> Peloton?


Yes, although at this point there's only 2 weeks left of 6.5, so I don't think it's coming early.


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

laria said:


> Yes, although at this point there's only 2 weeks left of 6.5, so I don't think it's coming early.


Do you have a great big picture window in your exercise bike room like everybody I've seen in a Pelaton commercial, except for the black guy for some reason?

Speaking of black people, seems like every black person on tv calls their mother "mama" even though I've never heard a real life black person say it or at least I've heard it very infrequently. Could be a regional thing.


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## Jeff_in_Bklyn (Apr 26, 2003)

Have not read the whole thread, has anyone mentioned that every detective show has a “Strangers on a Train” episode.


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## Snappa77 (Feb 14, 2004)

cheesesteak said:


> Speaking of black people, seems like every black person on tv calls their mother "mama" even though I've never heard a real life black person say it or at least I've heard it very infrequently. Could be a regional thing.


No one I know in the North East says "Mama". Mostly "Ma" or as they say here in Boston "Maaah".

"Mama" might be a southern thing.


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## Howie (May 3, 2004)

Freddie Mercury said "Mama."


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

But he had just killed a man...


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## eddyj (Jun 20, 2002)

cheesesteak said:


> except for the black guy for some reason?


The reason is that if people saw him, they would call the police and report he had stolen the bike and was trying to get away.


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## vman41 (Jun 18, 2002)

Snappa77 said:


> No one I know in the North East says "Mama". Mostly "Ma" or as they say here in Boston "Maaah".
> 
> "Mama" might be a southern thing.


My grandmother in Ohio was grandma and the one in New Jersey was nana.


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## Hank (May 31, 2000)

This was fun: 12 Myths We Believe in Thanks to Hollywood


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## Jonathan_S (Oct 23, 2001)

Hank said:


> This was fun: 12 Myths We Believe in Thanks to Hollywood


It's a big sky out there - and many large asteroids are discovered surprisingly late. While the rest have merit I'm quite skeptical of "Truth" - "Astronomers are aware of all the big asteroids which are going to pass our planet in the next 100 years". 
They know the orbits to a reasonable degree of accuracy over at least the next 100 years of all detected big asteroids. That's not the same thing as being sure you've detected them all.


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## Hank (May 31, 2000)

Jonathan_S said:


> It's a big sky out there - and many large asteroids are discovered surprisingly late. While the rest have merit I'm quite skeptical of "Truth" - "Astronomers are aware of all the big asteroids which are going to pass our planet in the next 100 years".
> They know the orbits to a reasonable degree of accuracy over at least the next 100 years of all detected big asteroids. That's not the same thing as being sure you've detected them all.


Yeah, I agree with that mostly. But it's also not "at any moment" either. I suspect is there is a new, previously undetected asteroid, they would be able to detect it well in advance of the planet's demise. But probably not quickly enough to launch a huge laser or atomic bomb to blow it up.  But maybe with SpaceX operating so efficiently, quickly enough to launch something on a Falcon9 to nudge it out of the way.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

Hank said:


> Yeah, I agree with that mostly. But it's also not "at any moment" either. I suspect if there is a new, previously undetected asteroid, they would be able to detect it well in advance of the planet's demise. But probably not quickly enough to launch a huge laser or atomic bomb to blow it up.  But maybe with SpaceX operating so efficiently, quickly enough to launch something on a Falcon9 to nudge it out of the way.


My understanding is that anything coming at us from the plane of the ecliptic (where the vast, vast majority of asteroids are) will be seen well in advance, and probably is already known. The problem would be asteroids with eccentric orbits (i.e., coming from above or below the plane of the ecliptic), which both could get quite close without being noticed, and are much less likely to already be known.


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## eddyj (Jun 20, 2002)

Yeah, the asteroid one bugged me too.


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## dswallow (Dec 3, 2000)

Surprise asteroid EVADES Earth protection satellites in one of the closest flybys ever recorded


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## Donbadabon (Mar 5, 2002)

This isn't necessarily a 'plot' trope, but it seems a lot of sitcoms where they own a house, the house is 2 levels with a staircase.
This would be a house only, apartments wouldn't count.
It seems to be used to give the actors a place to go, and to appear, onscreen.
There are probably a lot, but the only one that I can think of off the top of my head that was just one level was The Golden Girls.


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## Hank (May 31, 2000)

All in the Family. Cosby Show. The Facts of Life. Family Ties. Modern Family. Brady Bunch. Fresh Prince. Happy Days. Rosanne. Full House. Married with Children.

And of course, Big Bang Theory.


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## Donbadabon (Mar 5, 2002)

All those you listed on the first line are two story houses with staircases. Unless you were confirming the 'trope'.
And Big Bang was an apartment, but stairs did play a big part of their place.


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## Hank (May 31, 2000)

Donbadabon said:


> All those you listed on the first line are two story houses with staircases. Unless you were confirming the 'trope'.


Yes, all of those fit your description, and that was off the top of my head. It's a very common set setup.



Donbadabon said:


> And Big Bang was an apartment, but stairs did play a big part of their place.


Exactly. It's still the same idea though as the house. And also why I put a smilie there.


----------



## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

Donbadabon said:


> This isn't necessarily a 'plot' trope, but it seems a lot of sitcoms where they own a house, the house is 2 levels with a staircase.
> This would be a house only, apartments wouldn't count.
> It seems to be used to give the actors a place to go, and to appear, onscreen.
> There are probably a lot, but the only one that I can think of off the top of my head that was just one level was The Golden Girls.


I also think that's the "classic" All-American suburban house. I'd also imagine they have a lot of sets they've created over the years with that kind of layout which they repurpose.


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## oscarfish (Mar 2, 2009)

Ignoring basements, The Middle and King of the Hill are both single story.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

oscarfish said:


> Ignoring basements, The Middle and King of the Hill are both single story.


Both are "anti-American Dream" type families. I don't watch King much, but the Hecks in The Middle, were supposed to be poor to lower middle class working families. Sure there were a few similar stories of families in the same income level (Married With Children is one that comes to mind) where they had two story houses), but often that's how they differentiate.


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## Hcour (Dec 24, 2007)

Our hero wakes up in the hospital with all kinds of wires and tubes attached, as soon as the doctor or nurse leaves the room he starts pulling everything off, getting out of bed, says something like "I don't have time for this." If his partner is there the partner will scold him but won't stop him.


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## Dawghows (May 17, 2001)

Not really a plot trope, but units of time are almost always in threes. Something always happened 3 days ago, 3 hours ago, 3 months ago. I notice this especially on cop shows, but that might just be because I watch a lot more cop shows than anything else.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

Hcour said:


> Our hero wakes up in the hospital with all kinds of wires and tubes attached, as soon as the doctor or nurse leaves the room he starts pulling everything off, getting out of bed, says something like "I don't have time for this." If his partner is there the partner will scold him but won't stop him.


And often times, (s)he gets out of bed, grimaces with pain, stumbles out of bed and the next thing the they are walking without pain...until the pain returns due to some plot turn.


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## randian (Jan 15, 2014)

Steveknj said:


> And often times, (s)he gets out of bed, grimaces with pain, stumbles out of bed and the next thing the they are walking without pain...until the pain returns due to some plot turn.


Yep, and they can fight at full capacity the day after taking a bullet.


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## the928guy (Sep 30, 2002)

This has probably been mentioned before, but since I saw it again today for the zillionth time:

"You lied to me!" or "Why did you keep this a secret from me?" And always, the answer, "I did it to protect you." Which, of course, never works.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

the928guy said:


> This has probably been mentioned before, but since I saw it again today for the zillionth time:
> 
> "You lied to me!" or "Why did you keep this a secret from me?" And always, the answer, "I did it to protect you." Which, of course, never works.


On a related but more general note, there's the tendency for people to withhold information from each other for reasons that make no sense except to keep the plot "interesting."

There are so many movies or shows that would be half the length if people would just talk to each other!

Comic book writer Nick Spencer made very ironic use of the Hanging a Lantern trope while talking about this very issue in his Morning Glories comic:








(They then go on to not share information, which draws things out. )


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## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> On a related but more general note, there's the tendency for people to withhold information from each other for reasons that make no sense except to keep the plot "interesting."
> 
> There are so many movies or shows that would be half the length if people would just talk to each other!


Every episode of Frasier would have only been five minutes long.


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## Hcour (Dec 24, 2007)

Steveknj said:


> And often times, (s)he gets out of bed, grimaces with pain, stumbles out of bed and the next thing the they are walking without pain...until the pain returns due to some plot turn.


I'm thinking this hospital trope must be one of the tropiest tropes out there. I've now seen it in two movies and a tv series in just the last week or so.


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## DeDondeEs (Feb 20, 2004)

I’ve been watching that show Imposters. Between that show and the Americans it got me thinking, how can somebody date or marry and live someone and not know they are wearing a wig all of the time? Are there wigs/attachment techniques out there that would be that good to fool a person?


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## mrdazzo7 (Jan 8, 2006)

Probably mentioned already but When a character finds out the secret identity of a bad guy (or finds out some big secret that changes the entire plot) and instead of screaming it from the rooftops immediately, they instead choose to confront the bad guy, alone, without telling a single person where they’re going or even hinting at their suspicions. This is the pinnacle of lazy writing to me and I hate it. 
If you have a show that hinges on one party keeping something from another party, then don’t make that reveal until you’re ready to treat it honestly. All it does it make the character who’s now clued in look like an idiot and to me it diminishes everything that happens after that point.


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## Amnesia (Jan 30, 2005)

I think it's worse when it's the bad guy who finds out the identity of the good guy and doesn't tell anyone...


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

The whole "I can't tell you this really important thing on the phone" thing. Followed by Person X keeps calling Person Y who never answers but doesn't text the "You're in danger!" message they were calling about.


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## Snappa77 (Feb 14, 2004)

Got a few here from my last week and half of watching tv non stop.

Whenever they show a shot of a non urban moving train that train HAS TO whistle. For no reason. They can be on a 5 mile straight stretch of track thru a mountain with NOTHING around and the train horn will still go off for some reason. 

Good guys will gun down countless henchmen with impunity but all of a sudden when they get to the bad guy/boss who is shooting at them or threatening their or someone else's life the good guy suddenly gets gun shy and wants to preserve life. 

This one applies to EVERY series in the Law & Order franchise. Detectives go talk to a witness at work who without fail do 2 things.... They continue to work/move as they are speaking to the cops. And they always...ALWAYS remember some random thing/person from years ago. 

All the cars in movies/shows that take place in the 50's/60,s are in pristine condition. All freshly washed and waxed with not even a spec of dirt on them.


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## gchance (Dec 6, 2002)

Snappa77 said:


> This one applies to EVERY series in the Law & Order franchise. Detectives go talk to a witness at work who without fail do 2 things.... They continue to work/move as they are speaking to the cops. And they always...ALWAYS remember some random thing/person from years ago.


Reminds me of Johnny the Shoeshine Boy on Police Squad


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## andyw715 (Jul 31, 2007)

When someone is bad mouthing or talking gossip about another character and their audience gets awkwardly quiet.

"He's standing behind me isn't he?"


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## jr461 (Jul 9, 2004)

Snappa77 said:


> Got a few here from my last week and half of watching tv non stop.
> 
> Whenever they show a shot of a non urban moving train that train HAS TO whistle. For no reason. They can be on a 5 mile straight stretch of track thru a mountain with NOTHING around and the train horn will still go off for some reason.
> 
> ...


This reminds me of some related ones.

In Law & Order and most other cop shows, when the cops see the target on the street, the identify themselves from so far away that there is no chance they can catch him/her once they start running, which they do. This is true only in the first 30-40 minutes of shows, however. After that someone will take a short cut through some alley, cut them off with a blind-side tackle and make the arrest.

Along the lines of the train whistle, cars always screech to a stop and skid away on all shows, always. Also, drivers shut the engine for even the shortest time to just ask someone a question, then seconds later start it up again. I always anticipate them not being able to start again while danger approaches.

The henchman/boss issue is a variation on the Batman version where the boss sneaks away while everyone else gets beaten up. It happens in more serious shows, too, where they get everyone else while the head bad guy got away.


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## doom1701 (May 15, 2001)

Snappa77 said:


> This one applies to EVERY series in the Law & Order franchise. Detectives go talk to a witness at work who without fail do 2 things.... They continue to work/move as they are speaking to the cops. And they always...ALWAYS remember some random thing/person from years ago.


A similar one that bugs me on those types of shows...the first suspect is never the bad guy. The cops are certain that they've found the right person, and then realize that they've wasted their time/been mis-directed/etc.

Also, while not really a trope--big name guest stars on procedurals are almost always the bad guy.


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## gchance (Dec 6, 2002)

jr461 said:


> In Law & Order and most other cop shows, when the cops see the target on the street, the identify themselves from so far away that there is no chance they can catch him/her once they start running, which they do.


Then they yell "STOP!!!" Because definitely the criminal will stop when commanded to.


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## pdhenry (Feb 28, 2005)

Snappa77 said:


> Whenever they show a shot of a non urban moving train that train HAS TO whistle. For no reason. They can be on a 5 mile straight stretch of track thru a mountain with NOTHING around and the train horn will still go off for some reason.


With the doppler shift as the train runs past.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

gchance said:


> Then they yell "STOP!!!" Because definitely the criminal will stop when commanded to.


And a heavy set, out of shape cop chases down a fit criminal.

The criminal runs into a blocked dead end street, usually blocked by some sort of chain link fence he can't climb. And gets caught.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

Steveknj said:


> And a heavy set, out of shape cop chases down a fit criminal.
> 
> The criminal runs into a blocked dead end street, usually blocked by some sort of chain link fence he can't climb. And gets caught.


Or the cop's partner goes another way, and somehow miraculously end up blindsiding the suspect as he goes around a corner.


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## Snappa77 (Feb 14, 2004)

doom1701 said:


> Also, while not really a trope--big name guest stars on procedurals are almost always the bad guy.


THIS! 1000% THIS!! Usually they'll have a collage of potential suspects up on the screen and it will be a few randoms and a actor we recognize. A "that guy" type.

Also somehow some way the computer uber hacker nerd is able to narrow down a suspect pool of 150+ to 4 or 5 with just a few key strokes.


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## jr461 (Jul 9, 2004)

Snappa77 said:


> THIS! 1000% THIS!! Usually they'll have a collage of potential suspects up on the screen and it will be a few randoms and a actor we recognize. A "that guy" type.
> 
> *Also somehow some way the computer uber hacker nerd is able to narrow down a suspect pool of 150+ to 4 or 5 with just a few key strokes.*




Speaking of which, they can also zoom in on any picture taken from it-doesn't-matter-how-far-away with perfect clarity.

And they open sockets a lot


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## randian (Jan 15, 2014)

jr461 said:


> And they open sockets a lot


"Opening a socket" was 24's big thing.


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## gchance (Dec 6, 2002)

jr461 said:


> Speaking of which, they can also zoom in on any picture taken from it-doesn't-matter-how-far-away with perfect clarity.


I know everyone has their pet "favorites", but my own absolute favorite one of these was on Las Vegas. They were looking for a suspect on security camera, went to a reflection on a side view mirror, zoomed, mirror imaged, and enhanced to find a perfectly identifiable license plate number.

I had to laugh at the recent FBI spinoff, they made sure in the pilot episode to tout their new video enhancement technology that was better than they ever had before, in order to explain it away.


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## MacThor (Feb 7, 2002)

Giancarlo Esposito as a cold, calculating, intelligent big bad.


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## Unbeliever (Feb 3, 2001)

gchance said:


> They were looking for a suspect on security camera, went to a reflection on a side view mirror, zoomed, mirror imaged, and enhanced to find a perfectly identifiable license plate number.


I like the Red Dwarf spoof on it. Especially the 1st step.






--Carlos V.


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

One punch knockouts. Yeah, they happen in real life but probably not by every other Joe Schmoe who throws a punch.


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## gchance (Dec 6, 2002)

Unbeliever said:


> I like the Red Dwarf spoof on it. Especially the 1st step.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


My God that was brilliant.


----------



## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

gchance said:


> My God that was brilliant.


I would say the Blade Runner scene was a brilliant parody of "that scene" in cop shows...if Blade Runner didn't come about 20 years earlier.


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## randian (Jan 15, 2014)

Another annoying trope: when somebody is strangled, they die the instant they are unconscious.


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## sharkster (Jul 3, 2004)

randian said:


> Another annoying trope: when somebody is strangled, they die the instant they are unconscious.


Yeah, that's a weird one. I don't kill people but, from all I've seen (I watch a fair amount of real crime), it takes a good 15 minutes to strangle somebody to death.


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

Everybody and their uncle can snap another person's neck like it was spaghetti


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## jr461 (Jul 9, 2004)

cheesesteak said:


> Everybody and their uncle can snap another person's neck like it was spaghetti


Or start a car by pulling on the panel under the steering column and touching the 2 wires (already detached and stripped) that magically appear together.


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## Donbadabon (Mar 5, 2002)

Has anyone mentioned that having a scarf tied around your head and through your mouth suddenly prevents you from making any loud noise?


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

Donbadabon said:


> Has anyone mentioned that having a scarf tied around your head and through your mouth suddenly prevents you from making any loud noise?


Or even stops you from talking intelligibly...


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## gchance (Dec 6, 2002)

I keep wanting to see someone being choked, then stop breathing and pretend they're dead. Then when the other person lets go and walks away, come at them.


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## Donbadabon (Mar 5, 2002)

That is along the lines of the bad guy falling 30 feet out the window, and we see them flat on the ground. And then when the good guys look again, the bad guy is no longer there.

And of course the classic where the bad guy is 'dead' and then suddenly opens their eyes.


----------



## Amnesia (Jan 30, 2005)

This reminds me of one of my pet peeves---when a person manages to knock out a stronger attacker and then runs away without securing or otherwise further incapacitating the attacker...


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## randian (Jan 15, 2014)

Amnesia said:


> This reminds me of one of my pet peeves---when a person manages to knock out a stronger attacker and then runs away without securing or otherwise further incapacitating the attacker...


They also far too frequently

Don't take the attacker's weapons with them: denying force to your opponent while increasing your own ability to project force is sound tactics.
Take their weapons and foolishly discard them later: throwing away your ability to project force is stupid.
Discard firearms when out of ammunition: A gun still makes a good bludgeon, and can be used to bluff if necessary.


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

Donbadabon said:


> That is along the lines of the bad guy falling 30 feet out the window, and we see them flat on the ground. And then when the good guys look again, the bad guy is no longer there.


What about people who fall out of buildings always land face up onto the roof of a parked car?

Then there's the martial arts/John Wick type movies where there's an endless supply of Henchmen 'R Us drones who can't shoot straight


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## gchance (Dec 6, 2002)

cheesesteak said:


> Then there's the martial arts/John Wick type movies where there's an endless supply of Henchmen 'R Us drones who can't shoot straight


thumbs up GIF on GIFER edit to add: BOO!!!


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## the928guy (Sep 30, 2002)

And there's the bit where the tough guy rocks his head from side to side, making popping sounds like a steamroller in a bubble-wrap factory. That seems to be an essential part of fight preparation.


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## Regina (Mar 30, 2003)

the928guy said:


> And there's the bit where the tough guy rocks his head from side to side, making popping sounds like a steamroller in a bubble-wrap factory. That seems to be an essential part of fight preparation.


While cracking his knuckles loudly of course!


----------



## doom1701 (May 15, 2001)

cheesesteak said:


> Then there's the martial arts/John Wick type movies where there's an endless supply of Henchmen 'R Us drones who can't shoot straight


And the henchmen always attack one at a time, while the others stay just out of punching range bouncing around waiting on their turn.


----------



## allan (Oct 14, 2002)

Someone is tied up, a rescuer finds him/her but is knocked out or captured at gunpoint before s/he can untie the first person.


----------



## getreal (Sep 29, 2003)

If a character needs a drop of blood, characters always have a LARGE knife handy so they can make a 4" slice across their palm (severing nerves) causing a terrible wound that should require stitches and take weeks to heal, but they wrap it in a handkerchief and are fine by the next scene. So my question is ... WHO carries handkerchiefs nowadays?!!


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## astrohip (Jan 7, 2003)

getreal said:


> WHO carries handkerchiefs nowadays?!!


I never leave the house without a handkerchief.

I'm also old enough for Medicare, and can remember when phones had dials.


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## randian (Jan 15, 2014)

astrohip said:


> I'm also old enough for Medicare, and can remember when phones had dials.


You don't have to be that old to remember that. Rotary dialing was common until well into the 1980s, and you could still use a rotary dial phone, if you really wanted to, for long after touch-tone became standard.


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## laria (Sep 7, 2000)

randian said:


> You don't have to be that old to remember that. Rotary dialing was common until well into the 1980s, and you could still use a rotary dial phone, if you really wanted to, for long after touch-tone became standard.


Yeah, my house growing up had a rotary phone until probably close to 1990.


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## astrohip (Jan 7, 2003)

Dang, y'all are making me work hard for this handkerchief meme...

Ok, I'm old enough to remember when the Dead Sea was just sick.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

randian said:


> You don't have to be that old to remember that. Rotary dialing was common until well into the 1980s, and you could still use a rotary dial phone, if you really wanted to, for long after touch-tone became standard.


Well, you'd have to be over thirty.

Which is the age beyond which one cannot be trusted, IIRC.


----------



## Jonathan_S (Oct 23, 2001)

randian said:


> You don't have to be that old to remember that. Rotary dialing was common until well into the 1980s, and you could still use a rotary dial phone, if you really wanted to, for long after touch-tone became standard.


Though I am pretty amused that folks make retro rotary phones that actually convert your input to touch-tone dialing. (And can remember being utterly confused the first time I saw a rotary phone with a pulse/tone selector switch!)

Though I've also seen ones that totally miss the point and arrange buttons in a circular pseudo rotary layout


----------



## kaszeta (Jun 11, 2004)

randian said:


> You don't have to be that old to remember that. Rotary dialing was common until well into the 1980s, and you could still use a rotary dial phone, if you really wanted to, for long after touch-tone became standard.


Yeah, for years (until around '96 or so in MN) most places I lived TouchTone dialing was optional and an extra monthly charge. Someplace around '96 MN still had that line item charge on the bill, but it had ceased to be an optional charge.

If anyone here is good at CW keying and have a phone with a mechanical cradle, if you are in an area that still supports pulse dialing, if you've got _really_ good timing, you can still dial a phone just by toggling the cradle. I learned this trick in grade school from my Ham neighbor (WB3IVI, SK). I did this a few times in college to demonstrate the principle.


----------



## kaszeta (Jun 11, 2004)

Jonathan_S said:


> Though I am pretty amused that folks make retro rotary phones that actually convert your input to touch-tone dialing. (And can remember being utterly confused the first time I saw a rotary phone with a pulse/tone selector switch!)
> 
> Though I've also seen ones that totally miss the point and arrange buttons in a circular pseudo rotary layout


Just go cellular:

Rotary Cell Phones from Sky's Edge


----------



## Craigbob (Dec 2, 2006)

kaszeta said:


> Yeah, for years (until around '96 or so in MN) most places I lived TouchTone dialing was optional and an extra monthly charge. Someplace around '96 MN still had that line item charge on the bill, but it had ceased to be an optional charge.
> 
> If anyone here is good at CW keying and have a phone with a mechanical cradle, if you are in an area that still supports pulse dialing, if you've got _really_ good timing, you can still dial a phone just by toggling the cradle. I learned this trick in grade school from my Ham neighbor (WB3IVI, SK). I did this a few times in college to demonstrate the principle.


Isn't that what Hannibal Lecter did in Red Dragon to get Will's address?


----------



## kaszeta (Jun 11, 2004)

Craigbob said:


> Isn't that what Hannibal Lecter did in Red Dragon to get Will's address?


Indeed, yes. I had forgotten about that scene.


----------



## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

randian said:


> "Opening a socket" was 24's big thing.


Don't forget about setting up a perimeter (which never succeeded in keeping anyone in or out).


----------



## randian (Jan 15, 2014)

DevdogAZ said:


> Don't forget about setting up a perimeter (which never succeeded in keeping anyone in or out).


It wasn't just a perimeter, it was a "hard perimeter".


----------



## Donbadabon (Mar 5, 2002)

When someone has a communication device in their ear, and have to reach up and touch it whenever they communicate with someone.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

Donbadabon said:


> When someone has a communication device in their ear, and have to reach up and touch it whenever they communicate with someone.


Well, they have to make sure we know they have a communication device in their ear!


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## Amnesia (Jan 30, 2005)

Donbadabon said:


> When someone has a communication device in their ear, and have to reach up and touch it whenever they communicate with someone.


Would you rather they wear a combadge on their chests?


----------



## Snappa77 (Feb 14, 2004)

When they make the lead characters in cop/FBI/spy dramas catch feelings for each other. I HATE THAT. And they do it just about EVERY time without fail. Even as recently as a NBC drama that I liked up until that very moment. 
It is as if the writers have it in their contracts to force that **** on us. Like a male and female partner can NOT be just friends ever. ugggggghhhhh. 

What triggered me is that this **** came outta NOWHERE. 
Eff 'jump the shark'. That show Evel Knievel'd a f'n Megalodon!


----------



## Howie (May 3, 2004)

Which NBC drama? Enquiring minds want to know.


----------



## Hcour (Dec 24, 2007)

Large crowd of tightly packed people (often angry and panicked), all straining to get to the front but nobody can move. Except, natch, the star, who manages to push his/her way forward through to the front.


----------



## That Don Guy (Mar 13, 2003)

The George Glass trope: someone makes up a story about someone/someplace, and when asked what their/its name is, they look around and make up a name based on things they see. (George Glass comes from _The Brady Bunch_.) A subtrope that is also overused: it turns out the person/place actually exists.


----------



## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

Car doors and sofa cushions can stop bullets. (Probably been mentioned 58 times already)

The main characters always wear a helmet with an opaque face shield when they ride a motorcycle.


----------



## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

cheesesteak said:


> Car doors and sofa cushions can stop bullets. (Probably been mentioned 58 times already)


I just saw a show in which characters in a gunfight hid behind a leaf-pile.

I hope it was intended as an ironic commentary on that kind of scene (the show was a semi-comedy, Two Weeks to Live).


----------



## gchance (Dec 6, 2002)

Amnesia said:


> Would you rather they wear a combadge on their chests?


Speaking of which, I've been rewatching DS9, and on one we watched last night someone called O'Brien and he just started speaking. I mean, what the hell?


----------



## Amnesia (Jan 30, 2005)

That reminds me---how come no one on a show ever gets a phone call that's not relevant to the plot of the episode?


----------



## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

Amnesia said:


> That reminds me---how come no one on a show ever gets a phone call that's not relevant to the plot of the episode?


Well, to be fair, pretty much nothing happens that's not relevant to the plot of the episode...


----------



## Hcour (Dec 24, 2007)

Amnesia said:


> That reminds me---how come no one on a show ever gets a phone call that's not relevant to the plot of the episode?


I don't know if you're joking or not. If not, that's the nature of all drama and certainly all well-written drama. Characters don't go grocery shopping, or do their laundry, or search for parking spots, or engage in any of the normal mundanities of life, unless it is relevant to the plot or the character or the style of the work.

If you are joking, ignore this and sorry!


----------



## getbak (Oct 8, 2004)

Whenever someone turns on a tv, it's right at the beginning of a news report about the events surrounding the plot of the episode.

Bonus points, if the police are looking for the main character and the tv shows a photo of the character just as they are standing in front of the tv.


----------



## pdhenry (Feb 28, 2005)

Amnesia said:


> That reminds me---how come no one on a show ever gets a phone call that's not relevant to the plot of the episode?


Chekhov's phone.


----------



## Amnesia (Jan 30, 2005)

Hcour said:


> I don't know if you're joking or not. If not, that's the nature of all drama and certainly all well-written drama.


I'm not joking. Yes, I understand that the phenomenon is ubiquitous---that doesn't make it less annoying...

For once I'd like a show where people behave more like real people...except I guess that the cops could still close almost all of their cases...


----------



## Hcour (Dec 24, 2007)

Amnesia said:


> I'm not joking. Yes, I understand that the phenomenon is ubiquitous---that doesn't make it less annoying...
> 
> For once I'd like a show where people behave more like real people...except I guess that the cops could still close almost all of their cases...


Yeah, I always thought one of the shortcomings of The Godfather was that there weren't near enough scenes of people sleeping, waiting in line, and using the toilet.


----------



## Howie (May 3, 2004)

Amnesia said:


> That reminds me---how come no one on a show ever gets a phone call that's not relevant to the plot of the episode?


----------



## Amnesia (Jan 30, 2005)

Hcour said:


> Yeah, I always thought one of the shortcomings of The Godfather was that there weren't near enough scenes of people sleeping, waiting in line, and using the toilet.


Hey, there was a toilet scene in _The Godfather_!


----------



## allan (Oct 14, 2002)

Hcour said:


> Yeah, I always thought one of the shortcomings of The Godfather was that there weren't near enough scenes of people sleeping, waiting in line, and using the toilet.


I'm in favor of more people using the toilet on TV!


----------



## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

allan said:


> I'm in favor of more people using the toilet on TV!


I'm in favor of more people using TV on the toilet!


----------



## JYoung (Jan 16, 2002)

Donbadabon said:


> When someone has a communication device in their ear, and have to reach up and touch it whenever they communicate with someone.












It's pretty much an actor's shorthand but I have had to do this in real life when I was using a mono earpiece in a high noise environment.
(Less of an issue now with stereo earpieces.)


----------



## JYoung (Jan 16, 2002)

Amnesia said:


> That reminds me---how come no one on a show ever gets a phone call that's not relevant to the plot of the episode?


What?
And have to listen to a robocall about how my car warranty is about to expire?


----------



## Donbadabon (Mar 5, 2002)

A young girl traveling with a boyfriend, dad, etc away from the mom. And the girl suddenly has her first period.


----------



## ufo4sale (Apr 21, 2001)

Donbadabon said:


> A young girl traveling with a boyfriend, dad, etc away from the mom. And the girl suddenly has her first period.


----------



## Hot4Bo (Apr 3, 2003)

Donbadabon said:


> A young girl traveling with a boyfriend, dad, etc away from the mom. And the girl suddenly has her first period.


This was actually used just this week on


Spoiler



Young Sheldon


----------



## Hank (May 31, 2000)

Hot4Bo said:


> This was actually used just this week on
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> ...


Yup and annoyingly predictable.


----------



## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

Some big happening just happened. Person A walks into the Person B's room and tells them to turn the tv on. That tv is always on the correct channel and the news report has just begun.


----------



## Hank (May 31, 2000)

cheesesteak said:


> Some big happening just happened. Person A walks into the Person B's room and tells them to turn the tv on. That tv is always on the correct channel and the news report has just begun.


Yesterday called. It wants its trope back! 



getbak said:


> Whenever someone turns on a tv, it's right at the beginning of a news report about the events surrounding the plot of the episode.


----------



## doom1701 (May 15, 2001)

Donbadabon said:


> A young girl traveling with a boyfriend, dad, etc away from the mom. And the girl suddenly has her first period.


But it's not much of a trope for those of us that it has happened to.


----------



## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

Donbadabon said:


> A young girl traveling with a boyfriend, dad, etc away from the mom. And the girl suddenly has her first period.


This was actually used in last week's Young Sheldon.


----------



## pdhenry (Feb 28, 2005)

That is what happens when you use spoiler tags.


----------



## ufo4sale (Apr 21, 2001)

You have two people kissing/ having a good time and then the third person sees from far away they're getting closer in terms of their relationship and that person storms off being very upset.


----------



## Amnesia (Jan 30, 2005)

That seems like less of a plot trope than two people about to share their first kiss and they get closer and closer...and then get interrupted...


----------



## gchance (Dec 6, 2002)

Amnesia said:


> That seems like of a plot trope than two people about to share their first kiss and they get closer and closer...and then get interrupted...


People need to stop this kissing at work thing. Or having sex at work. Or anything like that at work.


----------



## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

gchance said:


> People need to stop this kissing at work thing. Or having sex at work. Or anything like that at work.


But somehow, I doubt they ever will...


----------



## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

getbak said:


> Whenever someone turns on a tv, it's right at the beginning of a news report about the events surrounding the plot of the episode.


Better yet, they then get on the phone and call someone else and say "Turn on your TV!" and despite the time it took for the call and for the other person to turn on the TV, the news anchor is still talking about the same story.


----------



## ufo4sale (Apr 21, 2001)

Amnesia said:


> That seems like less of a plot trope than two people about to share their first kiss and they get closer and closer...and then get interrupted...


I'm saying the person walks away instead of confronting the two of them making out. But I can see your point.


----------



## randian (Jan 15, 2014)

I don’t know if it’s a trope as such, but I’ve noticed that cabbies never get paid. The main character exits the cab and the cabbie just leaves.

I’ve also noticed that characters are usually extremely lax about closing and/or locking doors they pass through even in contexts where doing so has elevated importance.


----------



## Amnesia (Jan 30, 2005)

randian said:


> I've also noticed that characters are usually extremely lax about closing and/or locking doors they pass through (...)


Well, if they locked their doors, then how would their friends/neighbors simply walk in without knocking?


----------



## eddyj (Jun 20, 2002)

Another one on a show from yesterday. The kidnapper goes get the ransom money, and then when the cops try to grab him, he runs away, and eventually gets killed crossing a street, without revealing where the victim is.


----------



## gchance (Dec 6, 2002)

randian said:


> I don't know if it's a trope as such, but I've noticed that cabbies never get paid. The main character exits the cab and the cabbie just leaves.


Unless they got into an argument with the cabbie, at which point he yells at them to get out of his cab, and/or they throw a random amount of money into the cab as they exit.



eddyj said:


> Another one on a show from yesterday. The kidnapper goes get the ransom money, and then when the cops try to grab him, he runs away, and eventually gets killed crossing a street, without revealing where the victim is.


By a bus.


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## eddyj (Jun 20, 2002)

gchance said:


> By a bus.


Or a truck. Sometimes, even a car. And don't discount a train.


----------



## Amnesia (Jan 30, 2005)

gchance said:


> By a bus.


I've been doing a rewatch of all the Stargate shows and one recently featured someone getting hit by a bus (_SG-1_, S10E15). I watched this wondering if it would be included, and sure enough it was there at around 3:57


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## randian (Jan 15, 2014)

Amnesia said:


> Well, if they locked their doors, then how would their friends/neighbors simply walk in without knocking?


I always saw that as more of a Friends thing.

I was actually thinking of situations requiring stealth and secrecy, yet the doors continue to be mishandled.


----------



## vman41 (Jun 18, 2002)

pdhenry said:


> Chekhov's phone.


Phones used to be heavy enough that you could bludgeon someone to death with it.


----------



## Jeff_in_Bklyn (Apr 26, 2003)

eddyj said:


> Another one on a show from yesterday. The kidnapper goes get the ransom money, and then when the cops try to grab him, he runs away, and eventually gets killed crossing a street, without revealing where the victim is.


I just watched this, let me guess,


Spoiler



NCIS


.


----------



## eddyj (Jun 20, 2002)

Jeff_in_Bklyn said:


> I just watched this, let me guess,
> 
> 
> Spoiler
> ...


It's no guess if you watched it!


----------



## gchance (Dec 6, 2002)

Amnesia said:


> I've been doing a rewatch of all the Stargate shows and one recently featured someone getting hit by a bus (_SG-1_, S10E15). I watched this wondering if it would be included, and sure enough it was there at around 3:57


Yup, I recognized the scene immediately. I also knew the one from Lost would be there, and Meet Joe Black (one of the most popular animated gifs when they first came about).


----------



## Donbadabon (Mar 5, 2002)

How about the finger in the bullet wound when trying to get information out of someone?


----------



## Hank (May 31, 2000)

Or how about that nobody ever ends a phone call with a polite greeting... ok bye, goodbye, TTYL, etc. they all just hang up *immediately* upon hearing the pertinent information needed for the plot. 

And there’s never a “ok is that all? “ or “oh, get milk on your way home “.


----------



## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

Hank said:


> Or how about that nobody ever ends a phone call with a polite greeting... ok bye, goodbye, TTYL, etc. they all just hang up *immediately* upon hearing the pertinent information needed for the plot.
> 
> And there's never a "ok is that all? " or "oh, get milk on your way home ".


My grandfather used to do that. When the conversation was over, it was OVER. No niceties. Click.


----------



## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

The mean, catty girl(s) always gets her comeuppance in the end unlike in real life.


----------



## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

cheesesteak said:


> The mean, catty girl(s) always gets her comeuppance in the end unlike in real life.


I think they mostly do in real life, as well. It's just more of a drawn-out process (i.e., growing up and finding out that the world at large is not kind to ex-high school princesses).


----------



## Regina (Mar 30, 2003)

Not a trope per se, but everyone's cell phone and computer is always fully charged and connected to wi-fi and the calls are always clear as a bell-as is the video playback-

UNTIL THERE IS DANGER AFOOT!  

Suddenly there are no bars and no one can make a call! OH NO!


----------



## andyw715 (Jul 31, 2007)

High action building breach by a tactical team....99% of the time it's a training exercise - S.W.A.T. and Seal Team; I'm looking at you!


----------



## gchance (Dec 6, 2002)

Hank said:


> Or how about that nobody ever ends a phone call with a polite greeting... ok bye, goodbye, TTYL, etc. they all just hang up *immediately* upon hearing the pertinent information needed for the plot.
> 
> And there's never a "ok is that all? " or "oh, get milk on your way home ".


My favorite one of these (and of my circle of friends a few years ago) was one from the movie Heat. In fact, we'd always end phone conversations with it.

Pacino calls one of his guys, says "Bring the boys." and hangs up.


----------



## randian (Jan 15, 2014)

gchance said:


> Pacino calls one of his guys, says "Bring the boys." and hangs up.


Without, I presume, saying where the boys should go?


----------



## sharkster (Jul 3, 2004)

I didn't always notice this on such a profound level as I do these days, so I'm not sure if it's partly me (get off my lawn!) but I see, in comedies, that there is always at least one hideously obnoxious and annoying character. Everybody laughs at the selfish and lacking in empathy things s/he does and the character always gets away with being awful (I'm looking at you, Sheldon Cooper, as an outstanding example of this).

Some of these sitcoms are huge favorites of mine (many ended) and it sucks that I come to have great disdain for one character and that almost ruins it for me.


----------



## gchance (Dec 6, 2002)

randian said:


> Without, I presume, saying where the boys should go?


It was predetermined. They were waiting for <event> to happen, and once it did, they'd rendezvous at a certain place. Someone was waiting for the call to "bring the boys" as it were.


----------



## gchance (Dec 6, 2002)

sharkster said:


> I didn't always notice this on such a profound level as I do these days, so I'm not sure if it's partly me (get off my lawn!) but I see, in comedies, that there is always at least one hideously obnoxious and annoying character. Everybody laughs at the selfish and lacking in empathy things s/he does and the character always gets away with being awful (I'm looking at you, Sheldon Cooper, as an outstanding example of this).
> 
> Some of these sitcoms are huge favorites of mine (many ended) and it sucks that I come to have great disdain for one character and that almost ruins it for me.


Oh, for sure. Why the hell do they hang out with Screech? Why is Mr. Furley going to the zoo with the Three's Company friends? Who is willing to put up with Urkel EVERY DAY. Or Skippy, just tell him he isn't welcome.


----------



## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

sharkster said:


> I didn't always notice this on such a profound level as I do these days, so I'm not sure if it's partly me (get off my lawn!) but I see, in comedies, that there is always at least one hideously obnoxious and annoying character. Everybody laughs at the selfish and lacking in empathy things s/he does and the character always gets away with being awful (I'm looking at you, Sheldon Cooper, as an outstanding example of this).
> 
> Some of these sitcoms are huge favorites of mine (many ended) and it sucks that I come to have great disdain for one character and that almost ruins it for me.


Sheldon Cooper is an interesting example. In the early days of the show, you could see why the others hung out with him...despite his flaws, he had redeeming qualities. But as the show "evolved," his character hardened into an irredeemable jerk, and it became quite out-of-character for his "friends" to be his friends...it was pure habit (for the show and its writers, not for the characters).


----------



## sharkster (Jul 3, 2004)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> Sheldon Cooper is an interesting example. In the early days of the show, you could see why the others hung out with him...despite his flaws, he had redeeming qualities. But as the show "evolved," his character hardened into an irredeemable jerk, and it became quite out-of-character for his "friends" to be his friends...it was pure habit (for the show and its writers, not for the characters).


While I've grown to hate the character, I would love to see a psychiatrist or psychologist, having watched the show in its entirety, explain the diagnoses (and, yes, I do believe there is more than one diagnosis) of this character. He's clearly a narcissist, among the other diagnoses. While he's a very high IQ genius, in some areas he seems very ignorant. I don't mean just ignorant to pop culture stuff. Add to that he is emotionally and mentally a 7 year old child.


----------



## Unbeliever (Feb 3, 2001)

But his mom had him tested.

--Carlos V.


----------



## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

Typewritten suicide notes.


----------



## JYoung (Jan 16, 2002)

Camera is positioned inside a room and tight on the door. A main character opens the door (with the camera still tight on them), looks around and says, "Oh my God!".

Fade to black.


----------



## getbak (Oct 8, 2004)

JYoung said:


> Camera is positioned inside a room and tight on the door. A main character opens the door (with the camera still tight on them), looks around and says, "Oh my God!".
> 
> Fade to black.


Bonus points if we hear a gunshot after the fade to black.

Extra bonus points if it's the season finale.


----------



## eddyj (Jun 20, 2002)

JYoung said:


> Camera is positioned inside a room and tight on the door. A main character opens the door (with the camera still tight on them), looks around and says, "Oh my God!".
> 
> Fade to black.


Only allowed if it is followed by: "It's full of stars!"


----------



## randian (Jan 15, 2014)

One really annoying trope: characters get into trouble because they are unutterably stupid.

For example, you find a dead body. Naturally, you do the smart thing: you pick up the murder weapon, leaving your fingerprints on it, then drop it. Rather than just walking out you grab door frames and other objects to make sure you leave even more fingerprints behind. You make yourself look even guiltier by tampering with the crime scene. Then you run away surreptitiously as if you're guilty and are witnessed doing so.

Other examples: giving yourself away during a sting by repeating coded phrases or displaying conspicuously nervous and fidgety behavior. Beating up bad guys but not taking their weapons to use on other bad guys. And my all-time favorite, not disclosing important facts to other characters.


----------



## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

For awhile most modern "hip" comedies had the "sidekick" male character be a late 20 something (or early 30 something) who's slightly overweight, and has one of those beards that look like they haven't shaved in a few days, but not really a full beard, because that was hip. Think someone like Zack Galafanakis. And for some reason they always managed to get attractive girls (which wouldn't always happen in real life), but that seemed to have changed as the full unkempt beard is more in vogue.


----------



## Donbadabon (Mar 5, 2002)

Not necessarily a 'plot' trope, but I think it is a trope. When a singer is wearing an ear monitor, and they suddenly rip it out of their ear to go rogue. While of course maybe at some point and time one has gone bad, but I can't believe it happens as many times as they rip it out.


----------



## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

Person or persons are in the middle of a room. All of a sudden an adversary seemingly miraculously transports into the room surprising them but there's no way in the world that person could have entered that room without being noticed.


----------



## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

cheesesteak said:


> Person or persons are in the middle of a room. All of a sudden an adversary seemingly miraculously transports into the room surprising them but there's no way in the world that person could have entered that room without being noticed.


Walking Dead does a variation on this all. The. Time.

I call them Stealth Zombies.


----------



## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

I'll spoil this trope since it's from the current episode of The Neighborhood:



Spoiler



This was a typical trope where a married couple goes to "couples therapy" and it makes their marriage worse, while the skeptical couple goes and it makes theirs seemingly better, ultimately both couples realize they don't need couples therapy and their marriages are fine.


----------



## sharkster (Jul 3, 2004)

One thing I've seen a zillion times, probably mostly on sitcoms, when two people need to talk 'privately', so they walk 4 or 5 feet away from the rest of the people in the room and talk in a normal tone/volume, as if those other people cannot hear them. Of course they can!


----------



## Donbadabon (Mar 5, 2002)

Cops are searching a room for evidence. And the room is pitch black. Instead of turning on the lights, they just use their flashlights to search.


----------



## DevdogAZ (Apr 16, 2003)

sharkster said:


> One thing I've seen a zillion times, probably mostly on sitcoms, when two people need to talk 'privately', so they walk 4 or 5 feet away from the rest of the people in the room and talk in a normal tone/volume, as if those other people cannot hear them. Of course they can!


There was a spoof on this in Bless the Harts a couple weeks ago. Three characters in the cab of a pickup truck, and the two passengers were talking about the driver, disbelieving what she was saying. This goes on for most of the episode. Then at the end of the episode, the driver says, "I heard everything you said. We were in a small truck cab. Do you not understand how sound works?!?"


----------



## Howie (May 3, 2004)

Donbadabon said:


> Cops are searching a room for evidence. And the room is pitch black. Instead of turning on the lights, they just use their flashlights to search.


They forgot to get a warrant.


----------



## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

Maybe they're afraid if they turn on the lights, they'll contaminate the crime scene...


----------



## Craigbob (Dec 2, 2006)

cheesesteak said:


> Person or persons are in the middle of a room. All of a sudden an adversary seemingly miraculously transports into the room surprising them but there's no way in the world that person could have entered that room without being noticed.


Or the opposite one, where one person is searching for the other, and they spot them across a street, or room, when their view is briefly interrupted by a truck, or bus, or Dinosaur conga line, and the quarry vanishes. Sometimes with a smug wave sometimes not.


----------



## jilter (Oct 4, 2002)

Bump
What is the trope called where a main character goes away on a vacation and then returns only to talk about his vacation all the time......?


----------



## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

jilter said:


> Bump
> What is the trope called where a main character goes away on a vacation and then returns only to talk about his vacation all the time......?


Human nature?


----------



## MikeCC (Jun 19, 2004)

jilter said:


> Bump
> What is the trope called where a main character goes away on a vacation and then returns only to talk about his vacation all the time......?


That's my family's trope. Seriously. I cannot remember how nany times I have nodded off on the umpteenth retelling of the trip to Regina or where ever.

I get it, you're still excited. And I could feign interest for the first 30 times I heard the story. But come on, no more...


----------



## jilter (Oct 4, 2002)

I love the word ‘feign’.
I could never even feign interest in others’ vacations. I am not even interested in my own. 
Still thinking its a tv trope...


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

I recently watched another instance of bullets not being able to penetrate surfaces that they should have no problem zipping right through. Normally its something like somebody hiding behind a couch that somehow has bulletproof cushions. This time the show's hero hid behind an open refrigerator door from a guy shooting a machine gun whose bullets didn't even leave any dent marks on the door.


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## Lady Honora (Oct 9, 2018)

cheesesteak said:


> I recently watched another instance of bullets not being able to penetrate surfaces that they should have no problem zipping right through. Normally its something like somebody hiding behind a couch that somehow has bulletproof cushions. This time the show's hero hid behind an open refrigerator door from a guy shooting a machine gun whose bullets didn't even leave any dent marks on the door.


Maybe it was the refrigerator Indy hid in to protect himself from a nuclear bomb test in Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull. That was lead lined.


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## Hank (May 31, 2000)

We're watching Part 5 of Money Heist, and it's like a war zone with tens of thousands of rounds (or more!) fired between the sides... And almost nobody ever gets hit.


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## ej42137 (Feb 16, 2014)

Hank said:


> We're watching Part 5 of Money Heist, and it's like a war zone with tens of thousands of rounds (or more!) fired between the sides... And almost nobody ever gets hit.


To be fair, the number of rounds fired per casualty in modern warfare is on the order of 50,000.


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## Hank (May 31, 2000)

ej42137 said:


> To be fair, the number of rounds fired per casualty in modern warfare is on the order of 50,000.


Just watch the show and you'll see what I mean. 10 people (5 per side) in a room about the size of a hotel lobby constantly shooting at each other (full auto, too), and nobody gets hit.


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## Donbadabon (Mar 5, 2002)

If someone has escaped a house through a window, that window will have curtains, there will be a breeze outside, and those curtains will be blowing in the breeze to let others know that was the point of escape.


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

When somebody falls or jumps out a window they always seem to land on a car hood.


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## vman41 (Jun 18, 2002)

ej42137 said:


> To be fair, the number of rounds fired per casualty in modern warfare is on the order of 50,000.


In warfare, gunfire is often suppressing fire, whose main purpose is to disrupt the enemy's action and seek cover.

These days, the rifles have scopes, greatly increasing their accuracy should they take the time to aim (i.e. not being showered with the opponent's suppressive fire).


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## eddyj (Jun 20, 2002)

cheesesteak said:


> When somebody falls or jumps out a window they always seem to land on a car hood.


Or a dumpster.


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## Amnesia (Jan 30, 2005)

I prefer to land on an awning...or a passing truck, if I'm escaping the cops...


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## Worf (Sep 15, 2000)

eddyj said:


> Or a dumpster.


Filled with soft cushiony garbage, because no on ever tosses out anything hard or sharp or poly that might actually hurt someone if they landed in it.


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## scooterboy (Mar 27, 2001)

One of my favorites is actually a "dialogue" trope. See if you can guess it without peeking:

A woman is laying in a hospital bed, in a coma. A man walks into the room and sits down next to the bed, looking lovingly at the woman's face. According to Hollywood Script law, he must utter these 7 words before any others: 



Spoiler



I know you can't hear me, but...


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## jr461 (Jul 9, 2004)

Speaking of hospitals only on TV and the movies do patients rip their IVs and other connected devices off when they decide they want to leave.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

jr461 said:


> Speaking of hospitals only on TV and the movies do patients rip their IVs and other connected devices off when they decide they want to leave.


To be fair, it would be kinda hard to leave WITHOUT disconnecting from all that...


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## andyw715 (Jul 31, 2007)

Not a plot trope, but editing style. When a scene ends, they start the dialog/sound effects for the next scene over the previous scene then fade/transition to the conversation/action.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

andyw715 said:


> Not a plot trope, but editing style. When a scene ends, they start the dialog/sound effects for the next scene over the previous scene then fade/transition to the conversation/action.


That's become a thing in comic books. In the last panel of a scene, they'll have a caption block with the first piece of dialog from the next scene.


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## Hank (May 31, 2000)

andyw715 said:


> Not a plot trope, but editing style. When a scene ends, they start the dialog/sound effects for the next scene over the previous scene then fade/transition to the conversation/action.


I _FREAKING_ hate this!!!!!


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## Mike Lang (Nov 17, 1999)

I think every show I watch that has a hospital in it has had that hospital taken over by ransomware and at least one patient with the very rare auto-brewery syndrome.


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## Amnesia (Jan 30, 2005)

andyw715 said:


> Not a plot trope, but editing style. When a scene ends, they start the dialog/sound effects for the next scene over the previous scene then fade/transition to the conversation/action.


That's called a "pre-lap", but I don't know the origin of the term...


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## andyw715 (Jul 31, 2007)

Hank said:


> I _FREAKING_ hate this!!!!!


It is fairly prevalent in many shows, but for some reason I really notice it watching Game of Thrones (I'm watching for the first time). Just seems weird to hear a horse trot while still watching some gratuitous nudity in a scene.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

jr461 said:


> Speaking of hospitals only on TV and the movies do patients rip their IVs and other connected devices off when they decide they want to leave.


Having just been in the Hospital twice and hooked up to IVs, it's just not so easy to just rip that stuff out, not without lots of blood and without proper technique. On one of my recent visits, the nurse disconnected the IV, I started to leave and wound up with blood dripping down my arm since she didn't wait long enough with pressure on the puncture location. On TV they pull everything out in seconds and leave. That's not how it works.


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## gchance (Dec 6, 2002)

andyw715 said:


> It is fairly prevalent in many shows, but for some reason I really notice it watching Game of Thrones (I'm watching for the first time). Just seems weird to hear a horse trot while still watching some gratuitous nudity in a scene.


What's weird about that?


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## the928guy (Sep 30, 2002)

The "I promise" thing drives me nuts. Always, the hero says to the distraught companion, "I promise we'll be OK" or "I promise to keep you safe" or some such. "YOU CAN'T PROMISE THAT!" I shout at the screen (I'm looking at you, Flash.)


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## eddyj (Jun 20, 2002)

Once again, a police chase is ended when a truck conveniently backs up in the way of the police car after the fleeing car goes by. And for some reason cannot seem to get out of the way again.


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## Donbadabon (Mar 5, 2002)

eddyj said:


> Once again, a police chase is ended when a truck conveniently backs up in the way of the police car after the fleeing car goes by. And for some reason cannot seem to get out of the way again.


And the cops get out of their car and bang on their hood frustrated?


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

andyw715 said:


> It is fairly prevalent in many shows, but for some reason I really notice it watching Game of Thrones (I'm watching for the first time). Just seems weird to hear a horse trot while still watching some gratuitous nudity in a scene.


The plot trope of gratuitous female nudity seems to have (unfortunately) fallen by the wayside. Now whenever I see the Nudity warning at the beginning of an episode I immediately think "It's going to be man butt again" and the vast majority of the time nowadays it's man butt.


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## gchance (Dec 6, 2002)

cheesesteak said:


> The plot trope of gratuitous female nudity seems to have (unfortunately) fallen by the wayside. Now whenever I see the Nudity warning at the beginning of an episode I immediately think "It's going to be man butt again" and the vast majority of the time nowadays it's man butt.


The Time Traveler's Wife. Every time.


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## Worf (Sep 15, 2000)

Whenever a bomb is to be detonated, the detonation device, be it a timer or remote control will always fail, requiring someone to always manually trigger it and sacrifice themselves in the process.

If access to a computer is required (e.g. an access code or password), it will always fail until something is hit - they keyboard, the computer, the monitor - after which it will miraculously let you in. But only if done when there are seconds left to do whatever needs to be done with the computer.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

Worf said:


> Whenever a bomb is to be detonated, the detonation device, be it a timer or remote control will always fail, requiring someone to always manually trigger it and sacrifice themselves in the process.


...but only if there's an expendable character.


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## eddyj (Jun 20, 2002)

eddyj said:


> Once again, a police chase is ended when a truck conveniently backs up in the way of the police car after the fleeing car goes by. And for some reason cannot seem to get out of the way again.


Oh, and no hero ever loses someone in a car chase because they screwed up or were not good enough to keep up. Only when interfered with.


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## jr461 (Jul 9, 2004)

When someone is about to engage in a fight one of them (usually the tougher looking one who seems to fight a lot) always tilts their head from one shoulder to the other with requisite bone-creaking sounds.


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## scooterboy (Mar 27, 2001)

Worf said:


> Whenever a bomb is to be detonated, the detonation device, be it a timer or remote control will always fail, requiring someone to always manually trigger it and sacrifice themselves in the process.





Rob Helmerichs said:


> ...but only if there's an expendable character.


..and only if it's the "good guys" who are detonating the bomb. If the bad guys are detonating the bomb, then one of the good guys will clip the correct wire just in time.


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## Craigbob (Dec 2, 2006)

Worf said:


> Whenever a bomb is to be detonated, the detonation device, be it a timer or remote control will always fail, requiring someone to always manually trigger it and sacrifice themselves in the process.


Literally just watched this last night in Independance Day....


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

Criminals who concoct elaborate, multiple episode plans of near Einstein level of complexity to kill someone instead of paying some street criminal about $200 to just shoot them.


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

Men tend to sleep bare chested most of the time no matter what season it is.


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## Hank (May 31, 2000)

Maybe not a plot trope, but whenever there's a sex scene, the next morning, the "away" party just wakes up, puts their clothes back on (and sometimes without undies), and leaves, all "ready for work". No shower, no "washing up".. just like "yup, gotta busy day today, maybe see you later? Bye!"


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## pdhenry (Feb 28, 2005)

I find it interesting that after a couple has had wild sex and are relaxing afterward the woman is wearing bra-and-panties and the man is wearing boxers. Makes me wonder whether there was a point at which the clothing was removed.


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## Flop (Dec 2, 2005)

cheesesteak said:


> Men tend to sleep bare chested most of the time no matter what season it is.


So, just like real life then...


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## phox_mulder (Feb 23, 2006)

cheesesteak said:


> Men tend to sleep bare chested most of the time no matter what season it is.


And women tend to keep their bras on all night.
Not "knowing" that many women, but they all took their bras off as soon as they could, let alone keeping it on through bedtime.


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## ej42137 (Feb 16, 2014)

phox_mulder said:


> And women tend to keep their bras on all night.
> Not "knowing" that many women, but they all took their bras off as soon as they could, let alone keeping it on through bedtime.


There used to be a thing called a "sleeping bra" about which big lingerie tried to tell women that it would prevent Cooper's droop. I don't know whether medical science or the "burn the bra" movement killed it, but it's been gone for a long time. Except when people sleep together on TV.


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## laria (Sep 7, 2000)

pdhenry said:


> I find it interesting that after a couple has had wild sex and are relaxing afterward the woman is wearing bra-and-panties and the man is wearing boxers. Makes me wonder whether there was a point at which the clothing was removed.


They of course got up and put those back on to relax.


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## Craigbob (Dec 2, 2006)

cheesesteak said:


> Men tend to sleep bare chested most of the time no matter what season it is.


I don't know if that's a trope or not. I always sleep without a shirt regardless of the season. my house has AC and heat. so it's always comfortable.


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## jr461 (Jul 9, 2004)

Craigbob said:


> I don't know if that's a trope or not. I always sleep without a shirt regardless of the season. my house has AC and heat. so it's always comfortable.


I'm always surprised when people don't cook in summer or put on heavier sleepwear in winter as if they live in a cabin off the grid somewhere. Our house is kept at similar temps all year through the marvels of A/C and heat.

Back to the sleeping together trope - after a night of sex you often see the woman going to great lengths to cover up with the sheet when sitting up or getting out of bed, as if the guy hasn't seen anything while he, as mentioned previously, is throwing clothes on directly from bed to go to an important meeting.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

jr461 said:


> Back to the sleeping together trope - after a night of sex you often see the woman going to great lengths to cover up with the sheet when sitting up or getting out of bed, as if the guy hasn't seen anything while he, as mentioned previously, is throwing clothes on directly from bed to go to an important meeting.


I'm also impressed with how often when they're lying in bed, the sheet somehow covers her to above the breasts but him only above the waist...


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## Flop (Dec 2, 2005)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> I'm also impressed with how often when they're lying in bed, the sheet somehow covers her to above the breasts but him only above the waist...


You mean you don't use the his & her sided sheets?


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## Hank (May 31, 2000)

jr461 said:


> I'm always surprised when people don't cook in summer or put on heavier sleepwear in winter as if they live in a cabin off the grid somewhere. Our house is kept at similar temps all year through the marvels of A/C and heat.


It matters when you have to get up and walk around the house or let the dogs out. I turn the heat(or A/C) down in the first floor while we're sleeping, and it can get pretty cool (or warm) down there when the upstairs is a comfortable year-round temperature. Also, in the rare event of an emergency and you literally have to run out of the house, if it's winter, I'd be pretty damn happy to have my flannel jammies on and not just boxers -- which would be just fine in a summer emergency.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

Changing the...ummm...subject, we seem to be getting "Friends" type apartments/houses for people who's jobs wouldn't normally be able to afford. In The Flight Attendant for example, Cassie's apartment is way too fancy, filled with upscale furniture and is pretty big considering her job and the city she's now living in, but of course they have to throw in the 1950s style refrigerator, to show that "maybe" she's living within her means.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

Steveknj said:


> Changing the...ummm...subject, we seem to be getting "Friends" type apartments/houses for people who's jobs wouldn't normally be able to afford. In The Flight Attendant for example, Cassie's apartment is way too fancy, filled with upscale furniture and is pretty big considering her job and the city she's now living in, but of course they have to throw in the 1950s style refrigerator, to show that "maybe" she's living within her means.


That's pretty much always been the case. If they lived in a reasonably-sized place, it would be almost impossible to film there. (The first time I noticed it was Flashdance, but obviously the trope is much older than that!


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> That's pretty much always been the case. If they lived in a reasonably-sized place, it would be almost impossible to film there. (The first time I noticed it was Flashdance, but obviously the trope is much older than that!


I get that having a "big" place makes it easier to film, but the furniture is all upscale, the decorations are all upscale, not to mention as a flight attendant, she'd hardly be home, so why invest money like that? So to me, it's a TV trope. That's fine, just pointing it out.


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## scooterboy (Mar 27, 2001)

Hank said:


> Maybe not a plot trope, but whenever there's a sex scene, the next morning, the "away" party just wakes up, puts their clothes back on (and sometimes without undies), and leaves, all "ready for work". No shower, no "washing up".. just like "yup, gotta busy day today, maybe see you later? Bye!"


Different but related - I saw this on a Buzzfeed list (by accident of course):

After a couple has sex they both just roll over and go to sleep, completely ignoring the huge mess they just made.


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## trainman (Jan 29, 2001)

Steveknj said:


> ...but of course they have to throw in the 1950s style refrigerator, to show that "maybe" she's living within her means.


If they really wanted to show someone "living within their means," it wouldn't be a 1950s-style refrigerator, it would be a beat-up mid-2000s top-freezer Kenmore that came with the apartment.


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## DVR_Dave (Apr 19, 2017)

trainman said:


> If they really wanted to show someone "living within their means," it wouldn't be a 1950s-style refrigerator, it would be a beat-up mid-2000s top-freezer Kenmore that came with the apartment.


I resent that remark. 

Had a [_not_ beat-up] mid 1980s top-freezer Kenmore until a few years ago. I only replaced it because I got a newer [_not_ beat-up] mid 2000s top-freezer Whirlpool from my parents when they sold their house.

I actually could have gotten a newer french door bottom freezer from them, but I don't really like the design.


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## sharkster (Jul 3, 2004)

DVR_Dave said:


> I resent that remark.
> 
> Had a [_not_ beat-up] mid 1980s top-freezer Kenmore until a few years ago. I only replaced it because I got a newer [_not_ beat-up] mid 2000s top-freezer Whirlpool from my parents when they sold their house.
> 
> I actually could have gotten a newer french door bottom freezer from them, but I don't really like the design.


I'm with you. I still use a top-freezer refrigerator because that is the design I like best. 

In my garage I have one of those bottom freezer, french door top, units and I HATE it. The freezer on bottom is like having a very small chest freezer. I have to dig stuff out to find anything that's not right on top. It just sucks all around, and it seems like there is just so little space.

The only way I'd do a side-by-side would be if I had a HUGE space in my kitchen to put one of those larger ones that actually have plenty of space. The regular size ones are just too narrow. Meanwhile, I still really like the design of freezer on top.


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## laria (Sep 7, 2000)

While I would prefer a single door on top, I guess the wide models are too wide to have a single door. I'm not a fan of the French door. 

I am a fan of the bottom freezer, though. I feel like ours has tons of space and I am in the regular section of the fridge far more often than the freezer. I like not having to bend over every time I need to get stuff out of the fridge.


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## Worf (Sep 15, 2000)

jr461 said:


> I'm always surprised when people don't cook in summer or put on heavier sleepwear in winter as if they live in a cabin off the grid somewhere. Our house is kept at similar temps all year through the marvels of A/C and heat.


Well, we let our house go between bigger differences - it's usually around 67 degrees in the winter and 77 in the summer. It means for me I sleep on the covers in summer and under them in the winter. Plus it doesn't run up the bills too much with heating or cooling - when its warm outside, even at 77 it's nice cool and refreshing inside. If I need just a bit more cooling, a fan works wonders. 

I was shocked to learn that people in Texas keep it at 72 degrees year round and some people complained 77 was too warm. I can't imagine going from a 72 degree room to outside when it's 90 - too much of a jump. (Though if I lived in Texas, I'd probably keep it at 80 to still be cool and refreshing and be adapted enough so the 90 degrees outside wouldn't feel like I need to rush back inside).

And y es, I was sorely disappointed when "Auto" mode on my thermostat didn't let me set a range so it'll heat when it got colder than 67 and cool when it got warmer than 77. 

I can understand 72 for somewhere like coastal California where it's basically around that year-round...


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## Jonathan_S (Oct 23, 2001)

laria said:


> While I would prefer a single door on top, I guess the wide models are too wide to have a single door. I'm not a fan of the French door.
> 
> I am a fan of the bottom freezer, though. I feel like ours has tons of space and I am in the regular section of the fridge far more often than the freezer. I like not having to bend over every time I need to get stuff out of the fridge.


Also a fan of the bottom freezer. I'm getting stuff in and out of the fridge more often, and I'm tall enough that the top freezer blocks my line of sight into much of the fridge. So when I had one I was always having to stoop over to see and reach into the fridge for things. 

Sure, now I have to bend over to pick things out out of the bottom freezer's drawers -- but I'm doing that less often and at least because they pull out I don't need to get that low to see what's in there.


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

laria said:


> I am a fan of the bottom freezer, though. I feel like ours has tons of space and I am in the regular section of the fridge far more often than the freezer. I like not having to bend over every time I need to get stuff out of the fridge.


This. I don't understand the appeal of a top freezer. I'm in the fridge an order of magnitude more than in the freezer so if I have to stoop I prefer it to be for the function I'm least likely to use.


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## eddyj (Jun 20, 2002)

In general, I like the bottom freezer. But the top drawer in ours does not extend all the way out, leaving too much area under the "ledge" (for want of a better word) that it hard to see and reach.


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## stevel (Aug 23, 2000)

Top freezer models tend to be more energy efficient. Many bottom freezer models let all the cold air spill out when the drawer is opened (some have closed-side/bottom drawers and don't do this.) Nowadays, top-freezer models are almost always at the low-end of a manufacturer's line and lack features people may want.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

sharkster said:


> I'm with you. I still use a top-freezer refrigerator because that is the design I like best.
> 
> In my garage I have one of those bottom freezer, french door top, units and I HATE it. The freezer on bottom is like having a very small chest freezer. I have to dig stuff out to find anything that's not right on top. It just sucks all around, and it seems like there is just so little space.
> 
> The only way I'd do a side-by-side would be if I had a HUGE space in my kitchen to put one of those larger ones that actually have plenty of space. The regular size ones are just too narrow. Meanwhile, I still really like the design of freezer on top.


My wife talked me into a French Door fridge for our current one and I have hated it since day one. She thought we'd get more freezer space, but we got way less. We ended up having to buy a chest freezer to increase our freezer storage capacity. When this one goes, hopefully we'll go back to a traditional top loading freezer. Of course if we decide we want the latest and greatest features the options are limited to French Door or a few side by side.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

cheesesteak said:


> This. I don't understand the appeal of a top freezer. I'm in the fridge an order of magnitude more than in the freezer so if I have to stoop I prefer it to be for the function I'm least likely to use.


The appeal to me is that the bottom freezers is always a slide out drawer and stuff gets buried on the bottom so it's difficult to organize. The top freezer has a door and is designed to better organize stuff. I get the "bend down to find stuff" in the fridge, so we used to put the stuff we used more often on the higher shelves. Plus we are short, so we don't have to bend down so much


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## sharkster (Jul 3, 2004)

Steveknj said:


> The appeal to me is that the bottom freezers is always a slide out drawer and stuff gets buried on the bottom so it's difficult to organize. The top freezer has a door and is designed to better organize stuff. I get the "bend down to find stuff" in the fridge, so we used to put the stuff we used more often on the higher shelves. Plus we are short, so we don't have to bend down so much


Also, a top freezer has a shelf within and inside-door shelves. 

BTW, one thing I've done when I last got a new unit was to keep some of the parts from the previous one such as shelf dividers, ice bin, etc. I first asked the guy what they do with the one they remove and they told me they just recycle it. I found having those extra parts very handy. I don't use an ice maker, anyway, and had it removed the last couple of times so I use the ice bin for other uses inside.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

sharkster said:


> Also, a top freezer has a shelf within and inside-door shelves.
> 
> BTW, one thing I've done when I last got a new unit was to keep some of the parts from the previous one such as shelf dividers, ice bin, etc. I first asked the guy what they do with the one they remove and they told me they just recycle it. I found having those extra parts very handy. I don't use an ice maker, anyway, and had it removed the last couple of times so I use the ice bin for other uses inside.


I use the fruit bin from my last fridge on our storage shelf in our garage. I currently is filled with roles of different types of tape.


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## DVR_Dave (Apr 19, 2017)

sharkster said:


> Also, a top freezer has a shelf within and inside-door shelves.
> 
> BTW, one thing I've done when I last got a new unit was to keep some of the parts from the previous one such as shelf dividers, ice bin, etc. I first asked the guy what they do with the one they remove and they told me they just recycle it. I found having those extra parts very handy. I don't use an ice maker, anyway, and had it removed the last couple of times so I use the ice bin for other uses inside.


My mid-80s Kenmore did not have a shelf in the freezer. 

I did save a shelf from another freezer and was going to retrofit it into my freezer, but never got around to doing it before I replaced the fridge.


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## laria (Sep 7, 2000)

Our previous bottom freezer had a regular door with a shelf and a small door basket. Our current one has a drawer but it also has a shelf above it.


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## Jonathan_S (Oct 23, 2001)

Steveknj said:


> The appeal to me is that the bottom freezers is always a slide out drawer and stuff gets buried on the bottom so it's difficult to organize. The top freezer has a door and is designed to better organize stuff. I get the "bend down to find stuff" in the fridge, so we used to put the stuff we used more often on the higher shelves. Plus we are short, so we don't have to bend down so much


To each their own.
In my experience I lost way more things in the back of a top freezer (especially if it has a shelf so it's got a relatively low, but deep, bottom shelf) than I do in the drawers of my current bottom freezer.

Something in the drawer can't be more than 6" from sight; and boxes of frozen stuff can be lined up on their sides in the top drawer so I can read what each of them is at once when the drawer is pulled out; while something in the back of a top freezer might have 15" of stuff in front of it obscuring it from view.


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## Flop (Dec 2, 2005)

In the Great Freezer Debate, I choose bottom freezer.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

The way threads drift can be really interesting. I wonder if anybody's ever done a PhD thesis on it?


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> The way threads drift can be really interesting. I wonder if anybody's ever done a PhD thesis on it?


You're elected!! 

You're right, and sometimes the drifts can go on for pages. I don't mind it though, it's like any other conversation, it starts in one place and goes in whatever direct it goes. 

Funny, I actually had to check the thread title to remember what this thread was (and I started it!).


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

Steveknj said:


> You're elected!!


Sorry, already did mine.

"Law, Language, and Politics in the Norman and Anglo-Norman World."

And it just turned 25!


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## Hank (May 31, 2000)

Flop said:


> In the Great Freezer Debate, I choose bottom freezer.


Same here. French doors, bottom freezer. Samsung.

I organized the bottom freezer main drawer so the left is meats and proteins, the right is vegetables, and the top drawer is for random other things that don't fit the meat/vegs sections like ice cream or butter. Works really well.


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## gchance (Dec 6, 2002)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> I'm also impressed with how often when they're lying in bed, the sheet somehow covers her to above the breasts but him only above the waist...


My favorite is they just had wild sex, they're done, and she sits up. As she does, she holds the sheet to her body to cover her breasts. I always want the guy to ask what she's doing.


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## vman41 (Jun 18, 2002)

Worf said:


> I was shocked to learn that people in Texas keep it at 72 degrees year round and some people complained 77 was too warm. I can't imagine going from a 72 degree room to outside when it's 90 - too much of a jump. (Though if I lived in Texas, I'd probably keep it at 80 to still be cool and refreshing and be adapted enough so the 90 degrees outside wouldn't feel like I need to rush back inside).
> 
> And y es, I was sorely disappointed when "Auto" mode on my thermostat didn't let me set a range so it'll heat when it got colder than 67 and cool when it got warmer than 77.


I can be comfortable at 77 if the humidity is low, but an oversized AC often won't run enough to control the humidity in humid parts of the country so you have a much lower set point to feel comfortable. Likewise, a humidifier in winter lets you keep the house a little cooler.

My thermostat has separate set points for heat and cool (70-/75), it's a great feature.


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## Flop (Dec 2, 2005)

Worf said:


> I was shocked to learn that people in Texas keep it at 72 degrees year round and some people complained 77 was too warm. I can't imagine going from a 72 degree room to outside when it's 90 - too much of a jump. (Though if I lived in Texas, I'd probably keep it at 80 to still be cool and refreshing and be adapted enough so the 90 degrees outside wouldn't feel like I need to rush back inside).


I find 80 to be far from "cool and refreshing". It is uncomfortably warm. I have a house dehumidifier tied into the central air to keep the inside humidity around 45-50% and still find a temp above 75 uncomfortable, anything above 80 is unpleasant. Summer is miserable for me here in OK...  To be fair, I know I am out of the norm. I open my windows in the winter, keep my thermostat set at 60, and sometimes allow it to drop below 50 overnight. If it wasn't for family, I'd likely live much further north and/or at much higher elevations.


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

Someone gets murdered and an innocent idiot picks up the murder weapon and stands there until witnesses arrive.


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## kaszeta (Jun 11, 2004)

cheesesteak said:


> Someone gets murdered and an innocent idiot picks up the murder weapon and stands there until witnesses arrive.


Somewhat like that:


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## cheesesteak (Jul 24, 2003)

The bad guy actually confesses to his crimes.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

cheesesteak said:


> The bad guy actually confesses to his crimes.


In a two minute long diatribe!


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