# Cliched "problems" in sitcoms that wouldn't bother you? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 18, 2018, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cliched-problems-in-sitcoms-that-wouldnt-bother-you/809073 "2018-02-18T19:58:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2018, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cliched-problems-in-sitcoms-that-wouldnt-bother-you/809073/1 "2018-02-18T19:58:06Z")
There are “problems” faced by characters in sitcoms that don’t bother us. Me: mixing up identical twin babies In Full House, The Simpsons, and The Suite Life of Zack and Cody etc. the identical twin babies were possibly mixed up. This is seen as a **big problem** and hilarity generally ensues as they try to figure out which baby is which. But if they’re newborns, who cares? It’s not like they have any idea what their names are or a sense of identity yet. Unless one had a medical condition the other doesn’t, what does it hurt if in the early days baby A becomes baby B? Sure, if they’re not feed at the same time one baby might get an extra feeding one time, but whatever. What clichéd problems faced by fictional characters wouldn’t feel like a crisis if it happened to you? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2018, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cliched-problems-in-sitcoms-that-wouldnt-bother-you/809073/2 "2018-02-18T20:07:06Z")
You’re invited to some social event, but don’t want to go. In a sitcom, you’d make up some hairbrained excuse, and then your story would fall apart, and you’d end up having to layer ever-increasingly absurd stories to cover up your previous absurd stories. In real life, you just say “No thanks, I’m just staying home and chilling this weekend”. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2018, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cliched-problems-in-sitcoms-that-wouldnt-bother-you/809073/3 "2018-02-18T21:12:45Z")
Being a straight guy with two straight female roommates. I doubt I’m pretend that I was gay to do so. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2018, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cliched-problems-in-sitcoms-that-wouldnt-bother-you/809073/4 "2018-02-18T21:21:10Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > You’re invited to some social event, but don’t want to go. In a sitcom, you’d make up some hairbrained excuse, and then your story would fall apart, and you’d end up having to layer ever-increasingly absurd stories to cover up your previous absurd stories. In real life, you just say “No thanks, I’m just staying home and chilling this weekend”. Alternatively, you’d come up with a transparent excuse, the other person would realize it was a transparent excuse, you’d both tacitly agree to accept the polite fiction, and no more would be said about it. ---
**Author:** ![Hermione](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/cdc98d/32.png) [@Hermione](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermione)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2018, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cliched-problems-in-sitcoms-that-wouldnt-bother-you/809073/5 "2018-02-18T23:00:59Z")
The whole “we’re-having-the-boss-over-for-dinner-but-something’s-gone-wrong-with-the-meal-so-we’ve-got-to-come-up-with-a-lie” business. (For example, as seen in The Simpsons’ “22 Short Films About Springfield” with Skinner having Superintendent Chalmers over for lunch. You know…“steamed hams”?) As I said in another post about that, I’d see nothing wrong with just admitting that there’d been a kitchen mishap and offering to take said boss to a nice restaurant. I rather think most people would understand that Murphy’s Law sometimes occurs and that it’s not some deliberate insult. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2018, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cliched-problems-in-sitcoms-that-wouldnt-bother-you/809073/6 "2018-02-18T23:54:13Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > You’re invited to some social event, but don’t want to go. In a sitcom, you’d make up some hairbrained excuse, and then your story would fall apart, and you’d end up having to layer ever-increasingly absurd stories to cover up your previous absurd stories. In real life, you just say “No thanks, I’m just staying home and chilling this weekend”. And in real life you stop getting invitations because you’re always “chilling this weekend”. Win-win, ight? ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cliched-problems-in-sitcoms-that-wouldnt-bother-you/809073/7 "2018-02-19T00:38:17Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > You’re invited to some social event, but don’t want to go. In a sitcom, you’d make up some hairbrained excuse, and then your story would fall apart, and you’d end up having to layer ever-increasingly absurd stories to cover up your previous absurd stories. In real life, you just say “No thanks, I’m just staying home and chilling this weekend”. As I recall, there’s a Father Brown mystery that has to do someone who’d rather sit in his comfy chair with a cheap paperback thriller, than talk to a visitor. ETA: Yep, found it in “The Wisdom of Father Brown” - title redacted to avoid spoiler… ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cliched-problems-in-sitcoms-that-wouldnt-bother-you/809073/8 "2018-02-19T02:10:40Z")
The two dates on the same night problem. Usually the gag is the havoc of jumping between the two unaware dates. Jesus Christ, call the second one as soon as the mistake is discovered and apologize and hopefully reschedule. Problem solved. Of course, that wouldn’t be a show. So, introduce them to each other and go as a trio. That’ll make for some comic drama in a talented writer’s hands. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cliched-problems-in-sitcoms-that-wouldnt-bother-you/809073/9 "2018-02-19T02:16:19Z")
Anything involving a zit. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cliched-problems-in-sitcoms-that-wouldnt-bother-you/809073/10 "2018-02-19T03:05:58Z")
> [@Hermione](#): > > The whole we’re-having-the-boss-over-for-dinner-but… You can stop right there. Did that EVER happen in real life? It’s such a staple of shows like Bewitched, that I started to think maybe it was based on reality. My dad would’ve been the Darrin Stevens having his boss over. My dad was VP of a bank in the 50’s and 60’s, for thirty years or so, and he got along great with his boss. He’d go golfing or play tennis with the boss and sometimes clients, but I asked my mom if he’d ever bring them home for dinner. (Now, on these sitcoms it was always on short or no notice, but I asked my mom if it EVER happened, even planned a month out…) She just went Pfffft! and said "If he’d pulled that, I’d’ve said “Sorry, I’m going to be out of town that night. Don’t know where or why, but waaaay out of town.” ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cliched-problems-in-sitcoms-that-wouldnt-bother-you/809073/11 "2018-02-19T03:59:24Z")
> [@digs](#): > > You can stop right there. Did that EVER happen in real life? It’s such a staple of shows like Bewitched, that I started to think maybe it was based on reality. > > My dad would’ve been the Darrin Stevens having his boss over. My dad was VP of a bank in the 50’s and 60’s, for thirty years or so, and he got along great with his boss. He’d go golfing or play tennis with the boss and sometimes clients, but I asked my mom if he’d ever bring them home for dinner. (Now, on these sitcoms it was always on short or no notice, but I asked my mom if it EVER happened, even planned a month out…) > > She just went Pfffft! and said "If he’d pulled that, I’d’ve said “Sorry, I’m going to be out of town that night. Don’t know where or why, but waaaay out of town.” My dad worked at Sears when he was in college, and his “boss” later became his brother-in-law. Does that count? ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cliched-problems-in-sitcoms-that-wouldnt-bother-you/809073/12 "2018-02-19T04:05:03Z")
[https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=701735](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=701735) > [@digs](#): > > You can stop right there. Did that EVER happen in real life? It’s such a staple of shows like Bewitched, that I started to think maybe it was based on reality. This has been [asked here](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=789561) before, and while there are lots of No’s there are also Yes’s. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cliched-problems-in-sitcoms-that-wouldnt-bother-you/809073/13 "2018-02-19T05:54:35Z")
Just serve him steamed hams. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cliched-problems-in-sitcoms-that-wouldnt-bother-you/809073/14 "2018-02-19T06:03:49Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > Being a straight guy with two straight female roommates. I doubt I’m pretend that I was gay to do so. [He did that because his landlord wouldn’t have let him stay otherwise](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three%27s_Company). > [@](#): > > However, due to overbearing landlord Stanley Roper’s intolerance for co-ed living situations, even in a multi-bedroom apartment, Jack is allowed to move in only after Janet tells Mr. Roper that Jack is gay. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cliched-problems-in-sitcoms-that-wouldnt-bother-you/809073/15 "2018-02-19T06:28:13Z")
Indeed. Janet and the revolving cast of blonde roommates were all aware that Jack was straight. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cliched-problems-in-sitcoms-that-wouldnt-bother-you/809073/16 "2018-02-19T10:23:58Z")
A lot of shows have the scenario of somebody finding themselves completely naked in public with no easy way of hiding (because they’re locked out of their house when they were getting the paper in a towel, somebody steals their clothes when they were skinny-dipping/showering, or they were tricked into getting naked) and as they run around using their hands as the sole means of protecting their modesty they encounter a situation that requires the use of both hands or else they’d suffer injury or even death and they decide to panic and delay trying to make a literal life or death decision because they still wish to preserve their modesty (The most common scenario is they need to use both their hands to scale a fence or open a door because they’re being chased by something usually an aggressive dog) I’m positive 99.9% of actual people would instantly stop covering themselves to escape injury instead of amusingly futzing around looking at the fence and then looking at the dog and back. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cliched-problems-in-sitcoms-that-wouldnt-bother-you/809073/17 "2018-02-19T16:26:10Z")
The sympathetic male lead being upset and put out by his wife making more money…Yes this happens in real life, but dudes who feel that way are not sympathetic and aren’t people you’d want to watch a show about. ---
**Author:** ![Long\_Time\_First\_Time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@Long\_Time\_First\_Time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Long_Time_First_Time)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cliched-problems-in-sitcoms-that-wouldnt-bother-you/809073/18 "2018-02-19T18:17:37Z")
Pretending to be the boss in your work place when your out-of-town parents/relatives/significant other visits because you _might_ have inflated your job title. Could that ever happen in real life? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cliched-problems-in-sitcoms-that-wouldnt-bother-you/809073/19 "2018-02-19T18:24:27Z")
> [@Long\_Time\_First\_Time](#): > > Pretending to be the boss in your work place when your out-of-town parents/relatives/significant other visits because you _might_ have inflated your job title. Could that ever happen in real life? Or enlisting someone to play your (non-existent) spouse or boyfriend/girlfriend when relatives visit. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cliched-problems-in-sitcoms-that-wouldnt-bother-you/809073/20 "2018-02-19T18:33:44Z")
saw this on 3 different shows in 1 year : Boss is kicked out of house by his wife and has to spend the night with the employee who is not real fond of him. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cliched-problems-in-sitcoms-that-wouldnt-bother-you/809073.md?page=2)