# Do you enjoy--or avoid--TV shows/movies about your profession? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 17, 2002, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-enjoy-or-avoid-tv-shows-movies-about-your-profession/143424 "2002-12-17T22:02:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-enjoy-or-avoid-tv-shows-movies-about-your-profession/143424/41 "2002-12-18T07:53:27Z")
High school teacher here, and I can’t stand **Boston Public**. I watched the first season and I still watch it every once in a while hoping it will get better. No luck so far. I think it could be a decent show if they didn’t go totally over the top with everything and have about 100 major crises during every episode. And most of those teachers would have been fired for the various things they do. Harry Sennet, for one, would have been fired and would never have taught again after firing off a gun in his classroom (blanks or not). He just got a slap on the wrist and has since taken students to a morgue (without parental permission), gotten in a fistfight with a student, allowed a young female student to stay at his home… it goes on and on. I think he also had a brief “thing” with one of his female students in the first season. And the principal can’t say enough about how wonderful a teacher that guy is! Please! Forget about teaching–the guy would be in jail in real life. **Boston Public** = one of the most unbelievable, ridiculous shows ever. [/end rant] P.S. Okay, the real reason I sometimes still watch it is because Geri Ryan and the music teacher are HOT! I wish I had single co-workers at my school that looked like that! (goes off singing Van Halen, "Got it bad, got it bad, got it bad…) ---
**Author:** ![DeepPurple](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@DeepPurple](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeepPurple)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-enjoy-or-avoid-tv-shows-movies-about-your-profession/143424/42 "2002-12-18T08:08:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by BobT \* > \*\*As a librarian, (and a straight, male one to boot), the odds of me finding someone in film or TV portraying a character like me is pretty much zero. \*\* How about my favorite Hepburn/Tracy movie, _Desk Set_? Reference librarians, computers, trivia…mmmmm, love that movie! ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-enjoy-or-avoid-tv-shows-movies-about-your-profession/143424/43 "2002-12-18T13:02:54Z")
I’m a science fiction fan, so I can’t avoid movies/shows about scientists. Actually, one reason I am a scientist (and engineer – I have both degrees) is because of those movies. But both movies and TV generally really screw up the scientists, as I’m sure most Dopers will attest. There have been plenty of good portrayals, though. Although even acknowledged classics like **The Thing** can have Cornthwaite as an over-the-edge idiot scientist, there are a few good examples, like **Forbidden Planet**. I kinda like Peter O’Toole in **Creator** , the only movie I’ve seen where grad school looks and feels like grad school. (Although the review at the site “And you call yourself a scientist” is pretty much on the mark.) ---
**Author:** ![gex\_gex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@gex\_gex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gex_gex)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-enjoy-or-avoid-tv-shows-movies-about-your-profession/143424/44 "2002-12-18T13:36:02Z")
Are you kidding? _Clerks_ is one of my favourite movies! And it’s so so true. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-enjoy-or-avoid-tv-shows-movies-about-your-profession/143424/45 "2002-12-18T13:43:47Z")
I’m not even sure if there is a character about cartographers. Maybe in some semi-historic movie but I don’t remember it. Oh well one can hope. ---
**Author:** ![Agrippina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8797f3/32.png) [@Agrippina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agrippina)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-enjoy-or-avoid-tv-shows-movies-about-your-profession/143424/46 "2002-12-18T13:53:58Z")
I used to work at a movie theater for a few weeks and I love the scene in **Ghost World** where Enid gets a job at a movie theater. ---
**Author:** ![elf6c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c57346/32.png) [@elf6c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elf6c)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-enjoy-or-avoid-tv-shows-movies-about-your-profession/143424/47 "2002-12-18T14:01:07Z")
I am attorney, and find 90% of the lawyer shows to be utter tripe. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Gorgon\_Heap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f475e1/32.png) [@Gorgon\_Heap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorgon_Heap)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-enjoy-or-avoid-tv-shows-movies-about-your-profession/143424/48 "2002-12-18T14:02:37Z")
Not too many thing on nowadays about newspaper writing, unless you count _Lois and Clark_ or whatever that Superman show is called, and there it’s just a side thing when they aren’t dealing with lame villains. One of my favorite movies in the Whole Wide World[sup]TM[/sup] is _His Girl Friday_ with Cary Grant and Rosalind Russel. “You can’t do this ta me, Hildy; You’re a Newspapeh Man!” Love it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-enjoy-or-avoid-tv-shows-movies-about-your-profession/143424/49 "2002-12-18T14:45:03Z")
Although I’ve been off active duty since 1984, I still cringe over far too many shows with military characters. There are blatant uniform errors, terminology errors, protocol errors - things that are easily checked and wouldn’t affect storylines at all. It ruins the enjoyment for me so much that I usually avoid watching such things. As for engineers - yeah, I can just see a program/movie about my working life. A cubicle farm with a bunch of people staring at computers, doing drawings, occasionally going to the production floor to assist the artisans. That’s some high drama, I tell you what… :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![greck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7ab992/32.png) [@greck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/greck)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-enjoy-or-avoid-tv-shows-movies-about-your-profession/143424/50 "2002-12-18T15:02:51Z")
I’m a therapist, haven’t seen “girl interrupted” yet, can’t do it, used to work in a psych hospital. “I am sam” was ruined for me having worked with that exact population I tried the whole “I will end you chief” thing that robin williams did to matt damon, didn’t go over very well with a victim of sexual abuse I had. “The sopranos” does a pretty good job, though. ---
**Author:** ![NicePete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee7513/32.png) [@NicePete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NicePete)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-enjoy-or-avoid-tv-shows-movies-about-your-profession/143424/51 "2002-12-18T15:31:12Z")
Personally, I thought the “Fred Garvin” segments on SNL were pretty accurate… ---
**Author:** ![Kn\_ckers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/96bed5/32.png) [@Kn\_ckers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kn_ckers)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-enjoy-or-avoid-tv-shows-movies-about-your-profession/143424/52 "2002-12-18T15:34:33Z")
I’m a clinical secretary, and I avoid medical dramas (and sitcoms, e.g. **Scrubs** ) like the plague. I think if I actually LIKED my job, though, it might be a different story. As it is, the last thing I want to think of when I get home at night is hospitals. ---
**Author:** ![gonzoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a6a055/32.png) [@gonzoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzoron)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-enjoy-or-avoid-tv-shows-movies-about-your-profession/143424/53 "2002-12-18T15:55:29Z")
Engineer here. I loved _Dilbert_ when is was on. (I think we’re required to.) And Scotty, Geordi, and O’Brian always had me rooting for them on _Star Trek_. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-enjoy-or-avoid-tv-shows-movies-about-your-profession/143424/54 "2002-12-18T18:17:18Z")
My friends think I’m fairly animated, but I still don’t watch PokeMon. Nice sig line, VBB… ---
**Author:** ![Q.N.Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/3da27b/32.png) [@Q.N.Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.N.Jones)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-enjoy-or-avoid-tv-shows-movies-about-your-profession/143424/55 "2002-12-18T18:39:10Z")
I’m a lawyer and many of my favorite shows are lawyer shows. I don’t care that they get things wrong. It’s entertainment for me, pure and simple. But this may be because shows like _Law & Order_ and _The Practice_ deal with mostly with criminal law, and I don’t. ---
**Author:** ![BioHazard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3bc359/32.png) [@BioHazard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BioHazard)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-enjoy-or-avoid-tv-shows-movies-about-your-profession/143424/56 "2002-12-19T16:59:08Z")
My 2 roomates and I worked for a Funeral home and all three of us absolutly loved “Six Feet Under”, and we watched any time it was on. It rings very true of the Biz. We all especially loved the scene in the first episode where the daughter hit on a guy during her father’s viewing, right in front of her father’s corpse. All three of us (even the female roomate) have been hit on over a dead body countless times (nursing home nurses are some of the most twisted girls I’ve ever met). As for my current job, Hackers: had a promising beginning, but got unbelivably annoying and unreal toward the end. Hackers 2: I loved, very realistic (for the most part) War Games: I loved. Sneakers: I loved. The Net: _rolls eyes_ Sandra Bullock is the only redeeming aspect of this movie. Tom Clancy’s(yah right) Net Force: Was OK but the Books were much better. Mall Rats: I loved. Office Space: I loved. ---
**Author:** ![LtningBug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/73ab20/32.png) [@LtningBug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LtningBug)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-enjoy-or-avoid-tv-shows-movies-about-your-profession/143424/57 "2003-01-16T07:49:17Z")
Mmm, Office Space. “ex-ex-excuse me? I be-be-believe you have my st-st-stapler?” I loved Hackers, and Antitrust. In a MST3K sorta way. Same with just about every other movie I’ve seen about programming (or hacking). ---
**Author:** ![FisherQueen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/58f4c7/32.png) [@FisherQueen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FisherQueen)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-enjoy-or-avoid-tv-shows-movies-about-your-profession/143424/58 "2003-01-16T12:13:07Z")
I admit it, I watch ‘Boston Public.’ Some things on it are stunningly ridiculous, especially the discipline/rules stuff (half of this staff would have been fired by now in any real school), but it’s fun to watch even in its idiocy. In real life, though, no teacher has time to have as much sex as these people are having. ---
**Author:** ![Fugazi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f08c70/32.png) [@Fugazi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fugazi)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-enjoy-or-avoid-tv-shows-movies-about-your-profession/143424/59 "2003-01-16T14:25:32Z")
My first duty assignment in the Air Force was Cheyenne Mountain i.e. NORAD. When I first saw War Games I laughed my ass off. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by BioHazard \* > **War Games: I loved.** Might have been a good hacker movie (I don’t know), but as far as accuracy about NORAD, they didn’t get a damn thing right. One thing was kind of close. The big steel blast doors looked like the real thing, except in the movie, they kept opening & closing them. I worked there 1 1/2 years and I never saw them close. ---
**Author:** ![Labor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Labor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labor)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-enjoy-or-avoid-tv-shows-movies-about-your-profession/143424/60 "2003-01-16T15:28:43Z")
Too many occupations! I tried really hard for a number of years to be a tubist in an orchestra, so, PBS gets it right! However, every musician in a TV series is poorly acted, don’t actors understand that wind instruments work by blowing into them? Tuba players are rarely portrayed in series, when they are they hold the instrument all wrong we are not all fat! I get so upset. Military shows always have uniform mistakes and the charactor’s hair is much too long. They generally get the courtesy parts right. They rarely show how dull and lifeless the military work really is. Now I am a labor investigator, a great job but no way to show it in the movies. Pan to a room, tables covered in time cards and payrolls, one lone investigator squints at the numbers, a long ribbon of tape droops from his adding machine. Then, a door opens, a female enters with another box “Here is the other payroll you asked about.” She places the box on yet another table… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-enjoy-or-avoid-tv-shows-movies-about-your-profession/143424.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-enjoy-or-avoid-tv-shows-movies-about-your-profession/143424.md?page=4)