# Finish the TV SITCOM cliche...
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-the-tv-sitcom-cliche/473198
**Category:** The Game Room
**Created:** [November 17, 2008, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-the-tv-sitcom-cliche/473198 "2008-11-17T22:59:59Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)
#### Post date: [November 17, 2008, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-the-tv-sitcom-cliche/473198/1 "2008-11-17T22:59:59Z")
Inspired by the success of the film cliche thread of course.
We’ll get the ball rolling with a very easy one:
When the character who has put on a lot of weight in the past few years is dreading a reunion with an old friend who remembers him/her as slim and athletic, he/she goes into a fanatical workout regiment and diet and…
[One of the greatest episodes of AB-FAB was when they put an evil twist on this tired cliche.]
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### Author:  [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)
#### Post date: [November 17, 2008, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-the-tv-sitcom-cliche/473198/2 "2008-11-17T23:56:54Z")
> [@Sampiro](#):
>
> Inspired by the success of the film cliche thread of course.
> We’ll get the ball rolling with a very easy one:
> When the character who has put on a lot of weight in the past few years is dreading a reunion with an old friend who remembers him/her as slim and athletic, he/she goes into a fanatical workout regiment and diet and…
>
> [One of the greatest episodes of AB-FAB was when they put an evil twist on this tired cliche.]
… he/she will attend the reunion, only to discover that that old friend has also put on weight, and is showing his/her age as well. (But is still interested in the main character.)
A sitcom character’s residence is always…
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### Author:  [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)
#### Post date: [November 18, 2008, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-the-tv-sitcom-cliche/473198/3 "2008-11-18T00:10:19Z")
much nicer and more well-appointed than that character could ever afford in real life.
The first scene of a sitcom is always…
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### Author:  [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)
#### Post date: [November 18, 2008, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-the-tv-sitcom-cliche/473198/4 "2008-11-18T01:25:28Z")
…some random joke that has nothing to do with the rest of the storyline.
The Dad of the family has a high paying job, but…
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### Author:  [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)
#### Post date: [November 18, 2008, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-the-tv-sitcom-cliche/473198/5 "2008-11-18T01:43:52Z")
> [@The New and Improved Superman](#):
>
> … he/she will attend the reunion, only to discover that that old friend has also put on weight, and is showing his/her age as well. (But is still interested in the main character.)
## Yep. The twist in AB-FAB for those who haven’t watched it is that the other character that Edina was trying to starve herself into shape for is now blind
The Dad of the family has a high paying job, but…
…seems to work 40 hours per week or less.
Things that will always happen when a lead or regular character becomes pregnant are…
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### Author:  [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)
#### Post date: [November 18, 2008, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-the-tv-sitcom-cliche/473198/6 "2008-11-18T01:54:32Z")
…when they go into labor, their water breaks first and they immediately start screaming from the pain.
A teenage girl on a sitcom…
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### Author:  [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)
#### Post date: [November 18, 2008, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-the-tv-sitcom-cliche/473198/7 "2008-11-18T02:36:44Z")
> [@Drain\_Bead](#):
>
> …when they go into labor, their water breaks first and they immediately start screaming from the pain.
>
> A teenage girl on a sitcom…
Will fall for someone her Dad does not approve of.
All crisises on sitcom will …
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### Author:  [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)
#### Post date: [November 18, 2008, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-the-tv-sitcom-cliche/473198/8 "2008-11-18T03:30:51Z")
…be resolved in 22 minutes.
When the youngest child in a sitcom family reaches puberty…
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### Author:  [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)
#### Post date: [November 18, 2008, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-the-tv-sitcom-cliche/473198/9 "2008-11-18T03:43:46Z")
They become embarassed by either boobie issues or a comically overdone breaking voice.
Strangely, family members never seem to notice when one of the other family members…
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### Author:  [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)
#### Post date: [November 18, 2008, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-the-tv-sitcom-cliche/473198/10 "2008-11-18T03:56:33Z")
> [@Isamu](#):
>
> They become embarassed by either boobie issues or a comically overdone breaking voice.
>
> Strangely, family members never seem to notice when one of the other family members…
… goes upstairs and never ever comes back down again!
Rather than in maternity wards, the babies are most often…
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### Author:  [@Sine\_Nomine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sine_Nomine)
#### Post date: [November 18, 2008, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-the-tv-sitcom-cliche/473198/11 "2008-11-18T04:06:11Z")
> [@zamboniracer](#):
>
> … goes upstairs and never ever comes back down again!
>
> Rather than in maternity wards, the babies are most often…
born in a stuck elevator, delivered by a character with no medical training.
Elements that every sitcom wedding must include are…
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### Author:  [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)
#### Post date: [November 18, 2008, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-the-tv-sitcom-cliche/473198/12 "2008-11-18T04:50:01Z")
> [@Sine\_Nomine](#):
>
> Elements that every sitcom wedding must include are…
-a bride or groom who almost doesn’t make the wedding
-an inopportune arrival of/revelation from a former lover
-animosity between the parents of the bride and groom
-a lost ring (or some other “prop” essential to the wedding)
-an eccentric minister
When it’s announced that a favorite elderly relative who’s never been mentioned before is coming to visit…
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### Author:  [@AllWalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AllWalker)
#### Post date: [November 18, 2008, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-the-tv-sitcom-cliche/473198/13 "2008-11-18T05:39:49Z")
> [@Sampiro](#):
>
> When it’s announced that a favorite elderly relative who’s never been mentioned before is coming to visit…
… the other characters will groan in dismay. However, when he shows up and it turns out he is a cranky old man (as expected) one of two things will happen:
\*he will make everyone’s life hell.
\*he will make those who dreaded his arrival love him by telling embarrasing stories about those who were looking forward to his arrival. Either way, he is no longer that character’s favourite.
An in-law coming to stay just for one night actually stays for…
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### Author:  [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)
#### Post date: [November 18, 2008, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-the-tv-sitcom-cliche/473198/14 "2008-11-18T05:45:59Z")
> [@AllWalker](#):
>
> An in-law coming to stay just for one night actually stays for…
…three weeks because…
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### Author:  [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)
#### Post date: [November 18, 2008, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-the-tv-sitcom-cliche/473198/15 "2008-11-18T05:48:43Z")
[Edit]…they’re leaving their spouse and they want to start dating again.
A never before mentioned best friend of one of the sitcom children will appear in a “very special” episode and…
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### Author:  [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)
#### Post date: [November 18, 2008, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-the-tv-sitcom-cliche/473198/16 "2008-11-18T06:21:58Z")
_sniff_ be diagnosed with Leukemia!
A child overhearing just one side of their parent’s telephone conversation will mistakenly think that…
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### Author:  [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)
#### Post date: [November 18, 2008, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-the-tv-sitcom-cliche/473198/17 "2008-11-18T06:28:07Z")
A murder is being planned.
When someone needs to be in two places at once they will…
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### Author:  [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)
#### Post date: [November 18, 2008, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-the-tv-sitcom-cliche/473198/18 "2008-11-18T06:41:30Z")
…conveniently run into their double at work/school/the mall and convince him or her to go one of the places in their stead.
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### Author:  [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)
#### Post date: [November 18, 2008, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-the-tv-sitcom-cliche/473198/19 "2008-11-18T06:58:04Z")
> [@BiblioCat](#):
>
> …conveniently run into their double at work/school/the mall and convince him or her to go one of the places in their stead.
Since you dead ended…😉
If the actor playing the main character on the series believes he or she can sing in real life, then unfortunately…
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### Author:  [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)
#### Post date: [November 18, 2008, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-the-tv-sitcom-cliche/473198/20 "2008-11-18T08:03:41Z")
> [@Sampiro](#):
>
> If the actor playing the main character on the series believes he or she can sing in real life, then unfortunately…
They will come out with an album that nobody really wants to produce or buy, but does so anyway because they’re fans and maybe feel slightly sorry for them.
The longer the series runs, the chances the majority of the characters will have at some point become romantically involved with all other characters of the oppposite sex who aren’t family members…
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