# Finish the TV SITCOM cliche... **URL:** \ **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:** 2
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-the-tv-sitcom-cliche/473198/21 "2008-11-18T13:23:31Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > 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… Approaches 100%. If it is snowing in a sitcom it means … ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-the-tv-sitcom-cliche/473198/22 "2008-11-18T14:57:22Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > If it is snowing in a sitcom it means … …it’s Christmas, and we’re in for an adaptation of “A Christmas Carol,” where the show’s characters will play the various roles in the Dickens story. A typical sitcom family consists of… (list the members and their characteristics) ---
**Author:** ![critter42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ba0ec/32.png) [@critter42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/critter42)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-the-tv-sitcom-cliche/473198/23 "2008-11-18T15:25:30Z")
- A slightly ditzy father whose source of income is never fully explained - A mother who is usually the only sane person in the household - Two to three children, usually of mixed sexes and usually one each from the following categories: - A brain - A jock - The youngest (oftentimes a “surprise” added in the last season or two of the run) who magically ages 3-5 years in 1 summer. The middle child will sneak out to go to a bar where… ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-the-tv-sitcom-cliche/473198/24 "2008-11-18T15:56:20Z")
he will meet a hot chick who he eventually takes home, and who turns out to be a weekend transvestite who works with his dad. If a pet is prominent cast member it will at some point… ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-the-tv-sitcom-cliche/473198/25 "2008-11-18T16:00:22Z")
> [@ivan\_astikov](#): > > If a pet is prominent cast member it will at some point… …talk in an overdubbed voice. At some point, every member of the family, plus all of their friends, will take a vacation in… ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-the-tv-sitcom-cliche/473198/26 "2008-11-18T16:04:23Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > At some point, every member of the family, plus all of their friends, will take a vacation in… Hawaii Where they will meet … ---
**Author:** ![critter42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ba0ec/32.png) [@critter42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/critter42)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-the-tv-sitcom-cliche/473198/27 "2008-11-18T16:07:32Z")
Now: Dog the Bounty Hunter Then: Don Ho At some point in Hawaii the family will split up because… ---
**Author:** ![want2know](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@want2know](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/want2know)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-the-tv-sitcom-cliche/473198/28 "2008-11-18T16:47:22Z")
> [@critter42](#): > > Now: Dog the Bounty Hunter > > Then: Don Ho > > At some point in Hawaii the family will split up because… Dad decides that he will teach his young son to surf, even though he hasn’t done it in at least ten years, and ends up in the hospital. Meanwhile, Mom and the daughter… ---
**Author:** ![Beadalin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Beadalin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beadalin)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-the-tv-sitcom-cliche/473198/29 "2008-11-18T16:55:37Z")
> [@want2know](#): > > Meanwhile, Mom and the daughter… Take hula lessons in extremely dense grass skirts. The best way to end a telephone conversation is to… ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-the-tv-sitcom-cliche/473198/30 "2008-11-18T16:59:15Z")
Give a recap of the entire conversation and then hang up. Never can say “Goodbye.” When a sitcom character turns on a radio or TV… ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-the-tv-sitcom-cliche/473198/31 "2008-11-18T17:06:28Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > When a sitcom character turns on a radio or TV… It will either be a top 10 hit if the show is a period piece or some newsflash directly involving the show like an … ---
**Author:** ![critter42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ba0ec/32.png) [@critter42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/critter42)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-the-tv-sitcom-cliche/473198/32 "2008-11-18T17:12:38Z")
…investigative report showing the dad, who was supposed to be at work, getting arrested for walking naked into a YWCA shower. When the parents find a used pregnancy test kit in the daughter’s bathroom, they will… ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-the-tv-sitcom-cliche/473198/33 "2008-11-18T17:24:57Z")
> [@critter42](#): > > When the parents find a used pregnancy test kit in the daughter’s bathroom, they will… Freak out for 20 minutes before the wife admits it was she who actually took the test. When there is a power failure, all the characters will huddle in candle light and… ---
**Author:** ![want2know](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@want2know](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/want2know)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-the-tv-sitcom-cliche/473198/34 "2008-11-18T17:30:50Z")
> [@critter42](#): > > …investigative report showing the dad, who was supposed to be at work, getting arrested for walking naked into a YWCA shower. > > When the parents find a used pregnancy test kit in the daughter’s bathroom, they will… Blame each other. When the plot involves a celebrity guest appearing as him/herself, the celebrity is usually… ---
**Author:** ![want2know](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@want2know](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/want2know)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-the-tv-sitcom-cliche/473198/35 "2008-11-18T17:33:05Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > Freak out for 20 minutes before the wife admits it was she who actually took the test. > > When there is a power failure, all the characters will huddle in candle light and… Reminisce, setting up the infamous “clip show”. See my post above for the next one. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-the-tv-sitcom-cliche/473198/36 "2008-11-18T17:44:01Z")
> [@want2know](#): > > Blame each other. > > When the plot involves a celebrity guest appearing as him/herself, the celebrity is usually… …trying to “get away from it all” and see how normal people live. When seated around the kitchen table everyone will be… ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-the-tv-sitcom-cliche/473198/37 "2008-11-18T17:48:51Z")
> [@want2know](#): > > Blame each other. > > When the plot involves a celebrity guest appearing as him/herself, the celebrity is usually… Summoned on false pretenses. Either a child is faking an illness or another character is using a ruse to get them to play at the school prom. When two characters sharing a room or apartment cannot stop fighting, they will attempt to remedy the problem by… ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Sensitive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/58956e/32.png) [@Darth\_Sensitive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Sensitive)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-the-tv-sitcom-cliche/473198/38 "2008-11-18T18:24:14Z")
Taping a line down the middle. In a sitcom the furniture is arranged conveniently, coincidentally for the camera’s benefit, because… ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-the-tv-sitcom-cliche/473198/39 "2008-11-18T18:50:25Z")
> [@Darth\_Sensitive](#): > > In a sitcom the furniture is arranged conveniently, coincidentally for the camera’s benefit, because… The lead actress is pregnant in real life and they don’t want a baby in the show. If a show tries to use current slang and popular things they will invariably … ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-the-tv-sitcom-cliche/473198/40 "2008-11-18T19:24:14Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > If a show tries to use current slang and popular things they will invariably … …be so groovy and far out as to majorly date the show in reruns. When a sitcom Dad is shown at work, he is always… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-the-tv-sitcom-cliche/473198.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finish-the-tv-sitcom-cliche/473198.md?page=3)