# People in TV/Movies/Books/etc who were bad at their jobs. (Spoilers) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 13, 2019, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-in-tv-movies-books-etc-who-were-bad-at-their-jobs-spoilers/831094 "2019-03-13T20:43:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2024, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-in-tv-movies-books-etc-who-were-bad-at-their-jobs-spoilers/831094/81 "2024-11-20T19:38:53Z")
Is Ted Baxter (the news anchor on _Mary Tyler Moore_) too comical to qualify? As a kid I used to enjoy the _Hardy Boys_ books. They solved every single case that came their way, even when the police couldn’t, but it only occurred to me later that they always did it by pure dumb luck that provided them with amazing coincidences. Never once do I recall them exhibiting any creativity or ingenuity. I guess that would have been beyond the imaginations of the hacks who churned this stuff out under contract at dirt-cheap rates! (Franklin W. Dixon was not one person but the pen name of many.) Still, it was fine entertainment for youngsters. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2024, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-in-tv-movies-books-etc-who-were-bad-at-their-jobs-spoilers/831094/82 "2024-11-20T19:57:10Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > I did say “lowlifes” I set that one up. Kudos for taking it. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2024, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-in-tv-movies-books-etc-who-were-bad-at-their-jobs-spoilers/831094/83 "2024-11-20T20:15:47Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > Nah, Argyle is pretty good. He got through every lock. oh! Took me a while. Argyle was John’s limo driver. Theo is who I think you are thinking of, Hans’ tech guy. He was pretty good, too. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2024, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-in-tv-movies-books-etc-who-were-bad-at-their-jobs-spoilers/831094/84 "2024-11-20T21:11:14Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > Like “Luke didn’t do anything” in ROTJ? Right. Bad memes. Like the one that Glinda was a jerk as she didnt tell Dorothy about the slippers- well, in the books, that was a _different_ Good Witch. Back to the OP- of course Detective Inspector G. Lestrade. One reason why I say Wolfe is a better detective- Inspector Cramer was very good at his job. > [@Asuka](#): > > For a Master Hitman I feel John Wick makes a bunch of tactical mistakes he really shouldn’t. He only gets away with it because this is a world where EVERYBODY has assassin connections but also is really incompetent. Yeah that scene where like 10% of NYC gets the kill order for Wick as he limps thru. 🙄 > [@Lumpy](#): > > The ratings come in and most of the staff are thrilled that their numbers are up– except Travis, who realizes that up from virtually zero isn’t much of an accomplishment and that probably due solely to the format change. He rues that he should have fired Les and Herb right off the bat. Les was apparently good at farm news. And not terrible at others- just a very strange person. Herb was a loser. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2024, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-in-tv-movies-books-etc-who-were-bad-at-their-jobs-spoilers/831094/85 "2024-11-20T21:33:56Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Herb was a loser. Herb _did_ land the Morrison Tire account, saving the sunk cost of the jingle. “No use denyin’ that One day, you’re gonna have a flat” Bye Bye! ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2024, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-in-tv-movies-books-etc-who-were-bad-at-their-jobs-spoilers/831094/86 "2024-11-20T21:41:16Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Les was apparently good at farm news. And not terrible at others- just a very strange person. Yeah, Les won several awards for his farm reporting, including the coveted Silver Sow award. He was not actually that good at other news. Andy once said that when the Shah of Iran was overthrown, Les completely missed it. Instead his top story that day was a hog who could do math. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2024, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-in-tv-movies-books-etc-who-were-bad-at-their-jobs-spoilers/831094/87 "2024-11-20T21:42:34Z")
> [@MrAtoz](#): > > He was not actually that good at other news. I agree with not very good, I just said- not terrible. ---
**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 20, 2024, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-in-tv-movies-books-etc-who-were-bad-at-their-jobs-spoilers/831094/88 "2024-11-20T22:44:49Z")
In Gilbert & Sullivan’s _The Pirates of Penzance_ Major General Stanley boasts of his knowledge of a great many things, from history, to math, physical science, art, drama, even Babylonic cuneiform. But in the final stanza he admits he doesn’t know a Mauser rifle from a javelin and admits he knows no more about military tactics “than a novice in a nunnery.” ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2024, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-in-tv-movies-books-etc-who-were-bad-at-their-jobs-spoilers/831094/89 "2024-11-20T22:52:44Z")
> [@MrAtoz](#): > > Les won several awards for his farm reporting, including the coveted Silver Sow award FIVE time winner of the Buckeye News Hawk (News HOG? I was never sure) award, as well as the coveted Silver Sow (Herb: “Don’t touch Les’s pig-thing.”). Of course, there was the whole “Chai Chai Rod wig eeze” problem, the swim meet report with the “breast stroking”. And the godless tornadoes attacking Cincinnati. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2024, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-in-tv-movies-books-etc-who-were-bad-at-their-jobs-spoilers/831094/90 "2024-11-20T23:14:19Z")
Magnum was a pretty crappy PI. Got beat-down way too often, did surveillance in a Ferrari fer-Christ’s-Sake (or other equally noticeable vehicle), always needing bailing out from Rick and TC, was always being fooled by ‘clients’, financially inept and usually ended up working for free. And security at The Estate was better done by two dogs than that clown! Andy Travis was a good program director and even better Day-Care Babysitter. > [@Shoeless](#): > > …who wants to watch a renovation show where everything is on time and not in danger of blowing the client’s budget? This is why I love Maine Cabin Masters. No phony drama or fighting, no fuckin’ around. They do really good work, on-time and on-budget and genuinely seem like decent people. Just now realize this thread is ancient. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2024, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-in-tv-movies-books-etc-who-were-bad-at-their-jobs-spoilers/831094/91 "2024-11-20T23:16:37Z")
But the topic is timeless… since I started this thread, this (people bad at their jobs) has become a category on the _Rewatchables_ podcast. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2024, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-in-tv-movies-books-etc-who-were-bad-at-their-jobs-spoilers/831094/92 "2024-11-20T23:20:29Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Magnum was a pretty crappy PI. Now we’re getting silly! By TV standards Magnum is a top notch Private Investigator. He actually solves his cases, which is really the only criteria that matters (you didn’t say he was a bad businessman. And really, living for free in an awesome estate, driving a Ferrari for free. Working limited hours. I’ll take that “being bad” any day. 🙂 ). And he got hit on his head a LOT less than Joe Mannix! He got paid more frequently than either Mannix or Jim Rockford, too. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2024, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-in-tv-movies-books-etc-who-were-bad-at-their-jobs-spoilers/831094/93 "2024-11-20T23:26:53Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Les was apparently good at farm news. And not terrible at others- just a very strange person. Herb was a loser. Interestingly, before Andy was hired, Les advocated for a change to an all-news (and hog) format while Herb wanted the station to go all-talk. Considering where AM radio was going in the late '70s and early ‘80s (i.e., the years when the show aired), WKRP probably would’ve been a lot more successful if they’d gone with Les’ and/or Herb’s suggestions. Music, be it rock, Top 40, AC, country, or R&B, was steadily abandoning AM for FM, and stations like WKRP were already dying out. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2024, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-in-tv-movies-books-etc-who-were-bad-at-their-jobs-spoilers/831094/94 "2024-11-20T23:38:00Z")
Creed Bratton. I don’t think he actually did anything. ---
**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:** [November 21, 2024, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-in-tv-movies-books-etc-who-were-bad-at-their-jobs-spoilers/831094/95 "2024-11-21T00:47:28Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > Maybe the whole point of the double-aught agent program is to put loose cannons within the agency into win-or-die assignments as completely expendable. When you need an agent who’ll act with all the subtlety of a Daisy Cutter bomb, send in Bond. He’s a bad secret agent, but a very good action hero. And has protagonist power ensuring that he actually survives what would normally be his incredibly risky behavior. So he accomplishes the _tasks_ he’s sent to do despite being bad at the _job_ as officially defined. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2024, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-in-tv-movies-books-etc-who-were-bad-at-their-jobs-spoilers/831094/96 "2024-11-21T02:06:06Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > FIVE time winner of the Buckeye News Hawk (News HOG? I was never sure) award, Buckeye Newshawk Award according to wiki. Incidentally the actor actually received several “silver sow” awards from farm groups, as a way of honoring “Les”. > [@NDP](#): > > Considering where AM radio was going in the late '70s and early ‘80s (i.e., the years when the show aired), WKRP probably would’ve been a lot more successful if they’d gone with Les’ and/or Herb’s suggestions. Good point. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2024, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-in-tv-movies-books-etc-who-were-bad-at-their-jobs-spoilers/831094/97 "2024-11-21T02:17:01Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > To be fair, even the best police department would be challenged by their city being a magnet for psychopathic super-geniuses To be fair, how many police departments need to shine a light in the sky to call for help when a crook _yet again_ announces helpful clues about the theme of his upcoming heist? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Q](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/898d66/32.png) [@Johnny\_Q](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Q)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2024, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-in-tv-movies-books-etc-who-were-bad-at-their-jobs-spoilers/831094/98 "2024-11-21T02:27:20Z")
Bond’s main job is to draw the Bad Guy’s attention away from the _actual_ secret agent doing the actual spying as well as taking the kill shot. He’s good enough at actual spycraft that even if the enemy knows he’s a diversion, they cannot safely ignore him. Bond’s presensc serves as a sign of just how pissed off His Majesty’s Government is at the baddie. How much of this he actually knows is up for debate. ---
**Author:** ![zbuzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zbuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zbuzz)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2024, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-in-tv-movies-books-etc-who-were-bad-at-their-jobs-spoilers/831094/99 "2024-11-21T02:43:50Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Magnum was a pretty crappy PI. Plus, he killed dozens and dozens of people. Sure, they were bad guys, but when you’re killing about 6 people every year at a job that lets you wear an aloha shirt, short shorts and no socks everyday, something isn’t adding up correctly. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2024, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-in-tv-movies-books-etc-who-were-bad-at-their-jobs-spoilers/831094/100 "2024-11-21T02:45:06Z")
Strangers on a Train. The main character is being tailed by the cops. He heads to the amusement park where his wife was murdered. He’s not trying to escape, yet one of the cops decides to take a shot at him anyway, across a crowded midway. He misses his target but kills an innocent carny just doing his job. That death causes the merry-go-round to accelerate to destruction, killing at least one. The main guy, Guy, proves his innocence to the satisfaction of the cops, who seem unconcerned about the mayhem in their wake. I hope they got defunded. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-in-tv-movies-books-etc-who-were-bad-at-their-jobs-spoilers/831094.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-in-tv-movies-books-etc-who-were-bad-at-their-jobs-spoilers/831094.md?page=6)