# Stuff in your otherwise favorite TV shows that bugs you **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 30, 2004, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-in-your-otherwise-favorite-tv-shows-that-bugs-you/257565 "2004-07-30T05:49:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2004, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-in-your-otherwise-favorite-tv-shows-that-bugs-you/257565/61 "2004-07-31T07:49:48Z")
> [@Tengu](#): > > Yes…it just wasn’t one of the main characters. > > It’s not like Hawk, BJ/Trap, Frank/Charles, and Henry/Potter are the only doctors at the 4077 - they’re just the only ones we saw on a regular basis - although several others appeared in one or two episodes. I don’t remember any other doctors (except visiting ones) _ever_ appearing, or even being mentioned, with the exception of a camp dentist. Oh, wait - there was the plastic surgeon on the “nose job” episode. But was he supposed to be a regular doctor or a visiting one? I can’t remember. ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2004, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-in-your-otherwise-favorite-tv-shows-that-bugs-you/257565/62 "2004-07-31T07:51:32Z")
Oh, and Spearchucker, of course. ---
**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:** [July 31, 2004, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-in-your-otherwise-favorite-tv-shows-that-bugs-you/257565/63 "2004-07-31T14:28:19Z")
Do the people in _Law and Order_ ever leave work? I’m no slouch in the workaholic competition myself, but those people put me to shame! ---
**Author:** ![EvilHamsterOnCrack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@EvilHamsterOnCrack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilHamsterOnCrack)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2004, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-in-your-otherwise-favorite-tv-shows-that-bugs-you/257565/64 "2004-07-31T15:04:17Z")
Also in Stargate SG-1, and Stargate Atlantis, how almost ALL the aliens speak english for some odd reason, and even understand technical terms that were only invented in the past 50 years, although they were taken from earth thousands of years ago. I know, it’d be really hard to do a show where thats not true, and it wouldnt be as good, but it just ticks me off. ---
**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:** [July 31, 2004, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-in-your-otherwise-favorite-tv-shows-that-bugs-you/257565/65 "2004-07-31T16:00:21Z")
The amount of time some TV characters spend eating and boozing makes me wonder how they stay thin and sober. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2004, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-in-your-otherwise-favorite-tv-shows-that-bugs-you/257565/66 "2004-07-31T16:01:45Z")
> [@blowero](#): > > I don’t remember any other doctors (except visiting ones) _ever_ appearing, or even being mentioned, with the exception of a camp dentist. The only one that comes to mind immediately (other than Spearchucker) is the doctor who wasn’t actually a licenced doctor - he was permanently assigned to the 4077 before he was found out. It’s been a long while since I’ve seen most of the series, so I can’t come up with any other specific examples. > [@EvilHamsterOnCrack](#): > > Also in Stargate SG-1, and Stargate Atlantis, how almost ALL the aliens speak english for some odd reason, and even understand technical terms that were only invented in the past 50 years, although they were taken from earth thousands of years ago. And in most cases from non-English speaking areas. I think they’ve encountered other languages a grand total of twice: On Abydos and on Chulak (both Arabic variants). ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2004, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-in-your-otherwise-favorite-tv-shows-that-bugs-you/257565/67 "2004-07-31T16:13:38Z")
Oh, another one just occurred to me. In Quantum Leap, or Twice in a Lifetime, or any of those other shows where a character has the ability to go back in time and change things, fixing someone else’s problems (or helping another person fix theirs, as the case may be) every week… How many people that they help would never have been born, or not had their problems if they hadn’t meddled in someone else’s problems? Conversely, how many people ended up not being born because Sam, or Mr Smith/Jones meddled in the affairs of someone whose lives effected their parents’ lives? One episode of Twice in a Lifetime actually had the character whose life they were changing have a miscarriage because she messed up the attempt (at first…she eventually fixed her mistakes). The child did end up being born - just 10 years later - still enough to drasticaly change things. But aside from that one episode of TiaL, I don’t remember either of those shows acknowledging that aspect in any way, shape, or form (and even then, it was implied that being born in 1990, and in 2000 was exactly the same thing!). ---
**Author:** ![Abbie\_Carmichael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@Abbie\_Carmichael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abbie_Carmichael)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2004, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-in-your-otherwise-favorite-tv-shows-that-bugs-you/257565/68 "2004-07-31T16:41:00Z")
I used to love **Everybody Loves Raymond** , but Raymond’s wife is such a bitch to him now that it’s ruined it for me. Hysterical show; horrible, awful character. ---
**Author:** ![MacSpon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@MacSpon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacSpon)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2004, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-in-your-otherwise-favorite-tv-shows-that-bugs-you/257565/69 "2004-07-31T20:11:44Z")
> [@](#): > > ALL Star Trek series: Supposedly, the Enterprise(s) have universal translator devices, so that when communicating with (for example) a Klingon ship, the Klingon-speaking other crew’s words are translated into english, and vice versa. Yet, every time they show a Klingon / Romulan / Ferengi / whatever on the monitor, his lips perfectly synch up to the “translated” english language words. As I imagine it, looking at the viewscreen ought to be like watching a foreign language movie dubbed into english. To be fair, they _did_ do this … once. In _Star Trek: the Motion Picture_, when the space station is intercepting a Klingon transmission, you can hear him speaking Klingon in the background, with the computer providing a translation in the foreground. I can see why they dropped this, though. Too distracting. Yes, it’s a niggle, but the alternative would be … awkward viewing. (Even worse: have you considered how many languages the Enterprise crew speak? For example, does Sulu actually speak English … or Japanese? How 'bout Spock or Picard or Troi? When we’re seeing them, are they actually speaking Vulcan, French and Betazoid? Thanks to the translators, we’ll never know …) ---
**Author:** ![pesch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pesch/32/4925_2.png) [@pesch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pesch)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2004, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-in-your-otherwise-favorite-tv-shows-that-bugs-you/257565/70 "2004-07-31T21:01:26Z")
> [@Nonsuch](#): > > I can’t stand Zapp Brannigan from **Futurama**. I hate his Phil Hartman-knockoff voice, and the whole strutting horndog routine just seems very stale. And Kif isn’t funny either. Here here! We’re halfway through the second season, and he’s worn out his welcome after two decent episodes. He’s the only clunker in the series, so far. Other than that, “Futurama” is our new Saturday night thing. Some of the episodes had us literally crying helplessly on the couch (the Santa Claus episode and the mutants in the sewers in particular). And we did not, absolutely will never, explain to our 13-year-old son what the “Kegalcizer” is (or why my wife said to me: “Did you see how much metal she’s lifting?”). ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2004, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-in-your-otherwise-favorite-tv-shows-that-bugs-you/257565/71 "2004-07-31T21:05:38Z")
Zapp was supposed to have been voiced by Phil Hartman. His tragic death prevented this, of course. They named Fry after him as a tribute. They should have gone a different route with his voice, though. Perhaps a psuedo-Shatner thing? ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2004, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-in-your-otherwise-favorite-tv-shows-that-bugs-you/257565/72 "2004-07-31T21:19:37Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Horse pucky. > Roddenberry didn’t deal with it because it felt it would be a non issue by that time. Agreed. Just because you don’t see homosexual characters, it doesn’t mean they don’t exist. Besides that, there’s the lesbian relationship (and kiss) between Dax and her former lover in Deep Space Nine without so much as a raised eyebrow from any of the crew. And don’t try to write it off as it being just because it was two women… the episode aired in the mid-nineties amid a _lot_ of controversy and even nowadays how many men do you see kissing on mainstream television shows? ---
**Author:** ![dnooman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/839c29/32.png) [@dnooman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dnooman)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2004, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-in-your-otherwise-favorite-tv-shows-that-bugs-you/257565/73 "2004-07-31T21:35:53Z")
> [@Abbie Carmichael](#): > > I used to love **Everybody Loves Raymond** , but Raymond’s wife is such a bitch to him now that it’s ruined it for me. > > Hysterical show; horrible, awful character. I thought I was the only one who thought that. I’ve felt that way since the shows inception. My pet peeve is the way that Horatio’s sunglasses seem to be their own character on CSI: Miami. My friends don’t understand why I love the show, but endlessly mock his sunglass antics and facial expressions. Way too melodramatic, but good content. The ME needs to stop fondling the bodies so much too. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2004, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-in-your-otherwise-favorite-tv-shows-that-bugs-you/257565/74 "2004-07-31T21:49:01Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > They should have gone a different route with his voice, though. Perhaps a psuedo-Shatner thing? Zapp is a caricature of Captain Kirk anyway, so I think that might’ve been a little too transparent. I’m not a huge Zapp fan either, like I said, but some of his lines are uproarious. ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2004, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-in-your-otherwise-favorite-tv-shows-that-bugs-you/257565/75 "2004-08-01T02:31:28Z")
The many times on _BtVS_ and _Angel_ (especially more frequent in the later seasons) in which vampires were exposed to sunlight with absolutely no ill effects. And I can’t even begin to start ranting about their cheap cop-out with that in season 5 of Angel… Also, on TV or in movies, whenever anyone’s on the phone, they don’t say goodbye. They just hang up. ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2004, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-in-your-otherwise-favorite-tv-shows-that-bugs-you/257565/76 "2004-08-01T04:09:06Z")
> [@Tengu](#): > > The only one that comes to mind immediately (other than Spearchucker) is the doctor who wasn’t actually a licenced doctor - he was permanently assigned to the 4077 before he was found out. > > It’s been a long while since I’ve seen most of the series, so I can’t come up with any other specific examples. There was the singing doctor, who was on two or three episodes. Don’t remember his name. Captain Spaulding? Something with an S, I’m pretty sure. And there are countless unnamed and unidentified extras hanging around in various places that may or may not be doctors. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2004, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-in-your-otherwise-favorite-tv-shows-that-bugs-you/257565/77 "2004-08-01T04:20:52Z")
So far I’m enjoying _Stargate Atlantis_, but there _is_ something about it that bugs me already: Torri Higgenson (the chick who plays Dr. Elizabeth Weir) [looks like Michael Jackson](http://www.scifi.com/atlantis/cast/weir/index.html). Not all of the time – sometimes I think she’s quite attractive – but there have definitely been several moments where she has strongly resembled The Gloved One. It’s a little creepy, frankly. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2004, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-in-your-otherwise-favorite-tv-shows-that-bugs-you/257565/78 "2004-08-01T04:38:24Z")
> [@Misnomer](#): > > So far I’m enjoying _Stargate Atlantis_, but there _is_ something about it that bugs me already: Torri Higgenson (the chick who plays Dr. Elizabeth Weir) [looks like Michael Jackson](http://www.scifi.com/atlantis/cast/weir/index.html). Not all of the time – sometimes I think she’s quite attractive – but there have definitely been several moments where she has strongly resembled The Gloved One. It’s a little creepy, frankly. So does the kid in _Nip/Tuck_. Actually, many things are bothering me about that show this season. But the kid, who is supposed to look like Julian McMahon, bears more than a slight resemblance to plastic surgery man himself (which is odd, given the theme of the show). It’s even more creepy when various women are attracted to him. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2004, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-in-your-otherwise-favorite-tv-shows-that-bugs-you/257565/79 "2004-08-01T14:23:43Z")
> [@Kat](#): > > There was the singing doctor, who was on two or three episodes. Don’t remember his name. Captain Spaulding? Something with an S, I’m pretty sure. > > And there are countless unnamed and unidentified extras hanging around in various places that may or may not be doctors. That was none other than Loudon Wainwright III as Cpt Calvin Spalding. ---
**Author:** ![AmyG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6bbea6/32.png) [@AmyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AmyG)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2004, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-in-your-otherwise-favorite-tv-shows-that-bugs-you/257565/80 "2004-08-01T15:08:57Z")
> [@MacSpon](#): > > For example, does Sulu actually speak English … or Japanese? How 'bout Spock or Picard or Troi? When we’re seeing them, are they actually speaking Vulcan, French and Betazoid? Thanks to the translators, we’ll never know …) I imagine Sulu could speak English, as he was born in San Francisco (he mentions it in ST:IV when they are flying over the 20th Century version of the city). Spock’s mother was human, with an English-sounding name (Amanda Greyson), so perhaps he grow up speaking English and Vulcan both. IIRC, Troi’s father was also human, though I don’t know his specific nationality. Don’t know about Picard. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-in-your-otherwise-favorite-tv-shows-that-bugs-you/257565.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-in-your-otherwise-favorite-tv-shows-that-bugs-you/257565.md?page=5)