# Things that are extremely common in TV shows/movies that you've rarely seen in real life **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 29, 2009, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-extremely-common-in-tv-shows-movies-that-youve-rarely-seen-in-real-life/508161 "2009-08-29T16:20:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 24
**Author:** ![Susanann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@Susanann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susanann)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-extremely-common-in-tv-shows-movies-that-youve-rarely-seen-in-real-life/508161/463 "2009-09-13T02:06:51Z")
Women wearing skirts and dresses, esp when lounging around the house. ---
**Author:** ![TheFatKid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/34f0e0/32.png) [@TheFatKid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheFatKid)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-extremely-common-in-tv-shows-movies-that-youve-rarely-seen-in-real-life/508161/464 "2009-09-13T02:07:01Z")
> [@Susanann](#): > > The fast draw shootouts in cowboy westerns, where 2 people face each other and the one who takes the gun out of the holster first, shoots the other guy who is immediately incapacitated. How about… Discussions at gunpoint. You know, where a couple of guys are pointing loaded guns at each other and decide to ask each other questions about what they’ve done and why. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-extremely-common-in-tv-shows-movies-that-youve-rarely-seen-in-real-life/508161/465 "2009-09-13T02:26:05Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > It’s really jarring and rather pointless, and it must cost a fortune to pay someone to go through all the footage and remove any brand names in case… Not really, no. As with 90% of all things TV/cinema, it’s done by barely paid interns ;). Besides, it’s not really that time-intensive : all the footage must be edited, checked and re-checked for artefacts, frame drops, audio synch etc… anyway (so not much of an increased workload there), and adding a blur here and there is just a matter of circling something with a mouse, clicking “blur”, moving forward to the last frame before the cut and clicking “blur” again. Now, the Avid machine that does the blurring, yes, \*that \*costs a mint - but it’s the basic workhorse of post-production anyway, so again, no additional costs there. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-extremely-common-in-tv-shows-movies-that-youve-rarely-seen-in-real-life/508161/466 "2009-09-13T04:10:27Z")
Surely Miss Manners makes exceptions for things you can’t transfer – like salad dressing, ketchup, mustard, etc? > [@Stephe96](#): > > I believe that when rain is in the forecast, funeral homes will have a supply of umbrellas at the ready. What? I don’t know what funeral homes you’ve been to, but I’ve never seen this. I’ll ask my dad, but I don’t think they do. > [@AuntiePam](#): > > Clean cars, never any junk on the seat that needs to be cleared off, and nothing in the trunk except the spare and a jack. You didn’t grow up with my dad. He’d have killed us if we left junk in the car. 😉 There might be an umbrella or something – that’s about it. (We weren’t even allowed to eat in the car – except for ice cream) -The big one for me: Wearing SHOES around the house. When I’m at home, I never wear my shoes – I’m either barefoot, or in socks/slippers. Especially women who wear heels. What’s up with that? -Colleges that change classes with a BELL. -Fireplace along the backwall, behind the sofa and the chairs. -And let’s not forget that Mike Brady _designed_ that fucking house himself. And he only designed TWO bedrooms for SIX kids? WTF??? (And let’s face it – it’s not like Robert Reed would care if Florence Henderson was a good lay) You know, _Married…With Children_ breaks a lot of these: -Al never wants to have sex -he frequently uses the toilet (taking his newspaper with him) -the Bundys are always watching TV The only exception to the no-toddlers rule would be Mary-Kate and Ashley on _Full House_, I think. > [@kapri](#): > > An upset woman running into her bedroom and collapsing face-down on her bed and sobbing. > > A sad, depressed, lonely, or whatever person sitting alone in a dark room doing nothing for hours and hours, only to snap out of it when someone comes home and turns on the light and sees them sitting there. I mean, who DOES that? :dubious: I’ve done both. (well, except for “snapping out of it.”) > [@Harvey\_The\_Heavy](#): > > Shower caps. I know some people probably wear them, but I’ve never seen anyone in real life. My mother has one that she uses if she has her hair set. I’ve used it like that before. I had ONE friend when I was a kid whose family had the “sitcom” living room set-up. Anyone else I knew who did that was in a family room. (My aunt’s, for example, since it’s an addition onto the house, and behind it there’s a huge open space that used to be the sliding door to the patio. Then sofa’s in front of the fireplace) My aunt and uncle got married at the JP, and then we had a picnic (think shorts and teeshirts) at my grandparents the next day. (And because of the casual atmosphere, my aunt DID smash cake into my uncle’s face, and he ended up having to comb out his his mustache!) When I have _really_ bad nightmares, I don’t sit up gasping – I’ll jerk up _yelling_. I’ve woken people up before. My first grade teacher still wore a veil, and a habit, but it was calf-length, and and it didn’t have the scarf/chin thingy. That’s pretty much the only kind of habits I’ve seen on older nuns. (Chinese takeout: what about [THESE](http://asianideas.com/fltaha.html) boxes?) 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-extremely-common-in-tv-shows-movies-that-youve-rarely-seen-in-real-life/508161/467 "2009-09-13T04:22:00Z")
> [@Susanann](#): > > Women wearing skirts and dresses, esp when lounging around the house. You’ve rarely seen women wearing skirts/dresses? Do you not get out much? ---
**Author:** ![moonstarssun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@moonstarssun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moonstarssun)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-extremely-common-in-tv-shows-movies-that-youve-rarely-seen-in-real-life/508161/468 "2009-09-13T05:20:49Z")
One more I wanted to add: two characters carrying on a conversation during yoga class. The instructor just keeps calling out the next pose and doesn’t tell them to be quiet. And no one else seems to mind either. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-extremely-common-in-tv-shows-movies-that-youve-rarely-seen-in-real-life/508161/469 "2009-09-13T12:41:20Z")
On NYPD Blue almost everyone would confess to the crime, sometimes after being beaten by the cops. ---
**Author:** ![Susanann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@Susanann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susanann)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-extremely-common-in-tv-shows-movies-that-youve-rarely-seen-in-real-life/508161/470 "2009-09-13T15:59:25Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > I’ve technically never seen this in real life, but it makes me sort of queasily angry when I see it on TV or movies, and that is: a quick blow to the head to somebody troublesome, and they just slide to the ground and lie there like they’re asleep, for as long as it takes the hero to do his thing. It’s just like pushing an “off” button, easy peasy! What could go wrong? I was going to mention this too. Any blow to the head that resulted in immediate unconsiousness, would probably be a very serious head injury. Don’t try this at home kids. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-extremely-common-in-tv-shows-movies-that-youve-rarely-seen-in-real-life/508161/471 "2009-09-13T16:42:27Z")
> [@Susanann](#): > > Women wearing skirts and dresses, esp when lounging around the house. This throws back in a way to movies of the 1930s and 40s. When a lady of leisure was shown at home, she had to be wearing something shiny to distinguish her from a homemaker. ---
**Author:** ![Susanann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@Susanann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susanann)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-extremely-common-in-tv-shows-movies-that-youve-rarely-seen-in-real-life/508161/472 "2009-09-13T17:46:10Z")
Originally Posted by Susanann View Post Women wearing skirts and dresses, esp when lounging around the house. > [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > You’ve rarely seen women wearing skirts/dresses? Do you not get out much? Most adult women I see today, esp around their homes or yards, wear shorts, slacks, or jeans nearly all the time. (I know its different in other countries like Kenya and Brazil, etc, but I am was talking about just moden day America… in this century) ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-extremely-common-in-tv-shows-movies-that-youve-rarely-seen-in-real-life/508161/473 "2009-09-13T17:52:18Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > On NYPD Blue almost everyone would confess to the crime, sometimes after being beaten by the cops. However, on The Shield, Vic Mackey would always plant evidence of the crime at their place, sometimes after beating them up. Different strokes 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Leiko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Leiko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leiko)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-extremely-common-in-tv-shows-movies-that-youve-rarely-seen-in-real-life/508161/474 "2009-09-13T19:52:24Z")
> [@Susanann](#): > > Originally Posted by Susanann View Post > Women wearing skirts and dresses, esp when lounging around the house. > > Most adult women I see today, esp around their homes or yards, wear shorts, slacks, or jeans nearly all the time. > > (I know its different in other countries like Kenya and Brazil, etc, but I am was talking about just moden day America… in this century) I often end up wearing skirts or dresses (or nightgowns I can justify as housedresses) around the house, but I’m more likely to wear jeans in public because I don’t like to show off my bare legs. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-extremely-common-in-tv-shows-movies-that-youve-rarely-seen-in-real-life/508161/475 "2009-09-13T19:53:46Z")
> [@Susanann](#): > > (I know its different in other countries like Kenya and Brazil, etc, but I am was talking about just moden day America… in this century) Well, maybe not lounging around the house–I prefer nothing but undies–but out on the street, I see lots of women in skirts/dresses. ---
**Author:** ![runcible\_spoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc29f/32.png) [@runcible\_spoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/runcible_spoon)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2009, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-extremely-common-in-tv-shows-movies-that-youve-rarely-seen-in-real-life/508161/476 "2009-09-13T21:36:21Z")
Speaking of British crime dramas - I don’t think nearly as many people confess under the pressure of amateur theatrics as you’d think watching Poirot… ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-extremely-common-in-tv-shows-movies-that-youve-rarely-seen-in-real-life/508161/477 "2009-09-14T00:59:07Z")
> [@Beware\_of\_Doug](#): > > When a lady of leisure was shown at home, she had to be wearing something shiny to distinguish her from a homemaker. … who’d be doing the vacuuming wearing her high heels, twin-set and pearls. Something else I’ve never seen in real life. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-extremely-common-in-tv-shows-movies-that-youve-rarely-seen-in-real-life/508161/478 "2009-09-14T01:32:26Z")
> [@jabiru](#): > > … who’d be doing the vacuuming wearing her high heels, twin-set and pearls. Something else I’ve never seen in real life. Actually, Mary Tyler Moore as Laura Petrie broke this “meme” in the early 1960s. The director (or producer, don’t remember which) asked her how she would do the vacuuming at home and she said “in slacks”, and Laura’s famous Capris were instant hit. I never go barefoot at home–I have a bone spur and am not allowed to per my podiatrist. Lots of people wear shoes in their own homes. I don’t tend to wear dresses or skirts at home, though I know several women who do. Everyone on TV has old fashioned answering machines instead of voice mail. I realize it’s done that way to inform the audience of that all important message, but it does look a bit dated nowadays. ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-extremely-common-in-tv-shows-movies-that-youve-rarely-seen-in-real-life/508161/479 "2009-09-14T02:39:10Z")
Granted, I haven’t seen the heels/twinset/pearls thing for many a long year, even on television. But I certainly never saw it in real life, even way back in the 50s. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-extremely-common-in-tv-shows-movies-that-youve-rarely-seen-in-real-life/508161/480 "2009-09-14T02:41:13Z")
I actually prefer to wear skirts to jeans if I’m at home. You can’t really lie down or snuggle in jeans, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-extremely-common-in-tv-shows-movies-that-youve-rarely-seen-in-real-life/508161/481 "2009-09-14T03:06:54Z")
> [@TheFatKid](#): > > How about… Discussions at gunpoint. > > You know, where a couple of guys are pointing loaded guns at each other and decide to ask each other questions about what they’ve done and why. Seriously, 10-minute long, in-depth conversations where one guy is pointing the gun right in the other guy’s face, with his finger hooked right on the the trigger…fucking freaks me out so bad I can hardly even watch it. There’s no way I would be able to remain calm and composed with a pistol pointed right in my face and the other guy’s greasy, sweaty, shaking hand tightly wrapped around the grip with one finger practically squeezing the trigger 1/4 of the way down. ---
**Author:** ![TheFatKid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/34f0e0/32.png) [@TheFatKid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheFatKid)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-extremely-common-in-tv-shows-movies-that-youve-rarely-seen-in-real-life/508161/482 "2009-09-14T04:05:24Z")
People who repeat what folks on the other phone are saying. Like dialing the cops and saying, “Hello, police?” The conversation would have started something like this: “Police Department.” “Hello, police?” Or “This is 9-1-1, what is your emergency?” “Hello, police?” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-extremely-common-in-tv-shows-movies-that-youve-rarely-seen-in-real-life/508161.md?page=23) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-extremely-common-in-tv-shows-movies-that-youve-rarely-seen-in-real-life/508161.md?page=25)