# 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:** 5
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2009, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-extremely-common-in-tv-shows-movies-that-youve-rarely-seen-in-real-life/508161/81 "2009-08-30T03:12:39Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > People always seem to have framed pictures with their college roommate/military buddy placed prominently in the living room - especially if that person is a murder suspect/victim. **All a detective has to do is walk in there and see the photo and solve the crime.** … Roger Ebert calls that the “Kojak Moment.” ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2009, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-extremely-common-in-tv-shows-movies-that-youve-rarely-seen-in-real-life/508161/82 "2009-08-30T03:15:15Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > To this one I will add – everyone crowded around one side of the table. In real life we tend to use all sides of the table. This one is as old as DaVinci’s “The Last Supper.” Jesus: “If you wanna be in the picture, you hafta sit on \*this \*side of the table!” ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2009, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-extremely-common-in-tv-shows-movies-that-youve-rarely-seen-in-real-life/508161/83 "2009-08-30T03:17:30Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > Has there ever once, in the history of film or television, been a scene of a family getting up in the morning and the kids NOT being late for school and dashing out the door in a mad flurry? Good one! You rarely see kids get up all bleary-eyed, wearing crumpled clothing, and slowly eat a bowl of cereal before they’re booted out into the cold to stand at the bus stop. Kids on TV are either late and only have a chance to grab a slice of toast, or have time for a full breakfast lovingly cooked by mom that morning. And they’re all neatly dressed and awake. As if! I’ve also never heard a school bus honk for kids IRL, and it also seems like more kids walk or get a ride to school in the suburbs on TV than in real life. Walkers were definitely the minority in my school district. ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2009, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-extremely-common-in-tv-shows-movies-that-youve-rarely-seen-in-real-life/508161/84 "2009-08-30T03:27:37Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > Every pre-teen girl in America is on a soccer team Hell, as far as I can tell, they all ARE. My daughter sure is, and so are her cousins, and all their friends… ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2009, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-extremely-common-in-tv-shows-movies-that-youve-rarely-seen-in-real-life/508161/85 "2009-08-30T03:42:19Z")
> [@C.Montgomery\_Burns](#): > > > [@astro](#): > > > > Apple Mac computer are much more common on TV or in movies as household items than IRL. > > I thought I was the only one who noticed this! If you watch TV or movies these days, you’d think Macs were the everyday standard, not Microsoft. Macs even show up in the workplace, when most offices almost exclusively use Windows. It really sticks out like a sore thumb when they show a 13 year old girl at home with a Mac. How many parents are going to buy their kids a much more expensive Mac, when PCs are easier to find service for, replace, and buy accessories for. Kids are notorious for destroying things. Another one is that the offices on TV shows often have Cisco IP phones, such as [this model](http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/phones/ps379/ps1854/prod_view_selector.html). I notice it because the last place I worked had them. But that model costs something like $500 and requires a fair amount of infrastructure behind it. So it’s a little unrealistic when they show a small company with those phones. (I realize that the reason they’re there is product placement, but still.) As for the takeout Chinese food containers, what I’ve often seen is the scene in the office, showing everyone working late, and sitting around the conference table (or the coffee table), eating as they’re working. But they’re usually eating something dry with chopsticks directly from the container. No one has anything that comes in a gravy or sauce. Although as a kid, I was very excited the first time we got take-out in those containers. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2009, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-extremely-common-in-tv-shows-movies-that-youve-rarely-seen-in-real-life/508161/86 "2009-08-30T03:51:42Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > Affordably priced craftsman bungalows: this hooks into the “characters who live way above their means” subject that there have been several threads on, but they’ve become almost cliche on TVs and in movies for the middle class ‘professional and responsible but still young and hip’ characters. In real life whenever I’ve encountered one that was in good condition they were usually far more expensive than most new houses of similar size/neighborhood and wouldn’t be affordable by most schoolteachers/bus drivers/etc.. I’ve got one - lots of people around here do. It’s on the shitty end of a good neighborhood and cost $175,000 four years ago. It, uh, has a kitchen door. I don’t know any old houses that don’t. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2009, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-extremely-common-in-tv-shows-movies-that-youve-rarely-seen-in-real-life/508161/87 "2009-08-30T04:35:00Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > Gangs of bad guys attack the heroes and take enormous casualties. Yet they keep on coming into the gunfire until they get in.After a gunfight, there are no bodies. 50 bikers got killed and they evaporate. Not to mention that after the 20th biker or such gets killed, the 21st never says, “the hell with this, I’m out of here!” Along a similar clueless character line, in real life when two cars are speeding along in a chase scene, one with a siren blaring, people don’t keep on casually driving to make the course more interesting. In movies, people never pull over. Not to mention the lack of consequences for the cop who totals his car and five civilian ones. Except for the **Dragnet** movie, that is. ---
**Author:** ![AppallingGael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9bd4f/32.png) [@AppallingGael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AppallingGael)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2009, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-extremely-common-in-tv-shows-movies-that-youve-rarely-seen-in-real-life/508161/88 "2009-08-30T04:36:34Z")
The three-feet-high brick wall that doesn’t belong to anything in particular. Look for Charlie Brown having a deep philosophical conversation with Linus, or Ernie idly humming and tapping his fingers till he is approached by a shady salesman in a trench coat. ---
**Author:** ![4everkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/76d3ee/32.png) [@4everkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/4everkid)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2009, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-extremely-common-in-tv-shows-movies-that-youve-rarely-seen-in-real-life/508161/89 "2009-08-30T04:45:59Z")
Two variations on one theme: #1 - The L-shaped sheets commonly seen after lovemaking scenes in soap operas and prime time dramas. The couple is reclining in bed, basking in the afterglow, him covered to the waist, and her covered to the armpits. If the female needs to get up and leave the bed during this scene, the prop dept utilizes variation #2: The magical bedding that somehow manages to separate into two distinct sheets, that each contain one individually wrapped lover. The female arises from the bed, perfectly draped in her toga-like, 300 thread-count gown, while the male remains reclined, neatly covered, yet still exposing his manly chest. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2009, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-extremely-common-in-tv-shows-movies-that-youve-rarely-seen-in-real-life/508161/90 "2009-08-30T05:31:00Z")
Time and again, they show people in a store, handing some bills to the cashier, then just walking out. When was the last time you were in such a hurry that you didn’t wait for your change? ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2009, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-extremely-common-in-tv-shows-movies-that-youve-rarely-seen-in-real-life/508161/91 "2009-08-30T05:33:46Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Time and again, they show people in a store, handing some bills to the cashier, then just walking out. When was the last time you were in such a hurry that you didn’t wait for your change? People are always throwing bills on the table and walking out of restaurants too. Except in situations like on _Seinfeld_ where they’re making a joke of it, no one is ever doing math to split up a bill or adding a tip. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2009, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-extremely-common-in-tv-shows-movies-that-youve-rarely-seen-in-real-life/508161/92 "2009-08-30T05:57:09Z")
On the bit about Macs being overrepresented on TV, what really bugs me is when they mismatch the hardware and software. You’ll see a Mac machine, but showing Windows on the screen, or vice-versa. Now, granted, this is now possible (a friend of mine runs OSX on a Dell netbook, and of course a Mac with Parallels or Boot Camp can run Windows), but it’s still pretty rare, and it showed up on TV a lot even before Macs started using Intel chips. ---
**Author:** ![zombywoof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/9e8a1a/32.png) [@zombywoof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zombywoof)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2009, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-extremely-common-in-tv-shows-movies-that-youve-rarely-seen-in-real-life/508161/93 "2009-08-30T06:06:43Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > It, uh, has a kitchen door. I don’t know any old houses that don’t. My kitchen has doors too, I hadn’t realized they’re considered so unusual (nor my sofa in the middle of the living room, for that matter). It’s an older house (1930s) and there are classicly “keyhole” shaped keyholes in the doors you can peek through, as in an old movie or cartoon. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2009, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-extremely-common-in-tv-shows-movies-that-youve-rarely-seen-in-real-life/508161/94 "2009-08-30T06:37:34Z")
Chinese: You get those little white foldy containers if you order by the pint. If you order a lunch/dinner combo meal, you get styrofoam containers. Except this one place by us that just came under new management. They have these really nice plastic containers, almost like tupperware. Of course the rice and meal touch, and the eggroll doesn’t fit in there, but hey, free container to reuse! Bakery: Never in my life seen a pink box other than TV/Movies ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2009, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-extremely-common-in-tv-shows-movies-that-youve-rarely-seen-in-real-life/508161/95 "2009-08-30T06:43:25Z")
I’ve been seeing pink bakery boxes for years (Eastern Washington). ---
**Author:** ![Leiko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Leiko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leiko)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2009, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-extremely-common-in-tv-shows-movies-that-youve-rarely-seen-in-real-life/508161/96 "2009-08-30T06:44:36Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > Gift wrapping. On TV shows and movies, gifts are “wrapped” by placing them in decorative boxes with easy-to-remove matching lids. You never see that in real life. IRL, you have to rip off the paper with your fingernails. > > Also, on TV, nobody ever says “goodbye” at the end of a telephone conversation. They just stop talking and hang up. My mom has two sets of more or less cubic boxes from Costco that (except in very rare occasions and usually then they’re repainted/decoupaged) never leave the house, but exist act as decorative gift boxes with easy lids for our Christmas tree. She also hangs up without saying goodbye pretty often. Sounds like she’s secretly a movie character. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2009, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-extremely-common-in-tv-shows-movies-that-youve-rarely-seen-in-real-life/508161/97 "2009-08-30T06:46:28Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > Bakery: Never in my life seen a pink box other than TV/Movies I was thinking that too. Bakeries here provide your purchases in paper bags, usually. ---
**Author:** ![coffinjumper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8baadc/32.png) [@coffinjumper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coffinjumper)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2009, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-extremely-common-in-tv-shows-movies-that-youve-rarely-seen-in-real-life/508161/98 "2009-08-30T06:52:25Z")
We were talking about this the other day watching a movie. Make out points. The one spot where all the cars are that the police are never at. They’re so ingrained in films and tv that they must have existed at some point, but no one I know has ever seen them. And this is out of 3 generations we’ve asked. ---
**Author:** ![Leiko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Leiko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leiko)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2009, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-extremely-common-in-tv-shows-movies-that-youve-rarely-seen-in-real-life/508161/99 "2009-08-30T06:54:26Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > And do I have the only kitchen with inadequate counter space? I see people preparing meals with each course taking up it own individual counter space. You are not the only one with inadequate counter space- I sometimes have to get out a folding table to be able to do everything in the kitchen that needs down. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2009, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-are-extremely-common-in-tv-shows-movies-that-youve-rarely-seen-in-real-life/508161/100 "2009-08-30T07:14:08Z")
> [@4everkid](#): > > #1 - The L-shaped sheets commonly seen after lovemaking scenes in soap operas and prime time dramas. The couple is reclining in bed, basking in the afterglow, him covered to the waist, and her covered to the armpits. This isn’t the first time someone’s brought this magic “L shaped” sheet up, and I’m sure it won’t be the last, but I just don’t get it. It’s a cloth sheet, not a rigid piece of plastic or metal or something. I can take any ordinary sheet and cover just the left half of my upper body while my entire lower body remains covered (not that I have any reason to do so beyond proof of concept) no magic sheet needed. What the hell kind of messed up sheets are you people using that don’t let one person pull it up higher than the other? The real problem is a couple will (be implied to) have sex, then in the next scene be laying in the immediate afterglow (often with one of these supposed L sheets…), and something happens (phone call, door bell, suddenly remembered appointment, kid/parent/cuckolded lover walks in) and they’ll jump out of bed, **with underwear on**. So… they had sex **through their underwear** … okay :dubious: It’s really weird when the setup to the sex shows the woman removing her bra (from behind of course, so you don’t see any nippleage) but she jumps out of bed in the post-sex scene with it back on. What, they hump like animals, then put their dainties back on before laying down? It’s not like it’s the next morning and they actually cleaned up, went to bed, and slept, it’s always implied to be right after the deed (evidenced in older shows by the cigarettes one or both will be smoking). I’m also astounded by how many TV/Movies have houses with windows that completely lack screens. Sure makes it easy for the teen children to sneak out at night, but I bet the houses are just filled with bugs and other nasties. I don’t think I’ve ever been in a house in my life that had a screenless window, unless the window didn’t open or the screen was damaged or something. [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=4) [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=6)