# TV and movie plot cliches that really annoy **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 28, 2009, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-and-movie-plot-cliches-that-really-annoy/483362 "2009-01-28T06:32:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-and-movie-plot-cliches-that-really-annoy/483362/61 "2009-01-29T04:49:51Z")
Oh, a couple more I thought of today. 1. The bestest friend in the world that has a crisis but has never been mentioned before that episode and is never mentioned again. 2. The instant addiction. That chick from saved by the bell with the caffiene pills, Dorothy on Golden Girls with gambling and smoking and so on. 3. Virtually anytime a character smokes it’s shown as a huge crisis. That ticks me off. (see Chandler on Friends for an example) ---
**Author:** ![Trepa\_Mayfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@Trepa\_Mayfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trepa_Mayfield)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-and-movie-plot-cliches-that-really-annoy/483362/62 "2009-01-29T05:18:54Z")
> [@The New and Improved Superman](#): > > Character A has inadvertantly done something wrong that will have grave ramifications for Character B. Of course, Character B doesn’t know it (yet). Character B will be walking out the door, going somewhere. > > Character A: Honey, there’s something I have to tell you. > > Character B: What’s up? > > Character A: (Pause) Nothing. > > Character B walks out the door obliviously, not bothering to press the issue. > > It is inevitably accompanied by a later scene in which Character B discovers the betrayal, and confronts Character A, who breaks down in tears and says: > > “I wanted to tell you. I tried. I really tried, but I just couldn’t!” > > Character B will of course always forgive this transgression before the end of the flick. That would be inexcusable except that it actually happens in real life. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-and-movie-plot-cliches-that-really-annoy/483362/63 "2009-01-29T05:47:27Z")
> [@Raguleader](#): > > Just to be fair, she’s _rich_. Why does she need an employable loser? 😃 > > Suspect gunned down on the courthouse steps by a vigilante mother (Shaft, and at least one episode of Law and Order: SVU, which for bonus points, managed to do this while playing the mother as a bad guy for it) Law and Order routinely guns down people on the courthouse steps. It’s a wonder anybody in Manhattan will go anywhere near the place. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-and-movie-plot-cliches-that-really-annoy/483362/64 "2009-01-29T06:33:06Z")
Evil Corporations. I don’t mean that there isn’t genuine corporate crime, but face it- Fortune 500 CEOs do not have loaded guns in their desk drawers!!! And in virtually any sci-fi/horror movie where there are giant monsters running around killing people, you can bet that some evil corporation has created them. and is trying to stymie the heroes and keep the monsters alive because… er… um… Okay, I’m stumped. I can’t think of a single good reason a Fortune 500 company would want to create an army of velociraptors or flesh-eating zombies. Where, exactly, is the perceived market for that kind of thing? ---
**Author:** ![rinni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f6c823/32.png) [@rinni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rinni)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-and-movie-plot-cliches-that-really-annoy/483362/65 "2009-01-29T07:32:37Z")
The Casino/Gambling Cliches - two different scenarios: 1 - Group/family goes to a casino, one person is always totally against gambling and lecturing everyone on its evils, but eventually gets nagged by his/her friends into giving it a try and ends up completely addicted. 2 - A: “I’m winning! I’m winning! I’m winning! I’m winning! I’m still winning holy crap yay I’m rich!” B: “That’s great! Let’s walk away now while we’re ahead!” A: “No! I’m on a roll! Let’s bet it all on black!” B: “Bad idea!” A: “Whatever, I’ll do what I want!” \*\*\* 30 seconds later \*\*\* A: “WAH I’M POOR NOW!” ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-and-movie-plot-cliches-that-really-annoy/483362/66 "2009-01-29T07:41:42Z")
> [@Raguleader](#): > > Just to be fair, she’s _rich_. Why does she need an employable loser? 😃 > > Suspect gunned down on the courthouse steps by a vigilante mother (Shaft, and at least one episode of Law and Order: SVU, which for bonus points, managed to do this while playing the mother as a bad guy for it) Ugh reminded me of a victim killing the recently captured bad guy that has information vital to an investigation or something. I’ve seen that one too many times as well. ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-and-movie-plot-cliches-that-really-annoy/483362/67 "2009-01-29T07:48:37Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > 1. It’s lupus. > > 2. It’s not lupus. It’s never lupus… :smack: ---
**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:** [January 29, 2009, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-and-movie-plot-cliches-that-really-annoy/483362/68 "2009-01-29T09:46:34Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Okay, I’m stumped. I can’t think of a single good reason a Fortune 500 company would want to create an army of velociraptors or flesh-eating zombies. Where, exactly, is the perceived market for that kind of thing? Typically it tends to be an Experiment Gone Wrong aimed at something like bioweapons. ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-and-movie-plot-cliches-that-really-annoy/483362/69 "2009-01-29T09:52:01Z")
> [@rinni](#): > > The Casino/Gambling Cliches - two different scenarios: > > 1 - Group/family goes to a casino, one person is always totally against gambling and lecturing everyone on its evils, but eventually gets nagged by his/her friends into giving it a try and ends up completely addicted. > > 2 - > A: “I’m winning! I’m winning! I’m winning! I’m winning! I’m still winning holy crap yay I’m rich!” > B: “That’s great! Let’s walk away now while we’re ahead!” > A: “No! I’m on a roll! Let’s bet it all on black!” > B: “Bad idea!” > A: “Whatever, I’ll do what I want!” > \*\*\* 30 seconds later \*\*\* > A: “WAH I’M POOR NOW!” This is also excusable because it too happens in real life. ---
**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:** [January 29, 2009, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-and-movie-plot-cliches-that-really-annoy/483362/70 "2009-01-29T11:01:45Z")
> [@Meyer6](#): > > “I hate you” > > “No, I hate you” > > “You’re a vile, terrible man!” > > “You are a horrible bitchy shrew!” > > Oh, wait, now we’re both really turned on! Let’s start making out! We were made for each other! Ah, you mean [SlapSlapKiss](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SlapSlapKiss). (yes, I’m an evil man bent on driving your productivity down the drain by giving that link. Aaaall according to plan) ---
**Author:** ![audit1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@audit1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/audit1)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-and-movie-plot-cliches-that-really-annoy/483362/71 "2009-01-29T11:17:25Z")
And All Evil corporations have immediate acess to mercenaries in black vans able to ride out at a moments notice with the latest weaponry, without regard to possible public relations problems. Said evil corporations always have helicopter gunships that can fly anywhere in the city and escape the notice of the FAA. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-and-movie-plot-cliches-that-really-annoy/483362/72 "2009-01-29T12:31:43Z")
> [@Meyer6](#): > > “I hate you” > > “No, I hate you” > > “You’re a vile, terrible man!” > > “You are a horrible bitchy shrew!” > > Oh, wait, now we’re both really turned on! Let’s start making out! We were made for each other! > > Bleagh. I mean, I guess I can see this happening in real life once in a while under some bizarre circumstances, but it happens all the damn time in movies. It’s gotten to the point that whenever a man and a woman are arguing in a movie I start to think to myself “I just bet there’s going to be some making out sometime pretty soon…” I totally agree! I mention this every time we have a thread like this. Usually there is a certain poster who comes in to mention that he has had this happen in real life. I’m not doubting him, but I find it unlikely that it happens often. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-and-movie-plot-cliches-that-really-annoy/483362/73 "2009-01-29T12:44:36Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Typically it tends to be an Experiment Gone Wrong aimed at something like bioweapons. Yeah, but I’m saying that even IF everything went RIGHT, where’s the perceived market for an army of velociraptors? I could believe General Dynamics is guilty of all kinds of offenses (overcharging, cutting corners, whatever). But the idea that they have a secret underground “bioweapons” lab where they’re creating monsters… well, even Noam CHomsky would probably roll his eyes. Who the hell would they SELL those zombies and raptors 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:** [January 29, 2009, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-and-movie-plot-cliches-that-really-annoy/483362/74 "2009-01-29T13:22:48Z")
The Very Special Episode that revolves around the “best friend” who has never been seen before and will in all likelihood never be seen again (especially when the VSE involved the death of the never seen before best friend). ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-and-movie-plot-cliches-that-really-annoy/483362/75 "2009-01-29T13:56:34Z")
Bad Guy has Good Guy at gunpoint. GG is totally defenseless. If BG pulls the trigger, he has won. His evil plan will be successful. Does BG shoot? Of course not! He decides instead to _tie GG up and leave the building_, allowing GG to escape and ultimately triumph. ---
**Author:** ![mr.jp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/48db29/32.png) [@mr.jp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr.jp)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-and-movie-plot-cliches-that-really-annoy/483362/76 "2009-01-29T14:10:24Z")
> [@Morbo](#): > > Click on “windows” [here](http://www.intuitor.com/moviephysics/). Dangerous, sure. But lethal? I still don’t believe it. Mythbusters haven’t done it yet? ---
**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:** [January 29, 2009, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-and-movie-plot-cliches-that-really-annoy/483362/77 "2009-01-29T14:14:01Z")
> [@Wheelz](#): > > Bad Guy has Good Guy at gunpoint. GG is totally defenseless. If BG pulls the trigger, he has won. His evil plan will be successful. > > Does BG shoot? Of course not! He decides instead to _tie GG up and leave the building_, allowing GG to escape and ultimately triumph. Worse yet, he decides to give the GG his entire plot for world domination, often starting with the day he was born, until the GG either finds a way to disarm him or is rescued by someone else. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-and-movie-plot-cliches-that-really-annoy/483362/78 "2009-01-29T14:18:43Z")
The wildly improbably computer program that everybody in the audience knows is total bullshit. Opening up a black window with a blinking cursor allows you to type in a text command and search the sum total of human knowledge because it’s all on the innernet, innit? ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-and-movie-plot-cliches-that-really-annoy/483362/79 "2009-01-29T14:27:19Z")
Can we include pron movies? If so, then I nominate the delivery person/plumber/tradesman who stops in to do his job and ends up having wild sex with the hot woman of the house. ---
**Author:** ![Spiff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiff/32/9852_2.png) [@Spiff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiff)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-and-movie-plot-cliches-that-really-annoy/483362/80 "2009-01-29T14:44:05Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Who the hell would they SELL those zombies and raptors to? :: RAISES HAND :: I mean, I love my monkey butlers and their jungle stories as much as anyone, but c’mon … a personal velociraptor!!! Who WOULDN’T want one? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-and-movie-plot-cliches-that-really-annoy/483362.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-and-movie-plot-cliches-that-really-annoy/483362.md?page=5)