# TV Show Plot Cliches You Hate **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 9, 2010, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-plot-cliches-you-hate/549689 "2010-08-09T09:21:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**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 11, 2010, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-plot-cliches-you-hate/549689/121 "2010-08-11T01:14:15Z")
> [@Maiira](#): > > > [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > > > The ugly female who takes off her glasses and lets her hair down suddenly becomes beautiful. > > **Arrested Development** had an interesting take on that. 😃 When the woman in question lets down her hair, it’s frizzy and out of control; when she takes off her glasses, she turns out to be cross-eyed without them. The only good part of **Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs** was when the hero only fell in love with the hot weatherbabe when she put on her glasses, put up her hair, and let her inner geek out. As for me, I can’t remember the last time I saw a good amnesia plot, I hate rushes to the hospital to have a baby, and don’t much like the old minor character tells relatives that he/she is rich/important, and the major characters have to act as if he/she is. It didn’t even work when Lurch was that character. ---
**Author:** ![wipetheclock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b19c9b/32.png) [@wipetheclock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wipetheclock)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-plot-cliches-you-hate/549689/122 "2010-08-11T01:33:43Z")
Commonly seen in sit-coms: The two characters that have a generally trusting and supportive relationship. One of them finds an object or hears a piece of information and jumps to a completely insane conclusion. Example: Husband tells his wife he will be working late at the office regularly for a while to meet a deadline. One evening the wife calls his office and finds out that he has not been working late. :eek: Instead of, you know, asking him about it like a normal person, she freaks out and assumes he is cheating on her. Then she proceeds to harass his friends, accuse a woman he knows of sleeping with him, or stalks him in an effort to prove his disloyalty. Of course, it turns out that he’s taken a second job and didn’t want her to know because he will be using the money to buy her a super special present. This type of scenario makes up like 80% of the Dick Van Dyke Show. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-plot-cliches-you-hate/549689/123 "2010-08-11T03:32:14Z")
> [@](#): > > The ugly female who takes off her glasses and lets her hair down suddenly becomes beautiful. Both the set-up AND the trope were beautifully lampshaded in _Not Another Teen Movie._ The cocky jock who made the bet to date the ugliest girl in school: “Oh, the albino folksinger doesn’t count, no, not the siamese twins…” Jock friend: “How about the cute girl, except for the glasses and ponytail?” “No, not Janey! She’s got glasses! Ugggh! And a ponytail! Ooooh! And she’s wearing paint-covered overalls! Ugggh!” And later in the movie, the more experienced hottie does a “makeover” on Janey, which consists of just pulling her hair down and glasses off. _I’d like to take a moment to just point out that I have never seen any of those “parody” movies, and would probably hate them. But this was recommended as a Quality Trope-Bustin’ Comedy… and it is!_ ---
**Author:** ![CJJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecc23a/32.png) [@CJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CJJ)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-plot-cliches-you-hate/549689/124 "2010-08-11T04:40:22Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > I’ve always hated the episodes where a misunderstanding gets blown up into this huge thing that could have been solved if one character had bothered to say “Excuse me, can you repeat that because I’m not certain I heard you correctly?” Bonus points if, as a result of eavesdropping, a character thinks he only has X weeks to live. Extra bonus if the misunderstanding is cleared up while the character is standing on a precipitous building ledge (I’m looking at you, WKRP!). ---
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-plot-cliches-you-hate/549689/125 "2010-08-11T07:15:44Z")
I hate the “two protagonists are about to consummate their sexual tension with a kiss and then threepio shows up to fuck it up and the moment is gone” trope. Screw that, I’m not letting any interruption stop me from doing some liplocking. I also hated that Three’s Company episode with the misunderstanding. ---
**Author:** ![Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harvey_The_Heavy)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-plot-cliches-you-hate/549689/126 "2010-08-11T10:47:58Z")
> [@EvilTOJ](#): > > I also hated that Three’s Company episode with the misunderstanding. Ugh. That one was as bad as that Gilligan’s Island episode where they almost got off the island, but Gilligan screwed it up. ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-plot-cliches-you-hate/549689/127 "2010-08-11T11:56:54Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#): > > > [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](#): > > > > Ohhh - kayyyy… well, descending from “horrific” back to “merely silly”, I hate the “abstemious character becomes inadvertently intoxicated before wedding/speech/public occasion” cliche. First time I remember seeing it: _M_A_S_H\*\* - Father Mulcahy gets drunk before giving a sermon on temperance. Last time I saw it: _Bing Bang Theory_ - Sheldon gets drunk before receiving a major award. > > Don’t forget _Vitameatavegamin_! “Vitameatavegamin” was more about her getting tipsy _while_ doing the thing she supposed to do. Inappropriate but not against expectations of type exactly. Examples closer the above would be Lucy getting debilitating eye drops put in right before she does the dance number when Ricky _finally_ lets her be in the show, or taking too many seasick pills right before she has to get her passport by affirming she’s a citizen but she’s too drowsy. (A different type of example is Lucy getting completely sunburned after making a deal with Don Loeper to get his expensive dress for free (since Ricky’s too cheap to pay for it) if she models one of his _wool dresses_ (ouch!) in a charity fashion show. Along the lines of the OP, it’s cliche when one character asks another character to pretend to be a significant other or spouse to fool the parents, the boss, etc. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-plot-cliches-you-hate/549689/128 "2010-08-11T12:42:30Z")
I hate when the writers create some implausible scenario which throws a bunch of co-workers together for a major holiday. People spend Christmas and Thanksgiving with their families, not the buffoon in Accounting. (Examples: Bones, Cheers) Similarly, I hate Halloween episodes which show normal people in costumes that were would cost hundreds of dollars and were clearly designed by professionals. If you’ve ever been to a Halloween party, you will see lame, cheap, mass produced costumes – a devil with horns glued to a hair band and a safety-pinned-on-the-ass sequined tail, a vampire with a polyester cape and plastic teeth… with maybe one gem in the whole bunch. (Examples: Roseanne, Buffy) ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-plot-cliches-you-hate/549689/129 "2010-08-11T13:01:15Z")
I never minded when Mulder and Scully were working during Christmas or whatever. But by then, who else have they got? I hate defensive older brothers who don’t stop to listen to a damn thing and just barrel their way through everybody being all TOUGH and MANLY. The girl can take care of herself. Bill Scully, I’m looking at you. ---
**Author:** ![melodyharmonius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/melodyharmonius/32/21310_2.png) [@melodyharmonius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/melodyharmonius)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-plot-cliches-you-hate/549689/130 "2010-08-11T13:02:00Z")
PunditLisa, I hear you however, you have not hung around with enough Geeks. We tend to actually spend a lot of money on our costumes because not only do we wear them at Halloween, we also wear them to conventions and fairs throughout the years 😛 Yes, I’m weird, why do you ask? ---
**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:** [August 11, 2010, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-plot-cliches-you-hate/549689/131 "2010-08-11T13:15:49Z")
The scene where a character is in the bathtub and more people than I’ve known in my entire life parade though the bathroom. Fortunately, the character used more bubble bath than I have used in my entire life. ---
**Author:** ![Normal\_Phase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Normal\_Phase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Normal_Phase)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-plot-cliches-you-hate/549689/132 "2010-08-11T13:18:18Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Any show that starts with someone walking in on the aftermath of some event, and then all the other characters tell their own self-aggrandizing versions of what happened. Except for that one episode of X-files (Bad Blood), which was excellent. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-plot-cliches-you-hate/549689/133 "2010-08-11T14:11:52Z")
How about…when a TV character (primarily a drama or police procedural) gets married, is in the hospital, or dies. Who is at the wedding, visits at the hospital, or attends the funeral? Co-workers! Where is the grieving family? These people live in a vacuum of work/one personal relationship/office buddies. I’m thinking of Jimmy Smits dying in NYPD Blue. Except for Diane and Sipowitz, he never had any visitors. … A comedy is different, the family is played for laughs . But in a drama, our strong, silent hero journies through life a Lone Wolf. No nagging mom, no Troublesome Little Sister, no relative hijacking the wedding/funeral. ---
**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:** [August 11, 2010, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-plot-cliches-you-hate/549689/134 "2010-08-11T14:17:11Z")
Nobody has mentioned the entire cast of supporting characters that will stalk you? You cannot get rid of them even if you go to a different school, get a job, or move cross country! They will follow you to your grave and then jump in! ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-plot-cliches-you-hate/549689/135 "2010-08-11T15:57:41Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > > [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](#): > > > > The “Oh no! I’m pregnant! Whatever shall I do???” that always, ALWAYS ends up with the pregnant character deciding not to have an abortion, but then conveniently miscarrying. > > > > Yeah, they don’t want to deal with a pregnant character (and then a baby/child), but for once I wish they’d freaking go ahead and have her have the abortion. > > One of the girls in _Fast Times at Ridgemont High_ becomes pregnant and has an abortion, although that’s a movie and not a TV show. I can’t off the top of my head think of any other TV shows or movies I’ve seen where this happens, although I have heard of the abortion episode of _Maude_. On _Friday Night Lights_ this season, a character (high school student) has an abortion (breaking the cycle of single motherhood and poverty which her own mother is in), and the coach’s wife got in deep doo-doo with fundamentalist parents and school board for having providing her with contact information on that option as well as all the other options. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-plot-cliches-you-hate/549689/136 "2010-08-11T16:10:17Z")
Neighbors in sitcoms who just barge in, spout one line, and then leave! As if they could predict the future and know that the line was their entire point without knowing that a context to utter that line would be available. Let me illustrate that with an example from Seinfeld. This was during the Bizarro World episode: (knock on the door of Kevin’s [Bizarro Jerry] apartment) Feldman (Bizarro Kramer) enters. Feldman: Hey Kevin, look who I ran into Vargus (Bizarro Newman) enters. Vargus: Hello, Kevin Kevin: Hello, Vargus They laugh and shake hands Kevin: Hey, you wanna catch a ballgame this weekend? Vargus: Great, I’ll see you later! Now WTF was he there for if Kevin didn’t ask about the ballgame? Was he just going to show up, say hi, and leave? They’re friends! At least give him a credible reason to be there! This happens all the time in Seinfeld and sometimes when I think about it, it drives me crazy ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-plot-cliches-you-hate/549689/137 "2010-08-11T16:16:51Z")
I think the Bizarro Jerry scenes were intentionally over the top. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-plot-cliches-you-hate/549689/138 "2010-08-11T16:56:03Z")
> [@ghardester](#): > > Or, expanding upon **bouv** ’s post, how about the “does anyone object to this marriage” type thing where the man/woman changes their mind at the last minute, during the final vows of the wedding, and runs off with someone else. > > How romantic! How unlikely! > > How the hell is that new relationship going to work out? God, I hate that! It seems like half (or more) of romantic comedies have this happen. Really now. Any woman who’s so fickle that she’d dump her fiance _on their wedding day_, isn’t someone that any sane man would want to have a relationship with. How long is it going to be before she dumps you for the next guy? I always feel sorry for the jilted fiance. ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-plot-cliches-you-hate/549689/139 "2010-08-11T17:18:19Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > > [@ghardester](#): > > > > Or, expanding upon **bouv** ’s post, how about the “does anyone object to this marriage” type thing where the man/woman changes their mind at the last minute, during the final vows of the wedding, and runs off with someone else. > > > > How romantic! How unlikely! > > > > How the hell is that new relationship going to work out? > > God, I hate that! It seems like half (or more) of romantic comedies have this happen. Really now. Any woman who’s so fickle that she’d dump her fiance _on their wedding day_, isn’t someone that any sane man would want to have a relationship with. How long is it going to be before she dumps you for the next guy? I always feel sorry for the jilted fiance. For a real life example. see Julia Roberts’ personal life… ---
**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:** [August 12, 2010, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-plot-cliches-you-hate/549689/140 "2010-08-12T13:19:43Z")
ANYTHING used to hide a pregnancy. Big clothes, big bags, big briefcases, shooting from the head up, chtacter confined to bed, etc. etc. Just write it in, goddamit. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-plot-cliches-you-hate/549689.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-show-plot-cliches-you-hate/549689.md?page=8)