# What is extremely common in TV or movies but almost never happens in real life? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 6, 2021, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311 "2021-02-06T04:16:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 148
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2023, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/2942 "2023-10-24T14:29:57Z")
I’ve noticed this quite often lately. The scenario is this: a well-to-do couple lives in a huge mansion-like modern home. At some point there is an argument between them and the husband has been banished from the bedroom. You then see the husband trying to sleep on the couch with blankets and a crummy couch pillow. The other scenario would be: an unexpected overnight visitor shows up. This visitor is also shown sleeping on an uncomfortable couch. I yell at the TV - you mean in that giant house, there isn’t an extra bedroom!!!??? ---
**Author:** ![Jay\_Z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Jay\_Z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jay_Z)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2023, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/2943 "2023-10-24T15:15:41Z")
Can’t recall ever seeing these tropes. Sometimes people’s memories just mix up different events. Could you provide an example? ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2023, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/2944 "2023-10-24T16:26:37Z")
> [@TRC4941](#): > > I’ve noticed this quite often lately. The scenario is this: a well-to-do couple lives in a huge mansion-like modern home. At some point there is an argument between them and the husband has been banished from the bedroom. You then see the husband trying to sleep on the couch with blankets and a crummy couch pillow. The other scenario would be: an unexpected overnight visitor shows up. This visitor is also shown sleeping on an uncomfortable couch. > > I yell at the TV - you mean in that giant house, there isn’t an extra bedroom!!!??? I think its definitely a sitcom trope because they don’t want to have to build a new set. In real life though, we have a guest room but sometimes if one of us is having trouble sleeping, my wife or I will just go to the couch because going to the guest room requires “post” work (washing the sheets, etc) where the couch does not. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2023, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/2945 "2023-10-24T18:22:06Z")
I don’t live in a mansion - but my husband and I are the only occupants of a house that had three bedrooms when our kids lived here. It now has one bedroom , an office and a den/storage room Why would I keep one or both set up as bedrooms to be used a few times a year ? It would have to be a really huge house , not something normal people would live in before I thought there was something strange about not having a guest room. ( After I have a room for the exercise equipment and a library, if there is still another room, I probably would have a guest room.) But that’s at least a nine room house - and the ones I see on TV don’t seem to be that large ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2023, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/2946 "2023-10-24T19:45:30Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > I just wanted to rant about the trope of a character refusing pain relief to show how badass they are. Yeah. Okay, sometimes you dont want opioids as you need to stay sharp, but a 800mg Ibuprofen can blot out a lot of pain. I know I have a 'scrip for them. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2023, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/2947 "2023-10-24T21:17:39Z")
Indeed, we finally moved into a much larger house. So we actually have a room to set up as the bedroom after we have set up her studio, her office, my office and a storage room. That room is currently just auxiliary furniture storage right now, but we plan to put a bed in there eventually. I’d sleep on the couch, but I have a futon in my office. ---
**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:** [October 24, 2023, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/2948 "2023-10-24T22:22:10Z")
Our computer room has a couch that’s really a trundle bed. (I know this really doesn’t add much to the subject, but I just love saying “trundle bad”.) ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2023, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/2949 "2023-10-25T01:01:17Z")
I’ve never gotten into a fight that was so bad someone ended up on the couch. Is that really common? ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2023, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/2950 "2023-10-25T02:10:07Z")
> [@digs](#): > > (I know this really doesn’t add much to the subject, but I just love saying “trundle bad”.) Can you say trundle good? ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2023, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/2951 "2023-10-25T02:21:49Z")
In 37 years of marriage, I never have but I could definitely see it happening. ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2023, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/2952 "2023-10-25T05:46:09Z")
…that sounds too much like Brundle Fly ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2023, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/2953 "2023-10-25T11:06:21Z")
I’ve never in real life seen someone jump into the air and tap their heels together. I _have_ seen people link arms and skip down the street, however. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2023, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/2954 "2023-10-25T13:43:46Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > I’ve never in real life seen someone jump into the air and tap their heels together. As a little kid I tried doing this a couple times to see if I could (yes, I could), but I was imitating something I had seen somewhere (Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins?). So it was a case of life imitating art. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2023, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/2955 "2023-10-25T13:58:26Z")
Ehh, I do lots of annoying stuff while I sleep. I sleepwalk, snore, talk in my sleep. etc. I like to sleep through the night, and I like my sweetie to be able to as well, so there are lots of opportunities for me to sleep in places other than the bedroom. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2023, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/2956 "2023-10-25T14:15:34Z")
I don’t know if it’s common, but I’ve ended up on the couch. Sometimes because of snoring , sometimes because I’m having trouble sleeping, occasionally because I’m so mad I can’t stay in the same room as my husband, forget about the same bed. The part that strikes me as odd is where the wife “banishes” the husband - if I don’t want to be in the same room, for whatever reason, _I_ leave. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2023, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/2957 "2023-10-25T16:15:19Z")
> [@doreen](#): > > The part that strikes me as odd is where the wife “banishes” the husband I definitely don’t think it’s right, I mean, assuming it’s not so serious you are separating. But just because it’s a shitty way to argue that doesn’t mean it’s uncommon. Still, I’ve never heard an example of this in real life. I have this annoying thing about me where I can’t fall asleep in the middle of an argument. I need some closure or reassurance or something. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2023, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/2958 "2023-10-25T16:59:58Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > But just because it’s a shitty way to argue that doesn’t mean it’s uncommon. Still, I’ve never heard an example of this in real life. I’m not saying it’s uncommon because it’s a shitty way to argue - I think it’s uncommon because I don’t think there are many people , male or female , who would sleep on the couch because their partner told them to. Rather than saying " _You_ sleep on the couch if _you_ don’t want to sleep next to me." ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2023, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/2959 "2023-10-25T17:02:29Z")
> [@doreen](#): > > I’m not saying it’s uncommon because it’s a shitty way to argue - I think it’s uncommon because I don’t think there are many people , male or female , who would sleep on the couch because their partner told them to. Yes, I was talking to myself with that bit, sorry for the confusion. I agree. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2023, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/2960 "2023-10-25T17:13:18Z")
Speaking of people who share a bedroom arguing, in real life have two siblings ever divided their bedroom down the middle, and required each sibling to keep their things on “their” side of the room? ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2023, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/2961 "2023-10-26T08:30:22Z")
Yes. Unfortunately my relationship with that sibling was never good and never improved. I haven’t spoken to her in over a decade by her choice. I have no contact information for her, I couldn’t contact her if I wanted to short of hiring a PI to find her for me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311.md?page=147) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311.md?page=149)