# 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:** 189
**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:** [June 10, 2024, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3767 "2024-06-10T14:24:01Z")
Something I wonder about since I see it in a lot of movies and shows is evil super villians who randomly and gratuitously kill off their own henchmen. Of course, the very concept of the ‘evil super villian’ by itself is applicable to this thread, but that’s probably already been covered. So let’s just pretend they do exist, or go with the closest real world examples, such as dictators and despots. In TV / movies, super villians are always killing off henchmen right and left. There’s the old ‘killing the messenger’ move when they get bad news. Or the ‘set an example’ killing-- their #2 henchman is getting a little out of line, maybe questioning the evil master plan, but they are too valuable to kill. So the evil supervillian kills a random low-level henchman to remind everybody who’s boss. Now, this might be effective when done very infrequently, but TV and movie villians always seem to take it too far, and I think in a real world setting it would just be bad for morale, not to mention future henchmen recruitment drives. Take Heath Ledger’s Joker-- doesn’t he kill off every one of his henchmen at the end of the opening bank heist scene? Sure, it does a great job of establishing his chaotic evil cred, but good luck re-stocking the henchman pool after that. I mean, word has to get out. **Henchman #1:** Hey, I’m looking for work. Know anybody who’s hiring? **Henchman #2:** The Joker’s having a Henchman job fair this weekend. **Henchman #1:** Jeez, that’s the third one this year! **Henchman #2:** Yeah, if you take a henchman job for the Joker, don’t worry about signing up for the 401k plan. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2024, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3768 "2024-06-10T14:40:14Z")
> [@solost](#): > > There’s the old ‘killing the messenger’ move when they get bad news. Or the ‘set an example’ killing-- their #2 henchman is getting a little out of line, maybe questioning the evil master plan, but they are too valuable to kill. Or just needed to [vent some frustration](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h28ftIM929w). Poor Bob. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2024, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3769 "2024-06-10T15:04:15Z")
> [@solost](#): > > In TV / movies, super villians are always killing off henchmen right and left. When Mr. Bigglesworth gets upset, _people die!_ ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2024, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3770 "2024-06-10T15:07:52Z")
> [@Toxylon](#): > > A typical test pit would be 1 x 1 x c.0.6 meters, for a volume of 0.6 m3. Using just a shovel, I would make a bunch of these over the course of a work day (memory doesn’t quite tell how many), for maybe 3 - 4 cubic meters total for an 8-hour day, minus breaks. And the pits were beautifully shaped, too. Anyone else here thinking of the movie (and book) Holes? In that case, the pits were cylindrical, as wide as the total length of the boy’s shovel + handle, and IIRC as deep as the boy was tall. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2024, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3771 "2024-06-10T17:52:00Z")
> [@solost](#): > > Take Heath Ledger’s Joker-- doesn’t he kill off every one of his henchmen at the end of the opening bank heist scene? Sure, it does a great job of establishing his chaotic evil cred, but good luck re-stocking the henchman pool after that. I mean, word has to get out. At least with that there he’s killing off both witnesses / conspirators and people to split the money with. It’s not random. It’s like the '78 Lufthansa heist where LOTS of those involved killed. The real thing that doesn’t happen in real life is the apparent henchman staffing agency. ---
**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:** [June 10, 2024, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3772 "2024-06-10T18:07:00Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > The real thing that doesn’t happen in real life is the apparent henchman staffing agency. Hmmm…an untapped market… 🤔 ---
**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:** [June 10, 2024, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3773 "2024-06-10T18:22:22Z")
I feel like killing your henchfolk goes against the [Evil Overlord List](http://www.eviloverlord.com/lists/overlord.html) and thus should be avoided. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2024, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3774 "2024-06-10T19:50:11Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > > [@solost](#): > > > > Take Heath Ledger’s Joker-- doesn’t he kill off every one of his henchmen at the end of the opening bank heist scene? Sure, it does a great job of establishing his chaotic evil cred, but good luck re-stocking the henchman pool after that. I mean, word has to get out. > > At least with that there he’s killing off both witnesses / conspirators and people to split the money with. It’s not random. It’s like the '78 Lufthansa heist where LOTS of those involved killed. > > The real thing that doesn’t happen in real life is the apparent henchman staffing agency. _Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides_ was on TV the other night and I had it on as background noise. But then I started to notice how many casual deaths and murders there were. It seemed like much more violence than the other movies. So many henchmen seemed very content to sacrifice their lives for the boss. Looking it up it seems like there were 140 deaths in the movie. No one really cared when their buddies were slaughtered. ---
**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:** [June 10, 2024, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3775 "2024-06-10T19:59:05Z")
That was so funny I had to share. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2024, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3776 "2024-06-10T20:00:00Z")
> [@solost](#): > > Or the ‘set an example’ killing-- their #2 henchman is getting a little out of line, maybe questioning the evil master plan, but they are too valuable to kill. So the evil supervillian kills a random low-level henchman to remind everybody who’s boss. This is on the evil overlord list, but I’ve never actually seen it happen. Any specific examples? Does not include henchmen killed because 1) they knew too much or 2) they failed in their task or 3) because they stole from or otherwise betrayed the organization or 4) because the boss was willing to sacrifice a minion to get Bond. ---
**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:** [June 10, 2024, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3777 "2024-06-10T20:24:15Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > > [@solost](#): > > > > Or the ‘set an example’ killing-- their #2 henchman is getting a little out of line, maybe questioning the evil master plan, but they are too valuable to kill. So the evil supervillian kills a random low-level henchman to remind everybody who’s boss. > > This is on the evil overlord list, but I’ve never actually seen it happen. Any specific examples? TBH, it’s something I swear I have seen happen, but I can’t think of a specific instance of that specific scenario right now. Didn’t think I’d get called out for a cite on a jokey post 😉 But I’d say, in general, there are plenty of instances of evil overlords killing their henchmen for very minor transgressions or even for no good reason at all. Tamerlane’s example, for example: > [@Tamerlane](#): > > Or just needed to [vent some frustration](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h28ftIM929w). Poor Bob. I’d look up some more examples, but I have to start making dinner. Don’t want to disappoint the wife, or who knows what she might do 😆 ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2024, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3778 "2024-06-10T20:31:02Z")
The first Austin Powers movie had a good early use of deleted scenes at a time when DVD wasn’t much of a thing and these scenes weren’t common. They explored the pitfalls of being an evil supervillain’s minions. [Steamroller guy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ag_AFraxj-4) [Sea bass guy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hD3w_VdTG30) ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2024, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3779 "2024-06-10T20:44:41Z")
Do the Mobsters whacked in _ **Goldfinger** _ count as minions? The classiest execution of a minion was in _ **Thunderball** _. Zapped in a chair that was lowered into the cellar and then came back up once the body was disposed of. Quick, clean, and efficient. ---
**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:** [June 10, 2024, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3780 "2024-06-10T23:42:14Z")
Something I’ve seen in television shows and even movies is the bachelor party the night before the wedding. There is excessive drinking, of course, and various other forms of misbehavior. The groom may be missing the following morning, meaning the day of the wedding. So there’s resulting hijinks as the other men have to find him (perhaps bail him out of jail) and sober him up. The 2009 movie _[The Hangover](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hangover)_ or the 1984 Tom Hanks movie _[Bachelor Party](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bachelor_Party_(1984_film))_ are examples. What I’m wondering is why have the bachelor party literally the night before the wedding? Why not a week or two before, so that everyone has time to recover? Having it that close to the wedding means that the groom is hungover or incapacitated for his wedding and reception. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2024, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3781 "2024-06-10T23:49:37Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > What I’m wondering is why have the bachelor party literally the night before the wedding? Why not a week or two before, so that everyone has time to recover? Having it that close to the wedding means that the groom is hungover or incapacitated for his wedding and reception. I believe that most bachelor parties are a week or two prior to the wedding, especially now that so many of them are a weekend long event . But my husband’s, which was the night before the wedding, made me understand why so many of my friends had a hand in planning their fiance’s party. ( He got to the church after I did- it had nothing to do with the party but I didn’t know that as I was waiting) ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2024, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3782 "2024-06-11T00:03:58Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Something I’ve seen in television shows and even movies is the bachelor party the night before the wedding. I have been to exactly one of those. We played D&D, did some drinking and the groom and his buddy went outside to smoke a last cigar (he very really smoked them, but it turned out his wife allowed him a very occasional cigar anyway). No one got drunk- a couple dude were a bit tipsy. ---
**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:** [June 11, 2024, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3783 "2024-06-11T00:09:36Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > What I’m wondering is why have the bachelor party literally the night before the wedding? Why not a week or two before, so that everyone has time to recover? Oh yeah, good one. Every bachelor party I think I’ve ever seen on TV or the movies (including a show I just recently saw) has taken place the night before the wedding, and every bachelor party I’ve ever attended in real life (a couple dozen, maybe?) has taken place a week or two before the wedding. ---
**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:** [June 11, 2024, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3784 "2024-06-11T00:21:17Z")
My brother attended a bachelor party for a friend that was the night before the wedding. He said the groom was visibly swaying at the altar the next day. Luckily, he wasn’t as hungover as my brother who had to leave the church to go throw up in the bushes. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2024, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3785 "2024-06-11T00:45:26Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > What I’m wondering is why have the bachelor party literally the night before the wedding? So that everyone who’s coming in from out of town for the wedding can attend? Or because the point of the bachelor party is to celebrate/commemorate/take advantage of the groom-to-be’s last night as a bachelor? ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2024, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3786 "2024-06-11T02:26:26Z")
> [@solost](#): > > Every bachelor party I think I’ve ever seen on TV or the movies (including a show I just recently saw) has taken place the night before the wedding, and every bachelor party I’ve ever attended in real life (a couple dozen, maybe?) has taken place a week or two before the wedding. The bachelor party in **Very Bad Things** takes place at least a few days before the wedding (and hopefully bears no resemblance any bachelor party you’ve attended in real life). [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=188) [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=190)