# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2021, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/21 "2021-02-06T06:52:39Z")
People being beaten to within inches of their lives, with NO lasting consequences whatsoever. ---
**Author:** ![Pavelb1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/439d5e/32.png) [@Pavelb1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pavelb1)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2021, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/22 "2021-02-06T06:54:47Z")
Disarming a bomb with a clock ticking down, by cutting a wire. Doctors who do EVERYTHING on the show…where IRL, they make cameo appearances in whatever is going on. “Thats treason!!!” As with real life twitter accusations…its almost never treason. ---
**Author:** ![blabbermeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e9a140/32.png) [@blabbermeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blabbermeister)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2021, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/23 "2021-02-06T06:55:41Z")
> [@CorpusNeptune](#): > > _Silver Spoons_ - S1 E7 - “The Great Computer Caper” > Ricky hacks into a secret military computer site and ends up getting into trouble. Very unrealistic for obvious reasons, as for the time this was basically unheard of. I think the password was “Kick me” and I remember typing that into my own Apple IIe computer to see what would happen, and being really nervous. In bars/clubs in movies you can hear everything everyone is saying, and they just talk normally. ---
**Author:** ![Pavelb1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/439d5e/32.png) [@Pavelb1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pavelb1)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2021, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/24 "2021-02-06T06:57:18Z")
In the same vein…people punching people over and over without so much as breaking a pinky. Fights being choreographed things where no one so much as loses their breath, where IRL they are exhausting, grappling, throwing… tunnel-vision messes. ---
**Author:** ![zbuzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zbuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zbuzz)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2021, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/25 "2021-02-06T07:24:01Z")
> [@Nars\_Glinley](#): > > IIRC, there was a scene in Dragnet where Joe Friday said something to the effect of, “In my career, I’ve pulled my gun twice and fired it once.” Or something like that. Not meaning to nitpick but to demonstrate my encyclopedic knowledge of Dragnet (the 1960s version), Friday says in his 12 years on the job he’s drawn his gun 8 times and fired it twice and says that’s about average (in 1968). And to add something else that almost never happens in real life “Bartender, gimme a whiskey. Leave the bottle.” And the classic hang-up-the-phone-but-don’t-say-goodbye maneuver. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2021, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/26 "2021-02-06T08:12:40Z")
Two that hit me - One, getting seriously injured in any way and being able to keep going - shot in the shoulder, stabbed, etc. I was in a car accident years ago, with major bruising but no broken bones, and I could barely move for days without Percoset. In movies/tv, you just work though the pain for hours/days/etc with no painkillers or off the shelf ones. 🙄 The one I really wish happened, was perfectly timed and pertinent radio/news. In any movie or tv, you’ll get breaking news that is pertinent, and will directly inform you of all the incoming issues if you just bother to pay attention! But Alexa tells me she’ll get there soon. Wait, was that the warning?!?! _runs and hides_ ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2021, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/27 "2021-02-06T08:20:40Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > No matter how urgent, or non-urgent, the matter is, my neighbours have never tried to just walk into my house or apartment Well there goes my plan for when the Covid travel restrictions are lifted! ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2021, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/28 "2021-02-06T08:33:54Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Probably not depicted on TV and movies as often these days as it was in the past, but…getting stuck in quicksand. And surprise rattlesnakes. ---
**Author:** ![Tusculan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecd19e/32.png) [@Tusculan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tusculan)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2021, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/29 "2021-02-06T09:06:10Z")
(Undercover) cop jumping in a stranger’s car and yellig ‘follow that car’. Does this _ever_ happen?n ---
**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:** [February 6, 2021, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/30 "2021-02-06T09:51:41Z")
> [@zbuzz](#): > > And the classic hang-up-the-phone-but-don’t-say-goodbye maneuver. Actually… that has become the norm where I work. Possibly a case where TV/movies influence real life. Also, we always seem to be hella busy, that might also be a factor. So far, it’s only contaminated my workplace. ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2021, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/31 "2021-02-06T09:59:56Z")
Tidy childbirth over in a few hours and at most two pushes ---
**Author:** ![tripthicket](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripthicket/32/297_2.png) [@tripthicket](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tripthicket)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2021, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/32 "2021-02-06T10:05:37Z")
Stakeouts where the detectives are parked on the same block, often just across the street, from the location of their target, and no attempt to hide themselves. Tailing another car by pulling into traffic at the same time as they do, going in the same direction, and staying in plain sight a mere 2 or 3 car-lengths behind, often with no other cars in-between. ---
**Author:** ![Lurking\_Quahog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lurking_quahog/32/21274_2.png) [@Lurking\_Quahog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lurking_Quahog)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2021, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/33 "2021-02-06T11:26:38Z")
Cars that peel out on dirt roads but the tires screech as if they were on asphalt. The Dukes of Hazzard was famous for this. Post-coitus bedroom scenes were the woman is still wearing her bra. I mean, I _guess_ it happens, but don’t people usually get naked? ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2021, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/34 "2021-02-06T11:46:37Z")
Gunplay by private (non Police) citizens with no consequences. This seemed to be common in private-eye shows in my youth. I’m pretty sure if I were a private investigator who shot and killed a bad guy, the police wouldn’t just shrug and accept my explanation. There would be months of investigations, lawyers, and almost certainly lawsuits. And I’m probably not going to stuff my handgun back in my waistband and stroll away unconcerned either. ---
**Author:** ![Brayne\_Ded](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Brayne\_Ded](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brayne_Ded)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2021, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/35 "2021-02-06T12:10:05Z")
> People falling off a building or cliff and managing to hold on with just one hand, ultimately being able to pull themselves back up or having their friend pull them up by one hand. The number of people who could save themselves, or save someone else in this manner, is vanishingly small. Or grabbing something after falling several feet. Neither that the above can happen. I speak from rock climbing experience. Holding a six foot fall is hard enough if you are belayed in, and have a belaying device and a stretchy rope that take up some of the shock. Pulling up somebody by giving them a hand? You risk losing your balance and tumbling over. My climbing club watched Cliffhanger on DVD just after it came out. The climbing scenes were accompanied by endless face-palming. One classic; a knot slowly comes undone and finally the person falls. Nope. If anything fails, be it a knot, a rope or a gadget, it happens almost too fast to see. At least one or two films show somebody trying to outrun a pyroclastic flow from a volcanic eruption. Nope, it can’t be done unless you happen to be in a helicopter that is ready to take off. No chance even in a Ferrari on a straight road. We are talking of 200 mph. An American geologist friend of mine was one of the 43 who died on Mt. Unzen in Japan in 1991. I also wonder how the hero can always race just ahead of a slowly expanding fireball after an explosion and come out unhurt. What, no flying glass or other fragments? Next up; the hero takes on several villains wielding long guns, using only a pistol. And wins. ---
**Author:** ![epbrown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e47774/32.png) [@epbrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2021, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/36 "2021-02-06T12:14:39Z")
A new one I think we’ll see more of. In “Avengers: Endgame” Tony Stark comes roaring up the drive of the Avengers compound after the gang fails at making time travel work. Except Stark is driving an all-electric Audi E-tron, so the Ferrari engine noises don’t work… But I can see directors not wanting dramatic entrances and car chases ruined by silent-running electrics. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2021, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/37 "2021-02-06T12:23:52Z")
All cop shows and movies, but most egregiously Law and Order, seem to solve all their crimes by asking bar staff, “Did you see this guy last night? Who was he with? What time did they leave? Where were they headed?” Seriously? This does not ever happen in real life. Whereas it seems like a lot of gritty Brit cop shows, no matter the nature or unfolding of the crime, are solved by police violently bullying or outright brutalizing/threatening suspects. Throw them up against a wall, bloody their nose, get right in their face and scream, ‘tell me Xxx’, and they do! Crime solved. Ugh! ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2021, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/38 "2021-02-06T12:49:54Z")
Phone- “Nancy, did you hear about what happened to Algernon? Turn on the TV!!” TV turned on- “This just in! Algernon Bidwell just arrested on suspicion of poodle raping!” ---
**Author:** ![Kzbre5m](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f08c70/32.png) [@Kzbre5m](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kzbre5m)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2021, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/39 "2021-02-06T12:52:51Z")
> [@Nars\_Glinley](#): > > Getting up and walking away when a building has just exploded behind you. Maybe not _explosions_, but I did see a college student set up his computer game for a class demonstration, hit start, then walk away to let his program run. I think it was more confidence that it would successfully run than it would explode. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2021, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/40 "2021-02-06T13:18:31Z")
Cars don’t explode in wrecks. They may catch fire, but no boom-boom. [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=1) [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=3)