# 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:** 221
**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:** [November 6, 2024, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/4407 "2024-11-06T15:51:05Z")
Are you suggesting that Steed’s free-lance partners were mere “amateurs”? They were _talented_ amateurs, and he was a “top professional”! [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/frFWpzwos4I/hqdefault.jpg "THE AVENGERS US Chessboard Opening") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frFWpzwos4I) And _here_ is Emma in a leather catsuit, one of the few times she wore it! ---
**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:** [November 6, 2024, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/4408 "2024-11-06T15:51:52Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Are you suggesting that Steed could ruin a suit just by crawling along a ledge? Of course not. I just said your post reminded me of all the suits that Mulder ruined on the X Files. I’m sure Steed never so much as lost a sharp crease or introduced a wrinkle in his bespoke Savile Row suits in all of _ **his** _ adventures. > [@terentii](#): > > And _here_ is Emma in a leather catsuit, one of the few times she wore it! That actually looks much more practical for ledge-crawling. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2024, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/4409 "2024-11-06T15:53:20Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > there’s an awful lot of amateur detectives in these shows. And as Only Murders in the Building shows, it’s not just the Brits. See post no. 3438 ---
**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:** [November 6, 2024, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/4410 "2024-11-06T15:54:40Z")
At least some of MacNee’s suits were designed by Pierre Cardin, or by himself. ---
**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:** [November 6, 2024, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/4411 "2024-11-06T15:55:40Z")
The dead guy made a really poor fashion choice that day. ---
**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:** [November 6, 2024, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/4412 "2024-11-06T15:58:14Z")
I have no idea about that show, as I’ve never seen it. I was referring to things like Grantchester (vicar detective), Hetty Wainthropp Investigates (postmistress detective) or The Marlow Murder Club (retired archaeologist detective). ---
**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:** [November 6, 2024, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/4413 "2024-11-06T16:01:35Z")
For all you leather fetishists in the audience, a tribute to Cathy Gale (aka Honor Blackman, aka Pussy Galore) and Emma Peel: https://www.youtube.com/embed/_SuZNea0Vug?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque ---
**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:** [November 6, 2024, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/4414 "2024-11-06T16:07:07Z")
I submit for your enlightenment and edification: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/xfqhCQcXm2Y/maxresdefault.jpg "The Avengers (1961-69). Champagne Chums Combating Crime Capers.") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfqhCQcXm2Y) Enjoy! 🙂 ---
**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:** [November 6, 2024, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/4415 "2024-11-06T16:07:36Z")
Thank you, but no. ---
**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:** [November 6, 2024, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/4416 "2024-11-06T16:49:36Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > > [@Asuka](#): > > > > When cops are on stakeouts for dangerous killers they’ll sit in their squad cars with their windows fully open so just anybody can walk by and slash their throats. > > Or when they go investigate some suspected serial killer all by themselves instead of with, you know, an entire SWAT team. But when they do call in SWAT who is equipped and trained to do dangerous entries our intrepid detectives throw on a windbreaker and are through the door first. ---
**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:** [November 6, 2024, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/4417 "2024-11-06T16:55:10Z")
Kevlar-impregnated windbreakers. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2024, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/4418 "2024-11-06T18:06:53Z")
I suppose the windbreaker is to protect from the tears when a sobbing relative crashes through the police line and the detective has to console them. Also, I did some research and surprisingly few defendants were shot on the steps of the New York State Supreme Court Building or tossed off its roof after getting off on a “technicality”. ---
**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:** [November 6, 2024, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/4419 "2024-11-06T18:24:19Z")
They need time to hose off the blood in between deaths. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2024, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/4420 "2024-11-06T20:01:40Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > I remember the beach at Brighton as consisting of fist-sized potato-shaped rocks, no sand anywhere. Not good if you want to stretch out and sunbathe. Or walk without turning an ankle. > [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > As for things I _hope_ don’t happen in real life the the trend in FBI and newer Law & Order episodes where the detectives see someone they want to question and call out from so far away “FBI! We’d like to talk to you!” that they practically have to shout, so _of course_ the guy runs. Foot chase ensues. > > And the show FBI is so bad at containment that if they had a guy in a phone booth surrounded by their swat team he’d get away and foot chase ensues. Yep, I have pointed this out. In one FBI epi, they came in with SWAT and everything, and the perp escaped thru the door the _team came in on._ They always leave a guy at the door IRL. > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Something I realized after watching a couple of British detective dramas; there’s an awful lot of amateur detectives in these shows. Yep, and those days are done. Amateurs are now hopelessly out of it as they dont have CSI, police records and the like. Mind you, in civil cases or even missing persons they can be fine, but the days of Murder She Wrote, Sherlock or even Nero Wolfe are gone. I am reading several Brit DCI murder mystery series, and they are pretty good, but oddly in every case, the lead DCI has lost his wife in some tragic way and has emotional baggage. > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I have no idea about that show, as I’ve never seen it. I was referring to things like Grantchester (vicar detective), Hetty Wainthropp Investigates (postmistress detective) or The Marlow Murder Club (retired archaeologist detective). Unless those are set in the past, IMHO they are fantasy. > [@Loach](#): > > But when they do call in SWAT who is equipped and trained to do dangerous entries our intrepid detectives throw on a windbreaker and are through the door first. Generally they do wear a bullet proof vest- but one of the smaller ones. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2024, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/4421 "2024-11-06T20:19:07Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > In one FBI epi, they came in with SWAT and everything, and the perp escaped thru the door the _team came in on._ Oh I remember that one! unfuckingbelievable. (Sadly I have found that none of the FBIs have rewatchability. I can still watch L&O from twenty years ago, but the FBI family of shows is one-and-done. It doesn’t help that everyone except Scola is totally unlikable.) ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2024, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/4422 "2024-11-06T20:45:07Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > It doesn’t help that everyone except Scola is totally unlikable.) And Lead agent Scott (FBI Most wanted) is a total asshole, doing shit the real FBI would never tolerate. I dont mind OA and Bell in the regular FBI. I totally rolled my eyes when Isobel ended up with a fellow agents daughter, after that hospitalized agent had given her temporary custody of her daughter. That’s not how that works. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2024, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/4423 "2024-11-06T22:04:12Z")
Not to hijack too much, but what the heck. Maggie is on a holier than thou powertrip these latest episodes, because she’s A MOTHER and you JUST!DON’T!GET!IT! OA falls from one stupid scam to another, but it’s ok because he a true hero ranger. Just not a good FBI. Tiff can’t get her shit together, or keep her feelings out of the investigation, so she’s gone to run a bakery or something. Her replacement was just starting to be something, but she lasted exactly one episode. Jubal! Now no one in our house knows what Jubal actually does. I liken him to “motivational Homer” from “You Only Move Twice”. He doesn’t actually add anything to the investigation, he just “motivates”. All he needs is Tom Landry’s hat. Also, he’s an unhappy drunk. And Isobel has clearly been promoted above her competency level. You can see how scared she is about making the wrong decision. She isn’t a good manager, either. I like International (except for Scott, who is thankfully gone (sleeping with your subordinate should have got him fired)). I like how it has quietly become a nearly all-female show. ---
**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:** [November 6, 2024, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/4424 "2024-11-06T22:17:12Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Steed in his best suit was both walking and crawling along a ledge hundreds of feet above the street. I don’t think I ever saw Steed not in his suit and bowler hat. > [@solost](#): > > Made me think, jeez, I don’t think FBI agents and other public servants get paid _ **that** _ much-- half his salary must go toward suit replacement. My sister was listening to a podcast with Samantha Bee where she was talking about how little Comedy Central paid when she and Jason Jones were on _The Daily Show_. They also did not get their wardrobe provided to them. Once Jason had to do a remote at a pig farm where he had to throw out everything he was wearing afterward. Samanatha said “That was $400!” ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2024, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/4425 "2024-11-07T00:31:37Z")
> [@carrps](#): > > I don’t think I ever saw Steed not in his suit and bowler hat. In [S04E12](https://www.dissolute.com.au/the-avengers-tv-series/series-4/412-twos-a-crowd.html) “Two’s a Crowd” the team infiltrates a fashion show that has a model that is a dead ringer (or is he?) for Steed. We get to see him in beachwear. ---
**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:** [November 7, 2024, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/4426 "2024-11-07T00:34:29Z")
Or this episode: [The Avengers Forever: Castle De’ath](http://theavengers.tv/forever/peel1-5.htm) Steed in full Highland dress! He also dressed casually when relaxing at home. [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=220) [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=222)