# 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:** 257
**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:** [July 3, 2025, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5149 "2025-07-03T23:45:59Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > I love a good enemies-to-lovers romance, but I say, raise the stakes and have them trying to kill each other! (I admit when you start there it takes longer to get to the kissing part.) > **[The Twilight Zone (1959) S3E1: "Two" - TV Tropes](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/TheTwilightZone1959S3E1Two)** > > Two A female soldier (Elizabeth Montgomery) wanders into an abandoned city. While rummaging for supplies, she briefly admires a dress in a department store window. She enters a restaurant's kitchen, crushes a tarantula on the counter, and finds … ---
**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:** [July 4, 2025, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5150 "2025-07-04T00:21:16Z")
Perfect! ---
**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:** [July 4, 2025, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5151 "2025-07-04T00:44:05Z")
Also [Mr. And Mrs. Smith.](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._%26_Mrs._Smith_(2005_film)) ---
**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:** [July 4, 2025, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5152 "2025-07-04T00:57:23Z")
I know it wasn’t that well received, but I enjoyed that one. And the TV series is much different, but arguably much better. ---
**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:** [July 4, 2025, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5153 "2025-07-04T01:11:09Z")
I haven’t seen the TV show but I really like the movie. ---
**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:** [July 4, 2025, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5154 "2025-07-04T16:11:18Z")
Not me. I found it really dumb and badly acted. ---
**Author:** ![BrickBat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@BrickBat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrickBat)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2025, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5155 "2025-07-04T16:23:43Z")
Good one! Mine involves telephones, especially the old jangly sounding dial phones. Somebody, in their home ( usually ) is engaged in very light conversation, or minor chores, or even just lounging. The jarring clang of the telephone begins…ring after ring after ring. only after at least eight rings does the protagonist even seem to show awareness that the phone is ringing. Said protagonist _vveerrry_ leisurely makes their way toward the phone, reaches the phone, often pauses to continue their jawjacking with others in the room, and finally picks up…after about 2 dozen rings. Nobody but nobody would ring that long. As kids when we were taught phone ettiquette, 8 to 10 rings was recommended when making a call, though most threw in the towel after about 4. ---
**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:** [July 4, 2025, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5156 "2025-07-04T16:27:16Z")
Unless it truly was an emergency, in which case the extended rings would be trying to signal that. However answering machines now usually cut in after 6-8 rings. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2025, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5157 "2025-07-04T17:43:55Z")
Also add in, the dramatic pause _after_ picking up the phone, but _before_ putting it to your ear. In real life, the person on the other end would be going, “Hello? Anyone there? Is this thing working? Bob? Hello? What the fuck?” ---
**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:** [July 5, 2025, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5158 "2025-07-05T21:43:43Z")
How about what what I’ll call the “all purpose scientist”? A character works in some sort of science related field, therefore they’re an expert on _every_ scientific discipline. Chemistry, biology, physics, geology – they know it all. I’ve finally gotten around to watching _Manifest_. In the early seasons Saanvi is shown to be a medical researcher. But in one episode in Season 4 apparently she’s also an expert on algae, and undersea vents. Because it’s all science, right? In real life I would expect a scientist to be an expert on their specific field of research, and I wouldn’t expect them to know any more than an average person about anything outside their field. ---
**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:** [July 5, 2025, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5159 "2025-07-05T21:52:57Z")
True facts: I watched a movie about an Antarctic prison infested by prehistoric snakes, and the main character had a PhD in Advanced Sciences. Guess what the wrote his dissertation about? Those very same snakes. Which was notable, because, as the movie revealed, there was no evidence they existed. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2025, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5160 "2025-07-05T22:08:47Z")
Even better is the all-purpose scientist who is also an all-purpose engineer. He (it’s always a he) is not only knowledgeable about most scientific disciplines, he can build anything you need. Probably using only coconuts and bamboo. ---
**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:** [July 5, 2025, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5161 "2025-07-05T22:22:44Z")
> [@WildaBeast](#): > > How about what what I’ll call the “all purpose scientist”? A character works in some sort of science related field, therefore they’re an expert on _every_ scientific discipline. Chemistry, biology, physics, geology – they know it all. … In real life I would expect a scientist to be an expert on their specific field of research, and I wouldn’t expect them to know any more than an average person about anything outside their field. I take it you’ve never read any of Isaac Asimov’s science essays. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2025, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5162 "2025-07-06T01:55:34Z")
> [@WildaBeast](#): > > How about what what I’ll call the “all purpose scientist”? The Professor, from Gilligan’s Island. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2025, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5163 "2025-07-06T12:17:26Z")
> [@Mops](#): > > I’d have thought scouts, outriders, vanguards (different roles, I know) have been a thing since the dawn of organised warfare. For that matter, wouldn’t a large civilian party also send people ahead? Yes, but they have to come back to communicate what they have encountered. Sometimes they die, or are killed, and sometimes they just haven’t made it back yet. > [@BrickBat](#): > > Nobody but nobody would ring that long. Well, given the plot of these movies, and the desperation the caller often has in getting ahold of the person, yeah, they might. I even recall seeing something (wish I could remember what) where the phone rings 8 or so times, then there is a short pause, then it begins ringing again, as though the caller thought maybe they had missdialed, and tried again, which makes absolute sense. The recipient, moving slowly to the phone, in total ignorance of what is about to happen (lots of dramatic irony, because the audience knows what the call is about), stops during the pause, but does not sit down again, then the second time gets to the phone after about 4 rings, so, 12 toral. Damned I can’t remember this movie (or TV show). I do remember the person getting the call was tall, and had a hairstyle that put the show in the early 70s, and the caller was a small woman who looked a little like Patricia Hitchcock. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2025, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5164 "2025-07-07T23:44:43Z")
I was in the pub the other day, and a buddy was surprised I hadn’t heard of this thing he was talking about. " You’re so smart, you’ve never heard of X?!?" “Well, that’s how knowledge works…” was my response. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2025, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5165 "2025-07-07T23:47:46Z")
Reminds me of this… [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/0JFXICqWsCI/hqdefault.jpg "KITH: Phone") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JFXICqWsCI) ---
**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:** [July 7, 2025, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5166 "2025-07-07T23:56:41Z")
[![](https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/ten_thousand.png) ](https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/ten_thousand.png) ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2025, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5167 "2025-07-13T00:09:58Z")
Genius Serial killers- most serial killers are everage, or slightly below average. Next, the Police or LEOs do not go to consult with serial killers about other unrelated crimes. Silence of the Lambs, other films, TV shows, even The Rookie love this false meme. > **[Serial Killers: Insane or Super Intelligent?](https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/captivating-crimes/202006/serial-killers-insane-or-super-intelligent)** > > Serial killers are either all insane or superintelligent: Fact or fiction? _The second common belief is that, if not insane, then serial killers possess superintelligence. That, too, is not true. In fact, serial killers follow the societal norm regarding [intelligence](https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/intelligence). There are those on the far ends of the bell curve, but most fall in the relatively same pattern as the rest of the population._ _There is, however, a variation among serial killers themselves when considering a classification of organized versus disorganized. Organized serial killers have a slightly higher average IQ than do their disorganized counterparts, with a 99.2 average.1 Disorganized serial killers have a 92.8 average, with the average IQ among all serial killers having a 94.7 average.1 The far ends of the bell curve show extremes of 54 on the low end and 186 on the high end.1_ ---
**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:** [July 13, 2025, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/5168 "2025-07-13T01:00:29Z")
Serial killers are simply people who’ve killed repeatedly, often in pursuit of rape/murder or other obsessions that require disposing of the victim. The fictional trope is of a diabolical genius whose clever strategies are what have allowed them to continue undetected for years; in real life it’s usually simply that a string of otherwise random murders don’t get connected or leave enough clues to provide a positive I.D. [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=256) [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=258)