# What takes you out of a TV show or movie that’s actually trivial? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted, movies\ **Created:** [September 23, 2026, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-takes-you-out-of-a-tv-show-or-movie-that-s-actually-trivial/1033299 "2026-09-23T01:49:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 14
**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:** [October 5, 2026, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-takes-you-out-of-a-tv-show-or-movie-that-s-actually-trivial/1033299/261 "2026-10-05T19:38:55Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > they’re not going to be updating their looks with the newest fashions every season. Indeed: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/KAUSGj713gA/maxresdefault.jpg "Big Cargo Jorts | SNLUK") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAUSGj713gA) ---
**Author:** ![XOldiesJock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ec9cab/32.png) [@XOldiesJock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XOldiesJock)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2026, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-takes-you-out-of-a-tv-show-or-movie-that-s-actually-trivial/1033299/262 "2026-10-05T19:43:54Z")
> [@Lucas\_Jackson](#): > > _I can’t remember where I was on Monday, much less where I was a month or two ago._ Exactly! Same here. I’ve always wondered if real police departments actually ask that (and expect a real answer) or if that’s just a figment of some hack writers’ lazy imaginations. I don’t think anyone could possibly answer a question like that in reality unless they have what is called Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory. It’s rare but it does actually exist. Supposedly Marilu Henner, the actress, if given a random date, can recall what she was doing every single day of her life. Or she could just be making it up. Who would know. The story goes that she f----d every actor on “Taxi.” I’m sure she remembers that! ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2026, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-takes-you-out-of-a-tv-show-or-movie-that-s-actually-trivial/1033299/263 "2026-10-05T20:03:57Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > Interesting. Thanks. I thought it came into fashion much later, like 19-20 century Ancient depilation practices were unexpectedly ubiquitous and often somewhat terrifying in their choice of methods. See [this article](https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/dressandadornmentancientgreece/chapter/hair-removal/) for an overview along with links to images of a Greek red-figure vessel showing a woman conscientiously removing pubic hair by… singeing with an oil lamp. Ow!!! ([A. E. Housman’s brief essay on the classical author Herodas’s depiction of an unscrupulous brothelkeeper trying to sue a client for damages](https://archive.org/details/classicalpaperso0000hous_c8n2/page/1056/mode/2up)—under the pretense that the totally standard cosmetic depilation of one of his employees (which he invites her to show to the court) was caused by the client’s brutal violence—is a comic masterpiece, although buried so deep under decorous academic indirectness that it’s sometimes hard to know what he’s driving at.) ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2026, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-takes-you-out-of-a-tv-show-or-movie-that-s-actually-trivial/1033299/264 "2026-10-05T20:07:05Z")
Yep. I outright am not seeing so many films nowadays because they don’t do the bare minimum. I’m OK with the fantasy mock-Regency of _Bridgerton_, but the shit-brown palette of, say, _The Uprising_ has lost me as a seat. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2026, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-takes-you-out-of-a-tv-show-or-movie-that-s-actually-trivial/1033299/265 "2026-10-05T23:27:52Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > (red hashmarks means he would have had some sort of disciplinary action in his past). Within the past 12 years IIRC. It was changed recently to just 12 years’ service regardless of any disciplinary actions. ---
**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:** [October 6, 2026, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-takes-you-out-of-a-tv-show-or-movie-that-s-actually-trivial/1033299/266 "2026-10-06T15:11:44Z")
> [@LavenderMagnolia](#): > > It annoys me when a character is almost never shown working evenings, nights, weekends, or holidays - yet they have a job that definitely involves working at those times in real life. Store employee or manager (most managers do work weekends and late shifts), police officer, chef, restaurant server, etc. I’m pulled out of police dramas when the main character seemingly works 24 hours a day without any thought towards overtime. In the real world cops are allergic to working for free and bosses are constantly fighting to keep overtime down. ---
**Author:** ![Darwins\_Finch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darwins_finch/32/20304_2.png) [@Darwins\_Finch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darwins_Finch)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2026, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-takes-you-out-of-a-tv-show-or-movie-that-s-actually-trivial/1033299/267 "2026-10-06T15:47:36Z")
Another thing that irks me so, this time with regard to action movies (specifically, the beat-'em-up type): often the Bad guy and Good Guy will find themselves in a physical altercation. However, the Bad Guy is Very Good at Beating People Up, so they get the upper hand in the fight, and have the Good Guy in their literal grasp; they need only to administer the coup de grâce to finish him/her off. But instead, the Bad Guy throws the Good Guy some distance away, thereby giving Good Guy the chance to recover, or obtain a weapon, and thereby finish off the Bad Guy once and for all. ---
**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 6, 2026, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-takes-you-out-of-a-tv-show-or-movie-that-s-actually-trivial/1033299/268 "2026-10-06T17:10:56Z")
> [@LavenderMagnolia](#): > > It annoys me when a character is almost never shown working evenings, nights, weekends, or holidays - yet they have a job that definitely involves working at those times in real life. Store employee or manager (most managers do work weekends and late shifts), police officer, chef, restaurant server, etc. Or, come to think of it, when the entire cast of a workplace setting show goes somewhere together. On _Scrubs_ they had a two-episode arc where pretty much the entire cast goes to Hawaii to attend the janitor’s wedding. Who is covering all those shifts? ---
**Author:** ![LavenderMagnolia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/2bfe46/32.png) [@LavenderMagnolia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LavenderMagnolia)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2026, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-takes-you-out-of-a-tv-show-or-movie-that-s-actually-trivial/1033299/269 "2026-10-06T17:12:16Z")
Yep! ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2026, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-takes-you-out-of-a-tv-show-or-movie-that-s-actually-trivial/1033299/270 "2026-10-06T18:00:19Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > I’m pulled out of police dramas when the main character seemingly works 24 hours a day without any thought towards overtime. In the real world cops are allergic to working for free and bosses are constantly fighting to keep overtime down. OTOH in _Forever Knight_ we had a vampire police detective working only the grave shift in the Toronto PD. Yeah, that ain’t happening. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2026, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-takes-you-out-of-a-tv-show-or-movie-that-s-actually-trivial/1033299/271 "2026-10-06T18:51:38Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > I’m pulled out of police dramas when the main character seemingly works 24 hours a day without any thought towards overtime. Also when a cop fights hard to keep a case. A detectives case load is usually pretty high, anything that takes some of the load off is welcome. > [@solost](#): > > Or, come to think of it, when the entire cast of a workplace setting show goes somewhere together. Other than company sponsored events, I have never been a in job where the employees are all close friends off work. Yes, I have found a close friend at work, but the idea a whole team will be as close as family seems odd to me. Anyone actually be in that situation? > [@DesertDog](#): > > OTOH in _Forever Knight_ we had a vampire police detective working only the grave shift in the Toronto PD. Yeah, that ain’t happening. I know grave shift is unpopular, so maybe if someone volunteered, they would allow it? ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2026, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-takes-you-out-of-a-tv-show-or-movie-that-s-actually-trivial/1033299/272 "2026-10-06T19:25:30Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > In-universe bad acting. > > That is to say, if a character is sad but in a situation where they need to pretend to be happy, they are awful at it and are frequently grimacing, dropping their smile instantly, outright rude to people etc. I get that it has to be that way, to not confuse the audience, but it takes me out. 99% of the time we’re better at pretending than this, otherwise all the other people at the party should be grimacing. I’m in the middle of a West Wing re-watch, and something related to this stood out to me just the other day that relates to this: There’s an episode in which a character, Donna, is pulling a prank on her boss, Josh. Someone had just come into Josh’s office (works in the White House) pretending to be NSA, and claiming he needed to revoke Donna’s credentials. Donna comes in, is told this, and acts appropriately concerned as she plays into the prank. Probably much better than a normal human would. But what struck me was that when she leaves the office, she maintains the very well acted-in-universe look of concern on her face the whole time she is in view of the camera, but well after Josh could have seen her face. ---
**Author:** ![GESancMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gesancman/32/2923_2.png) [@GESancMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GESancMan)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2026, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-takes-you-out-of-a-tv-show-or-movie-that-s-actually-trivial/1033299/273 "2026-10-06T19:29:48Z")
Along these same lines, there’s the Ultimate-Badass-Until-They-Aren’t. _The Witcher_ has established that witchers are supposed to be the most elite, bad-ass-mother-fuckers on the planet. In the latest season, a bad guy was introduced with him fighting a witcher (not the title character). This bad guy is supposed to also be a bad-ass-mother-fucker. But suddenly the witcher he’s fighting is acting like he’s never held a sword before, and bad guy easily takes him out like a chump. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2026, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-takes-you-out-of-a-tv-show-or-movie-that-s-actually-trivial/1033299/274 "2026-10-06T19:44:21Z")
> [@GESancMan](#): > > the Ultimate-Badass-Until-They-Aren’t The Jason Momoa version of _Conan the Barbarian_ did this with both of the major villains. ---
**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 6, 2026, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-takes-you-out-of-a-tv-show-or-movie-that-s-actually-trivial/1033299/275 "2026-10-06T20:47:37Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > OTOH in _Forever Knight_ we had a vampire police detective working only the grave shift in the Toronto PD. Vampires often get an ADA accommodation (but they need to fill out the DOA-15104 Accommodation Request Form). It’s suggested that prior to this they have “a calm, rational conversation with their immediate supervisor and an HR rep”. Ally Green who writes on labor issues for _Forbes_ explains that this is because there are few other conditions where unexpectedly staying overtime can result in an immediate flaming death. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2026, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-takes-you-out-of-a-tv-show-or-movie-that-s-actually-trivial/1033299/276 "2026-10-06T21:05:02Z")
The vampires in _Forever Knight_ had hypnotic powers. You could subtly influence your supervisor. ---
**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:** [October 6, 2026, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-takes-you-out-of-a-tv-show-or-movie-that-s-actually-trivial/1033299/277 "2026-10-06T22:16:45Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > > [@Loach](#): > > > > I’m pulled out of police dramas when the main character seemingly works 24 hours a day without any thought towards overtime. > > Also when a cop fights hard to keep a case. A detectives case load is usually pretty high, anything that takes some of the load off is welcome. In the beginning of season 2 of _The Wire_ a very messy complicated high profile crime is discovered. The jurisdiction between multiple agencies is unclear so they all get together to figure out who will investigate. In every other show they would be fighting to be lead. _The Wire_ was much more realistic with all of them fighting for someone else to take lead. > [@DrDeth](#): > > I know grave shift is unpopular, so maybe if someone volunteered, they would allow it? There is always some people who prefer it for their own reasons. For positions that required around the clock shifts we had everyone bid on what shift they wanted by seniority. There are always some senior people that take what many would consider the worst shift. In my experience only big city departments need 24/7 detectives. We would have people on call as needed for those things that couldn’t wait for a detective response. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2026, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-takes-you-out-of-a-tv-show-or-movie-that-s-actually-trivial/1033299/278 "2026-10-06T23:29:27Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > I know grave shift is unpopular, so maybe if someone volunteered, they would allow it? That would help but as with other similar jobs, if there’s a press on you gotta come in. It would be like an ER doc being called about a mass casualty event on their day off and refusing to show. > [@mbh](#): > > The vampires in _Forever Knight_ had hypnotic powers. You could subtly influence your supervisor. That would be plausible. Perhaps it happened in a part I didn’t see. > [@digs](#): > > there are few other conditions where unexpectedly staying overtime can result in an immediate flaming death. I happened to come in when just at sunrise Nick screeches to a stop at his apartment and starts dashing up the stairs. I asked, “So, how’s his daylight project coming along?” By the time he’s yanking open the door he’s smouldering. “Not so good.” ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2026, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-takes-you-out-of-a-tv-show-or-movie-that-s-actually-trivial/1033299/279 "2026-10-07T07:16:54Z")
> [@digs](#): > > > [@DesertDog](#): > > > > OTOH in _Forever Knight_ we had a vampire police detective working only the grave shift in the Toronto PD. > > Vampires often get an ADA accommodation (but they need to fill out the DOA-15104 Accommodation Request Form). I don’t think ADA applies in Toronto 🫠 ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2026, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-takes-you-out-of-a-tv-show-or-movie-that-s-actually-trivial/1033299/280 "2026-10-07T10:27:54Z")
> [@Eonwe](#): > > There’s an episode in which a character, Donna, is pulling a prank on her boss, Josh. Someone had just come into Josh’s office (works in the White House) pretending to be NSA, and claiming he needed to revoke Donna’s credentials. Donna comes in, is told this, and acts appropriately concerned as she plays into the prank. Probably much better than a normal human would. But what struck me was that when she leaves the office, she maintains the very well acted-in-universe look of concern on her face the whole time she is in view of the camera, but well after Josh could have seen her face. Was the audience in on the prank at that time, or were we being tricked along with Josh? If so, that’s a similar thing which is annoying once things are revealed: storylines where something bad is supposed to be happening, that turns out to be “just a joke,” except that the characters continue to maintain an “oh, God, this is bad” attitude even when they’re alone. Because the show doesn’t want to let the viewers in on the truth yet. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-takes-you-out-of-a-tv-show-or-movie-that-s-actually-trivial/1033299.md?page=13) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-takes-you-out-of-a-tv-show-or-movie-that-s-actually-trivial/1033299.md?page=15)