# What the hell is going on? Some weird things you've noticed about TV shows. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 28, 2000, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-going-on-some-weird-things-youve-noticed-about-tv-shows/34867 "2000-09-28T14:05:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2000, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-going-on-some-weird-things-youve-noticed-about-tv-shows/34867/141 "2000-10-11T02:06:41Z")
Ever notice that all TV families still have metal garbage cans? They’re convenient for those “run over by quick-acting-police responding-in-out-dated-cruiser” scenes, or to be crashed into by “sneaky-teens-coming-home-in-a-drunk-stuper” scenes. And…do real people ever put a steak on a black eye? 😕 And Jovius, you could start an entire thread about racial profiles of just about every ethnic group on TV. No one’s safe, which might be a good thing, because at least they discriminate across the board. All men are dopes, yet most wives (but not necessarilly all women) are fucking geniuses. They’re so friggin’ smart that they all married dumb-asses for husbands. Jovius, I guess Hollywood’s take on a married Asian guy would make you want to shoot yourself in the freakin’ head… …as long as they show Asian guys unmarried, Asian men still a bit of hope left. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2000, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-going-on-some-weird-things-youve-noticed-about-tv-shows/34867/142 "2000-10-11T03:41:36Z")
Okay, minor rant here… Why is it that no one seems to go to church, unless it’s a show where religion is part of the theme. A great many folks attend a service of some sort most Saturday/Sundays. But not on TV. It’s like religion doesn’t exist except to be the butt of a joke, like the priest tempted by an old girlfried, and a sitcom girl who starts dating someone and doesn’t know he’s a rabbi. StG ---
**Author:** ![LazarusLong42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@LazarusLong42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LazarusLong42)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2000, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-going-on-some-weird-things-youve-noticed-about-tv-shows/34867/143 "2000-10-11T03:56:32Z")
**StGermain** , I think what you’re saying is more true of sitcoms than dramas. Several dramatic characters have been seen in church, or praying, etc. “The Practice,” in which the lead is a devout Catholic (and his new wife is an atheist), comes to mind. Even “Star Trek” dealt with religion/spirituality, albeit those of completely alien beings, as being a normal part of life (cf. Bajorans, Klingons.) LL ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2000, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-going-on-some-weird-things-youve-noticed-about-tv-shows/34867/144 "2000-10-11T13:29:26Z")
God is only shown in the “Christian” light. Not that I give a hoot. The Simpsons go to church every Sunday, often to Homer’s dismay. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2000, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-going-on-some-weird-things-youve-noticed-about-tv-shows/34867/145 "2000-10-11T14:04:35Z")
Jovius, since Mrs. Kunilou is Asian-American, I follow these things a little more closely than some others do. How did you find enough Asians on TV to even come up with a stereotype? On the other hand, be careful what you wish for. They could bring All-American Girl back. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2000, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-going-on-some-weird-things-youve-noticed-about-tv-shows/34867/146 "2000-10-11T15:30:55Z")
Does anyone but me want to take that annoying little kid from “Smart Guy” and lock him up in a dungeon with the Olson twins? Actually, I feelm sorry for these kids. They’re probably so spoiled by their fame that they’ll grow up without any understanding of real life, and turn into 21st-century versions of Michael Jackson. On “Saved By the Bell”, did you notice that everyone was in the exact same classes? Always. If one of the characters had to be in a certain class (like science class or band class) then _every_ character was there, even if they were just background filler. Does this high school have only about a dozen students or something? ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2000, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-going-on-some-weird-things-youve-noticed-about-tv-shows/34867/147 "2000-10-11T16:08:21Z")
An obvious few that seems to have been overlooked - No one ever reaches a wrong telephone number or is called by someone who has reached a wrong telephone number. There are no telemarketers on TV. You can be hit in the face hard enough to knock you to the ground, but your zygomatic arches, your cheek bones, and the orbits of your eyes (which are all pretty thin) will not be broken. If you are hit in the nose, your eyes don’t water so badly that you can’t see and there’s very little blood. When dying, everyone says something very profound or important. No one ever says, “Shit, my chest is killing me!” or “Oh my God I’m going to die.” No one ever buys gasoline. ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2000, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-going-on-some-weird-things-youve-noticed-about-tv-shows/34867/148 "2000-10-11T17:37:34Z")
I’ve noticed on _The X-Files_, no one ever freezes up when two FBI agents come to the door. They generally have an attitude like, “Thank goodness you’re here! Let me tell you all about the utterly inexplicable stuff that’s been going on!” In the “characters living beyond their means” department, my favorite (besides stuff like _Friends_) is that Philips Magnavox commercial with the three young people living in the box-on-stilts apartment. It’s really small, see? So they run out and buy an $8,000 flat-screen TV and hang it on the wall! “I’ve got to admit it’s getting better, Getting better all the time…” Homes are so large and well-lit! Think how cavernous the Bradys’ living room was - where was the ceiling? The Huxtables’ living room was so well-lit - and spotless! Tim Taylor was an idjit, but they managed to live in that beautiful home with all that blond wood - also well-lit and spotless. Lots of artificial light outdoors (this is mostly in movies). People are facing away from the sun - the sun is behind them - and yet there is plenty of light in front of them. Kids in school shows never advance - the smart kids on _Head of the Class_ never advanced or graduated. (Of course, high school students are rarely played by teen-aged actors anyway.) This is related to cartoons - ten years go by and Calvin is still six years old, and the Fox kids are still 16, 14, and ten. ---
**Author:** ![Edwardina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Edwardina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edwardina)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2000, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-going-on-some-weird-things-youve-noticed-about-tv-shows/34867/149 "2000-10-11T19:46:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kinsey \* > \*\*I thought of another one. > If a pregnant woman gets on an elevator, you can be guaranteed of two things: > > 1. The elevator will get stuck, and > 2. The pregnant woman will go into labor. \*\* How about the fact that you will _never_ see a pregnant woman on television, period, just walking around, shopping, or on the bus? You will never see a pregnant woman who is not about go to into labor, unless A. there’s about to be a tragedy to be made even more tragic/tense by the pregnant woman being involved, or B. she is about to provide some sort of comic relief, depending on which kind of show it is. ---
**Author:** ![rjk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@rjk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjk)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2000, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-going-on-some-weird-things-youve-noticed-about-tv-shows/34867/150 "2000-10-11T19:53:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Philster \* > And Jovius, you could start an entire thread about racial profiles of just about every ethnic group on TV. No one’s safe, which might be a good thing, because at least they discriminate across the board. All men are dopes, yet most wives (but not necessarilly all women) are fucking geniuses. > They’re so friggin’ smart that they all married dumb-asses for husbands. > > Jovius, I guess Hollywood’s take on a married Asian guy would make you want to shoot yourself in the freakin’ head… > > …as long as they show Asian guys unmarried, Asian men still a bit of hope left. > \*\* I get red hot about this topic sometimes bcoz it does get annoying, if not insulting! (The racial thing and all men as dumb-headed sex object (but I guess it’s our, turn (as men) to take the insults and as being a subordinate ojects; so much for equal rights and stuff)). To give them credit, however, they do try to fix the disproportional ethnic representation. Some say who cares but it does have an effect on the viewers (e.g. children and also feeding to further stereotyping). > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by kunilou \* > Jovius, since Mrs. Kunilou is Asian-American, I follow these things a little more closely than some others do. > > How did you find enough Asians on TV to even come up with a stereotype? > > On the other hand, be careful what you wish for. They could bring All-American Girl back. > \*\* Hehe, this brings me back to my first year Sociology course about TV (unconcious) prejudice and stereotyping. I remember my prof mentioning this MediaWatch! group and they pointed out that in many shows, the main actors tend to be white; few coloured people, and those who are on are usually in a stereotyped role and women are likely treaded as an exotic fetish. Well, this, like Phister said, is a new thread altogether… Cheers, jovius ---
**Author:** ![conway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ec9cab/32.png) [@conway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/conway)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2000, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-going-on-some-weird-things-youve-noticed-about-tv-shows/34867/151 "2000-10-11T20:46:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lord Davidson \* > **5) There is never anyone in a beach scene who doesn’t fall into the 18-25 range, and they always have hot, hot bodies.** Do you really want this some other way? Think of how much more boring TV would be if every scene was mired down in real-life sequence. Some of things people are mentioning are legitimately annoying. But a lot of these things are for entertainment sake, geez. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2000, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-going-on-some-weird-things-youve-noticed-about-tv-shows/34867/152 "2000-10-11T20:48:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jovius \* > \*\*oh yea one more, > > 1. The racially mixed couple are usually consiting of White guy plus the non-white female (usually asian) > \*\* That describes just about every local news anchor team, at least in N. California. ---
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2000, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-going-on-some-weird-things-youve-noticed-about-tv-shows/34867/153 "2000-10-11T21:20:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by a35362 \* > > Homes are so large and well-lit! Think how cavernous the Bradys’ living room was - where was the ceiling? The Huxtables’ living room was so well-lit - and spotless! Tim Taylor was an idjit, but they managed to live in that beautiful home with all that blond wood - also well-lit and spotless. This reminds of the end of one episode of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Will Smith is sitting on the couch and the rest of the actors are gone. The show dealt with some lesson in materialism, and the last line is “Oh yeah? Well if we’re so rich, how come we can’t even afford a ceiling?” Camera pans up to reveal the empty top of the set and the studio lights above. > [@](#): > > This is related to cartoons - ten years go by and Calvin is still six years old, and the Fox kids are still 16, 14, and ten. “And Maggie doesn’t seem to be growing at all!” ---
**Author:** ![Minxsmom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d07c76/32.png) [@Minxsmom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Minxsmom)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2000, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-going-on-some-weird-things-youve-noticed-about-tv-shows/34867/154 "2000-10-11T22:43:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Chance the Gardener \* > \*\*I saw this show last night for the first time. It wasn’t bad, but there are some things that just made me nuts. I mean, I realize it’s a comedy and not supposed to be an historical reënactment, but you should at least _try_ to stick by a some historical authenticity. The show is set in 1801 and this Jack guy is involved with a female British operative. Britain and the U.S. were still at considerable odds then, and would have nothing to do with each other. A couple that’s always fighting like they did could at least make a few jokes about how they’re on opposing political sides. I don’t think the writers even think about that. Further, last night’s show featured the girl taking a shower. A _shower!_ How many more years until the shower is invented? Christ. Well, at least their joke about “Mad King George” was pretty good, showing George III as a stark-raving lunatic. Historically out of step, but pretty funny, the way they handled it. > > I don’t think TV shows have to keep all the facts straight, but it seems the quality of a program could only benefit if the writers tried to stay within certain parameters. \*\* Watch the show a few more times. The fact that they are on opposing political sides is the basis for many of their snipes at one another. They do not want to be working together (well, at first - now they like each other but won’t admit it). Em (the British agent) managed to weasel her way in good with the French governer (who happens to be Napolean’s brother-in-law) and the Americans needed to make use of her “in” instead of taking the time to infiltrate on our own (it’s been a while, so I can’t remember the exact premise of the pilot, but it was something urgent. The two countries had no choice but to cooperate in this one matter. And, of course, cooperating to keep Napolean at bay - the premise for the whole show). I, unfortunately, didn’t get to see the show (I was out :(), but if it was Em (the British agent) taking a shower, keep in mind that she is a scientist and inventor (she invented SCUBA equipment and a submarine and bungee cord - all sorts of stuff) she probably just invented the shower. If it wasn’t her - then I don’t know what they were thinking. Give it another shot. I think it’s the best show on the air right now. Of course, I am Bruce Campbell’s number one fan, he could just sit there for 1/2 hour and do nothing and I would love it 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2000, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-going-on-some-weird-things-youve-noticed-about-tv-shows/34867/155 "2000-10-12T13:35:12Z")
Walking to work this a.m., I saw these two workmen carrying a huge pane of glass across the street. Further along there was a guy on top of an incredibly tall ladder inexplicably in the middle of a banner stretching across the street. And did ya know that pushing your hand forward when you pull the trigger makes the bullet go faster? I do a lot of sparring. Hitting someone in the face with your bare hand would really hurt both your hand and their face. Doesn’t exactly sound like a ping pong paddle on a naugahyde couch, either. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Dog\_Bass\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/fbc32d/32.png) [@Red\_Dog\_Bass\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Dog_Bass_Man)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2000, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-going-on-some-weird-things-youve-noticed-about-tv-shows/34867/156 "2000-10-12T14:01:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Turpentine \* > **People (especially in commercials, though) never swallow when they eat anything.** Yeah. Take cereal commercials f’rinstance. Milk looks yellow under TV lights. Usually production teams use diluted Elmer’s Glue instead. It looks white under TV lights. So, if you look closely, you never even see anyone load up a spoon from the bowl he holds and stick it in his mouth. You see him scoop the bowl’s contents or you see him stick the loaded spoon in his mouth, but never both. As for swallowing, have you ever closely watched anyone eat? Folks tend to make some really goofy faces as they chew and swallow. And all that food could come splattering out as the actor says his next line. You also never see anyone take a big honking bite of his sandwich for another reason. That sandwich is a prop. If the script calls for multiple takes of a scene, you don’t want to create continuity errors by destroying your props between shots. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2000, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-going-on-some-weird-things-youve-noticed-about-tv-shows/34867/157 "2000-10-12T14:16:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by plnnr \* > \*\*… > There are no telemarketers on TV. > … > \*\* Actually, Roseanne was a telemarketer once - selling magazines on the phone in her kitchen… or am I just nit-picking? ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2000, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-going-on-some-weird-things-youve-noticed-about-tv-shows/34867/158 "2000-10-12T15:18:16Z")
People on TV who watch TV use the “mute” button an awful lot. The only time I ever do is when a phone call comes in or something. Ususally it’s like this. Character 1: Whatcha doin’ Character 2: I’m waiting for the news story about our quirky neighbor to come on. Oh here it is \ News: Quirky guy in Manhattan wins hot-coffee lawsuit … Character 1: \ Isn’t that something? Character 2: He sure is quirky. ---
**Author:** ![Drum\_the\_drum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5e925/32.png) [@Drum\_the\_drum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drum_the_drum)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2000, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-going-on-some-weird-things-youve-noticed-about-tv-shows/34867/159 "2000-11-23T16:32:52Z")
I love how the men wear hats a lot to show they are in New York in Winter. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-hell-is-going-on-some-weird-things-youve-noticed-about-tv-shows/34867.md?page=7)