Movie/TV clichés

[G-Man]

Rom Com trope: the guy can have done ghastly deceptions, pretending to be somebody else to mislead and set up the woman (initially because he hates her), and still she'll gratefully fall in his arms instead of coming to the natural conclusion that this cad is not trustworthy and therefore best avoided. (cf. Pillow Talk; You've Got Mail)

[G-Man]

I realise that it's necessary to keep the narrative going, but when people switch the lights off in their bedroom to go to sleep, dark blue light (presumably coming through a window) illuminates the room.

[Hot Pepsi]

SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS



See also final series of Big Bang Theory

Not quite. Raj ended up single.

They had that whole thing about Penny not wanting a baby and then she changed her mind after they jumped forward a few months. That felt a bit clumsy, but it set up a surprise that made the fans happy. (Or, at least, the fans in the studio audience.) Certainly, that’s better than if they were trying to have a baby and then the surprise was that she couldn’t. That wouldn’t be a very happy ending.


Cheers ended with Sam realizing the bar was the love of his life. That was satisfying. The show could have wrapped up a few seasons before it did, but it ended well.

[Gangster Octopus]

Sporting most of the time they're going into their own place.

[Sporting]

It never occurs to anyone going into a dark building to switch the fucking lights on...

So as not to draw attention to the fact they're inside?

[elguapo4]

Something that occurred to me while watching the most recent season of Brooklyn Nine Nine is that whenever a couple are discussing having kids, and one is reluctant and the other is keen, the discussion is always, always, always resolved as the person who doesn't want kids changing their mind and deciding they do want to be a daddy/mommy after all. Because that is the only way to have worth or purpose in life.

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See also final series of Big Bang Theory

[ursus arctos]

They are by no means as common in real life as they are in movies and television, but they do exist (not really in Manhattan, though)

[ad hoc]

Another one which is starting to bug me (perhaps it’s been covered already): if a suspect or potential witness is being pursued on foot in a built up area, it’s about a 50% chance they will run into traffic and be struck by a vehicle. This is almost certain to be fatal.

The 50% who don't run into traffic turn into one of those dodgy alleys with skips and fire escapes and a wire fence at one end.

I've never actually seen one of those alleys in real life but there are an unlimited number in movie world

[ursus arctos]

It also provides more plot opportunities for the writers.

[Patrick Thistle]

Something that occurred to me while watching the most recent season of Brooklyn Nine Nine is that whenever a couple are discussing having kids, and one is reluctant and the other is keen, the discussion is always, always, always resolved as the person who doesn't want kids changing their mind and deciding they do want to be a daddy/mommy after all. Because that is the only way to have worth or purpose in life.

[Patrick Thistle]

Or the psychic ability of a pursuing officer to know which way the perp has turned when they are already out of sight around the next corner. Or know where their perp is going enough to run down a parallel street and cross-check them at an intersection.

[Sits]

Another one which is starting to bug me (perhaps it’s been covered already): if a suspect or potential witness is being pursued on foot in a built up area, it’s about a 50% chance they will run into traffic and be struck by a vehicle. This is almost certain to be fatal.

[Sits]

But they had such great torches in The X-Files, how else would they get to show us?

[tracteurgarcon]

It never occurs to anyone going into a dark building to switch the fucking lights on...

I blame The X Files and Se7en for propagating this. Everything was always dark and murky and no one ever switched on the lights they just used a torch. Used to do my head in.

[Gangster Octopus]

It never occurs to anyone going into a dark building to switch the fucking lights on...

[Various Artist]

Snakes.

On a plane?

[Sits]

pebblethefish , for a straighter edge even without scissors, I recommend cloth tape. Sounds old school but I’ve never had any complaints. Or escapees.

[WOM]

See also "Lemme go...lemme go." They've gone to a lot of time and trouble, and probably aren't going to just let you go because you've repeated it.

[WOM]

Apologies if this has already been noted, but the struggling kidnapee. Any time someone has been handcuffed / duct taped / otherwise restrained, and they're in the custody of 3 or 4 cops / baddies, they struggle and tug away at their captors. Like...what...if you manage to shake an arm loose, you're going to outrun them, then climb out of the underground bunker and get away while they....what...stand there and watch you? Just go compliantly and get this over with. You're probably going to get punched if you don't, and that's not going to improve the situation.

[Wouter D]

Snakes.

[Gangster Octopus]

What do you tie up and gag your enemies with then?

[Wouter D]

Why does everyone in films always have duct tape? Baddies, goodies surprising baddies and capturing them, inside the home, in a car - there's always plenty of duct tape around to tie up your enemies before torturing them. And gagging them, with a piece of duct tape with suspiciously straight ends, even though you never see them with scissors.

I wouldn't even know where to buy duct tape.

Erm, I have duct tape. I bought it in the supermarket around the corner.

I have never used it to tie up enemies or gagging them.

[ursus arctos]

Do you not have vehicles like this on the road? It is indeed ubiquitous here and available even in bodegas.

[pebblethefish]

Why does everyone in films always have duct tape? Baddies, goodies surprising baddies and capturing them, inside the home, in a car - there's always plenty of duct tape around to tie up your enemies before torturing them. And gagging them, with a piece of duct tape with suspiciously straight ends, even though you never see them with scissors.

I wouldn't even know where to buy duct tape.

[Sits]

Can I put a word in for beanies with superfluous dangly ear bits: