TV Tropes: Love 'em or Loathe 'em

[SnarkEnthusiast]

On 7/1/2019 at 12:48 PM, DearEvette said:

This is kinda related to one my pet peeves in tv writing.  Your identity is your storyline or your only storyline must be related to your identity.  Basically a character from any marginalized group only gets a storyline if it somehow involves their 'otherness' a.k.a the 'very special episode.'  All the rest of the time they are simply the side-kick, sage, or cheerleader to the main character.

Teen media in general is the most guilty of this because self discovery is a massive part of adolescence. It's still irritating as hell. Euphoria has been an interesting exception for the most part - the main character's love interest, Jules, is trans (so is the actress), but it's never a plot point. While the narrative explicitly acknowledges she's trans via showing her giving herself hormone injections and flashbacks to her pre-transition childhood, none of the characters ever acknowledge it or bully her about it - even the guy threatening to expose her nudes. It's pretty much an afterthought other than maybe shaping her tendency to pursue closeted cis men to work out her relationship to femininity. Another character, Kat, is insecure about being fat so she becomes a cam girl and starts sleeping around to prove that she can be desirable. It was fascinating to see identity play out in terms of how it impacts them psychologically, rather than the usual bullying or cyber bullying clichés. With Kat in particular, it's a refreshing twist that no one ever comments on her weight and (spoiler) her crush liked her the entire time...and the narrative doesn't praise him for liking a fat girl! Compare that to Rae from My Mad Fat Diary, whose depressive self-loathing dominates every episode. The writing also treats her boyfriend like a saint for daring to be attracted to a big girl. Similarly, compare Jules to Adam from Degrassi, whose entire character arc revolves around hating himself for being trans, getting outed, being worried about being rejected, etc.

[jenniferhartwell]

Trope i wish would is "trans people were retroactively always trans" (in RL, see Cidny Bullens who tries to claim he was still a man when singing "It's Raining on Prom Night" for the movie Grease, even though that song's lyrics are from the perspective of a cisgender young woman, and don't really work if they are viewed as being sung by a trans man.

[Dr.OO7]

I can't stand the "making love in a stable" trope.

I've been in stables. They are cold/hot, dirty and smelly. There is NOTHING aphrodisiacal about them.

Edited August 27, 2019 by Camille

[DoctorAtomic]

I did not know that was a trope. 

[scarynikki12]

23 minutes ago, DoctorAtomic said:

I did not know that was a trope. 

It is in porn.

[catlover79]

9 minutes ago, scarynikki12 said:

It is in porn.

...and soaps.

[Dr.OO7]

24 minutes ago, catlover79 said:

...and soaps.

You beat me to it. I can count on one hand the number of soaps this HASN'T happened in.

[catlover79]

1 minute ago, Camille said:

You beat me to it. I can count on one hand the number of soaps this HASN'T happened in.

Stables and caves. Blecch!!!

[Blergh]

5 hours ago, Camille said:

I can't stand the "making love in a stable" trope.

I've been in stables. They are cold/hot, dirty and smelly. There is NOTHING aphrodisiacal about them.

Tell that to the horses! 

[Bort]

And beaches. I'm sorry, but no. Sand is some extra friction that I don’t want.

[Shannon L.]

10 hours ago, scarynikki12 said:

It is in porn.

10 hours ago, catlover79 said:

...and soaps.

".....I put her on the back of my bike
And-a we went riding
Down by old man Johnson's farm

~snip~

The rain sounds so cool when it hits the barn roof
And the horses wonder who you are....."  -Raspberry Beret by Prince

[Raja]

15 hours ago, DoctorAtomic said:

I did not know that was a trope. 

My only memory is Lucy Ewing and not knowing it was her uncle Ray on  Dallas 

[andromeda331]

4 hours ago, Raja said:

My only memory is Lucy Ewing and not knowing it was her uncle Ray on  Dallas 

Yeah, its amazing how they completely forgot that part when they decided to make Ray, Jock's son.

[catlover79]

Years ago on a soap (As the World Turns), a couple had a love scene in a...wait for it...treehouse. Talk about romantic, right? Splinters everywhere, OUCH!!

[janie jones]

On 8/26/2019 at 8:57 PM, Camille said:

You beat me to it. I can count on one hand the number of soaps this HASN'T happened in.

No, those soaps, too.  You just missed that episode.

Edited August 28, 2019 by janie jones

[theredhead77]

On 8/27/2019 at 7:44 AM, kariyaki said:

And beaches. I'm sorry, but no. Sand is some extra friction that I don’t want.

Sand is NOT a lubricant! 

[jenniferhartwell]

1 minute ago, theredhead77 said:

Sand is NOT a lubricant! 

Groundskeeper Willie: "Ach! Sinky sand!"

(The Simpsons Nightmare on Elm Street parody with Willie as Freddy Krueger)

[Writing Wrongs]

[Blergh]

1 minute ago, Writing Wrongs said:

But it somehow worked as a good pick up line! LOL

[DoctorAtomic]

On the beach, you have to do it standing up to avoid the sand. 

[Haleth]

19 hours ago, DoctorAtomic said:

On the beach, you have to do it standing up to avoid the sand. 

Deborah Kerr says, "Oh, NOW you tell me!"

[GHScorpiosRule]

21 hours ago, Writing Wrongs said:

The person who created this gif needs to learn the difference between coarse and course. Because Sand is the former, not the latter.

Sorry, the Grammar Nazi in me can't let shit like this slide.

Edited August 29, 2019 by GHScorpiosRule

[Writing Wrongs]

Ha. I didn't even notice that.

[Melina22]

Here's one that's always really bothered me, but I feel like most people wouldn't notice it. I'm not sure why it irritates me so much. When a scene has someone scrubbing something, it never bears any resemblance to a real person scrubbing something. 

Trope 1, usually in period dramas, has some poor woman in a long dress, down on the floor scrubbing the stones or wood with a scrub brush. But without fail they spend the whole scene scrubbing the same few inches of floor. I mean how clean can stone get anyway? Meanwhile, there's water all over the place and presumably the servant's dress is soaked. It always annoys me because it's so dramatic yet so fake. There's no way those giant mansion floors are getting done at that rate. 

Trope 2 which is surprisingly common, involves people scrubbing graffiti off walls, usually outdoors. You see them with a brush and a bucket of water. During the scene, they scrub relentlessly at one spot and literally nothing comes off whatsoever. Nobody ever seems fazed by this. If the wall is seen in a later scene, all the graffiti will be gone. Why does this bug me so much? Just the unreality I guess, of someone spending 10 minutes scrubbing at something that isn't coming off, but not appearing to notice. 

Petty complaints but I've seen both just recently and as usual they bugged the heck out of me. 

[DoctorAtomic]

Deadwood did a good turn with scrubbing. 

[Melina22]

2 hours ago, DoctorAtomic said:

Deadwood did a good turn with scrubbing. 

I never saw Deadwood so I don't get the reference. Or joke? Can you enlighten me? 

[Chaos Theory]

I am probably one of the few people who doesnt outright hate the dead gay trope.   If it makes sense for the plot then I would rather have a good storyline revolving around a gay storyline then none at all just because they have to be happy and bright and shiny.  Take for example CBS All Access Why Women Kill.  There is a open marriage between Taylor and Eli where Taylor is having what is now more then just a hookup with Jade.  Since we know someone in the story gets murdered a whole group is complaining about the dead gay trope while I am just hoping that the story of an open marriage that flies out of control turns into a fascinating story.

Besides if you want LGBTQ characters on shows like Game Of Thrones and The Purge you have to be willing to have them get murdered badly.  

Edited September 3, 2019 by Chaos Theory

[DoctorAtomic]

I LOVE MAH DEAD GAY SON! 

[Writing Wrongs]

When people tell someone something that they obviously don't know yet and they say, "What? You don't know?" or "You haven't heard yet? I figured you'd know." Just effing tell them already.

[Mabinogia]

6 hours ago, Writing Wrongs said:

When people tell someone something that they obviously don't know yet and they say, "What? You don't know?" or "You haven't heard yet? I figured you'd know." Just effing tell them already.

They are just stalling and waiting for whatever interruption is coming to prevent them from telling the person this very important thing they should know. lol 

[jenniferhartwell]

The "tomboy decides to girly up for the big dance" is a trope i wish would die. I'd love to see a subversion with Jennifer Keaton/Winnie Cooper/Whoever being shown as very uncomfortable, in an awkwardly fitting dress and falling in her high heels, running out crying as everyone starts laughing.

[andromeda331]

3 hours ago, jenniferhartwell said:

The "tomboy decides to girly up for the big dance" is a trope i wish would die. I'd love to see a subversion with Jennifer Keaton/Winnie Cooper/Whoever being shown as very uncomfortable, in an awkwardly fitting dress and falling in her high heels, running out crying as everyone starts laughing.

That would be so nice. Either she doesn't go to the dance because she doesn't care or show up in jeans and t-shirt or pants and a sweater? And why does it always have to heels? Can't they ever find a nice pair of flats?

It does crack me up all the dances I went to it was usually 50-50 on girls wearing dresses or pants and top. Even among the popular girls many of them wore cute or cool outfits that included pants. Even at prom there were several who wore nice pants and nice tops. That never happens in TV land. 

[jenniferhartwell]

@andromeda331 why do you think they never let their teenage girl characters wear pants in school dance episodes? it can;t be a question of age, surely, because when most of today's writers were at school in the 80s and 90s, many girls were already wearing a suit rather than a taffeta dress.

[magicdog]

10 hours ago, andromeda331 said:

It does crack me up all the dances I went to it was usually 50-50 on girls wearing dresses or pants and top. Even among the popular girls many of them wore cute or cool outfits that included pants. Even at prom there were several who wore nice pants and nice tops.

10 hours ago, jenniferhartwell said:

when most of today's writers were at school in the 80s and 90s, many girls were already wearing a suit rather than a taffeta dress.

As someone who went to HS in the 80s and to prom, none of the women wore pants.  To be fair, prom was seen as that one night of glamour - to wear that special dress  - even if you might not have dressed that way the rest of the year. I guess it depends on where one's experience lies.  

[andromeda331]

13 hours ago, jenniferhartwell said:

@andromeda331 why do you think they never let their teenage girl characters wear pants in school dance episodes? it can;t be a question of age, surely, because when most of today's writers were at school in the 80s and 90s, many girls were already wearing a suit rather than a taffeta dress.

I really don't know. Its like they completely forget or think it must be a dress. 

3 hours ago, magicdog said:

As someone who went to HS in the 80s and to prom, none of the women wore pants.  To be fair, prom was seen as that one night of glamour - to wear that special dress  - even if you might not have dressed that way the rest of the year. I guess it depends on where one's experience lies.  

I guess it does. I went to school in the late 80s through the 90s and it was always 50-50 girls wearing dresses and pants including the popular girls. Even at prom there were a few all dressed up but in pants and nice top.

[jenniferhartwell]

@andromeda331 Here's an example of a female school dance attendee in a 1989 Grange Hill (Children's BBC) episode. Would you have worn what they've dressed her in?

[andromeda331]

1 hour ago, jenniferhartwell said:

@andromeda331 Here's an example of a female school dance attendee in a 1989 Grange Hill (Children's BBC) episode. Would you have worn what they've dressed her in?

No

[jenniferhartwell]

There's an episode of The Torkelsons from the early 1990s which has a subset of the school dance trope which also irritates me. In the episode, Teenage Torkelson girl buys a dress that is meant to have been once owned by the popular girl. In the real world, having been owned by a rich, , popular girl, the dress would be a nice colour, look nice and make the young woman inside it look gorgeous. In sitcom land on the other hand, the dress was a nasty shade of peach, looked like it had cost about ten bucks, and made Teenage Torkelson girl look ridiculous in it,

[Blergh]

1 hour ago, jenniferhartwell said:

There's an episode of The Torkelsons from the early 1990s which has a subset of the school dance trope which also irritates me. In the episode, Teenage Torkelson girl buys a dress that is meant to have been once owned by the popular girl. In the real world, having been owned by a rich, , popular girl, the dress would be a nice colour, look nice and make the young woman inside it look gorgeous. In sitcom land on the other hand, the dress was a nasty shade of peach, looked like it had cost about ten bucks, and made Teenage Torkelson girl look ridiculous in it,

I recall that episode. I also recall that the snotty rich girl recognized her stained dress and even unraveled the wrap that Mrs. Torkelson had deftly sewed onto the stain to attempt to show up the Torkelson girl in front of the whole dance BUT snotty rich girl's date actually saw how snotty SHE was and almost made the Torkelson girl's evening by asking her to dance! I say almost because the show's Urkel wannabee immediately interjected physically  himself between snotty rich girl's date and young Miss Torkelson then goofily danced by himself between them! UGH! This leads to another TV Trope I get annoyed by, some sitcoms seem SO insecure in their own humor and characters  that they can't let ANY deep or touching moments happen without having a clod just get obnoxious no good reason for the supposed delight of the audience! 

[Domenicholas]

3 hours ago, Blergh said:

This leads to another TV Trope I get annoyed by, some sitcoms seem SO insecure in their own humor and characters  that they can't let ANY deep or touching moments happen without having a clod just get obnoxious no good reason for the supposed delight of the audience! 

This is one of the reasons why I'm probably in the minority for not like Thor: Ragnarok. There were a lot of heavy issues in that movie, but because the movie was the start of the Thor series becoming more comedic in nature, jokes and action would interrupt any character trying to actually deal with those heavy issues.

[jenniferhartwell]

How about TV writers born in the late seventies/early eighties who write episodes on shows  that are set in the modern day but with teenagers called Lisa and Scott who write their cell phone texts like they've just encountered cell phones in the wild. I wish these writers would just stick to period pieces set in 1994, rather than try to do a crash course in current "youth culture". As for Lisa and Scott, please look up baby names for kids who were born in 2003-4 and not 1978-9.

[slasherboy]

On 8/26/2019 at 10:30 PM, catlover79 said:

...and soaps.

Kind of late to the party on this one, but .....

..... and westerns.

Since it's been so long, the above relates to having sex in a stable.

[DoctorAtomic]

Cell phones in the wild. They're still texting with the number pad. 

[Anduin]

7 minutes ago, DoctorAtomic said:

Cell phones in the wild. They're still texting with the number pad. 

My dad has a very old mobile phone. He doesn't feel comfortable with the modern sort. In real life, not everyone can afford or has a use for the latest and greatest tech.

[Blergh]

22 minutes ago, Anduin said:

My dad has a very old mobile phone. He doesn't feel comfortable with the modern sort. In real life, not everyone can afford or has a use for the latest and greatest tech.

I'm with your dad here! To keep this ontopic, I know shows set in contemporary times  need to depict characters with contemporary technology but I dislike it when they SHOW the other party/ies the protagonist is gabbing with via Smartphone and/or the texts themselves rather than just show the protagonist's end of the convo and/or the protagonist's reaction to the texts. 

[Chaos Theory]

On 9/17/2014 at 7:27 PM, VillaVillekulla said:

Thank you! One example of this that sticks with me is how Steve Rogers aka Captain America had asthma, pre-serum infusion, and it was used as yet another thing that showed he was a weak little shrimp. He had an impressive rundown of conditions (asthma, anemia, scoliosis, and so on and so forth) that of course were all magically fixed when he was experimented on and became a supersoldier. Sigh.

He could hardly save the world if he has to catch his breath.    I get this one as a way to show...weakness is not the right word...but out of shapeness.  Someone who needs to catch their breath at the simplest activity and can't do things others can do because of it can suddenly do things others can't do.  Its a quick and dirty way to show it.

On 9/19/2014 at 9:53 AM, lucindabelle said:

1972 was a looooong time ago.

Sure some jobs you can't do I both certain disabilities. But I don't think we've even seen a doctor or lawyer who happened to have a chronic illness. Michael j fox on the good wife and only I because of the actor. It's weird,nip there with doctors who wear high heels.

On 9/19/2014 at 11:11 AM, aquarian1 said:

Kerry Weaver on ER.

Kerry Weaver was one of the best written long running characters on ER.   Even with my major issues with her coming out episodes I thought her going from a love to hate character to genuinely liking her was a long running story arc.  Someone who had a disability and walked with a cane but still was a top notch doctor who ran the ER with an iron fist.

Edited September 7, 2019 by Chaos Theory

[catlover79]

On 8/28/2019 at 10:21 AM, janie jones said:

No, those soaps, too.  You just missed that episode.

😂😂😂😂😂

[janie jones]

On 9/4/2019 at 1:02 AM, jenniferhartwell said:

@andromeda331 why do you think they never let their teenage girl characters wear pants in school dance episodes? it can;t be a question of age, surely, because when most of today's writers were at school in the 80s and 90s, many girls were already wearing a suit rather than a taffeta dress.

Because of the other trope where the only women who would wear pants on a formal occasion are lesbians.

[jenniferhartwell]

Gang of non-English speaking villains are having a secret meeting. There are no English-speaking people present.

One of the gang begins to speak in Alboslavanian:

“Crz zhiv neyt akk dorayr eklo!!!”

The Boss replies, angrily...

“In ENGLISH!! We must appear to fit it!”

[jenniferhartwell]

'And so you see... it was little Trixie's sniffle that finished off the the might of the Galacticon Empire! They might have had deadly Death-rays that could wipe out the world, but their alien constitutions just couldn't cope with the common cold...'

Trixie (clutching a teddy bear) 'Aaaah-chooo!'

Everyone laughs. In trilby hats. Freeze frame. End credits.