Faux Life: Things That Happen On TV But Not In Reality

[Mabinogia]

15 minutes ago, Trini said:

When there's a birthing scene, or scene with a newborn baby, and the baby is obviously older than a newborn -- for me, I'm totally willing to let that slide, because a TV set is no place for a three-day-old.

Yep, feel the same. Also about guns. I'm willing to accept things that don't look 100% realistic if it means the physical and/or mental health of the people creating the entertainment, because it is just that, entertainment. Babies shouldn't be exploited, people shouldn't be shot, just to make our entertainment seem more realistic. 

[Raja]

2 hours ago, Mabinogia said:

Yep, feel the same. Also about guns. I'm willing to accept things that don't look 100% realistic if it means the physical and/or mental health of the people creating the entertainment, because it is just that, entertainment. Babies shouldn't be exploited, people shouldn't be shot, just to make our entertainment seem more realistic. 

On the other hand on science fiction shows to make their guns not look like guns we get a variety of tubes that seem impossible to aim. I think Star Trek TNG did it best with their pistol since the shooter doesn't have to deal with recoil and kick from their weapons 

[Ohiopirate02]

13 hours ago, andromeda331 said:

 

I also liked that their house always looked like kids lived there. 

And the set dressers moved the toys around for each episode.  And the stacks of mail and other adult miscellany were moved around.  My favorite prop to spot is Marie's Canister.  It shows up in different places in different episodes besides the Easter episode where it is a plot point.  

[Bethany]

10 minutes ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

.  My favorite prop to spot is Marie's Canister.

I love that too but my favourite prop has to be the Big Fork and Spoon (although they did go with a smaller set after the first season).  It was such a shout out to me of that generation.  My parents had a set like that 🙂.

Edited May 29, 2023 by Bethany

[Annber03]

40 minutes ago, Bethany said:

I love that too but my favourite prop has to be the Big Fork and Spoon (although they did go with a smaller set after the first season).  It was such a shout out to me of that generation.  My parents had a set like that 🙂.

I always like that episode because of Frank's reaction at the end, after Marie tells Debra the whole story behind that fork and spoon and the drama it caused. He just looks at them after she storms out of the room and goes, "When did we get those?"

My mom always laughs at that part because she says that sounds like something she could've heard her dad say regarding any decorative stuff in her parents' home :p. 

[Ohiopirate02]

45 minutes ago, Bethany said:

I love that too but my favourite prop has to be the Big Fork and Spoon (although they did go with a smaller set after the first season).  It was such a shout out to me of that generation.  My parents had a set like that 🙂.

Didn't Marie also have a bunch of glass grapes on her coffee table? I remember my grandma had one of those.  

[Bethany]

5 minutes ago, Ohiopirate02 said:

Didn't Marie also have a bunch of glass grapes on her coffee table? I remember my grandma had one of those.  

I think she did.  Also a set of metal folding TV tray tables always in a corner of the living room.  That set even looked like the one my grandparents had!  My parents were classier - there set was made of wood 😃)

[Moose135]

Speaking of props on Everybody Loves Raymond, I really did work for Newsday when the show was on - no, I wasn't a sports reporter, but I did know a few. A friend in the Marketing Department would periodically send them a stack of actual newspapers, plus other branded stuff, to be used on the show.

[Annber03]

Oh, Newsday is a real thing? I thought it was just a name made up for the show. 

That's neat :D. 

[andromeda331]

18 hours ago, Bethany said:

And as the kids got older the house changed to reflect that.  Which was a nice touch.  The other side of the coin was nothing ever changed in Marie and Frank's house which looked like the decorated around 1970 (give or take a decade) and then left it.  I loved that.

I liked that too. It reminded me of both of my grandparents' house. It looked like it had when my parents' were growing up. 

[proserpina65]

On 5/25/2023 at 8:21 AM, DrSpaceman73 said:

Yeah I remember that!  Crazy!  

Also he could get all around LA in 10 minutes with no traffic.  They should have done at least one bottle episode with him just stuck in traffic for an hour. 

I've been saying that for years.  Great minds think alike! 😃

[Moose135]

10 hours ago, Annber03 said:

Oh, Newsday is a real thing? I thought it was just a name made up for the show. 

That's neat :D. 

Yes, it is! The paper was founded in 1940. It has usually been in the top 10 in daily/Sunday circulation in the US, and is one of the largest suburban newspapers.

Edited May 30, 2023 by Moose135

[Pepper the Cat]

On 5/29/2023 at 12:34 PM, Trini said:

When there's a birthing scene, or scene with a newborn baby, and the baby is obviously older than a newborn -- for me, I'm totally willing to let that slide, because a TV set is no place for a three-day-old.

Iris’ baby on The Flash looked big enough to walk. 
 

[Raja]

2 hours ago, Pepper the Cat said:

Iris’ baby on The Flash looked big enough to walk. 
 

Of course. She's a child of a metahuman 

[andromeda331]

Rachel on Friends was pregnant for a whole year and no one noticed.

[Danielg342]

On 5/30/2023 at 12:12 AM, Annber03 said:

Oh, Newsday is a real thing? I thought it was just a name made up for the show. 

That's neat :D. 

I knew Newsday was real, but it does surprise me they agreed to let Everybody Loves Raymond use their brand on air. Although most uses of brand names in fiction are legally protected, usually producers are wary of this kind of thing because of the multitude of issues that can arise by using a known brand. Perhaps Newsday contented themselves with Raymond because they knew the series was about Raymond's family life and any references to the company wouldn't likely go beyond jokes about typical everyday problems that would occur among staff at the newspaper. Maybe they'd think differently if Raymond was a work-com and not a family-com.

[Bethany]

4 hours ago, andromeda331 said:

Rachel on Friends was pregnant for a whole year and no one noticed.

Because of the way the show kept getting moved around and didn't have typical seasons poor Brenda on Rules of Engagement got pregnant in April 2011 and had the baby in May 2013.

[Bethany]

TV shows and commercials that show people, usually women, cooking over a hot stove, stirring pots etc and they are wearing blouses with long flowing sleeves.  IRL you only do that once!

[Cinephilia]

I have a good laugh when I hear something like "I'll hack into their system." or "I have experience in betting, I know how to choose the best legal bookmakers." cause  it's almost impossible IRL, unless you are a hacking guru or Legalbet user. They really have a set of the best bookies: https://legalbet.uk/bookmakers/ . Nothing feels impossible now!

Edited June 9, 2023 by Cinephilia
additional info

[Blergh]

3 hours ago, Cinephilia said:

I have a good laugh when I hear something like "I'll hack into their system." or "We've traced the call." cause they doing it in a few seconds whereas it's almost impossible IRL, cause it requires more time and technical resources.

Agree but I if a show took longer than those few seconds to depict these actions, the viewers would surf to other channels- or maybe even [gasp]switch the set off and play a Wordle game,etc!

[DrSpaceman73]

All bad apartments on tv are by train tracks and they shake and have loud noise when a train goes by.  

I'm sure somewhere that really happens but I doubt it's common. 

[Ohiopirate02]

25 minutes ago, DrSpaceman73 said:

All bad apartments on tv are by train tracks and they shake and have loud noise when a train goes by.  

I'm sure somewhere that really happens but I doubt it's common. 

I should take a picture of my work to show how close to the railroad tracks I am.  When the trains go by it is loud.  My office is far enough away that my teeth don't chatter when the train goes by, but I do feel the vibrations.  

[Anduin]

7 hours ago, DrSpaceman73 said:

All bad apartments on tv are by train tracks and they shake and have loud noise when a train goes by.  

I'm sure somewhere that really happens but I doubt it's common. 

I'm in a very good apartment, and I have a freight train go by a couple of times a day. I hear it if the window is open, though it isn't impossibly loud. In fact, I can stand right by that train and it isn't deafening, nor does it make anything shake.

[possibilities]

I lived in an apartment with a frequent train going by, and it did indeed shake the entire place and was extremely loud and disruptive. I think it's fairly common in some super-densely built urban neighborhoods, but I agree that there are plenty of places that don't have that, and I wonder why TV likes to portray it so often.

The utter disregard for due process on TV, including the number of heroes who will hack anyone and anything on merely a shadow of a hunch, is definitely a storytelling shortcut, and to me it says the writers are tired. I hope it's not like that IRL, but I fear it is. It's depressing to think about.

[Bastet]

2 hours ago, possibilities said:

The utter disregard for due process on TV, including the number of heroes who will hack anyone and anything on merely a shadow of a hunch, is definitely a storytelling shortcut, and to me it says the writers are tired. I hope it's not like that IRL, but I fear it is. It's depressing to think about.

The smorgasbord of police misconduct shown without question on TV would be bad enough if it was just lazy writing, where the fictional cops were shown doing something presented in the show's universe as appropriate (and unquestioned), but which is in actuality unconstitutional.  But the main reason I hate the overwhelming majority of cop shows is that so many of them acknowledge along the way what their "heroes" are doing is wrong, but position it as justified because the bad guy is a really bad guy (or at least they think so), so the end justifies the means. 

There's way too much of that shit in real life, so TV normalizing, justifying, and even outright celebrating it is disgusting.  On its face, and especially because it has a demonstrable effect on viewers -- many of whom wind up on juries.

[Llywela]

21 hours ago, DrSpaceman73 said:

All bad apartments on tv are by train tracks and they shake and have loud noise when a train goes by.  

I'm sure somewhere that really happens but I doubt it's common. 

We have enough railway lines where I live that it is relatively normal for people to live near them. I grew up near a railway line. I live near another line today, and so do my parents. My office is close to the line, too. It can be loud, yes, but after a while you stop noticing it. Living near a railway line certainly does not equal 'bad apartment' here. It's just normal.

I've never know anything to rattle as the trains go by, though.

Edited June 7, 2023 by Llywela

[merylinkid]

7 hours ago, possibilities said:

he utter disregard for due process on TV, including the number of heroes who will hack anyone and anything on merely a shadow of a hunch, is definitely a storytelling shortcut, and to me it says the writers are tired. I hope it's not like that IRL, but I fear it is. It's depressing to think about.

Because if the cops did everything exactly by the book, there would be no story.   On Law & Order, they always just searched wherever they felt like it so they would have DRAMA about whether the key piece of evidence would be admissible at trial.   Otherwise, it would be obvious the person will be convicted at trial.

[DrSpaceman73]

Couples on tv routinely renew their wedding vows. 

Again I'm sure it happens but I've never once been to a wedding vow renewal. 

[Raja]

1 hour ago, merylinkid said:

Because if the cops did everything exactly by the book, there would be no story.   On Law & Order, they always just searched wherever they felt like it so they would have DRAMA about whether the key piece of evidence would be admissible at trial.   Otherwise, it would be obvious the person will be convicted at trial.

Law & Order is a hybrid show. They need the "L&O twist"  for the lawyer show's half.  Most TV cops never get to court and many seem  to kill their suspects in about a quarter of their cases.

[Cobalt Stargazer]

4 hours ago, Raja said:

Law & Order is a hybrid show. They need the "L&O twist"  for the lawyer show's half.  Most TV cops never get to court and many seem  to kill their suspects in about a quarter of their cases.

The original Law & Order was pretty good about not having the cops use their guns in every case, although they did often have the ubiquitous foot chases where a suspect would try to get away (because it was also ubiquitous to identify themselves as police from ten feet away, giving the person the bright idea to run.) At some point it was decided that even on shows like Criminal Minds, which started out being about profilers who wouldn't particularly need to be armed, should be out in the field participating in apprehending the bad guys. Not everybody has to be SWAT-qualified, TV people.

[Kel Varnsen]

On 6/6/2023 at 4:33 AM, Cinephilia said:

I have a good laugh when I hear something like "I'll hack into their system." or "We've traced the call." cause they doing it in a few seconds whereas it's almost impossible IRL, cause it requires more time and technical resources.

I always thought that at least for tracing calls TV was the opposite. You always have scenes where they have to keep talking to the caller for the trace to work, when my understanding is in reality it is basically instant. I mean call display has been around since the 80's.

9 hours ago, Bastet said:

The smorgasbord of police misconduct shown without question on TV would be bad enough if it was just lazy writing, where the fictional cops were shown doing something presented in the show's universe as appropriate (and unquestioned), but which is in actuality unconstitutional.  But the main reason I hate the overwhelming majority of cop shows is that so many of them acknowledge along the way what their "heroes" are doing is wrong, but position it as justified because the bad guy is a really bad guy (or at least they think so), so the end justifies the means. 

The most annoying thing about a lot of that misconduct is how often it works. Like you rough up a suspect a bit and he always tells you where his boss/the money/the kidnap victim is. He never lies and sends you on a bunch of useless searches to the point where you can't trust what he is saying.

3 hours ago, DrSpaceman73 said:

Couples on tv routinely renew their wedding vows. 

Again I'm sure it happens but I've never once been to a wedding vow renewal. 

I have never really understood that practice. My wife suggested it once but I thought it was weird since the wedding vows are till death. So why renew them? It's not a gym membership or a snow clearing service.

[Bethany]

4 hours ago, DrSpaceman73 said:

Couples on tv routinely renew their wedding vows. 

 

I always wonder about this as well.  I mean, sure it's a sweet thing to do, and of course some must, but like you I've never been invited to one and knowing my group of friends and family it's not likely to happen.  I'd be tempted to do it if people bring gifts.  I could use some new towels...

[Moose135]

4 hours ago, merylinkid said:

Because if the cops did everything exactly by the book, there would be no story.

I had a good friend who was retired-NYPD. I remember him complaining about stuff in NYPD Blue, how detectives wouldn't be doing some of the stuff they do in the show.  I told him if they showed an hour of cops eating donuts and writing reports, no one would watch. I'm not sure he ever forgave me... 😄

[Zella]

In Barney Miller, the cameras almost never leave the precinct building, and most of the episodes are them sitting around eating and having weird conversations. 😂 Pretty much any action happens offscreen. 

Edited June 7, 2023 by Zella

[DrSpaceman73]

YAt least on a few shows I can think of with wedding vows renwed they had a reason 

Everybody Loves Raymond he'd taped over their wedding giants bills superbowl.  They did it again to re-record it. But then he forgets to have anyone videotape it. One of the better episodes of that mediocre show

Modern family Claire and Phil do in Hawaii because it supposed to he like a honeymoon they never had and a wedding that was better than a rushed and small original. Plus that's just phil he surprises her and he's that type of husband and father. 

Others it's just story hijinks snd schmaltz

Edited June 7, 2023 by DrSpaceman73

[Raja]

2 hours ago, Zella said:

In Barney Miller, the cameras almost never leave the precinct building, and most of the episodes are them sitting around eating and having weird conversations. 😂 Pretty much any action happens offscreen. 

I remember reading a pop culture book in the early 90s that rated Barney Miller as the most accurate TV cop show up to that time. Beating Hill Street Blues and Adam 12, easily in the writer's opinion 

[ABay]

Anecdotal evidence: my BIL the cop said the same re: Barney Miller.

[Bastet]

4 hours ago, Kel Varnsen said:

I have never really understood that practice. My wife suggested it once but I thought it was weird since the wedding vows are till death. So why renew them? It's not a gym membership or a snow clearing service.

When my parents' 50th wedding anniversary was approaching, someone asked my dad if they were going to renew their vows.  His response:  "No, we meant it the first time."

[Bethany]

3 minutes ago, Bastet said:

His response:  "No, we meant it the first time."

I love that!  Totally stealing this if for any reason anyone suggest a vow renewal to us!

[Quof]

4 hours ago, Kel Varnsen said:

My wife suggested it once but I thought it was weird since the wedding vows are till death. So why renew them?

Attention.  Presents.

The motivation for most adult celebrations. 

[Zella]

1 hour ago, Raja said:

I remember reading a pop culture book in the early 90s that rated Barney Miller as the most accurate TV cop show up to that time. Beating Hill Street Blues and Adam 12, easily in the writer's opinion 

I've seen other people comment along the same lines for it too. 

[proserpina65]

9 hours ago, DrSpaceman73 said:

Couples on tv routinely renew their wedding vows. 

Again I'm sure it happens but I've never once been to a wedding vow renewal. 

I've been to one. Where my Baptist aunt and uncle basically told their entire congregation that she was pregnant when they got married because their oldest child was definitely not born 9 months after their original wedding date. 

[Zella]

I don't know any one personally who's renewed vows, but any time I hear of people doing that I assume their marriage is on the rocks. Or they have some other personality issues. (Like the Turpins.)

[DoctorAtomic]

48 minutes ago, Zella said:

I don't know any one personally who's renewed vows, but any time I hear of people doing that I assume their marriage is on the rocks. Or they have some other personality issues. (Like the Turpins.)

My parents have been married 50 years. They renew vows by going on cruises and hitting the slots. 

[possibilities]

Vows might have needed updating, if they took the traditional ones about obedience back in the day.

I think good writers can write an inteeresting story without vilating due process, just like good investigators can solve a case without misconduct.

Aside from Barney Miller being one of my favorite shows of all time, I've also seen more recent attempts, like "East New York" which (sadly) was cancelled, but I loved it, and they spent quite a bit of time trying to highlight the tension between cops who were ethical, those who were trying to be ethical, and those who flat out were not. That in itself made good stories.

[juno]

1 hour ago, possibilities said:

Aside from Barney Miller being one of my favorite shows of all time,

Mushy, mushy.

[possibilities]

1 hour ago, juno said:

Mushy, mushy.

Yemana! Is that you?

[Irlandesa]

8 hours ago, Zella said:

I don't know any one personally who's renewed vows, but any time I hear of people doing that I assume their marriage is on the rocks. Or they have some other personality issues. (Like the Turpins.)

I know Mark Consuelos and Kelly Ripa aren't the most popular here, but just last night, he was asked on watch what happens live whether or not he and Kelly would renew their wedding vows and go all out since they eloped back in the day.  His reply was the same as yours: they'd never do it because it's usually the prelude to a divorce.  (Plus, they got married on camera as a soap couple multiple times.)

[Zella]

12 minutes ago, Irlandesa said:

I know Mark Consuelos and Kelly Ripa aren't the most popular here, but just last night, he was asked on watch what happens live whether or not he and Kelly would renew their wedding vows and go all out since they eloped back in the day.  His reply was the same as yours: they'd never do it because it's usually the prelude to a divorce.  (Plus, they got married on camera as a soap couple multiple times.)

That might be the singularly least annoying thing I've ever heard about them and their relationship. 😂

[Quof]

Every time you leave your house (work, school, errands) and come back home to your spouse rather than run away, you're restating your commitment to being married.  Why does it require a public proclamation?