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

[AimingforYoko]

3 hours ago, ganesh said:

Mulder even made his parents call him Mulder. 

That's because he didn't want his parents impaled on a rebar. (RIP Agent Whitney)

[MargeGunderson]

5 hours ago, legaleagle53 said:

That's how I always knew I was in trouble -- any time my mother called me by my full name, I was doomed!

It's why my cats have middle names - to properly yell at them.

[ChromaKelly]

2 hours ago, MargeGunderson said:

It's why my cats have middle names - to properly yell at them.

Pinkamena Diane Pie! Even My Little Ponies get called by their full name.

[vibeology]

On ‎9‎/‎16‎/‎2016 at 0:14 PM, atomationage said:

The fakeouts have gotten so common that, in one series that I used to watched, people wouldn't believe that a character was dead when he was shot right in the forehead.  

If you weren't saying "he" I'd assume you were talking about The Walking Dead. There are people who still think Beth will be back any second to hook up with Daryl.

On ‎9‎/‎19‎/‎2016 at 11:03 AM, ChromaKelly said:

Speaking of names - OK, now I'm not a doctor or an FBI agent or a cop or a wizard, so maybe this really does happen - calling each other by their last names. As in Mulder, Scully, House, Wilson, Cuddy, Malfoy, Potter... then you know they really love each other when they use first names.

I hate this conceit. Everyone on House apparently only went by their last name. Except for 13 who went by a number. That made no sense to me ever! There's nothing wrong with first names.

[proserpina65]

On ‎09‎/‎18‎/‎2016 at 10:23 AM, lordonia said:

I don't know about you guys, but if I wake up after a bad dream, I do not bolt upright in bed, sweating and panting loudly enough to scare the neighbors. Yet every single person on TV does that.

I mostly lie as still as possible, hoping that whatever monster I was dreaming about doesn't get me.

[proserpina65]

On ‎09‎/‎19‎/‎2016 at 0:44 PM, ganesh said:

Mulder even made his parents call him Mulder. 

Well, they DID name him "Fox", after all.

[legaleagle53]

1 hour ago, vibeology said:

I hate this conceit. Everyone on House apparently only went by their last name. Except for 13 who went by a number. That made no sense to me ever! There's nothing wrong with first names.

First names aren't usually considered distinctive enough -- not when you've got, say, three Johns, two Roberts, five Marys, and three Jennifers to deal with.  Just ask any elementary schoolteacher.  That's why it's more common (at least on TV) to address people exclusively by their last names.

[Cherpumple]

I just witnessed another one: only on TV does everyone who needs an emergency transfusion have blood type AB-, which always leads to a frantic search to find a rare match. And more often than not, the match is found in the ill person's nemesis, love rival, or estranged family member, which then leads to some emotionally cathartic moment. I thought that one type is a universal donor (type O?), but apparently that's not a thing on TV.

[atomationage]

13 minutes ago, legaleagle53 said:

First names aren't usually considered distinctive enough

I sometimes watch a UK reality show, Made In Chelsea, which at one point had four people whose names were all variations of Francis, two men and two women.  They called them all by different variations of the name in combination with their last names.  Over the years, they also had two Olivers, and many Jameses, several Sophies and Sophias, variations of Alex, and Stevie lived with Stephanie.  They also have a Tiff and a Toff. 

[vibeology]

13 minutes ago, legaleagle53 said:

First names aren't usually considered distinctive enough -- not when you've got, say, three Johns, two Roberts, five Marys, and three Jennifers to deal with.  Just ask any elementary schoolteacher.  That's why it's more common (at least on TV) to address people exclusively by their last names.

Except they didn't have three Gregorys and two Allisons. There was Greg, Lisa, James, Eric, Robert, Allison, Amber, Remy, Chris, Lawrence and a whole other set of doctors who I don't know because I stopped watching the show after House drove his car into Cuddy's home. Characters on TV never share names. Writers make sure of it because it's confusing for the audience. When it does happen, very rarely, it's always for the sake of a joke. (The Office with Kelly the new receptionist changing her name to Erin because the first Kelly wouldn't share her name.)

Sure, in real life, people might end up using their last name to avoid confusion, but that's never been the case with most people I know. I call every coworker I have by their first name and yes, there are repeat names in my office. (And I get that my anecdotal experience isn't universal but I wasn't the person who first mentioned this so at least it's not just me.)  And on TV it seems last names are the standard and first names are rare in the workplace.

[Cherpumple]

I can handwave it a bit for some professions- doctors are usually known to their patients as Dr. Lastname, and police officers are known to the public as Officer or Detective Lastname, so I can see it being easy for them to call each other by last name on these shows. But yeah, in general it annoys me, and doesn't seem to serve any purpose, except to sound "cool". It gets even more confusing for me with the influx of characters who have traditional last names as first names, like Smith and Gray/Grayson. Stop the madness!

[Sandman87]

Only on TV have I ever seen takeout or leftovers from a restaurant packaged in aluminum foil that's been sculpted to look like a swan (or a duck, or whatever the hell bird it is.) Is that a real thing? Now there's a commercial running where that happens.

[ginger90]

It is a real thing, lol.

[topanga]

11 hours ago, ginger90 said:

It is a real thing, lol.

Unfortunately, it's never happened to me. I always get Styrofoam containers practically thrown in my face. And sometimes I'll get a bag.

[Sandman87]

I guess the problem is that I only ever had leftovers at pricy restaurants when I wasn't thrilled with the food. It just seems odd to me that they'd force such an inconveniently shaped container on their customers.

[St. Claire]

On 9/21/2016 at 9:58 PM, Sandman87 said:

Only on TV have I ever seen takeout or leftovers from a restaurant packaged in aluminum foil that's been sculpted to look like a swan (or a duck, or whatever the hell bird it is.) Is that a real thing? Now there's a commercial running where that happens.

It's a thing, but a fancy one. I've only been to one restaurant ever that did a foil sculpture for me, and it was one of those places with the "place the napkin in your lap" level of customer service. Give me the Ale House and my insulated paper boxes any day!!

[atomationage]

Inappropriate sound effects?  I was just watching a show where someone throws up on the floor in a nightclub, and I could swear they used a sound effect of a toilet flushing, but there was no water involved. 

[Guest]

On ‎9‎/‎21‎/‎2016 at 4:19 PM, vibeology said:

Sure, in real life, people might end up using their last name to avoid confusion, but that's never been the case with most people I know. I call every coworker I have by their first name and yes, there are repeat names in my office. (And I get that my anecdotal experience isn't universal but I wasn't the person who first mentioned this so at least it's not just me.)  And on TV it seems last names are the standard and first names are rare in the workplace.

Its completely common at my work to use last names and initials. Heck you cycle through them as coworkers change.

I've gone from my first name, to my initials (because that group shortened everything above a certain number of syllables to initials), back to my first name (because two people had the same initials), back to initials again (because someone had the same first name).

Initials just work better than my last name.  I have several coworkers that have gone by their last names for years.

I find this tends to happen when there are repeat names in a group that works closely together but not when there are just repeat names in the office.  It just becomes too much of a pain to call someone their first and last name on a conference call so its clear who is being asked the question.  I would see it happen less if everyone is always face to face.  But my workplace is very global and you always end up working by phone and those nicknames end up being used face to face too.

[Moose135]

I tend to get called Moose by a lot of people at work - my name is John, and there are enough of us around that it works out easier that way, especially on conference calls.

[topanga]

11 hours ago, atomationage said:

Inappropriate sound effects?  I was just watching a show where someone throws up on the floor in a nightclub, and I could swear they used a sound effect of a toilet flushing, but there was no water involved. 

Speaking of throwing up, why do people on TV always cough after they vomit? I don't know if you've ever coughed after throwing up, but I accidentally did, and it really burns your throat. 

10 hours ago, Moose135 said:

I tend to get called Moose by a lot of people at work - my name is John, and there are enough of us around that it works out easier that way, especially on conference calls.

Is your last name similar to Moose or Johnston, or are you built like a football player? Just curious. 

Edited September 25, 2016 by topanga

[Sandman87]

Incidentally, Moose Johnson sounds like the title of a Grizzly Adams porn parody

[zxy556575]

Wrong thread!

Edited September 25, 2016 by lordonia

[Moose135]

2 hours ago, topanga said:

Is your last name similar to Moose or Johnston, or are you built like a football player? Just curious. 

Yes, Moose comes from my last name. My father was know as Moose forever, and I've been called Moose since I was a little kid.

[shapeshifter]

10 minutes ago, Moose135 said:

Yes, Moose comes from my last name. My father was know as Moose forever, and I've been called Moose since I was a little kid.

IIRC, Moose was a common nickname in the 60s and 70s for a tall, brawny guy.

[ABay]

Ohhhh. And here I was, thinking @Moose135 had antlers and hung out with a squirrel.

[Sandman87]

No, that would be Bullwinkle...which also sounds like the title of a Grizzly Adams porn parody.

Edited September 26, 2016 by Sandman87

[methodwriter85]

On TV, people from Philadelphia sound like they're from New York.

[TaraS1]

On 9/21/2016 at 4:19 PM, vibeology said:

Characters on TV never share names. Writers make sure of it because it's confusing for the audience. When it does happen, very rarely, it's always for the sake of a joke. (The Office with Kelly the new receptionist changing her name to Erin because the first Kelly wouldn't share her name.)

I always thought it was kind of odd and interesting that there were multiple main characters on NYPD Blue named John, which they obviously did on purpose since it would have been so easy to avoid doing.  David Caruso played John Kelly, Mark-Paul Gosselaar played John Clark (and his dad, a recurring character, was John Clark, Sr.), plus of course there was Gay John the PAA.

[CoderLady]

The Law & Orders seem to love the names Serena and Olivia. There have been at least two Serenas on the Mothership -- an ADA and one of Rey Curtis' daughters. One of his other daughters was an Olivia, plus there's the SVU detective. I swear there were more Serenas but right now I'm too lazy to check.

[topanga]

33 minutes ago, CoderLady said:

The Law & Orders seem to love the names Serena and Olivia. There have been at least two Serenas on the Mothership -- an ADA and one of Rey Curtis' daughters. One of his other daughters was an Olivia, plus there's the SVU detective. I swear there were more Serenas but right now I'm too lazy to check.

I just watched an episode with another Serena. I think she was a defense attorney. 

[Princess Sparkle]

And Law and Order: SVU in particular LOVES the name 'Avery'. I can think of at least 3 separate victims where they used that name, and I think at least one perp had that name too. 

[methodwriter85]

Riley, Parker, and Harper are the most popular girl's names ever, at least on T.V.

[DeLurker]

On tv, everyone has a bowl right near the door where they put their keys as soon as they walk in the door.  No one sets it on a counter or a desk, puts them back in their pocket or purse.

[ganesh]

Unless they need to lose them for plot. 

[DittyDotDot]

43 minutes ago, DeLurker said:

On tv, everyone has a bowl right near the door where they put their keys as soon as they walk in the door.  No one sets it on a counter or a desk, puts them back in their pocket or purse.

That must be where I got the idea to do this. And people say TV is a waste of time. ;)

Edited September 30, 2016 by DittyDotDot

[ChromaKelly]

23 hours ago, methodwriter85 said:

Riley, Parker, and Harper are the most popular girl's names ever, at least on T.V.

And they are women in their 30's-40's. I'm in my 40's, and we're all named Jennifer, Susan, Kelly (me, I know so many other Kellys), Jessica, Karen. So, that's another thing. Adults on TV have the "in" names for today, not the names of their generation.

[kiddo82]

And the characters exhibit the stereotypical traits attributed to someone bearing said name.  The guys on the Big Bang Theory would never be named Brad, Max, or Zack and you're not gonna see too many soap hunks named Sheldon.  Free spirits always have less traditional names while your buttoned up characters (who need to learn how to loosen up, natch) are your "Jane's" and "Jon's."  The name always seems to "fit" the personality type.

Edited September 30, 2016 by kiddo82

[Shannon L.]

Quote

you're not gonna see too many soap hunks named Sheldon.  

That's because you won't have good sex with Sheldon. However, if you need a root canal or help with your tax returns.....  ;)

[DeLurker]

10 hours ago, DittyDotDot said:

That must be where I got the idea to do this. And people say TV is a waste of time. ;)

I've tried to find some way to replicate it in my own life, but my humble abodes have never been set up properly for that.  I do have a basket for my keys on the kitchen table, but some how it has become the final resting place for the various flotsam and jetsam of the collective household.

[Popples]

10 hours ago, ChromaKelly said:

On 9/28/2016 at 11:40 PM, methodwriter85 said:

Riley, Parker, and Harper are the most popular girl's names ever, at least on T.V.

And they are women in their 30's-40's. I'm in my 40's, and we're all named Jennifer, Susan, Kelly (me, I know so many other Kellys), Jessica, Karen. So, that's another thing. Adults on TV have the "in" names for today, not the names of their generation.

Seriously! I'm 32 and I feel like I went to school with an absurd number of girls named Kristen, Crystal, Christina, Kristy (with a ridiculous amount of different spellings for all of them), Jennifer, Jessica and Megan. I never realized until now that you don't hear those names on television that much anymore.

[vibeology]

3 hours ago, Shannon L. said:

That's because you won't have good sex with Sheldon. However, if you need a root canal or help with your tax returns.....  ;)

I feel like Amy Farrah-Fowler would disagree with that first statement.

 

44 minutes ago, Popples said:

Seriously! I'm 32 and I feel like I went to school with an absurd number of girls named Kristen, Crystal, Christina, Kristy (with a ridiculous amount of different spellings for all of them), Jennifer, Jessica and Megan. I never realized until now that you don't hear those names on television that much anymore.

No kidding. I'm 30 and I knew Laurens, Lisas, Jennifers, Jessicas, Amandas, Katies and Christinas. Those names aren't cool enough for TV now.

[ChromaKelly]

3 hours ago, Shannon L. said:

That's because you won't have good sex with Sheldon. However, if you need a root canal or help with your tax returns.....  ;)

Give it me, Sheldon. You're an animal, Sheldon.

[MaryPatShelby]

On 9/28/2016 at 10:40 PM, methodwriter85 said:

Riley, Parker, and Harper are the most popular girl's names ever, at least on T.V.

Don't forget Alex, as in Alex Eames from L&O:CI, or Alex Cabot from SVU.  And countless other Alexes that I just can't count right now. 

[methodwriter85]

Oh, and Sam or Jo. We know a girl's meant to be a loveable tomboy with those names.

[andromeda331]

Kate always seemed like its was everywhere. Kate Beckett Castle, Kate from LOST, Kate from NCIS, Kate on Days of Our Lives, Kate and Allie.

[Ceindreadh]

On 30/9/2016 at 3:29 AM, DittyDotDot said:

That must be where I got the idea to do this. And people say TV is a waste of time. ;)

Putting keys in a bowl near the front door is actually not a great idea. It can be possible for thieves to use a fishing rod through the letter box to hook the keys and either break in or steal a car. 

[DittyDotDot]

2 hours ago, Ceindreadh said:

Putting keys in a bowl near the front door is actually not a great idea. It can be possible for thieves to use a fishing rod through the letter box to hook the keys and either break in or steal a car. 

::snort:: Well, they'd have to cut themselves a letter box first. And, the joke would be on them because the door wouldn't be locked.

[DeLurker]

@DittyDotDot - I'm updating my address book, what's your street address again?

[DittyDotDot]

4 minutes ago, DeLurker said:

@DittyDotDot - I'm updating my address book, what's your street address again?

Oooh, planning to send me a present of some kind? ;)

[DeLurker]

Yea, that's the ticket!

Has to be said in Tommy Flanagan's voice.