TV convensions/cliches that annoy you?
12-12-07, 01:55 PM
#52
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Originally Posted by Numes
Saturday Night Live has been doing this for like 5 years. Half way from the commercial break, they show like a 5 second clip of the next set. Oh how do I hate that. I don't want to know what skit on is next. Plus, it throws me off when I am fast forwarding through the commercials.
Originally Posted by Jadzia
I hate it when reality shows repeat about 30 seconds to a minute of what already happened before the commercial break, when they come come back from the break.
12-12-07, 02:20 PM
#54
Originally Posted by rfduncan
How do they do that? Granted the show has a small delay, but for the most part it is LIVE (see the whole Ashlee Simpson debacle). How are they showing what is coming up if it hasn't happened yet?
12-12-07, 04:19 PM
#56
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Here's a little thing I noticed...
Two people are at some place and some thing happens. Then next scene is back at their house and shows said people walking in the door. So realistically some time has passed for them to travel home, but they talk like the thing JUST HAPPENED, as if nothing was said for the entire trip home. Everyone knows the conversation about whatever the thing was would have taken place in the car or at least began there. But it's like the whole conversation just starts when they walk in the door. King of Queens did this a lot that I noticed.
Two people are at some place and some thing happens. Then next scene is back at their house and shows said people walking in the door. So realistically some time has passed for them to travel home, but they talk like the thing JUST HAPPENED, as if nothing was said for the entire trip home. Everyone knows the conversation about whatever the thing was would have taken place in the car or at least began there. But it's like the whole conversation just starts when they walk in the door. King of Queens did this a lot that I noticed.
12-13-07, 06:09 AM
#58
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I hate the convention that characters will keep secrets, or fail to reveal important facts, even when doing so is stupid. Lost is the quintessential example. Not telling the girlfriend about the devil on Reaper is really annoying too.
12-13-07, 08:25 AM
#59
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
In real life, when we see someone taking prescribed medication we don't give it a second thought, yet when it happens on a TV show, the other character always asks about it and acts like the character taking it has an addiction.
12-13-07, 08:42 AM
#60
DVD Talk Gold Edition
I hate how they use the passage of time unrealistically to emphasize something else. CSI:NY did this "perfectly" last night. The three of them walk into a Warehouse during broad daylight. They find it's filled with fireworks, and when they encounter the "bad guys" the fireworks get lit. They all run out and it's the middle of the night and you can see all the fireworks shooting off in the darkness. Um, it was daytime not FIVE MINUTES BEFORE!
12-13-07, 09:09 AM
#61
DVD Talk Legend
I hate it when someone is awakened by a phone call in the middle of the night. They root around to turn on the bedside lamp FIRST, then they answer the phone. Bugs me every time I see it. Wouldn't your first instinct be to answer the ringing phone, then turn on the light? Do you really need perfect lighting to reach over and grab the handset?
12-13-07, 09:18 AM
#62
Originally Posted by Jadzia
I hate it when someone is awakened by a phone call in the middle of the night. They root around to turn on the bedside lamp FIRST, then they answer the phone. Bugs me every time I see it. Wouldn't your first instinct be to answer the ringing phone, then turn on the light? Do you really need perfect lighting to reach over and grab the handset?
12-13-07, 09:36 AM
#63
DVD Talk God
One TV cliche that fucking annoys the crap out of me that's been used several times is........"A Life hangs in the balance."
12-13-07, 09:48 AM
#65
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
Originally Posted by starman9000
Not really a convention, but I hate empty coffee cups and when peole are walking somewhere, get interupted and then walk away the way they came.
My problem with coffee on TV shows is that they never have their coffee the same way. On The King of Queens for example, at the beginning of the episode Carrie puts milk & sugar in her coffee. Later in the episode, she has her coffee black. Drives me nuts!
12-13-07, 10:01 AM
#66
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by Vipper II
Most phones that I've seen feature a back-lit caller ID display.
The last thing I want is a bright light in my eyes when I am rudely awakened in the middle of the night.
My nature would be to grab the phone quickly and see what it is and then if I wanted to stay awake (like to go somewhere) I would turn on the light.
Everytime I see that on TV, I think they are only doing that for lighting purposes, and the lack of realism irks me.
12-13-07, 10:01 AM
#67
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by nateman241
It's not so bad when they use coffee mugs, but when they use the "on the go" cups, you can tell nothing is in them.
12-13-07, 10:48 AM
#68
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I'm getting angry reading all of these, so I apologize if I repeat something someone else said.
I have no problems with any of these when done right.
The wire never uses unsourced music, so when they do as in the music at the end of seasons two and four to recall everything and wrap it up, or in season 2 when they used "I Walk the Line" to show the investigation proceeding, it's all that much more effective.
As for the "___ Hours Earlier" schtick, you're right, some tv shows overuse it and for no reason. However, shows like West Wing and others of equal calibur use it to great effect.
And depending on the show, the bad-ass circling shot is fine. I don't think Buffy was meant to be a documentary.
All that being said, I hat that no one ever EVER says "goodbye", "talk to you later" or any other closing when on the phone in television or film. They just hang up. If I was having a conversation and someone made their point and hung up, I would curse them for dicks.
-Doc
Originally Posted by wergo
Reminded of how pissed off I was with the musical montage at the end of season four of 'The Wire', what with re-watching on DVD. For a show that's always been ultra-realistic and focusing on presenting events as they happen and letting the audience respond to then at will, it was an awkwardly manipulative change that seemed to only attempt to mimic what I've already grown tired of on shows like 'Grey's Anatomy' and 'House.'
1. montage over a musical number at the end of an episode to let the viewer know how to feel about what's just transpired.
And I can also do without showing some sort of alleged shocking cliffhanger right before the opening credits, only to have a "---- days earlier" subtitle to lead us into what what led up to it. 'Alias' practically lived on them, and they never once served any rational purpose. Heck, Even 'Angel' and 'Firefly' used the device (though, to be fair, 'Firefly' used it more for humorous purposes).
Also, I could die happy if I never again have to see a scene where the actors stand still and the camera spins around them for no reason other than to make the audience nauseous whilst (and at the same time) taking us out of the realism of the moment. Used more in films than in TV shows, nowadays, but Joss Whedon DID do it in the 'Buffy' finale. (heck, Kevin Smith was even PROUD of it in the commentary for 'Clerks II'!) TV copying bad ideas from films isn't good either.
What bugs you?
1. montage over a musical number at the end of an episode to let the viewer know how to feel about what's just transpired.
And I can also do without showing some sort of alleged shocking cliffhanger right before the opening credits, only to have a "---- days earlier" subtitle to lead us into what what led up to it. 'Alias' practically lived on them, and they never once served any rational purpose. Heck, Even 'Angel' and 'Firefly' used the device (though, to be fair, 'Firefly' used it more for humorous purposes).
Also, I could die happy if I never again have to see a scene where the actors stand still and the camera spins around them for no reason other than to make the audience nauseous whilst (and at the same time) taking us out of the realism of the moment. Used more in films than in TV shows, nowadays, but Joss Whedon DID do it in the 'Buffy' finale. (heck, Kevin Smith was even PROUD of it in the commentary for 'Clerks II'!) TV copying bad ideas from films isn't good either.
What bugs you?
I have no problems with any of these when done right.
The wire never uses unsourced music, so when they do as in the music at the end of seasons two and four to recall everything and wrap it up, or in season 2 when they used "I Walk the Line" to show the investigation proceeding, it's all that much more effective.
As for the "___ Hours Earlier" schtick, you're right, some tv shows overuse it and for no reason. However, shows like West Wing and others of equal calibur use it to great effect.
And depending on the show, the bad-ass circling shot is fine. I don't think Buffy was meant to be a documentary.
All that being said, I hat that no one ever EVER says "goodbye", "talk to you later" or any other closing when on the phone in television or film. They just hang up. If I was having a conversation and someone made their point and hung up, I would curse them for dicks.
-Doc
12-13-07, 11:04 AM
#69
DVD Talk Legend
I always thought it was funny on Melrose Place how people never used the phone.
Like there would be a scene where someone storms in to Kyle's Restaurant/D&D/Jane's shop, etc. and say "I just came here to tell you blah blah blah".
I mean, who does that?
Like there would be a scene where someone storms in to Kyle's Restaurant/D&D/Jane's shop, etc. and say "I just came here to tell you blah blah blah".
I mean, who does that?
12-13-07, 01:36 PM
#70
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by TallGuyMe
The overheard 1/2 of a conversation that sets that particular character into a ridiculous series of events ala "Three's Company" and "Friends"
12-13-07, 01:44 PM
#71
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
Originally Posted by dgmayor
I hate how they use the passage of time unrealistically to emphasize something else. CSI:NY did this "perfectly" last night. The three of them walk into a Warehouse during broad daylight. They find it's filled with fireworks, and when they encounter the "bad guys" the fireworks get lit. They all run out and it's the middle of the night and you can see all the fireworks shooting off in the darkness. Um, it was daytime not FIVE MINUTES BEFORE!
12-13-07, 02:18 PM
#72
Originally Posted by GoldenJCJ
Cop or lawyer shows that spend the first 55 minutes showing the main characters going from crime scene to crime scene, witness to witness, only to have the murderer tearfully confess to everything with very little persuasion in the last 5 minutes.
Also, hate the dragged out suspense in game shows/reality shows and have been known to stop watching many a show (1 vs 100) that continued to WASTE MY TIME.
The weigh-ins in the Biggest Loser are OK since you get to see the progress, but watching a race between two teams carrying a giant Sundae is just stupid. So I no longer watch BL.
It's not enough that almost 1/3 of an hour is spent on commercials, now they take over the bottom of the screen to advertise AD NAUSEUM the new shows. I no longer watch TBS or TNT for this very reason.
Like most, giant network ID icons that take up nearly 1/8 of the screen. Disney channel is the worst.
Local news that says the next story will always drastically change your life. Local news also always has this story that sounds great, is advertised every commercial break, airs in the last five minutes of the broadcast and IS ALWAYS A WASTE OF TIME.
12-15-07, 09:01 PM
#75
DVD Talk Gold Edition
This happens in movies too, but when there's a gun fight, someone can amazingly shoot 90 bullets out of a single pistol. Then when it eventually does run out of bullets, the guy looks at his gun like its broken or something, then throws it away in disgust.
Also, when we're introduced to a hobby or posession of a long time character (i.e. - his favorite car, a childhood toy, etc.) You just know by the end of that episode, whatever it is will be lost or destroyed.
Super computers that can blow up crystal clear images from even the crappiest of videos or pictures.
Also, when we're introduced to a hobby or posession of a long time character (i.e. - his favorite car, a childhood toy, etc.) You just know by the end of that episode, whatever it is will be lost or destroyed.
Super computers that can blow up crystal clear images from even the crappiest of videos or pictures.
Last edited by CharlieK; 12-15-07 at 09:03 PM.