Book/TV/Movie tropes you just can't stand anymore
You know when you're watching a movie/TV series or reading a book and they use a trope that breaks the story for you? Let me comment some common tropes that just trigger my facepalm reflex whenever they are used.
I'll list some more later
The 100% brain myth.
You already use 100% of your brain. Just not all the time. The brain is divided in specialized systems that are activated when needed. If you had your brain set to 100% all the time you'd be on the floor with a sensory overload and full body spasms as your brain activated every muscle in your body at once... Not a nice experience I'm sure.It's working at 150% efficiency captain!
No. Just no. Nothing in the Universe works even at 100% efficiency. You always lose some energy in the form of heat, sound, radiation, etc. If something worked at 100% efficiency you'd be witnessing true magic. Is it too hard to say you managed to improve energy output to, let's say, 20% above specifications?I'll list some more later
Post edited by mlnevese on
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So you're no man, but a woman? Good for you! You're still part of the Man race either way.
My word, that's the greatest Tolkien cringe moment ever.
As for tropes. I too hate when they explain everything. I found it so refreshing when I watched the korean film Wonderful days. Because they talked about people that weren't in the movie, stuff that happened a long time ago etc., without ever really explaining anything. It sure felt more alive.
Then there's the traitor trope. I do like traitors as characters, since they can be very interesting. But it's not often you see it portrayed in a good way. Either they are obvious bad guys from the start or they totally change personality when they reveal themselves. Jesus Christ Superstar is a nice exception. And a certain IE game.
...but I'm getting too old for this crap.
Also, "she's having a baby!"
It's dangerous there! Let's send all the command officers!
Seriously? You have a potentially dangerous situation and you send THE ENTIRE COMMAND there? What are your troops for? Background? Any commander that acted like fictional commanders, abandoning their command post and going into every dangerous situation they find would get a nice martial court anywhere in real life.The Good Guys Always Win
Really, this trope is everywhere. It's a curse I tell ya! Not to mention whenever the protagonist really is "good" or not is questionable in the first place.I need to enter this facility, but the guards are innocent dupes.
I'll just hit each of them on the head with a club.
Nope. You've just killed most of them.I know, I'll use knockout gas.
Better, but expect that 1/3 -1/4 are still going to die.The beautiful sound of exploding starships
Seriously... do they even know what sound is? Why exploding starships have to make any noise? How do they even do that?http://www.baen.com/on-basilisk-station.html
http://www.baen.com/the-honor-of-the-queen.html
My spaceships swoop and soar like graceful falcons!
No they don't! Aircraft move that way because they're subject to gravity and air resistance. Spaceships don't slow down unless you point the engine forward and fly backwards for a while. They don't change direction unless you point it at an oblique angle.The thing that gets me is that there's such potential for cool visuals in dogfights where there's no up or down or friction.
"Red Five, there's a bandit on your six!"
"Got it!"
(Red Five spins his starfighter 180 degrees and flies backward while he shoots the enemy in the face.)
Is it so hard for people to change their clothes every day? Just imagine the smell behind the screen! Yuck!
Bad guys who don't have dignity.
Obvious allegories, especially about the evils of science.
Love interests who just get handed to the protagonist like a can of beer.
"You-have-finally-earned-my-respect" moments.
Invincible super-assassin protagonists.
Anti-heroes who always scowl just to show off how dark and troubled and cool they are.
Protagonists who become powerful with little effort.
That said, I'm still dismissive of romantic comedies as they all seem to tell the same story where they might not get together but of course they will. And then in the last five minutes they do and the male lead rides of into the sunset with Julia Roberts to live happily ever after.
"The enemy is standing still, sir. They are closely packed, just a couple of meters away and are sitting ducks down there. Should we pelt them with everything we have while we have the chance?"
"Yes. But not quite yet, mind you!"
And Thank all of the Heavens that there are female Heroes now, not just "Oh, look how pretty I am .......I can help... .. Oh no SAVE ME" Gag me with a spoon, that crap got old quick.
I mean by the stuff these men and women both were wearing it's a wonder we didn't see 'balls n boobs' laying all over the frigging landscape. I mean at least put on a pair of breeches and a hard jerkin or SOMETHING. I mean, Cripes.
@Notabarbiegirl One of my favorites was Ripley from the original Alien movie.
Oh, and super rich superheros, I mean really, they have to be rich AND have superpowers, give me a break.