Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

People Explain Which Tropes Completely Ruin A Movie Or TV Show For Them

Action movie posters
the walking dead dvd movie
Photo by Samuel Regan-Asante on Unsplash

More often than not, when we indulge in a television show, we accept the fact that not everything we're watching is 100% realistic.

Even outside the world of science fiction and fantasy, we acknowledge that certain conflicts resolve a bit easier than they likely would in real life ("you had me at hello"? seriously?), or that modern medicine hasn't evolved quite that much (Meredith Grey drowning and coming back to life anyone?)

However, there are certain tropes and clichés which are becoming increasingly commonplace in film and television which result in viewers finding themselves truly unable to suspend their disbelief.

Sometimes not even coming until the film's climax, leading viewers to think "surely they're not going to go there?"

Only to find themselves infuriatingly disappointed that yes, they did.


Redditor Fake-And-Gay-Bot was curious to hear which tropes will instantly ruin a film or television show for modern audiences, leading them to ask:
"What single trope can cause you to fully lose interest in a movie/show?"

That is quite an unusual set of skills

"I can’t stand seeing specialists being cast as masters of multiple highly specialized skill sets or areas of study."

"I understand that it’s a popular action movie trope, but you also see this in the medical and academic fields."- BeatMeElmo

Income/Housing Disparity

"The main character bakes muffins part-time 3 days a week but lives in a 2500 sq ft loft penthouse in the chic part of town."- SeaTie

Henchmen Have Families Too...

"If I kill him I'm no better than him"

"Motherf*cker you just smoked 19 of his henchmen and put 5 more in a wheelchair for life, end his a**."

"And of course the bad guy gets let go, but decides at the last second to try to kill the good guy, justifying a bullet between the eyes, usually by either the good guy's sidek ick, or the bad guy's henchmen that he just got done betraying."- Pyrochazm

matt damon punch GIF by Jason BourneGiphy

Get It Over With!!!

"The main character is about to get killed."

"The antagonist is sitting there pointing a gun at them about to shoot them, but they first have to give a 30-second speech."

"This gives the love interest/forgotten sidekick/child with developing fighting skills to come kill the enemy instead."

"Follow it up with a quote from them saying 'you think I’d miss this party?'."- Jimbo19091

Mortal Wound? No Problem!

"Being mildly impacted by lethal injuries."

"Likewise, when in subfreezing temperatures, not succumbing to hypothermia when soaking wet.'

"Not always enough to shut it off, but it always stands out and strains the illusion."- spill_oreilly

No Conflict? Let's Make Some...

"Smart people making dumb decisions for drama."

"I have stopped watching several shows because of this."- TheWalkingBlondeJoke

hey arnold nicksplat GIFGiphy

"We Can't Do It Without Them!"

"The cop who is about to retire, the soldier with one last mission before they're out, and the person who was about to get married WHEN THEY GOT KILLED."- virgilreality

"The ex-cop/FBI agent that comes out of retirement because the entire government can't catch a criminal."- The_Spyre

Not Quite Dead...

"Resurrection and fake-out deaths."- Cold_Hour

Giphy

Just Kiss Already!!!

"'Will they won't they'."

"I liked watching 'New Girl', but when they completely restarted the main characters' relationship I was like, 'Oh, so it's going to be like that'."

"Dear producers, please let your characters grow."- MrMToomey

"But she has glasses! And a ponytail..."

"The 'clumsy, nerdy, awkward girl' who are normally played by the hottest actresses out there..."- Icy_Note_8154

It Only Took Two And A Half Hours To Figure Out!!

'“Wait!'

"I can explain this very obvious and easy to explain scenario'.”

“'Nope'."

"You’re dead to me."

"Now stare speechless as I’m meander my way out of your life slowly'.”-Aerhart941

"Something that can be fixed right away with just a conversation."- Beginning-Match592

"If an entire conundrum can be solved by just someone waiting 1 minute for the other person to explain but chooses not to."

"Irritates me to no end and I'd much rather stop watching the movie."- charthrowawayliet

Tyler Perry Problem Solved GIF by NickelodeonGiphy

Big Words Can't Get You Everything...

"When a character is repeatedly hyped as being insanely intelligent, but then they just have a decent vocabulary and aren't particularly insightful or clever."- Gloomy-Flamingo-1733

The best part of sitting back and watching a movie or a TV show is to surrender to a world completely different from our own.

And enjoying them in the comfort of our own homes gives us the freedom to scream at our TV sets when something happens to annoy us.

More from Trending/best-of-reddit

The Rainbow Bridge in Crissie Caughlin Park, Reno
cityofreno/Instagram

Rainbow Bridge Honoring Kids' Beloved Late Pets Gets Cruelly Vandalized—And Everyone Has The Same Thought

"The rainbow bridge" is a euphemism for where deceased pets go after they pass, and people have called it that for decades now.

But when you're an anti-LGBTQ+ bigot, everything looks like a threat to your bizarre obsession with gender roles and people's personal lives. And sadly, it seems "the rainbow bridge" is no exception.

Keep ReadingShow less
Joe Lonsdale
Brian Ach/Getty Images for TechCrunch

Tech Billionaire Sparks Outrage After Calling For Return Of Public Hangings To Show 'Masculine Leadership'

Tech billionaire Joe Lonsdale—the co-founder of the software company Palantir—sparked outrage and faced swift pushback after he called for a return of public hangings for violent criminals to demonstrate "masculine leadership" in America.

Lonsdale made the remarks in response to online criticism of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who is facing heavy criticism for his cavalier attitude toward the Department of Defense's attacks on alleged drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean

Keep ReadingShow less
Gavin Newsom; Donald Trump
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images; Paul Morigi/Getty Images

Gavin Newsom Hilariously Dunks On Trump For Hosting The Kennedy Center Honors

California Governor Gavin Newsom trolled President Donald Trump by sharing an AI-generated photo of himself accepting the inaugural—and not real—"Kennedy Center peace prize" from Trump.

The photo accompanied a post in which Newsom mocked not just Trump but also Ric Grenell, the Kennedy Center's president, whom Newsom referred to as a "janitor" in a post that—like many of Newsom's past posts—is written in a style not unlike the rants Trump publishes on Truth Social.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump; Screenshot of Marjorie Taylor Greene
Samuel Corum/Getty Images; 60 Minutes

Trump Completely Melts Down Over 'Low IQ Traitor' MTG's Sit-Down Interview With '60 Minutes'

President Donald Trump attacked Georgia Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene after his former ally-turned-nemesis criticized him in an interview with Lesley Stahl on Sunday's episode of 60 Minutes.

Greene told CBS that his inflammatory language “directly fueled” threats against her family, including an email asserting that a pipe bomb had been planted targeting her son.

Keep ReadingShow less
Surprised man
Photo by Nachristos on Unsplash

Things That Feel Totally Fake But Are Actually 100% Real

Science is fascinating, but sometimes it's so fascinating, it switches straight from scientific finds to science fiction.

But there are some truths in the universe that feel impossible to believe but which are totally true.

Keep ReadingShow less