Least Favorite Over-Used TV Show Plot

**Jester** · 06-03-2011, 04:31 AM

I've been marathoning TV series recently, and now am on the Star Trek: TNG episode Most Toys, where an alien collector takes Data captive as a part of his collection...which reminds me of an episode from both TMNT series, Futurama (which ironically is also the Star Trek episode.), ect. Heck...it has a TV Tropes page.

I HATE COLLECTOR EPISODES!!!

Any type of TV episode that make you cringe? Clip shows? "The Prom"? "Juggling 2 different things/identities at the same time"?

PAAATE · 06-03-2011, 06:24 AM

Any trope can be well-made if you try. Can't think of anyone I hate right now... Well, clip shows of course, as long as it isn't a Community-clip show

For anyone who didn't see that one, they had the regular flashbacks, except that everything in the flashbacks was all new material

*Sage Ninja* · 06-03-2011, 12:09 PM

someone loses their memory and ends up either being brain washed to be a bad guy, or falls in love or some how becomes romantically involved with someone other than their assigned love interest; somtimes a random person other times said love interst's sworn mortal enemy...

brain swapping. Somehow by some means a character ends up in the body of another person

evil clone/twin...

someone dies but isn't really dead (all evidence shows said person is dead even with a body) but this person shows up alive and well at some point.

*AT-Man* · 06-03-2011, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sage Ninja

someone loses their memory and ends up either being brain washed to be a bad guy, or falls in love or some how becomes romantically involved with someone other than their assigned love interest; somtimes a random person other times said love interst's sworn mortal enemy...

brain swapping. Somehow by some means a character ends up in the body of another person

evil clone/twin...

someone dies but isn't really dead (all evidence shows said person is dead even with a body) but this person shows up alive and well at some point.

You go girl! These sh**s are done to death. NO MORE AMNESIA/PERSONALITY SWITCH/LOOKALIKE EPISODES, PLEASE!

About someone apparently dying; I was really happy that 4Kids didn't kill Leatherhead. I was constantly fearing that he was gonna die when he appeared in an episode, and it seem like it in the end of the first episode he was in. I hate that "there's nothing for me anymore, I might as well sacrifice myself" thing, if it's a cool character like Leatherhead.

*Guitar_Raph* · 06-04-2011, 07:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sage Ninja

someone loses their memory and ends up either being brain washed to be a bad guy, or falls in love or some how becomes romantically involved with someone other than their assigned love interest; somtimes a random person other times said love interst's sworn mortal enemy...

Most of any Sid & Marty Krofft series had an amnesia episode.

HR PUFNSTUF: Jimmy (Jack Wild) loses his memory. but at the end, it was Witchiepoo!
LIDSVILLE: Hoo Doo (Charles Nelson Reilly) turns from evil to good when he got conked in the head. If he had been that brain dead, he'd go out on a date with Brett Somers (Match Game joke).

*Raph's Girl* · 06-04-2011, 09:00 AM

Here you go folks. A couple months ago Doug Walker (the Nostalgia Critic) discussed this very topic in a vlog. This is his top 10 worst cliches.

http://thatguywiththeglasses.com/vid...-worst-cliches

One over-used plot that I actually kinda like as it CAN be good if used correctly is the Groundhog Day plot (repeating the same day/event over and over and trying to figure out WTF is going on). Some shows (IE: Stargate, TNG, and Xena) have used it quite good. Others, not so much.

*Spitfire* · 06-04-2011, 01:50 PM

The plot where the character is an expert but he has crazy theories and despite him always being right his peers fight him on it. Then in the end it turns out his crazy theory was correct and everyone apologizes only to make the same mistake again next episode.

That's actually a formula that I've seen used for entire TV series. House does and I suffered through some episodes of Lie To Me and that did it too. Normal TV sucks.

*ToTheNines* · 06-04-2011, 02:23 PM

....Clip show episodes....

*cringe*

*oldmanwinters* · 06-04-2011, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jester

I HATE COLLECTOR EPISODES!!!

Huh, are they really that overused? I guess I don't watch enough TV!

**Jester** · 06-04-2011, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldmanwinters

Huh, are they really that overused? I guess I don't watch enough TV!

I didn't think so, until I thought back to it after watching that episode of TNG. If it hadn't been for that episode, I wouldn't have noticed either. Just the fact that a well respected sci-fi show like Star Trek would do the "collector episode" made me a little sad.

*gobo* · 06-04-2011, 04:37 PM

Thank goodness TMNT didn't do a collector ep multiple times. ^_^

RAM BAM · 06-05-2011, 07:05 PM

Recycling is good, but not when it's clip shows.

**Jester** · 06-05-2011, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gobo

Thank goodness TMNT didn't do a collector ep multiple times. ^_^

Not reading initial posts I see.

*ToTheNines* · 06-05-2011, 08:19 PM

I actually like both TMNT "collector" episodes lol.

Jelly Bean · 06-28-2011, 06:43 PM

the love/hate relationship. It's getting old and it's sooo shallow.

Also the plot where two people love each other but can't be together because it'll put a bulls eye on the person's forehead. Or they want to play the feild some more ect.

*gobo* · 07-10-2011, 09:41 PM

**** happens.

RAM BAM · 07-24-2011, 09:00 AM

Also reunion shows.

Iroh · 07-24-2011, 10:08 AM

Going back in time in order to make filler episodes instead of going forward with the story ticks me off. Naruto, Bleach, TMNT, etc. has been doing it since I can remember.

jaymq · 07-24-2011, 02:12 PM

flashback episodes. meh

PAAATE · 07-27-2011, 06:52 AM

Oh, I saw one yesterday that I absolutely hate, and there's no excuse for ever using it.

You know, when one of the main characters used to have a mentor, that we as an audience finds out about in just this episode where this mentor just happens to get killed. And then we're somehow supposed to relate to that characters sorrow. Which is kinda impossible, since WE never knew the killed mentor.

Thank God for Joss Whedon and other creators who have the guts to kill main characters. Now that's sorrow I can relate to as a viewer.

06-03-2011, 04:31 AM	#1
Jester Rat-faced Dude-guy Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Arkansas Posts: 26,301	Least Favorite Over-Used TV Show Plot I've been marathoning TV series recently, and now am on the Star Trek: TNG episode Most Toys, where an alien collector takes Data captive as a part of his collection...which reminds me of an episode from both TMNT series, Futurama (which ironically is also the Star Trek episode.), ect. Heck...it has a TV Tropes page. I HATE COLLECTOR EPISODES!!! Any type of TV episode that make you cringe? Clip shows? "The Prom"? "Juggling 2 different things/identities at the same time"? __________________ "Clearly, you're Ninja Turtling incorrectly." - Leo656

06-03-2011, 06:24 AM	#2
PAAATE Stone Warrior Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Sweden Posts: 993	Any trope can be well-made if you try. Can't think of anyone I hate right now... Well, clip shows of course, as long as it isn't a Community-clip show For anyone who didn't see that one, they had the regular flashbacks, except that everything in the flashbacks was all new material __________________ I'm a member. I forgot about it, so now I'm a remember.

06-03-2011, 12:09 PM	#3
Sage Ninja Band of the Hawk Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: USA Posts: 3,927	someone loses their memory and ends up either being brain washed to be a bad guy, or falls in love or some how becomes romantically involved with someone other than their assigned love interest; somtimes a random person other times said love interst's sworn mortal enemy... brain swapping. Somehow by some means a character ends up in the body of another person evil clone/twin... someone dies but isn't really dead (all evidence shows said person is dead even with a body) but this person shows up alive and well at some point. __________________ Cassandra: You won't fight me, but will you fight--for him! Cassandra's Revenge ~Tangled the Series ________________________________ http://frankviola.org/2012/01/30/godsviewofawoman/ _______________________________ http://nox-artemis.tumblr.com/post/4...k-and-feminism

06-04-2011, 09:00 AM	#6
Raph's Girl Dierna Soul, Reporter Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Jakku Posts: 10,831	Here you go folks. A couple months ago Doug Walker (the Nostalgia Critic) discussed this very topic in a vlog. This is his top 10 worst cliches. http://thatguywiththeglasses.com/vid...-worst-cliches One over-used plot that I actually kinda like as it CAN be good if used correctly is the Groundhog Day plot (repeating the same day/event over and over and trying to figure out WTF is going on). Some shows (IE: Stargate, TNG, and Xena) have used it quite good. Others, not so much. __________________

06-04-2011, 01:50 PM	#7
Spitfire Writer • Director Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 12,035	The plot where the character is an expert but he has crazy theories and despite him always being right his peers fight him on it. Then in the end it turns out his crazy theory was correct and everyone apologizes only to make the same mistake again next episode. That's actually a formula that I've seen used for entire TV series. House does and I suffered through some episodes of Lie To Me and that did it too. Normal TV sucks. __________________ Check out my online portfolio http://www.christopherpelletier.com/

06-04-2011, 02:23 PM	#8
ToTheNines Col. Stinkmeaner Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 19,369	....Clip show episodes.... cringe

06-04-2011, 04:37 PM	#11
gobo Wacky Action Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: on Earth Posts: 12,784	Thank goodness TMNT didn't do a collector ep multiple times. ^_^ __________________ Live and let live... or go to hell.

06-05-2011, 07:05 PM	#12
RAM BAM Hench Mutant Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Will O' The Wisp Posts: 472	Recycling is good, but not when it's clip shows.

06-05-2011, 08:19 PM	#14
ToTheNines Col. Stinkmeaner Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 19,369	I actually like both TMNT "collector" episodes lol.

07-10-2011, 09:41 PM	#16
gobo Wacky Action Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: on Earth Posts: 12,784	**** happens. __________________ Live and let live... or go to hell.

07-24-2011, 09:00 AM	#17
RAM BAM Hench Mutant Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Will O' The Wisp Posts: 472	Also reunion shows.

07-24-2011, 10:08 AM	#18
Iroh Stone Warrior Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: United States Posts: 546	Going back in time in order to make filler episodes instead of going forward with the story ticks me off. Naruto, Bleach, TMNT, etc. has been doing it since I can remember. __________________ https://www.youtube.com/yurushiigaming

07-24-2011, 02:12 PM	#19
jaymq Hench Mutant Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 435	flashback episodes. meh __________________ Nom

07-27-2011, 06:52 AM	#20
PAAATE Stone Warrior Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Sweden Posts: 993	Oh, I saw one yesterday that I absolutely hate, and there's no excuse for ever using it. You know, when one of the main characters used to have a mentor, that we as an audience finds out about in just this episode where this mentor just happens to get killed. And then we're somehow supposed to relate to that characters sorrow. Which is kinda impossible, since WE never knew the killed mentor. Thank God for Joss Whedon and other creators who have the guts to kill main characters. Now that's sorrow I can relate to as a viewer. __________________ I'm a member. I forgot about it, so now I'm a remember.