Cliche's in fiction that annoy you most

[DudeistBelieve]

Generally speaking, all cliches that are female character related tend to piss me off.

Seriously 'relatable nice guy', that chick you've had a crush on since the second grade? She's an unpleasant ***** who's been sleeping around since she was 14, has at least 3 stds by now, won't recognize the benefits of the nice guy until some earth-shattering disaster. And even then she's only sleeping with you because you remind her of daddy. Or mummy.

But then, stereotypes in general tend to piss me off.

Speaking of which, the nice guy cliche is annoying too because media doesn't tend to be to clear on how homeboy deals with his feelings. Fact is a lot of nice guys that think they're nice guys who can't get the girl are douchebags.

Megamind was a great deconstruction of that cliche and gave us one of the greatest villians ever because of it.

 

[tigermilk]

Its a Hollywood action movie, we must jump through hoops to establish and re-establish the heterosexuality of the protagonist/hero, this is doubly true if it is a "buddy cop" movie.

I think you're confusing your feminism with hatred of masculinity. It's cool because of social taboos.

@OP: Yeah, that cracked article pissed me right off.

I presume by "masculinity" you mean hegemonic or positivist masculinity (the dominant formation of masculinity within any given culture or learnt dominant masculinity respectively) and no not at all. I resent the assumption that as a viewer I caould only possibly relate to a protagonist if they are heterosexual.

As for "my feminism", I am undecided if that is possible. I am sympathetic to the agument that feminism is foregounded in essentialism and empiricism. As a man I an unable to appreciatte on a number of levels the oppression of women. On the other hand I believe in the ethos of "equal but different" and do think people should not be subjected to prejudice/discrimination due to their gender/sex.

Are you suggesting I am trying to be cool in light of social taboos, or that obligitary heterosexuality is a social taboo?

 

[Moonlight Butterfly]

When people in American shows don't say goodbye before they put the phone down...and when someone calls someone on their mobile and they answer immeadiately with no delay for rings or getting the phone out of their pocket. That annoys me sooooo much.

When there is a really nice, funny, geeky, LOVABLE guy in a movie but the heroine always goes for the incredibly boring military stud muffin with the personality of a cheese bap. Why would you do that to yourself. WHY.

 

[Adam28]

I thought it was Pac-Man sound effects? God damn the way they portray video game playing always pissed me off. Mashing random buttons and what not, like these morons never saw someone playing a game before. WHO PLAYS LIKE THAT?!

EDIT: This is an old one, but when they showed kids playing an orignal gameboy but without a game in the cartridge slot.

You are right, it is Pac-Man sound effects, I completely forgot. I knew it was as old game they use the sound effects from a lot. I am starting to think it may have something to do with copyright purposes though now although I am not sure.

 

[Ranorak]

Servers in movies are always ALWAYS connected to hyper-state of the art touch screen interfaces.

 

[Squilookle]

The concept that war is hell. We get it. Can we please go back to the 70's style of war films now? The ones that dared to put just a bit of an adventure vibe to it? Hell even in real life there were people that absolutely thrived on war. And you know what? I'd much rather hear their story than some hollow shell of a man yet AGAIN. I'm glad we've had those too, but cam we please now get back to making films on interesting stories from wars? like

This guy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Churchill

or that Guy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simo_H%C3%A4yh%C3%A4

or even these guys: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pavlov%27s_House

 

[GrizzlerBorno]

In fantasy settings: "Oh my God, the Nefarious Evil darkness is Bad! Kill it with Holy, Pure, Love Power to save Goodguys-landia!!"

Also, and this is a common one, "The continental United States.... is the Planet Earth. All of it." [shudders at the new Transformers Movie trailer]

 

[Vault101]

1. The hero has defeated the villain and he's on his knees. The hero decides to spare him but then the villain tries to get one last shot on the hero and in the panic the hero has to kill him.

2. Which ever character in question is in a tight spot. This looks like the end for him or her when suddenly they are somewhat unrealistically saved at the very last second. I literally roll my eyes every time I see a scene like this .

Deus ex machina?...I think....not always a bad thing if done well

Spoiler: tory story 3/

like when the toys are about to enter the inferno and they are saved by the green aliens operating the claaaawwww, I mean it makes sense in context I supose

cant think of any terrible examples but usually nowdays if its dont its not soo friggen stupid

 

[Wierdguy]

That humans always ALWAYS are the big heroes. Its always teh humans that are the bulk of the good armies, its always human heroes that defeat the big bad guy and its always humans that take command. Sure other races help - but Its always humans that are the most important...

And then theres the thing that other races has to be dead or dying in some way. Like LotR where the elves are fleeing and becoming rare and the dwarves are getting their shit wrecked. We see that again in games like DA. Why cant the elves be the big race for once? Or the dwarves? Why always the most boring idiotic race of humans? >_>

 

[Venereus]

I'll rip off Yahtzee and go with "that misterious ally was the bad guy all along".

 

[Venereus]

The concept that war is hell. We get it. Can we please go back to the 70's style of war films now? The ones that dared to put just a bit of an adventure vibe to it? Hell even in real life there were people that absolutely thrived on war. And you know what? I'd much rather hear their story than some hollow shell of a man yet AGAIN. I'm glad we've had those too, but cam we please now get back to making films on interesting stories from wars? like

This guy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Churchill

or that Guy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simo_H%C3%A4yh%C3%A4

or even these guys: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pavlov%27s_House

My favorite is The Dirty Dozen [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dirty_Dozen].

 

[captainaweshum]

I hate it when I'm watching a movie, or playing an action game and predict halfway through that the hero will jump from a perilous situation (most likely an explosion) and be hanging one handed from an escaping helicopter, where he will pause there, hanging like a fool, watching the fireworks.


And then it happens. And then I loose just a little more faith in humanity.

 

[higgs20]

the deus ex machina, it's not all that widely used in books or movies any more (although it still crops up) it does however seem to come into quite a few games.

 

[Tomo Stryker]

This double standard/Idea that women are more mature than men, as the men will always be doing wacky/goofy/fun things while the female will look on disaprovingly, and all she wants to do is make him grow up and have kids with her..I supose an example is "Kocked Up"

Pretty much this. If I find any movie with even a hint of this I rage at it. Into the Wild Green Yonder is a good example of that. Not sure why, but its my hot button. Not to say men are completely responsible at all times, but it just shines a bad light on us.

 

[Fetzenfisch]

Fat little kids becoming heroes and win against the bad guys. Sorry kids, wont happen. You just get murderised par exellance.

 

[Smertnik]

The Stormtrooper syndrome.

And forced happy endings. I really hate it when in the end everyone is rescued and lives happily ever after, either because of a lame deus ex machina or because the villain turns out to be absolutely incapable.

 

[plugav]

You can disobey any order, break any rule or law to Do The Right Thing. And as long as you beat the Bad Guy, you'll get away with it.

Also, no matter how many people you've killed along the way, you'll never suffer from guilt, let alone PTSD. You might start drinking and stop shaving, though, just in time for a gritty sequel.

In horror films, the dumbest female character, whose unreasonable behaviour endangers everyone around her, will be the only one to survive. Unless she's had sex on-screen, then she's going to die.

In films, comics and video games, if you're the protagonist, no injury is ever disfiguring. You never lose teeth in a fist fight. And your face never gets cut or even dirty. If, ignoring these rules, someone breaks your nose, don't worry. It will return to its previous shape once it's healed.

 

[artanis_neravar]

CSI. I love it, but they wouldn't know science if it came up and slapped them in the face. Why aren't they wearing PPE? Why are they ignoring COSHH? Why are they breathing all over the evidence!?! Why is she walking into a crime scene and shaking her hair about! WHY!?! /rant

And yeah. I completely agree with the geek stuff. Especially when they show computers hacking into everything. I wouldn't be surprised if they hacked into a cat next.

Why are the questioning suspects? why are they making arrests? Why the fuck do they even have handcuffs THEY AREN'T COPS!