Classic TV series Cliches (1 Viewer)

[Lucia Duran]

Typical boy likes girl, but won't tell girl he likes her until it is too late.

Unfabulous: Addy wants to tell Jake she likes him, but doesn't and he moves to Canada.

Zoey 101: Chase likes Zoey but won't tell her and she moves to England.

Hannah Montana: Miley likes Jake, but can't tell him and he moves to Alaksa to film movie.

 

[mattCR]

Cliche: apparently girls like boys named Jake in teeny-bopper shows. See above examples

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

And in Mad About You it was Paul and Jamie's sex tape, accidentally returned to the video store in the plastic box for some movie. (I think at least one other sitcom has used basically the same plot, and someone has sure updated this to digital video on a DVD/lost laptop/lost cell phone by now.

)

Regards,

Joe

 

[Nick Martin]

In the various Trek shows, whenever they don't have a clear explanation for something, the characters will ALWAYS say "some kind of..." or "some sort of..." You could create a drinking game based on the amount of times you'll hear it!

 

[Joe_H]

Or that is meant to be sent out, but for some reason never reaches the destination at all.

 

[Lucia Duran]

Saved by the Bell: The gang makes money by bottling Screech's tomato sauce.

Perfect Strangers: Balki and Larry make Biddi Bobkas to sell

Seinfeld: Elaine and her boss go into the muffin stump business together.

 

[Lucia Duran]

Nerd loves girl storyline


Family Matters: Irkle likes Laura

Full House: Can't remember his name, but they likened him to a duck, likes Stephanie

Saved by the Bell: Screech likes Lisa

Big Bang Theory: Leonard likes Penny, Howard likes Penny

Punky Brewster: Allen likes Margo

 

[Lucia Duran]

Okay I am on a roll here....

Sitcoms have popular musicians as guest stars.

Fullhouse: Tommy Page, Stacy Q

Moesha: Boys 2 Men

Blossom: Salt N Peppa

I know there are more, I just can't think of any right now

 

[WillG]

And the whole situation could have been avoided with one follow up question.

How about celebrities appearing as themselves where it would be highly unlikely they would appear in real life, such as celebrities showing up at the Bundy house, or the Beach Boys hanging out in the Tanner living room. Even All in the Family had the one where Sammy Davis Jr. shows up at the Bunker house.

 

[MishaLauenstein]

I've never seen Father Knows Best, but I hear that said quite often.

However I have heard the Radio Show that preceded the TV Series, and all I can say is that they must have drastically retooled the show for TV, since in the radio series he is a complete Doofus, and the phrase "Father Knows Best" is meant to be ironic.

 

[MishaLauenstein]

Oh, look. I've found a dog/baby. Let's keep it.

 

[Walter C]

I also remember that being copied in its spinoff, Family Matters. Same end result.

 

[MatthewA]

Several examples. It happens all the time on The Simpsons. For example:

—After an emotional moment between Marge and Lisa, Homer says "just like on TV," then trips over a footstool and a laugh track comes out of nowhere.
—Bart is watching "The Jetsons Meet the Flintstones" and says "I smell another cheap cartoon crossover", when Homer introduces him to their new houseguest...Jay Sherman, of "The Critic." Bart replies, "Hey man, I love your show. I think all kids should watch it," and then shudders, adding "I suddenly feel so dirty."

And there are several more that escape me at the moment. On other shows:

The Nanny: C.C. Babcock says she was watching a "Seinfeld" rerun from the era where Julia Louis-Dreyfus was covering up her pregnancy with heavy coats and found it totally unconvincing. We then reveal that she, herself, is wearing a heavy coat because Lauren Lane was pregnant at the time.

Roseanne: In the episode where Sarah Chalke takes over the role of Becky, the Conners watch "Bewitched" and comment on the Darren Stephens casting change.

and my all-time favorite from "Gimme a Break":

Someone refers to something as a cliché, then the following occurs:
Samantha: What's a cliché?
Nell: A black woman serving pancakes to a white kid (while doing just that).

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

Bad example. Every adult heterosexual male with a pulse likes Penny. (Sheldon fails to meet at least one of these criteria - and possibly two or more of them. )

Regards,

Joe

 

[Josh Dial]

I see. I didn't quite grasp your first post, then. Thanks for the clarification!

 

[Karl Pozorski]

I am suprised that no one has mentioned the "evil twin" yet. A person has someone who looks exactly like them (always played by the same actor) and tries to take over their life.

Star Trek:TOS
Gilligan's Island (GI also did the brain switch thing)
Smallville

A distant cousin to the evil twin is the switched suitcase where a person's suitcase gets switched at an airport with an identical suitcase that contains drugs, stolen money or spy secrets.

 

[Michael Harris]

A cliche on some SCI FI shows is the super smart kid or teen.

Dr Zee on "Galactica 1980" (cringe inducing)
Welsey Crusher on "Star Trek TNG" (good riddence)
Will Robinson on "Lost in Space"

 

[Greg.K]

- The wise-cracking kid.

- The "doppleganger" episode, where the characters meet others who are living lives uncannily like theirs.

- Family sitcoms where the wife has a baby. (inevitably, after a season of baby jokes, the next season the baby has aged a few years so as to become a wisecracking kid)

- The "dream episode" where the cast get to play other roles in someone's dream/fantasy.

 

[mattCR]

Damn you, I've been through tons of therapy to try and forget "Battlestar 1980"

 

[Michael Harris]

You must come to terms with your fears or at least get some new meds.