MC_Lovecraft
Friendly Neighborhood Anarchist
- Location
- Texas
- Pronouns
- He/They
Well, there's all of Neal Breen's movies, where he mostly plays a literal god-in-the-flesh, who just happens to also live in a van in the desert.
Cliches you can't stand
- Thread starter Mithras
- Start date
Axslashel
I am a pessimist not a realist.
- Location
- Land of the Midnight Sun
Heard about this kid TV-show called Lazy Town? Because that describes it to a T. I also agree with it because Sportacus is that awesome but still.
Reveen
Castro-Trudeauist
This is what I'm pretty sure happened to the show Andromeda. Which was a post-Babylon 5 sci fi show developed by a Deep Space Nine writer but ended up anything but.
The basic premise? After the fall of the "Commonwealth" the galaxy is a shithole. The Eureka Maru, captained by cynical space trucker/smuggler Beka Valentine are sent to salvage an old Commonwealth ship. But it turns out that the ship's AI is still active and is now operating under a programmed mandate to restore the Commonwealth and wants then to help her.
To deal with this situation is a motley crew of space losers including the cynical captain, the token good (and religious) member of the resident race of space orcs, a cheerful but ambiguously innocent purple space girl, an Irishman (*cough*from Boston*cough*), and an android body of the ship's AI. The closest thing to a traditional badass "hero" being an amoral space merc from the Darwinian Superman rafe (literally called Nietzcheans) with secret ambitions who's just as likely to conquer the galaxy himself given the chance.
The problem? Someone decided that this show needs a "traditional" heroic lead, that that character should be played by egomanic Kevin Sorbo, and also Kevin Sorbo should be one of the show's seven executive producers (NOT including the DS9 writer in charge of the story). So we have Dylan Hunt, a perfect lawful good hero who completely invalidates the moral tension between Andromeda/Beka Valentine/Tyr Anasazi by always pointing the crew towards doing the right thing.
The show ultimately fails to escape Sorbo's orbit and you may as well just watch Far scape instead.
EDIT: I should also mention that like the entire core cast aside from Dylan and Tyr are Canadian. Because of course we always have to play second banana lol.
The basic premise? After the fall of the "Commonwealth" the galaxy is a shithole. The Eureka Maru, captained by cynical space trucker/smuggler Beka Valentine are sent to salvage an old Commonwealth ship. But it turns out that the ship's AI is still active and is now operating under a programmed mandate to restore the Commonwealth and wants then to help her.
To deal with this situation is a motley crew of space losers including the cynical captain, the token good (and religious) member of the resident race of space orcs, a cheerful but ambiguously innocent purple space girl, an Irishman (*cough*from Boston*cough*), and an android body of the ship's AI. The closest thing to a traditional badass "hero" being an amoral space merc from the Darwinian Superman rafe (literally called Nietzcheans) with secret ambitions who's just as likely to conquer the galaxy himself given the chance.
The problem? Someone decided that this show needs a "traditional" heroic lead, that that character should be played by egomanic Kevin Sorbo, and also Kevin Sorbo should be one of the show's seven executive producers (NOT including the DS9 writer in charge of the story). So we have Dylan Hunt, a perfect lawful good hero who completely invalidates the moral tension between Andromeda/Beka Valentine/Tyr Anasazi by always pointing the crew towards doing the right thing.
The show ultimately fails to escape Sorbo's orbit and you may as well just watch Far scape instead.
EDIT: I should also mention that like the entire core cast aside from Dylan and Tyr are Canadian. Because of course we always have to play second banana lol.
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Kinda similar, when a publisher would demand specific storylines be inserted into books. It doesn't happen as much anymore with self publishing becoming more viable but back when it did you'd get new authors putting out original books that randomly veered off into being clones of whatever movie recently did well.
- Location
- Elsewhere
I've grown tired of "zany" characters, either from a heavy-handed depiction of mental illness, or just a meme-vomiting chat-bot.
It's especially bad when they are the POV character because it turns into an unreliable narrator and the reader has no way of discerning the truth.
Did they fling themselves under the desk screaming because they legitimately felt threatened or were they hallucinating, or were they playing a bit?
It's especially bad when they are the POV character because it turns into an unreliable narrator and the reader has no way of discerning the truth.
Did they fling themselves under the desk screaming because they legitimately felt threatened or were they hallucinating, or were they playing a bit?
Making "smart" characters that are only correct because of events they have no way of predicting work out in their favor Every. Single. Time.
Sauron from Rings of Power is probably the most recent well documented example if you're able to force yourself to watch it. The guy's basically got a sneak peek at the script and is borderline omniscient.
Sauron from Rings of Power is probably the most recent well documented example if you're able to force yourself to watch it. The guy's basically got a sneak peek at the script and is borderline omniscient.
- Location
- Do you really care?
Hah, it really is bad fanfiction. The same type of writing was complained about in the "fanfiction pet peeves you hate" thread just a few weeks ago.
I'm not sure it qualifies as a fanfiction if it also seems to be a money laundering operation. I mean they're supposedly spending $60 million per episode, you definitely can't tell that on screen and there's no way they're making that much back with new subscriptions.
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- Do you really care?
I mean, it can be both.
Zeist
A loser, baby
- Location
- Planet Namek
- Pronouns
- He/Him
I really really really cannot stand Designated Girl Fights. I understand the IRL cultural pressures behind having them - it's not pleasant for many viewers to see a man hitting a woman regardless of context, and the Hays Code's legacy is still greatly felt in the US specifically - but at the end of the day, the narrative is still implicitly treating women as inferior combatants.
This is especially frustrating in stuff like shonen anime or superhero comics where "realism" and "historical accuracy" can fuck off. Fortunately, media seems to be rectifying this in recent years.
This is especially frustrating in stuff like shonen anime or superhero comics where "realism" and "historical accuracy" can fuck off. Fortunately, media seems to be rectifying this in recent years.
- Location
- Elsewhere
In some cases the female characters might be tacked on entirely.
"Add a love interest."
"The story isn't really a romance."
"Doesn't matter. If it's all dudes then people might think they're gay, and that would destroy the world."
"Okay, one rando girl added. She has... 3 lines."
"Perfect. Also, the villains are a total sausage-fest. Add a chick there too."
"Fine. But that will mess up the Final Battle."
"Easy-peasy. Have the Love Interest fight the Token Villain Chick in the corner. Even better, have them competing over the hero!"
"Add a love interest."
"The story isn't really a romance."
"Doesn't matter. If it's all dudes then people might think they're gay, and that would destroy the world."
"Okay, one rando girl added. She has... 3 lines."
"Perfect. Also, the villains are a total sausage-fest. Add a chick there too."
"Fine. But that will mess up the Final Battle."
"Easy-peasy. Have the Love Interest fight the Token Villain Chick in the corner. Even better, have them competing over the hero!"
Did that happen a lot in shonen? IIRC neither Bleach, Naruto or Fairy Tail went out of their way to have them except when it fits thematically.
Walking is a lot more important to being able to function like most other people, than X-ray vision is.
Ophelia
unpleasant
Despite society's best efforts, there are still those out there whose writing evokes the mannerisms and mental impairments of that most loathsome creature - the neckbeard. If I have to read another blatant self-insert where the main character is within millimeters of wearing a fedora, carrying a katana, and calling women 'females,' I will find the head neckbeard to end him once and for all, freeing all of his spawn from their curse.
Ackshually...
Ackshually...
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So, is there a required minimum wordcount, or...?
Thozmp
Gets my kicks above the waistline, Sunshine.
Person A and Person B are talking to each other, but they are mostly just insulting each other, trying to one up each other verbally. Everyone else sees this as the two of them flirting.
The thing is? A and B have pretty much just met.
I realize that some people do have positive interactions trading barbs with each other, and can in fact flirt with each other this way. But usually that sort of things takes time to establish, time to feel each other out and find that, yes, the other person does like doing this. But a lot of stories don't give it the time it needs, five minutes after meeting each other they are apparently "flirting."
The thing is? A and B have pretty much just met.
I realize that some people do have positive interactions trading barbs with each other, and can in fact flirt with each other this way. But usually that sort of things takes time to establish, time to feel each other out and find that, yes, the other person does like doing this. But a lot of stories don't give it the time it needs, five minutes after meeting each other they are apparently "flirting."
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Or even worse, they are actually disagreeing on something important to them.
"I belief strongly in God and my faith is very important to me."
"I think religious people are all crazy and stupid."
"Oh, look at them flirting. I'm sure they will be married soon!"
It's also frustrating when they start passive-aggressively pressuring the "couple" to pair up.
"You get along so well, so we decided you should share a room."
"We argue constantly."
"Yeah, isn't it romantic?"
"No. It's really stressful. I don't like spending time with them."
"You can thank us later."
"I belief strongly in God and my faith is very important to me."
"I think religious people are all crazy and stupid."
"Oh, look at them flirting. I'm sure they will be married soon!"
It's also frustrating when they start passive-aggressively pressuring the "couple" to pair up.
"You get along so well, so we decided you should share a room."
"We argue constantly."
"Yeah, isn't it romantic?"
"No. It's really stressful. I don't like spending time with them."
"You can thank us later."
Well, that sounds like the author is playing with the cliche rather than playing it straight.
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- Elsewhere
That's because I'm emphasizing it.
Most of the time it's the author trying to play up Opposites Attract or something, but they actually make them disagree, then they turn around and tell the reader that the characters are in love…really.
It's partially a Show/Tell issue.
If you have characters that are actually semi-arguing, and semi-flirting, then you wouldn't need an observer saying they love each other.
The reader would pick it up on their own and the author could play up the surprise from the other characters.
If they have to tell you, then it's probably because the author can't navigate that line.
Most of the time it's the author trying to play up Opposites Attract or something, but they actually make them disagree, then they turn around and tell the reader that the characters are in love…really.
It's partially a Show/Tell issue.
If you have characters that are actually semi-arguing, and semi-flirting, then you wouldn't need an observer saying they love each other.
The reader would pick it up on their own and the author could play up the surprise from the other characters.
If they have to tell you, then it's probably because the author can't navigate that line.
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I've honestly never been a fan of that, either. "Opposites attract" is a stupid cliché, in my opinion. Most of the time, opposites end up hating each others' guts. A good and more importantly lasting relationship is based on having things in common and actually liking each other.