movies/tv Cliches you like/dislike

[CastletonSnob 3,025]

Are there any cliches in shows that you actually like? What about ones you dislike?

[honk friend 1,966]

The anti-villain is one that I love but don't see nearly enough of.

In contrast to an anti-hero, an anti-villain has positive goals and motives, but the means of which they achieve them are evil or harmful.

I think a good example of this is Giorno Giovanna, from Vento Aureo. He's the ONLY JoJo in the series who I would say displays this archetype

 

Seeing as he's the son of part 1 and 3's main antagonist, while he technically IS the protagonist he certainly does have a positive goal and certainly doesn't seem to have a moral limit to the lengths he'll go to achieve it.

 

[Megas 27,052]

I hate the love interest

 

No this does not need to be in every freaking story ever. 90% of the time the romance is the worst part of the story

Edited January 19, 2017 by Travis Touchdown

[Castle Bleck 19,163]

Dislike: The Happy Ending Override trope -- hate having my good-feels, nostalgia, etc., crapped all over just to sell a sequel.

 

Like: The Anti-Villain trope, just like Kira said. Where do you think "A.V." came from in the first place?

[Envy 5,998]

I don't know why, but I've always liked the character trope that fits Inspector Javert, Inspector Zenigata, Smoker, and that guy from Monster (It's been soooo long since I watched that. Forgive me), etc. fit into. It's always fun to see where the character ends up when they're forced to stop seeing in black and white. Even Zenigata, who is from an episodic series that hardly even develops is fun to watch. Plus he's actually the good one. So he's kind of different from the rest, but still has moments of development.

 

If there's one trope I can think of that I really don't care for, it's the "Villain kills underling because they're worthless/couldn't win". It can be properly executed if a villain is built up to be a character that would totally do that (Freeza from DBZ). However, in a lot of series it does not really seem to align with the character, but really just seems like a cliche to try to characterize a villain as scum. This is, of course, very popular in Shonen where the themes are "Friendship is everything", and that's a way for the author to convey how much the villain is the antithesis of that value... but it's overdone.

Edited January 19, 2017 by Envy

[Castle Bleck 19,163]

If there's one trope I can think of that I really don't care for, it's the "Villain kills underling because they're worthless/couldn't win". It can be properly executed if a villain is built up to be a character that would totally do that (Freeza from DBZ). However, in a lot of series it does not really seem to align with the character, but really just seems like a cliche to try to characterize a villain as scum. This is, of course, very popular in Shonen where the themes are "Friendship is everything", and that's a way for the author to convey how much the villain is the antithesis of that value... but it's overdone.

 

Thank goodness for guys like Grand Admiral Thrawn (take your pick: in Legends or in Rebels) -- he won't begrudge your failure, so long as you're genuine and not insubordinate (in which case, he can be pretty creative in making an example out of you).

[They call me Loyalty 1,941]

Stereotypical characters, which I can't project myself into. Abuse or exaltation of traits, which intent is to compensate for a lack of organic depth.

Unbelievable manipulation of information. A fake construction of no value whatsoever, both in reality and fiction.

Dismantling an idea into its basic components to expose the underlying substance thereof.

[Discordian 6,013]

Like: Almost all of them. Makes things comfortably predictable.

 

Dislike: The one where everyone has to be turned into a friend or be forgiven at the end. Whether it's a tween movie where the bitchy cheerleader who does nasty shit to the main character and is ultimately forgiven or some major villain in a game that destroyed lives somehow gets redeemed when he should have just been killed or imprisoned.

 

It's not 100% of the time. Sometimes it depends on how it's handled and I'm willing to forgive it.

[Anneal 2,194]

Dislike:

• Lengthy villain monologue. Sometimes this can be done pretty well, but most of the time it's just way too long and irritating you have to wonder why the protagonist doesn't just kill the villain already while he/she's talking. It's especially annoying when the villain has the protagonist corned and deliberately delays killing him/her and promptly gets their own arrogant ass kicked. 
• Annoying shaking during fights. Not so much a cliche but it is very infuriating when action movies make their fight scenes shake way too much. We like to actually see what's going on, thank you. 
• Incompetent police/military. Unless the protagonist is some sort of law enforcement or some improbably skilled CIA operative or whatever it's basically a given that the police and military suck at doing their job...and even if the protagonist is a cop or soldier it's basically a given that they will either "act outside the law" or "do it on their own". 
• Incompetent parents. Likewise, most movies just show parents as either dead, abusive, stupid, or just bad at what they do. If they're actually good parents then cross your fingers because they are definitely going to be killed off in the middle of the plot. 

Like:

• The "evil" jerkass hero. Not an anti-hero, but rather someone who deliberately tries to be a snarky, annoying loser to everyone they meet, is always butting heads with the law, and saves the day while trolling everyone while doing so. Some of my favorite protagonists are like this, and they can give a good laugh as they do their good guy job. 
• One man survival. Basically a plot where one person is forced to survive alone or in chaotic conditions. For some reason they are forced to survive alone for weeks on end or even years, either stationary and looking or help or on the move trying to complete a goal.
• The chessmaster. Can be anyone from the protagonist to the antagonist, but the chessmaster is someone who uses their charisma, manipulative skills, and intellect to get through problems. They might be decent fighters but for the most part they resolve their issues with words or craftiness without firing a shot. 

[Ganondorf8 11,118]

The deus ex machina object that ultimately brings about victory for the good guys. This cliche has practically been done to death to the point where it has lost all its meaning and is a sign of sheer laziness. For a cliche that I do like, I do like the anti-hero who likes to do good deeds if there was money involved as either a reward or could be collected along the way.

[TheLeastEvil 50]

The brain-dead/alcoholic father is frustrating to see all the time because it tends to be used as a cheap laugh grabber or a way to skip characterization entirely. At least there are a couple TV mothers capable of doing basic tasks.

 

Bonus: Disney channel's specific brand of teenager that has more 1st world problems than the actual 1st world.

[CastletonSnob 3,025]

The brain-dead/alcoholic father is frustrating to see all the time because it tends to be used as a cheap laugh grabber or a way to skip characterization entirely. At least there are a couple TV mothers capable of doing basic tasks.

 

Bonus: Disney channel's specific brand of teenager that has more 1st world problems than the actual 1st world.

It's funny how in those old sitcoms, the husband was the smart, responsible one. Now, the wife is. 

[Catpone Cerberus 23,421]

It has been said few times but the fact that Good guys always win. That's what I strongly dislike, because in certain point in the movie/book/show/etc. You know what will happen next because you know that good guys will win. 

 

 

One cliche I like..

it's a weird one....

Forbidden love thing (when done in right way)(don't know why)

 

 

 

-Edit. Also I like characters with good and evil side. 

Edited January 19, 2017 by The Cerberus

[Sunny Fox 5,929]

The main girl and guy character ending up as a couple. I'm looking at you, Kim Possible Season 4. 

This is why I don't support

Starco. They both have other love interests canonically. If they end up together, I will be extremely disappointed. I'm glumly sure it'll happen, though. Stupid Blood Moon.

 

[Stone Cold Steve Jobs 22,410]

At my old performing arts school, we had a list my professors made called "The Amenable List of Banned Cliches." So, I'll leave a few of those here and if they apply then yay, and if not, don't mind me:

-Suicides

-Alarm clock wake ups

-Flashbacks

-Zombies

-It was only a dream...

-Unnecessary fourth wall breaks

 

The list was followed by (Unless you positively nail it). So like any cliche, it's forgiven if you use it in a way that it actually feels new, or if you're using it solely to mock it.

[Nightshroud 331]

jumpscares everywhere cliche: not cool dude you ruined a possibly good movie by having the spooting monster jump out every few seconds.

Sparkly vampires: *sigh* why just why the hammer Dracula movies maybe corny by todays standards but at least drac don't shine like silver and gold vampires are supposed to die if they are in the sun not glow like the sun!

big lipped alligator moments: ya know what I'm talking bout that 1 scene that has nothing to do with the plot.

Edited January 19, 2017 by Nightshroud

[Castle Bleck 19,163]

vampires are supposed to die if they are in the sun not glow like the sun!

 

Or, according to Bram Stoker's Dracula, at least be unable to reach full power.

[GoddessRarity 48]

If there is one trope that I hate in movies ( or just TV in general ) it is the love interest always being too nice.

 

Nice to the point where it comes across as cringewothy, and to the point in where choosing to make her/his character like this makes her/him really bland and superficial.

 

The love interest does not need to be flawless. Make them as flawed as the protagonist.

[Nightshroud 331]

true twlight said screw the rules i want vamps to glow! do your researxch ya stupid idiot not you but who ever came up with that train wreck

[Oleks 1,983]

Clichés I don’t like:

• The “hate turns into love” cliché.
• Clichéd “charming jerks characters” (not to mix with charming sociopaths and “I’m so smart you all are boring” characters).
• The “take your glasses off and you’ll become the beauty queen” thing.
• Most of the superheroes clichés, like “a small mask will hide my identity” and “the police/army is useless”.
• Modern detective series cliché – the murderer/serial killer is a white male in 90% of cases.
   

Clichés and tropes I like:

• Anyone can die.
• Ambiguous or bad ending, but only if executed properly.
• Mad scientists – they are fun.
• Timey-wimey things.
• “Married to my job” cliché.

Edited January 19, 2017 by Oleks

[Nightshroud 331]

i agree whole heartly like why if I take my glasses off I turn into creepy uncle Chester from down the road 

[TBD 17,228]

​Like:

• Plot twist but not the one that seem like it out from a person's ass.
• tragedy
• Suspense
• psychological aspect
• Anti-hero. but not as a major character. Too much spotlight could spoil them.

Dislike

• cliché Lovey-Dovey throughout
• way beyond mix universe, when it doesn't feel right. (DC and marvel)
• Obvious signs that its trying hard to please the fans
• Worst of all, having majors characters marrying off each other and have kids. nobody cares.
• Deadweights.

I have more but I don't want to list them all.

[KatonRyu 1,026]

The cliche I hate most of all would be the 'third-act misunderstanding'. Far too often in movies an incredibly contrived and easy to avoid misunderstanding comes between the 'hero' and the designated love interest. Even in movies that aren't romantic comedies this trope continues to show up and the utterly predictable structure really ruins movies that could otherwise by pretty good, like for instance the movie Passengers. Well-acted, nice visuals, likeable characters...but a bog-standard execution involving this stupid kind of misunderstanding and it really hurts the movie.

 

Even movies that don't focus on romance have everything going wrong in the third act just so there can be some more conflict before the end. It's a horrible practice that ruins everything, especially since it's always, always a problem that can be solved by simply explaining, but in the movies that never seems to occur to anyone.

[cmarston1 5,951]

I hate whatever the main character makes a really embaressing mistake and it is painful

[Castle Bleck 19,163]

Dislike: Idiot Plot -- just eviscerates my suspension-of-disbelief when the plot can only happen due to the characters making dumb decisions.