general media Clichés you can't stand

[Moved to Elsewhere 11,331]

I forgot to mention, those moments when a guy and a girl are about to kiss but then something out of the blue happens that either distracts them or causes one to hate the other.

[Sunbro 4 Lyfe 939]

I go by the bollocks belief of "All cliches are bad! Do not cliche or you are evil!" Maybe it's because cliches are always used in a negative way... I dunno. The point is I always want my entertainment to be unique, even if it's just putting a twist on a cliche. But thinking about it, most cliches have even more cliche alternatives, or cliche "twists", making 98% of idea cliche.

So basically, I hate all entertainment!

(well... Not really but you get my point.)

[Discordian 6,015]

The only cliche I hate is the hate of cliches.

 

Ironic, no?

[Evilshy 5,090]

-Being able to run stupidly into a army of soldiers single handed and come out without a scratch (god of war *cough*)

I'd say God or War is one of the least guilty of this. Sure, you take on armies by yourself, but you have to remember that, depending on which game, Kratos is either a super warrior powered up by the Gods, or just IS a God. It makes sense that he can fight off an army.

 

What doesn't make sense is when in most shooters, you (and maybe a few other guys) take on whole platoons of enemies and win. I can understand if its something like Halo, were you're a superhuman with power armor, but games like CoD, where you're just a soldier? I'm sorry, but no.

Edited April 14, 2014 by Evilshy

[SFyr 1,982]

The only cliche I hate is the hate of cliches.

 

Ironic, no?

What if I ironically hate your ironic hate of the cliché of hating clichés?

Kidding.♥    I can understand that, though many clichés still leave a bad taste in my mouth when handled poorly.    Though I guess it's less the cliché, and more how they're used?

Painful clichés can occasionally be awesome when they're aware of what they're doing. 

[Geek0zoid 1,468]

Pretty much every cliche in the movie "Frozen"

I'm serious, that movie covers almost every movie cliche in the freaking handbook.

[Jeric 46,854]

Frozen is a pretty good example of how embracing a cliché driven plot and threads can still make for an entertaining story. I lost count of the amount of review articles that lauded the film for using sibling love vs. romantic love as the theme. It's not original by any stretch of the imagination, but the presentation was well done (save for one missed opportunity at a song reprise near the end).

 

Cliché is just another way of saying 'no originality'. The problem is that Originality is so elusive, and really not critical. When EVERYONE does it *cough* Vampires & Zombies *cough* it can be annoying.

[Celtore 2,770]

The obsessed cop. You know, the movies where the cop or detective character is so obsessed about finding and arresting another character that it practically becomes who the character is? Usually also ends up entering the "smoking / drinking is cool" cliche which I also really don't like.

[Revertz 159]

In anime (ones which are scened in school or have school scenes) the main character always sits near the window you are probably going to hate me for pointing this out but here is proof.

 

PROOF!

 

 

 

 

[Envy 6,175]

My parents used to rent romantic comedies all of the time, and I used to enjoy watching them... Until I began to notice a trend: The main character meets a guy that she absolutely hates, but she will always end up loving him in the end. In one movie I remember them arguing and hating each other, and in the same scene they made out with each other and it led to a sex scene.

 

No more romantic comedies for me after that ridiculousness. >.>

 

The obsessed cop. You know, the movies where the cop or detective character is so obsessed about finding and arresting another character that it practically becomes who the character is? Usually also ends up entering the "smoking / drinking is cool" cliche which I also really don't like.

 

Aw... You mean like Inspector Javert from Les Miserables, Inspector Zenigata from Lupin the III, Smoker from One Piece, and um... that guy from the anime/manga Monster (been a long time since I watched it. lol)?

 

I actually like that cliche, personally. It's always interesting to see what happens to them... If they keep on chasing to the end, if they become overwhelmed, or end up siding with the character they've been after.

[SilverStarApple 849]

- Meaningless song lyrics

- Boastful raps

- Violent psychopathic characters that are supposed to be 'adorable tsunderes' but just end up being man-beating, stupid jerks that attack their lover at the first opportunity.

- The main hero is the strongest one in the show. THE ABSOLUTE strongest. And the other character's can't even approach his power level, and are only useful/relevant if Fusions are involved.

- Fusions

- Resurrection done cheaply

[Celtore 2,770]

Aw... You mean like Inspector Javert from Les Miserables, Inspector Zenigata from Lupin the III, Smoker from One Piece, and um... that guy from the anime/manga Monster (been a long time since I watched it. lol)?

 

I actually like that cliche, personally. It's always interesting to see what happens to them... If they keep on chasing to the end, if they become overwhelmed, or end up siding with the character they've been after.

Yeah, that's pretty much exactly what I mean. I suppose it is sort of interest to see where their obsession will take them, but it often feels off to me, almost emersion breaking if not handled well.

[SilverStarApple 849]

Pretty much every cliche in the movie "Frozen"

I'm serious, that movie covers almost every movie cliche in the freaking handbook.

This statement interests me. Every cliche in the book? Can you list them all? Please?

 

Honestly, Wreck-It Ralph was way better than Frozen. And YES, I FINALLY SAID IT!

[Evilshy 5,090]

In anime (ones which are scened in school or have school scenes) the main character always sits near the window you are probably going to hate me for pointing this out but here is proof.

 

PROOF!

 

 

 

 

What else can they stare out of during deep internal monologue other than windows?

Edited April 18, 2014 by Evilshy

[Button_Mash 16]

Villain says something before killing the hero so the hero can get saved at the last second.

 

The/an antagonist has a very effective power but either never uses it again, it needs a recharge, or it's one-time use.

[Floris 287]

Not really media related but a common thing in the recent years are brother/sister relationships in anime/manga.

 

I'm freaking dead sick of them..

Edited April 19, 2014 by Floris

[Darker 1,351]

I can ignore most clichés, but I can't seriosuly stand the "Liar Reveal".

 

I think most people know this cliché and also hate it a lot.

[Castle Bleck 19,376]

The "If You Kill Him, You Will Be Just Like Him" TV Trope.

 

Sometimes works (e.g.: The good guy visibly starts going overboard, the bad guy's actually redeemable and/or sympathetic, etc.), but too often just flops (e.g.: The bad guy consequently just gets away with everything, dies anyway via self-defense or something after predictably trying to exploit said mercy for a cheap shot, etc.), IMO.

Edited July 7, 2016 by A.V.

[Steve Piranha 29,428]

I suppose the one that comes to mind for me is the damsel in distress. The only thing I can think of where I am not sick of this is the Mario games but that is because I don't really play that series for its story. It is wish fulfillment and there is nothing wrong with that in and of itself so long as it dosen't approach Mary Sue/Gray Stu territory, but it is so insanely overdone. Besides I prefer the ass kicking babes, there is just something about them that makes me drool.

Oh yeah, I just hope the kickass babe doesn't become a cliche in the end. For a reason in games where you are the avatar, I make mine as a girl, as I like action girls 

 

Hero gains all the respect in the end. All of it.

Hero is cosmically/plot-wise the most important thing ever. I'd love to see someone make the protagonist the one who gets to accompany some destined-to-be-great person, and just watch them always be better than what they could ever be.

Hero unites many people and earns the respect of many (or even saves the day) through the power of common sense, and not having their head buried somewhere warm.

 

Also: Anyone who ever one-ups the hero will get one-up'ed, making the first one-up just there to make the hero's one-up more satisfying.

Yes, it gets tiring, and them usually being  the "ideal bishonen and Marty Stu hero" Archetype doesn't help 

 

Unrealistic heroism. I think it would be entertaining to see a chaotic neutral hero, or a hero that, is in reality actually selfish, but does good for his own self interest. They make it seem like people being selflessly noble is a common thing in the media, but if we have to be honest with ourselves, necks dont get stuck out on the line unless somepony is getting paid, or if its personal.

Yeah, one of the most overused cliches ever as I already mentioned. No wonder why villains and secondary characters are usually more popular

 

Everyone's OC (ESSPECIALY in DBZ) has to be some super powered, god like character.

Every hero has to be all, "I'll sacrafice myself to save the day!"...it works sometimes, but every time...come on...even Optimus Prime has worn that out.

People get the misconception that the best characters are the paragons of virtue and selflessness, but they end up being flat, with the bad guys stealing the spotlight

 

 

World in Peril? SEND IN THE INEXPERIENCED CHILDREN TO SAVE IT!!!

Worst of all: they win unscathed

 

 

 

OK, as you can see in those post quoted above, it irks me how much the plot tend to give extra special treatment to it's main characters, and with it, let me ad some:

-Why the main character do risk their lives? because it's the right thing to do

-The plot making you taking the main character(s) side if they decide to imprudently deciding to help a handful of people in danger even if the odds of pulling it off are VERY low, and/or chances of failing and causing even more harm are TOO high. Worst of all, they ALWAYS pull it off. Because you know: blind reckless heroism>common sense . Oh, and those older characters going against them because they DO have common sense, they're bad and selfish guys

 

 

Well, enough with the main characters cliches, let's mention one category that pisses me off:

You know, with the death of my parents, I want volunteers to play a deadly game. Four will be enough. The rules are simple: You bring a sword each of you, stand in a horizontal line facing  me. I'll be 15ft in front of you, and I'll be armed with a handgun, full magazine. At the count of three, we'll try to kill each other. What'll happen? Well, you'll most likely die of course  :-P  ,  I win both the game and the grand prize of life in prison  . Point is, don't bring a sword to a gun fight   ......... THEN WHY IN THE HELL A SETTING WHERE THERE ARE BOTH SWORDS AND GUNS SWORDS ALWAYS WIN  ? AND THEY WIN IN EVERY FUCKING THING :

-"Hey, you got a nice sword there, and it comes with a bargain of making you fast enough to dodge bullets mid-firing, deflect a whole magazine of automatic fire, AND get close enough in the blink of an eye"

-"Steel, titanium, vibranium, adamantium? NO PROBLEM, your handy sword will cut through, and bullets wont even leave a mark"

-"Tiredness of swinging that guy around and making flashy acrobatic moves to get close in foes? Dude, that's a myth"

-"Guns jams, and need maintenance. Swords wont ever lose sharpness nor get rust"

-"Those fools wont ever hit you, and every swing of your will insta-kill"

Behold, the most absurd cliche of people using modern weaponry being curb-stomped by people using outdated weaponry, AND THAT ALWAYS HAPPENS. You think any idiot knows how to use a gun? Let me tell you something buddy, I'm no marksman, and I used guns casually because my dad was a military officer, and I can tell you that not any idiot can use a gun

 

PD:Damn, this post came out long 

Edited July 7, 2016 by Steve Piranha

[Lil Pip 775]

Sequels, and movies where the goal is money or fun instead of for the sake of the movie. Idk.

[cider float 2,538]

Not really media related but a common thing in the recent years are brother/sister relationships in anime/manga.

 

I'm freaking dead sick of them..

They fall in love with one another and think this is wrong and avoid getting in there but later find out one was adopted and then it's okay trope?

[Castle Bleck 19,376]

The "Happy Ending Override" TV Trope.

 

Cheapest way to create drama for a sequel, and just risks Darkness-Induced Audience Apathy more than anything else, IMO.

 

Looking at you, Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, etc.

[Merion 783]

Villain says something before killing the hero so the hero can get saved at the last second.

 

In the movie Kingsman: The Secret Service there's a brilliant scene that mocks this trope. Have you seen it?

 

As for me...  can't stand the teenagers-doing-totally-adult-stuff cliche that is so typical for anime. Oh, here's a 16 y/o boy who happens to be a yakuza leader, because that's the kind of stuff teenagers are up to these days! And let's not forget the masses of high schoolers who live on their own and somehow manage to pay their bills! 

[cmarston1 5,959]

I don't really know what to call it, but whenever I get second hand embarrassment for a character.

[weesh 690]

Oh yeah, I just hope the kickass babe doesn't become a cliche in the end. For a reason in games where you are the avatar, I make mine as a girl, as I like action girls 

 

It sorta already is.

Lots of the action babes have literally nothing else going for them.  Like the writers think "if I make the action hero a girl, I don't have to add any other character development!"  

 

---

 

I hate "love at first sight".

It's completely stupid, because it makes people think that that is the way it is supposed to happen, when most of the time it doesn't.  

I was seething in my seat while watching frozen, but at least they subverted the trope.  Didn't make me hate the first half of the move less though; it was still painful to watch the first time.  

 

I'd much rather have a relationship story like "Shaun of the Dead", where the story starts with a long term, but broken relationship, or "the Princess Bride", where they establish a long term relationship in the first 5 minutes before the plot of the story starts.