Realities that don't exist in TV land

[QueSyrahSyrah]

Inspired by the ongoing curtains thread, what realities of the world do you consistently see ignored in TV and Film?

I'll start; Car Insurance. We've been watching a show recently where the characters are forever borrowing or swapping cars with family and friends. Vanishingly unlikely that everyone has open all-driver insurance (unless that's a more common thing in America maybe?).

@Noorandapples my DH and I have a running joke about the phone one. Everytime we see someone just hang up on TV, we both shout out "BYE" 😆

I remember seeing one program where a woman who was on the run got her period and had to obtain some tampons. I was amazed. This never happens.

And waking up then straight into sex. Does no one need a morning wee.

Unfortunately as an ex Police Officer this can unfortunately happen a lot in real life. You go to someone's work place and (unless you're arresting them) they make you talk to them while they carry on doing what they're doing. The other one is when they're watching to. I've asked them to turn the to off before now and been refused or they look at you like you've asked to turn off their oxygen supply.

This! It drives me mad how people in films and tv shows just hang up the phone without saying goodbye! I get that the whole “righto id best get off as I need to get to sainsburys… yeah you too… hahahaha… ok speak soon… bye… bye” thing probably isn’t a riveting watch, but it IS how people actually talk. Life isn’t all profound statements and hanging up the phone immediately after saying your line and then going off to do something dramatic!! (Although to be fair my husband and I always say if we made films they would be very dull and not at all successful, but would be much more realistic and involve a lot more admin and risk assessments!)

No one ever takes there shoes off when they go into a house, even if they are wearing muddy boots.

One night stands always result in pregnancy.
No one puts the bins out or moans about recycling household waste.

My bugbear is people having lengthy conversations while they're driving and looking at the passenger. Grey's Anatomy is the only show where this leads to car cashes.

And yes to drink driving (though in my experience it's much more socially acceptable in the US than in Europe)

@QueSyrahSyrah

In the USA our car insurance was any driver over 25 automatically

Reading a bedtime story ..
"And they all lived happily ever after night sweetheart" quick kiss, lights out.

Child goes to sleep in perfect bedroom.

Illness.

No one ever seems to get Ill unless its directly relevant to the storyline.
Especially kids.

I mean the amount of time my kids have been unwell in the last year, about 85% of any series should have the characters too unwell to do anything apart from rest and try and get better.

Also pregnancy in movies and caring for kids.

People announce they are pregnant and after a musical interlude they have a 5 year old that's going to school.

When I was struggling in the newborn days- that pissed me off. It isnt that easy. You dont get a baby and the next minute it's an easy 5 year old to care for.

Wearing bras in bed! Who does that?

Yes and people seem to go straight to penetrative sex like no lube or foreplay ever needed!

I remember that too. Probably because it’s so rare to see.
No one ever mentions factoring weekends away, holidays or wedding dates around periods.
Worse the cheeky bunk up where women are always up for it. Guessing they must all be on the coil or something.

If you live on a farm there is only one farm in the entire country. I’ve seen the same farm used in 4 different shows now. It’s mainly in the new version of Worzel Gummidge but I saw it in The Cleaner the other day too. I can’t remember the others.

As for child care, there is always a grandmother who has nothing else to do. She doesn’t have her own job, house or social life.

Person 1: I need to tell you something really important.
Person 2: Oh I'm a bit busy can we talk later
P1: No it's really urgent it can't wait.
P2: Ok give me a minute potters about doing unnecessary task Ok what's up?
P1: Right well this is really hard to say Person 3 walks in and interrupts has a chat and leaves
P2: Sorry what were you saying?
P1: Oh it nothing it doesn't matter now.
P2: Oh ok see ya later then.

WOULD NEVER HAPPEN!! Maybe I'm just a worrier but if someone came to me looking all anxious and wanting to tell me something important I'd want to know what it was straight away.

Also texts from Unknown. This doesn't happen in real life does it? You can't hide your number to send a message?

Waking up with a full face of make up.

Arranging to meet up but never saying a time.

Always, always drinking alcohol. In the pub, at home - unless the character is an alcoholic and then they only drink orange juice.

Having sex standing up with no difficulty whatsoever.

No, ‘Just hitch up a bit there…hang on…up a bit…no…THAT’S NOT MY FANNY…oh fuck it, let’s get into bed…’

And this especially in London to cries in this house "you would never get a parking space there" ......and you have to feed a meter innit

My favourite is if a parent needs to have a serious conversation, magically their small child will go away or just sit quietly watching them rather than constantly interrupting and asking for snacks.

Sorry I think I've got the idea of the thread the wrong way round and have picked out things that happens on TV that don't happen in real life

Was just about to come on and say that. Drives me nuts.

If you hit somebody over the head hard enough to render them unconscious then you will have almost certainly inflicted a serious , probably fatal , head injury. Few will recover, shake their head and complain of a head ache without the attention of some highly qualified and experienced medical professionals.

Also just one punch can cause extensive facial injury that will require expert medical and dental treatment. It can also cause blindness , permanent scarring and even a fatal blood clot.

Also bone fractures don’t always heal properly. I’ve treated amputees that were the result of that.

I used to be a newspaper reporter and I lol at the way journalists are always depicted - ruthless, always rushing to be the first to answer the phone to “get the story”, never going home and… never ever taking any notes. When in reality, the phone would ring in our office and we’d all go: “I’m not answering, I’ve got too much on. Your turn.” “No, I did it last time.” And so on.

And then when you did answer, it was very rarely someone with a major story about government corruption etc. It was usually someone wanting to know why their paper hadn’t been delivered.

Might just be me but nobody on TV ever seems to feel exhausted. They’ll be working full on jobs, plus investigating mysteries in their spare time, plus having relationships and a social life, and they never just flop on the couch and say they’re too knackered to move.