Sitcom Cliches

[Pink Ranger]

-the special "daughter is having a period/son is starting to *********e, so let's have an awkward talk about our bodies with them" episode that seemed really popular in the 90's (Blossom, Roseanne...)

Although the Roseanne way of dealing with it was quite funny.

 

[PyroChamber]

- Sassy black mom/wife; unreasonable, always ready to roll that neck and get into someone's face at the drop of a dime, and constantly getting on her husband's nerves.

- The babysitting episode, where a night of babysitting gets completely out of hand.

- Mom knows it all while Dad is an idiot.

- It was all a dream; nuff said.

 

[Incrediblejeff]

Reading this thread makes me not want to watch sitcoms ever again.

 

[PyroChamber]

Well, there's so many of these cliches I'm surprised this thread isn't longer.

I forgot to mention...

- The slacker son, funny how the slacker of the family is never the girl.

 

[Panthro]

Well, there's so many of these cliches I'm surprised this thread isn't longer.

I forgot to mention...

- The slacker son, funny how the slacker of the family is never the girl.

Hilary on "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" was kind of a slacker.

 

[ShredderX]

-A variation on this, is a kid wants something really bad, but can't afford it, so he shop-lifts and the guilt gives them nightmares until they confess to an authority figure, who expresses concern and understanding instead of disappointment. Kid and authority-figure return object together and shop-keeper is also way too understanding ("well gee, I got kids myself. Tell you what, if you want it so bad I'll give you a discount. (Or even worse "you can have it free of charge!")

HaHaHa !!! Yep, the only show I've seen where this back fired was " Grounded for Life ", when Jimmy was stealing from the Hobby Shop, and Sean escorts him back to the shop to confese, and the shop keeper decides to call the cops, LOL

 

[Lily Adler]

When a friend and/or family member decide to enter a talent show or do some activity that will embarass them because they're so bad at it, and no one decides to tell them to spare their feelings only for shenanigans to ensue when they try to prevent the embarassment from happening.

 

[Lantern Venom]

When a friend and/or family member decide to enter a talent show or do some activity that will embarass them because they're so bad at it, and no one decides to tell them to spare their feelings only for shenanigans to ensue when they try to prevent the embarassment from happening.

There's also the flip side to this one. A character has stage fright and/or an incident of failure related to a talent (often singing), so he/she is reluctant to perform until his/her friends convince him/her. Then the character always turns in a polished, marketing vehicle performance to send everyone home happy.

 

[PyroChamber]

- the Backdoor Pilot

 

[Thundercrack85]

- the Backdoor Pilot

Would Family Matters count as one? I don't remember the episode, but they spun out of an episode of Perfect Strangers.

 

[JJJ's Ulcer]

-Boss is coming to dinner, so everything must be perfect. Instead everything goes wrong. Boss inexplicably doesn't notice the disaster in kitchen, compliments food (which is sometimes take-out bought on the sly after the roast goes up in smoke) and may even promise a raise/promotion for protagonist.

 

[Artistsean]

-Boss is coming to dinner, so everything must be perfect. Instead everything goes wrong. Boss inexplicably doesn't notice the disaster in kitchen, compliments food (which is sometimes take-out bought on the sly after the roast goes up in smoke) and may even promise a raise/promotion for protagonist.

Skinner and Chalmers: Steamed Hams
[YT]DOOLrAa6LUw[/YT]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOOLrAa6LUw

 

[Artistsean]

- the Backdoor Pilot

Is this where a new show spins off from an episode on a different show, or attempts to?
Usually the show dedicates an entire episode to that other group of characters while the show's main cast sits back with small cameos.
They did this on the Nanny with this Hair Salon family "The Chatterbox salon" (never happened)
the Finder on Bones
Empty Nest on Golden Girls
Crash Nebula from Fairly Oddparents
Aquaman from Smallville
NCIS from JAG
NCIS: Los Angeles from NCIS
Would Xena from Hercules count?
Facts of Life on Diff'rent Strokes?
Mork & Mindy on Happy Days?
and I hear The Andy Griffith Show actually got started as a backdoor pilot on The Danny Thomas Show, is that true?
And wasn't a Different world started as a episode of Cosby Show?
and the Cosby Show also tried to start a spin off with an episode about Theo living on his own. Guy from NCIS was in it.
Aqua Teen was an episode where the characters were so good they stole the show and they never aired it but instead gave them their own show.

Lone Gunmen from X-Files? Didn't one episode star them trying to help this mystery woman? While Molder and Scully didn't do anything?
and I know there is more but i can't think right now.

 

[JJJ's Ulcer]

Is this where a new show spins off from an episode on a different show, or attempts to?
Usually the show dedicates an entire episode to that other group of characters while the show's main cast sits back with small cameos.
They did this on the Nanny with this Hair Salon family (never happened)
the Finder on Bones
Empty Nest on Golden Girls
Crash Nebula from Fairly Oddparents

and I know there is more but i can't think right now.

Married with Children did one with an Italian family (I think Matt LeBlanc was supposed to be in it)

 

[PyroChamber]

Is this where a new show spins off from an episode on a different show, or attempts to?
Usually the show dedicates an entire episode to that other group of characters while the show's main cast sits back with small cameos.
They did this on the Nanny with this Hair Salon family "The Chatterbox salon" (never happened)
the Finder on Bones
Empty Nest on Golden Girls
Crash Nebula from Fairly Oddparents
Aquaman from Smallville
NCIS from JAG
NCIS: Los Angeles from NCIS
Would Xena from Hercules count?
Facts of Life on Diff'rent Strokes?
Mork & Mindy on Happy Days?
and I hear The Andy Griffith Show actually got started as a backdoor pilot on The Danny Thomas Show, is that true?
And wasn't a Different world started as a episode of Cosby Show?
and the Cosby Show also tried to start a spin off with an episode about Theo living on his own. Guy from NCIS was in it.
Aqua Teen was an episode where the characters were so good they stole the show and they never aired it but instead gave them their own show.

Lone Gunmen from X-Files? Didn't one episode star them trying to help this mystery woman? While Molder and Scully didn't do anything?
and I know there is more but i can't think right now.

I remember a few that didn't work. I remember one done with an episode of Who's The Boss and Martin.

And I'm not sure if it counts but there was an episode of Tiny Toon Adventures focused entirely on Elmyra and her family.

 

[<(o_o)>]

Brainiac son or Airhead daughter & vice versa.
The father always has a job that he hates.

 

[Lily Adler]

When the wife misuses sports terms.

When the straight man falls in love with the manic pixie dream girl and zaniness happens when they get together. (Dharma & Greg, Phoebe & Mike)

When one of the parents thinks they don't spend enough time with their kids and tries to hang out with them.

When the parent thinks their kid is doing something wrong and needs their help. But the kid won't tell them so they snoop around in their bedroom for clues.

The husband's idiot friend.

 

[Mace Dolex]

HaHaHa !!! Yep, the only show I've seen where this back fired was " Grounded for Life ", when Jimmy was stealing from the Hobby Shop, and Sean escorts him back to the shop to confese, and the shop keeper decides to call the cops, LOL

A favorite of mine was in Diff'rent Strokes when Arnold has to steal something in order to join a club with the "Gooch".

He then walks into a hobby shop and steals an Amazing Spider-Man #14 comic but maybe the writers were lazy because the store owner said it was Amazing Spider-Man #1 and the cover is clearly shown to be #14.

 

[Hellion]

The husband's idiot friend.

or single friend(s)

or the wife's ****ty friends

 

[Mace Dolex]

Would Family Matters count as one? I don't remember the episode, but they spun out of an episode of Perfect Strangers.

In this case Carl and Harriet Winslow would make small appearances on Perfect Strangers but there was never a whole episode devoted to them unlike an actual backdoor pilot that has the main cast in nothing but small cameos.

Married with Children did one with an Italian family (I think Matt LeBlanc was supposed to be in it)

From Wikipedia:

Top Of The Heaphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Married..._with_Children#cite_note-54, was the only episode of the three to get its own show. It was notable as an early sitcom starring Matt LeBlanc. The show was about Vinnie Verducci (played by LeBlanc) and his father always trying get rich quick schemes The end of the pilot episode shows Al breaking into their apartment and stealing their TV to replace the one he lost betting on Vinnie in a boxing match. However, the show didn't last long and was ultimately cancelled. It had its own spin-off/sequel called "Vinnie & Bobby" a year later, which was also canceled.

Radio Free Trumaine was to be about Bud Bundy's time in college with the campus radio station, with Steve Rhoades as the antagonistic Dean. The episode co-starred Keri Russel

Enemies was a Friends clone, featuring Alan Thicke,based on Kelly Bundy's social circle.

 

[Mace Dolex]

- the episode in which the high school kid goes on a blind date only to discover later when he/she picks them up that they have a handicap (blind, deaf, missing a limb), and at the end the kid learns a lesson about how everybody is to be treated equally.

- when the mother-in-law and son-in-law don't get along and it becomes a running gag throughout the series until the final episode when they both realize how much they care for each other,(awwww).

 

[Lily Adler]

The pet that magically disappears after a couple of seasons. (The Heffernan's dog)

Kids throw secret party and try to clean it up before parents get home.

Two couples who have been best friends for years get into a fight which eventually is settled after they see how it effects others.

 

[Incrediblejeff]

In this case Carl and Harriet Winslow would make small appearances on Perfect Strangers but there was never a whole episode devoted to them unlike an actual backdoor pilot that has the main cast in nothing but small cameos.


From Wikipedia:

Top Of The Heaphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Married..._with_Children#cite_note-54, was the only episode of the three to get its own show. It was notable as an early sitcom starring Matt LeBlanc. The show was about Vinnie Verducci (played by LeBlanc) and his father always trying get rich quick schemes The end of the pilot episode shows Al breaking into their apartment and stealing their TV to replace the one he lost betting on Vinnie in a boxing match. However, the show didn't last long and was ultimately cancelled. It had its own spin-off/sequel called "Vinnie & Bobby" a year later, which was also canceled.

Radio Free Trumaine was to be about Bud Bundy's time in college with the campus radio station, with Steve Rhoades as the antagonistic Dean. The episode co-starred Keri Russel

Enemies was a Friends clone, featuring Alan Thicke,based on Kelly Bundy's social circle.

I remember seeing the episode for Enemies thing this seems like a parody of friends.I had no idea they wanted to make that into a full show.Same with Top of The Heap.I don't really remember the Radio Free Trumaine episode.

 

[Lantern Venom]

The husband's idiot friend.

or single friend(s)

or the wife's ****ty friends

This one is on the nose. There are a few exceptions (like an old widower), but most single adults on sitcoms are either weird, stupid, immature or all three.

 

[Mace Dolex]

I remember seeing the episode for Enemies thing this seems like a parody of friends.I had no idea they wanted to make that into a full show.Same with Top of The Heap.I don't really remember the Radio Free Trumaine episode.

It was done during the last couple of seasons when the show was on it's last legs, it featured two guys doing a radio show at Bud's college, one of those guys was a young Eric Dane from Grey's Anatomy.

In the episode Bud is pining for the hot girl played by Keri Russel but there's a muscle bound foreign guy called Nicolai also going for her.