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[ SECRET POST #2814 ]

⌈ Secret Post #2814 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.

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So a lot of shows do their take on a certain episode/story, and I can't help compare them. What are certain forms you've seen on multiple shows/etc? Like:

-The 'trapped in a bank during a holdup' episode (mostly on police procedurals. I liked Sanctuary's take best for its aversion of the trope)

-the fight club episode (I have a soft spot for Voyager's version)

-the time loop episode (a sci-fi must. None has slain me like SG-1's)

-the 'pretend to be a couple' episode (Scarecrow and Mrs King is my fave)

-the body-swap episode (like every sci-fi show ever. If Quantum Leap counts I like that best)

The "close friend/ex wife of a main character shows up" episode(s). We've never seen them or heard from them before, they come in and cause drama and leave, never to be heard from again.

House MD and Scrubs both did this, even though Scrubs did it first.

There are soooooo many shows with the Suddenly, a Wild Ex Appears trope that I kind of have moved past reacting with "this is so cliche" and started reacting with "Yay! It's the ex episode!" Star Trek must have done an average of two episodes of this type for each character in each separate series.

My favorite was probably the one on Starsky & Hutch, because a) the scene with Hutch and Vanessa at the bar was so well-acted that it actually rang true, which is rare for episodes of this type, and b) because it was actually all about Starsky and Hutch, not trying to be about Hutch and this random woman we've never seen.

Re: That one episode

(Anonymous) - 2014-09-17 01:53 (UTC) - Expand

The close friend shows up ep of the Closer and he had become a she. Loved it! Character reactions were pretty spot-on.

The It's a Wonderful Life episode, where a character (usually the main character, sees what it would be like if they'd never been born. Nickelodeon did that episode on so many of its shows when I was growing up that I've hated it ever since, but I heard that since then there have been subversions where the character finds out things would be better for everyone else instead of worse. I think I'd enjoy those just out of spite for the original plot.

I think the reason a lot of people (myself included) don't like IAWL is because they're more familiar with spinoffs, where the rules are generally way different. You know the character, so you don't spend 45 minutes having to learn the backstory, and generally rather than getting rejected by people who don't know who he is and think he's some weirdo, the character will either be invisible or an AU version of themselves. I mean, yes, the movie is also very dark and that's largely why I don't like it, but I have to wonder if the lighter and softer versions of it didn't also spoil the mood.

- The "being told that they have a long lost child but it turns out that it isn't really theirs (even after they have bonded with said child within that one hour episode.)" episode (A staple in dramedies.)

- The "accidentally take a potion/get hit in the head, forget everything and become evil" episode. (Many sci-fi and fantasy shows do this)

- The "go to the doctor and being told they are dying when in fact, they got the wrong results" episode.

The episode where characters are supposed to go somewhere or be somewhere, and everyone in the group is a big asshole and makes it impossible for thing to actually happen, or nearly makes it impossible. Friends did it twice, Modern Family once, and I swear it's happened in other episodes. TBH those just annoy me, because they're usually contrived, and after a while in the real world you'd just be like "you know what, let's make this a rain check." Although I did like the Friends one where they kept doing it to Phoebe, and in the end her boyfriend called her and she just left. After they got her shit together. Except I'm not sure if it was supposed to be that she was a hypocrite or if it was meant to be a crowning moment of awesome/ass kicking.

The Drug Episode, which appears in practically every action-y show ever aimed at children. Character takes fictional drug which makes them more physically capable but messes with their head, and decides it's not worth it at the end of the episode. My favorite of those is probably the Transformers Prime take on it, simply for having the old medic be the person who starts taking drugs instead of the youngest member of the group or the lone-wolf type. It's a refreshing change.

Um, what was the fight club episode in Voyager? I don't remember and want to!

There's the musical episode, although I can only think of How I Met Your Mother

Tsunkatse, I believe.

Fourth or fifth season, it was a Seven episode. An interesting take on it.

Re: That one episode

(Anonymous) - 2014-09-17 03:11 (UTC) - Expand

Re: That one episode

maverickz3r0 - 2014-09-18 00:35 (UTC) - Expand

Wait, HIMYM had a musical episode?

Re: That one episode

(Anonymous) - 2014-09-17 02:34 (UTC) - Expand

Scrubs musical!

I'm pretty sure Buffy started the musical episode thing, though I could be wrong about that.

Re: That one episode

caffeine_buzz - 2014-09-17 01:16 (UTC) - Expand

Re: That one episode

skippydelicious - 2014-09-17 01:35 (UTC) - Expand

Buffy, Grey's and Scrubs also did musical episodes, and I enjoyed them all...

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia also has a musical episode and it's just horribly inappropriately wonderful.

-The 'two characters trapped together think they're going to die' episode. I like Enterprise's best, personally.

-Locked room-type episodes in general, actually. Midnight remains one of my favourite Doctor Who episodes.

SG-1's time loop episode was a thing of beauty.

I nominate Grey's Anatomy for the musical episode. I like some of their song versions way better than the originals.

I really liked Rizzoli & Isles' take on the "one of our own is the main suspect" episode with Maura thinking she really could have done it.

I always like that episode where it's the same story told from different perspectives. I don't know if there's a specific name for that but I always like those, they're usually really funny.

It's called the "Roshomon" and I agree!

Re: That one episode

vethica - 2014-09-17 00:31 (UTC) - Expand

Re: That one episode

(Anonymous) - 2014-09-17 00:32 (UTC) - Expand

Re: That one episode

lunabee34 - 2014-09-17 01:35 (UTC) - Expand

Re: That one episode

(Anonymous) - 2014-09-17 01:14 (UTC) - Expand

Re: That one episode

leikomgwtfbbq - 2014-09-17 03:12 (UTC) - Expand

Re: That one episode

raspberryrain - 2014-09-17 01:20 (UTC) - Expand

Re: That one episode

(Anonymous) - 2014-09-17 01:36 (UTC) - Expand

Re: That one episode

caffeine_buzz - 2014-09-17 02:29 (UTC) - Expand

Re: That one episode

(Anonymous) - 2014-09-20 02:22 (UTC) - Expand

"One of the main characters is the victim/client/patient" in procedurals, medical dramas, cop dramas, legal dramas, etc, where usually, the victim/client/patient is a one-off character.

That's a little broad though, I guess.

The 'Pretend to be dead' episode (I love both Friends' "The one with the memorial service" and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia's "Mac and Charlie die")

Is the amnesia episode still a thing? Or did it only happen in older shows?

Re: That one episode

lunabee34 - 2014-09-17 01:36 (UTC) - Expand

Ooh, I love comparing these types of things!

Best trapped together and about to die episode: Babylon 5, Londo and G'kar in the elevator.

Best transported to another dimension where their lives are a TV show: Hercules! Supernatural's can GTFO (jokes, but I really wasn't the biggest fan of it).

Best Crack! episode: Supernatural does win this one for Changing Channels - everything is just perfect. With runner up prizes going to The Trouble with Tribbles and Trials and Tribble-lations.

Re: That one episode

(Anonymous) - 2014-09-17 06:16 (UTC) - Expand

I've seen a telenovela ep in two seperate shows, Psych and Warehouse 13. Both slayed me. Wonder if there's more out there?

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