Is anyone else annoyed at how television and movies often portray unrealistic scenarios?

Question

Like, for instance, people actually explaining things to you.

For example, on The Big Bang Theory: It's a show about nerds. Sheldon, Howard, Leonard, and Raj are all nerdy guys that are friends with each other. But being nerds, they all have varying degrees of social awkwardness. And Sheldon is arguably the most awkward one among them. But when he doesn't understand something, or is oblivious to something, or it goes over his head... people explain it to him.

That doesn't happen in real life. In real life, when nerds don't understand something, we're left high and dry. Why doesn't anyone ever explain anything to me? Lol

Is anyone else annoyed at how television and movies often portray unrealistic scenarios?

JamesMI616 · Accepted Answer

Sheldon's character was often oblivious to things that he didn't value and although he does grow it's only because of Amy and Penny. He likely would have been reluctant to accept an explanation while those around him were not going to put themselves in a position that would only result in more condescending comments than they were constantly subjected to. My problem with the depiction of the nerds wasn't with the awkwardness it was how effeminate they were. Penny was the manliest character for the longest time. I remember wishing they would just tone it down a little which I was relieved they slowly did but mostly because of the character development surrounding the female characters who aren't nearly as girly as the guys at any point in the series, but I digress.
In reality people are generally self involved and caught up in the day to day that they are generally oblivious and since they know that you're smart so unless you just come out and ask they'll like assume that you know. Starting an explanation based on an assumption alone is similar to the concept of mansplaining. I wouldn't have launched this explanation if you didn't ask. Haha

IMuser · Accepted Answer

Because they don't think that much. It comes to them naturally

There are certain things which a geek like you can do without thinking but maybe would take an explanation for someone else

For example, find the next term:
4,9,25,49,121,169... (?)

DarkCarousel · Accepted Answer

I just think that some social circles are different than others.
I have a friend that reminds me of Sheldon. His friends are also similar to Sheldon’s crew. When I’ve seen episodes, it seems very realistic to me in the way that those friends are— highly intelligent and seemingly awkward.
I do agree that some tv shows are not always realistic in the way that they portray characters but that could just be because they do something that I wouldn’t do or say. On some level, the audience watches because the characters are relatable to their own experiences.

Aerissa_Jade · Accepted Answer

Then when we do understand we get mansplained to, as well. Your right though, often when you actually want something people won't explain it but when you don't they do.

Maybe that is the trick, pretend you know it so when you don't so others will still explain it.

ChrisMaster69 · Answer

Some of my software devs have brains the size of a small planet and are equally as paranoid about various stuff.

For us mere mortals we do often have to explain basic things to them at times, especially in social surroundings, with guys being more often the most naive.

we do however explain shit to them, as we don’t want to keep babysitting them or seeing them get hurt emotionally or physically.

That and it’s often a good to wind them up with stuff 😂 cruel I know lol

ohshee · Answer

Jamie just ask I dont know if you will be able to understand my answer tho

It the last past 5 years I would say I have watched TV maybe 20 times and that's just because when my brother comes over he turns it on when he's cleaning out my refrigerator lol

MinxDoll · Answer

Yes it ruins the whole film for me. Last night I watch one called slapface and he just met this girl and she’s basically moved in, cooking, all up in the guys family business, it was just so unrealistic it ruined the whole film even tho it wasn’t centered around their relationship.

ODC2112 · Answer

The Big Bang is only successful as a meaningless piece of entertainment because it contains acceptance of typically nerdy culture topics that are included in popular culture. If you notice he does it in a stereotypically accumulative way, the nerd is the one who buys junk from a TV series or similar. However it only stops at the stereotype.

It is very rare that TV tends to break stereotypes, series that do so are for example Atypical or The End of the F *** ing World, generally TV tends to exploit stereotypes to sell often doing it in a very heavy way.

DizzyDesii · Answer

Tv is often a fantasy. Its usually our hopes/dreams/daydreams/thoughts put into live action. I respect it a bit more when its relatable experiences of pleasure and pain being showed

Aakash_Hangargi · Answer

For starters she is paid to explain them and other people in real life are not 😆.

But in my experience , people do explain the obvious things it's just that they should get more familiarity with you only then shall they explain.

BC mostly it's the nerds that they do explaining
Lol people love to appropriate others they love to explain social queues especially to nerds they feel they become smarter than nerds by doing it.

DaveJord · Answer

Oh yeah, I have hard time with it. I hear the whole its just a movie thing so you have to get past the technicalities and embrace the entertainment value.

But it hard for me when the whole thing is based upon the overly dramatized out come of totally unrealistic event. This probably why I like fantasy and fiction because its supposed to be make believe.

Cherry234 · Answer

I am a little bit too. Another example that comes to mind is how some professions are glorified on tv shows and in movies (like doctors, lawyers, etc.). They make you believe they're glamorous professions but there are also downsides to them. Every profession has pros and cons and tv doesn't necessarily accurately portray them.

Gwenhwyfar · Answer

I always try to explain things to people and I appreciate when they explain them to me

Massageman · Answer

You have to realize that they are "explaining it to HIM" so that the script moves the plot forward. This is most noticeable in law and order procedural dramas, where things have to be explained to the viewers, yet done so through the characters in the show. Not always an easy thing to do. Good writers make or break a show.

TheSpaceGnome · Answer

The point of entertainment media is to portray unrealistic things. Otherwise why bother?

That said, people explain things to me all the time, unfortunately it's usually something I already know, or something I have to make a correction on.

I do have questions I want answered that almost no one will answer, but most people don't know how to build a tv or a cpu.

AdithyaR · Answer

TV shows often exaggerate things for entertainment value.

In sheldon's case, he's an exaggerated version of someone in the austistic spectrum, hence why he's painfully oblivious of a lot of social cues. That coupled with his heightened sense of nsrcissim makes him like that

Daniela1982 · Answer

My God, I thought you were talking about some of the pink anon stories they tell on here, when half the galaxy knows it sounds like BS. Now I know where they get their scenarios at.

MrtoddsWildRide · Answer

If TV shows were about real life, would you want to watch them? Even reality shows are somewhat scripted and then they are edited to draw out the maximum effect.
I can't watch a TV show about my profession, but I will scream at the TV the entire time.

TadCurious · Answer

Jaime I'm a fan of that show. But I've wondered about the realism of someone as intelligent as Sheldon Cooper not grasping subtle social/emotional interactions. I understand that there probably is something called emotional intelligence that Sheldon lacks, but it still seems unrealistic to me that his character would so thoroughly and caustically berate the field of engineering (Howard's field). Sheldon, as a techie, would more realistically embrace engineering.

NathanDavis · Answer

I've spent at least 8 years explaining stuff to my nerdy friends... and they also taught me some other stuff, was just like a trade... lol

CrazyGirl2 · Answer

Your question is “why don’t people explain more to me” and not “how come I’m not sleeping with Penny”? All right!

HaveNoName · Answer

The one that gets to me is anything they show about compiters, or computer applications or people working on a computer. For instance, why do all those people working in a computer lab have to type at 2500 clicks a minute for 2 minutes for every job that they perform? How come whatever question you ask them, they dont even have to switch between applications or whatever they have on screen? They just start typing without having to even think what they will type.

KatieB713 · Answer

My friends or family will explain to me stuff I don't understand, as some social aspects generally confuse me and it stresses me out.  But it depends on the person as to whether they exain stuff

driven159 · Answer

if they portrayed real life, it would be very boring let me see my day go to work come home eat take a shower go to bed wake up go to work come home eat take a shower go to bed wake up go to work come home eat take a shower go to bed wake up the weekend Opps weekend over wake up go to work can you spell boring thank god I am retired so I can have fun but had to have boring days to get there

Is anyone else annoyed at how television and movies often portray unrealistic scenarios?

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