Caray, Caray!

My list is part pet peeve cliches, lol maybe we should call the list cliches that p.. us off, lol
Accidental eavesdropping #1-ennemy hears damaging info just by walking by
#2- right person hears wrong info/half convo
People who talk for 10 minutes without saying the most important info then gets interrupted.
People always but always go to the wrong person to confirm something they were told or heard. Never to the person who is concerned, uff
Romy
 

Evil other woman gets hero drunk or somehow drugs him, then removes clothes and jumps into bed with him so when he wakes he believes he's done the deed.

Continuation of this: she's pregnant by some other guy and says the kid is the result of the night they "did the deed" which they never actually did.
 

Great stuff UA!!

I agree with Romy on the Accidental Eavesdropping--not all the conversation heard leads to misunderstanding.

Others (apologize if they were there--I read fast):

- Fainting to signal a woman being pregnancy
- Galan/Heroins believing a mistruth by the very villain he/she hates
- Heroine can't sleep with anyone but the Galan gets a pass
- Did we have the bad guy confessing to a priest and the priest "can't" say anything?
- The ultimate has to mean marriage and baby/babies immediately


Oops,. meeting. man this is fun!

Daisynjay


 

Great list Urban. Thanks!

I want to add: "No puede ser!"
 

No me toques!
 

Also, the main characters are always the best in their class. They graduate with honors.
 

Corrupt Police/Authorities

Unethical/bribeable doctors/nurses

Psycho Psychiatrist/Psychologist

Amnesia

Evil Twin

A lot of these are on the telenovela bingo cards

https://sites.google.com/site/telenovelasdesquiciadas/bingo

 

Wow, great list, lol. Did we say faked DNA?
Or almost everyone can be bribed/corrupted
My biggest one RAPE!
Someone lets his/herself be blackmailed for some stupid stuff that gets in them in much bigger trouble
The witchy/bitchy prota is the one mama wants for her son
Romy


 

Thid is fun subject Urban, how you come up with these.

Doomsday for sure is a love-death sentence as soon as lovers swear up and down that nothing will separate "JAMAS" with a "Confia enMi" for safe measure.

Actually I believes that every novela has a hospitalbed near death or innocent person being jailed. That irks me so. It would be refreshing to at least have a sinkhole swallow someone, que se yo?? Pero algo differente por favor already.

Ava
 

UA--It's about time we let loose on this, as many snarky comments we've made on clichés. I think at one time we kept a list of clichés and numbered them (un-consecutively).

We can't leave out:
NOT calling for police or ambulance when someone has been seriously injured.

I'll think of some more
 

Some character always ends up in the hospital.

Someone always ends up wearing a neck brace (for a while).

The protagonista/heroine is the lost/illegitimate/given up for adoption daughter of a wealthy character in the story.
 

EL TALISMAN ALERT--Here are some of the clichés we collected while HAVING to watch El Tal. Some of them relate directly to something going on in El Tal, but can easily be transmigrated to other telenovela plotlines. ENJOY.

TAL*MART STATIONERY AND CLICHETERIA DEPARTMENT
(Special Offering)

Downloadable for use as Greeting Cards (or alternatively Fortune Cookie fortunes)

Cliché #123: You will wake up the avenging anvils if you tell your lover that nothing and no one will ever separate the two of you. The anvils can hear those words through all the other celestial chatter. It is guaranteed you will be separated, sometimes for most of a telenovela.

Cliché #273: You Will Strike a Devil's Bargain.

Cliché #448: You must leave doors open when you are having a key behind-closed-doors private conversation

Cliché #449: The obverse is true—when you are having a key conversation that is about to reveal a secret, no one is listening at the door.

Cliché #522: You will find out the local priest is not just your Father, but your father. [Of course this one refers to TdA.]

Cliché #675: Phone messages, like mail, are rarely delivered in time, on time or to the right person.

Cliché #687: You show anger by hurling a cell phone across the room; if said cell phone is not handy, a glass of unfinished whisky or tequila will do (glass must shatter). If you happen not to have either, stand in front of your desk or dresser and clear the top of everything (then you can throw pillows and kick chairs). Never, never do this in front of anyone—you MUST be alone for it to be most effective.

Cliché #731: You are accused of a crime, jailed and are only released by a twist of fate or kindly judge. It’s never for evidence, testimony, alibis or police investigation reports (Hope for a trial for murder, they are the shortest)—or you are aided by a trusted friend in making a daring escape.

Cliché #777: Guns fired at you will graze you, hit you in the shoulder, arm, leg or stomach, may put you in the hospital, but are never fatal. Guns you fire at a villain (in self-defense only) are almost always lethal even if said subject is crouching behind a car. Wall safes are fair game for target practice.

Cliché #890: When caught red-handed, you must declare, “It's not what you think! We have to talk! Please listen to me!” (Ugh. That is one of my least favorite telenovela clichés; it's even worse than amnesia.)

Cliché #890.1: Amnesia

Cliché #963: HEART MEDICATION which is not heart medication. (Anvil time, Gregorio)

Cliché #978: The first person to tell the story is the one who is believed. (Thanks to 5ft Latina’s Mr. 5ft over on LQNPA.) This obviously includes lovers and law enforcement officers.

Cliché #998: When innocuous sobriquets are not exactly what you want, the word Estupido! is required.

Cliché #999: If you are a villain or villaness, important papers you are looking for are always in plain sight or in the top drawer of the desk you are rifling through. If you are a galán (or gallina), important papers you are looking for are never found.

 

" It would be refreshing to at least have a sinkhole swallow someone,"

LOL!!! I completely agree!
 

The villanos plan to rob the heroines baby
The heroine and the villana are sisters or the galan and the villano are brothers
The heroine always turns to be a rich heir
The heroine always has a friend that loves her but she doesnt correspond him
The heroine marries the villano to forget the galan but never has sex with him
The protagonistas always have friends that the only thing they do is hear their problems.
The galan has a manipulator mom
 

Thanks, Urban! I can see this going strong all weekend. Here's my small contribution for now:

ugly girl transformation

stillborn still alive

te burlaste de mí

striking head during a minor fall is fatal




 

"Me vieron lacara!!!!!!! Doesnt translate well in english "you saw my face."
Ava
 

How about a fainting spell for a woman always indicates pregnancy, usually before the woman herself might be aware.
 

Ava, you made me think of "dar la cara." A straight translation is to take responsibility for something you didn't do; take the blame.

Also, popularly maybe, it is used to mean 'fess up, face the consequences.
 

Mejia uses those in all his novelas


Obligatory crier, think Victoria Ruffo

Stolen child

boda en el ultimo captitulo

Marriage or engagement to other than your true love for some stupid reason

No puede ser

?que haces aqui?

Confia en mi, a real good reason not to

galabesoparalysis, I believe this is a Vivi original, a strapping galan is incapable of freeing himself from the kisses of a tiny woman

you faint, you're pregnant
 

Drugging or getting the galan drunk & he thinks they had sex
 

Locked up in same cell as the person they are fighting with, & the whole family comes to visit at all hours




!!!Love this, I'm getting a lot off y chest, take that Meia!!!
 

déjame en paz

 

My keys stick

s/b

galanbesoparalysis
 

We're almost at a hundred; I added the above ones to the spreadsheet. I added these as well:

Catastrophic medical prognosis followed by miracle recovery
A dangerous document (like a changed will) is hidden rather than destroyed
 

How about

Only one restaurant in town or one doctor? & it's in DF.
 

The villainess, or other "bad girls", when caught out or are out-maneuvered, etc. by someone, always calls them "estupida/o"--usually out of embarrassment.
 

How about:

Teens are either nerds or spoiled brats
Being late to a wedding
Toxic parents (except those are real)
Femme fatal villana is punished with disfigurement
 

Doctors don't talk to gravely/terminally ill person but to their parents or other relatives


 

Thank you UA
What a wonderful topic!!!
What else comes to mind- que te larges
Largate
Tu sabes perfectamente!
 

Someone says the name of the novela.

"Maldito/Maldita"

"Lárgate" "Fuera" "Vete"

Someone rolls down the stairs.
 

Ah, yes, Escaleracide, followed by fuegocide and almohadacide

How is it that the villains can always walk into a patient's (galan) hospital room and administer poison at any time of the day or night without anyone seeing them.

Then of course, there is the Bodus Interruptus

 

...and then there is FATS. Who remembers this gem from NovelaMaven for Amores Verdaderos?

Dictionary Corner (Lest we Forget)
FATS, n. = A type of face/lip melding, often misinterpreted as a kiss; popularized on Mexican telenovelas. See below for a full description.

That wasn't a kiss, it was a Face Attack, Telenovela Style [FATS]. Face Attacks happen when:

Person A (here Jocelyn**) rushes at Person B (Jose Angel**), lips puckered

Person B never sees it coming and can't step aside in time.

Lip contact is Brief, Unreciprocated and Rapidly Terminated by person B.

Person C (Miss Vikki) witnesses only the Lip Contact Phase, not the Rushing At nor the Rapid Termination.

FATS are all about Person C's reaction. What makes this particular one funny is that Person C (Miss Vikki) has no right to HAVE a reaction. In fact, she can't even admit that she was there. But she WILL have to come to terms with her own jealousy.

**Jocelyn and José Angel were recently replaced by A) Lili and B) Frankie with Nikki playing Person C; earlier in tn we also had a scene where A) Nelson FATS’d B) Vikki with Arriaga playing Person C.

 

Daisynjay--Sorry, I read to fast, too. About the fainting/pregnancy cliché.
 

Never, ever locking the damn door during most intimate moments



 

The young female antagonist is never a calm person who understands that break ups happen, but rather must be a raging, jealous madwoman who clings, begs, guilt trips, and/or (eventually) blackmails the galan (usually with faked paternity).

The villain has already or is currently stealing or plotting to steal someone's inheritance.

At least one servant, if not an extra and not a protag, must have a pronounced way of speaking (too loud, too fast, too slow, a heavy regional accent).

The heorine, without any prior knowledge of the industry, becomes the President of a company.

A pregnant woman is cast out (in the rain) to have her baby in secret (this always happened "years ago").

The rich live on large ranches/haciendas/estates and though they have limitless money, no one ever moves into their own place.

Apparently rich villains are secretly broke.

Marrying outside of your socioeconomic class is a scandal that will ruin the family('s wealth/power).



 

Also, do wealthy wonen that live in haciendas really get dressed in their finery, complete w flawless make up and hair EVERY Single Day??
Ava
 

Hehe Mauricio, thats funny and true!!! Someone always rolls down the stairs.
 

Ava--And don't forget those high, high heels whether they are plotting evil deeds or lounging by the pool.
 

GM all,
Anita yesss! The highest heels ever, especially when they being chased.

Ava
 

Has anyone noticed how natural it comes to them to summon "un peon." Even right in front of peons face. Can you imagine calling someone a peon??
Or going to our Holiday Inn and asking for a couple of peons to help?
Ava
 

Ava--Another cliché, speaking of peons.

The main villain always has access to an endless number of thugs, strong-arms and hit men on a moment's notice, so they don't have to get their hands dirty, or at least not visibly. Behind the scenes, it's a different matter. I'm looking at you, Victor De Rosas (Reina de Corazones).
 

To me, the biggest cliché is enduring racism on the part of the writers and casting agents.

The servant class (except when a young woman is going to be the main protagonist), are always darker skinned than the light-skinned hacienda owners or big business executives. Ok, there are exceptions, but I'm saying it's noticeable to me. You wouldn't see the opposite.
 

Asexual, faithful, maiden Aunts
 

This one bugs me...but why does the controlling parent always get to slap the daughter...continuously.

Nette
 

Nette--I see you have been watching Lo Que La Vida me Robo. I believe that was the highest mother-daughter slap count in recent telenovelas.

My question is, why do we get so many slaps anyway? Is this the only way women have to show their anger and revulsion or to make some sort of statement? Men do much less slapping of women on tns, but they do do a lot worse, regularly and painfully, with long-lasting repercussions.
 

blond = slut

brunette = good girl
 

Wow you guys great list

Its funny but I can't remember any till I read the list and then remember all of them - its like 'yeah I remember that but what else that hasn't been mentioned, can't think of anything'
but then I keep reading and 'oh yeah that too, oh and of course that, and ooohh that one really bugged me'

so I've got nothing to add but you all are taking care of it for me

 

Just thought of another one--

Hair Extensions on women of all ages, but especially on women of a certain age where it would look odd and inappropriate for real on city streets (much less haciendas). Shoulder length is very attractive and can still be swept back for a boda.
 

Novelera--To add to the drugged or drunk hero (or heroine) believing he/she did the deed and don't remember it, there is now the SELFIE, which of course, doesn't lie, no?
 

Anon at 1:43--
If they are going to do the twin thing, I wish they would use real twins. Sure using the same actor for two different personalities makes them stretch their skills, but we're all in on it and we don't believe it for a minute. (I might try if it's two Cristians de la Fuente, though.)
 

UA--Here's a good one:

"Me la vas a pagar." Said usually by antagonist when a protagonist gets the better of them, usually through their own foolish mistakes. Can be said to his/her face, but we more often see it after the protagonist has turned and is leaving the scene.
 

How about fake boobage? Many actresses' fake boobage doesn't look logical on their bone structures. Of all the ones I know about only Edith Gonzales' look like they could be real.

But this isn't unique to novelas and not epidemic in all countries that produce them.
 

I'd reword one of these to "Controlling parent slapping daughter" although mothers probably have the edge there.

Blond = slut and brunette = good girl is not universal. Edith Gonzales has a long history of playing heroines with blonde hair and there are a few other actresses who have also done this.

The race thing may or may not reflect social class reality in some of these countries. What I have observed in novelas is that an Ama De LLaves is typically white and may be a poor relation of the family she serves. A chauffeur is usually white, young, and can be the confidant of a young male protagonist. Nannies (present or former) can be any race.

Here are more:

Sacrificial lamb and/or Virgin Martyr: a virtuous character who typically dies within two weeks of the finale (any cause of death)
Virgin Mary: either a virginal single female dressed in blue and white or a mother who witnesses her adult son's violent death and is typically posed as Michaelangelo's Pieta
 

I've brought the list up to date and we're over 130!

When I get home later I will continue. After that I will rearrange it according to subject category for a later reposting.

This is a very fun topie!
 

UA--Here's one more.
I remember this one from Amor Bravio: Identical birthmarks as proof of consanguinity (before DNA, I guess).
 

Villains: very efficient and intelligent in accomplishing their nasty deeds.

Good guys: very little sense of urgency or common sense in taking care of business to thwart villains.
 

UA--Did you do a sweep of all the Bingo Cards? Was it on Julia's blog? Can't remember. Which tn did she start that for?
 

These are no longer popular cliche words, but some derogatory names have changed with time. Not for Urbans list of current cliches, but anyone remember these?? Canalla! Mendigo!
Ava
 

Anita, I have a corollary to the birthmark one: When a wealthy man has a legit son and an hijo natural, the latter is the one who looks like him.

I didn't look at the bingo cards. I had started this list ages ago. But I will review them within the next week or so.

TO ALL:

The list we're compiling here applies to standard novelas produced for viewers 18+. If fans of narco stories can compile a list unique to that sub-genre, go ahead. I will also ID stuff that might be unique to novelas de epoca, although we're not getting much of that action lately. :'(.

I will be very busy next weekend with Halloween and some other stuff. Anyone can post a weekend topic so if I fail to provide one by noon on any Saturday, just jump in if you have a topic. Some holiday weekends may be too busy for them, so think about that. Kat is keeping us up to date with the news as well.

 

Thank you Urban for the topic! I too have a few to share!

The male galan is seen a selfish spoiled bastard with no balls and the villains take pleasure of that fact especially if they're related by blood. The galan makes the bad guys look good in the eyes of men.

The male villains desire sexual pleasure from the heroins and enjoys giving us nightmares (Looking at you Fausto Lopez Guerra.)

There is always a family secret of some kind either a murder, robbery, suicide and then there's bankruptcy that was hidden for decades .

Toxic mothers that won't let their children breathe and grow independent.

Rape which leads into pregnancy then the villain rubs it into the victims face and she doesn't tell anyone. It's the most repulsing cliche but unfortunately real.




 

¿Que más da?

Yo hago lo qué me pega la gana. (Best said by EY to CF in Corazón Salvaje)
EY really shut CF with that one.

Mi mujer (had sex?)
Mi esposa (had sex)
Mi secretaria (definitely)