History MundaneUtility / LiveActionTV

* ''{{Scrubs}}'': JD has used his medical knowledge for a hangover cure and feeding himself via an IV.

* In ''LoisAndClark'', Clark sometimes used his heat vision for mundane tasks such as shaving (by bouncing the beam off a mirror) and reheating coffee.

* In ''Series/StargateAtlantis'', Teyla has some kind of Ancient laser device that she uses to light candles. This was quite possibly its original purpose. The Ancients over-engineered everything.

* ''Series/StargateUniverse''. The Kino. A small, ball-shaped floating planetary exploration probe with a wide range of sensors to determine viability for human life and a camera for visual recon. Also good for spying on the women's shower. Eli also tried to hogtie a few dozen of them to make a flying platform. Coordination issues didn't allow it to maneuver, but it's load-bearing capacity would turn out vital on several occasions.
* Leslie from ''TheBigBangTheory'' has used an infrared laser to heat up her cup noodles, and liquid nitrogen to freeze and shatter a banana for her cereal because she couldn't find a knife to cut it.
-->'''Leslie:''' I'm trying to see how long it takes a 500-kilowatt oxygen iodine laser to heat up my Cup o' Noodles.
-->'''Leonard:''' I've done it. About two seconds, 2.6 for minestrone.
** Also from Big Bang, in one episode the gang rigged Leonard and Sheldon's apartment so that all of the electronics are remote-controlled via the internet. When asked why, they all reply at the same time "Because we can."

* Series/KamenRiderFourze is the king of this trope. Out of all 40 of his switches, most of them are completely useless in most battles (ex. Water, Aero, Hand, etc.) so most of the time Fourze is shown using them for more creative purposes[[note]]Most occur in the intro such as using Aero as a leaf blower or Net to catch a butterfly but there are a few occurrences in the show such as using beat to as a guitar amp.[[/note]] but some, like Freeze become quite useful once Cosmic is introduced.

* [[Series/KamenRiderWizard Wizard's]] connect spell has been used more than once to retrieve donuts for Haruto.

* ''Series/DoctorWho'': The titular Doctor has in his possession the [[CoolShip most powerful ship]] in the universe, able to appear ''anywhere'' in [[TimeAndRelativeDimensionsInSpace time and space]] in a matter of minutes. It's also capable of [[spoiler:towing entire planets]] and bestowing God-like powers on anyone who looks into its heart. He uses it for sightseeing.
** [[CaptainErsatz Metron]] of the NewGods does the same thing.
** The Literature/EighthDoctorAdventures novels take this to a whole new level of uselessness and silliness. The ship described previously, you see, is BiggerOnTheInside. There are a lot of uses for that kind of technology, but one wants to know when it started to seem to recurring antagonist Sabbath that fashioning a PaperThinDisguise by way of making himself appear somewhat slimmer seemed like a good use of the alien technology of extinct {{Physical God}}s. Way to go, man, you just created Time Lord foundation garments, and I'm sure tons of ''zaftig'' Time Ladies would be really grateful if the Doctor hadn't [[WhereIWasBornAndRazed killed them all]].\\
Bizarrely, the Doctor is actually almost fooled by a disguise whose effects could be replicated by exercise and healthy eating.

* In an episode of ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'', it turns out that Giles has been using a MacGuffin needed as the focus to restore Angel's soul as a paperweight (a ContinuityNod; when Jenny bought one the shopkeeper said he'd sold a couple as "new age paperweights").

* On ''Series/{{Angel}}'', Harmony is seen using her vampire super-strength to lift a cabinet in order to retrieve her shoe from underneath.

* ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'': The Enterprise: The federation's finest flagship is used for the odd reception often.
** SciFiDebris even lampshaded it:
-->"Tomorrow: Symposium on Tegas III's History.\\

** Seeing as the ''Enterprise'' '''is''' the flagship, using it to host receptions is not altogether silly. Nothing beats showing off your big guns to foreign ambassadors, as a way to say: ally with us and this'll protect you, attack us and this'll kick your ass. In fact capital ships have been used repeatedly for such reasons, from the Great White Fleet tour of the Pacific to the Japanese signing the surrender on the deck of the battleship ''Missouri''. There is a reason for the term "Gunboat Diplomacy".\\\
Also justified in that [=TNG=]-era Starfleet really only has two kinds of ships -- smaller science-oriented ships and larger "floating city"-type ships. The former are the kind to have bunk beds and communal showers, making the latter the only option for diplomatic missions of any magnitude.
** Next Generation era Star Trek does this so much you forget about it. Instant matter creation is used to make everything from gift wrapping to coffee, teleportation devices are used to have dinner at home when you're at college, and rooms that can simulate ANY of the senses, touch, sight, smell, of ANY thing you can possibly imagine is used to play pool and glorified [[{{LARP}} LARPing]].
** ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'': Kor uses the legendary Sword of Kahless, more or less the Klingon equivalent of Excalibur and the Holy Grail combined, as a fork. According to legend, Kahless himself used the sword to plow a field, skin a legendary monster, and carve a statue of his beloved.
*** Worf considers what Kor is doing with it sacrilege, but Kor insists that it is meant to be used.

** In the episode "Allegiance", the "kawoosh" of an opening Stargate is used in a burial ceremony to disintegrate the bodies. This is a JustifiedTrope, though. A Sarcophagus can revive the dead (to an extent), so making sure there isn't a body to revive is a prudent measure to take.

** The Asgard have taken this to an art form. With the invention of transporter technology, they use it for ''everything''. They literally beam themselves around still sitting in their chairs rather than walking.
*** Slightly justified in that their bodies are extremely frail thanks to millennia of CloneDegeneration.

* ''Series/StargateUniverse''. The Kino. A small, ball-shaped floating planetary exploration probe with a wide range of sensors to determine viability for human life and a camera for visual recon. Also good for spying on the women's shower. Eli also tried to hogtie a few dozen of them to make a flying platform. Couldn't fly very well, but turned out to be a nice hovering cart.

* ''Series/AgentsOfShield'': after getting their hands on some glasses with backscatter XRayVision, Skye and Fitz attempt to use them to cheat Ward in a game of cards. When Skye points out that with the glasses activated she'll be able to see Fitz naked, he immediately aborts the scheme...[[spoiler:and then [[PowerPerversionPotential Skye uses them to peek through Ward's clothes.]]]]

* ''BreakingBad'' season 3 has chemist-turned-methamphetamine-maker Walt going to work for a drug cartel. On his first day, he finds his new assistant, also an expert chemist, using his sophisticated knowledge and equipment to make really, REALLY good coffee. Walt's reaction upon tasting: "This stuff is amazing -- why are we making meth?"

* In the show ''NoHeroics'', the opening credits show each character using their powers for mundane problems in their daily lives. Alex uses his heat powers to cook his TV dinner. Sarah uses her electronics powers to steal some cash from an ATM. Don uses his foresight ability to find out that his train is delayed. Jenny uses her super strength to move a car out of the way in a parking lot.

* One episode of ''Series/{{House}}'' had House using a highly advanced and very expensive surgical robot to...cut a button on Cuddy's blouse, make a very shallow incision on her face and blow air on her. It is a demo of the machine's precision, after all. Not that she isn't a little aroused...

* Samantha in ''Series/{{Bewitched}}'' was sometimes seen using her magic to do housework. Even though Darrin didn't approve.

* Series/KamenRiderFourze is the king of this trope. Out of all 40 of his switches, most of them are completely useless in most battles (ex. Water, Aero, Hand, etc.) so most of the time Fourze is shown using them for more creative purposes[[hottip:*:(Most occur in the intro such as using Aero as a leaf blower or Net to catch a butterfly but there are a few occurrences in the show such as using beat to as a guitar amp.)]] but some, like Freeze become quite useful once Cosmic is introduced.

* KamenRiderFourze is the king of this trope. Out of all 40 of his switches, most of them are completely useless in most battles (ex. Water, Aero, Hand, etc.) so most of the time Fourze is shown using them for more creative purposes[[hottip:*:(Most occur in the intro such as using Aero as a leaf blower or Net to catch a butterfly but there are a few occurrences in the show such as using beat to as a guitar amp.)]] but some, like Freeze become quite useful once Cosmic is introduced.

* Jonathan Smith in ''HighwayToHeaven'' uses his powers as an angel of God to do things to help him with his duties. Although his powers sometimes help him do incredible things like catch bullets, these are most often of the mundane variety, such as keeping doors from opening so someone will have to stay and listen to his lecture, pushing little girls into swimming pools, making beer disappear out of glasses and pitchers (despite the fact that he served the beer in the first place), or appearing/disappearing without using the door. (Ta da!)

* In ''{{Smallville}}'', Clark has been seen using heat vision to make toast, pop corn and heat drinks, using SuperSpeed to clean up and run to school whenever he misses the bus and SuperStrength for his many farm chores. He also uses SuperStrength and heat vision to make a diamond ring for Lana, likely a ShoutOut to the ''Film/SupermanIII'' scene.

* [[KamenRiderWizard Wizard's]] connect spell has been used more than once to retrieve donuts for Haruto.

* In an episode of ''TimeTrax'', a scientist from the future "invents" devices 200 years ahead of their time. How does he use a device that instantly cools down any object? To chill a can of beer.

* [[Series/{{Smallville}} Clark Kent]] makes a great farmboy with his superstrength and invulnerability. He also at one point uses his superspeed to clean up the house after a big party seconds before his parents walk into the door. They're not fooled, though.

* [[Series/DoctorWho The Doctor]] has in his possession the [[CoolShip most powerful ship]] in the universe, able to appear ''anywhere'' in [[TimeAndRelativeDimensionsInSpace time and space]] in a matter of minutes. It's also capable of [[spoiler:towing entire planets]] and bestowing God-like powers on anyone who looks into its heart. He uses it for sightseeing.

** And the Stargate itself is used by O'Neill and Teal'c as part of an interstellar game of golf.

** Subverted in Season Six where Willow's usage of magic in mundane life was declared an addiction. And then one sentence uttered by Giles in the first episode of the seventh season [[AuthorsSavingThrow tried to make the bad storyline go away]].

** Next Generation era Star Trek does this so much you forget about it. Instant matter creation is used to make everything from gift wrapping to coffee, teleportation devices are used to have dinner at home when your at college, and rooms that can simulate ANY of the senses, touch, sight, smell, of ANY thing you can possiby imagine is used to Play pool and glorified [[{{LARP}} LARPing]].

** Next Generation era Star Trek does this so much you forget about it. Instant matter creation is used to make everything from gift wrapping to coffee, teleportation devices are used to have dinner at home when your at college, and rooms that can simulate ANY of the senses, touch, sight, smell, of ANY thing you can possiby imagine is used to Play pool and glorified LARPing.

* In the original ''BionicWoman'', her cyborg-enhanced superspeed was used to get dressed in a hurry, and while posing as a duplicate, she used it to hurry up a cigarette's burning (yes, the purpose is mission-base, but it's a rather mundane use). She also uses it to write on the blackboard fast.
** An episode of the remake opens with Jamie racing at SuperSpeed down a dark alley at night, leaping over a fence InASingleBound and yanking open a car door...to reveal her underage sister necking with an older boy. As she broke a bionic toe jumping the fence, Berkut makes a point of telling her just how much it costs to replace.
* Phasers in ''Franchise/StarTrek'' have occasionally been used to heat rocks for warmth.
** Also, [[MustHaveCaffeine coffee]].

--> "Tomorrow: Symposium on Tegas III's History.
--> This weekend: Closed for Battle to death with Borg Cube.
--> April 18th: Shriner's Convention.
** Seeing as the ''Enterprise'' * is* the flagship, using it to host receptions is not altogether silly. Nothing beats showing off your big guns to foreign ambassadors, as a way to say: ally with us and this'll protect you, attack us and this'll kick your ass. In fact capital ships have been used repeatedly for such reasons, from the Great White Fleet tour of the Pacific to the Japanese signing the surrender on the deck of the battleship ''Missouri''. There is a reason for the term "Gunboat Diplomacy".
*** Also justified in that [=TNG=]-era Starfleet really only has two kinds of ships - smaller science-oriented ships and larger "floating city"-type ships. The former are the kind to have bunk beds and communal showers, making the latter the only option for diplomatic missions of any magnitude.