Line #41 Main/UndeadHorseTrope


1	[[quoteright:254:[[VisualPun https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/wow_undead_horse.png]]]]
2	[[caption-width-right:254:[-''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' uses some tropes so much,[softreturn]they continue into the next world.-] ]]
3
4	->''"I'm aware it's a cliché\
5	I am aware I'm being stupid, I'm aware of that, but hey\
6	This is just something that I gotta do..."''
7	-->-- "Action Movie Hero Boy," '''Music/LemonDemon'''
8
9	Generally, there's a standard progression as a trope ages. First, it is born. Once it has become established enough, {{parod\|y}}ies, {{subver\|tedTrope}}sions and {{deconstruct\|edTrope}}ions start to crop up, or it becomes widely disliked due to either overuse or [[ValuesDissonance changing values rendering it obsolete]]. It ends up eventually becoming a trope that no one should dare use seriously (making it a DiscreditedTrope) and subversions might be common enough to be straight examples of new tropes (making it a DeadHorseTrope). Or it could just be [[ForgottenTrope forgotten completely.]]
10
11	Sometimes, however, tropes just don't want to die, and the progression skips a step. Subversions and parodies are common enough to be their own tropes, yet the original trope, even if it's one of TheOldestOnesInTheBook, is still in active use and isn't even (universally at least -- opinions vary) seen as cliched or corny. It would be a DeadHorseTrope, except it isn't actually dead; it's Undead.
12
13	Some tropes that reach this state eventually ascend into OmnipresentTropes, ones that are more like the building blocks of a story which would severely limit writers' options if they were taken off the market. The majority remain ''necessary'' for genre and narrative reasons for which non-cliched explanations have yet to be able to provide a suitable alternative. Sometimes, they persist because of a GrandfatherClause. Other times a trope persists because many know it’s TruthInTelevision.
14
15	However, these kind of tropes can also persist simply due to TheGenerationGap. Since most professional writers and creatives in general are usually [[TwoDecadesBehind in their thirties or older]], they might end up using tropes that [[ValuesDissonance a lot of younger audiences may find outdated or even problematic]]. It's these kinds of tropes that potentially become [[DiscreditedTrope Discredited]] or a [[DeadHorseTrope Dead Horse]] eventually as older generations retire and younger generations take their place.
16
17	Compare and contrast CyclicTrope and EvolvingTrope; contrast DeadUnicornTrope (which is mostly played for laughs or subverted, but unlike a DeadHorseTrope was never actually played straight to any significant degree, although the two can overlap if a trope [[UnbuiltTrope starts out a parody of something nonexistent but in later works gets played straight]]).
18
19	----
20	!!Examples of tropes that haven't quite been killed off:
21
22	[[index]]
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24	[[foldercontrol]]
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26	[[folder:A-L]]
27	* AfricaIsACountry: A growing desire to be more culturally sensitive combined with general ignorance will get you this.
28	* AgonyBeam: It's necessary to show PG suffering.
29	* AllJustADream: Keeps popping up in children's cartoons and cheap direct-to-DVD horror movies even in this century, despite that it's sure to induce a {{headdesk}} from many viewers. Its sister trope, OrWasItADream, keeps happening too. Why? Both these tropes are just too damned convenient.
30	* AllMenArePerverts: Even though most men aren't perverts (or at least not overtly so), this stereotype is still very common.
31	* AllWomenArePrudes: A stereotype that has also never fully died and is even embraced by some, despite the more relaxed attitudes towards sex that most of the West has now.
32	* AmbiguouslyGay: As it's becoming more and more acceptable to include openly queer characters in media, leaving a character's sexuality vague like that is a thing of the past. Additionally, many of the traits that once coded a character as possibly gay are themselves becoming discredited by the CampStraight, StraightGay, LipstickLesbian, and TheLadette and by other things too (for example, a character remaining single could be asexual or aromantic, [[TheLostLenore mourning a deceased partner]], having difficulty finding a suitable partner or they just simply don't want a relationship at all for whatever reason). A character's sexuality is more likely to be directly part of the story, although in media heavily policed by MoralGuardians (e.g. WesternAnimation targeted at kids) the vague hints are all they can use (''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' hinted at a couple of same sex pairings that were later confirmed by WordOfGay). This trope has been used mostly to engage in {{Queerbaiting}}.
33	* AnimatedShockComedy: The style of crass, anything-goes humor that shows like ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' and ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' popularized eventually came to be viewed as a pedestrian way to get cheap laughs at best and [[TooBleakStoppedCaring fostering an excessively cynical and joyless atmosphere]] at worst, and is now largely frowned upon. While new shows in the genre are still made, the better-received ones take active steps to avoid the pitfalls of their overtly nihilistic predecessors, featuring likable characters and relatable themes in-between their {{Black Comedy Burst}}s, and as a result now generally experience greater success than their more derivative contemporaries. ''South Park'' and ''Family Guy'' still get away with this style of humor, primarily because they [[GrandfatherClause always have]], but the former eventually started mixing in elements of satire and current events to avoid growing stale, and the latter's increase in VulgarHumor is frequently considered a symptom of an AudienceAlienatingEra.
34	* AnyoneRememberPogs: Becoming less common due to nostalgia for things such as, well, the TropeNamer, but still in force for more recent dead fads.
35	* ArabOilSheikh: While straight examples of the trope in fiction have been frequently criticized for playing into [[{{Orientalism}} outdated Western perceptions of the Arab world]], what keeps it from being a completely DiscreditedTrope is the fact that the RealLife Arab countries in the Gulf region (UsefulNotes/SaudiArabia, UsefulNotes/UnitedArabEmirates, UsefulNotes/{{Bahrain}}, UsefulNotes/{{Kuwait}} and UsefulNotes/{{Oman}}) are monarchies with oil-based economies. That being said, these countries have, in TheNewTens and TheNewTwenties, sought to diversify their economies (ironically using the revenue from said oil and gas resources) by encouraging Western businesses outside of the oil and defense sectors to invest in the Gulf countries.
36	* AsYouKnow: Creator/{{Homer}} used it in the ''Iliad''. Creator/{{Aristophanes}} broke the fourth wall to mock his own use of this trope. More than two millennia later, characters still lecture each other about things the others know, usually to inform the audience of what's happening.
37	* AutoTune: Mocked all the time, yet a standard for all pop music since the late '90s. Improvements in the technology make it much easier to do without being obvious to most listeners, but at the same time the retro "robo-voice" sound is frequently used in exaggerated fashion for deliberate stylistic effect.
38	* AwfulWeddedLife: A staple of comedy (especially stand-up) because TrueLoveIsBoring.
39	* BaldOfEvil: Ridiculed often, though still used.
40	* BananaPeel: This trope has its origins in the early 1900's when refrigeration and shipping made the banana a massively popular fruit, and before littering laws forced people to properly dispose of food waste. City streets being littered with banana peels that would rot and turn slippery was a problem big enough for it to become a symbol of urban sanitation, and it inevitably make its way into the slapstick comedy of the time. Today, it's still a ubiquitous gag that is often parodied and played straight in equal measure, even though few people really care about the answer to 'why banana peels?' other than it being something classic comedies did.
41	* BasementDweller: In first world countries, the ever-increasing cost of living combined with low wages for entry-level jobs is making it nearly impossible for young, single adults to afford housing, leaving them with little choice other than to stay with their parents for a while (and many who were able to move out end up having to return to their parents' house anyway after being wiped out by either a divorce or a recession). Despite this, the negative connotations of adults still living with their parents haven't completely faded away, either in fiction or in real life, especially in cases where the adult in question [[{{NEET}} has no job and is not making any effort to get one]]. There's also a bit of DoubleStandard at play, since men who still live with their parents are a lot less likely to be portrayed in a positive light than women who still live with their parents. This is largely due to men having long been expected to be able to take care of themselves financially and it was common in the past for adult women to still live with their parents until they got married. Additionally, the long-standing tradition of women being caregivers would lead many to assume (rightly or wrong), that an adult woman still living at home is taking care of her old, sick parents or at least contributing to the household in some way. And since men are stereotyped as avoiding household duties as much as possible, a man still living with his parents is usually seen (again, rightly or wrongly) as a lazy {{manchild}} whose parents are still taking care of ''him''.
42	* BeYourself: Keeps popping up in kids' shows even though older viewers might find it trite. Never mind the dubious assumption that every child (or even every adult!) has a strong and fully-developed, static sense of self which is independent of their family and their peers. "Being yourself" would be a lot easier if it weren't a difficult-to-discover moving target -- but this aspect is rarely addressed. The fact that it is about identity still allows writers to put interesting takes on the concept.
43	* BeautyEqualsGoodness: This carries some questionable implications[[labelnote:Examples]]Attractive people are inherently more moral than unattractive or even ordinary-looking people, [[ViewersAreMorons viewers can't tell if a character is good or evil without obvious visual cues]], etc.[[/labelnote]] and thanks to HollywoodBeautyStandards, even [[BeautyIsBad villainous]] characters are often above-average in looks nowadays; but this has existed in stories for millennia and will likely continue to be used for as long as humanity exists. After all, humans like to fantasize about characters who are both [[NiceGuy kind]] and beautiful.
44	* BigNo: Parodies of this and other {{Big Word Shout}}s have been around for quite a while, but even so, they're still being played straight. It can still be pulled off where it doesn't come across as cheesy, but it takes the right context and the right actor to do it.
45	* BiggerIsBetterInBed: Despite numerous studies proving that a man's penis size has little impact on women's sexual pleasure[[note]]Only around 20% of women can climax from vaginal penetration alone.[[/note]], the trope is still alive and kicking (especially in porn, where it's practically omnipresent) and will probably be for a long time. Then there's personal preference to take into account.
46	* BlackAndWhiteMorality: Due to most adult viewers finding [[IncorruptiblePurePureness perfectly-good heroes who are always right]] and [[CompleteMonster irredeemably evil villains who are always wrong]] impossible to relate to or care about, BlackAndGrayMorality and GreyAndGrayMorality have become the norm in most storytelling nowadays. It still often shows up in works aimed at young children, since they likely wouldn't understand the shades of gray until they got older, thanks to the AnimationAgeGhetto. It also commonly shows up in all-ages works and in TheMoralSubstitute, the latter of which usually doesn't allow room for any moral ambiguity. WhiteAndGrayMorality could be considered an even lighter take that may show up in works aimed at young children, all-ages works or in TheMoralSubstitute, as ButNotTooEvil often shows up in these kind of works.
47	* BlackComedy: Many examples have been seen as tasteless and unfunny, particularly ones that lampoon topics considered sensitive nowadays. However, the concept itself is still around.
48	* BlackIsBiggerInBed: Despite its historical origins being questionable, this is still pushed by various Hollywood producers (and, like its super-trope BiggerIsBetterInBed, is almost cliché in porn).
49	* BloodstainedDefloration: In recent years, much ink has been spilt deriding the trope as both biologically and politically incorrect -- the hymen as a reliable indicator of virginity has been discredited. Yet while not ''all'' women bleed the first time they have sex, ''some'' do. In terms of fiction writing, the trope has somewhat fallen out of use in part because it's become more socially acceptable since the mid-20th century for female participants in sexual relationships to [[AvertedTrope simply not be virgins on consummation]], but it remains common in some genres. This has left the trope in a weird position, both wildly criticized as fake and nonetheless a real experience for many.
50	* BondVillainStupidity: It would be very difficult, if not impossible, for the hero to prevail if the villain did indeed [[WhyDontYouJustShootHim "Just shoot him."]]
51	* BrokenHeel: Along with its countless variations.
52	* BumblingDad: Another comedy staple (especially sitcoms) despite the UnfortunateImplications about fathers and men in general.
53	* ButThouMust: Even in an environment that can create sophisticated software, this is still used (and no one can adequately explain why without chalking it up to developers being lazy).
54	* CampGay and ButchLesbian still show up in modern media despite being considered stereotypes, as these types of people do exist in real life even if they don't necessarily represent all queer people.
55	* CardCarryingVillain: Bad guys who proudly flaunt their evil nature are seen by many as silly and unrealistic, yet are still among the most popular kinds of villains to this day, even in works with serious tones and[=/=]or aimed at older audiences. It should be noted in that case, Card-Carrying Villains tend to boast about their evilness in a much more subtle way than ones appearing in child-oriented and comedic fiction e.g. instead of going "Heeheehee! How frightfully evil I am!", they say something like "But of course." when called out on their crimes.
56	* CardboardPrison: Despite much mocking of this practice, it is still used regularly, especially in the superhero genre, because A) the heroes would have no one else to face if all the villains remained incarcerated, B) it would be too difficult to continue creating new villains, and C) [[PopularityPower the villains are often too popular to not continue using in new stories]].
57	* CausticCritic: One of the most infamous critic stereotypes that has yet to die. Despite most UsefulNotes/NewHollywood era critics that popularized this trope being either dead or retired and most 2000s-early 2010s internet critics that resurrected this trope having mostly grown out of it (aided by higher political sensitivity giving trouble to the EqualOpportunityOffender status most Caustic Critics run on), it's still common among some critics (both professional ''and'' internet-based) and is still the ''modus operandi'' of the [[UsefulNotes/GoldenRaspberryAward Golden Raspberry Awards]].
58	* ChainmailBikini: By now, everyone who's not too busy drooling is either groaning or laughing. It's mercilessly parodied again and again for about twenty years... but it still goes on. There's certainly no denying that it ''is'' [[{{Fanservice}} very sexy]] for many people. Also as if the sword-and-sorcery version of the SeashellBra, artists are forced to put these on their otherwise topless [[ActionGirl action girls]], as bare-chested warrior men are OK, but [[NippleAndDimed bare-chested warrior women are not]].
59	* CheapHeat: It might be cheap, but it works.
60	* CheatCode: Thanks to [[DownloadableContent DLC]], [[AchievementSystem achievements]], and online multiplayer, cheat codes are effectively dead for consoles. However, for the desktop computer market, it's common practice to leave the developer's console accessible, in the interest of facilitating mod testing and provisional bug workarounds. Some [[VideoGameLongRunners long-running franchises]] that are known for their cheat codes, such as ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto'', [[GrandfatherClause also still use cheat codes for gamers to enjoy the heck out of them]] in single-player modes, although they will block achievements when used.
61	* ContrivedCoincidence: Mocked endlessly, but most stories would be impossible (or at least extremely difficult) to tell without them, so it's practically an OmnipresentTrope.
62	* ConvenientlyAnOrphan: Many ''many'' heroes (especially comic book superheroes) lost their parents very young to avoid adding them to the narrative or give the character some angst issues or a quest in life, but the trope does get parodied a lot as well.
63	* CourtlyLove: Undead for about five hundred years now, yet still clocking up regular hours in many forms, while never just limited to {{Main/Fantasy}}. Famous {{subver\|tedTrope}}sions appear as far back as ''Theatre/RomeoAndJuliet'' and ''Literature/TheCanterburyTales''.
64	* CrateExpectations: Crates in video games have been mocked to death, but won't be going away any time soon. Otherwise, how will we get our randomly generated items or climb things?
65	* CrowdSong: Almost required for a musical.
66	* {{Crunchtastic}}: Played straight mainly in media and advertising aimed at kids while hard to take seriously elsewhere.
67	* DamselInDistress: Has been parodied plenty, but being the GrandfatherClause for a lot of long running series (The ''[[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Super Mario]]'' series itself mocks it occasionally when it uses it, though [[Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda Princess Zelda]]'s capturing is more straightlaced), and how it functions well enough for its cheapness, keeps it alive. Plus, depending on how violent or harrowing the action is, it can be a good way to set up {{Fanservice}}, and/or a RescueRomance.
68	* DancePartyEnding: It's nowadays mocked by the audience for being used as a cheap way to express a HappyEnding, including when characters like villains drop the OutOfCharacter ball [[ConformingOOCMoment to join]] the "fun" for no reason. The trope still stands up in light-hearted works like some family-friendly films.
69	* DatingSim: Has been parodied, deconstructed, and mocked to death by both sides of the Pacific due to most people seeing the genre as something only creepy otaku play, with ''VisualNovel/DokiDokiLiteratureClub'' being a famous subversion of a RomanceGame, but the universal appeal of getting an attractive person to fall in love with you means that the genre (or at least elements of it) won't go away anytime soon, with DatingSim hybrids like the ''Franchise/{{Persona}}'' games continuing to be popular. It's also borderline [[OmnipresentTrope omnipresent]] in [[HGame adult games]].
70	* DawsonCasting: The tradition of casting young adult actors to portray teenagers is often subject to parody and ridicule, with aversions being more common now than they used to be. Sometimes, however straight uses are more convenient or unavoidable (e.g. a LongRunner that focuses on children and teens goes on well-past the young actors' journey into adulthood, but the characters don't age as fast as the actors do). The [[Analysis/DawsonCasting analysis page]] goes into more depth on why Dawson Casting is still used.
71	* ADayInHerApron: Almost every DomCom features this (or some variation of it) at some point. In TV land single income households are still common enough for this plot to make sense.
72	* DeathByChildbirth: Even though this is rare in developed countries, it does happen. There are still period pieces [[JustifiedTrope where it shouldn't be rare at all]] and it can still be high in underdeveloped countries.
73	* DeusExMachina: Among the AcceptableBreaksFromReality in advertisements, where the purpose is to make a product look good ([[OurProductSucks usually]]) in a brief amount of time. In any other medium, it's treated as a WriterCopOut.
74	* DigitalPiracyIsEvil: Plenty of parodies of this exist, but as long as digital piracy is still illegal (and it's not showing signs of becoming legal any time soon), there will always be mainstream media attacking it.
75	* DisneySchoolOfActingAndMime: The trope was and still is heavily used (and in the wrong hands, abused), even with all the ups and downs of Disney's reputation and influence throughout the years and the reputation of it sometimes being considered cliche and corny, but the origins of it have often lost its context as well--the trope drew its ham-like acting and broad gestures from vaudeville (a medium that is all but forgotten now) and silent film, which feature broad styles of acting that have long fallen out of favor in live action films and TV shows since the 70s (unless you want to be seen as an amateurish or ham actor). Animators used it then and still use it today simply because its easier to convey gestures that way than trying to make them realistic or subtle, which is usually difficult or even impossible to do in animation.
76	* DontTryThisAtHome: The exact wording of this phrase is a DeadHorseTrope; not only has it been extensively parodied, but the kids whom this phrase was intended for [[ExactWords would take it too literally]] and perform the depicted stunts ''away from'' home. Nowadays, serious uses of this trope would drop the "at home" part to make it clear that these stunts shouldn't be performed ''at all'' by their audience.
77	* DoubleStandardAbuseFemaleOnMale: Almost any sitcom from TheNineties onward features husbands being beaten, screamed at, and/or pushed around by their wives. There has been a growing backlash to this DoubleStandard [[note]]the father getting this kind of treatment is deemed "okay", but doing it to the mother would create accusations of misogynistic undertones and incur the wrath of MoralGuardians[[/note]] since TheNewTens and more modern shows have been subverting, averting or deconstructing it in an attempt to discredit it, but this trope is still often played straight and a widely defended belief in RealLife, even among law enforcement.
78	* DoubleStandardRapeFemaleOnMale: Like the double standard for female on male violence, a growing number of audience members are calling out this double standard (Notably, ''Film/Coming2America'' faced much backlash for having the main character's illegitimate son conceived via the mother drugging him and forcing herself on him, and not only is it PlayedForLaughs, but no one in-universe condemns her for it), but it isn't enough to stop many writers from continuing to play it straight. It doesn't help that female on male sexual assault is often taken even less seriously by law enforcement than female on male violence is, because [[AManIsAlwaysEager men always want sex, right?]]
79	* DoubleStandardRapeMaleOnMale: Again, despite some progressives attacking it (with a few even pointing out the [[https://www.pride.com/tv/2019/2/11/why-does-film-tv-treat-mens-sexual-assault-punchline misogynistic and homophobic undertones]] this trope carries) male on male rape is still largely PlayedForLaughs (PrisonRape, for example, is still frequently viewed as hilarious, justified karma for certain evildoers) and even when male on male rape is PlayedForDrama, audiences often giggle at it anyway. The only time male on male rape tends to be taken completely seriously is if the male victim is a minor.
80	* DownToTheLastPlay: Far more common (proportionally) in sports dramas than in real life, but it's the best way to keep the audience emotionally invested in the game.
81	* DramaticWind: Often parodied by having the wind blow hair or objects into the people's faces, but straight examples still invoke the desired effect.
82	* DumbAndDrummer: It's certainly true that there are some very intelligent drummers out there, and certainly there was never just the stupid rock 'n' roll drummer. But there's a reason jokes about this trope are still funny here and now; even if we all know the stereotype, there will always be a drummer -- or many, at least -- who fits some aspect of this trope to a T.
83	* DumbBlonde: Not much excuse for this one but it is still around.
84	* EasilyDistractedReferee: Mocked constantly by fans and non-fans of pro wrestling alike, but it is necessary for {{Heel}}s to cheat in order to garner boos and further the drama in a match.
85	* EasyModeMockery: Some games still have mocking moments for those who play on lower difficulties.
86	* TheElevatorFromIpanema: ''Most'' elevators don't play Muzak any more, but it's still the most appropriate backdrop for the UncomfortableElevatorMoment.
87	* EnhanceButton: Due to public becoming aware of how impossible enhancing in real life would not work, the subversions and parodies of this trope are very common to the point they outnumber straight examples.
88	* EqualOpportunityOffender: This type of humor is nowadays seen as trying-too-hard-to-be-edgy and offensive in the politically correct modern day, but it's still alive and kicking. Some series that use this, such as ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'', can get away with it partially due to the GrandfatherClause.
89	* EvilCannotComprehendGood: Even though this trope has often been seen as reducing the story to BlackAndWhiteMorality, it sticks around for a number of reasons. First, the villain ''has'' [[TheGoodGuyWins to lose for the story to end]], and what better way to do so by underestimating the motivation of the heroes? Second, it helps to make the villain a {{Foil}} to TheHero. Third, much like BlackAndWhiteMorality, it can still be used in family-friendly or lighthearted stories, as the children audiences would not be old enough to understand moral ambiguity and nuance anyway.
90	* EvilGloating: Just because it is a [[WhyDontYouJustShootHim waste of time]] that [[TalkToTheFist leaves you open for a bullet]] does not mean it can't be an ''awesome'' speech.
91	* EvilLaugh: Largely viewed as goofy and unrealistic, but it continues to be utilized by fictional villains [[PlayedForLaughs because it's funny]]. Some, such as [[Characters/BatmanTheJoker The Joker]], can get away with it because of the GrandfatherClause.
92	* EvilTwin: Often parodied, subverted, recognized as a cliché, or Lampshaded whenever there are twins in the cast. But it's still a useful tool for inducing drama in shows.
93	* ExactEavesdropping: [[SubvertedTrope Subversions]] [[OlderThanSteam predate Shakespeare]], but TV shows continue to play it straight whenever it'll move the plot along.
94	* ExplodingBarrels: Like CrateExpectations, it's been done to death but sticks around anyway. [[RuleOfCool Explosions are cool, after all]].
95	* TheFaceless: A variation of this trope in the form of online creators has started to become less popular starting in the late 2010s, specifically with creators on [=YouTube=]. Many creators who started as one have since stopped or downplayed it, since the chances of getting more exposure on the site are much better if you can actually see what they look like. That said, there are still plenty of [=YouTubers=] who choose not to [[ReclusiveArtist show their face online]] (usually out of shyness or are extremely protective of their privacy), preferring to be either a disembodied voice or use an avatar of some kind. Most [[VirtualYoutuber Vtubers]] for instance are an example of the latter.
96	* FemalesAreMoreInnocent: Despite this trope [[TheUnfairSex being seen as sexist]] or [[ValuesDissonance old-fashioned]] by many nowadays, as well as the existence of historical evidence and news reports about women committing deeds that are just as bad as men (or in some cases, [[MoreDeadlyThanTheMale even worse]]), it's still played straight in many works today, mainly because of how ingrained this idea has been in most parts of society for generations and is probably going to stick around for at least another few generations.
97	* TheFourChordsOfPop: No matter how sick we are of hearing the same progression over and over, no matter how much it gets mocked, no matter how hackneyed and unoriginal these chords may be, they have been with us since 17th century Baroque music and are showing no signs of going away any time soon. It certainly doesn't hurt that even [[http://www.easyeartraining.com/learn/four-chords-and-the-truth/ social science]] has proven their efficiency and appeal to the human ear.
98	* TheFreakShow: When carnival sideshows made a comeback in the 1990s, this actually became more of an [[EvolvingTrope Evolved Trope]]. Some might argue that ''Series/TheJerrySpringerShow'' led the way and the NetworkDecay of Creator/{{TLC}} brought it back to vigorous health. RealityTV has benefited from this trope too.
99	* FreeRangeChildren: Parents letting their kids wander all over the town or city unsupervised hasn't been the norm since at least the 1980s. However, nearly all shows that focus on groups of children as protagonists still use this trope. Can't have zany adventures with your parents hovering overhead, after all.
100	* FunnyBruceLeeNoises: Annoying, done to death, not funny any more (and surely can't have been ''that'' funny in the first place), but still used in absolutely every comedy martial arts scenario ever without exception and will be until the end of time. (If for no other reason than because it's actually an exaggeration of TruthInTelevision: the {{Kiai}}, used to control breathing.)
101	* GameOver and GameOverMan: The game over screen is almost unheard of in newer first-person shooters but is still a part of some Nintendo classics and most [[EasternRolePlayingGame JRPGs]]. Variants like HaveANiceDeath and TheManyDeathsOfYou also help by recasting the game over as part of the experience.
102	* GiveGeeksAChance: Geeks and nerds have slipped into the mainstream and are no longer treated as outcasts, but that hasn't kept this trope from popping up here and there.
103	* GlassJawReferee: It seems like even the biggest, toughest looking refs get knocked out for several minutes by the slightest touch from a pro wrestler ([[StrongAsTheyNeedToBe even if said ref is another wrestler acting as a special guest referee]]), but wrestling fans have accepted it -- sometimes begrudgingly -- as a requirement of the show in order to heighten the drama of a match.
104	* GoodShepherd / TheVicar: Thanks to productions which had stories RippedFromTheHeadlines, many fictional priests nowadays tend to be [[PedophilePriest child molesters]], [[TheFundamentalist political strawmen]] or [[SinisterMinister otherwise villainous]], to the point where a nice, caring, all-loving priest is less common than it used to be, especially in secular works, but religious works and the occasional secular work still have this trope played straight with kind, all-loving priests.
105	* {{Goth}}: This has been parodied almost perpetually over the fifty years since its inception in the late 1970s (and is related to, but not to be confused with {{Gothic Horror}}, for which the same has been true for two hundred further years prior). Much like the undead monsters that have partially inspired it, goth just won't die. This can be partly attributed to a liability of definition, as the term encompasses a host of genres in every artistic medium. Still, the category is not meaningless, and continues to include both faithful homages to its roots and evolving extrapolations.
106	* HaremGenre: This genre is seen as an easy genre to be successful in: it's extremely [[StrictlyFormula formulaic]], can be [[RecycledInSpace applied to any other theme you want]], and can be stuffed to the gills with gratuitous {{fanservice}} to keep the audience coming. Yet because of these traits, it's also a ripe target for parody, deconstruction, and it's also been [[SubvertedTrope subverted]] on a number of occasions, where the tropes and trappings of the genre are used to tell another kind of story entirely.
107	* HeelFaceRevolvingDoor: It's very rare for any pro wrestler to go their entire career without having switched their alignment at least a few times. [[note]]Wrestling/RickySteamboat, Wrestling/TitoSantana and Wrestling/KellyKelly are rare examples of perpetual faces who never turned heel, and in Kelly's case, it's mainly because her wrestling career was short-lived.[[/note]] Barring injuries or death, a single wrestler will last around one to three decades in the business. It's crucial for wrestlers to refresh their characters so that audiences won't get bored of them, and a FaceHeelTurn or HeelFaceTurn is the most convenient way to do so. Properly executed, it's also good for a WhamEpisode when someone turns, so the practice of wrestlers turning face or heel isn't going anywhere. This practice is only derided if the turns are done so often that it prevents any meaningful character development.
108	* HighlyVisibleNinja: Frequently [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] and mocked, but also necessary for RuleOfPerception and RuleOfCool.
109	* HollywoodAtheist: Despite atheism becoming more common in real life than it used to be, and atheists who are preachy {{jerkass}}es are a VocalMinority at best in real life (much like [[TheFundamentalist religious fundamentalists]]), atheists in fiction are still portrayed in a negative light more often than not; possibly since a) theists (or at least non-atheists) are still the majority in most countries, b) media made by atheist creators tend to play it straight, since these creators are often outspoken atheists themselves, and c) more outspoken atheists such as Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens [[CondemnedByHistory have fallen out with favor with those who aren't outspoken atheists/skeptics]] due to their controversial views and statements, most notably their blatant misogyny (such as the [=Elevatorgate=] fiasco) and their attempts to normalize and even defend blatant Islamophobia as "criticism of religion".
110	* HollywoodBeautyStandards: Despite countless critiques of these standards as unrealistic and harmful for both women and men, it is still the norm in entertainment and isn't going away anytime soon because beauty is money.
111	* HollywoodGenetics: People are more knowledgeable about inherited traits than in the past, yet this trope still persists to a degree. Modern uses are often due to either the GrandfatherClause or is a deliberate choice by the creators because having a cast of characters who all look the same is boring. Sometimes the physical differences between the relatives will be explained (e.g. recessive genes, hair dyeing, tanning.) other times not.
112	* HollywoodHacking: Since realistic hacking is still [[RuleOfCool boring to depict]], this still occasionally shows up whenever there is a hacking scene.
113	* HollywoodHomely: Most people that are considered ugly by Hollywood's standards are average-looking or even above-average looking to everyone else, so audiences don't buy them as being hideous (much like BeautifulAllAlong). It's still used because genuinely ugly actors typically aren't wanted in major roles and straight uses are fun for [[InsultComic insult humor]], since mocking the appearance of an actual ugly person is considered tasteless. (Which creates another {{Unfortunate Implication\|s}}: that it's perfectly okay to criticize the appearance of a "beautiful" person.)
114	* ImAManICantHelpIt: The slew of UnfortunateImplications raised by this trope (both as an excuse for abuse, rape, and misogyny; and as an insulting stereotype of men in general) have led to it dying a gradual death since the mid-90s, but it regularly resurfaces as FreudianExcuse for a boorish character.
115	* ItWasADarkAndStormyNight: PurpleProse never dies, and both ''ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}}'' and a yearly contest will keep it alive forever.
116	* IrisOut: An old movie and cartoon tool that became so cliché that variations and parodies were inevitable during UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfAnimation, and there are time it's played straight in contemporary media.
117	* JokeCharacter: The first LethalJokeCharacter probably came around five seconds after the first Joke Character, and both are in wide use.
118	* JokerImmunity: Undead for similar reasons to CardboardPrison: the villains are too popular to ever kill off for real, and constantly coming up with new villains to replace them would be too difficult for [[LongRunner long-running comics]].
119	* KavorkaMan: Despite being disliked by many viewers and critics for promoting a DoubleStandard regarding how attractive men and women are "allowed" to be, the trope will likely remain undead until the HollywoodBeautyStandards kicks it.
120	* UsefulNotes/{{Kawaisa}} / {{Kawaiiko}}: Japanese culture's fascination with all things cute has been subverted, deconstructed, and parodied six ways to Sunday for decades, by works inside and out of the country, but it's still going strong. It helps that most parodies of this trope in its native countries are AffectionateParody.
121	* {{Kayfabe}}: Whenever ProfessionalWrestling is parodied, this trope is ''always'' going to be referenced to some degree. That being said, it remains one of the AcceptableBreaksFromReality in sports entertainment not only to keep ongoing plot lines consistent, but also reduce the likelihood of injury to the performers (note that ProfessionalWrestling [[DontTryThisAtHome is still very dangerous]] even though it's staged), and invoke RuleOfCool in ways which real sports cannot.
122	* LaughTrack: Parodied and mocked very often, to the point of being a tell for the genre. Most modern sitcoms avoid them as much as possible and the few {{Long Runner}}s who were able to get away with it, such as ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'' which used a StudioAudience, have since ended. And yet despite this, some sitcoms still use laugh tracks or a StudioAudience, in particular {{BritCom}}s due to the prevalence of panel shows with these traits (such as ''Series/WouldILieToYou''), along with {{Revival}}s of older sitcoms that used them. However, it firmly remains a DiscreditedTrope in WesternAnimation, where it doesn't even make sense to keep the illusion of a live studio audience; it's now seen as one of the many things wrong with UsefulNotes/TheDarkAgeOfAnimation.
123	* LetsJustBeFriends: This line is still dropped often despite it being very difficult to take it seriously anymore. Not to mention the ex-couples involved are rarely actually able to do so.
124	* LimitedWardrobe: Despite much parodying and lampshading, it is still quite prominent, especially in animation. Having a single IconicOutfit helps make characters more memorable and recognizable, while animating different outfits for every episode (or even multiple scenes within an episode depending on the timeframe) is a pain.
125	* LiteralGenie: Or sometimes the [[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor Monkeys Paw]] genie or wishes. [[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor Wishes are seldom what you intend them to be]], simply because a person could [[StoryBreakerPower end a story very quickly]] with the right wish.
126	* LukeIAmYourFather: Parodies can be traced back as early as Creator/JaneAusten. Refuses to die because it's too convenient (not to mention [[StockEpilepticTrees a common insane fan theory]]). However, using it as a direct parody or homage to [[Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack the Trope Namer]] nowadays ''will'' be met with [[DiscreditedTrope a groan and a "Not again!" from the audience]].
127	[[/folder]]
128
129	[[folder:M-Z]]
130	* MagicalGirl: The MagicalGirlGenreDeconstruction is a trope in itself, codified by the wild success of ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'', but the genre has evolved and branched out since then and the deconstructive magical girl is only one of many active subgenres.
131	* MaleGaze: This trope just doesn't want to die and is still found in every medium, despite being lampshaded since the seventies when [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaze#The_.22male_gaze.22_in_feminist_theory Laura Mulvey brought it to light]], even spawning [[MyEyesAreUpHere its own trope]]. On the plus side, FemaleGaze is also becoming more common.
132	* AManIsAlwaysEager: The belief that men are always horny is a large reason why tropes like AllMenArePerverts and DoubleStandardRapeFemaleOnMale have yet to be discredited.
133	* MascotWithAttitude: The earliest versions of this PlatformGame protagonist archetype have been parodied since the end of TheNineties,[[note]][[GrandfatherClause Unless you're]] [[Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog Sonic]], and even then, newer games [[VideoGame/SonicLostWorld sometimes]] deconstruct his character, and his relevance is still debatable[[/note]] but there are still plenty of newer examples that play it straight (such as ''VideoGame/SlyCooper'' or the Inklings from ''Franchise/{{Splatoon}}''), pay homage to it (such as ''VideoGame/FreedomPlanet''), or are revived as a form of self-parody (''VideoGame/{{Bubsy}}'' during the late 2010s).
134	* MattressTagGag: [[DiscreditedTrope Discredited]] in the 1960s, when mattress companies clarified that only sellers were forbidden by law from removing mattress tags, and not customers. If anything, the trope has become ''more'' popular since then, mainly for PokeThePoodle reasons.
135	* MilesGloriosus: Subverted for centuries, but still readers will expect the braggart is a coward, and be surprised if it's subverted, and accept it if it's played straight.
136	* MillionToOneChance: Played straight most of the time. However, most lighthearted or comedic works will subvert it or play around with it as much as possible.
137	* MistakenForGay: While the original implications of this trope have been lost now (''"being gay is undesirable"''), this is way too ubiquitous in real life to ever really die or get fully discredited in media. Nowadays, when a work uses this trope, a "NotThatTheresAnythingWrongWithThat" line after the initial confusion usually follows, just to make it clear that it isn't trying to be offensive.
138	* [[MrFanservice Mr.]][=/=]MsFanservice: Characters that provide eye candy to the opposite sex have come under scrutiny for being sexist--especially in works that sexualise only men or only women ([[MostWritersAreMale the latter scenario is much more common]])--but they remain popular with audiences [[SexSells for obvious reasons]] and won't be going away any time soon.
139	* MonochromeCasting: In spite of increased demand for diversity and representation in media, there are some factors that have kept this trope around: First, the trope has managed to survive in {{PeriodPiece}}s -- especially ones set in Europe, Asia, or Africa -- in which [[JustifiedTrope it would make sense]] for most if not all of the main cast to be the same race. Second, this trope has stuck around in stories centered on people of color and [=/=] or set in non-Western localities (e.g., ''Film/CrazyRichAsians'').
140	* MostWritersAreAdults: Despite audience scrutiny, it remains undead for two reasons: one, many writers are unable to accurately relate to a child's mentality, especially if they don't have kids themselves. And two, it would be hard to tell a compelling story about child protagonists if they acted like actual children, especially for young children under the age of ten.
141	* [[FauxtivationalPoster Motivational Posters]]: Ubiquitous in schools and offices; [[http://www.despair.com/viewall.html mercilessly mocked]] everywhere else.
142	* MusclesAreMeaningful: At least in ProfessionalWrestling. SmartMark fans are typically more interested in average-sized, or even heavy-set (by wrestling standards at least) high fliers or technical wrestlers (mostly due to fans being able to relate more to these guys than to the 250 pound meatheads) and more of them are getting their dues. Despite this, the big musclebound men still tend to get the biggest pushes. (Part of the reason for this is that there's really [[Wrestling/{{WWE}} only one]] major household name wrestling promotion still around, and its former [[Wrestling/VinceMcMahon supreme chancellor]] ''heavily'' [[AuthorAppeal preferred and insisted]] on pushing for guys who look like bodybuilders).
143	* NeckSnap: Even though it's nearly impossible to break a person's neck with your bare hands in real life and broken necks aren't lethal unless the spinal cord is severed, this still shows up in media, likely because it's a brutal method of execution that doesn't require any blood or gore. It helps that most characters seen performing it nowadays are stated or implied have [[SuperStrength Superhuman Strength]].
144	* NerdsAreVirgins: Even though nerds are slowly sliding into the formerly acceptable target territory, this particular nerd stereotype keeps being played straight. Funnily enough, it's sometimes a form of SelfDeprecatingHumour among nerds themselves.
145	* NoAnimalsWereHarmed: Played straight only when needed. Otherwise, a parody of it is a trope of its own.
146	* NoFlowInCGI: Despite technology having advanced to the point where long hair and cloth can be animated realistically in CGI, it is still quite difficult and costly to do so, especially regarding long hair. Humans have around 100,000 hairs on their scalp, so animating that many hairs to move and bounce around without clipping through each other is challenging. This is why most female characters in 3D animation and video games either have [[BoyishShortHair short haircuts]] or some kind of [[TomboyishPonytail ponytail]], {{braid\|sof action}}, [[PrimAndProperBun bun]], etc. You won't typically see long, flowing hair in CGI outside of big-budget projects.
147	* NonIronicClown: For some reason ([[TropeBreaker most likely because of]] the cultural impact of [[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons Krusty the Klown]], [[Literature/{{It}} Pennywise]] and/or the creepy clown sightings of 2016), most clowns in fiction these days tend to be [[MonsterClown scary]] or {{sad\|Clown}}. Portraying a clown as a genuinely friendly cheerful jester is somewhat uncommon, but it still happens. This trope is still also the most common case for clowns in Latin America, it's downright ''hard'' to find a MonsterClown in the region ([[Series/LaCaravana Brozo the Creepy Clown]] would count, but even he borders on this as Brozo is depicting as genuinely wanting to entertain even while using his ''Mexican twist'' on things).
148	* NonSingingVoice: Happens less and less in live action, mostly due to TheMusical not being as widespread as it used to be. Movie musicals tend to cast actors who can at least carry a tune, write the score around their range and give them some song and dance training to prepare. It does still pop up in animation -- ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' and ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' still make use of it -- mostly in stuff that relies on {{Celebrity Voice Actor}}s. But since most professional voice actors can usually also sing[[note]]And most aspiring voice actors are advised to also learn how to sing[[/note]], it's not as common as it used to be. Additionally, the old school Hollywood way of discovering anyone with a good look and putting them on camera is largely gone; many actors will have gone to drama schools that do train them in singing and dancing as well -- so there are more working professionals in Hollywood who are able to do all three.
149	* NuclearFamily: The expenses of owning a house, getting married and raising children are constantly increasing, making it harder for younger generations to afford them, resulting in them either delaying these things until later in life when (or if) they become more financially stable, or rejecting them altogether. Combined with a rising number of single and divorced parents in the modern day (along with non-parental guardians), this type of family dynamic is becoming less common in real life than it was in the past. It's still seen relatively often in fiction however, especially [[DomCom family sitcoms]], if only because of the GrandfatherClause, though alternative families are seeing more representation as well. Though whether or not some of them (such as an extended family of aunts, uncles, and cousins living together) counts as an alternative family, [[EvolvingTrope an extension of]], or a straightforward example of a Nuclear Family is a hotly debated topic.
150	* TheOtherDarrin: Nowadays, if an actor dies, gets fired, quits, retires, or can't reprise their role for other reasons, the creators are more likely to either [[TheCharacterDiedWithHim kill]] [[ActorLeavesCharacterDies off]] the character or [[PutOnABus write them out]] [[CharacterOutlivesActor of the story]] than recast them. This is possibly due to creators recognizing the attachment that fans have towards the actors who bring their favorite characters to life and realizing that a recast will likely cause outcry and turn the new actor into a ReplacementScrappy. And in cases where the actor has died, the decision not to replace them is likely out of respect for the deceased. That being said, there are instances where this still happens, such as if the character is a minor character, the new actor is portraying [[TimeShiftedActor a younger/older version of the character]] or the character is too important to be removed from the story. Hiring replacement actors is more common in animated media than in live action. Voice actors are only heard, not seen, and since many voice actors are skilled at impressions, finding passable soundalikes is quite easy. Finally, The Other Darrin is inevitable for {{Long Runn\|er}}ing characters who aren't likely to go away any time soon (such as the ''Franchise/LooneyTunes'', [[WesternAnimation/ClassicDisneyShorts Classic Disney]] characters, the Franchise/SuperMarioBros, superheroes/villains, etc.)
151	* OurVampiresAreDifferent: It seems like every other movie coming out right now is about vampires... [[Literature/TheTwilightSaga but ones that sparkle]].
152	* OutOfContextEavesdropping: Played straight most of the time, but ripe for {{Lampshading}} or {{subver\|tedTrope}}sion.
153	* OutgrownSuchSillySuperstitions: Despite the subversions or straight-up aversion of this trope in a lot of modern science-fiction such as Franchise/StarTrek and Franchise/StarWars; straight examples do pop up from time to time. Usually as a form of AuthorTract or WishFulfillment on the creator's end.
154	* PaperThinDisguise: While this was once mostly played straight in UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfAnimation because of RuleOfFunny, newer works seem to be split between {{subvert\|edTrope}}ing it and playing it straight.
155	* PhoneaholicTeenager: This one actually goes back to TheFifties. Bell Telephone heavily pushed "you can have a phone in every room in your house", and young people were portrayed with a receiver pressed to their ear in all forms of popular media and merchandise.[[note]]The association with a young person running up big bills had to do with long distance expenses; long distance was often by district/region, not actual distance, so charges could be incurred even if your party was only five miles away, while someone thirty miles away could be called for free.[[/note]] Subversions, deconstructions and parodies were done all throughout TheFifties through the TheNineties, and [[TechnologyMarchesOn new technologies created after the]] TurnOfTheMillennium [[TropeBreaker broke several aspects of the trope]], like tying up a phone line for internet use after the rise of high-speed internet. However, the trope still gets played straight; with the rise of smartphones, teenagers began to be portrayed as using their phones for anything, looking up stuff for school, taking way too many selfies, or [[SocialMediaIsBad spending all their time checking social media]].
156	* PoorMansPorn: Due to [[ValuesDissonance multiple governments]]' attempts at "opt-in" filters, this trope will be played straight unless said governments relax their attitudes towards it. Depending on the time and place, that may not be for a good while.
157	* PopGoesTheHuman: Largely discredited, as it was born from an UrbanLegend that if you eat too much, you will explode. However, works that [[RuleOfFunny don't take themselves seriously]], and/or are not going for uber-realism will still use it (since it combines VulgarHumor with StuffBlowingUp).
158	* PoundsAreAnimalPrisons: Though this trope has largely been discredited due to animal welfare groups raising awareness of the plight of abandoned and abused animals, it’s sometimes played straight for RuleOfDrama or RuleOfFunny purposes.
159	* ThePowerOfFriendship and ThePowerOfLove: Old and cliched? Yes. Does that stop people from using them today? Definitely no. Not only that, but both of them are still two good morals to teach to people (as long as you're not {{anvilicious}} about them).
160	* PrankCall: Although caller ID makes this more difficult, it ''is'' possible to circumvent this by using a caller-ID blocking button sequence on the phone (which will make it show up as, depending on the phone company) "Unavailable," "Restricted," "Unknown," or "Private Number"), making it harder to know the identity of the caller. They can also be achieved by calling from cell phones, and especially anonymous [=VoIP=] numbers, which don't show names on caller ID unless ''you'' have that person in your contacts. Furthermore, sometimes the identity of the caller ''is'' known, and the callee plays along, such as if it's AllPartOfTheShow. So, they are still doable, even as TechnologyMarchesOn.
161	* PressXToNotDie: Despite being so hated among gamers and critics that their presence will earn significant points off review scores, these are still widely present throughout video games today.
162	* PrettyFlyForAWhiteGuy: As [[HipHop rap music]], like [[RockAndRoll rock 'n' roll]] decades before, has become mainstream enough that white people who enjoy or perform it aren't automatically labeled as posers or worse, this trope has largely been re-evaluated as [[UnfortunateImplications incredibly intolerant and bigoted]] and has become largely discredited (even then, some of the more famous rappers that popularized this trope, such as Music/{{Eminem}}, Music/VanillaIce and the Music/InsaneClownPosse, had come from impoverished backgrounds and were engrossed in their local hip-hop scenes rather than imitating it). Not helping matters is that the trope was the grandchild of bigoted reactions to mainstream popularity of black-oriented genres, for example the disco backlash of the 1970s. However, works that want to criticize cultural appropriation will still use it, but even there said UnfortunateImplications can apply.
163	* PreviouslyOn: Irrelevant on DVD season collections, but still in use because lots of people still watch shows as they air; or timeshifted, but without binging on several episodes at once.
164	* ProWrestlingEpisode: Not nearly as ubiquitous as they used to be, possibly due to professional wrestling as a whole having declined in popularity since the end of the Wrestling/MondayNightWars. And since ProWrestlingIsReal is now a DiscreditedTrope, this makes potential plots less exciting for people who aren't wrestling fans since they don't care about the concept of {{Kayfabe}}. However, they still show up every now and then, especially in animated shows (which can still get away with playing Pro Wrestling Is Real straight).
165	* RealIsBrown: Its straight usage peaked during the 7th Generation (Platform/Xbox360 + Platform/PlayStation3), but big-name games are averting it more and more due to the rise of real time Global Illumination, among other technologies. The 8th Generation saw its use decrease further with the extra computational power present. The HDR technology which provides more vibrant colors and good contrast also means that most companies now aim for vibrant color schemes. Today, during the 9th Generation of consoles, this trope is only played straight in the context of dark and gritty games, such as ''VideoGame/TheLastOfUs2'' and the ''VideoGame/DemonsSouls'' remake.
166	* RealMenLoveJesus: The decline of RatedMForManly, as well as increased secularization in the West has made this trope a lot rarer, but it may pop up every now and then in the form of the TokenReligiousTeammate. It's also very much alive in religious media (more literally so in Christian and Islamic media) for obvious reasons.
167	* RecruitTeenagersWithAttitude: Parodied and Deconstructed constantly, but is still around to this day. Even the TropeNamer, ''Franchise/PowerRangers'', has tried to HandWave the reasoning for the BigGood's recruitment of teenagers for a series' Ranger team, or has used adults as Power Rangers.
168	* {{Rimshot}}: Playing a drum sting after the PunchLine is a cliché from the old-school BorschtBelt style of comedy, but its timeworn status makes it so corny that it can still get a good laugh, especially when used sarcastically after a joke that flopped.
169	* RollAndMove: It's shunned by [[CasualCompetitiveConflict competitive board gamers]], who feel that having a dice roll determine your movement makes a game too much of a LuckBasedMission and gives players too little control over what happens. Few hobby games use it, and those that do use it put twists on it or go out of their way to provide players with options in other areas. However, while the mechanic is not as ubiquitous as it once was, it still sees use in family games due to its simplicity, in particular in games aimed at a young audience (which want to avoid complicated rules and tricky decisions) and games where the board mostly serves to provide some structure to the experience (e.g. ''TabletopGame/TrivialPursuit'', which is primarily about answering questions). It also shows up in several family games considered classics (at least outside of hobby gamer circles).
170	* {{Rotoscoping}}: It's been derided as a lazy, cheap substitute for actual animation by many animators and critics (thanks in part to [[UnintentionalUncannyValley another trope it inevitably invokes]]). That said however, it still pops up every now and then, mainly for stylistic purposes (such as ''intentionally'' invoking the Uncanny Valley) rather than as a cost-saving measure. Its more modern equivalent, MotionCapture, is still used in CGI, but primarily for live-action films and video games.
171	* RuleOfThree: Parodied and lampshaded constantly, practically omnipresent all the same.
172	* SantaClaus: He remains omnipresent in most [[ChristmasEpisode Christmas-related media]] simply by the power of inertia. Unlikely to go away any time soon, since he is so firmly rooted in the public consciousness and pop culture. Parodies do exist, such as the BadSanta, but they will likely never outright replace straight examples.
173	* ScareEmStraight: Omnipresent in [=PSAs=] and educational videos (as well as British [=PIFs=]), mocked and ridiculed everywhere else.
174	* SchoolBullyingIsHarmless: If only due to magazines like the UK's ''Take A Break'' and the general "real life" magazine genre, it's unlikely to go away any time soon, and so survives in limbo from becoming a DeadHorseTrope, or indeed a DiscreditedTrope.
175	* ScoringPoints: Games after 2000s largely removed points entirely when they don't matter, or go as far as to ''mock'' the trope. Yet even today, many casual games and shmups still play it straight (mainly as a sop to hardcore players so they can compare scores). Non-redemption arcade games also still focus on scoring points to this day, with the exception of fighting games, as it's an easy way of showing off your superior skill (or luck). It's also a common win condition in BoardGames even if some gamers find it boring.
176	* ShopFodder: Introduces an inventory management puzzle to treasure acquisition by withholding ready drops of currency for items of no use except to clutter inventory and offload for a handful of scratch. Such a venerable tradition of RPG games that even games that try to streamline gameplay for more action emphasis (or shoehorn RPGElements) are frequently obligated to include it.
177	* ShortTitleLongElaborateSubtitle: While the trope is no longer prevalent in fiction outside parodies or throwbacks, in academia and nonfiction, this format is common and likely will not go away due to a necessity for clear titling that describes the work's subject.
178	* SillyLoveSongs: While they're often mocked, hence the "silly" in the trope title, if you get rid of this, the entire popular music industry is ''screwed''.
179	* SlowClap: The reason why it's still around is that this is a real phenomenon called "mob psychology".
180	* SmallReferencePools: People [[WriteWhatYouKnow write what they know]].
181	* SoulSavingCrusader: Portraying the inquisition-minded fundamentalist worldview as absolutely correct fell out of favor with the rise of secularism. However, it's still used as an effective plot twist when it turns out that [[TheExtremistWasRight the zealots were right after all]].
182	* SoundEffectBleep: Bleeped swearing is [[CensoredForComedy comedy fodder]] more often than not nowadays, and with many shows moving to streaming platforms -- which typically have fewer regulations than network TV -- it has allowed uncensored swearing to become more common. While network TV still doesn't allow certain words, many programs will use alternatives to bleeping when censoring strong profanity. For example, live events such as sports or award shows will simply mute the swear rather than bleep it and scripted shows will either avoid using forbidden words altogether, or resort to CurseCutShort. Despite this, bleeps are still sometimes used unironically ([[RealityTV reality shows]] being a big offender).
183	* StagingAnIntervention: In serious examples, the person being intervened on has a real problem, and the people doing the intervention have good intentions. However, this is often subjected to parody.
184	* StalkingIsFunnyIfItIsFemaleAfterMale: More people are critical of it than in the past, but it is still prominent in media and it probably isn't going to be discredited any time soon.
185	* StarTrekMovieCurse: Not taken seriously anymore in regards to the TropeNamer after the lackluster reception of the 10th film, ''Film/StarTrekNemesis'', and the massive success of the 11th film, ''Film/StarTrek2009''. Though some joke that the UsefulNotes/TurnOfTheMillennium actually ''reversed'' the curse, given the lukewarm reception to the 12th film, ''Film/StarTrekIntoDarkness'', and the critical ([[AcclaimedFlop if not commercial]]) success of the 13th film, ''Film/StarTrekBeyond''. Others try to list the AffectionateParody ''Film/GalaxyQuest'' as part of the lineup to keep the pattern consistent. In regards to other media, this trope still persists depending on the franchise.
186	* StatusQuoIsGod: Misuses of this trope are often cited as the downfall of many long running works, as it often means FailureIsTheOnlyOption for the cast's goals, and a stagnant plot. As a result, more works are putting a focus on a {{Myth Arc}} with a planned out ending. This doesn't stop other works from maintaining a status quo, and every work that has some form of normalcy to it will have to rely on this trope to varying extents.
187	* {{Sting}}: The classic "Dun dun dun!" is parodied most often or subverted by having a character say it instead. Different types of stings are still played straight, but are generally parodied.
188	* StockAnimalDiet: Although some of these are in fact TruthInTelevision, others (such as mice liking cheese or rabbits liking carrots non-stop) are unrealistic and sometimes even fatal in RealLife. Yet they are still used in modern media, especially in cartoons.
189	* StockScream: The (in)famous [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xn6hhrX34Pw Wilhelm Scream]] in particular. Moviegoers have [[BrokenBase divisive]] reactions to it, but sound editors in all media continue to use it, both ironically and unironically, either as an homage to the many other films that have used it, or because it's just too damn fun.
190	* The {{Superhero}} genre has been repeatedly [[{{Parodied\|Trope}} mocked]] and [[{{deconstruct\|edTrope}} critiqued]] and yet the straight examples continue to be hugely popular.
191	* SubvertedSuspicionAesop: While there's [[DiscreditedTrope a reason]] why {{Subverted}} is in the title, aside from the fact that it can be a literal [[EvilAllAlong subve]][[ParanoiaFuel rsion]], it still manages to be played straight.
192	* SympatheticSlaveOwner: Though one would have expected this to immediately be discredited after slavery became illegal in every country in the world, lingering racism and Lost Cause mythology kept it alive in the USA for a century, and even after then, it’s such a useful way of showing GreyAndGreyMorality to have a character own slaves because they were indoctrinated into such a culture, that it stays alive. There is also a kind of a double standard in fantasy settings [[MuggleInMageCustody when it comes to an ordinary human enslaved by a magician or a divine being]], since it fits the religious archetype of the relationship between humans and God, and is often seen as a MiseryBuildsCharacter moment. Namely, if a {{Jerkass}} ends up a slave to a benevolent supernatural being, the servitude may be a way [[CharacterDevelopment to help them become a better person]]. More recently, there was the spike in popularity of the HerosSlaveHarem trope in Japanese media.
193	* TakingTheBullet: Despite the obvious comedic value of someone doing a DivingSave in front of something harmless (or better still, being just a ''bit'' off in the timing), this form of HeroicSacrifice is still profound when played straight.
194	* TalkAboutTheWeather: Commonly joked about, but still played straight because, well, it's easy to make small talk about...
195	* TeensLoveShopping: More works are realizing that stereotyping is not cool and many teens prefer to shop online rather than at malls, but the trope still gets used.
196	* TemptingFate: No one is ever surprised any more whenever something bad happens after this trope is invoked, yet it's unlikely that writers will ever stop using it nonironically.
197	* ThreeLawsCompliant: The Three Laws of Robotics are so frequently [[SubvertedTrope subverted]], [[DefiedTrope defied]], and [[DeconstructedTrope deconstructed]] in science fiction that they could easily be considered a DeadHorseTrope; after all, a writer [[RuleOfDrama can't create conflict]] in a story about robots where robots can't instigate conflict ([[MostWritersAreHuman against humans]]). However, the trope is so prevalent -- and taken ''seriously'' -- in the field of robotics that it will never truly be [[DiscreditedTrope discredited]].
198	* TimeShiftedActor: DigitalDeaging (as well as [[SyntheticVoiceActor A.I.-generated speech]] in voiceover work) mean the same actor can play the same character in multiple stages of their life -- but there are instances where it makes more sense to use a Time-Shifted Actor, such as in low-budget projects or in cases where an adult character is then portrayed as a child or vice-versa. Many iinstances of Digital Deaging use body doubles anyway.
199	* TrainingMontage: The version of this trope used in movies during the TheEighties, usually set to the song "Gonna Fly Now", has been frequent parody fodder for a long time now. Training montages are still in use, but, unless it's in a comedy, they won't be set to triumphant power ballads anymore.
200	* {{Trainstopping}}: One of the many {{Superhero}} stereotypes that has yet to die. Even ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'' still does this once in a while.
201	* TransEqualsGay: What with more awareness of what being transgender actually is, the internet allowing more people to get the information when creating a trans character, and more trans characters being portrayed in media -- the world is at least aware that gay and trans are not mutually exclusive. Although as it's possible for one to be both trans and gay, and some writers not doing their research, it does occasionally show up.
202	* TrappedInAnotherWorld: The "isekai" {{Otaku}} WishFulfillment variant with RPG elements, frequently found in LightNovels, became [[FollowTheLeader a ubiquitous fad genre]] in Japanese media in TheNewTens. Consequently it has been mercilessly parodied and deconstructed, many recent works add absurd twists to the formula, and some light novel writing contests even went as far as ''banning'' isekai stories from being submitted entirely. Despite all this, straight examples are still being made and remain popular.
203	* TruckDriversGearChange: It's become such a cliché, especially during the second half of the twentieth century, that it's now almost impossible to play it completely straight anymore. By the UsefulNotes/TheNewTens, [[https://www.npr.org/2022/11/30/1139707179/where-did-all-the-key-changes-go usage of the trope had declined]] to where only one Billboard #1 hit in the entire decade used a key change. However, it's still quite common in some genres, especially PowerMetal, where cheese is considered a badge of honor.
204	* TwoDecadesBehind: [[RealLifeWritesThePlot Due to the age of most creators]], and the fact that they might not stay on top of current trends or news due to their workloads.
205	* UglyGuyHotWife: Both audiences and critics detest this trope for promoting a DoubleStandard regarding acceptable levels of attractiveness for men vs. women. While aversions do exist (''Series/HomeImprovement'', ''Franchise/{{Shrek}}'', and ''Series/MikeAndMolly'' to name a few), there are still plenty of straight examples in contemporary media and it will likely remain that way unless HollywoodBeautyStandards as a whole become discredited in the future. It helps that many modern shows using this trope will put emphasis on the problems that the looks discrepancy can cause in the relationship.
206	* UnrelatedBrothers: {{Kayfabe}} families were once very common in ProfessionalWrestling, but as of TheNewTens they are almost nonexistent. [[TechnologyMarchesOn Thanks to the internet]], it's very easy for fans to find out whether or not wrestlers are actually related and modern wrestling storylines are more reality-based in response to this. Furthermore, pro wrestling is very much a family business, thus there are so many legitimate {{Wrestling Famil\|y}}ies nowadays that fake ones are unnecessary. Even Wrestling/{{Edge\|Wrestler}} and Wrestling/{{Christian}}, who were initially billed as brothers, were later {{retcon}}ned into lifelong best friends as they are in real life. That being said, there are a few [[GrandfatherClause grandfathered]] cases hanging around and the trope is still sometimes played straight (such as Wrestling/JasonJordan being the {{Kayfabe}} illegitimate son of Wrestling/KurtAngle).
207	* UselessUsefulSpell: The presence of this trope, especially in role-playing games, is often taken as a sign of undesirable game design, and developers over time have tried to avoid it by giving such skills more use in various situations. But many games still play it straight because they often run into balance issues before release, usually too powerful for their own good, and the quick solution for removing GameBreaker is to {{Nerf}} them into this.
208	* {{Utopia}}: This varies between deconstruction or reconstruction depending on the attitudes of the day. Occasionally played straight when discussing idealized worlds.
209	* VerySpecialEpisode: Although less used in {{Soap Opera}}s and TV dramas, it's still played straight, and will keep going as long as dramas like ''Series/GreysAnatomy'' and reality TV series like ''On Patrol Live'' still exist.
210	* VirginShaming: Even though real-world statistics are showing that many younger Millennials and Zoomers are losing their virginities a few years later in life than their older peers did, it's still common for media to portray anyone who's over the age of seventeen and still a virgin -- especially if male -- as a socially-inept loser at best and a dangerous StalkerWithACrush towards any woman (and sometimes even man) who shows him even the smallest amount of positive attention at worst, and mock him for it. Not helped by the rise of the highly misogynistic "incel"[[note]]Short for "involuntarily celibate", meaning that they are unable to have sex/romance despite wanting to. Not all self-identified incels are virgins, however; some have had sex in the past, but are unable to do so now for whatever reason.[[/note]] community, which has churned out a large number of mass shooters (most notably [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_Isla_Vista_killings Elliot Rodger]]) who claim to have been at least partially motivated by their sexlessness.
211	* {{Wangst}}: Nigh-on universal in the 2000s and early-2010s when {{Emo Teen}}s were among pop culture's favorite punching bags, but nowadays seen as incredibly disrespectful once people began reckoning with the general lack of empathy towards people with legitimate emotional trauma and behavioral issues that riddled the 2000s. However, this trope still occasionally sees use, mainly because it can also show how a character will overreact, and the audience reaction can still happen if the reason the character is sad is clearly not emotional trauma or behavioural issues.
212	* AWinnerIsYou: Most endings of classic games from UsefulNotes/{{NES}}[=/=]UsefulNotes/{{SNES}} era were extremely simplistic. As time went by, the endings became more developed and even games with {{Excuse Plot}}s started having elaborate endings, but even in the modern generations, there are still UsefulNotes/{{Shovelware}} games that have endings in the same vein as 8-bit games. Even blockbuster games sometimes have it; some games with MultipleEndings have this as EasyModeMockery.
213	* WorkOffTheDebt: Still appears in fiction even though, in most countries, a restaurant's only legal recourse to a customer being unwilling or unable to pay is civil action, which in almost any situation would be more expensive than it's worth. Additionally, there are likely certain legal problems involved with having someone working who is not actually on the payroll.
214	* WrestlerInAllOfUs: Most pro wrestling holds and throws are impossible to perform without the assistance of the one being attacked, though it thrives due to RuleOfCool. Or the attackers just use moves that can be done for real against a resisting target, such as the [[SuplexFinisher German Suplex]].
215	* WunzaPlot: The police procedural is popular and provides an easy structure, so many shows get put into this format for convenience. Particularly obvious for adaptations where the original had nothing at all to do with criminal investigation (like ''Comicbook/{{iZombie}}'' or ''Comicbook/{{Lucifer}}''), but when moved to television, sure enough, the main character has become half of a crime-fighting duo.
216	* YouAllMeetInAnInn: Dates back to ''Literature/TheCanterburyTales'', still prevalent in [[TabletopGames Tabletop [=RPGs=]]].
217	* YouFool: Although considered by some to be cliche to the point of being impossible to take seriously, it is still played straight because it serves to elevate the villain above their minions and the hero by avoiding vulgar and colloquial terms.
218	* ZombieApocalypse: Similar to [[OurVampiresAreDifferent vampires]]. However, it is more of a CyclicTrope, due to the concept being kept in vogue by the extremely broad array of ways it is portrayed.
219	[[/folder]]
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221	[[/index]]

Context Main / UndeadHorseTrope