Black Mirror: In the first episode, "The National Anthem", everyone seems to be way more interested in the sensationalism of the ridiculous demands of the princess' kidnapper to actually think about her well-being. It's enforced with her release at the point of no return, making it clear that the kidnapper's actions were nothing more than a statement.
Brenda in The Closer is many times blindingly oblivious to her hypocrisy when she calls out other people for being manipulative, arrogant, ignoring the rules, lying to her, or ignoring her authority even when others specifically try to make her realize this. It eventually comes back to bite her in the final season and she does start to realize that a series of murders the unit has had to deal with, not to mention the professional difficulties they've had that season, are largely her fault.
The Cleaner (UK): This turns out to be the reason why the Widow finally snapped and killed her husband. She wanted to go to Italy on vacation to visit the Dolamite mountains, something she dreamed of since she was a child. She gave her husband plenty of hints of what she wanted and felt that he owed it to her for all the years of going to modeling conventions for their vacations. Her husband got her hints but decided that instead of a vacation he would build her a large model of the location. This finally broke the woman and she stabbed the husband to death for being so self absorbed and blind to her needs.
In the Grand FinaleDowner Ending of Dinosaurs Earl tries to explain to his boss Richfield that the WESAYSO Corporation's actions have caused The End of the World as We Know It. All Richfield sees is dinosaurs buying company winter gear in droves, making him a ton of money, in response to the ensuing ice age. Earl actually points this out, "I think you're missing the point, sir! The world may be coming to an end!"
"Partners in Crime" has an unusual, spoilery example related to the Series 4 Story Arc, one that is disguised by making it look like another character is Comically Missing the Point. It turns out that when Miss Foster's employers told her that their breeding planet was lost, she didn't realize they meant it completely literally: the planet had vanished into thin air. It's clear she assumed the planet to have been "lost" in the metaphorical sense, as a nation might lose territory in a war. The writer was clearly trying to trip the audience up with this one, as the conversation initially seems like the Doctor is misinterpreting what Foster said by assuming the planet to have disappeared, when he's correctly figured out what she misinterpreted.
Miss Foster:I've been employed by the Adiposian First Family to foster a new generation after their breeding planet was lost. The Doctor:What do you mean, "lost"? How’d you lose a planet? Miss Foster:Oh, the politics are none of my concern. I'm just here to look after the children on behalf of the parents.
"The Pandorica Opens": When the Doctor relays the myth of the Pandorica; any fan can grasp the implication that it's the Doctor the myth is referring to, especially after he trumps up his countless victories over all the alien races present as just a single unarmed man with no plan. Interestingly enough, he does talk indirectly about himself regarding it, namely that it was sealed by a good wizard tricking it.
The Doctor: There was a goblin, or a... trickster. Or a warrior. A nameless, terrible thing, soaked in the blood of a billion galaxies. The most feared being in all the cosmos. And nothing could stop it, or hold it, or... reason with it. One day it would just drop out of the sky and tear down your world.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier: A central issue with John Walker is his fundamental misunderstanding of Captain America and what it means to take up the mantle. John believes he's worthy of the title because he's physically capable and always follows orders, and that's what makes someone Captain America. But Steve Rogers earned the title because he was a good man before he was a good soldier: he always did what he believed to be the right thing, which in many instances put him in direct oppositions with orders from the higher-ups. This disconnect between the image of being Captain America in Walker's head and the reality is a major contributor to his mental decline and it's only when he finally gets the point in the end does it stop.
The Flash (2014) After kidnapping Caitlin, Zoom is attempting to get her to fall in love with him again. He fails to recognize that it won't work because she didn't fall in love with Hunter Zolomon, the serial killer from Earth-2, but Jay Garrick, the hero of Earth-2. But "Jay" was never real, and Hunter is nothing like what she fell for.
In Season 1, Episode 7, Jon Snow is incensed that he was named as Mormont's steward, when he expected to be a ranger because of his fighting abilities. Sam points out that he's essentially being made personal assistant to the Lord Commander, right out of training, which gives him a very rare opportunity to work with and learn from the man, and very likely means that Mormont is grooming him for command.
In Season 5, Episode 2, Cersei Lannister and Jaime Lannister learn that their child Myrcella is in danger in Dorne. Cersei loudly and angrily threatens vengeance if "our daughter" is harmed. Jaime tries to quiet her and reminds her that no one can be allowed to hear that Myrcella is their daughter. Cersei reprimands Jaime quite venomously and tells him "then don't call her your daughter," somehow failing to realise that HER previous angry rant is why Jaime spoke up in the first place.
Lord Tywin Lannister repeatedly states the importance of family throughout his time on the show, but seems to view the concept as merely a vessel for increased power and status, and repeatedly fails to realize that a family is only as strong as the trust and love each of its members have for each other. As such, while he constantly strives to glorify the Lannister name, and cement its place in history as a powerful family dynasty, he mistreats and abuses all his children, practically ensuring that they'd be too screwed up to maintain power in the long-term.
Good Omens (2019): The angels sometimes fail to understand that the point of being good is to be good, not just to oppose the demons.
Aziraphale: There doesn't have to be a war. Gabriel: Of course there does. Otherwise, how would we win it? [gives "duh" look]
Arthur in Merlin is convinced that he's created a golden age of equality and justice where all men are respected. In many ways he has, as he's married a peasant girl who was worthy to be Queen, knighted the commoners who helped him take back his kingdom, and established the Round Table. However, he has remained oblivious to the people that need equality most: the magic-users, who were shunned and persecuted during his father's reign. This comes back to bite him hard when it is what eventually turns Mordred, until then a loyal knight, on him.
He's also claimed his strength is in the support of Camelot, and that he is much wiser for accepting the advice of others. The one person he does not accept the advice of? Merlin, who is themostdeserving.
Happens in episode 61 of Mimpi Metropolitan. When Bambang tells Melani about how insecure he feels from people not believing Melani is his girlfriend, Melani asks him why is he listening to other people. Melani's point is that Bambang should just listen to her then, but Bambang thinks Melani wants him to stop listening to people altogether and angrily tells her it's impossible. Melani storms away out of frustration and only tells Bambang her point after they make up in the ending.
In one episode of NUMB3RS, an internal affairs officer working with the FBI sends a uniformed LAPD officer — a male officer, no less — to transport a woman who had just been raped by a police officer. Even when she's called on it, she doesn't quite understand the issue.
Megan: You put a woman who was attacked by a cop in a car with a cop? IA Officer: Nobody wants to get this guy more than we do. Megan:That's not the point.
In the seventh season of Psych, Juliet discovers that Shawn has been lying about being a psychic, and this implodes their relationship. He spends the following episode mulling things over and tells her that "If I hadn't given you my jacket, everything would be okay." No, Shawn, it wouldn't, and that's the point.
It even seems to be part of his character that he can't stop himself from missing the point. Just before that scene he has a full dream about how to properly handle the situation from completely listening to Juliet's feelings to acknowledging and apologizing for his mistakes...Once he wakes up however and is immediately faced with the same situation he proceeds to do everything in the opposite way leading to the quote above which completely torpedoes the situation.
Juliet's own face says it all. Shawn knows her dad was a con artist and thus Juliet absolutely hates liars and the like. And here's Shawn clearly thinking it's how Juliet found out the truth that's upsetting her, not that Shawn has been lying to her all these years like her father did.
Soap: Burt's doctor calls him in to tell him that he's got a rare disease.
Burt: OK, then what's the treatment? Doctor: Burt, there is no treatment. Burt: So, what, it just goes away by itself, huh?
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Well into the Dominion War, Weyoun notices that Damar has actually started showing up to work sober. He takes it as a good sign that Weyoun has turned the corner on his despair and has renewed confidence in Dominion victory. In fact, Damar's newfound sense of purpose came from his decision to foment a rebellion against the Dominion.
The Twilight Zone (1959): In "The Obsolete Man", Romney Wordsworth is sentenced to death by an authoritarian regime for opposing their censorship of books, and is confronted in his final hours by the regime's figurehead the Chancellor. Wordsworth compares the Chancellor and his government to numerous dictatorships, and points out they've failed to learn anything from the past. The Chancellor's reply show he's totally missed the point Wordsworth was trying to make.
The Chancellor: It's not unusual that we televise executions, Mr. Wordsworth. Last year in the mass executions, we televised around the clock. 1300 people were put to death in less than six hours! Romney Wordsworth: You never learn, do you? History teaches you nothing. Chancellor: On the contrary, history teaches us a great deal! We had predecessors, Mr. Wordsworth, who had the beginnings of the right idea. Wordsworth: Yes, like Hitler. Chancellor: Hitler, of course. Wordsworth: Also Stalin. Chancellor: Stalin, too — but their error was not one of excess. It was simply not going far enough.
The X-Files. In "Never Again" Scully complains that she has to share Mulder's desk; this and some Jerkass behaviour from her partner causes her to go off and engage in a number of Out of Character behaviors like getting a tattoo and engaging in a one-night stand. At the end of the episode Mulder says, "I don't understand...all this over a desk?" Scully just replies: "Not everything is about you, Mulder." The truth is Scully had just discovered she had cancer.
