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"What did he expect to find in a box marked 'TALBOT'? Immortality?"

There are other factors to consider, of course. Orlando had the league's best defense last season, on a per-possession basis, and it has an emerging superstar in Howard plus three recent All-Stars — VC, Jameer Nelson and Rashard Lewis — and a deep bench surrounding D-12. And the Magic did, after all, beat the Celtics and Cavs on their way to the Finals.

Most viewers have basic common sense, and one would usually expect characters on TV shows. Any deviation from such usually prompts the comment "What an idiot" or similar, thus the entry name.

It is also the usual reaction to a character demonstrating especially severe Genre Blindness.

Can also be a response to ineffectual contestants on a Game Show.

Common forms of the trope:

And please, as tempting as it is to defend your favorite show from forcing the Idiot Ball into its characters' hands, refrain from making Justifying Edits. Or at very least, keep them to a minimum; for a Card Carrying Villain or Idiot Hero a few of these are to be expected. If the entire show has an Idiot Plot, it goes on that page instead.

There are also other examples which do not fit the standard idiocy.

For your own personal "What an Idiot" moments, please be smart and use the handy Troper Tales page.

Warning: Spoilers ahead!