Suggestion: Expecting Someone Taller

Found this in an particularly entertaining Chick Tract. My only concern is that the whimsy of Jack Chick's scenario (the "Igor" guy is supposed to be a vampire messiah) could distract readers from what the trope exactly is about.

I like it. It clarifies that the trope isn't just about the stock phrase. Although I'm not sure what they were expected when they heard the name "Igor."

It works rather well, methinks.

"Igor", for most people, would mean a hunchbacked, creepy, funny-talking lackey-type like the stereotypical Mad Scientist's lab assistant. I like the OP's suggestion.

I admit, I think it's less good than I thought yesterday.

It is clear they are disappointed, but it worked much better in its original context, where there is a lot more build-up (have a look: [1]◊).

Without the speech bubble text you wouldn't be able to connect it to Expecting Someone Taller, and the inscrutability of the situation (what did they expect? why does the guy have vampire fangs?) is a bit distracting.

In terms of "clear, concise and witty", it is (inadvertently) witty, but it could be more clear and concise. It's good enough to put it up (I think), but there's room for improvement.

It's an OK suggestion but I'd like to see something that has a bigger contrast between expectation and reality. That isn't too far off the mark from what I'd expect an "Igor" to look like.

I think their reaction shows the trope well enough. It's not about what the audience expects, but the characters.

I put it up on Expecting Someone Taller.

Due to its wordiness, the strip doesn't harmonize with the quotes. One quote should be pulled in any case, but since neither of the quotes is very original, maybe both quotes should be moved to the Quotes subpage.

I read the quotes page, which has one quote, from Star Wars. I think that one is better than either that's actually on the page, since it's just not the reproduction of the page title.

Edit: I don't think the page would decline in quality by moving both to the quotes page, with or without a replacement.

edited 10th Feb '12 5:29:15 PM by Feather7603

You are right, the Star Wars quote is the best, because it has the additional point that both characters were Expecting Someone Taller. The last line is entirely superfluous, though.

About the image: I confess the effect is somewhat underwhelming. It sure is large and wordy for such a simple trope.

edited 11th Feb '12 10:51:24 AM by LordGro

Bump.

I suggest either leaving the page as is (with image, without a quote), or pulling the image for good and putting up the Star Wars quote instead.

Why not both?

This may be my personal impression, but, as I said, the page looks overwrought to me with this strip and a quote.

There is a lot of text in the image that you have to read to "get it", and when there's a quote on the top of the page to boot, my impression is that there is "too much stuff" around the trope which isn't the trope.

Given that choice, I prefer quote with no image, it is pretty weak.

I like the picture better than quotes.

Maybe I am making it too complicated. Maybe we can have the image and the Star Wars quote.

There's this trailer for Brave here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEHWDA_6e3M

Around 1:05. Or would that fall under Actually, That's My Assistant or something else?

edited 6th Mar '12 12:50:59 AM by kenshinta

It seems that is Actually, That's My Assistant. There is no build-up that makes them expect someone taller.

Someone has again put up the Deep Space Nine quote, which I think is rather weak. But maybe that is a matter for a different thread.

If no one has a better suggestion or objects to the Jack Chick image, we might just as well close this thread. Maybe some day a better image comes around.

Clock is set. Are we good with the page as is, or should either the image or quote go? Personally, I'd say lose the image and keep the quote.

It wouldn't be terrible to leave it as it is. I don't think having both a picture and a quote is a bad thing. If I had to choose, I still think the picture is better.

Regardless of the above, I still think it would be better with the Star Wars quote, rather than the current one. It also emphasises that it's not a Stock Phrase, since it's about two different characteristics than being tall (well, one is just inverted, but still).

From the history I can tell that the currect quote was added during the discussion with no mention here, after being removed due to the discussion. It's also on the Quotes page.

I propose we remove that and add the above Star Wars quote instead.

edited 20th Apr '12 9:54:09 AM by Feather7603

Agreed.

"You're shorter than I expected" is not an inversion of "I was expecting someone taller", it is the same.

I know. It's just a inversion of the phrase, not the meaning.

Sorry.

No worries. What I wrote was ambiguous. This goes especially in the cases where someone asks you to write the opposite sentence of a given one. There are usually at least three-four variants, more if it's a long one.

edited 20th Apr '12 7:55:21 PM by Feather7603