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Author: 69BookWorM69

Jul 15th 2013 at 4:30:16 AM

@ randomsurfer Thanks for the editing assistance. My geriatric computer is apt to crash on occasion, and it's tough to type with a cat on my lap. : )

@ paycheckgurl I also consider it a subtrope to GarnishingTheStory. All the "gratuitous" language tropes are listed there, and the description for the supertrope of GTS says: "Now even if these elements have some importance to the story, it's similar to a MacGuffin in that the form needn't be any of the elements, but it's still better to have them." In other words, that deputy police commissioner could have constructed his alibi in some other way, but he used the helicopter as a demonstration of power and to grant some seriousness to the false burglary spree theory. Brewster could've hired limousines (one per player) to ferry those players to that game, but the helicopters were cooler. as well as expensive. The daredevil would-be bridegroom could've driven a sports car to his wedding ceremony, but he landed a helicopter on the lawn to make a bigger splash with the reporters (and besides, the bride's father had all that space on his expansive lawn for a landing). In all these cases, I really think the helicopter "makes the story better in some way simply for having it, similar to adding spices and seasonings to food."

That said, I included the in-universe reaction and used the title "Gratuitous Helicopter" to avoid the problems with potential TropeDecay and PSOC noted in the prior discussion of this idea. I also tried to leave out the many military examples of helicopter use (like M*A*S*H* and the military films) and as well MagnumPI and some of the advertising, since there's a hint that in those cases helicopters simply come with the territory.