This is discussion archived from a time before the current discussion method was installed.
Kilyle: Is there a trope around for the differing standards of "Everything You Could"? I mean, I started to notice how quickly people are declared dead if they're not the main characters. Elliot knocks a suspect over and his partner's ready to declare time of death seconds later. I think they did it on Diagnosis Murder at least once, where the guy flatlines and seconds later someone says there's nothing more they can do. I'm sure I've seen it elsewhere. Bugs me.
Contrast with when it's a kid, or a main character, and they spend at least fifteen minutes, maybe an hour or more, trying to bring them back. It's not over till the fat lady sings! Three, four, five shots of epi. Defribulators at least twice. Mouth-to-mouth, rough 'em up a little, even shout in their faces (or, more commonly, at the people who are standing around doing nothing or trying to convince you it's over).
Sure, the longer sequence might not work; I suppose you might have a fifty-fifty shot. But the idea that half the time it does work should be enough to have everyone trying it every time. Otherwise it's just a "We really didn't care enough to try." And declaring death—enough to stop all rescue efforts—after a few seconds, or half a minute, is unconscionable.
Anyway, do we have a trope for this, or might this fit as part of this trope?
Mr Death: Didn't there used to be a lot more examples to this?
