History Main / SubwaysSuck

* On the subject of the"T", Creator/TomLehrer once did a "spelling song" using the stops on the Red Line, which if you start at Harvard Station and travel toward downtown spell out HCKCPW (it doesn't work anymore, since the last station in that list is now called "Downtown Crossing"), which he pronounces like someone spitting. Though the last line of the song ("which is just about what Boston means to me") implies it's the city in general rather than the subway that he's disparaging.

* ''Webcomic/{{Greg}}'' runs into a bunch of foul tempered subway riders during his morning commute. They give him a widely used single fingered salute in this instance as seen [[http://gregcomic.com/2011/11/28/a-silver-lining-part-1/ here]].

[[folder: Theatre ]]
* Averted in ''Linie 1'', a German musical from 1989, set in the Berlin subway.
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[[folder: Literature ]]

* The original story version of ''Literature/TheMidnightMeatTrain'' takes it even further. In addition to a dangerous killer there is much more afoot in the lower levels of New York City. If you get caught in it, it is so going to suck.

[[/folder]]

* ''Film/TheMidnightMeatTrain'' seems to be built around this trope. [[spoiler: A killer is roaming the subways.]]

* [[IronMan Tony Stark]] had to take subways while trying to lead a normal average-Joe type of life.

Could have something to do with where the entertainment is made --[[BigApplesauce New York's]] subway is [[NewYorkSubway one of the oldest in the world]] and at various times has been so filthy as to get the nickname [[AbsurdlySpaciousSewer "The Electric Sewer"]], while [[UsefulNotes/LosAngelesMetroRail L.A's subway]] (while the largest system [[OverlyNarrowSuperlative in Southern California]][[note]]For those who don't get the joke, the only other major metropolitan area in Southern California, San Diego, doesn't ''have'' a subway system, using trolleys and light rail instead[[/note]]) is either ignored or [[ButtMonkey abused]] by media as a setting for geological disasters (though this seems to be turning around just like the real life subway is expanding at an astonishing rate - at least for the US).

RealLife subways that ''don't'' suck include (but are not limited to) UsefulNotes/TheLondonUnderground, UsefulNotes/NewYorkSubway,[[note]]Though it used to suck in the past, it's better nowadays.[[/note]] Le Métro de Montréal, UsefulNotes/LeMetropolitain (in Paris), UsefulNotes/WashingtonMetro[[note]]Which is relatively new and aggressively efficient and clean[[/note]] and pretty much every subway system in Japan. See UsefulNotes/WorldSubways for details.

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[[AC:{{Film}}]]

[[AC:{{Literature}}]]

[[AC:LiveActionTV]]

[[AC:{{Music}}]]

[[AC:{{Theatre}}]]

[[AC:ThemeParks]]

[[AC:{{Webcomics}}]]

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]

* One episode of MTV's ''{{Downtown}}'' featured a battle-of-the-sexes train race of Chaka and Mecca versus Mat and Fruity to get to Coney Island. Chaka acts impulsively and takes random trains while Mecca is too spineless to stop her. Mat looks at the maps, makes a plan and firmly sticks to it despite Fruity's complaints, but all for nothing when their train line ends abruptly due to construction. [[spoiler: Chaka and Mecca get there first, but only by cheating and taking a cab.]]

Could have something to do with where the entertainment is made --[[BigApplesauce New York's]] subway is [[NewYorkSubway one of the oldest in the world]] and at various times has been so filthy as to get the nickname [[AbsurdlySpaciousSewer "The Electric Sewer"]], while [[UsefulNotes/LosAngelesMetroRail L.A's subway]] (while the largest system [[OverlyNarrowSuperlative in Southern California]][[note]]For those who don't get the joke, the only other major metropolitan area in Southern California, San Diego, doesn't ''have'' a subway system, using trolleys and light rail instead[[/note]]) is either ignored or [[ButtMonkey abused]] by media as a setting for geological disasters (though this seems to be turning around).

* ''RockosModernLife'', "Commuted Sentence": Rocko's car has been impounded, and he must take public transportation to get to work. Since every day is a bad day for Rocko, this does not go well, and that includes the subway. He gets trampled by a bunch of business lizards, a laid-off postal worker goes crazy in the subway car (or at least feigns insanity so he can get some "swinging room"), and the subway is stopped for police activity. (Which is [[IncrediblyLamePun "Arts and Crafts"]]!)

Could have something to do with where the entertainment is made --[[BigApplesauce New York's]] subway is [[NewYorkSubway one of the oldest in the world]] and at various times has been so filthy as to get the nickname [[AbsurdlySpaciousSewer "The Electric Sewer"]], while [[SoCalization L.A's subway]] (while the largest system [[OverlyNarrowSuperlative in Southern California]][[note]]For those who don't get the joke, the only other major metropolitan area in Southern California, San Diego, doesn't ''have'' a subway system, using trolleys and light rail instead[[/note]]) is either ignored or [[ButtMonkey abused]] by media as a setting for geological disasters (though this seems to be turning around).

* ''BoyMeetsWorld'' "Train of Fools" The train breaks down on New Year's Eve ruining everyone's exciting plans.
* ''FullHouse'' had "Subterranean Graduation Blues," where Jesse misses his high school graduation because he and the others got stuck on a subway, where he manages to convince another drop-out that it's never too late to go back.
* ''FamilyMatters'', with a L-train in a Christmas episode. Steve eventually teaches the grumpy passengers the true meaning of the holidays and they make a make-shift tree.
* ''TheSingleGuy'' Jonathan eventually prys open the doors and braves the filthy underground tunnels trying to make it to freedom.
* An episode of ''UglyBetty'' involved Justin and his parents getting caught on a broken subway on the way to see the Broadway musical "Hairspray."
* An episode of ''{{Becker}}'' featured Becker trying to help a lost woman on the subway, thus causing him to miss his appointments. Luckily though, the subway did NOT break down in this case.
* ''ThirdWatch'' is an interesting case. The premiere of Season 3 was supposed to involve Faith and Fred Yokas stuck on a subway, with Fred having a heart attack. However this plot was shelved due to 9/11, and the decision to write that into the storylines. The plot resurfaced at the end of Season 3, except in a powerless apartment building instead of a subway.
* A ''MyFamily'' ChristmasEpisode had the characters stuck on UsefulNotes/TheLondonUnderground when the train broke down.

''[Cuts to them sitting in the back of a cab being driven by a very reckless Eastern European driver]''\\
--''Film/TheIncredibleHulk''

* ''TheMidnightMeatTrain'' seems to be built around this trope. [[spoiler: A killer is roaming the subways.]]

Could have something to do with where the entertainment is made --[[BigApplesauce New York's]] subway is [[NewYorkSubway one of the oldest in the world]] and at various times has been so filthy as to get the nickname [[AbsurdlySpaciousSewer "The Electric Sewer"]], while [[SoCalization L.A's subway]] (while the largest system [[OverlyNarrowSuperlative in Southern California]]) is either ignored or [[ButtMonkey abused]] by media as a setting for geological disasters (though this seems to be turning around).

Could have something to do with where the entertainment is made --[[BigApplesauce New York's]] subway is [[NewYorkSubway one of the oldest in the world]] and at various times has been so filthy as to get the nickname [[AbsurdlySpaciousSewer "The Electric Sewer"]], while [[SoCalization L.A's subway]] (while the largest system [[OverlyNarrowSuperlative in the western US]]) is either ignored or [[ButtMonkey abused]] by media as a setting for geological disasters (though this seems to be turning around).

RealLife subways that ''don't'' suck include (but are not limited to) UsefulNotes/TheLondonUnderground, UsefulNotes/NewYorkSubway,[[note]]Though it used to suck in the past, it's better nowadays.[[/note]] Le Métro de Montréal, UsefulNotes/LeMetropolitain (in Paris), UsefulNotes/MoscowMetro, UsefulNotes/WashingtonMetro[[note]]Which is relatively new and aggressively efficient and clean[[/note]] and pretty much every subway system in Japan. See UsefulNotes/WorldSubways for details.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' episode ''[[Recap/BatmanTheAnimatedSeriesTheClockKing The Clock King]]'': Temple Fugate has his first encounter with Mayor Hill in the Gotham subway. Seven years later, [[spoiler: he will invoke the SinisterSubway with a TrainwreckEpisode]].

[[TakeThat The message]] that many [=Sitcoms=] seem to send: subways (a.k.a. the Metro, the Underground) are always more trouble than they're worth. They're always breaking down and trapping characters inside for [[HilarityEnsues wacky, wacky antics]] or [[AnAesop heart-felt learning and personal growth]] -- in other words, you're LockedInARoom that just happens to have wheels, or trapped in a huge sideways elevator full of strangers. That's public transportation for you.

[[TakeThat The message]] that many {{Sit Com}}s seem to send: subways (a.k.a. the Metro, the Underground) are always more trouble than they're worth. They're always breaking down and trapping characters inside for [[HilarityEnsues wacky, wacky antics]] or [[AnAesop heart-felt learning and personal growth]] -- in other words, you're LockedInARoom that just happens to have wheels, or trapped in a huge sideways elevator full of strangers. That's public transportation for you.

->'''Betty Ross''': [Looking at a subway map] The subway is probably quickest.
->'''Bruce Banner''': Me in a metal tube, deep underground with hundreds of people in the most aggressive city in the world?
->'''Betty Ross''': Right. Let's get a cab.
->''[Cuts to them sitting in the back of a cab being driven by a very reckless Eastern European driver]''
-->--''Film/TheIncredibleHulk''

* ''Series/SesameStreet'', of all things, had a song regarding this trope, appropriately titled [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkPh8As-y6E "Subway."]]

* At the ''BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' episode ''[[Recap/BatmanTheAnimatedSeriesTheClockKing The Clock King]]'': Temple Fugate had an encounter with Mayor Hill at the desolated Gotham City Subway that meant his StartOfDarkness as the ClockKing. Seven years later, [[spoiler: ClockKing will invoke the SinisterSubway with a TrainwreckEpisode]].

RealLife subways that ''don't'' suck include (but are not limited to) UsefulNotes/TheLondonUnderground, UsefulNotes/NewYorkSubway,[[note]]Though it used to suck in the past, it's better nowadays.[[/note]] Le Métro de Montréal, UsefulNotes/LeMetropolitain (in Paris), UsefulNotes/MoscowMetro, and pretty much every subway system in Japan.