History Main / TheGenerationGap

* ''CyberGeneration'' was based on a Generation Gap, in this case between the cynical parental generation (the protagonists of the ''[[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/TabletopGame/Cyberpunk Cyberpunk]]'' role playing game) and their vastly more idealistic and NanoTech-mutated children (the protagonists of this game)

In fiction it often concludes on a DyingReconcilliation.

[[quoteright:320:[[Magazine/{{Life}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/life-gen-gap-may68_3241.jpg]]]]

* A major theme of ''WesternAnimation/MonsterLovingManiacs''. Elderly HunterOfMonsters Arthur van Alten has earned a reputation for himself as a BadassGrandpa and all-around CoolOldGuy, but is increasingly out of touch and has become deeply stuck in his ways. In contrast to his aggressive method of dealing with monsters, his grandkids Edith, Ernest, and Bo have adopted a more humanitarian approach in rehabilitating the monsters. And while Arthur often scoffs at their ideals as naive and childish, the kids succeed more often than not, on top of also discovering new information about monsters Arthur himself was previously unaware of ''because'' of their willingness to help monsters instead of just dispatching them.

* ''ComicBook/KingdomCome'': invoked by Batman's faction:
-->'''Batman''': ''We haven't the raw might to match Superman's army, but we have the fire of youth on our side. The sons and daughters of many of the Leaguers have come to lend their support.'' \\
-->'''Ibn Xu'Ffasch''': ''And they're prepared to fight tooth and nail with the generation who sired them?'' \\

'''Batman''': ''We haven't the raw might to match Superman's army, but we have the fire of youth on our side. The sons and daughters of many of the Leaguers have come to lend their support.'' \\
'''Ibn Xu'Ffasch''': ''And they're prepared to fight tooth and nail with the generation who sired them?'' \\
'''Batman''': ''Aren't all young people, son?''

* In ''Film/TheQuatermassConclusion'' it turns out that the Generation Gap is caused by the malign influence of aliens.

* ''Series/TheAndyGriffithShow'': The Season 7 episode "The Senior Play" presents modern issues that Mayberry Union High School principal Mr. Hampton and other conservative members of the community object to. Helen Crump gets the administration to see – through a presentation of popular music and dances from the 1920s – that even the "Greatest Generation" were victims of the Generation Gap by older, more conservative people of their day. Hampton and the others relent and the play is a success.

* ''Series/TheMonkees'' TV show was undeniably symbolic of this trope. At the time, it was radical to even think about placing youth rebellion (with no parental figures) as protagonists on a prime time sitcom. However, the show attempted to create an understanding between the gap, and prove that America's youth wasn't all that it seemed, despite outside appearances. Their groovy theme tune (written by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart) says it all:

* ''Series/FamilyTies'' is the Generation Gap after the generation that caused the first Gap... The {{hippie parent}}s now have a conservative, money-obsessed {{Yuppie}} son.
* ''Series/FreaksAndGeeks'' exemplifies the Generation Gap in its late stages. The Weir parents are clearly early Boomers while the kids are early Generation X'ers. Needless to say, when it comes to issues like sex and drug use, the Weir parents are little (if any) help.
** And let's not forget Mr. Weir's blind bitterness towards Music/SexPistols!
* ''Series/AllInTheFamily'' was heavily fueled by this trope.
* A big reason why [[RacistGrandpa Pierce]] is such an outcast to the rest of the study group in ''Series/{{Community}}''. That doesn't stop the others from having Generation X vs. Millennial conflicts.
* Speaking of, ads for ''Series/TheGreatIndoors'' play up Joel [=McHale's=] jaded, cynical, worldly Gen-X-er's distaste for his [[StrawmanPolitical idealistic]] but [[KnowNothingKnowItAll clueless]], [[ManChild shallow, immature]], [[NewMediaAreEvil distracted]], and [[TheDitz downright odd]] Millennial hipster coworkers (Creator/StephenFry is there too).
* ''Series/TheLordOfTheRingsTheRingsOfPower'': Durin and his father, the king, have a strong fight over his refusal to help the Elves. Durin is fed up with his father willingness to just stay stuck in the past, and not let Durin take his own decisions. Disa considers that the king must be removed from his position if necessary because he has grown too old and suspicious of anything new.

* ''ComicBook/TeenTitans'': Most of the Silver Age Teen Titans stories would feature the Titans helping bridge the Generation Gap between some small-town teens and their parents.

'''Note:''' A "generation gap" is a significant difference in ''values'' and ''ideas'' between two generations. A simple parent/child conflict (such as a parent disapproving of the music his/her child enjoys) is not an example of this.

-->-- "The Living Years" by Music/MikeAndTheMechanics

A trope commonly from the period in which it was named, the 1960s. The Generation Gap is the idea that the psychological differences between members of the "G.I./Greatest Generation"[[note]]Born between 1901 and 1927 approximately; see [[Website/{{Wikipedia}} The Other Wiki]]'s [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation#Western_world article on generations]] and the citations on there for generally agreed upon generation spans for the Western world as applied to this and other notes on this page[[/note]] that lived through TheGreatDepression and fought in UsefulNotes/WorldWarII and their "Baby Boomer" children[[note]]Born between 1946 and 1964[[/note]] were so significant that they were incapable of understanding each other, and so were in conflict, often devolving into KidsVersusAdults. This mostly occurred because, at the time, the United States' political climate was changing, with many boomers vehemently protesting things like racism and the Vietnam War, all the while using [[ThePowerOfRock rock-and-roll]] as a weapon against these issues. Many World War II-era adults disapproved of this (as did many MoralGuardians), so the generational gap became a widespread phenomenon.