History Main / ViewersAreMorons

Of course, there ''is'' a "moron" demographic out there, and it has its members, but executives seem to believe that ''every'' person who watches TV belongs in it. This may be due to something known as the "80-20" rule in business — in this case, that market research shows that 80% of money spent on television-advertised products comes from the lowest 20% in terms of education and intelligence, so show-content is naturally geared towards them.

* In ''WebAnimation/SonicForHire'', Mario watches the news [[spoiler:after killing Sonic]] and they say that there is total world peace. However, they say "Not since Oedipus freed Theseus from the Curse of the Sphinx ..." until being interrupted and told to "dumb it down a bit" (assuming most viewers won't understand historical references), so he says "Not since Papa Smurf thwarted the Evil Gargamel ..." instead.

* {{Lampshade|Hanging}}d by the Authors of ''ComicBook/ActionPhilosophers'' as the reason for the creation of these comics. A TruthInTelevision example is mentioned in the recommended books of the Freud-Jung-Campbell issue where it turns out that [[spoiler: Jung wrote a book for his students, simplifying his ideas, because he wanted them to actually understand what he was teaching]].

** CardCarryingVillain: Believing that the audience can't tell if a character is evil unless they openly take pride in how evil they are.

* AndKnowingIsHalfTheBattle

* AntiRoleModel

* AudienceAlienatingEra
* ButNotTooEvil

* ButWaitTheresMore

* CallingYourAttacks

* {{Infodump}}

* LaughTrack
* LowestCommonDenominator
* {{Macekre}}
* NarratingTheObvious
* NetworkDecay

* PlotHole
* RecycledScript

* ShowDontTell

* TooIncompetentToOperateABlanket

* TVNeverLies
* WriterCopOut

* CardCarryingVillain: Believing that the audience can't tell if a character is evil unless they openly take pride in how evil they are.

* ObviouslyEvil: Because viewers won't know who the good guys are if the bad guys are too subtle.

* Sometimes, CharacterDerailment: Character changes personality with no explanation.

** ObviousJudas: A character is obviously a bad guy, yet the writers still expect the audience to be surprised when they turn out to be a bad guy.

** ObviousJudas: A character is obviously a bad guy yet the writers still expect the audience to be surprised when they turn out to be a bad guy.

* DanBrowned: Claiming that you've done the research, then proving you really haven't and assuming that the audience will be too ignorant to notice.

* Used in episode 13 of ''LightNovel/AmagiBrilliantPark''. The second promotional video created by Tricen to promote the park resembles something a film student would've created for a film project, causing Seiya to reject it, and go with the boring first video created. Tricen then tells him he secretly uploaded it online, and Seiya is shocked to find out that said video already has nearly a million and a half views, along with over seventy-four thousand comments.

* In ''WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic'' [[Recap/TheNostalgiaCriticS7E9 review]] of ''WesternAnimation/TheLorax'', the Analysts state that the reason the film was so heavy-handed with its GreenAesop was so that the audience wouldn't be confused. The Critic argues that like the book, the film should try challenging the audience and make them think, and it's shown that the audience quickly lose interest in the film due to how forgettable it was.

* During the original development of ''VideoGame/TitanQuest'', a planned sidequest that would takes players to the top of a snowy mountain for the first chapter of the game set in Greece had to be scrapped because one Creator/{{THQ}} executive complained that players wouldn't understand why there'd be a mountain in Greece. Despite the fact that there ''are'' snowy mountains in Greece, something that anyone could find that out with a simple trip to Website/TheOtherWiki.

* WereStillRelevantDammit: Audiences already know that the work is up to date. Why bother?

* Parodied in the [[TheTeaser Cold Open]] of ''Machinima/TheGmodIdiotBox'' Episode 7, where an unscrupulous [=YouTube=] user asks about a song in an ''Idiot Box'' episode, despite the very clear notice that songs are listed in the description. #1 is quick to express his disapproval.

* Franchise/{{Star Trek}}’s repeated use of the word "[[YouKeepUsingThatWord Ancient]]" to describe ''anything'' in Earth's history seems to be done to emphasize just how far the show's events take place in the future, though the audience shouldn't really need to be reminded of that given how the show takes place on an intergalactic starship.

* ClipShow episodes

* NeverSayDie: Words like "die", "kill" or "dead" are not allowed to be said.

* StrawmanHasAPoint: The creator fails to realize that the strawman has a better argument than the person he is defending.

* FourEqualPaymentsOf (in advertising)

* JustPenniesADay (in advertising)

* DorkAge

Note that this viewpoint is not particular to network executives. Question some point of continuity for a children's show with a sizable adult PeripheryDemographic, and you are pretty much guaranteed one of the periphery adult fans will insist that it's "because it's a kid's show and they don't expect kids to notice." Ironically, kids are often far ''more'' aware of such mistakes, not because kids are per se "smarter" than we expect, but because not having things like a job, spouse, or "real life" to distract them, they tend to watch their favorites much more obsessively and with more of their minds fully devoted to analysis. ([[MostTropersAreYoungNerds Which makes them]] [[FanDumb similar to others]] [[TVTropesWillRuinYourLife you may be]] [[ThisLoserIsYou familiar with.]]) Consequently, children can put even the strictest editors to shame with their awkward questions.

* The political cartoons of Stan Kelly, a consistent feature of ''Website/TheOnion'', tend to feature this. Kelly labels ''everything'', even his attempts at caricaturing popular figures or incredibly basic visual metaphors (i.e. if he draws a kid, the kid will be labeled "INNOCENT KIDS"). Being a parody of hack political cartoonists, it's pretty apt.

Some of it comes from ''how'' people use TV, too. In some households, the TV is just on. The background noise and familiar voices add a comfortable ambiance to a home. These people may prefer programs you can tune in and out of, and not miss much. Face it, not every viewer is like a {{Troper}}, analyzing character's actions, and picking apart the plot. This does not mean the person is a moron, but when it comes to explaining the show that they "watch", they may sound like it to a troper.

-->'''Ted:''' Listen, Muriel love, I'll find someone to please an audience! Though your average audience these days is stupid anyway. ''(AsideGlance)'' No offence...

* ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}'' :

-->'''Diabetus''': You had to flash back to this? How stupid do you think we are!?