Follow TV Tropes

Following

History Series / AlphaHouse

Go To

OR

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

* ColonCancer: A Gaffer intentionally dropped a light during a broadcast of a candidate's campaign, to make the candidate look unflappable, because he was told to do it. When asked on an interview whom it was, he says he can't say, but it goes high up in the campaign, and is revealed in his book "A Thousand Watts in Your Face, Bitch: Gaffing the Truth: Why Things Got Like This." He even pronounced the colons, saying "It's got two colons so you know it's important."
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


[[ComicStrip/{{Doonesbury}} Gary Trudeau]]'s SitCom about four U.S. Senators sharing a townhouse in WashingtonDC. Gil John Biggs (R-NC) (John Goodman) is a former college basketball coach who sees the Senate mainly as an easy paycheck and never-ending parade of perks; Robert Bettencourt (R-PA)(Clark Johnson) is a bigshot in the party establishment who concentrates on getting big campaign donations while under investigation by the Ethics Committee; Louis Laffer (R-NV)(Matt Malloy) is deep in the closet, while Andy Guzman (R-FL)(Mark Consuelos) is a Marco Rubio {{Expy}} at first glance until we discover the size and extent of his libido. The show was released as a WebOriginal on Amazon, with the first three episodes free.

to:

[[ComicStrip/{{Doonesbury}} Gary Trudeau]]'s SitCom about four U.S. Senators sharing a townhouse in WashingtonDC. Gil John Biggs (R-NC) (John Goodman) is a former college basketball coach who sees the Senate mainly as an easy paycheck and never-ending parade of perks; Robert Bettencourt (R-PA)(Clark Johnson) is a bigshot in the party establishment who concentrates on getting big campaign donations while under investigation by the Ethics Committee; the fastidious Louis Laffer (R-NV)(Matt Malloy) is deep in the closet, a devout Mormon who is likely a closeted gay man, while Andy Guzman (R-FL)(Mark Consuelos) is a Marco Rubio {{Expy}} at first glance until we discover the size and extent of his libido. The show was released as a WebOriginal on Amazon, with the first three episodes free.

Added: 585

Changed: 62

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* MeaningfulName: Gil John Biggs has the biggest personality, in addition to being the biggest in size. Louis Laffer is made to be a laughingstock in front of the public on numerous occasions. Peg Stanchion is as unyielding and steely as a metal bar. Laffer's aide James Whippy is easily pushed around; James becomes attracted to Laffer's daughter Lola, whose devout naïvete clashes with her sensual appeal, making her name semi-meaningful, since "Lolita" is a diminutive of Lola. The Watt brothers supply massive amounts of money, and therefore the power ("wattage") to GOP campaigns.



** Season Two has actual politicians Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), John [=McCain=] (R-AZ), and Ed Randell. Non-politicians include Rachel Maddow and Penn Gilette.

to:

** Season Two has actual politicians Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), John [=McCain=] (R-AZ), and former Governor Ed Randell. Rendell (D-PA). Non-politicians include political commentator Rachel Maddow and entertainer Penn Gilette.Jillette.

Added: 2046

Changed: 80

Removed: 279

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* ButNotTooBlack: Robert Bettencourt's upbringing. A black custodian at his office also comments that Bettencourt's campaign ads are clearly catered to white Pennsylvanians, which Bettencourt doesn't deny.

to:

* ButNotTooBlack: Robert Bettencourt's upbringing. A black custodian at his office also comments that Bettencourt's campaign ads are clearly catered to white Pennsylvanians, which Bettencourt doesn't deny. Rosalyn (Wanda Sykes) later mocks him for this at a politicos' stand-up night.
* {{Cliffhanger}}: Season two ends with Bettencourt's recount up in the air and Louise deciding that she and Lola are going to live in the house again (which would evict the other senators).
* ClusterFBomb: Any time the Watt brothers are onscreen.



* FatalFlaw:
** Gil John's temper. He claims that being reminded of one particular basketball loss is a "trigger", which leads him to beat a soldier with a chair.
** Andy's raging libido caused his first marriage to collapse, gives him major image problems, and [[spoiler:leads Adriana to call off their engagement when she finds he's been sleeping with Marta]].



* HollywoodAutism: Dilly, the ([[DawsonCasting supposedly]]) HighSchool-age poll numbers expert

to:

* HollywoodAutism: Dilly, the ([[DawsonCasting supposedly]]) HighSchool-age poll numbers expertexpert.
* KickTheDog: Senator Stanchion's first act onscreen is to humiliate the inept but harmless Betty (appointed to fill her late husband's seat) on the Senate floor. Gil John isn't amused.



** A photographer shooting Rep. Guzman for a piece in ''Vanity Fair'' appears to be modeled after Annie Leibovitz.
** A pair of Nevada investors who Rep. Laffer tangles with in regards to a possible showgirl workers strike are painted very much in the style of the Koch brothers.


Added DiffLines:

** A photographer shooting Rep. Guzman for a piece in ''Vanity Fair'' appears to be modeled after Annie Leibovitz.
** A pair of Nevada investors who Rep. Laffer tangles with in regards to a possible showgirl workers strike are painted very much in the style of the Koch brothers.
** Season Two has actual politicians Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), John [=McCain=] (R-AZ), and Ed Randell. Non-politicians include Rachel Maddow and Penn Gilette.


Added DiffLines:

* ScandalGate:
** The falling-light stunt bites Andy in the ass with "Gaffergate" because his chief of staff, having not known it was stage, fired the gaffer and he spilled the secret.
** Senator Stanchion is trying to replace this with things ending in "-ghazi" for Benghazi.
* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: Upon learning that he's tied with Senator Laffer on election day, Penn Gilette rips Nevada a new one for wanting to put a ''magician'' in office over someone who might have actual qualifications, says that he was only in it to bring libertarian issues into the conversation, and forfeits the election.


Added DiffLines:

* StuntCasting: If casting Janel Maloney as Tea Partier Senator Stanchion wasn't this, putting her on a panel with Bradley Whitford--who played her character's LoveInterest in ''Series/TheWestWing''--sure was.

Changed: 15

Removed: 284

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


[[ComicStrip/{{Doonesbury}} Gary Trudeau]]'s SitCom about four U.S. Senators sharing a townhouse in WashingtonDC. Gil John Biggs (R-NC) (John Goodman) is a former college basketball coach who sees the Senate mainly as an easy paycheck and never-ending parade of perks; Robert Bettencourt (R-PA)(Clark Johnson) is a bigshot in the party establishment who concentrates on getting big campaign donations while under investigation by the Ethics Committee; Louis Laffer (R-NV)(Matt Malloy) is deep in the closet, while Andy Guzman (R-FL)(Mark Consuelos) is a Ted Cruz {{Expy}} at first glance until we discover the size and extent of his libido. The show was released as a WebOriginal on Amazon, with the first three episodes free.

to:

[[ComicStrip/{{Doonesbury}} Gary Trudeau]]'s SitCom about four U.S. Senators sharing a townhouse in WashingtonDC. Gil John Biggs (R-NC) (John Goodman) is a former college basketball coach who sees the Senate mainly as an easy paycheck and never-ending parade of perks; Robert Bettencourt (R-PA)(Clark Johnson) is a bigshot in the party establishment who concentrates on getting big campaign donations while under investigation by the Ethics Committee; Louis Laffer (R-NV)(Matt Malloy) is deep in the closet, while Andy Guzman (R-FL)(Mark Consuelos) is a Ted Cruz Marco Rubio {{Expy}} at first glance until we discover the size and extent of his libido. The show was released as a WebOriginal on Amazon, with the first three episodes free.



* DudeNotFunny: Gil John uses the joke "at least I don't shoot blanks" during his debate with Digger Mancusi. Unfortunately, Digger and his wife have trouble conceiving naturally and Gil John's comments are interpreted to be a joke about that. Needless to say it doesn't go over well.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

* OnlySaneMan: After taking a hit in the polls for applauding something Obama said during the State of the Union address, Bettencourt decides to portray himself as this during a primary debate. Considering his opponents were a restaurant owner who boasted of his ability to dodge taxes, a PETA treasurer, the self-proclaimed reincarnation of James Buchanan (who debated in character), an alchemist, a "self-educated libertarian" who advocated repealing all laws, and a 9/11 truther, this was not exactly a challenging task.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* HeroicBSOD: Gil John starts feeling disillusioned with his political career, realizing that it's mostly his wife's ambition that's driving him. He sneaks off to his hometown to try and get his bearings only to realize that old racist attitudes he thought people had grown out of still exist in an insidious passive-aggressive form and that the average man on the street's idea of what the Republican Party stands for is nothing close to what drew him to politics in the first place. A conversation with a rival campaign operative ends up leading him to find new resolve to try and be the kind of politician he originally aspired to be.

to:

* HeroicBSOD: Gil John starts feeling disillusioned with his political career, realizing that it's mostly his wife's ambition that's driving him. He sneaks off to his hometown to try and get his bearings only to realize that old racist attitudes he thought people had grown out of still exist in an insidious passive-aggressive form and that the average man on the street's idea of what the Republican Party stands for is nothing close to what drew him to politics in the first place. He retreats to a beach to fish and drink beer. A conversation with a rival campaign operative ends up leading him to find new resolve to try and be the kind of politician he originally aspired to be.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

* HeroicBSOD: Gil John starts feeling disillusioned with his political career, realizing that it's mostly his wife's ambition that's driving him. He sneaks off to his hometown to try and get his bearings only to realize that old racist attitudes he thought people had grown out of still exist in an insidious passive-aggressive form and that the average man on the street's idea of what the Republican Party stands for is nothing close to what drew him to politics in the first place. A conversation with a rival campaign operative ends up leading him to find new resolve to try and be the kind of politician he originally aspired to be.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

* DudeNotFunny: Gil John uses the joke "at least I don't shoot blanks" during his debate with Digger Mancusi. Unfortunately, Digger and his wife have trouble conceiving naturally and Gil John's comments are interpreted to be a joke about that. Needless to say it doesn't go over well.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: Inverted. The opening credits have the protagonists cut into footage of Mitch [=McConnell=] and BarackObama, and the characters appear or are talked about on several real-world shows.

to:

* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: Inverted. The opening credits have the protagonists cut into footage of Mitch [=McConnell=] and BarackObama, UsefulNotes/BarackObama, and the characters appear or are talked about on several real-world shows.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* AwwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther: The "what if your wife was raped and murdered" question is asked during Gil John's debate rehearsal. Gil John doesn't answer beyond crushing his soda, which upsets Maddie because ''she'' would like to know the answer. Later, while Gil John is complaining, he says he doesn't want to get upsetting questions like that during the real thing, because of ''course'' it renders him speechless with anger. After that, we see a number of affectionate moments between the two.

to:

* AwwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther: AwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther: The "what if your wife was raped and murdered" question is asked during Gil John's debate rehearsal. Gil John doesn't answer beyond crushing his soda, which upsets Maddie because ''she'' would like to know the answer. Later, while Gil John is complaining, he says he doesn't want to get upsetting questions like that during the real thing, because of ''course'' it renders him speechless with anger. After that, we see a number of affectionate moments between the two.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

* AwwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther: The "what if your wife was raped and murdered" question is asked during Gil John's debate rehearsal. Gil John doesn't answer beyond crushing his soda, which upsets Maddie because ''she'' would like to know the answer. Later, while Gil John is complaining, he says he doesn't want to get upsetting questions like that during the real thing, because of ''course'' it renders him speechless with anger. After that, we see a number of affectionate moments between the two.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


** A photographer shooting Rep. Guzman for a piece in ''Vanity Fair'' appears to modeled after Annie Leibovitz.

to:

** A photographer shooting Rep. Guzman for a piece in ''Vanity Fair'' appears to be modeled after Annie Leibovitz.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

** A photographer shooting Rep. Guzman for a piece in ''Vanity Fair'' appears to modeled after Annie Leibovitz.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
added Croc tears

Added DiffLines:

* CrocodileTears: When a prominent representative dies [[spoiler: in the season finale]], both Guzman and Armiston use the funeral to self-promote their respective agendas.


Added DiffLines:

** A pair of Nevada investors who Rep. Laffer tangles with in regards to a possible showgirl workers strike are painted very much in the style of the Koch brothers.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Added Put On A Bus

Added DiffLines:

* PutOnABus: A senator played by [[spoiler: Bill Murray]] is put on the bus in the first minutes of the pilot, which drives the plot of the first couple episodes as Guzman moves in. TheBusCameBack in the [[spoiler: closing credits of the season finale]].
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* TheVoice: At least in the first few episodes, Gil John's wife is only heard on speakerphone from his district.

to:

* TheVoice: At least This trope is invoked in the first few episodes, as Gil John's wife (painted as the real brains behind Gil John's administration) is only heard on speakerphone from his district.district, however, in later episodes actress Julie White does appear in person.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

** Grover Norquist and Anthony Weiner have cameos in the season finale. Norquist has a speaking role, where Weiner, maybe considering his recent troubles, stays silent.

Added: 95

Changed: 100

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* AmbiguouslyAutistic: Dilly, the ([[DawsonCasting supposedly]]) HighSchool-age poll numbers expert.

to:

* AmbiguouslyAutistic: Dilly, the ([[DawsonCasting supposedly]]) HighSchool-age poll numbers expert.


Added DiffLines:

* HollywoodAutism: Dilly, the ([[DawsonCasting supposedly]]) HighSchool-age poll numbers expert
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


** Chuck Schumer has a cameo interacting with Bettencourt in an episode where President Obama appears via StockkFootage.

to:

** Chuck Schumer has a cameo interacting with Bettencourt in an episode where President Obama appears via StockkFootage.StockFootage.

Added: 220

Changed: 3

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* AmbiguouslyAutistic: Dilly, the ([[DawsonCasting supposedly]]) HighSchool-age poll numbers expert.



* NoCelebretiesWereHarmed: Inverted. The opening credits have the protagonists cut into footage of Mitch [=McConnell=] and Barack Obama, and the characters appear or are talked about on several real-world shows.

to:

* NoCelebretiesWereHarmed: NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: Inverted. The opening credits have the protagonists cut into footage of Mitch [=McConnell=] and Barack Obama, BarackObama, and the characters appear or are talked about on several real-world shows.shows.
** Chuck Schumer has a cameo interacting with Bettencourt in an episode where President Obama appears via StockkFootage.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


[[ComicStrip/{{Doonesbury}} Gary Trudeau]]'s SitCom about four U.S. Senators sharing a townhouse in WashingtonDC. Gil John Biggs (R-NC) (John Goodman) is a former college basketball coach who sees the Senate mainly as an easy paycheck and never-ending parade of perks; Robert Bettencourt (R-PA)(Clark Johnson) is a bigshot in the party establishement who concentrates on getting big campaign donations while under investigation by the Ethics Committee; Louis Laffer (R-NV)(Matt Malloy) is deep in the closet, while Andy Guzman (R-FL)(Mark Consuelos) is a Ted Cruz {{Expy}} at first glance until we discover the size and extent of his libido. The show was released as a WebOriginal on Amazon, with the first three episodes free.

to:

[[ComicStrip/{{Doonesbury}} Gary Trudeau]]'s SitCom about four U.S. Senators sharing a townhouse in WashingtonDC. Gil John Biggs (R-NC) (John Goodman) is a former college basketball coach who sees the Senate mainly as an easy paycheck and never-ending parade of perks; Robert Bettencourt (R-PA)(Clark Johnson) is a bigshot in the party establishement establishment who concentrates on getting big campaign donations while under investigation by the Ethics Committee; Louis Laffer (R-NV)(Matt Malloy) is deep in the closet, while Andy Guzman (R-FL)(Mark Consuelos) is a Ted Cruz {{Expy}} at first glance until we discover the size and extent of his libido. The show was released as a WebOriginal on Amazon, with the first three episodes free.

Changed: 577

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


[[ComicStrip/{{Doonesbury}} Gary Trudeau]]'s SitCom about four U.S. Senators sharing a townhouse in WashingtonDC, released as a WebOriginal on Amazon.

to:

[[ComicStrip/{{Doonesbury}} Gary Trudeau]]'s SitCom about four U.S. Senators sharing a townhouse in WashingtonDC, WashingtonDC. Gil John Biggs (R-NC) (John Goodman) is a former college basketball coach who sees the Senate mainly as an easy paycheck and never-ending parade of perks; Robert Bettencourt (R-PA)(Clark Johnson) is a bigshot in the party establishement who concentrates on getting big campaign donations while under investigation by the Ethics Committee; Louis Laffer (R-NV)(Matt Malloy) is deep in the closet, while Andy Guzman (R-FL)(Mark Consuelos) is a Ted Cruz {{Expy}} at first glance until we discover the size and extent of his libido. The show was released as a WebOriginal on Amazon.
Amazon, with the first three episodes free.

Added: 1767

Changed: 302

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* ButNotTooBlack: Robert Bettencourt's upbringing. A black custodian at his office also comments that Bettencourt's campaign ads are clearly catered to white Pennsylvanians, which Bettencourt doesn't deny.
* DarkSecret: Andy doesn't know Spanish and is taking lessons in secret. His parents thought it would hold him back.



* FanDisservice: John Goodman shirtless.

to:

* FanDisservice: John Goodman shirtless.naked.
* GoshDangItToHeck: Louis and his wife Louise, although Louis isn't above a PrecisionFStrike.
* HairTriggerTemper: Gil John, a FatalFlaw of his.
* TheMalaproper: Gil John, mostly because he doesn't give a damn. As soon as someone tells him about zingers and [=RINO=][[note]]Republican In Name Only[[/note]] issues, he's calling them "stinkers" and "hippo issues."
* MemeticMutation: In-universe, something that is feared by the Senators. Some examples:
** Louis' interview on Series/TheColbertReport, which ends with a homoerotic wrestling match.
** The video of Gil John attacking a soldier with a folding chair.
** One of Louis' staffers accidentally uploading a photo of his own penis onto the Senator's Twitter account.
* NervesOfSteel: An arc light blows and crashes to the ground right behind Andy while he's making his rebuttal to President Obama's speech. He doesn't even flinch. (The way he talks about it afterward suggests he might have planned it.)
* NoCelebretiesWereHarmed: Inverted. The opening credits have the protagonists cut into footage of Mitch [=McConnell=] and Barack Obama, and the characters appear or are talked about on several real-world shows.



* RaisedByWolves: asked of one of the interviewees by Louis.
* TerribleIntervieweesMontage: in episode 8, when Louis is recruiting a new housekeeper.

to:

* RaisedByWolves: asked Asked of one of the interviewees by Louis.
* RedHerring: At a club, Andy makes an acquaintance with a very attractive Spanish-speaking woman and invites her to the house, and strange noises are heard from his room ''after'' Adriana leaves. She bursts in to find them--studying Spanish because Andy's hired her as a tutor.
* SelfDeprecatingHumor: Chris Matthews' cameo is him making a hugely implausible segue to shill his new book while his guests awkwardly try to get back to the subject of Gil John's campaign vid.
*
TerribleIntervieweesMontage: in In episode 8, when Louis is recruiting a new housekeeper.

Added: 173

Changed: 40

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
added Walk & Talk; clarified The Voice


* TheVoice: Gil John's wife who is only heard on speakerphone from his district.

to:

* TheVoice: At least in the first few episodes, Gil John's wife who is only heard on speakerphone from his district.district.
* WalkAndTalk: Lampshaded and played with when one character tells another, "Walk and talk with me." They do... but then they only go about ten feet. Does that really count?
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

* RaisedByWolves: asked of one of the interviewees by Louis.
* TerribleIntervieweesMontage: in episode 8, when Louis is recruiting a new housekeeper.

Added: 80

Changed: 55

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* DashingHispanic: Andy.

to:

* DashingHispanic: Andy.Andy, who finds a girlfriend immediately after splitting up.


Added DiffLines:

* TheVoice: Gil John's wife who is only heard on speakerphone from his district.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


[[ComicStrip/{{Doonesbury}} Gary Trudeau]]'s series about four U.S. Senators sharing a townhouse in WashingtonDC, released as a WebOriginal on Amazon.

to:

[[ComicStrip/{{Doonesbury}} Gary Trudeau]]'s series SitCom about four U.S. Senators sharing a townhouse in WashingtonDC, released as a WebOriginal on Amazon.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


[[ComicStrip/Doonesbury Gary Trudeau]]'s series about four U.S. Senators sharing a townhouse in WashingtonDC, released as a WebOriginal on Amazon.

to:

[[ComicStrip/Doonesbury [[ComicStrip/{{Doonesbury}} Gary Trudeau]]'s series about four U.S. Senators sharing a townhouse in WashingtonDC, released as a WebOriginal on Amazon.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

[[ComicStrip/Doonesbury Gary Trudeau]]'s series about four U.S. Senators sharing a townhouse in WashingtonDC, released as a WebOriginal on Amazon.

----
This work contains examples of:
* AmbiguouslyGay: Louis, from deep in the closet. Since he's a conservative GOP senator facing a primary challenge he's trying to become even ''more'' of an ArmoredClosetGay.
* DashingHispanic: Andy.
* FanDisservice: John Goodman shirtless.
* NoPartyGiven: Averted; all the main characters are Republicans. WordOfGod is this is because they have more interesting primary battles than Democrats.
----

Top