Line #12 Series/TheSpoilsOfBabylon


1	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_spoils_of_babylon_345840112_large_3656096457.jpg]]
2	In 1976, noted author Eric Jonrosh[[note]] [[CouchGag Author-Producer-Actor-Writer-Director-Raconteur-Bon Vivant-Legend-Fabulist, among]] [[TryToFitThatOnABusinessCard many other descriptions.]] [[/note]] embarked on an ambitious three-year quest to film his [[{{Doorstopper}} sprawling]] best-seller, ''The Spoils Of Babylon''. The project was ultimately abandoned as the initial running time was over 22 hours. That is until an older, burnt-out Jonrosh was convinced to agree to a severely truncated re-edit of two hours, and is now finally releasing his masterpiece for the world to see.
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4	Okay, in reality, ''The Spoils of Babylon'' is an IFC miniseries created by former ''[[Series/SaturdayNightLive SNL]]'' writers Andrew Steele & Matt Piedmont that parodies classic television soaps such as ''{{Series/Dallas}}'', and miniseries based off {{Doorstopper}} novels such as ''Series/TheThornBirds''. The plot concerns the birth of a large corporation, [[MegaCorp Morehouse Conglomerated]], and the drama over the Morehouse family who runs it. Rivalries, vendettas, and forbidden semi-incestuous love affairs abound. The story is framed by the twisted narrative of Eric Jonrosh (Creator/WillFerrell), an old burnt-out author/actor who wrote the fictional ''Spoils Of Babylon'' novel in-universe.
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6	Followed up by a spinoff, ''The Spoils Before Dying'', based on another fictitious Eric Jonrosh novel. With the theme of a detective noir and Jonrosh's failed attempts at Beatnik slang, ''Dying'' focuses on Rock Banyon, ([[Series/TheWire Michael K.]] [[Series/BoardwalkEmpire Williams]]) a Jazz pianist framed for the murder of Fresno Foxglove (Creator/MayaRudolph) who has to [[ClearMyName clear his name]].
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8	----
9	!!Tropes Found in Both Works
10	* ActorAllusion: One of the shticks of the series is that the actors are playing actors, who in turn are playing the characters in the InUniverse epic 70's miniseries. One example is Jellybean Howie as Gumdrop Howard as Marianne Morehouse.
11	* AffectionateParody: The first is a parody of various prestige miniseries adapted from bestseller novels like ''[[Literature/AsianSaga Shogun]]'' and ''Literature/TheThornBirds'' that were a mainstay of American television in the 70s and 80s. The followup miniseries adds FilmNoir into the mix.
12	* AuthorTract: Invoked and parodied with Eric Jonrosh's blatantly left-wing views.
13	* BigFancyHouse: In ''Babylon'', the Morehouses' house. In ''Dying'', William Stygamian's.
14	* CreatorCameo:
15	** In ''Babylon'', Jonrosh shows up as The Shah of Iran, in scenes clearly filmed separately from everyone else.
16	** In ''Dying'', Will Ferrell (unknown if played by Jonrosh in-universe) shows up as [[spoiler:J. Edgar Hoover.]]
17	* PaintingTheFourthWall: The series are presented as if it's an actual 70's miniseries (''Babylon'')/movie (''Dying'') based on novels that are only being shown for the first time, with author-director Eric Jonrosh introducing and closing each episode. Thus, we get chains of actors playing characters playing characters.
18	** Tobey Maguire as Dirk Snowfield as Devon Morehouse
19	** Kristen Wiig as Lauoreighiya Samcake as Cynthia Morehouse
20	** Tim Robbins as Sir Richard Driftwood as Jonas Morehouse
21	** etc.
22	* {{Jerkass}}: Eric Jonrosh is an alcoholic, pretentious weirdo who's prone to sexual harassment, and may have murdered someone he loved on a drug trip... as well as many more.
23	* ProductPlacement: In ''Babylon'', Bagpipes O'Toole vodka is name-dropped. In ''Dying'', the film ''[[SerialEscalation stops in its tracks]]'' to advertise Boghei French-Like Cigarettes, Bagpipes O'Toole [[Film/TheRoom2003 scotch-flavored vodka]], biscuits, and even clothes from a catalog!
24	* PurpleProse: Parodied and exaggerated, as if it were a Jonrosh trademark.
25	* SmallNameBigEgo: Eric Jonrosh.
26	* StylisticSuck: Pretty much the series' ''raison d'etre''. It's full of BadBadActing[[note]]Some rather strange and comical lines are delivered entirely straight, including bizarre forays into Shakespearean monologues in some scenes[[/note]], deliberate examples of SpecialEffectsFailure[[note]]The exteriors and many driving scenes are rather obvious, ranging from sets where the footage in the back is repeating, establishing shots being obvious miniatures and some driving scenes simply being toy cars dragged with strings[[/note]] and an entire part played by a mannequin voiced by Creator/CareyMulligan[[note]]Yeah, we have no explanation for this one[[/note]].
27	* VanityProject: An in-universe example, they were [[CopiouslyCreditedCreator produced, written, and directed by Eric Jonrosh]] who wrote the novels they were based upon.
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29	!!''The Tropes of Babylon'':
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31	* AmbitionIsEvil: An intended message of Eric Jonrosh's story. Jonas Morehouse is willing to give up the profit and success that comes with a huge oil conglomerate by switching to a more environmentally friendly technology. Similarly, Devon Morehouse abandons Morehouse Conglomerated while Cynthia and Devon become drunk on their own ambition and feed the Military Industrial Complex.
32	* BeardOfSorrow: Devon wears one after leaving Morehouse Conglomerated in later episodes.
33	* CorruptCorporateExecutive: Cynthia and Winston.
34	* DrunkWithPower: Cynthia and her son Winston.
35	* DumbBlonde: Cynthia.
36	* FakeNationality: Will Ferrell as Eric Jonrosh as the Shah of Iran
37	** InUniverse, Englishman Sir Richard Driftwood plays American Jonas Morehouse. In reality, Tim Robbins does. So maybe it's a recursive example.
38	* GoingColdTurkey: "I kicked heroin... I can't kick you."
39	* GreenAesop: Horribly mishandled by Eric Jonrosh.
40	* InMediasRes: The series begins with Devon being shot, and surviving long enough to drive himself to his office so he can narrate his life.
41	* MegaCorp: Morehouse Conglomerated. For the members of the Morehouse family who stay heavily invested in its leadership, being part of it does more harm than good to their character.
42	* MessyHair: After Devon leaves to [[WanderingTheEarth wander the earth]] after [[spoiler:Cynthia burns down the mansion and murders Lady York]], he sports a Music/BobDylan haircut.
43	* MorallyBankruptBanker: Jonas Morehouse is taunted by one about how his property and fortune are forfeit - right before striking oil.
44	* TheNeedsOfTheMany: Jonas', and later Devon's, ethos. The fact that it's not shared by [[CorruptCorporateExecutive Cynthia]] or [[PsychopathicManchild Winston]] leads to problems to say the least.
45	* NoOneCouldSurviveThat: When Devon is shot down, The Generals state how no one could survive the crash. When we see Devon, He's in one piece despite his plane going up in a fiery explosion.
46	* NotBloodRelated: Cynthia and Devon are adopted siblings and lovers.
47	* OldSchoolDogfight: Devon Morehouse becomes a fighter pilot during the second world war, prompting a scene of aerial combat.
48	* OohMeAccentsSlipping: Intentionally done by Tim Robbins (American) who plays Sir Richard Driftwood (British) who plays Jonas Morehouse (American). He goes from having a southern drawl to Received Pronunciation (with a lisp, no less) and back again multiple times in every scene.
49	* OvercomplicatedMenuOrder: "The Age of the Bastard". While Devon cannot get a vegetarian option at the steakhouse that somehow fits in the tiny submarine, Cynthia's order just gets more and more complicated.
50	-->'''Cynthia''': Oh, and another thing?
51	-->'''Waiter''': Yes, ma'am?
52	-->'''Cynthia''': Ah, yes, could I have a carafe of tomato soup, two turkey legs
53	-->'''Waiter''': Very nice.
54	-->'''Cynthia''': I'd like some cold cereal with some hot milk, two pots of tea, and a white wine in a coffee mug with a little bit of salt in it.
55	-->'''Waiter''': Okay, salt in it.
56	-->'''Cynthia''': Thank you so much.
57	-->'''Waiter''': Very good. Thank you.
58	-->'''Cynthia''': Thank you. Oh, and one more thing.
59	-->'''Waiter''': Yes?
60	-->''' Cynthia''': Could I have a cotton blend napkin? Sometimes when you iron out the regular napkins, they're too itchy for my thighs.
61	-->'''Waiter''': I understand.
62	* PreviouslyOn: Albeit a Previously On which goes over every event from the beginning of the series.
63	* ProfessionalKiller: The two military officers who reappear several times throughout the series also do contract work as hitmen for Morehouse Conglomerated.
64	* PsychopathicManchild: Winston, of course.
65	* ReducedToRatburgers: Prior to striking oil, the Morehouse household survives on canned squirrel stew. While there's nothing improbable about someone eating the meat of small rodents, the fact that the squirrel meat ''still has the fur on it as they are eating it'' gives it a surreal quality.
66	* {{Scotireland}}: the references to "Bagpipes O'Toole" brand alcoholic beverages.
67	* ShoutOut: Eric Jonrosh's modern appearance is based off a later-in-life Creator/OrsonWelles, while Devon's appearance briefly resembles that of Music/BobDylan in one segment of the storyline.
68	* ShownTheirWork: "Actually, my dear, Karl Marx wrote ''over twenty'' books..."
69	* TheSixties: Parodied in the part of the story in which Devon Morehouse becomes a Bob Dylan lookalike Beat poet who's addicted to heroin.
70	* SlummingIt: Devon initially tries to distance himself from his family, first by becoming a Heroin-addicted Beat poet, and later by spending time in an underwater marine research facility writing smear novels.
71	* StrawPolitical: Jonas Morehouse's business associates are a strawman stereotype of Herbert Hoover-era business conservatives. The writers of the show clearly had fun by having them complain about FDR using phrases that are nearly word-for-word from frequent criticisms of the Obama administration.
72	* TemptingFate: The banker in "The Foundling" [[ViewersAreGoldfish repeats over and over]] how Devon and Jonas are going to lose their land, right before oil erupts.
73	* TroubledProduction: Invoked. Jonrosh goes into uncomfortable detail about the myriad of problems the production faced, such a three-year long shoot, divorce and implying that he shot someone to keep the production in line.
74	* ViewersAreGoldfish: Invoked. In the PreviouslyOn segments, all previous episodes are recapped. (Episode 4's covering Episodes 1-3, etc.).
75	* WarIsHell
76	* WorldOfHam
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78	!!''The Tropes Before Dying''
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80	* AnatomicallyImpossibleSex: {{Parodied\|Trope}} in the sex scene that was removed in other cuts, and restored from a radio broadcast and original storyboards of the work.
81	* TheConspiracy: The Mattachine Society, a group of rich, connected homosexuals--Wilbur Stygamian, who was part of the group, was assassinated for knowing about J. Edgar Hoover's being a Nazi.
82	* DoomyDoomsOfDoom: {{Parodied\|Trope}} when Fresno's ghost visits Rock Banyon in a dream, then talks about how he will meet his doom, then just keeps saying "DOOOM!!" as she leaves.
83	* TheFifties: The series tries to paint a picture and handles it like ''Ecco Mono''.
84	* INeedAFreakingDrink: More like "Get Me Some Booze and Pills."
85	* TitleDrop: In the song Fresno Foxglove performs at the beginning.
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Context Series / TheSpoilsOfBabylon