What tropes in fantasy and drama movies, or shows annoy you?

[Steve Roby]

There were only three Dune novels when I decided to read them. The fourth one came out just after that and I thought, nope, I'm done.

 

[theenglish]

The first five novels are worth reading, although the final two are not nearly as interesting and decline in quality IMO.

 

[Set Harth]

there are six !!!

 

[Daddy Todd]

A cursory look showed that the complete ASOI&F is 3,500 pages long in PDF format.

ASOIAF isn't complete -- there are still 2 books to go. So, we're looking at 5000 pages or so once it's complete -- assuming it's ever complete.

 

[theenglish]

ASOIAF isn't complete -- there are still 2 books to go. So, we're looking at 5000 pages or so once it's complete -- assuming it's ever complete.

I gave up hope on that years ago. I am assuming the end is similar to the series but with many other conflicts and events happening before then.

 

[Colonel Midnight]

I gave up hope on that years ago. I am assuming the end is similar to the series but with many other conflicts and events happening before then.

Shoot, I think GRRM himself has given up on it and is not saying so / getting pi$$y every time people mention it to him. Dude’s attention span seems to be equal to Doug’s from Up. Especially with all the millions he’s made off of the books, series, etc.

Cheers,
-CM-

 

[Steve Roby]

Martin's 76. I wonder if he has any contractual clauses with his publisher approving or forbidding any other writers from working in his fictional universe when he dies. He's bound to be aware of the continuations of Frank Herbert's and Robert Jordan's series.

 

[theenglish]

Martin's 76. I wonder if he has any contractual clauses with his publisher approving or forbidding any other writers from working in his fictional universe when he dies. He's bound to be aware of the continuations of Frank Herbert's and Robert Jordan's series.

We know he's drafted thousands of pages. He should just write yadda yadda yadda and go write to the climax and ending dammit.

 

[Rowdy Roddy McDowall]

I know some can be farfetched, but are police procedurals fantasy?

Only in a LOGAN'S RUN misogynist sense.

I chose to critique the procedurals after noticing ''shows'' in your OP, which appeared isolated enough to bring in TV dramas.

 

[eschaton]

I liked The Magicians because it wasn't doing the kitchen sink thing with everybody everywhere turning out to be a mythical creature and because it subverted Harry Potter and other stuff. And it didn't overstay its welcome, with just the three books and five short seasons on TV. Haven't read the graphic novels, though.

I think the Magicians is an excellent example of doing "tropey" well, because despite having some serious themes, it didn't take itself too seriously.

Basically, to me, effective speculative fiction operates on a spectrum. If you play it straight, you need to have a setting which allows for suspension of disbelief. I'm not going to say you need to avoid tropes entirely, but the more immersive the worldbuilding, and the more fresh and unique the setting feels, the better. In contrast, if you're leaning into well-established tropes, it has to be lampshaded a little bit - has to be just a bit tongue in cheek.

Obviously, you can both eschew tropes and do something lighthearted. But if you try and write something self-serious and tropey, you end up with Bright. And we all know how that went.