Today, I explain a consistent problem I have with TV arguments on many TV shows (except, of course, for the besst shows, who know to avoid this problem).
This is Disgrace Distract and Bother Me, a feature where I just point out minor things that annoy me in pop culture. Basically, think of it like the lowest level of criticism, then Remember to Forget is the middle, where it’s like, “Okay, this is bad, but not, like, offensively bad” and finally, Things That Turned Out Bad is for, “This is seriously messed up.”
Probably the silliest recurring theme on Doc is that so many people are SO out to get Amy on the show that they just go out of their way to ignore all logic at all times just to justify themselves hating Amy. We get that the show wants to have Amy face some adversity, but it’s just too darn silly to have everyone, like, conspiring against her at all times.
Especially since so much of the arguments against her on the show would fall apart at the slightest pushback, but the show just…doesn’t have that pushback occur.
This is also highlighted by some of the absurd arguments they have on the show. Dr. Richard Miller (Scott Wolf) tried to frame Amy for a medicinal screw-up he did the first season (well, the frame job occurred in the first season, the screw-up occurred BEOFRE the events of the first season). He was fired. Now they are trying to work out a settlement so that he can be let go while the hospital covers up his screw-up to protect itself. He decides he wants to return to his job at the hospital, and doesn’t want his severance. This is already absurd.
But what’s MORE absurd is that he has a scene with Michael (Amy’s ex-husband who is the Chief Medical Officer of the hospital), and Michael allows Richard to just spout some NONSENSE without ever countering to him.
Here’s the exchange:
Michael: Tell me this is a play for more money.
Richard: I want to be a doctor. And I’m not pulling my kids out of school to move to Des Moines.
Michael: No one else in Minneapolis will hire you?
Richard: Well, what are you saying hen people call you?
Michael: I haven’t breathed a word of this to anyone, as per our agreement.
Richard: No one will touch me with a ten-foot pole, Michael.
Michael: Everyone here knows what you did. You’ll walk in a pariah.
Richard: You’ve never lied about anything important when you were desperate? The only thing that I love
more than being a doctor is my family. And I’m doing what I have to for them.
You tried to frame another doctor (a doctor with amnesia) for your malpractice! It was an elaborate conspiracy!!
There is no one in the world who would just let him spout that nonsense without countering it, but on TV, shows that aren’t written as well as other shows VERY often have arguments JUST like this, where one character will make the dumbest argument, but, for the sake of the plot, the other character just allows the absurd argument to just…sit there.
Just plot better so you DON’T find yourself in this position!
