- College has rigid distinctions between jocks and nerds, and the jocks regularly pick on the nerds. (This might have been true in high school, although I never saw it, but in college?!)
- Guys in war movies who talk about their plans after the war MUST DIE.
- During the Cold War, the Soviets had both the capacity and the desire to actually invade the United States.
- Eventually, computers will become so intelligent that they will decide to eradicate humanity or at the very least take over the world. They will never ever choose to live in harmony with humans, or work for the betterment of humanity. (Geez, talk about a Hobbesian view of the universe...)
- In courtroom dramas, attorneys are allowed to testify on both direct and cross examination, as opposed to being limited to only asking questions and the other side only occasionally objects, and then only when dramatically appropriate.
- There will always be a "surprise witness," even though witness lists generally are shared between both sides.
- Witnesses are regularly manipulated by clever trial attorneys into making violent outbursts and/or confessions on the stand.
- All professionals who hail from major metropolitan areas will inevitably fall for the charm of the small town in which they are stranded, and decide to give up a lucrative career and the amenities of urban life to spend the rest of their lives with the person they've fallen madly in love with in a time period between two weeks and one month.
- Marriage is always the end of the story, and it is always a happy ending.
- Women who have a male friend and confidant and who date jackasses will eventually have a moment when they suddenly realize that they've been in love with the male confidant all along. Unless he's gay.
- When the male protagonist is not the best friend, the best male friend WILL be gay.
- Private investigators routinely are involved in grand conspiracies involving femme fatales, shootouts, and car chases, instead of simply spending most of their time digging through financial records and photographing/videotaping cheating spouses.
- Doctors and lawyers are all smart, if not brilliant.
- Time bombs can always be defused by cutting a uniquely colored wire, and will be defused with only seconds remaining on the fully-visible clock.
- All cops are men who are divorced or estranged from their wives, but their wives still love them.
