"McGuffin (aka: MacGuffin or maguffin) is a term for a device or plot element in a movie that is deliberately placed to catch the viewer's attention and/or drive the logic of the plot, but which actually serves no further purpose - it won't pop up again later, it won't explain the ending, it won't actually do anything except possibly distract you while you try to figure out its significance. More specifically, it is usually a mysterious package or superweapon or something that everyone in the story is chasing.
Possibly coined by Alfred Hitchcock. The perfect example is the "government secrets" that motivate the action in North By Northwest (1959). Another typical McGuffin is the Maltese Falcon. It gets the characters together, pits them against each other, but turns out to be worthless.
Three Is Company: An episode based on a misheard conversation.
Mistaken For Gay: A comedy plot line in which a character wrongly believes another character to be gay, either because of misinformation received or because of the supposedly gay character's own misinterpreted words and actions. Once the character is taken to be a homosexual, all his words and actions become laden with innuendo and further misunderstandings ensue. Recent examples include "Frasier" and "Seinfeld." This ploy was actually a plot device and a running gag on "Three's Company".
She Is All Grown Up: Ugly duckling loses the glasses and walks down the stairs as a swan. Someone please, please subvert this one."
The cool thing is that these observations aren't just snarky, cynical quips about how television sucks, etc. They're actually part of a catalogue of the "tricks of the trade for writing television scripts," as the authors of the Front Page say. As they describe it, "the idea is to provide a resource for writers to spark ideas. Finding a cliché to subvert is always fun."
On behalf of all us disgruntled television viewers out here, thank you. Subvert away.
via boingboing
