Camera Cafe: Difference between revisions

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''[cue [[Girly Run]], [[Running Gag|as always]]]'' }}

A French sketch comedy series which spawned more than a dozen adaptations around the world, [[Punny Name|punny-named]] so because "Camera Cachée" is French for ''[[~~Candid Camera (TV)|~~Candid Camera]]''. The original French series lasted from September, 2001 to December, 2003. A number of the adaptation were still ongoing as of 2011.

A French sketch comedy series which spawned more than a dozen adaptations around the world, [[Punny Name|punny-named]] so because "Camera Cachée" is French for ''[[Candid Camera]]''. The original French series lasted from September, 2001 to December, 2003. A number of the adaptation were still ongoing as of 2011.

It basically involves [[Exactly What It Says On the Tin|a fixed camera, installed in a coffee vending machine]]. Said vending machine is inside a corridor within a company with [[No Name Given]], next to a ''heavily'' [[Dysfunction Junction|dysfunctional office]].

It basically involves [[Exactly What It Says on the Tin|a fixed camera, installed in a coffee vending machine]]. Said vending machine is inside a corridor within a company with [[No Name Given]], next to a ''heavily'' [[Dysfunction Junction|dysfunctional office]].

The camera ''never'' moves unless in cases of [[Camera Abuse]] (which [[Comedic Sociopathy|happen a]] ''lot''), all while accurately filming the employees' quirky habits.

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This series, sadly, has never been re-done in English. However this doesn't mean we can't list some tropes here. The series concept has however been sold across many countries, who have copied or made their own scripts based on the concept. The Quebec version, for examples, features a gender-neutral bathroom door in the room where the coffee machine is, allowing for other situations.

[[Camera Cafe ~~(TV)~~/Characters|A character sheet]] (also about the Italian version) is under construction, although the most characters have essentially already been covered by now. Pictures about minor characters - or even one-time guest stars - are not strictly required, but still welcome nonetheless.

[[Camera Cafe/Characters|A character sheet]] (also about the Italian version) is under construction, although the most characters have essentially already been covered by now. Pictures about minor characters - or even one-time guest stars - are not strictly required, but still welcome nonetheless.

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** The new secretary [[Brainless Beauty|Gloria]]'s weird laugh definitely fits this trope.

* [[Anti Role Model]]: Paolo. His defining traits are: almost illiterate by choice, proud of it, can't spell a single word right, he's [[Book Dumb]] enough to be [[Running Gag|unable to end a proverb without simply repeating twice the first half of it]], drinks [[wikipedia:Grappa|Grappa]] (imagine something similar to Whisky) regularly even while driving, [[Drives Like Crazy]] even while being sober, he ''only'' wants to drive either campers or Alfa Romeos, he's a [[Loony Fan]] of Italian band [[wikipedia:Pooh (band)|Pooh]] (that last one not actually being a flaw by itself, obviously, but purchasing campers, Alfas and discographies [[Crack is Cheaper|may be too much of an expensive hobby for a father]]), he can't [[Hollywood Tone Deaf|sing his idols' songs right]], he's a full-fledged [[Casanova Wannabe]], only able to betray his wife with [[The Unseen|Maruska the hooker]], argues with his wife almost as regularly as how often he's drunk, he's proud of his two sons ''because'' of their criminal habits, [[Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking|and on top of that, he has only one testicle!]]

* [[Audible Sharpness]]: this one needs explanation. Guido Geller, a post-[[Jumping the Shark|merger]] character, acts as an in-universe [[Nightmare Fuel Station Attendant]], given how being in charge of ''human resources'' makes him an extremely feared figure. He carries a small notebook almost as feared as the [[~~Death Note (Manga)|~~Death Note]], and whenever he notices anything going wrong, he takes it and starts writing. [[What Do You Mean It's Not Awesome?|That's when the Audible Sharpness kicks in.]]

* [[Audible Sharpness]]: this one needs explanation. Guido Geller, a post-[[Jumping the Shark|merger]] character, acts as an in-universe [[Nightmare Fuel Station Attendant]], given how being in charge of ''human resources'' makes him an extremely feared figure. He carries a small notebook almost as feared as the [[Death Note]], and whenever he notices anything going wrong, he takes it and starts writing. [[What Do You Mean It's Not Awesome?|That's when the Audible Sharpness kicks in.]]

* [[Ax Crazy]]: Vittorio the guard. ''In spades.''

** Paolo's stalker (and occasional lover) Lucrezia, so very much.

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'''Luca:''' ''"Something that has '''anything''' to do with your '''selling''' job!"''

'''Paolo:''' ''"Drinking with my nose while I'm signing a contract, then!"''

'''Luca:''' ''"But- [brief [[~~Beat|~~beat]]] Listen, do you '''seriously''' think you'll surprise your boss by '''drinking with your nose?'''"''

'''Luca:''' ''"But- [brief [[beat]]] Listen, do you '''seriously''' think you'll surprise your boss by '''drinking with your nose?'''"''

'''Paolo:''' ''"How do you think I got my job?"'' }}

* [[Comedic Sociopathy]]: ''everyone.''

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{{quote| ''(Luca notices one of the small, round, silver-colored tables stuck to the ceiling)''

'''Luca:''' ''"Why is one of the tables stuck to the ceiling?"''

'''Paolo:''' ''[[It Runs On Nonsensoleum|"There was a fly on the ceiling!"]]''

'''Paolo:''' ''[[It Runs on Nonsensoleum|"There was a fly on the ceiling!"]]''

'''Luca:''' ''[[Sarcasm Mode|"Well, that explains everything."]]'' }}

** Many [[Pre-Ass-Kicking One-Liner|pre-ass kicking one-liners]] provided by Andrea may count.

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* [[Goldfish Poop Gang]]: Michele Carminati [[And Zoidberg|and]] [[True Companions|his co-workers]].

* [[Gonk]]: Patti, as well as the late Wanda.

* [[Good ~~With~~ Numbers]]: Silvano.

* [[Good with Numbers]]: Silvano.

* [[Gosh Dang It to Heck]]: while minor swears are allowed within the show, most of the dialogue borders on this even when characters are particularly pissed. This doesn't mean there aren't [[Precision F-Strike|rare exceptions]].

* [[Greed]]: Luca has an ''insane'' attachment to money.

* [[Heterosexual Life Partners]]: The two main characters, Luca and Paolo.

** Arguably also Paolo and his friends Pino and Budello, although [[The Ghost|they never appeared on the show]].

* [[Hilarity Ensues]]: the very premise of the series. Everything can happen in front of the coffee vending machine, every character may appear at any given [[Diabolus Ex Machina|(and least appropriate)]] moment, and most notably, every plan <s> can</s> ''will'' [[Hoist By His Own Petard|backfire]].

* [[Hilarity Ensues]]: the very premise of the series. Everything can happen in front of the coffee vending machine, every character may appear at any given [[Diabolus Ex Machina|(and least appropriate)]] moment, and most notably, every plan <s> can</s> ''will'' [[Hoist by His Own Petard|backfire]].

* [[Hollywood Tone Deaf]]: Paolo ''just can't'' sing in key. He borders on [[Hell Is That Noise]].

* [[Hopeless Suitor]]: Paolo to Gaia (actually to every female character except Patti, but Gaia is his dream girl). Since there's no Gaia in season 5, rigth now he seems very (sexually) attracted to Gloria.

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* [[Jerkass]]: someone more than others but well, pretty much everyone with Luca, Paolo, De Marinis, Andrea, and Vittorio being the best examples. Also Alex who is a big [[Jerkass]] to Luca (she gets better in season 5 though) and Geller, a [[Magnificent Bastard]] who genuinely enjoys driving the other people crazy.

** Even the supposedly "nice" Patti is evolving into this more and more.

* [[Jerk ~~With~~ a Heart of Gold]]: Paolo sometimes shows that he really cares about his friendship with Luca. Although most of the time they have a [[With Friends Like These...]] type of relationship.

* [[Jerk with a Heart of Gold]]: Paolo sometimes shows that he really cares about his friendship with Luca. Although most of the time they have a [[With Friends Like These...]] type of relationship.

* [[Karma Houdini]]: it doesn't matter [[Really Gets Around|how much of a slut]] Alex is, she never pays for it. Likewise, anyone who acts as the "villain" of the sketch equally never pays for it.

** Definitely Andrea, annoyingly so. ''Every single character'' (including Alex, Gaia, De Marinis, even ''Geller'') gets some humiliation or punishment in at least one episode. But there's basically no episode in which Andrea gets any sort of karmik comeuppance for being right-down sadistic and cruel. When it seems like he got screwed, he ends up beating up some [[Butt Monkey]] just because he's there. So the audience still remembers he's ''always'' the strongest.

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* [[Magnificent Bastard]]: the director, Mr. De Marinis, ''is'' this trope incarnate, but two characters are [[Beyond the Impossible|even better than him]] at this, namely [[Batman Gambit|his daughter Chiara]] and that in-universe [[Nightmare Fuel Station Attendant]] that is Guido Geller.

* [[Motor Mouth]]: Patti and Anna, the latter only in case of nervous breakdowns.

* [[Ms. Fanservice]]: some of the girls are pretty damn sexy when they're wearing the right clothes. Case in point: Alex, Gaia, Ilaria, Jessica, Giovanna and after the company merged with its rival Digitex, Caterina and Maria Eleonora. [[Fetish Fuel|There's plenty for everyone]]. Most blatant in the episode, "La più bella dell'ufficio", that is, "[[Exactly What It Says On the Tin|The most beautiful one in the office]]", where even [[The Woobie|Anna]] goes sexy (while [[Gonk|Patti]]... er, [[No Yay|is trying to do her best]]).

* [[Ms. Fanservice]]: some of the girls are pretty damn sexy when they're wearing the right clothes. Case in point: Alex, Gaia, Ilaria, Jessica, Giovanna and after the company merged with its rival Digitex, Caterina and Maria Eleonora. [[Fetish Fuel|There's plenty for everyone]]. Most blatant in the episode, "La più bella dell'ufficio", that is, "[[Exactly What It Says on the Tin|The most beautiful one in the office]]", where even [[The Woobie|Anna]] goes sexy (while [[Gonk|Patti]]... er, [[No Yay|is trying to do her best]]).

** Season 5 has Lucrezia and Gloria.

* [[Name's the Same]]: Pippo is also [[Disney|Goofy]]'s Italian name. It should be noted, though, that [[Incredibly Lame Pun|they're both goofy]], [[Camp Gay|one way]] [[Cloudcuckoolander|or another]].

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** Patti and Silvano, although they're more of [[Platonic Life Partners]] (at least, until season 5). {{spoiler|Now they are waiting for a baby.}}

* [[Oh Crap]]: whenever a sketch ends with a [[Bolivian Army Ending]], the last shot shows whoever gets a [[Downer Ending]] ([[Crapsack World|at the time]]) either [[Stepford Smiler|trying to smile]] (see image above) screaming or [[Heroic BSOD|stuck with a moronic yet horrified expression]].

* [[Only Known By Their Nickname]]: Pippo, Patti and Alex.

* [[Only Known by Their Nickname]]: Pippo, Patti and Alex.

* [[Only Sane Man]]: Luca. It can't be otherwise since he's always dealing with Paolo's antics and he and Paolo are 95% (if not more so) of the show.

** The female characters (except Patti), whenever they appear in a sketch, are usually this.

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** Luca and Paolo beating up Silvano and making fun of Patti's ugliness.

** Silvano and Patti [[Almost Kiss|almost kissing]].

** Paolo and Luca's plans, whatever they are, [[Hoist By His Own Petard|backfiring]].

** Paolo and Luca's plans, whatever they are, [[Hoist by His Own Petard|backfiring]].

** Paolo not being able to properly end a proverb, like: "All's well... {{[[[Beat]] beat}}] all's well".

** Paolo bursting out of the bathroom whenever he hears his name (or not), enthusiastically yelling "TALKIN' 'BOUT ME?!"... usually at the least appropriate moments.

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** One episode parodied [[The Matrix]], quoting lines of dialogue word for word.

** Another episode parodied [[Final Destination]], and Patti avoided a scripted death several times (although this ended up causing chaos). She eventually died by the end of the sketch when the vending machine fell on top of her (a rare case of the view moving).

** In Season 5, it's revealed that Olmo's mom picked the former's name [[~~Dragonball~~|from a list of vegetables.]]

** In Season 5, it's revealed that Olmo's mom picked the former's name [[Dragon Ball|from a list of vegetables.]]

** In the episode [[Ugly Betty|Ugly Bitta]] Paolo, forced to wear braces and red glasses after a car accident, is ridiculized and made fun of by the other workers including [[Butt Monkey|Patti, Pippo and Wanda]] because of his "ugliness". At the end of the same episode there's a reference to another American TV show when Paolo (now without braces and glasses) starts dressing and acting like ''[[House (TV)|Gregory House]]''.

** In the episode [[Ugly Betty|Ugly Bitta]] Paolo, forced to wear braces and red glasses after a car accident, is ridiculized and made fun of by the other workers including [[Butt Monkey|Patti, Pippo and Wanda]] because of his "ugliness". At the end of the same episode there's a reference to another American TV show when Paolo (now without braces and glasses) starts dressing and acting like ''[[House (TV series)|Gregory House]]''.

* [[Sitcom Arch Nemesis]]: the whole [[No Name Given|unnamed company]] has the Digitex Company in the same building; in season 4, with the union of the two companies Paolo sees Digitex worker Michele Carminati as this, who is also his rival in his selling job, but Carminati doesn't hate Paolo back and wants him to join his working team instead.

** Gaia and Ilaria are this to each other; also season 4 has Ilaria and Maria Eleonora.

* [[The Snark Knight]]: Luca.

* [[Small Name, Big Ego]]: Luca defines himself "tall, charismatic, charming, honest, serious, idealist and a cinema expert". Oh well. He's ''really'' kind of a cinema expert anyway. About the rest...

* [[Sorry I Fell On Your Fist]]: When Andrea draws near, you will suffer. And if the sketch isn't over, you will also apologize for bleeding on him.

* [[Sorry I Fell on Your Fist]]: When Andrea draws near, you will suffer. And if the sketch isn't over, you will also apologize for bleeding on him.

* [[Spanner in ~~The~~ Works]]: any stupid character will ruin any plan at the worst moment possible.

* [[Spanner in the Works]]: any stupid character will ruin any plan at the worst moment possible.

* [[Spotlight-Stealing Squad]]: Geller and Maria Eleonora in season 4.

** Patti in season 5, ''so much'': there are several episodes completely about Patti, her pregnancy and Silvano, in which Luca and Paolo don't even appear and they are supposed to be the main characters!

* [[Stalker ~~With~~ a Crush]]: Lucrezia towards Paolo.

* [[Stalker with a Crush]]: Lucrezia towards Paolo.

* [[Status Quo Is God]]: the trope is generally in full effect, as the only thing remotely resembling a coherent continuity is the change of said status quo between seasons.

** However, the trope is [[Medium Awareness|acknowledged]] and [[Deconstructed Trope|sort of deconstructed]] by Luca in a Season 5 sketch, where Silvano [[George Jetson Job Security|being fired for the nth time]] invokes in the former an... ''unusual'' reaction. Luca spends the whole time of the sketch in front of the coffee vending machine, constantly ranting in [[Creepy Monotone]] about how "it's always the same story, nothing ever changes, nothing ever happens", etc. This creeps out De Marinis so much, that he thinks it's another strategy of Luca to help Silvano keeping his job (and it ''isn't''); Silvano then hugs Luca in gratitude, and he replies [[Creepy Monotone|"You see? Nothing happened".]] After Luca acknowledged the never-changing status quo, he basically took advantage of it to help Silvano by ''doing absolutely nothing.'' At the end of the sketch, Paolo remarks that "You've been there since this morning... I can't see you like this, let's go home". As soon as they leave, ''the coffee machine falls over''. Considering it could have ''crushed'' Luca, he snaps out of his depression and says in a surprised voice, [[Mood Whiplash|"Oh well, so something DOES happen!"]].

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* [[Vitriolic Best Buds]]: Luca and Paolo are a strong Type 2. Although Luca is usually the most vitriolic one.

** Silvano seems to consider Luca and Paolo his best friends. Of course they don't treat him like a friend (not even like a human being) as they always take advantage of Silvano and pull on him cruel pranks, but in ''very very'' rare occasions, they actually try to help him or give him advice particularly about his relationship with Patti.

* [[With Great Power Comes Great Insanity]]: in the episode "Direttore per un giorno" ("Director for a day"), Luca's complaints about director De Marinis' bossy ways result in the latter daring the former to [[Exactly What It Says On the Tin|take his position for one day]]. Luca accepts out of [[Pride]], and at first everything goes well, but considering [[Failure Is the Only Option]] in this series, everything eventually backfires: Luca has only one day to accomplish the task given by the same director he's replacing, and underwhelmed by the responsibility suddenly weighing on his shoulders, he starts treating the workers even ''more'' like crap than De Marinis did in the first place, going from idealistic communist to borderline [[Bad Boss]]. The episode ends with Wanda ([[The Dog Bites Back|yes,]] [[Who's Laughing Now?|Wanda]]) knocking him unconscious on the head [[Batter Up|with a baseball bat]], while sporting a [[Slasher Smile]].

* [[With Great Power Comes Great Insanity]]: in the episode "Direttore per un giorno" ("Director for a day"), Luca's complaints about director De Marinis' bossy ways result in the latter daring the former to [[Exactly What It Says on the Tin|take his position for one day]]. Luca accepts out of [[Pride]], and at first everything goes well, but considering [[Failure Is the Only Option]] in this series, everything eventually backfires: Luca has only one day to accomplish the task given by the same director he's replacing, and underwhelmed by the responsibility suddenly weighing on his shoulders, he starts treating the workers even ''more'' like crap than De Marinis did in the first place, going from idealistic communist to borderline [[Bad Boss]]. The episode ends with Wanda ([[The Dog Bites Back|yes,]] [[Who's Laughing Now?|Wanda]]) knocking him unconscious on the head [[Batter Up|with a baseball bat]], while sporting a [[Slasher Smile]].

* [[Who's Laughing Now?]]: Silvano goes badass in one episode. Remember "[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer|badass Giles]]"? Something like that. And it is ''awesome''.

* [[Writing Lines]]: Paolo once screwed with the women, and as a result they forced him to write several times the [[An Aesop|supposed Aesop]] on a giant paper sheet that ''covered the entire floor''.