Dorm Life

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.

A web original comedy Mockumentary series premiering in 2008, Dorm Life chronicles the lives of the fictional residents of the dorm floor 5-South. Now[when?] finished with its second season ("semester"), its humor is primarily fueled by awkward situations created between characters and loads of Running Gags.

For links and vlogs, check the official website, and both seasons can be found on Hulu.

Tropes used in Dorm Life include:
  • All There in the Manual: There are several videos online that go more in-depth into the story, especially what the characters are thinking.
  • Almost Kiss: Brit and Court at the end of "Campaign." They stop when Courtney says, "You wish," but it's not clear whether she is talking to Brit or the audience.
  • Amazingly Embarrassing Parents: Danny B.'s mom, as seen during Parent's Weekend.
  • Arranged Marriage: Abby.
  • Ascended Extra: Several extremely background characters get A Day in the Limelight-type episodes or expanded roles as the show went on.
    • Bonus points to Kate, who was determined to spotlight in the second season after realizing she only had one line in the first semester. It...sorta worked.
  • Aside Glance: Danny B. and Mike both do this when their respective roommates go about their usual antics.
  • Better as Friends: How Mike and Brit's UST ends.
  • Brainless Beauty: Courtney.
  • Breaking the Fourth Wall: In-universe, when Mike and Brit decide that any romance between them is awkward, the "boom guy" reacts negatively. Then rants about it on one of the bonus videos, mentioning the trope by name.
  • Butt Monkey: Mike in part of the second season. And Andy, that flaming hetero.
  • Catch Phrase: Shane's "probly!", Steph's "rapsatively!", and Marshall's "so rad, dude."
  • Character Blog: The Vlogs provided in episodes as well as on the official website; they serve as Talking Heads a la The Office.
  • Chekhov's Gag: In the first season, everyone loves and supports Andy almost a little too much when he comes out of the closet. In the second season we find out he isn't gay. Now everyone hates him. Hilarity Ensues.
  • Clingy Jealous Girl: Lacey and Emily.
  • Cloudcuckoolander: Josh and to a lesser extent Shane.
  • Cringe Comedy
  • Curse Cut Short/Precision F-Strike: At the end of the episode where Mike learns that Brittany had a thing for him, he starts to say "Fu-"... and the scene cuts away to the ending sequence.
  • The Danza: Andy, Aadit, Jayme, Kate, and Phil. Paul Chen is a last-name-only variant.
  • Deadpan Snarker: Mike to Marshall.
  • Delayed Reaction: When Brit plays the game "Marry, (censored), and Kill", choosing between Mike, Derek, and William, Marshall is too distracted by the fact that she would kill Mike to notice that she would (censored) William.
  • Disappeared Dad: Courtney's dad had apparently died when she was little. Danny B. also alluded to his mom being a single parent.
  • Divergent Character Evolution: Britney and Courtney. Since each season was produced at one time, it was planned from the beginning.
  • The Documentary: The entire series, obviously.
    • Also happens when Josh decides to make his own rival documentary in the second season, creating a Show Within a Show.
  • Downer Ending: The end of season one closes with Mike, Gopher, and Danny B. all striking out with their respective crushes, and Shane failing every single one of his classes.
    • In the season two episode "Spooky Adventure", the floor minus Abby and Steph go down into the tunnels under the science building, which have been rumored to house irradiated pig-people. Its all joking and laughter until they discover a pile of dead dogs. The floor is visibly traumatized.
  • Drunk with Power: A literal version of this trope occurs with Shane in "Group Shot".
  • Everyone Meets Everyone: The pilot episode, "Roommates."
  • Evil Twin: Reversed. When William appears we find that Marshall has been the evil twin all along.
  • Eye Take
  • Face Doodling: All over Mike's face, impressively all during a period of three seconds while the lights were out. Mike lampshades this in one of the extras for that episode.
  • The Faceless: Linda. Her face was blurred out because she refused to sign a release form.
  • Producer Preferred Couple: In-universe. Mike and Brit reveal at the end that they really don't have feelings for each other anymore, but felt pressured into dating by the producers.
  • Flanderization: In-universe example with Mike. During the first part of season two, he is dismissed as a crybaby by a few residents, despite no evidence of anything more than a depressed mood.
  • Gag Dub: Played with. Josh dubs over what people are saying in his documentary. He isn't trying to be funny, but it comes off that way to the audience (both in-universe and out).
  • Group Hug
  • Heterosexual Life Partners: Brit and Court. They even have a small break-up arc in the first season.
    • Gopher and Shane also have bonded...quickly, including an episode where Shane quite literally plays the part of the unloved wife, robe and all.
  • Het Is Ew: Andy, previously a nameless background character, is suddenly loved by everyone when they find out that he is gay. They aren't happy when he denies it later.
  • Hey, It's That Voice!: Shane fights for the Water Tribe!
  • Hypocritical Humor: In one of the bonus videos, Mike starts messing with Josh's mind, leading him to ask Mike why he's crazy.
  • Jerkass: Marshall.
  • Lampshade-Wearing: Josh while filming his documentary. Of the Paper-Thin Disguise variety.
    • There is also a lampshade in Shane and Gopher's room. Dunno why.
  • Mistaken for Gay: In the first season we are informed that Andy is gay. He isn't.
  • Naked People Are Funny
  • Naked People Trapped Outside: After the Winter Run, the floor is naked-ish and trapped outside .
  • No Bisexuals: Averted by Shane, apparently.

Shane: I'm gay! Uh...both!
Gopher: Bi.
Everyone: Yeah!

Josh: So, uh, what'd you think about my doc, Dan?
Danny B: Uh, yeah, it was just the right length.
Josh: Uh-huh. But, uh, what about the content?
Danny B: Yes, it was there too.

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