Obfuscating Stupidity/Live-Action TV: Difference between revisions

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* ''[[The Beverly Hillbillies]]'': Jed Clampett, in particular the first seasons, despite his stereotypical "hayseed" appearance and mannerisms, clearly is a lot smarter than he lets on.
* ''[[The Beverly Hillbillies]]'': Jed Clampett, in particular the first seasons, despite his stereotypical "hayseed" appearance and mannerisms, clearly is a lot smarter than he lets on.
* ''[[Green Acres]]'' had Eb take an accountancy course via the Clarkwell Institute only to be sent an acting course instead. Turns out Mr. Drucker and Mr. Kimball are also Clarkwell alums (who had also gotten the wrong courses which led them to their current careers). Clarwell also has its [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39QfpUl261s own anthem].
* ''[[Green Acres]]'' had Eb take an accountancy course via the Clarkwell Institute only to be sent an acting course instead. Turns out Mr. Drucker and Mr. Kimball are also Clarkwell alums (who had also gotten the wrong courses which led them to their current careers). Clarwell also has its [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39QfpUl261s own anthem].
* Used every few episodes by Detective ''[[Sledge Hammer]]'': he is written off by everybody as a violent idiot, but then manages to crack the case, with a sudden admission that he had been taking notes all along -- even if in most other episodes he was just a lucky idiot. This is even given a spot of Lampshade Hanging in one episode, when a game show host killed off a competitor who was getting close to the top prize. He avoided having to do this before by only recruiting idiots. When the sidekick is confused how someone that smart got on the show, Sledge enlightens us with this line: "You see, he looks dumb, but turned out to be a genius; a trick I've used myself."
* Used every few episodes by Detective ''[[Sledge Hammer!]]'': he is written off by everybody as a violent idiot, but then manages to crack the case, with a sudden admission that he had been taking notes all along -- even if in most other episodes he was just a lucky idiot. This is even given a spot of Lampshade Hanging in one episode, when a game show host killed off a competitor who was getting close to the top prize. He avoided having to do this before by only recruiting idiots. When the sidekick is confused how someone that smart got on the show, Sledge enlightens us with this line: "You see, he looks dumb, but turned out to be a genius; a trick I've used myself."
* Cordelia Chase in ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'' initially appeared to be [[The Ditz]], but a throw-away gag in Season Three revealed she was actually rather bright when she aced her SATs, and a minor sub-plot later in the season further established her academic creds. Her later appearances in ''[[Angel]]'' followed up on this development, showing her as far more intelligent than she had originally seemed (not that this was difficult).
* Cordelia Chase in ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'' initially appeared to be [[The Ditz]], but a throw-away gag in Season Three revealed she was actually rather bright when she aced her SATs, and a minor sub-plot later in the season further established her academic creds. Her later appearances in ''[[Angel]]'' followed up on this development, showing her as far more intelligent than she had originally seemed (not that this was difficult).
** While many other Buffy characters can be guilty of [[Obfuscating Stupidity]], one of the most glaring examples is "Comfortadore" Xander Harris, a bright, resourceful young man with all the potential in the world. He was also lazy and spent the first five seasons making stupid mistakes. Thankfully, [[Badass Normal|he grew out of it]].
** While many other Buffy characters can be guilty of [[Obfuscating Stupidity]], one of the most glaring examples is "Comfortadore" Xander Harris, a bright, resourceful young man with all the potential in the world. He was also lazy and spent the first five seasons making stupid mistakes. Thankfully, [[Badass Normal|he grew out of it]].
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* John Crichton from ''[[Farscape]]'' does this very, very well. Many of his plans rely on the villain of the week dismissing the dumb human as inferior...leading to their ultimate defeat. John is an accomplished physicist and aerospace engineer, who designed the titular Farscape spacecraft to test his own theory, and at one point late in the show he builds his own thermonuclear weapon. From scratch. From ''memory.'' Even the rest of the crew underestimates the guy.
* John Crichton from ''[[Farscape]]'' does this very, very well. Many of his plans rely on the villain of the week dismissing the dumb human as inferior...leading to their ultimate defeat. John is an accomplished physicist and aerospace engineer, who designed the titular Farscape spacecraft to test his own theory, and at one point late in the show he builds his own thermonuclear weapon. From scratch. From ''memory.'' Even the rest of the crew underestimates the guy.
* Other characters accuse Constable Benton Fraser of ''[[Due South]]'' of this, disbelieving he really is that polite, honest, and noble and it's not an act.
* Other characters accuse Constable Benton Fraser of ''[[Due South]]'' of this, disbelieving he really is that polite, honest, and noble and it's not an act.
* In ''[[Studio 60 On the Sunset Strip]]'', we discover that Chinese businessman Zhang Tao has been pretending that he can't speak English because "it's fun". Jack Rudolph is not impressed.
* In ''[[Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip]]'', we discover that Chinese businessman Zhang Tao has been pretending that he can't speak English because "it's fun". Jack Rudolph is not impressed.
* President Logan on ''[[24]]''.
* President Logan on ''[[24]]''.
* Lauren Graham (of ''[[Gilmore Girls]]'' fame) pulled off this stunt while participating in the second tournament of ''Celebrity Poker Showdown.'' Despite being known as a fairly intelligent woman, she would flip her hair and say generally stupid/sarcastic things ("So many numbers!") to throw off her competition. Not only did the other players fall for it, but Lauren went on to the Championship Game of the season, losing only to former co-star Maura Tierney.
* Lauren Graham (of ''[[Gilmore Girls]]'' fame) pulled off this stunt while participating in the second tournament of ''Celebrity Poker Showdown.'' Despite being known as a fairly intelligent woman, she would flip her hair and say generally stupid/sarcastic things ("So many numbers!") to throw off her competition. Not only did the other players fall for it, but Lauren went on to the Championship Game of the season, losing only to former co-star Maura Tierney.
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* Del Boy from ''[[Only Fools and Horses]]'' sometimes does this when he wants to manipulate someone else into having an idea that he's had, and thinking it was their idea in the first place. For example, in one of the later episodes of the show (after the Trotters have become multi-millionaires and lost it all), Del has been declared bankrupt and banned from being the manager of Trotters Independant Traders. He realises that someone else - namely, Rodney - could manage Trotters Independant Traders and hire him to work for them. Instead of just asking Rodney if he'll be the new manager, Del proceeds to manipulate Rodney into coming up with the idea of managing the company himself. He even pretends to not understand what Rodney is suggesting and that he needs it explaining to him again, presumably to strengthen the illusion that it was Rodney's idea.
* Del Boy from ''[[Only Fools and Horses]]'' sometimes does this when he wants to manipulate someone else into having an idea that he's had, and thinking it was their idea in the first place. For example, in one of the later episodes of the show (after the Trotters have become multi-millionaires and lost it all), Del has been declared bankrupt and banned from being the manager of Trotters Independant Traders. He realises that someone else - namely, Rodney - could manage Trotters Independant Traders and hire him to work for them. Instead of just asking Rodney if he'll be the new manager, Del proceeds to manipulate Rodney into coming up with the idea of managing the company himself. He even pretends to not understand what Rodney is suggesting and that he needs it explaining to him again, presumably to strengthen the illusion that it was Rodney's idea.
* ''[[The Inspector Lynley Mysteries]]'': Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers is tiny and adorable, with a pair of enormous green eyes and an accent that thoroughly betrays her working-class origins. She uses all of these to devastating effect, playing the "silly, uneducated little girl" card right up until she gets what she needs from her suspect - at which point she reveals that she is more than a match for her Oxford-educated partner in terms of her detective skills. She might not be an Oxford grad, but she is a frighteningly competent detective with several decades of street smarts who is much, ''much'' smarter than anyone would guess.
* ''[[The Inspector Lynley Mysteries]]'': Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers is tiny and adorable, with a pair of enormous green eyes and an accent that thoroughly betrays her working-class origins. She uses all of these to devastating effect, playing the "silly, uneducated little girl" card right up until she gets what she needs from her suspect - at which point she reveals that she is more than a match for her Oxford-educated partner in terms of her detective skills. She might not be an Oxford grad, but she is a frighteningly competent detective with several decades of street smarts who is much, ''much'' smarter than anyone would guess.
* While ''[[Gomer Pyle USMC]]'' was built on the idea that the titular character was a dumb-as-bricks hick out of place, more than one he was shown to have exceptional wartime skills, such as him and the Sargeant being the only team in the survival exercise to gain weight, or dismantling a wooden bridge that was to be simulated as detonated so he had ropes to build snare traps with.
* While ''[[Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.]]'' was built on the idea that the titular character was a dumb-as-bricks hick out of place, more than one he was shown to have exceptional wartime skills, such as him and the Sargeant being the only team in the survival exercise to gain weight, or dismantling a wooden bridge that was to be simulated as detonated so he had ropes to build snare traps with.
* Detective Lester Freamon is the master of this on the first season of ''[[The Wire]]'', convincing all around him that he's a "hump" who, in the words of his new commanding officer, "couldn't find his own gun." When he finally does reveal his inner [[Chessmaster]] to his colleagues, they literally stare at him slack-jawed. He still keeps up the facade to the bosses, though, which pays big dividends in the season finale: {{spoiler|despite being the prime mover behind the decision to investigate the politicians who took money from [[Big Bad]] Avon Barksdale, he's the only member of squad who ends up being rewarded by the bosses for his work on the detail, receiving a transfer to the Homicide Squad while most of the other detectives were being [[Reassigned to Antarctica]]}}.
* Detective Lester Freamon is the master of this on the first season of ''[[The Wire]]'', convincing all around him that he's a "hump" who, in the words of his new commanding officer, "couldn't find his own gun." When he finally does reveal his inner [[Chessmaster]] to his colleagues, they literally stare at him slack-jawed. He still keeps up the facade to the bosses, though, which pays big dividends in the season finale: {{spoiler|despite being the prime mover behind the decision to investigate the politicians who took money from [[Big Bad]] Avon Barksdale, he's the only member of squad who ends up being rewarded by the bosses for his work on the detail, receiving a transfer to the Homicide Squad while most of the other detectives were being [[Reassigned to Antarctica]]}}.
* Alan Davies, the permanent panelist slash resident [[Butt Monkey]] from the [[Panel Game]] ''[[QI]]''. He admitted that the show requires someone to do the dirty job of feigning ignorance from time to time, and he usually steps up to do it.
* Alan Davies, the permanent panelist slash resident [[Butt Monkey]] from the [[Panel Game]] ''[[QI]]''. He admitted that the show requires someone to do the dirty job of feigning ignorance from time to time, and he usually steps up to do it.
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[[Category:Obfuscating Stupidity]]
[[Category:Live Action TV]]
[[Category:Live Action TV]]
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