What the Hell, Hero?/Live-Action TV: Difference between revisions

* A number of the [[The Hero|protagonists]] of ''[[Mystery Science Theater 3000]]'''s movie-watching experiments are facetious, sexist, rude, stupid, and impulsive, among many other negative qualities, but are rarely recognized as the [[Jerkass|Jerk Asses]] that they are within the content of the story. Joel/Mike and the 'Bots are not so oblivious, nor as forgiving.

** The titular [[Secret Agent Super Dragon]] is a good example:

* One episode of ''[[Stargate SG-1]]'' has the team (minus their [[Morality Pet]]) betray Fifth, a [[Ridiculously Human Robot]] and the lone Replicator capable of human emotion, to trap his [[Horde of Alien Locusts|more voracious kin]] and destroy them all. He returns later with an understandably large grudge against Sam.

** This is a recurring element in ''Stargate'', where most of the cast are military, and when people are counting on you for their safety, sometimes the smart choice trumps the right one. On one occasion, Daniel straight up calls Jack a "stupid son of a bitch," and Jack doesn't apologize or make excuses. He just says "it had to go down this way," and leaves it at that.

** In "The Dogs of War," Odo calls out the entire Federation when he points out to Sisko that even though they all say they hate the methods used by Section 31, they don't mind standing by and reaping the benefits while {{spoiler|the virus engineered by Section 31 kills the Founders.}}

* Even Jean-Luc Picard is not safe from getting called out. In ''[[Star Trek: First Contact]]'', after the Borg have begun assimilating the ''Enterprise'', he goes into (as Lily Sloane mentions) a full Captain Ahab mode. When he orders his crew to stand and fight, hand-to-hand if necessary, Sloane finally lets him have it.

'''Sloane:''' ''[[Precision F-Strike|Bullshit]]''! I saw the look your face when you shot those Borg on the Holodeck. You were almost ''enjoying'' it. }}

** In the episode "Pen Pals", Data inadvertently begins communicating with a young girl from a pre Warp Capable planet which is facing an apocalypse. Data wishes to assist, but Picard refuses as the [[Alien Non-Interference Clause|Prime Directive]] prevents interference in the natural development of a civilization. Most of the command staff seem willing to leave them to face their imminent demise, however, Geordi and [[Dr. Jerk|Pulaski]] are actually willing to call out the other officers on being so dispassionate about a planetary extinction. Nevertheless, Picard orders Data to cease communicating, but upon hearing a transmission of the terrified girl begging Data for help, [[Not So Stoic|he agrees to violate the ["Alien Non-Interference Clause|Prime Directive]] and help."]

** In the episode "Homeward", a primitive culture is also facing an imminent apocalypse, and the crew refused to help because of [[Alien Non-Interference Clause|Prime Directive]] concerns. The entire crew is willing to let the population die, with one exception who transports the population up from the planet and into the Holodeck, and [[Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right|he feels pretty damn justified in doing so, even if he'll be a criminal in the Federation from that point on]].

** In the episode "The First Duty", Picard gives one to Wesley Crusher after he learns he and his comrades are covering up a colleague's death:

'''Picard:''' But you neglected to mention the fact that following the loop your team executed a dangerous maneuver which was the direct cause of the crash. Yes, you told the truth... [[From a Certain Point of View|but only to a point]]. And a lie of omission is still a lie. Do you remember the day you first came aboard this ship? Your mother brought you to the bridge...<br />

'''Wesley:''' Yes.<br />

** In ''The End of Time Part 2'' [[Badass Grandpa|Wilfred]] calls out the Doctor for his {{spoiler|[[Technical Pacifist|refusal to kill]] the Master, even though doing so would restore humanity to its regular state.}}

** Also used in ''The Time of Angels''. He spends a lot of time walking around like he owns the place, which usually works for him; not so much here. The Bishop in particular is offended at how arrogant the Doctor is, and calls him out on it. Frequently.

** Done quite well by Rory during ''The Vampires of Venice.''

*** Rory does it ''again'' in "The Big Bang". Subverted as the Doctor was joking.

'''Rory''': SHE IS TO ME! (punches the Doctor) }}

**** May apply for Rory again in ''The Girl Who Waited'' when {{spoiler|The Doctor makes Rory choose which of two Amys ([[It Makes Sense in Context|Present Amy or Future Amy]]) to take with them. Note: this is after The Doctor explicitly tells them that they can take both Present Amy and Future Amy aboard the TARDIS. Later, The Doctor tells Rory flat-out that he lied to them. Then makes Rory choose which to keep. After Rory and an unconscious Present Amy are already on board. And Future Amy is sobbing right outside the TARDIS. Then leaves Rory to explain to Present Amy the dirty job of what had to be done when she comes to and asks what happened to Future Amy.:}}

'''Rory''': This isn't fair. You're turning me into you! }}

** In fact, the Doctor even does it to ''himself'', in the form of the Dream Lord, pointing out his self-righteous attitude, and the fact that he never visits his 'friends' after he leaves them.

** In "A Good Man Goes to War" {{spoiler|the Doctor realizes too late that the antagonists have stolen Amy and Rory's baby and are going to turn her into a weapon against him. River Song arrives to call him on it:}}

{{spoiler|'''River''': This was ''exactly'' you. ''All'' this! ''All'' of it! You make them so afraid. When you began all those years ago, sailing off to see the universe, did you ever think you'd become ''this?'' The man who can turn an army around at the ''mention'' of his name. Doctor. The word for "healer," and "wise man" throughout the universe. We get that word from you, you know. But if you carry on the way you are, what might that word come to mean?}} }}

** In "The Wedding of River Song" the Doctor does this to River when she {{spoiler|refuses to kill him, thus altering a fixed point and destroying time, then tries to show the Doctor how many people care for him instead of fixing the universe.}}

** The Doctor's companions have been calling him on stuff like this since his [[The Nth Doctor|very first incarnation]] - Steven nearly left the TARDIS over the Doctor's refusal to save anyone during ''The Massacre''.

*** Even Jamie, probably one of the Doctor's most loyal companions, gives him a right telling off after being manipulated in ''The Evil of the Daleks''.

** Much earlier in Torchwood, Ianto got called out for keeping his Cyberman girlfriend in the basement. He also got two weeks suspension.

* In the ''[[Law and Order Special Victims Unit|Law and Order SVU]]'' episode "Cold", Eliot thinks Fin has tipped off a suspect (who happens to be their colleague, Chester) to run, and dumps his phone records to check. A correct move for a cop, but an absolute dick move to do to a friend and co-worker (even Olivia thinks he should've just asked Fin). Elliot tries (half-heartedly) to apologize, but Fin's having none of it:

'''Fin:''' I'm not done. The problem is you will still be the same rat bastard tomorrow, and nothing you say will ever change that. ''(walks out of the station, handing his transfer request to Munch on his way out)'' }}

** Would it had been better had he just called Internal Affairs to investigate? (Probably not.)

** Of course, Ronnie's calling out of Vic occurs seconds after Ronnie's co-worker (and honest cop) Detective Dutch Wagenbach calls Ronnie out on his own laundry list of sins, most notably his (tacit) willingness to turn a blind eye to the fact that Vic Mackey murdered Detective Crowley. Not to mention the fact that Ronnie is arrested within seconds of Claudette performing her own calling out of Vic Mackey, over how he drove his partner/nemesis Detective Shane Vendrell to murder his entire family and himself.

* In the ''[[Lost]]'' episode "Namaste", Sawyer calls Jack out on his leadership in the early seasons (made all the more awesome given that Jack is used to leading Sawyer around, and that the entire interchange arises from Jack's questioning Sawyer for sitting around and reading instead of taking action):

'''Sawyer:''' But here you are... {{spoiler|right back where you started}}. }}

** Unfortunately Sawyer's point is somewhat undermined by his being an ass about it directly afterward and showing signs of exactly the same trends of leadership Jack showed. For his part Jack shows relief and acceptance of Sawyer's general point about his leadership, though in his defense, unlike him, Sawyer has the luxury of a comfortable and powerful position to plan instead of react.

** Renee gets this for {{spoiler|[[Kick the Son of a Bitch|killing Vladimir Letanin]] when she, according to other characters, could have incapacitated him, as well as for cutting off her informant's hand to remove a tracking bracelet}}.

** Lynn McGill gets one when he steps out to deal with his sister, enabling terrorists to get his card and {{spoiler|launch a gas attack on CTU}}. He explains to the security guard watching him that he was scared.

* In ''[[The Wire]]'', Major Howard "Bunny" Colvin gets it from the drug dealers, his underlings, his friends, the media and eventually his entire chain of command for his [[Deal with the Devil|Hamsterdam]] plan.

** In a similar fashion, McNulty's scheme to manufacture a super-sexy fake serial killer, preying on the homeless in Baltimore in order to force the asshole Mayor to pump more funds into the Baltimore Police Department's budget after cutting said budget to the bone, led to much "What the Hell" yelling at McNulty.

* In ''[[Supernatural]]'', Sam gets a lot of these after he fails to keep his brother from being dragged off to hell.

** Sam starts using his demon-blood-born powers to exorcise demons between seasons three and four, and in season four, the prophet Chuck is the first to call him on the way he fuels those powers:

** Dean finds out when Sam, jonesing for a fix, cuts a demon's throat to drink her blood so he can pull the demon out of Castiel's vessel's wife without killing her. Dean locks Sam up so he can detox from the [[Psycho Serum|demon blood]]. This is followed by Sam leaving to kill Lilith, thinking that's the only way to stop the Apocalypse ({{spoiler|too bad that's [[Unwitting Pawn|actually]] what [[Nice Job Breaking It, Hero|starts it]]}})after they fight when Dean [[Berserk Button|calls him a monster]].

*** The whole point of the addiction makes the title all the more fitting...

** None of them had seen Samoa. It was airing on TV the same time [[Hv V]] was filming, so they couldn't have known.

* From ''[[Community]]'' episode "[[Community/Recap/S1 E07 Introduction to Statistics|Introduction to Statistics]]", when Jeff finally snaps and tells his friends to get lost and leave him to seduce Slater, they -- and Slater -- are quick to point out what they think of this (although Troy subverts it):

'''Abed:''' "I know I'm not Batman; you could try not being a [[Jerkass|jerk]]."<br />

'''Troy:''' "She's pretty hot."<br />

* In a metafictional example, a number of reviewers of the 2011 pilot for the failed ''[[Wonder Woman]]'' remake have invoked "What the hell, hero?" in noting scenes in which Wonder Woman tortures a man for information, throttles others with her lasso, and (the most controversial) throws a pipe through a guard's neck - all acts considered violations of how the character of Diana has been established in the comics.

* In the third episode of ''[[Sherlock]]'', John attempts this on the eponymous character, with limited results.

'''John:''' [[Sarcasm Mode|Good. That's a good deduction, yeah]].<br />

'''Sherlock:''' Don't make people into heroes, John; heroes don't exist, and if they did, [[Anti-Hero|I wouldn't be one of them]]. }}

** Are you talking about Season 3 Episode 9 (Asylum)? Because if so then I should point out that Clark actually tries to prove that Lex doesn't belong in the asylum, and tries to prevent the aforementioned torture despite others like Pete feeling he should leave Lex to suffer - the only reason he doesn't rescue Lex is because he's attacked by old enemies Ian Randall and Eric Summers, which delays him long enough for the shock therapy to begin.

* ''[[Merlin (TV series)|Merlin]]'' has a rather epic one pulled by Gaius on Uther in "The Witchfinder". He's one of very few people able to do this without losing their head in the process.

* Bonnie on [[The Vampire Diaries]] gives one to Elena for having Damon compel Jeremy, her brother, into leaving town and getting away from being put in the line of fire as Klaus and his hybrids wander the town. Bonnie brings up the fact that he should be allowed to choose whether or not he wants to do this, not be made to do it by a vampire's compulsion, even if Elena says she's doing it to protect Jeremy.

* Brass spends much of the [[CSI]] episode "Genetic Disorder" getting these repeatedly, because he lets his own past influence his thinking that Doc's wife really was cheating on Doc. He doesn't let up until the end of the ep, when the evidence shows what really happened.