ctown28

27th Feb 2024

General questions

In a lot of TV shows, a friend or family member will often just walk into a character's home without knocking on the door or ringing the doorbell first. Is there a reason why this is done for TV? Or is it common in real life and I just haven't met people who do this? I've always lived in one area of the United States, so maybe it's a regional difference.

Answer: This was normal for me, mostly with family, and still is. Normal with some friends but not all.

ctown28 ★

Answer: Since a lot of TV shows usually only have around 22 minutes to tell a story, it helps save screen time by having a friend or neighbor walk directly into the home rather than knocking and having to wait for the occupant to walk over and answer the door.

Phaneron ★

Answer: This was a common practice in comedy shows in the 1970s (such as Good Times and Laverne and Shirley). Viewers were already familiar with the characters and their practices of just walking in, so the show left it in as something nobody really thought twice about.