Many writers rely on the old fish out of water scenario, to get laughs, but is it the mark of a lazy writer, or one who lacks imagination/talent?
Oh look, it's another fish out of water
Not quite sure what you mean by this. Care to give some examples?
Quote: Timbo @ September 27 2008, 9:45 AM BSTNot quite sure what you mean by this. Care to give some examples?
A pike mountaining climbing in Nepal or a Perch flapping through the desert on a quest, you know those lame, over cooked too easy situations that have mass appeal.
There was a TV adaptation of Billy The Fish...
I liked Finding Nemo!
You mean like "Outnumbered". Cosy, West London, Middle Class, "2.4 children", Dad, Mom, "family life". Very lazy indeed. Agreed! Writer(s) couldn't even be bothered to write half of it, half being improvised... tsk! tsk! 
Who cares as long as it's funny?
Agreed. I WOULDN'T care, if it WAS funny!
Beached whale.
Old Haddock.
A Fish Called Absconda.
Somewhere Over The Rainbow Trout.
If it's fish, it must be Fryona
Fish out of water:
Caveman in modern times.
Modern man in caveman times.
White-collar conservative man in black ghetto.
Man disguised as woman in an all-woman environment.
Jacqui Smith in a human world of sense & logic & reason.
Etc f**ken etc
Quote: Frankie Rage @ September 27 2008, 12:01 PM BSTYou mean like "Outnumbered". Cosy, West London, Middle Class, "2.4 children", Dad, Mom, "family life". Very lazy indeed. Agreed! Writer(s) couldn't even be bothered to write half of it, half being improvised... tsk! tsk!
I don't think he means that.
Quote: Skibbington von Skubber @ September 27 2008, 9:20 PM BSTFish out of water:
Caveman in modern times.
Modern man in caveman times.
White-collar conservative man in black ghetto.
Man disguised as woman in an all-woman environment.
Jacqui Smith in a human world of sense & logic & reason.
I think he means that.
Many writers rely on the old fish out of water scenario, to get laughs, but is it the mark of a lazy writer, or one who lacks imagination/talent?
Isn't this like saying many writers rely on "sketches", "jokes" and "punchlines"? Yes "fish out of water" is a staple of comedy. The normal guy surrounded by idiots. The idiot in a world of normal people. Whatever. Show me a formula that's never been done before. It's not the formula you use that's lazy, it's the intelligence you bring to it. The poor man in the world of rich people is just a device for observing the mores of the rich, or the contrasting attitudes of rich and poor, or whatever you choose to do with it. It's the quality of your writing that decides whether the end product is sharp and incisive, or lazy and cliched.