The Grand List of Overused SF Cliches

[Numion]

This was first posted on FARK, it's a pretty funny and long list of SF-cliches. I was shocked when I realized how many I've 'seen in action':

http://enphilistor.users4.50megs.com/cliche.htm?2

Example:

"Clones come out of the cloning vat with the same haircut as the individual cloned."

That makes no sense

 

[sniffles]

Some of those are pretty good.

After having watched parts of both "Solaris" and "Event Horizon" over the weekend, here's one I didn't see on the list:
A space ship or station is invaded by some mysterious force/entity that causes everyone to have terrifying visions of the past/the future. This causes everyone to behave insanely and for some reason all refuse to tell each other what they experience, making it much more difficult to figure out what's going on.

And inspired by other things on the Sci Fi Channel this week:
A scientist researching some new medical technology uses an unwilling human guinea pig to test his new technique/medication, with disastrous results.

The victims of the alien invasion can figure out how to use alien technology easily, or how to use Earth technology to control/destroy alien technology.

Everyone in the post-apocalyptic future still knows history really well, and all are literate. Canned food lasts forever, cars and airplanes still work, and gasoline is easily acquired.

 

[WayneLigon]

Having gone to see Sound of Thunder yesterday, I can add a couple.

Shifts in time are visible
The addition of plants to all sets to indicate something has changed in the past saves you from having to build new sets.
Backup power systems always work, even when subjected to the same stresses as the main power system which has failed.
Massively complex systems that needed a dozen or more people to operate them really only require one person - the others must be union or something.
There is no need to build a special time machine because totally unrelated machinery can be used to timejump.
You can go back to the same instant again and again and not meet yourselves each time.

 

[sniffles]

Oh, my, you actually went to see that, WL? I've not heard good things...

 

[WayneLigon]

Oh, my, you actually went to see that, WL? I've not heard good things...

You heard right.

 

[ssampier]

drat! I'm getting a 404 error on a 50megs.com website.