something I've noticed in tv shows

In the past I've noticed in some tv hows that whenever they have secret organizations they often seem to have an old man that is in a wheel chair or on oxygen. I've seen it in tv shows and cartoons. I wonder what the writers could be eluding to. Does anyone have any idea what or who they are referring to? Here are a few examples.

The Pretender, the bad guy was an old guy that always had to be close to his oxygen tank.
The new tv show The Event the head bad guy is on oxygen and is an older guy that looks like George Soros.
Batman Under the Red Hood, again one of the head bad guys is on oxygen. The Joker kills him close to the end. This isn't really a kids cartoon.
Gargoyles did a few episodes on the Illuminati and they had an old guy once that was over 100 years old, they said that the Illuminati had a drug that could slow down aging. The head guy Sanatos and one of the cops were members of the Illuminati. Gargoyles throughout the three seasons had a lot to do with the Illuminati and mythical creatures. It also wasn't really a kids cartoon.



I'm sure there are more but that are the ones that come to the front of my mind. I know George Soros is in his 80's, are they referring to him? Is is just coincidence? Maybe Dick Cheney, I think he's going to live forever.

Hmm, I just think that the old bad guys who are in those wheelchairs, I just think they are trying to tell, that it is a strong, mean person, who dosent want to stop living. He is hardcore enough to live his life in a wheelchair with Oxy bound with him.

I think thats pretty hardcore and mean

I suppose lots of films have this sort of thing too. Like Big Trouble in Little China, the Godfather part II, and that Lambs sequel with Gary Oldman is the disfigured guy who gets fed to the pigs. There are others I am sure.

An interesting question... Perhaps it is just speculation that to rise that high in an organisation or world politics you would generally be pretty old, and the fact that they are crippled an weak, yet still command the utmost power and respect, is testament to the caliber of villain they really are.

Script writers (or more accurately people that commission TV shows) are lazy. If they can use a worn out easily identifiable stereotype to show that someone is evil rather then having to build a complex back story and try to explain the myriad reasons that lead that person to be evil then they will.

It's the same as asking why are the main "hero" characters always very good looking, well toned, mid 20's-mid 30's people.

It's a cheap short cut to give the character some depth that isn't really there and let the viewer identify who the characters are without the need of explaining it to them

reply to post by davespanners


That's a pretty good theory!

Hence why most recent film releases have been garbage. The contemporary characters could also be linked to Arial Sharon... Just kidding.

Also, it allows the makers of the cartoon or show (or the perpetuators of the meme) to foster a distance between the viewer (usually younger people) and the villain (the old person).

So, contrary to what has been customary in the past, the elderly / seniors / fathers / grandfathers / the "greatest generation" become evil antagonists who cannot be trusted.

It is just another way for the elitists to turn our culture upside down.

I know it seems impossible from the terrible way that I abuse the English language on this forum but I have written a few scripts, one of them got into the production stage but never actually made it to the end.

As a new script writer your only function is to provide something that can be made as cheaply and quickly as possible and that is close to something that has been written before so that the production company can feel it's not risking it's money in anyway whatsoever.

Originality and taking your viewer through an intellectual / emotional journey take a back seat to profit I'm afraid.

PS

I have a very good script editor, which is why I can get away with having such terrible grammar

All good answers, I wondered what would come of this thread. Billy Joel, "Only the good Die Young." You would have to be very rotten and evil to live that long and be a leader in a secret organization. I appreciate all of your ideas. Now if I see an old guy in a wheel chair with oxygen maybe I should just knock him over, just in case.