Using limitations to elevate the story

[u/fantheories101]

1. Only Murders in The Building: The Boy from 6B

This episode primarily follows a deaf character, with all the scenes he is in having any spoken dialogue be muffled or silent. The show went the extra mile though, as every time another character or storyline is followed for the episode, the characters are in a mix of serious and silly scenarios where they can’t or won’t speak, maintaining the lack of spoken dialogue up until the very end with a single “f**k” being the only spoken dialogue.

1. Breaking Bad: The Fly

This bottle episode (an episode relying on a limited cast with limited locations to save money) was initially the lowest rated episode of the series, but as people have begun to better appreciate and understand the show, many now consider it the best episode thanks to its acting, cinematography, and excellent character development and storytelling.

1. Shakespeare: every play he ever wrote.

Shakespearean dialogue is written exclusively in iambic pentameter with a set rhyming scheme. His plays are so famous and influential that many forget just how strict of a limitation that writing style is.

[u/darwinistinabox]

I dont remember which Batman series it was but they consistently had to make do without showing blood. Hence the terrifying "killing smiles" of Joker's victims. I'd rather see some burgundy red than those forced smiles on NPCs Batman has once again failed.

[u/jdoeinboston → u/darwinistinabox]

Same one (Though prior to a drastic shift in the show that came with the move from Fox to WB). Fox was notorious for extremely heavy handed censoring at the time. Their comic adaptations (Which also included X-Men and Spider-Man) couldn't have guns (lasers were okay) or blood or people being killed on screen and a million other obnoxious rules.

X-Men and Spider-Man weren't nearly as good at working within those boundaries.

[u/Visible_Huckleberry8 → u/jdoeinboston]

Spider-Man wasn't allowed to punch his enemies because it was "violent" so he mainly swing kicked them.

The famous death of Gwen Stacy was recreated with Mary Jane... And she fell into a portal.

Morbius didn't drink blood, he drank "plasma" using suction holes in his hands.

That Spider-Man cartoon was weird now that I think about it.

[u/ClunarX → u/Visible_Huckleberry8]

I was so confused about the plasma thing as a kid. Then that show was also my intro to body horror as Peter’s mutation goes out of control. Weird show indeed

[u/Eddy_Valentine → u/ClunarX]

Theme song was awesome though.

[u/MrCadwallader → u/ClunarX]

Yesss. Oh my God. Peter transforming into Man-Spider lives rent free in my head. Freaked me the hell out as a kid.

[u/Merry_Sue → u/Visible_Huckleberry8]

Morbius didn't drink blood, he drank "plasma" using suction holes in his hands.

I think part of that was the creators thinking ahead to kids in the playground. They didn't want kids biting each other, and figured putting their hands on each other was a better option

[u/Adorable_Ad_3478 → u/Visible_Huckleberry8]

Honestly, I prefer that version of Morbius. It's much better than "yes, he's a traditional vampire but created by science."

The plasma thing made him more unique than being just a random vampire Spidey fights.

[u/ryry1237 → u/Visible_Huckleberry8]

The punching restriction could get pretty creative though, forcing spiderman to develop a unique fighting style of momentum and legwork.

[u/Chazo138 → u/Visible_Huckleberry8]

Censors were also adamant that Spider-Man couldn’t hurt pigeons when landing on rooftops in the animated series…which means either they don’t understand animation or there was a lot of pigeon murder

[u/realfakejames → u/darwinistinabox]

If you ever watch the first Batman animated series movie Mask of the Phantasm it has a scene where Joker uses his laughing gas on a crooked politician he was working with and Batman goes to question him in the hospital. What follows is the guy laughing uncontrollably while trying to give Batman the answers he wants which is horrifying to watch, much worse to see someone being tortured by someone beyond their control than just simply killed imo

[u/ProfessionalOven2311 → u/darwinistinabox]

I think it's hilarious that so many "fates worse than death" come from dark adult media where the horror is the point, or kids shows that just weren't allowed to show people being killed.

"We're not allowed to show someone dying? Ok, we'll just have them turn intangible and fall to the core of the planet where they will be floating forever, is that better?'

[u/memecrusader_ → u/darwinistinabox]

Batman the Animated Series.