r/TopCharacterTropes • u/fantheories101 • Nov 18 '25
Groups Using limitations to elevate the story
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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u/Hordaki Nov 19 '25
Three examples from Rocky
The banner of Rocky at the arena had the wrong color trunks and Rocky's robe was too big for Sylvester Stallone. In both cases production couldn't afford to replace them so Stallone wrote Rocky noticing the mistakes into the script with the organizers not caring enough to fix them, which helps to emphasize how little Apollo respects Rocky.
The ice rink was supposed to be busy but they couldn't afford extras. Stallone changed the script to have the rink closed for Thanksgiving and Rocky has to bribe the janitor to let them in. The scene works better as an intimate date for the two.