Basic Trope: Aliens learn about Earth from TV and radio broadcasts.
- Straight:
- Zorklon learns about human culture by watching our TV.
- Exaggerated:
- Zorklon learns about human culture, biology, behavior, and chicken soup recipes from watching TV.
- Zorklon forms an entire invasion plan around something he saw on TV.
- Downplayed:
- Zorklon learns some fun facts about humanity from the TV.
- A mythical species with no contact with humans learns about them by watching TV.
- Justified:
- Human TV is the easiest way to learn about humans without disturbing them.
- The aliens love watching TV.
- Inverted: Bob learns about alien culture by watching alien TV.
- Subverted: Zorklon is seen watching TV..... to find out what happens on Game of Thrones.
- Double Subverted: ...Because it's his favorite "history documentary".
- Parodied: Zorklon acts like a cartoon character because he believes that's how humans act.
- Zig Zagged: ???
- Averted: Zorklon learned all about humanity through hands-on research.
- Enforced:
- The producers need an explanation for Zorklon to understand human language and culture, and this is an easy Hand Wave.
- Lampshaded: "I wonder if our shows have more alien viewers than human."
- Invoked: Someone creates a TV show designed to teach aliens about humans and give them a positive impression of us.
- Exploited: A struggling film director regains lost clout by currying favor with alien fans.
- Defied: Humans cloak their TV signals so aliens can't watch it.
- Discussed: ???
- Conversed: Bob: "Why is it that aliens always learn about us from TV?"
- Implied:
- Zorklon is always seen watching TV.
- Zorklon treats every situation like a sitcom episode.
- Deconstructed: Zorklon tries to kill humanity because he believes humans want to kill aliens after watching alien invasion movies.
- Reconstructed: Zorklon is talked down from his crusade after being shown movies in which humans befriend aliens, proving humans aren't so bloodthirsty.
- Played For Laughs: Zorklon's ideas about humanity are hilariously wrong because he learned from TV.
- Played For Drama: Zorklon becomes depressed by the drudgery of real human life because he was used to the excitement of TV shows.
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