Syndroms or Effects named after TV Shows?

February 23, 2014 3:51 AM

So was reading this article in the paper the other day. Makes me wonder if there are any other syndromes of effects like the one in the article named after or inspired by tv shows.
posted by thelloydshow to Society & Culture (12 answers total)

Specifically, I can immediately think 'Father Jack' Syndrome. (Father Jack is a character in British series Father Ted). Which is what you call someone who is somewhat delirious and old. I don't know if this is in the books yet but it is often found written in patient notes.
There is, of course, Alice in Wonderland Syndrome which is not just a tv/film thing.
posted by london302 at 4:03 AM on February 23, 2014

The CSI effect springs to mind (jurors relying more on/having higher expectations from physical evidence because of shows like CSI). This has been the subject of scientific research to see if it's a real problem but I don't think it's been conclusively proven.
posted by shelleycat at 4:09 AM on February 23, 2014 [5 favorites]

I would suggest 'Friends' syndrome to describe the moment in your mid to late 20s when you realise you don't have a group of friends like that, or anywhere near as nice apartments. But I don't know if anyone else uses it!
posted by Dorothea_in_Rome at 4:54 AM on February 23, 2014 [2 favorites]

Not TV, but The Truman Show delusion is a delusion in which people believe that their lives are stage plays or reality TV shows.
posted by fallingleaves at 4:59 AM on February 23, 2014 [3 favorites]

I remember reading about the LA Law Effect and that law school applications increased when the show aired.
posted by kinetic at 5:20 AM on February 23, 2014

The Skyler White effect (also here --this one is more spoiler-y, discusses final season), but this is more about viewers' perception of things within Breaking Bad and other shows rather than an effect on something outside of TV-land.
posted by jorlyfish at 8:47 AM on February 23, 2014

It's not quite TV, but Bogart-Bacall syndome is a real medical thing.
posted by WidgetAlley at 8:49 AM on February 23, 2014 [1 favorite]

Back in the day, I remember hearing a news story about bars and restaurants noticing a dropoff in Thursday night business at the peak of Friends' popularity, particularly near the end of its run, when EVERYbody stayed home to watch tv.

More recently I heard this NPR story on a study crediting MTV's Sixteen and Pregnant with part of the recent decrease in teen pregnancy.
posted by jessicapierce at 9:19 AM on February 23, 2014 [1 favorite]

Back in 2012, interest in archery during the Summer Olympics was credited to the Hunger Games Effect.
posted by CathyG at 12:39 PM on February 23, 2014

What about Jumping the shark? I think it fits your criteria?
posted by annsunny at 1:49 PM on February 23, 2014

The Monty Hall Problem.
posted by kiltedtaco at 2:22 PM on February 23, 2014

I don't think anyone's actually called it "The Emergency! Effect" but you'd probably think it's interesting: supposedly the 1970s show Emergency! popularized the idea of paramedic units in the US.
posted by theodolite at 2:39 PM on February 23, 2014 [2 favorites]