25 TV tropes you’ll definitely recognize but are super tired of seeing

Masquerade Balls

As a kid, I thought masquerade balls were going to be much more of a thing than it turned out to be in adulthood. They are a staple event on television dramas, and I remember watching and being so mesmerized by all the glamor. The more elaborate the costumes and masks, the better, and I thought I’d spend my adulthood waltzing the nights away. Boy, was I wrong. I can barely get my friends to dress up for a Halloween party, much less spend a zillion dollars on a fancy ball gown and uncomfortable mask.

The masquerade ball, often dumbed down to a costume party, is everyone on TV. It’s a fun way to make the women dress more provocatively, and an excellent way for the men to get mistaken for someone else. You can bet your sweet bustle if a show is going to the trouble of having a huge ball, someone is going to make-out with the wrong person. That’s part of the fun.

Aside from the fun of a mistaken identity, a series will use one of these parties to show off just how elite, rich and extravagant the characters are. Sometimes a show will take liberties with this trope and throw in a charity or some sort of commemoration event. In this case, you can count on some sort of caper or theft – or even a murder. The masks make it super easy for the culprit to hang out in plain sight or just slip out the back. Obviously, the main characters will give chase and a very exciting sequence will ensue. Probably.

Examples: The Vampire Diaries, Pretty Little Liars, General Hospital, Gossip Girl, and The 100