Search/Recent Changes
DBTropes
...it's like TV Tropes, but LINKED DATA!

SoCalization

 SoCalization
type
FeatureClass
 SoCalization
label
SoCalization
 SoCalization
page
SoCalization
 SoCalization
comment
This trope is under discussion in the Trope Repair Shop.
The United States is a large country of stunning diversity, but the film and television industries are largely confined to one little corner of it: the southern region California, where Hollywood is. Writers tend to write what they know, and since they know Southern California, the rest of the country will often be inaccurately portrayed as being just like L.A. (And it'll look just like L.A., too.) Often, this happens just because it's cheaper to film in nearby locations than to spend money relocating staff to other parts of the country. Because of this, minute details about other locations tend to get written in media as being just like California, even when it's very different. This trope has been especially prominent in American culture since the 1980s, when Los Angeles began to supplant New York City as the "hip" place to be.
Advertisement:propertag.cmd.push(function() { proper_display('tvtropes_mobile_ad_1'); })This is arguably the reason why It's Always Spring. Also known as Californication, which is the trope namer for a TV show and an album (and its titular song) by Red Hot Chili Peppers. Especially as a Take That! by residents of the Pacific Northwest. Nonetheless, it can be inverted by having shows that actually are set in Southern California... but filmed in Vancouver.
See also Big Applesauce. Subtrope of We All Live in America, which happens when American media assumes that life and culture in other parts of the world is the same as in the United States. Britain is Only London, Free State Amsterdam, Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo and the Eiffel Tower Effect occur when a country is deliberately reduced by the writer to its most iconic city or just one landmark. New York Is Only Manhattan is when one city, New York City, is reduced to one iconic area within it. Contrast Canada Does Not Exist, a weird Canadian inversion of this trope, and Eagleland Osmosis, where the omnipresence of American media leads non-Americans to believe that their country works just like America (or L.A., for that matter).
Advertisement:propertag.cmd.push(function() { proper_display('tvtropes_mobile_ad_2'); })Not to be confused with California Doubling, which is about using specific parts of California as filming locations to represent specific settings.
 SoCalization
fetched
2020-10-03T17:39:12Z
 SoCalization
parsed
2020-10-03T17:39:12Z
 SoCalization
processingComment
Dropped link to JournalRoleplay: Not an Item - CAT
 SoCalization
processingComment
Dropped link to TheMagicPokerEquation: Not an Item - FEATURE
 SoCalization
processingComment
Dropped link to lampshadehanging: Not an Item - FEATURE
 SoCalization
isPartOf
DBTropes
 SoCalization / int_22211d68
type
SoCalization
 SoCalization / int_22211d68
comment
Bones: Although this show is set in DC, the characters refer to highway numbers with "the" before the number. No one in DC does this except transplants from Southern California.
 SoCalization / int_22211d68
featureApplicability
1.0
 SoCalization / int_22211d68
featureConfidence
1.0
 Bones
hasFeature
SoCalization / int_22211d68
 SoCalization / int_2275c659
type
SoCalization
 SoCalization / int_2275c659
comment
House: The daughter of a clinic patient tells House that he only has to wait six months until her 18th birthday to have sex with her. In reality, House could have had sex with her a year and a half earlier, as the age of consent in New Jersey is 16.
 SoCalization / int_2275c659
featureApplicability
1.0
 SoCalization / int_2275c659
featureConfidence
1.0
 House
hasFeature
SoCalization / int_2275c659
 SoCalization / int_22f49cdf
type
SoCalization
 SoCalization / int_22f49cdf
comment
Castle: In "The Third Man", in Alexis' jealousy over her father's attention, she mentions that her classmate wants him. She then says that she's seventeen, "but she'll be legal in three months!" The age of consent in New York is seventeen.
 SoCalization / int_22f49cdf
featureApplicability
1.0
 SoCalization / int_22f49cdf
featureConfidence
1.0
 Castle
hasFeature
SoCalization / int_22f49cdf
 SoCalization / int_238b1fac
type
SoCalization
 SoCalization / int_238b1fac
comment
Knight and Day: Boston-based June says "the I-93."
 SoCalization / int_238b1fac
featureApplicability
1.0
 SoCalization / int_238b1fac
featureConfidence
1.0
 Knight and Day
hasFeature
SoCalization / int_238b1fac
 SoCalization / int_3472a015
type
SoCalization
 SoCalization / int_3472a015
comment
Point Pleasant: It was a big deal in New Jersey that this show was set on the Shore. Then we found out that Hollywood's idea of the Jersey Shore was basically "Southern California, but with lighthouses and boardwalks instead of palm trees."
 SoCalization / int_3472a015
featureApplicability
1.0
 SoCalization / int_3472a015
featureConfidence
1.0
 Point Pleasant
hasFeature
SoCalization / int_3472a015
 SoCalization / int_3558eaa2
type
SoCalization
 SoCalization / int_3558eaa2
comment
Community: The show is set in Colorado, but the Dean's car has a California plate with "California" replaced with "Drive Safely."
 SoCalization / int_3558eaa2
featureApplicability
1.0
 SoCalization / int_3558eaa2
featureConfidence
1.0
 Community
hasFeature
SoCalization / int_3558eaa2
 SoCalization / int_3caeeb6f
type
SoCalization
 SoCalization / int_3caeeb6f
comment
SimCity: Another Easter egg in 4 appears more obscurely in the form a man sitting on a floating balloons-strapped lawnchair. As Maxis is a Californian outfit, it comes as no surprise why it's there.
 SoCalization / int_3caeeb6f
featureApplicability
1.0
 SoCalization / int_3caeeb6f
featureConfidence
1.0
 SimCity (Video Game)
hasFeature
SoCalization / int_3caeeb6f
 SoCalization / int_3cd90f30
type
SoCalization
 SoCalization / int_3cd90f30
comment
Arrested Development: Inverted in at least one instance. For a series that makes so many specific references to the Orange County area, it's surprising to hear Michael say that he's traveling on "Highway Five" instead of "the Five," as all native Southern Californians would do.
 SoCalization / int_3cd90f30
featureApplicability
1.0
 SoCalization / int_3cd90f30
featureConfidence
1.0
 Arrested Development
hasFeature
SoCalization / int_3cd90f30
 SoCalization / int_3f633fb4
type
SoCalization
 SoCalization / int_3f633fb4
comment
Cracked: Anything about Teen-sex seems to rely on SoCalization, making British (and others) wonder what the pre-occupation with 17 year olds is.
 SoCalization / int_3f633fb4
featureApplicability
1.0
 SoCalization / int_3f633fb4
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cracked (Website)
hasFeature
SoCalization / int_3f633fb4
 SoCalization / int_43576f5
type
SoCalization
 SoCalization / int_43576f5
comment
Supernatural: The man Dean tackles is stated to be the District Attorney. The closest thing that Tipton, Indiana (where the episode takes place) has is a Prosecuting Attorney.
 SoCalization / int_43576f5
featureApplicability
1.0
 SoCalization / int_43576f5
featureConfidence
1.0
 Supernatural
hasFeature
SoCalization / int_43576f5
 SoCalization / int_4416f956
type
SoCalization
 SoCalization / int_4416f956
comment
Treading Ground:
In 2003, strip #6 establishes the main plot: Rose has the hots for Nate, but the 21-year-old guy doesn't want to have sex with the 16 year-old-girl until she's of legal age. After eight years (about one year in Comic-Book Time), in which both characters have plenty of sex (just not with each other), they finally realise they are victims of SoCalization; 16 is legal age in their state. So in 2011, strip #251 concludes the series with them holding hands... And still not having had sex together yet.
Lampshaded here.
 SoCalization / int_4416f956
featureApplicability
1.0
 SoCalization / int_4416f956
featureConfidence
1.0
 Treading Ground (Webcomic)
hasFeature
SoCalization / int_4416f956
 SoCalization / int_4617a9f2
type
SoCalization
 SoCalization / int_4617a9f2
comment
Married... with Children: In the very first episode they refer to a local radio station as "K-Rock." That'd be for stations West of the Mississippi. All local radio and TV stations in Chicago (the location of the series) have call signs beginning with a W.note There's a possibility that "K-Rock" is a station nickname (for example: WXRK in New York went by the name "K-Rock" during the 80s and 90s).
 SoCalization / int_4617a9f2
featureApplicability
1.0
 SoCalization / int_4617a9f2
featureConfidence
1.0
 Married... with Children
hasFeature
SoCalization / int_4617a9f2
 SoCalization / int_60f02ddb
type
SoCalization
 SoCalization / int_60f02ddb
comment
American Dad!: At least two episodes feature characters buying Chocodiles at the store. Since the mid-90s, Chocodiles have only been available on the West Coast (the show is set in Virginia).
 SoCalization / int_60f02ddb
featureApplicability
1.0
 SoCalization / int_60f02ddb
featureConfidence
1.0
 American Dad!
hasFeature
SoCalization / int_60f02ddb
 SoCalization / int_742454cc
type
SoCalization
 SoCalization / int_742454cc
comment
Spock's World: An hilariously odd variant. In a description of Vulcan- "Jim tended to think of it as southern California, but with less rain." note For those who have no idea why this is so funny, Capt. James T. Kirk hails from Iowa. Starfleet HQ is in California, but Northern California, not at all the same thing... Southern California averages about 35 rainy days per year near the coast in the winter and spring (less in the inland desert areas), with summer and autumn typically being rain-free or nearly so.
 SoCalization / int_742454cc
featureApplicability
1.0
 SoCalization / int_742454cc
featureConfidence
1.0
 Spock's World
hasFeature
SoCalization / int_742454cc
 SoCalization / int_74895abc
type
SoCalization
 SoCalization / int_74895abc
comment
Detroit187: In the title itself: 187 is the police code for murder...in California, not Michigan.
 SoCalization / int_74895abc
featureApplicability
1.0
 SoCalization / int_74895abc
featureConfidence
1.0
 Detroit 1-8-7
hasFeature
SoCalization / int_74895abc
 SoCalization / int_76580c92
type
SoCalization
 SoCalization / int_76580c92
comment
Ménage à 3: Appears in one of the standard forms when Isabelle acts seductively toward Zii, and Zii says that she hopes that Isabelle is over 18. The age of consent in Canada is 16. This is a little odd, in that the comic normally does a good job of averting the trope, maintaining a subtle but distinctive Canadian flavor; it might be excused, though, in that even if the legal age of consent is 16, doing it with someone who's still a minor in every other respect is kinda creepy if you aren't very close in age (and as Zii is likely in her mid-20s, no, they aren't).
 SoCalization / int_76580c92
featureApplicability
1.0
 SoCalization / int_76580c92
featureConfidence
1.0
 Ménage à 3 (Webcomic)
hasFeature
SoCalization / int_76580c92
 SoCalization / int_7680545c
type
SoCalization
 SoCalization / int_7680545c
comment
The Nanny: The show is set in New York, but in one episode Fran is holding a cup from In'n'Out Burger, a restaurant chain that exists only in the southwest U.S.
 SoCalization / int_7680545c
featureApplicability
1.0
 SoCalization / int_7680545c
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Nanny
hasFeature
SoCalization / int_7680545c
 SoCalization / int_808565e
type
SoCalization
 SoCalization / int_808565e
comment
Eastwick: Investigations are done by the local Sheriff. In Rhode Island, as well as most New England counties, Sheriffs are ceremonial positions.
 SoCalization / int_808565e
featureApplicability
1.0
 SoCalization / int_808565e
featureConfidence
1.0
 Eastwick
hasFeature
SoCalization / int_808565e
 SoCalization / int_8d85e141
type
SoCalization
 SoCalization / int_8d85e141
comment
Veep: In "Oslo," Selina wants her daughter to get married in Europe in order to avoid U.S. community property laws. Divorce is governed by the state of residency, not the jurisdiction where the ceremony is performed. Catherine and Marjorie appear to be New York residents. Unlike California, New York is not a community property state. So this also counts as Hollywood Law.
 SoCalization / int_8d85e141
featureApplicability
1.0
 SoCalization / int_8d85e141
featureConfidence
1.0
 Veep
hasFeature
SoCalization / int_8d85e141
 SoCalization / int_ac4b6a62
type
SoCalization
 SoCalization / int_ac4b6a62
comment
Questionable Content: The newspost below this strip implies that Ellen's about to turn 18. The age of consent in Massachusetts is 16.
 SoCalization / int_ac4b6a62
featureApplicability
1.0
 SoCalization / int_ac4b6a62
featureConfidence
1.0
 Questionable Content (Webcomic)
hasFeature
SoCalization / int_ac4b6a62
 SoCalization / int_b08200f3
type
SoCalization
 SoCalization / int_b08200f3
comment
Transformers: Age of Extinction: A notable aversion of the age of consent version.
 SoCalization / int_b08200f3
featureApplicability
-1.0
 SoCalization / int_b08200f3
featureConfidence
1.0
 Transformers: Age of Extinction
hasFeature
SoCalization / int_b08200f3
 SoCalization / int_b9c820be
type
SoCalization
 SoCalization / int_b9c820be
comment
Devil: Bowden, a detective in Philadelphia, refers to a possible murder as a "187".
 SoCalization / int_b9c820be
featureApplicability
1.0
 SoCalization / int_b9c820be
featureConfidence
1.0
 Devil
hasFeature
SoCalization / int_b9c820be
 SoCalization / int_b9e865f1
type
SoCalization
 SoCalization / int_b9e865f1
comment
Logan Lucky: In Mellie's first scene, she gives an extended description of her commute in which she repeatedly refers to highways as "the [highway number]", something peculiar to Southern California and not West Virginia. The actress is from Southern California.
 SoCalization / int_b9e865f1
featureApplicability
1.0
 SoCalization / int_b9e865f1
featureConfidence
1.0
 Logan Lucky
hasFeature
SoCalization / int_b9e865f1
 SoCalization / int_ccf875f7
type
SoCalization
 SoCalization / int_ccf875f7
comment
Criminal Minds: In "Exit Wounds", the BAU travels to a remote Alaskan town to help the local Sheriff department catch a spree killer. In real life there is not a single sheriff department in Alaska: their duties are covered by the Alaska State Troopers, who are never mentioned in the episode.
 SoCalization / int_ccf875f7
featureApplicability
1.0
 SoCalization / int_ccf875f7
featureConfidence
1.0
 Criminal Minds
hasFeature
SoCalization / int_ccf875f7
 SoCalization / int_eb5d2678
type
SoCalization
 SoCalization / int_eb5d2678
comment
Patriot: A womanizing Luxembourgian detective tells a little girl that he has nothing to say to her until she turns 18. He's obviously intending to say that she has no value until he can have sex with her, but the age of consent in Luxembourg is 16, not 18, as it is in California.
 SoCalization / int_eb5d2678
featureApplicability
1.0
 SoCalization / int_eb5d2678
featureConfidence
1.0
 Patriot
hasFeature
SoCalization / int_eb5d2678
 SoCalization / int_eda82ea0
type
SoCalization
 SoCalization / int_eda82ea0
comment
Californication: "Californication", which includes the line "Little girls from Sweden dream of silver-screen quotations".
 SoCalization / int_eda82ea0
featureApplicability
1.0
 SoCalization / int_eda82ea0
featureConfidence
1.0
 Californication (Music)
hasFeature
SoCalization / int_eda82ea0
 SoCalization / int_f0a86c12
type
SoCalization
 SoCalization / int_f0a86c12
comment
How I Met Your Mother: Pops up from time to time. For example, characters frequently claim the age of consent to be 18, while it's actually 17 in New York.
 SoCalization / int_f0a86c12
featureApplicability
1.0
 SoCalization / int_f0a86c12
featureConfidence
1.0
 How I Met Your Mother
hasFeature
SoCalization / int_f0a86c12

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

 PadurKaril
seeAlso
SoCalization
 Ptitleqlm0pv2xb236
seeAlso
SoCalization
 Socalization
sameAs
SoCalization
 You Have 48 Hours
seeAlso
SoCalization