User blog:ArtDraw12/Biggest plot holes, goofs, mistakes & inconsistencies in Total Drama series

Hi. Several users were talking about plot holes lately, which inspired me to write a new blog. In my new blog I'm going to list and analyze biggest plot holes, goofs, and inconsistencies of Total Drama series. Let's see which they are and if they actually can be explained.

Chris's role
You see Chris appears to have some sort of (evil) God role on TD series. He can eliminate or save anyone whenever he feels like, he can change the rules of the challenge as he goes along. The only problem is that he shouldn't have. I'm not only saying about fair game. I'm also saying he's just a host. His role is to explain the challenges, host eliminations ceremonies and promote the show. That's it. The role he was given in the series should've actually belonged to the producers. And since they were mentioned several times, it means they do exist. So why is Chris taking all the credit? Why he often refers to Total Drama as "his show" if he's just a host?

The only explanation of Chris's more important role than a host of any other reality TV show is that he's also one of the producers. He could've came up with the idea for the show or something. However, him having to ask the producers to green lit his ideas for challenges or having to call them in No Pain, No Game to ask if Izzy can nominate herself debunks the theory. It can be further debunked in Up, Up And Away In My Pitiful Balloon where he mentions he wasn't the one to fund the million dollars prize. He also definitely didn't come up with the idea for Total Drama, as in Chinese Fake-Out Blaineley reveals she was originally asked to host the show, indicating Chris had no connection to the show until he was asked to host. Although as I mentioned, he comes up with ideas for challenges (producers' role in real life), so that may be the reason why he gets so many privileges as only a host.

Time
Let's just say that due to "Depending on the writer" trope, TD has one of the best, but also one of the worst continuities in TD. I'll mention some examples later, especially from TDAS, so here let me mention the time. The gap between the episodes in first season is said to be a day (I mean the challenges taking place daily), three days (as a reference to Survivor) or a week (possibly to reference viewers' point of view, although contestants sometimes say "this week" too). The overall time was said to be 8 weeks, which would go against all mentioned options. In later seasons we have even less clues about the time passing. But some challenges still seem to take place daily, yet TDA is said to be 42 days long. TDWT appears to have daily challenges even more, but in Hawaiian Style Geoff says Bridgette was with Bruno (as of Aftermath Aftermayhem) for 44 days. Jesus Christ! If the time between two Aftermaths was so long, I wouldn't want to be a finalist of such season!

How can it be explained? Well, we need suspension of disbelief due to the trope I mentioned. Which option is most likely? As I said, week possibly refers to the episodes airing weekly (not nowadays). I'd say both daily and 3 days options are likely, depending on the episode (i.e. The Big Sleep itself takes place for a few days, while Phobia Factor takes place on the very next day after The Sucky Outdoors). So it depends on whether more than one day was shown in the episode. Also, 3 days may be likely for TDI so the contestants would have more time to get to know each other (it appears not to be the case in TDRI and TDPI though). Maybe also for TDA, although even that's unlikely. Keep in mind more days mean more meals for the contestants and the show is said to be low in budget.

Injuries
We all know the characters of TD, especially contestants, are "Made of Iron". However, some of them heal faster than the others. Cody mentions his injury in Haute Camp-ture and implies in his line that it took him some time to heal. Cameron already started healing, but he's still partially injured in TDAS finale. Yet we have characters like Trent, who got a serious full-body injury in X-Treme Torture yet in next episode there is no mention of it. Or characters who are completely fine after a major injury, like Heather after her fall in Rapa Phooey! (completely fine in next scene) or Ezekiel at the end of Hawaiian Punch (although the gap between this episode and next season's premiere seems to be long, he has no major injury, unlike Alejandro who had very similar accident).

Contestants failing to warn the others about the main antagonist
The title says it all. This is the problem that happens when the antagonist hides their true self in their first season. The main problem is that those who realized the antagonist's true colors don't even bother to warn the others on time. If they do, it's always after they're eliminated. What?! I know the episode usually cuts right to the elimination ceremony after the challenge is finished. But in-universe they've got several hours to do so!

Ok, I can understand B's and Dawn's cases. Both have been just framed by Scott into sabotage/stealing others' belongings. It'd be hard to win the trust of the others' and convince them that Scott is actually the evil guy. Especially for B who doesn't speak and would communicate only through writings. But what about Noah and Alejandro?! Noah only warned Owen. He didn't have that bad reputation, so he could've warned other teammates as well! Especially Tyler, who originally disliked Alejandro, being jealous of Lindsay's attraction to him! I know Alejandro couldn't be trusted because of his past. But unlike B and Dawn, he had a DVD! Just call the others and show them it in that hotel room! Even if you're allowed to only spend nights and morning there, but not afternoons for some reason, try to sneak with them somehow!

I know this issue can be explained by episodes being only 22 minutes long (the reason why it often cuts right to the elimination ceremony after the challenge), and plots having to last longer. But there is no explanation for Noah's and Alejandro's case in-universe.

Is the show really running short on budget? (aka unrealism on TD)
Chris often mentions something being poor or poorly prepared due to running short on budget (due to spending majority of it on himself). But are they really. Prime example is Pahkitew Island, an artificial island that had to be extremely expensive.

Speaking of that island, how do the plants work? The contestants were eating fruits so they must have been real and so must have been other parts of plants because they'd notice it earlier. Yet the plants are partially robotic too, as shown in Hurl and Go Seek or by the example of tree rockets.

Coming back to the topic, there are also scenes such as Owen's stories, some contestants' dreams, songs, scenes from contestants' perspective (i.e. from Owen's night vision goggles), and scenes inside Mike's head. All the footage was said to be from cameras and it's impossible for the cameras to record them.

My explanations? Scenes from someone's perspective could actually come from cameras that were in a position that filmed what the contestants were currently looking at. TD crew hired animators to animate contestants' dreams and Owen's stories. It seems kinda pointless in some cases, although DJ's dream in The Sand Witch Project was worth it, I guess. Finally, we have scenes inside Mike's head. Since it was a huge part of the plot, especially in TDAS, they most likely asked Mike what happened and he got a role of an actor for some time so they could record it and animate the scenery and some unrealistic elements of his subconsciousness (such as those flying question marks). If Mike won in TDAS, he could also borrow some money for them to do so. In fact, he could order it in the first place, so his changes in behaviour would be explained to the viewers (something like "The world according to Heather" that Heather planned of she won TDI, but put into the show). This could also explain why his battle with Mal was so anticlimactic. Perhaps it was worse, but Mike wanted to be portrayed perfectly, so he lied about some things?

Heather's antagonism
Heather is definitely one of best characters of the show and one of most entertaining antagonists. That doesn't mean her antagonistic role isn't flawless. In fact, it's flawless since the beginning. TDI Heather appears to be a mix of Alejandro and Amy/Taylor. A great manipulator, strategist and a spoiled brat, queen bee. The problem is these two don't mix. You either are a great strategist and know you have to hide your true personality, like Alejandro did in TDWT, or you are openly evil, like Amy, and thus risk being eliminated any time.

This could be explained if Heather realized at some point she's universally hated and she just quit the act. However, she acted like that since the beginning and in Total Drama, Drama, Drama, Drama Island she believes she's popular, so this is not an option.

Heather's strategy is also terrible. Stealing Eva's MP3 player? How convenient for the plot that she finds out after the challenge ended. I mean, if she wanted to listen to the music during the challenge, she would've found out earlier, and possibly would have found out soner or later it was Heather. Reading Gwen's diary? So what that id embarrassed Gwen? That's why she became universally disliked in-universe in the first place! Breaking up Gwen and Trent? Great, except it puts main target on her. She was only saved thanks to winning invincibility. And guess what. She had no idea she'd actually win it. She had only 1/11 chances to win and it appears Chris must have switched the prizes to make sure the antagonist stays in the game.

Killer Bass' victory in Not Quite Famous
There are a few eliminations caused by plot holes or goofs. This is the start of them. Chris never said the challenge was about "Who gets maximum score wins for their team". In fact, I believe it wasn't because if either someone from the first or second round would score it, rest of the challenge, as well as choosing 3 performers would be pointless. Thus, it was clearly about which team scores more points. And if you do the math Screaming Gophers actually won by one point.

I don't think this can be explained. It seems as if Chris rigged it so Heather would be eliminated, but in other episodes (Search and Do Not Destroy) he seems to rig the challenge in Heather's favor. Plus, I know Heather is among his least favorite contestants, but he still does acknowledge the fact that she creates most drama.

Total Drama Action being erased from continuity
Nothing too wrong in this season's case, but the problem begins with future seasons. A lot of what happened in this season is not mentioned anymore. Neither of the endings is referenced, not even in neutral terms such as "being a finalist" instead of "winning". Harold suddenly isn't attracted to Heather next season, and so is Duncan, who had a few ship tease moments with her throughout first two seasons. Heather and Leshawna's friendship is not mentioned again as well. Owen's mole role is not acknowledged by anyone either, even by Courtney and Harold, who were in the game at the moment and competed in TDWT as well.

Singing rule
I think everyone noticed how Chris didn't follow the singing rules despite mentioning them several times. Well, it's actually for the better. As you can read in one of my blogs, if Chris strictly followed the rule, we'd have the shortest and possibly the worst season ever.

Alejandro betrays his ally
Alejandro was the best antagonist in my opinion. But even his strategy wasn't flawless. I am referring to The EX-Files Ok, so he promised Duncan he won't vote for him. Hey, that's actually not that bad. Due to the love triangle drama Duncan's target for any elimination now. But why to vote for Tyler?! I didn't have a problem with it while watching the season for the first time because my English wasn't as good back then and I thought Tyler got eliminated for his injury. But no, he got eliminated because...? Alright, I know Duncan's intentions. Maybe even Owen's. But why Alejandro voted for him? Owen was already starting to become suspicious of him in The Am-AH-Zon Race. Noah warned Owen about him in I See London.... Owen was aware of Alejandro and Tyler's alliance. So why on Earth Alejandro chooses to eliminate his ally instead of someone who was already becoming suspicious of him?!

Total Drama All-Stars
TDAS was one huge plot hole and inconsistency. I don't need to create another TDAS bashing blog, we've had plenty of them. So let me mention only a few examples.

Drama Machine plot
What was the suspense for? And why were contestants so shocked about it? Ok, I can understand that Heather possibly refused to watch TDWT on TV after losing the money. She could be disturbed by the fact a robot was holding her in Bigger! Badder! Brutal-er!. Although it seems weird she wouldn't notice Alejandro was the only contestant missing and some robot was present instead of him. But how to explain the others?

Ok, maybe Courtney wasn't patient enough to wait for the ending credits to end to watch exclusive clip. But she looked at both of them in TDRI's premiere, visibly jealous because of her being attracted to Alejandro as well. Even if we assume she only glared at Heather, this could make sense if it followed Heather's ending only (being jealous she won). Why would she glare at her like that otherwise without knowing Alejandro was in Drama Machine?

It's also weird how Scott appears to know Alejandro was in Drama Machine (referencing to its ability to talk, only available after Alejandro was put in it), but he doesn't mock him or Heather about it in any way. I think he thought Heather knew then.

Not to mention it starts Alejandro's plot of walking on his hands which has no effect on the plot outside of Evil Dread. It's also very OOC for strategist like Alejandro to act weak on villainous team. You could try to win sympathy like that on heroes team, but not this one!

Some abandoned plots
Some abandoned plots of TDAS include plot holes as well. Jo eliminates Lightning in second episode despite forming an alliance with him in the first one, as well as him being her only ally at the time. Could be explained by her not wanting him to last for too long like he did last season, as she says in the episode, but it's still weird she changed her mind so quickly and before forming some new alliance.

Similarly, Duncan finds Jo annoying in second episode despite liking her killer zings in the premiere one. This is especially visible due to Duncan having the friendliest interactions with Jo. However, it can be explained by him changing his view about her after her constant bickering with Heather. Although if the bickering annoyed him so much and he's just been friendly to Jo, it's weird he didn't consider Heather more annoying.

"He wasn't her boyfriend at the time"
We all know why this sentence is wrong. Could be explained by Gwen wanting an excuse, weak one or not. Although the way she says it and the number of time she says it indicates we should take it seriously, which is a mistake on the writers' part.

"I didn't miss Duncan, I missed you"
Another line that goes against continuity from TDWT. Except this time I can't find any in-universe explanation.

"This is the farthest I've ever made"
4th place and 13 competing episodes (excluding Aftermaths) in TDA, 20 competing episodes in TDWT. How could that line be correct? She doesn't count TDA because of debuting halfway through? Even then, it doesn't add up. What's worse is that her encounter with sharks seems to be a reference to her conflict with a shark from Top Dog and the beach background is just a beach set from TDA, turned into an actual location here.

Samey's revenge
There is a major problem about Samey's revenge and some of you may actually be shocked what it is. No, it isn't her lack of mole at the elimination ceremony. As I once said on certain blog, mole is a small detail, elimination ceremonies take place at night, which would make it even less visible and most of her teammates are idiots anyway. The real problem is that in order to eliminate Amy and make the others believe she's Amy in next episodes, Samey acts like her. But after she stood up to her in front of their team in third episode and even more so after Amy told everyone they lost because of Samey, their teammates believed Amy was the good twin and Samey was the evil one. Thus, Samey didn't have to act like Amy, she should've actually be herself.

Rodney's elimination
This is possibly a prime example of an elimination caused by a goof. After Scarlett completes her scare in lightning round, a point is given to Team Maskwak instead. It remains like that for rest of the episode. This means that actually there shouldn't be a tie, as Team Kinosewak won by one point. Not only it unfairly eliminated Rodney (although I'd say it was a perfect time for his elimination), but also spared Sugar, who'd for sue would be voted out for her behaviour towards Ella in the challenge.

The only explanation I can find is that Chris once again rigs the game. The challenge already was rigged. Just look at how many times Rodney was chosen and compare it to Topher's zero times.

Sugar's first antagonistic act
A lot of people complain any action triggered by Sugar would've happened even without her. Which, besides for Jasmine's elimination, is right. And this is the prime example. Chris watches the challenges live in most episodes of the series and in all episodes of TDPI. All besides this one. How convenient for Sugar's antagonistic role and her plot with Ella. Because, you know, if Chris noticed it himself and eliminated her like that, Sugar's antagonism and plot with Ella would feel more pointless.

Jasmine's elimination
So Sugar throws Sky off the mountain and she just happens to land on robo alligator and happens to know how to steer it to the finish line? How convenient! Suddenly there is a tree on the way? Did Chris just use the mechanic island to sabotage Jasmine? Also, after trapping Jasmine, Sugar appears on the finish line mere second after. What? Wasn't the last part about climbing? How Sugar did it in second, especially if she was a load for Sky throughout the episode? Oh yeah, because Jasmine would free herself and outrun Sugar if she didn't. This episode forced Jasmine's elimination to the point that there is no in-universe explanation for it besides Chris using the mechanic elements against her.

Incorrect placement
There are a few problems with the placement in some episodes.

In None Down, Eighteen to Go - Part 1, Daters and TV Pros end up on first flight (first six teams) despite being 10th and 11th respectively. Although this could be explained by some off-screen situation at the airport. But still, DETAILS ARE IMPORTANT! Similarly, Goths took the second elevator, but were seen finishing the scare with pairs from third elevator and were one of last teams to arrive at the airport. I doubt they were as scared as Fashion Bloggers, so Jesus Christ, how slow were they?!

Gerry and Pete ranking 4th in None Down, Eighteen to Go - Part 2 is also out of nowhere.

Rockers get their Travel Tip before the Sisters in Mediterranean Homesick Blues despite Sisters ranking 10th and Rockers ranking 15th.

Father & Son's and Fashion Bloggers' penalty ends at the same time in the same episode despite the Bloggers arriving at the Chill Zone later and both teams having 20 minutes long penalty.

Someone else doing the Both or Watch
There are a few instances when incorrect person completes the Botch or Watch and isn't penalized for that, such as Rock and Jay in French is an Eiffel Language, Kitty and Junior in A Tisket, a Casket, I'm Gonna Blow a Gasket, and Ryan in I Love Ridonc & Roll.

Sisters, where are you?
Sisters seem to be prone to yet another recurring plot related goof from RR. In Mediterranean Homesick Blues they are first seen building a sandcastle, but later scene shows Emma getting a Travel Tip from a shark, which was an earlier challenge. Did Sisters originally skip the challenge and just did what pairs that completed shark one did first? If so, why weren't they penalized for trying to skip the challenge? Because they later did it anyway?

Likewise in Dude Buggies, they, along with the Cadets, are racing to get their Travel Tip from the first Don Box despite getting it in an earlier scene. Did you just decide to steal some team's Travel Tip to sabotage them? If so, why weren't you penalized.

Lack of penalties
Ok, examples mentioned above are just animation goofs, although the ones that greatly affect the plot. Speaking of examples when a penalty wasn't given despite some team deserving it, there is Bjorken Telephone where Fashion Bloggers get their Travel Tip only for complimenting the Tip Giver's fashion sense, while Stepbrothers appear to get a Tip only for begging her to do so. Ok, this is more of Travel Tip giver's fault (someone's not going to get pair, I see), but the teams should get penalty nonetheless.

Those are all examples from me. Do you have any examples of plot holes, inconsistencies and goofs important for the plot (especially not from TDAS)? Do you also have any ideas to actually explain them? Let me know in the comments!