Nitpicking (pastime)
Encyclopedia
Nitpicking is the pastime of pointing out minor flaws or mistakes. The term is often used in a negative light. The term comes from the intense concentration and careful attention to detail required when nitpicking
(searching for the eggs of lice
, known as nits).
s and television
shows. These mistakes can range from very trivial mistakes that regular viewers don't notice, to very serious mistakes which disrupt the suspension of disbelief
in the show's story for even casual viewers. The types of mistakes include inconsistencies or even contradictions between episodes in a series, to plot device
s and oversights, to production problems.
Nitpickers will also be inclined to find trivia in a show, including possible "inside jokes" and "signature items" added by the writers or other members of the production team
.
When a recurring signature item is found in a series (such as the occurrence of the number 47 in Star Trek
), nitpickers will often pore over the episodes with great diligence to find all the occurrences.
Books have been published on the subject, such as The Nitpicker's Guide for X-Philes (for fans of The X-Files
) by Phil Farrand
. Farrand started with four books nitpicking Star Trek and a couple of its spinoff series. Since the beginning, Farrand has emphasized that nitpicking should be done "with good cheer."
Nitpicking
Nitpicking is the act of removing nits from the host's hair. As the nits are cemented to individual hairs, they cannot be removed with most lice combs and, before modern chemical methods were invented, the only options were to shave all the host's hair or to pick them free one by one.This is a...
(searching for the eggs of lice
Louse
Lice is the common name for over 3,000 species of wingless insects of the order Phthiraptera; three of which are classified as human disease agents...
, known as nits).
Film and television
Some nitpickers specialize in finding mistakes in movieFilm
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
s and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
shows. These mistakes can range from very trivial mistakes that regular viewers don't notice, to very serious mistakes which disrupt the suspension of disbelief
Suspension of disbelief
Suspension of disbelief or "willing suspension of disbelief" is a formula for justifying the use of fantastic or non-realistic elements in literary works of fiction...
in the show's story for even casual viewers. The types of mistakes include inconsistencies or even contradictions between episodes in a series, to plot device
Plot device
A plot device is an object or character in a story whose sole purpose is to advance the plot of the story, or alternatively to overcome some difficulty in the plot....
s and oversights, to production problems.
Nitpickers will also be inclined to find trivia in a show, including possible "inside jokes" and "signature items" added by the writers or other members of the production team
Production team
A production team is the group of technical staff who produce a play, television show, recording, or film. Generally the term refers to all individuals responsible for the technical aspects of creating of a particular product, regardless of where in the process their expertize is required, or how...
.
When a recurring signature item is found in a series (such as the occurrence of the number 47 in Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
), nitpickers will often pore over the episodes with great diligence to find all the occurrences.
Books have been published on the subject, such as The Nitpicker's Guide for X-Philes (for fans of The X-Files
The X-Files
The X-Files is an American science fiction television series and a part of The X-Files franchise, created by screenwriter Chris Carter. The program originally aired from to . The show was a hit for the Fox network, and its characters and slogans became popular culture touchstones in the 1990s...
) by Phil Farrand
Phil Farrand
Phil Farrand is an American computer programmer and consultant, webmaster and author. He is known for his Nitpicker's Guides, in which he nitpicks plot holes and continuity errors in the various Star Trek television programs and movies, and for the creation of Nitcentral, a website devoted to the...
. Farrand started with four books nitpicking Star Trek and a couple of its spinoff series. Since the beginning, Farrand has emphasized that nitpicking should be done "with good cheer."