What movies/tv shows portray civilian gun ownership as totally normal?

[asdfw456]

What I'm talking about is a movie/tv show where having and using firearms is just a normal part of life, not related to the main story at all.

That is, the characters are shown as owning firearms for recreation and defense, but the guns are never used for a story-related purpose (shooting the badguy, shooting a stalker, etc.)

Let's exclude hunting as well, as that is the only "legitimate" reason for owning guns in a lot of minds.

Just like in real life, 99.9% of firearms are never fired or displayed in anger, but they're an integral part of a lot of peoples' lives - what media shows this?

[dayman]

I'm going to guess not many. TV shows (and movies) work on such tight time constraints that they don't really add a lot of stuff that doesn't relate to the plot.
Or, as most people carry concealed, who's to say they're not present in every show?

Books can go into far more non essential detail, but I'm drawing a blank there at the moment as well.

[loose_holster_dan]

don't judge me! i promise i don't watch it! my wife just called my attention to it while she was watching, because i'm always making the observation that every person owning a gun who isn't the police is automatically a suspect.

the bachelorette.

last season's winner took the girl on a date in his hometown that included clay pigeon shooting at his property.

[chewie146]

I remember that movie "Couples Retreat," Vince Vaughn responded to a supposed burglar with a pistol. That was the closest I've seen in a while to that kind of portrayal. It wasn't as lampooned as most civilian gun ownership in movies and tv. There's an interesting article out there called "How Reality TV Saved the 2nd Amendment." Link below.

http://www.americanthinker.com/2012/...amendment.html

[Stressfire]

Just like in real life, 99.9% of firearms are never fired or displayed in anger, but they're an integral part of a lot of peoples' lives - what media shows this?

If one exists, it's probably been cancelled due to viewer boredom. As far as I can ever recall: in cop shows, even the cute & cuddly ones (Castle & The Glades spring to mind), bad guys get shot. In military shows, enemies get shot. Though I think that Major Dad sitcom from the '90s might be an exception. Hunting shows are, pun intended, hit or miss.

The only one I can think of offhand, and yes I know it is heavily scripted and probably more fiction than non-, is Pawn Stars. Every couple of episodes they will do a range trip to test out an antique gun (sometimes a cannon) or settle a bet. Trips to the range are presented as fun and normal.

Only "issue" I ever had with it was the Old Man's tendency to refer to anything with "evil" features as an assault weapon.

[PetahW]

.

Gunsmoke, and most other Westerns, for that matter.




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[bird_dog]

The Walking Dead. Everyday, ordinary gun ownership...okay, so it's set in a zombie apocalyse. Other than that, and the perfect headshots from a moving vehicle at night, it's very realistic.

[Tom Servo]

The best example I can think of is Jericho. In most shows, if they take the time to show widespread ownership, it's in conjunction with guns as tools for dealing with violent conflict.

[Tactical Jackalope]

I'm pretty sure "Tommy" in the movie "Snatch" has something to do with this topic.

When Turkish asks Tommy, "What is that? Why do you have a gun?" then Tommy says "For protection"


Edit: I think a few episodes of the new Hawaii Five-O where Steve McGarret and Danny interview a victim and they said they had a firearm for protection.

[qwiksdraw]

The Soprano's guns were pretty much a normal part of life.

[Tactical Jackalope]

The Soprano's guns were pretty much a normal part of life.

lol yes...My favorite show. However, I think they're more for offensive purposes as opposed to defensive.

Christopher did save his own life when he was attack by Matthew and Shawn. And Janice...oh lord so many of them.

Carmela was afraid of Tony coming back home in season 5 that she grabs his Colt 1911 and puts in under her pillow.

I love that show. Seen it 7 times. 86 X 7 = 602 hours of my life.

[anothernewb]

If you're limiting the shows to "plausible real world situations" I'm drawing a blank as well. other than the old westerns.
But if you expand the genre to scifi and fantasy stuff there are several I can think of.

[fender1974]

It seems that there is a shotgun, rifle or handgun in every episode. 100% normal everyday life for them.

[psyfly]

Movie; Texasville with Duane shooting at his doghouse.

TV show (fairly recent); The Good Wife, Chicago-based lawyer show had a couple of characters carry on a discussion while in friendly competition at an indoor range, guns and the shooting were only incidental to the conversation (only plot movement appeared to be to show that she was a better shot than he was).

[Cheapshooter]

Any of them, and it's very few if any, that doesn't show the bad guy, good guy, or cop racking the slide of his pistol or jacking the slide of his pump shotgun before he ever fires a shot!

[Gaerek]

The only one I can think of offhand, and yes I know it is heavily scripted and probably more fiction than non-, is Pawn Stars. Every couple of episodes they will do a range trip to test out an antique gun (sometimes a cannon) or settle a bet. Trips to the range are presented as fun and normal.

The TruTV show, Hardcore Pawn. The three owners all carry, but it's not glorified in anyway. You can see the fathers gun printing through his sweatshirt in most episodes. I think there was even an episode where they all had to draw on someone.

Reality TV, real people, carrying guns for protection.

The best example I can think of is Jericho. In most shows, if they take the time to show widespread ownership, it's in conjunction with guns as tools for dealing with violent conflict.

Although it is an apoclyptic theme, the guns aren't glorified, and they do a good job with making sure they're used in a proper way.

[LockedBreech]

There's a police procedural TV show called The Glades that's pretty good about it. In one episode the main character teaches his girlfriend's kid to shoot his 3rd-generation Smith & Wesson .45 and it's framed as very healthy.

I think maybe it was a 4506.

[Fishbed77]

Modern Family.

There is an episode in which it is revealed that Claire (without the knowledge of the rest of her family) is shown to frequent a local indoor range as an escape from her hectic family life. Her younger step-mother Gloria follows her there and proves to be a crack shot.

There is another episode in which Phil and his father-in-law Jay are shown shooting clays at a "dude ranch" type place. Phil manages to nail a few trick shots. Nothing is made of the guns other than the fact that ultra-manly Jay is a little miffed that Phil can out-shoot him.

[LockedBreech]

Originally Posted by Fishbed77

Modern Family.

There is an episode in which it is revealed that Claire (without the knowledge of the rest of her family) is shown to frequent a local indoor range as an escape from her hectic family life. Her younger step-mother Gloria follows here there and proves to be a crack shot.

There is another episode in which Phil and his father-in-law Jay are shown shooting clays at a "dude ranch" type place. Phil manages to nail a few trick shots. Nothing is made of the guns other than the fact that ultra-manly Jay is a little miffed that Phil can out-shoot him.

Totally forgot those. I love that show.

[AndyWest]

How I Met Your Mother

Robin owns several guns, practice shoots them on occasion and takes other characters to shoot with her in a few episodes. It's a minor but known part of her character.

[Armybrat]

I remember watching some old British movies where occasionally an upper-crust type character had a gun room in his mansion It was portrayed as a normal thing for such an "aristocrat" to have.

Guess that wouldn't be allowed in a modern day UK film.

[Gaerek]

I worked with a guy from the UK who used to be a member of the SAS is in the 80's and early 90's. When he left the military, he joined up with a cruise line company as a security officer. About 10 years later, he became a naturalized US citizen (no dual citizenship). When I asked him why he did that, he said, "In the US, they let me play with guns." I smiled, nodded, and shook his hand, lol.

[JimDandy]

The Beverly Hillbillies were always running around with long guns... Barney Fife had a pistol.

[Double Naught Spy]

Just like in real life, 99.9% of firearms are never fired or displayed in anger, but they're an integral part of a lot of peoples' lives - what media shows this?

The Beverly Hillbillies were always running around with long guns...

And Granny threatened people all the time and tried to murder General Grant.

Barney Fife had a pistol.

Cop who displayed in anger and often ND'd in incompetent anger.

The Soprano's guns were pretty much a normal part of life.

And often displayed in anger and in breaking the law. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eEkfbqAjDs

Gunsmoke, and most other Westerns, for that matter.

Showed guns being used in anger frequently, often illegally.

[5.56RifleGuy]

The animated show American Dad has guns in it frequently. Often to some joke point, but sometimes its pretty funny.

In one episode the main character Stan is responding to a break in when he leaps out of bed and pulls a pistol grip shotgun out of his pillow and says a line that had me rolling.

"ahh pillow gun. Three hundred thread count (works the action) three hundred dead count"