21 of the Least Necessary Subplots in Screen History

Every narrative tree needs to branch off now and then. If they always stuck to the main plot, we’d get a really narrow view of the fictional universe and also probably be pretty bored. When the audience needs a break, you send a wacky minor character on an adventure for some comic relief or check out what’s going on at home. Even TV stars need vacations.

Sometimes, though, it feels like a movie or TV show is just taking us on a side quest because they didn’t know what else to do. It doesn’t add anything to the plot, and nobody is entertained, but the writers ran out of ideas, so now we’re all just along for the ride. That’s why one Reddit user asked r/AskReddit, “What subplot in a movie or TV show had you screaming, ‘Oh, my God, who the fuck cares?’”