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This is good advice except for the bit about Dora the Explorer. That would require watching Dora the Explorer.
Sub in any genre movie or TV show you know well. If you players catch on and recognize it, that's even better, because then they think they know what to expect, and that's when you zag on 'em.
There's plenty of episode synapses available everywhere for every show. You don't have to watch them, just have to read them
I've stolen places from different shows and plot beats from other shows quite a bit since I started DMing about a decade ago
Only recently did someone catch on that the location (the dungeon they delved into) was stolen from a show (well, more "heavily influenced" by a show (think someone gave a elevator pitch for a location and I built from that)) though no one has caught on yet that they've been exploring Idaho now for 2 years. I've even laid maps down on the table for people to look over and no one's caught on yet.
Farscape is my go-to. It's niche sci fi that I've watched, but none of my players has...
Farscape is so good, I loved watching it back in the day
I should really give it a watch again
Hearing Farscape be called niche hurts me deep
Great source of NPCs haha :)
I should rewatch that. And actually finish it this time.
First I watched it on TV and you know how that is for continuity.
Then I watched it downloaded and got distracted.
That would require watching Dora the Explorer.
what if you smoke the weed
Can you say MOTA?
Dora the Explorer is awesome. Try watching it. Its better than most television. I watch it daily.