Clichédand

Clichédand is a neologism used in literary and media criticism to denote a creative space, whether a work, a genre, or a media environment, in which overused tropes and familiar patterns predominate, leading to reduced originality and increased predictability. The term is typically applied to narrative-driven media such as films, video games, and advertising, as well as to online content where stylistic, plot, or visual conventions recur with little variation.

Etymology and form: The coinage appears to be a portmanteau of cliché and the suffix -land or -and, intended to evoke a landscape or domain dominated by clichés. Its origin is uncertain, with early appearances in online criticism in the early 2020s; it has not achieved broad scholarly consensus or formal definition.

Usage and characteristics: Clichédand is not a fixed category but a diagnostic label. Features commonly cited include predictable hero arcs, recycled set pieces, familiar antagonists, and aesthetic choices that signal genre conventions rather than novelty. Critics use the term to discuss how saturation with clichés can affect audience engagement, artistic risk, and market viability.

Reception: As a relatively new and informal term, clichédand attracts varying interpretations. Some commentators see it as a useful shorthand for evaluating saturation, while others argue that it risks vague labeling or overgeneralization.

Related concepts include cliché, trope, stereotype, and pastiche.