Telegraphing, in the creation or performance of creative works, is conveying information to the audience through acting or nonverbal clues, providing a clear hint of the meaning or outcome of a dramatic action.
[1] Telegraphing may undercut suspense by advance disclosure or extreme hinting of an element in a composition, narrative plot, or recitation.
A familiar example is stand-up comic and comedy films "telegraphing" the punch line of a joke,[2] i.e. making its outcome obvious before it happens.
[5] While foreshadowing doesn't necessarily reveal that the introduced element will play a role later, telegraphing conveys information to spectators about how the plot will develop.
Information used too often to telegraph about characters can be overused and become clichéd,[7] such as a dumb police officer eating doughnuts, an absent-minded professor, or a beautiful librarian concealed by unattractive personal grooming.