History Main / BrokenStreak

* Wrestling/{{Goldberg}}'s 173-win streak (the longest in the history of pro wrestling) finally ended when he got tasered behind the EasilyDistractedReferee's back, courtesy of Wrestling/ScottHall and opponent Wrestling/KevinNash [[ExecutiveMeddling new booking [=superpowers=]]].

* TheUndertaker has appeared at ''WrestleMania'' twenty times. After about the tenth time, everyone started making a big deal about who will be the first to beat him. Hasn't happened yet that is until Brock Lesnar broke it at ''Wrestlemania'' 30 giving it 21-1

* The telefilm ''The Jetsons Meet The Flintstones'': Looks as if Nate Slate is about to end his losing streak to a rival in a pig catching contest...time for Dino and Astro come in and inadvertently help sustain the rival's streak.

* Used absolutely chillingly in ''RosencrantzAndGuildensternAreDead'', when Rosencrantz spends the first ten minutes of the play desperately trying to break a streak of turning up heads every single time he flips a coin. He can't. It's their first clue that reality is warping, and that they're stuck in something powerful that they might not be able to escape from by following any of the usual rules.

* TheUndertaker has appeared at ''WrestleMania'' twenty times. After about the tenth time, everyone started making a big deal about who will be the first to beat him. Hasn't happened yet.That is until Brock Lesnar Broke it at ''Wrestlemania'' 30 giving it 21-1

[[AC:Pro Wrestling]]
* TheUndertaker has appeared at ''WrestleMania'' twenty times. After about the tenth time, everyone started making a big deal about who will be the first to beat him. Hasn't happened yet.

*** [[spoiler: subverted, in that the 'correct' choice allows you to save Maya and support winning...at which point your guilty client goes behind bars, since he just pissed off a world-famous assassin.]]

* Music/DierksBentley had his streaks broken twice. The two singles off his bluegrass-tinged 2010 NewSoundAlbum ''Up on the Ridge'' (the title track and "Draw Me a Map") were his only two singles since 2003's "My Last Name" (second release from his debut album) not to reach Top 10. And again in 2013, "Bourbon in Kentucky", the lead single to his 2014 album ''Riser'', failed so badly that it didn't even make Top ''40'', leading to the album getting pushed back.

*** There was also the time he had a two-game winning streak, but that time it was because both opposing teams couldn't make it, and forfeited.

* Music/BradPaisley. Between 2005 and 2009, he had an impressive streak of ''ten'' consecutive #1 hits on the country charts. This included a five-straight streak for singles off his ''5th Gear'' album, tying Rodney Crowell's ''Diamonds & Dirt'' for the country album with the most #1 hits (although one of Paisley's songs was a re-recording that was only added to later presses of the album). Then in 2009, after the mega-hit "Then", both "Welcome to the Future" and "American Saturday Night" stalled out at #2. (He's had four more #1's since.)
** He had two more streak-breakers in the 2010s. "Camouflage" (2011), the last single off ''This Is Country Music'', became his first song since 2000 not to hit Top 10, and "I Can't Change the World", first off his polarizing 2013 album ''Wheelhouse'', was his first to miss Top ''20'' (it peaked at #22).
* Music/DierksBentley had his streaks broken twice. The two singles off his bluegrass-tinged 2010 NewSoundAlbum ''Up on the Ridge'' (the title track and "Draw Me a Map") were his only two singles since 2003's "My Last Name" (second release from his debut album) not to reach Top 10. And again in 2013, "Bourbon in Kentucky", the lead single to his 2014 album ''Riser'', failed so badly that it didn't even make Top ''40'', leading to the album getting pushed back.

** That's not the only trend they broken. There is also the other two starters Which are Water/Dark and Grass/Fighting embeeding a second elemental trinity. [[VideoGame/PokemonDiamondAndPearl Cynthia]] is nowhere to be seen despite appearing all games in the last two generations, The Ice gym is docked by one being the 8th gym. The pseudo-legendary is a single typed dragon. There are only three new Legendaries in the game with it reusing the [[VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue first 4 legendaries]] instead of a new duo and secondary trio, all the legendaries are shinylocked instead of just the plot-relevant ones and this is the first game in the Pokemon Franchise to have a worldwide release.

** In ''XY'', he didn't end up catching the region's Grass type starter -- Clemont did. He does have the water-type starter, though.

* The sixth generation of ''VideoGame/{{Pokemon}}'' broke the three-generation streak of final evolution Fire/Fighting starters with the Fire/Psychic Delphox.

* ''ThirdRockFromTheSun'': French Stewart makes an impromptu overhaul of a university football coach's strategy during their

* During the Sinnoh saga Ash [[spoiler:has been on quite the losing streak lately, broken only by winning his first gym badge (and ''that'' was on the second attempt!). Oh, and Team Rocket, [[FailureIsTheOnlyOption but they don't count]].]] He enters a far worse one after losing a six-on-six battle with Paul. The only battles he's won are the plot-important ones and gym battles.
** In ''XY'', he didn't end up catching the region's Grass type starter -- Clemont did. [[spoiler:He does have the water-type starter, though]].

* ''ThirdRockFromTheSun'': French Stewart makes an impromptu overhaul of a university football coach's strategy during their homecoming game...and then the team goes on to take the win.
* ''DawsonsCreek'': Also involving football.
* Usually the protagonist is trying to break the streak. In the case of a ''BoyMeetsWorld'' episode, Cory is trying to ''sustain'' Mr. Feeny's streak at a geography competition (the resident egghead is uninterested since they're not giving out the usual prizes this year). In the end, Feeny's streak is broken, while the winner spazzes out upon finding out she's getting a different prize from the norm. However, Feeny decides to pin up Cory's A on a geography test where his previous wins had gone.
* ''FatherTed'' - where [[FailureIsTheOnlyOption failure (to get off the island) is the only option]] - broke their losing streak... in such a fashion that Bishop Brennan was about to [[GoneHorriblyRight reassign them somewhere even worse]]. Therefore a success was required to maintain the [[StatusQuoIsGod status quo]]. [[spoiler:They blackmailed the Bishop about his breaking his vows of celibacy.]]
* Subverted in ''OnlyFoolsAndHorses''. In one episode, Del constantly says to Rodney that the reason he keeps losing money to Boycie at poker is because he is on a "losing streak" which he feels is about to come to an end. Its actually because Boycie cheats. Del does end up winning a lot of money off of Boycie, but the reason he does so is by cheating ''better''.
* ''Series/ICarly'': ''iWas A Pageant Girl'' had Sam breaking the streak of the long-running champ of a beauty contest. [[FridgeLogic Even though she completely screwed up everything but the final dance routine.]]
* ''{{Cheers}}'''s yearly pranks with rival Gary's Olde Tyme Tavern.

[[AC:Pro Wrestling]]
* Wrestling/{{Goldberg}}'s 173-win streak (the longest in the history of pro wrestling) finally ended when he got tasered behind the EasilyDistractedReferee's back, courtesy of Wrestling/ScottHall and opponent Wrestling/KevinNash [[ExecutiveMeddling new booking [=superpowers=]]].
** The losses he suffered before the streak storyline begun were [[{{Retcon}} Retconned]].

[[AC:VideoGames]]
* [[PhoenixWrightAceAttorney Phoenix Wright]] has broken the winning streaks of Miles Edgeworth, Manfred Von Karma and Franziska Von Karma, while his mentor Mia broke the winning streak of Winston Payne.
** And depending on what ending you get in the last case of Justice for All [[spoiler: you can end up breaking Phoenix's winning streak as well. Note that the good ending actually has Phoenix ''losing'', because saving Maya and putting the guilty man behind bars is much more important than a perfect record.]]
*** [[spoiler: subverted, in that the 'correct' choice allows you to save Maya and support winning...at which point your guilty client goes behind bars, since he just pissed off a world-famous assassin.]]
* The sixth generation of ''VideoGame/{{Pokemon}}'' broke the three-generation streak of final evolution Fire/Fighting starters with the Fire/Psychic Delphox.

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]
* ''HeyArnold'', "Road Trip": Helga's mom needs $500 to repair her car. Enters bull-riding contest with $500 prize. Rival has won 5 years running. Turns out she was [[SuddenlyAlwaysKnewThat state bull-riding champion]], and she takes the money.
** "Tour De Pond": Not only is it a case of a FamilyRivalry, but Rex Smythe-Higgins the 3rd has also won this race a couple years running.
* In the ''{{Peanuts}}'' movie ''Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown,'' the title character, as he is leaving for France, tells Schroeder to take care of the baseball field, whereby Sally bluntly tells him that "the last time you went away, our team won three games in a row."
** The only time Charlie Brown's baseball team had a ''winning'' streak where Charlie Brown himself wasn't benched for some reason, it was because a bug was going around that made all the other teams too sick to play. Said streaks invariably ended when Charlie Brown returned to the game or the other teams recovered.

[[AC:Real Life]]
* The [[UsefulNotes/MLBTeams Boston Red Sox]] in 2004.
** And the Chicago White Sox the year after. The San Francisco Giants five years later too.
** For the NationalHockeyLeague, the New York Rangers in 1994.
* January 5, 1971: the Washington Generals beat the Harlem Globetrotters 100-99, bringing the Globetrotters' winning streak to an end at 2,495.
* On June 1, 2012, Johan Santana pitched the first no-hitter in Mets history, ending the Mets' streak of 8,019 games (roughly 50 seasons) without one. This was easily the longest stretch without a no-hitter in MLB history.
* Sussex won cricket's County Championship for the first time in 2003, after 164 years of trying.
* After 11 films from {{Pixar}}, all certified fresh on RottenTomatoes, they released ''WesternAnimation/{{Cars}} 2'', which is currently at 38% on the Tomato-meter. Also, all Pixar films released since the establishment of the AcademyAward for Best Animated Feature in 2001 have been nominated for it, except ''Cars 2''.
** Predating ''Cars 2'', ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory'''s streak of 100% RottenTomatoes ratings ended when ''Toy Story 3'' got...[[EightPointEight 99%]]. The first two [[ComplainingAboutPeopleNotLikingTheShow critics with negative assessments]] (one of whom already had a reputation as both a CommanderContrarian and [[BiasSteamroller a Pixar hater]]) [[HePannedItNowHeSucks were bashed to death]], the third review only escaped less flames for being released later.
* Susan Lucci's run of Daytime Emmy losses for [[AllMyChildren Erica Kane]] ended in 1999. This 28-year streak included 21 nominations.
* From 1993's ''Theatre/{{Mystere}}'' onward, all of Creator/CirqueDuSoleil's shows enjoyed indefinite runs in one venue or another. This streak of successes ended in 2010 when ''Theatre/BananaShpeel'', a GenreThrowback to {{Vaudeville}}, bombed in New York City and couldn't make a go of it as a tour -- ushering in a gloomy few years in which several other shows (most of which premiered in 2008 or afterward) were also shut down.
* The Detroit Lions lost nine Thanksgiving Day football games in a row, ending the streak in 2013.

!!Exceptions

[[AC:Live-Action Television]]
* ''AMinuteWithStanHooper'': The titular newsman wants change in the town he's moved to (it doesn't even allow women to vote), and decides to run for mayor against the 20 year incumbent, a bait shop owner who happens to have a political aide backing him. After spending a better part of the ep drumming up support, he ends up getting just 2 votes: himself...and the mayor's aide.
* ''GilmoreGirls'', "They Shoot Gilmores, Don't They?". Lorelei is desperate to break Kirk's winning streak (and her own streak of futility) at a dance marathon and almost does it (just like last year), but her partner / daughter Rory runs off the floor with fifteen minutes to go after breaking up with her boyfriend Dean (the real important event in this eppy), leaving Lorelai with yet another 23rd-hour loss as Kirk outdances the others to win his 5th in a row.

[[AC:Pro Wrestling]]
* TheUndertaker has appeared at ''WrestleMania'' twenty times. After about the tenth time, everyone started making a big deal about who will be the first to beat him. Hasn't happened yet.

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]
* The telefilm ''The Jetsons Meet The Flintstones'': Looks as if Nate Slate is about to end his losing streak to a rival in a pig catching contest...time for Dino and Astro come in and inadvertently help sustain the rival's streak.
* ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'', "Big Gay Al's Big Gay Boat Ride": QB Stan is looking for his gay dog Sparky, while his football team continues its decades-long losing streak against Middle Park without him. Fortunately, the denizens of South Park were more interested in beating the 60-point spread, and Stan shows up in time to at least do that.
* ''AsToldByGinger'', "Next Question": Ginger's school Lucky Jr. High up against 9-time winner Furnace Brook in a televised quiz contest. Ginger asks her quiz team coach out on a date (!) right on the air (!!), resulting in Furnace Brook continuing their streak.
* ''WesternAnimation/RandyCunninghamNinthGradeNinja'': Norrisville High's Chess Team has defeated Flackville High's eleven times in a row. When they tried the twelfth time, Hannibal [=McFist=] replaced one of Flackville's players with a robot that broke that streak, making several Norrisville students depressed enough to be stanked by the Sorcerer. The students reverted back to normal when Howard Weinerman, who knows practically everything about chess except for the pieces' names, defeated the robot.

[[AC:{{Theatre}}]]
* Used absolutely chillingly in ''RosencrantzAndGuildensternAreDead'', when Rosencrantz spends the first ten minutes of the play desperately trying to break a streak of turning up heads every single time he flips a coin. He can't. It's their first clue that reality is warping, and that they're stuck in something powerful that they might not be able to escape from by following any of the usual rules.

[[AC:Real Life]]
* The Boston Red Sox...in 1986. Bottom of the 10th, two outs, Sox lead 5-3. Then: single, single, single for a run, pitcher switch, wild pitch for the tying run, grounder through Bill Buckner's legs for the win.
* The Chicago Cubs in 2003. ''Almost'' made it to the World Series, which they haven't won since 1908 and haven't even ''been to'' since 1945, but despite having their best pitcher on the mound and holding the lead ''twice'', they still lost Game 7 of the NLCS.
* Karl Malone moved to the Los Angeles Lakers hoping to finally win the NBA title. He reached the finals but lost, leading to retirement instead.

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* ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'''s Ash Ketchum (or rather, Satoshi) [[spoiler:has been on quite the losing streak lately, broken only by winning his first Sinnoh badge (and ''that'' was on the second attempt!) and a newly evolved Roselia. Oh, and Team Rocket, [[FailureIsTheOnlyOption but they don't count]].]] He enters a far worse one after losing a six-on-six battle with Paul. The only battles he's won are the plot-important ones, and gym battles.

** In ''XY'', he didn't end up catching the region's Grass type starter -- Clemont did.

* {{WCW}}: [[{{Goldberg}} Bill Goldberg's]] 173-win streak (the longest in the history of pro wrestling) finally ended when he got tasered behind the EasilyDistractedReferee's back.

* ''FatherTed'' - where [[FailureIsTheOnlyOption failure (to get off the island) is the only option]] - was done in such a spectacular fashion that the priests were about to be kicked off the island by Bishop Brennan, so they would no longer be his problem. Therefore a success was required to maintain the [[StatusQuoIsGod status quo]]. [[spoiler:They blackmailed the Bishop about his breaking his vows of celibacy.]]

** A more personal version in ''[[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheOrderOfThePhoenix Order of the Phoenix]]'': Gryffindor has limped its way to the Quidditch Cup final despite Umbridge kicking Harry and the Weasley twins off the team ''and'' Ron's year-long PerformanceAnxiety issues. No-one's feeling optimistic, so when Hagrid asks Harry and Hermione to meet him in the forest during the match, they do so. When they hear what sounds like the Slytherins' 'Weasley is our King' song on their way back, they assume Gryffindor lost. Then they notice that the actual lyrics have changed a bit, and see Ron being carried across the field by his teammates...

A run of consecutive losses by (say) the team the main character is on, or of consecutive wins by the team's rivals, or both, comes to an end.

* The Boston Red Sox in 2004.
** And the White Sox the year after.

** Predating ''Cars 2'', ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory'''s streak of 100% RottenTomatoes ratings ended when ''Toy Story 3'' got...[[EightPointEight 99%]].
*** The single critic who gave it a bad review? Oh...he was MOOOCKED.

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