History Main / DramaticPause

* In ''WesternAnimation/DespicableMe'', Gru tells the minions "We are going to steal... [[ReadingTheStageDirectionsOutLoud (pause for effect)]] ...THE MOOOOOOOON!"

Pretty self explanatory, the Dramatic Pause is a beat or two of silence with no dialogue and little or no music/background sound. Usually done to heighten the anticipation before TheReveal. Also called a "Pregnant Pause", it can also ''follow'' the reveal... it's just ''that'' shocking! It's fairly common in situations where it [[DelayedReaction takes a moment for the joke to sink in.]] In sequential art, it is often depicted by a BeatPanel.

The Dramatic Pause itself will likely remain a live trope for a long, long time; it's rather hard to overdo silence, after all. Stilted delivery, on the other hand...

Compare {{Beat}}, which is shorter, and usually used for comedic effect. Also see StopAndGo for the musical version. Can turn into a BeamMeUpScotty when fans routinely introduce a dramatic pause into a line that never had one. ("The question is ... do I feel lucky?") If it's just the music that stops, see SuddenSoundtrackStop.

* ''LightNovel/KaraNoKyoukai'' has one of the most terrifying uses of the dramatic pause ever at the end of episode 2.

* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}''

* In ''WesternAnimation/DespicableMe'', Gru tells the minions "We are going to steal... [[ReadingStageDirectionsOutLoud (pause for effect)]] ...THE MOOOOOOOON!"

* {{Lampshaded}} in (of course) ''Literature/{{Discworld}}''.
** When Vimes is talking to "Madam" Roberta Meserole in ''Literature/NightWatch'':

* In Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau employed this move when asked to comment about President Donald Trump's heavy-handed addressing of raucous protests after the police murder of George Floyd. To emphasise the point of the difficulty of dealing with a President of a neighboring nation who has been known to be highly mercurial and angrily sensitive to any perceived insult, Trudeau kept silent for 21 seconds before giving a carefully worded diplomatic answer. For the most part, the media and public responded positively as a well-considered response in the face of such a delicate matter.

* In the TV adaptation of ''Discworld/{{Hogfather}}'', actor Marc Warren gave Mr. Teatime a VerbalTic of pausing before the last word of every sentence ("I guess I just see things...differently."). This added a level of creepiness to Teatime's soft-spoken PsychopathicManchild characterization.

* In ''WesternAnimation/DespicableMe'', Gru tells the minions "We are going to steal... (pause for effect) ...THE MOON!" Though he says the words "pause for effect" quietly to himself.

* [[ComicBook/KlarionTheWitchBoy Klarion...bumbumbum...the Witch Boy]], obscure DC Comics character ([[DependingOnTheWriter with almost no concrete characterization]]), given an unusual VerbalTic by Creator/PeterDavid.

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

[[folder:Fan Fiction]]

--> And then….
--> “WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING YOU MOTHERFUKERS!”
--> It was……………………………………………………Dumbledore!
* ''FanFic/MegaManDefenderOfTheHumanRace'' has these in narration and sometimes in dialogue to add tension.

[[folder:Films -- Animated]]
* In ''WesternAnimation/DespicableMe'', Gru tells the minions "We are going to steal...(pause for effect)...THE MOON!" Though he says the words "pause for effect" quietly to himself.

''(extended instrumental beat)''\\

--> '''Criminologist:''' It was quite clear that this was to be...\\

* {{Lampshaded}} in (of course) ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'', when Vimes is talking to "Madam" Roberta Meserole in ''Discworld/NightWatch'':
-->'''Madam''': I have... business interests in Uberwald. Alas, the situation there is becoming rather unstable.\\
'''Vimes''': Right. I see. And you'd like to have the significant pause type of business interests in Ankh-Morpork, I expect.
** In ''Discworld/SoulMusic'', Quoth the Raven gets fussed at by Death of Rats for giving the "DUN-DUN-DUNNNNNN!" stinger before telling Susan Sto Helit who her grandfather is.
** In ''Discworld/TheTruth'', scrap magnate Harry King (who also happens to manage the city's "night soil" collection) warns William de Worde that his investment in the newspaper had better pay off or they'll be "in deep... trouble. Face downwards." William later mentions wanting to avoid "deep significant pause trouble" with Mr. King.
** Angua is sometimes used to deliver this a a sort of running joke, although it also appears in Discworld/MonstrousRegiment
** ''Discworld/GoingPostal'' has the Smoking Gnu's secret weapon, "... The Woodpecker."

[[folder: Music]]

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* Non-Terran characters in ''VideoGame/StarcraftII'' love...dramatic pauses.

--> "That's what you should have done...in the beginning"

[[folder:WebOriginal]]

-->'''TLF Travel Alerts:''' The ghost of Harold Pinter has been spotted on Metropolitan line trains, leading to minor
-->'''TLF Travel Alerts: ''(FOUR DAYS later!)'' '''delays.
* Colonel Kepler of {{Podcast/Wolf 359}} speaks verrrrrrry slowly and uses...a lot...of these. It's probable that he does this just to put people on edge.
* ''WebVideo/TheHappyVideoGameNerd'': Every once in a while; often, he smiles creepily right after one.

* An episode of ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' had ComicBook/TheCreeper say "Last time I saw you, you were working for... [[LampshadeHanging dramatic pause]]... The Joker!" That's right, he actually ''said'' "dramatic pause".
** He also asked for a drumroll when he was about to say his name.
* An overused running gag on ''WesternAnimation/DrawnTogether''.

* {{Lampshaded}} in WesternAnimation/ThePenguinsOfMadagascar:
--->'''Skipper:''' The clock... is... ticking.
--->'''Kowalski:''' So were the dramatic pauses really necessary, then?
--->'''Skipper:''' Yes.
* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'', from [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E7MayTheBestPetWin "May the Best Pet Win!"]]:
--> '''Rainbow Dash''': You're all outstanding competitors! But there can only be one of you who's number one! So the final, tie-breaking contest is going to beeee...
--> '''Rainbow Dash''' *turns around, looks at camera* [[LampshadeHanging Pause for dramatic effect...]]
--> '''Rainbow Dash''': A race against me! Through Ghastly Gorge! [[SayingSoundEffectsOutLoud Dun dun duuuuuun!]]
* Parodied in ''{{WesternAnimation/Futurama}}'' with Calculon, self-proclaimed master of the dramatic...pause!

--> '''Troxartes:''' This has... nothing to do with... being rich!
--> '''Tom Serveo:''' I put the... beats in my own... script and I'm... sticking with them!

[[quoteright:350:[[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Webcomic/ClanOfTheCats https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dramatic_pause_62.png]]]]

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[[folder:Webcomics]]

Compare {{Beat}}, which is shorter, and usually used for comedic effect. Also see StopAndGo for the musical version. Can turn into a BeamMeUpScotty when fans routinely introduce a dramatic pause into a line that never had one. ("The question is ... do I feel lucky?")

Compare {{Beat}}, which is shorter, and usually used for comedic effect. Also see StopAndGo for the musical version.

** It leads to a SugarWiki/{{Funny Moment|s}} on the night:

** "I'll carve you in...two!"

* JackPalance's distinctively breathy delivery when he hosted the original ''Franchise/RipleysBelieveItOrNot'' provided a sort of ellipsis: "Believe it ''[hhhaahh ...]'' or not!"
** The awesome (and awesomely repeated in IronicEcho later on) line, [[Film/{{Batman}} "Remember--YOU...are my NUMBER-ONE...GUY."]]

* The finale of Music/GustavMahler's Symphony No. 1 has a big "Luftpause" indicated just before completing its first triumphal modulation into D major. The first movement of Symphony No. 2 has another big one in a passage repeated in the finale.

** It leads to a CrowningMomentOfFunny on the night:

* ''TopGear''[='=]s Jeremy Clarkson is considered to use some of the longest dramatic pauses

* ''Series/MySoCalledLife'': The characters often pause mid-sentence, giving the dialogue a lurching and improvisational feel, even if the line is otherwise constructed very elegantly. [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] when Rickie mimicks Mr. Katimski, who is probably the most {{egregious}} offender. But all the major characters did this a lot. In the case of [[BookDumb Jordan Catalano]], it was used to highlight how he was fumbling to come up with something, anything, to say.

* This happens quite a few times in ''{{Reba}}''. One example: Reba's comment regarding her dress for a beauty pageant she attended: "I feel overdressed... for Vegas."

* Klarion...bumbumbum...the Witch Boy, obscure DC Comics character ([[DependingOnTheWriter with almost no concrete characterization]]), given an unusual VerbalTic by Creator/PeterDavid.