History Main / ForgotToPayTheBill

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One good indicator of a BrokeEpisode is the loss of a commodity or service (usually electricity) due to failure to pay the supplier for it. This usually happens because the person responsible for making the payment couldn't afford it, or forgot to send the payment. The disconnection can take the MagicalComputer off line, or cause other AppliedPhlebotinum to be unavailable, at the most drama-inducing moment possible.

* ''Anime/PhantomQuestCorp'': The company nearly goes bankrupt during Incident File 04, thanks to the Hadja stealing all of their clients. Things get so bad that the TV switches off, because the company didn't have the funds to pay their electric bill.

* In ''Film/ItsADisaster'', the host couple react to cable/phone/electric outages by quarreling over who forgot, intentionally or otherwise, to pay the bill, in the process blurting out the news of their impending divorce to their friends.

* In an episode of ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'', Penny, who is often broke, asks if she can watch TV at the guy's apartment, because there's something wrong with her cable. When Sheldon asks if she paid her bill, she responds "Ugh- you sound just like the guy from the cable company".

* In a ColdOpen for an episode of ''Series/MalcolmInTheMiddle'', Hal berates the boys for incurring a fine of dozens of dollars for a [=DVD=] they rented (the episode aired in [[TurnOfTheMillennium the early 2000s']]) several weeks before. As Hal says that they need to learn to take care of problems when they happen rather than "let things slide," the electricity is shut off and [[{{Irony}} he wonders out loud if the deadline expired.]]

** One episode had Al and Peggy getting a small royal inheritance and celebrate by going out to a fancy expensive restaurant... only to find they forgot to bring that inheritance money with them.

* ''Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus'': in one episode the BBC ran out of money, and the gas & heat had been turned off in the flat they used as their studio. The narrator is pleased to announce that the pawn shop has accepted to buy his watch, which should get them a few more minutes of broadcasting.

* ''Series/OurMissBrooks'': In "Public Property on Parade", the electricity is disconnected when Mrs. Davis fails to pay the bill. Miss Brooks is forced to type out a speech by the light of a streetlamp.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheAmazingWorldOfGumball'' episode [[Recap/TheAmazingWorldOfGumballS6E17TheFounder "The Founder"]] is kickstarted by the Wattersons being late on their cable bill and having to pay it in person, since their internet is cut off.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheProudFamily'' episode "[[Recap/TheProudFamilyS2E8CrouchingTrudyHiddenPenny Crouching Trudy, Hidden Penny]]", in this case, it's forgot to ''mail'' the bill. Uncle Bobby warned [[BumblingDad Oscar]] not to push a certain button that would turn [[CoolCar his car]] into a post office box, which enables Bobby to avoid getting parking tickets, but Oscar disobeyed, until Bobby cleared everything up. After demonstrating how the button works, Bobby then takes out all the mail hidden in his car and hands it to Oscar before driving off, telling him to put it in a real post office box, and then the power in the Proud Residence goes out, because among the mail is the payment for the electric bill.

** In one episode, the Ghostmaster curses the Ghostbusters so no plumbing or electrical devices within forty feet from any of them would work. After they defeated him and broke the curse, they were watching television to celebrate until it stopped working because Peter forgot to pay the electric bill.

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* ''WestternAnimation/ClassicDisneyShorts'': In the ''WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck'' short "Drip Dippy Donald," Donald Duck has been bothered by a loud dripping faucet all night, ultimately creating a RubeGoldbergMachine to get the water to drip onto sponges instead...[[ShaggyDogStory and he receives a call from the water company saying that they're shutting his water off because he hasn't paid the bill]].

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[[folder:Anime]]

* In the ''Batman'' story, ''The Joker's Millions'', The Joker is trying to "go straight" after inheriting a seeming fortune from a former Mob Boss. Following The Joker's discovery that most of the money is counterfeit and being unwilling to admit in public to being tricked, The Joker is faced with a huge inheritance tax bill and so burns the counterfeit money in the fireplace for warmth because he can't afford to pay for heating.

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
* Played hilariously straight in the Italian movie ''Film/MyFriends'', where a woman tries to commit suicide by letting the gas leak... and fails because her husband didn't pay the bill.

* Happens in ''Film/TheDarkKnightRises'' after [[spoiler:Bane ruins Bruce's fortune. Electricity to Wayne Manor is shut off not long after, because he can't afford it anymore.]]

* In the [[BasedUponTrueEvents series about the Theranos scandal]], ''Series/TheDropout'', after the first failed test of the machine, the lights go out at Theranos. Elizabeth calls the power company to pay off the bill and has to put it on a credit card other than the one she was using.
* ''Radio/OurMissBrooks'': In "Public Property on Parade", the electricity is disconnected when Mrs. Davis fails to pay the bill. Miss Brooks is forced to type out a speech by the light of a streetlamp.

* It was the basis for a whole episode of ''Series/{{Bottom}}'', where the TV rental money got spent elsewhere and Richie and Eddie had to resort to playing chess - with [[HilarityEnsues hilarious consequences]], as usual.
* In the first episode of ''Series/{{Scorpion}}'', the gang is illegally tapping into the local power grid because Sylvester got wrapped up in his work and forgot to pay the electric bill. It's heavily implied that this is normal for them.
* While they almost always have electricity or heating, a RunningGag on ''Series/MarriedWithChildren'' is the Bundys getting their water shut off, to the point that getting it TURNED BACK ON is a rare occurrence.
** One episode had Al and Peggy getting a small royal inheritance and celebrate by going out to a fancy expensive restaurant... only to find they forgot to bring that inheritance money with them.
* Referenced in ''Series/TheBill'' when Sun Hill police station is afflicted by a power cut. PC Tony Stamp makes a joke about how someone must have forgotten to put another fifty-pence piece in the meter, then shrugs it off as SomebodyElsesProblem and goes back to making out with his attractive female colleague, blissfully unaware that some likely lads have caused the power failure as a distraction while they go about setting the building on fire!
* In a ColdOpen for an episode of ''Series/MalcolmInTheMiddle'', Hal berates the boys for incurring a fine of dozens of dollars for a [=DVD=] they rented (the episode aired in [[TurnOfTheMillennium the early 2000s']]) several weeks before. As Hal says that they need to learn to take care of problems when they happen rather than "let things slide," the electricity is shut off and [[{{Irony}} he wonders out loud if the deadline expired.]]
* On ''Series/MyNameIsEarl'', Earl and his friends spend New Year's Eve at Donny's sister's house, while she was off with her latest trucker boyfriend, in an attempt to hide out from the MillenniumBug. At midnight, the lights go out, which they attribute to Y2K, although it's really because Donny's sister hadn't paid her electric bill in months. (Either because she couldn't pay, or because she'd been traveling with her boyfriend for just that long.)
* In an episode of ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'', Penny, who is often broke, asks if she can watch TV at the guy's apartment, because there's something wrong with her cable. When Sheldon asks if she paid her bill, she responds "Ugh- you sound just like the guy from the cable company".
* ''Series/ModernFamily'': When various members of the family are trying to help Lily through her first period, Haley reveals that she has been using her period as a reminder to pay her bills. Little after saying this, she realizes that there may be a connection between her current pregnancy and the fact that her credit card has been getting declined.
* In the Mexican sitcom ''Series/ElChavoDelOcho'', one of the show's longest RunningGag was Don Ramon finding ways of avoiding Señor Barriga whenever he comes to collect the rent on account of never having any money. The reason Don Ramon never has any money is because of [[LazyBum his refusal to find steady work]].

* According to ''VideoGame/StreetFighterIV'', this is why [[VideoGame/StreetFighterAlpha Dan Hibiki]] missed out on [[VideoGame/StreetFighterII The Second World Warrior Tournament]]; since he's in PerpetualPoverty, he didn't pay his phone bill. Thus, his childhood friend Blanka was unable to contact Dan and tell him about the tournament.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck'' short "Drip Dippy Donald," Donald Duck has been bothered by a loud dripping faucet all night, ultimately creating a RubeGoldbergMachine to get the water to drip onto sponges instead...[[ShaggyDogStory and he receives a call from the water company saying that they're shutting his water off because he hasn't paid the bill]].

* Subverted at the end of the ''Series/BoyMeetsWorld'' episode "The Fugitive". After both Cory and Shawn are grounded for a month due to the former hiding the latter in his bedroom after he set off a cherry bomb in a Post Office box outside Alan's store, the electricity in the Matthews Residence is cut off, because Alan mailed the electric bill on the same day Shawn set off the bomb, and said bill was blown to smithereens along with everything else that was about to be mailed.

* ''WebAnimation/HomestarRunner'': In "Homestar Presents: Presents", after Coach Z [[MakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext has an imaginary phone call with his parents]] where he [[BlatantLies assures them he's not alone on Decemberween]], the lights go out. Coach Z laments "Aw, crackles! I forgot to pay my bills again this year."

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheProudFamily'' episode "[[Recap/TheProudFamilyS2E8CrouchingTrudyHiddenPenny Crouching Trudy, Hidden Penny]]", in this case, it's forgot to ''mail'' the bill. Uncle Bobby warned [[BumblingDad Oscar]] not to push a certain button that would turn [[CoolCar his car]] into a post office box, which enables Bobby to avoid getting parking tickets, but Oscar disobeyed, until Bobby cleared everything up. After demonstrating how the button works, Bobby then takes out all the mail hidden in his car and hands it to Oscar before driving off, telling him to put it in a real post office box, and among it is the payment for the Proud Residence's electric bill.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheProudFamily'' episode "[[Recap/TheProudFamilyS2E8CrouchingTrudyHiddenPenny Crouching Trudy, Hidden Penny]]", in this case, it's forgot to ''mail'' the bill. Uncle Bobby warned Oscar not to push a certain button that would turn [[CoolCar his car]] into a post office box, which enables Bobby to avoid getting parking tickets. Bobby then takes out all the mail hidden in his car and hands it to Oscar, telling him to put it in a real post office box, and among it is the payment for the Proud Residence's electric bill.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheProudFamily'' episode "[[Recap/TheProudFamilyS2E8CrouchingTrudyHiddenPenny Crouching Trudy, Hidden Penny]]", in this case, it's forgot to ''mail'' the bill. Uncle Bobby warned Oscar not to push a certain button that would turn [[CoolCar his car]] into a post office box, which enables Bobby to avoid getting parking tickets. Bobby then takes out all the mail hidden in his car and hands it to Oscar, and among it is the payment for the Proud Residence's electric bill.

* Subverted at the end of the ''Series/BoyMeetsWorld'' episode "The Fugitive". After both Cory and Shawn are grounded for a month due to the former hiding the latter in his bedroom after he set off a cherry bomb in a Post Office box outside Alan's store, the electricity in the Matthews Residence is cut off, because Alan mailed the electric bill on the same day Shawn set off the bomb.

'''Alan:''' The game\\

* Subverted at the end of the ''Series/BoyMeetsWorld'' episode "The Fugitive". After both Cory and Shawn are grounded for a month due to the former hiding the latter in his bedroom after he set off a cherry bomb in a Post Office box, the electricity in the Matthews Residence is cut off, because Alan mailed the electric bill on the same day Shawn set off the bomb.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': Homer once forgot to pay for the insurance. When he remembered, he left an envelope with the money at the insurance company, where he found a message saying they'd not return until 15:00. He was then worried something would happen before then.
* ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'': Subverted. [=SpongeBob=] thinks Gary did this when the electricity goes out, but it was actually caused by the Blue Jellyfish cutting the wires.
* A common variant used in many cartoons was someone calling the power or gas company and saying that they could not or refused to pay their utility bills. Said service would be cut off before the caller could hang up the phone.

[[folder:Film]]

* ''VisualNovel/AceAttorneyInvestigationsMilesEdgeworth 2'': According to Detective Gumshoe, this happened to him once, prompting him to use candles as an alternative means of lighting.

In other settings, characters may assume their service has been disconnected for non-payment, when in reality [[KillTheLights sabotage]] is to blame for the loss of their utility.

* The plot of the ''WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse'' short "Moving Day" is set in motion by the fact that Mickey and Donald Duck haven't paid the rent in six months.
* ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'': Subverted. [=SpongeBob=] thinks Gary did this when the electricity goes out, but it was actually caused by the Blue Jellyfish cutting the wires.

* ''WesternAnimation/MegasXLR'': one episode was devoted to Coop trying to figure out why his TV wasn't working, and after "juicing" and destroying a planet-sized monster to save a satellite, his mother asks him if he paid the bill.

* A similar thing happened in the ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill'' episode "Mutual of Omabwah!"

* ''WesternAnimation/RockosModernLife'' uses the parking meters variant when Rocko loses his job in the episode "Canned". Even the ''oxygen'' has one! The electricity meter expires, and Rocko is unable to put in another quarter, so the lights go out. Rocko looks over the want ads by the light from a match.
* Speaking of ''Rocko'', in another Joe Murray cartoon called ''WesternAnimation/CampLazlo'', "Prickly Pining Dining" has Lumpus taking out the campers to a restaurant to eat after their chef goes sick thanks to his own cooking that gave him food poisoning. Lumpus realizes he forgot to bring cash and tries wringing loot out of the campers (all they have are frogs, lollipops and pocket lint) and Lumpus resorts to ditching the restaurant. They only get away when the bear's already cutting down their bus doors.. then they realize they left the Jelly Trio back there.
* In the ''WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck'' short "Drip Dippy Donald," Donald Duck has been bothered by a loud dripping faucet all night, ultimately creating a RubeGoldbergMachine to get the water to drip onto sponges instead...[[ShaggyDogStory and he receives a call from the water company saying that they're shutting his water off because he hasn't paid the bill]].
* In a ''WesternAnimation/HouseOfMouse'' episode, this is just barely averted--while Mickey did spend the rent money on cheese ([[HereWeGoAgain again]]), he manages to raise enough to replace it before Pete shuts the club down.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheAmazingWorldOfGumball'' episode [[Recap/TheAmazingWorldOfGumballS6E17TheFounder "The Founder"]] is kickstarted by the Wattersons being late on their cable bill and having to pay it in person, since their internet is cut off.

* While they almost always have electricity or heating, a RunningGag on ''Series/MarriedWithChildren'' is the Bundys getting their water shut off, to the point that getting it TURNED BACK ON is a rare occurence.

* In the Mexican sitcom ''Series/ElChavoDelOcho'', one of the show's longest RunningGag was Don Ramon finding ways of avoiding Senor Barriga whenver he comes to collect the rent on account of never having any money. The reason Don Ramon never has any money is because of [[LazyBum his refusal to find steady work]].

* In ''Webcomic/Pay Dat Rent'', PDR Guy had forgotten to pay his bill for rent, which causes him to get evicted from his apartment, having this the main reason the webcomic continues.

* In ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'' Penny asks if she can watch TV at the guys', as her cable is off. When Sheldon asks if she paid the bill, she complains he sounds just like the guy from the cable company.