History Main / FridgeLogic

Half an hour after the show is over, a random viewer is staring into his refrigerator, vaguely bemused by the fact that his six-pack of beer has somehow become a two-pack of beer. Rather than work out how this might have happened, it occurs to him to wonder how in the hell [[Series/{{Alias}} Sydney Bristow]] went from Hungary to Melbourne, Australia, then to LA, all within 24 hours, or why [[Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers Zordon]] thought recruiting [[RecruitTeenagersWithAttitude a bunch of teenagers]] was a viable option for getting help to save the world rather than hiring expert martial artists or trained mercenaries. It didn't bother him during the show. It wasn't until he discovered he was running short of beer that it became an issue.

Half an hour after the show is over, a random viewer is staring into his refrigerator, vaguely bemused by the fact that his six-pack of beer has somehow become a two-pack of beer. Rather than work out how this might have happened, it occurs to him to wonder how in the hell Sydney Bristow in ''{{Series/Alias}}'' went from Hungary to Melbourne, Australia, then to LA, all within 24 hours. It didn't bother him during the show. It wasn't until he discovered he was running short of beer that it became an issue.

Half an hour after the show is over, a random viewer is staring into his refrigerator, vaguely bemused by the fact that his six-pack of beer has somehow become a two-pack of beer. Rather than work out how this might have happened, it occurs to him to wonder how in the hell [[WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill the Hills]] went from Arlen, Texas to Mexico and back all in the course of one day.

It didn't bother him during the show. It wasn't until he discovered he was running short of beer that it became an issue.

Half an hour after the show is over, a random viewer is staring into his refrigerator, vaguely bemused by the fact that his six-pack of beer has somehow become a two-pack of beer. Rather than work out how this might have happened, it occurs to him to wonder how in the hell [[Series/{{Alias}} Sydney Bristow]] went from Hungary to Melbourne, Australia, then to LA, all within 24 hours.

See also FridgeBrilliance for when there's actually a really good explanation when you think about it, and FridgeHorror when something is incredibly [[NightmareFuel nightmarish]] when you think about it. Sometimes Fridge Logic (and/or a heaping helping of ValuesDissonance) can turn an otherwise happy ending into a {{bittersweet|Ending}} or outright DownerEnding; for this, see EsotericHappyEnding, as well as InferredHolocaust. This is also related to the MST3KMantra, which allows you to just go along for the ride and not sweat the details. When fans notice these ''during'' the show, it's a plain old PlotHole. Not related to StuffedIntoTheFridge. Also not to be confused with BridgeLogic, the un-tasty OvenLogic, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Begriffsschrift Frege logic]] or Bathroom Logic. If the characters themselves fail to ask questions about a given plot development or device, then it's because ApathyKilledTheCat.

See also FridgeBrilliance for when there's actually a really good explanation when you think about it, and FridgeHorror when something is incredibly [[NightmareFuel nightmarish]] when you think about it. Sometimes Fridge Logic (and/or a heaping helping of ValuesDissonance) can turn an otherwise happy ending into a {{bittersweet|Ending}} or outright DownerEnding; for this, see EsotericHappyEnding. This is also related to the MST3KMantra, which allows you to just go along for the ride and not sweat the details. When fans notice these ''during'' the show, it's a plain old PlotHole. Not related to StuffedIntoTheFridge. Also not to be confused with BridgeLogic, the un-tasty OvenLogic, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Begriffsschrift Frege logic]] or Bathroom Logic. If the characters themselves fail to ask questions about a given plot development or device, then it's because ApathyKilledTheCat.

The phrase was technically coined by Creator/AlfredHitchcock. When asked about the scene in ''Film/{{Vertigo}}'' when Madeleine mysteriously, and impossibly, disappears from the hotel that Scottie saw her in, he responded by calling it an "icebox" scene, that is, a scene that "hits you after you've gone home and start pulling cold chicken out of the icebox."

* The writer David Gerrold refers to this as the "refrigerator door question" in his book on writing, ''Worlds of Wonder''. He also gives an example: If Film/{{ET|The Extraterrestrial}} can make the bicycle fly, why didn't he use it in the beginning of the film to avoid pursuit?

* The writer David Gerrold refers to this as the "refrigerator door question" in his book on writing, ''Worlds of Wonder''. He also gives an example: In the movie ''Film/{{ET|The Extraterrestrial}}'', if E.T. can make the bicycle fly at the end, why doesn't he use it in the beginning of the film to avoid pursuit?

Half an hour after the show is over, a random viewer is staring into his refrigerator, vaguely bemused by the fact that his six-pack of beer has somehow become a two-pack of beer. Rather than work out how this might have happened, it occurs to him to wonder how in the hell [[Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers Zordon]] thought recruiting [[RecruitTeenagersWithAttitude a bunch of teenagers]] was a viable option for getting help to save the world rather than hiring expert martial artists or trained mercenaries.

Half an hour after the show is over, a random viewer is staring into his refrigerator, vaguely bemused by the fact that his six-pack of beer has somehow become a two-pack of beer. Rather than work out how this might have happened, it occurs to him to wonder how in the hell [[Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers Zordon]] thought [[RecruitTeenagersWithAttitude getting a bunch of teenagers to save the world]] was a viable option for getting help to save the world rather than hiring expert martial artists or trained mercenaries.

Half an hour after the show is over, a random viewer is staring into his refrigerator, vaguely bemused by the fact that his six-pack of beer has somehow become a two-pack of beer. Rather than work out how this might have happened, it occurs to him to wonder how in the hell [[Series/{{Alias}} Sydney Bristow]] went from Hungary to Melbourne, Australia, then to LA, all within 24 hours.

Ronald D. Moore talks about Fridge Logic extensively on the commentary to ''Series/BattlestarGalactica2003'' episode (2.02) "Valley of Darkness," likening it to the type of logic used to figure out whether the light in the fridge stays on when the door is closed[[note]]It really doesn't. When you close the door, it pushes a switch that turns the light off. Some models switch the light off when the door is sufficiently near completely closing[[/note]].

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%%
%% Image does not illustrate the trope. Do not put it back.
%% See the ImagePickin' forum if you think the article needs an image.
%%
->''"By the time you figure out what was wrong with that, it won't matter anymore!"''
-->--'''Sauron''', ''[[Creator/LegendaryFrog One Ring to Rule Them All Special Edition]]''
%%
%% One quote is sufficient. Please place additional entries on the quotes page.
%%

Half an hour after the show is over, a random viewer is staring into his refrigerator, vaguely bemused by the fact that his six-pack of beer has somehow become a two-pack of beer. Rather than work out how this might have happened, it occurs to him to wonder how in the hell [[Series/{{Alias}} Sydney Bristow]] went from Hungary to Melbourne, Australia, then to LA, all within 24 hours.

It didn't bother him during the show. It wasn't until he discovered he was running short of beer that it became an issue.

Fridge Logic has been the writer's-room term for these little InternalConsistency issues for a good while, as in "Don't sweat the Fridge Logic, we've got bigger fish to fry. We've only got 20 minutes left to work in [[NoodleImplements three costume changes, a foreign language, and a weird wig]]." It refers to some illogical or implausible plot point that the audience doesn't realize during the show, but only long afterwards. This naming is highly subjective, since not every person follows the same train of thought. Some people will never even realise there was a problem, while others will call it a PlotHole, since they already noticed the problem during the show.

The phrase was technically coined by Creator/AlfredHitchcock. When asked about the scene in ''Film/{{Vertigo}}'' when Madeleine mysteriously, and impossibly, disappears from the hotel that Scottie saw her in, he responded by calling it an "icebox" scene, that is, a scene that "hits you after you've gone home and start pulling cold chicken out of the icebox."

It is also known under a variety of other names:
* In science fiction circles, this is also known as a "Jellybean Moment". This refers to a story by Creator/HarlanEllison titled ''"Repent, Harlequin!" Said the Ticktockman'', where the climax of the story involves gumming up the works of the society with the application of jellybeans. It's only after the story has been read that the average reader thinks "[[AssPull Where the heck did he get the jellybeans?]]" This phrase is at the core of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Harlan_Ellison/Archive_2#The_.22Jelly_Bean.22_Incident a famous story involving Ellison at a Worldcon]]. This is also {{Lampshaded}} in-story: "Where did he get jelly beans? Nobody has made jelly beans for more than a hundred years!"
* On the commentary track for the ''Film/HotFuzz'' DVD, the filmmakers refer to this as "popcorn logic." It's five minutes after the movie ends, you're walking out of the theater, finishing off your popcorn, and--''wait a tick!''
* The writer David Gerrold refers to this as the "refrigerator door question" in his book on writing, ''Worlds of Wonder''. He also gives an example: In the movie ''Film/{{ET|The Extraterrestrial}}'', if E.T. can make the bicycle fly at the end, why doesn't he use it in the beginning of the film to avoid pursuit?

Ronald D. Moore talks about Fridge Logic extensively on the commentary to ''Series/BattlestarGalactica2003'' episode (2.02) "Valley of Darkness," likening it to the type of logic used to figure out whether the light in the fridge stays on when the door is closed[[note]]It really doesn't. When you close the door, it pushes a switch that turns the light off. Some models switch the light off when the door is sufficiently near completely closing[[/note]].

Stories with a TomatoSurprise or ThroughTheEyesOfMadness may ''count'' on this phenomenon to prevent you from questioning oddities in what appears to be happening. By the time the Fridge Logic would have hit the audience, they've explained what was really going on, and those problems are explained to be clues that something was up.

See also FridgeBrilliance for when there's actually a really good explanation when you think about it, and FridgeHorror when something is incredibly [[NightmareFuel nightmarish]] when you think about it. Sometimes Fridge Logic (and/or a heaping helping of ValuesDissonance) can turn an otherwise happy ending into a {{bittersweet|Ending}} or outright DownerEnding; for this, see EsotericHappyEnding. This is also related to the MST3KMantra, which allows you to just go along for the ride and not sweat the details. When fans notice these ''during'' the show, it's a plain old PlotHole. Not related to StuffedIntoTheFridge. Also not to be confused with BridgeLogic, the un-tasty OvenLogic, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Begriffsschrift Frege logic]] or Bathroom Logic. If the characters themselves fail to ask questions about a given plot development or device, then it's because ApathyKilledTheCat.

'''By the way, we have whole ''sections'' of Wiki/ThisVeryWiki dedicated to these issues. This article just defines a term.''' It neither needs nor wants any examples. To discuss Fridge Logic issues that bug you -- which can be a lot of fun -- see [[Headscratchers/HomePage Headscratchers]], or any of our fine [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/topics.php Forums]], or the "Fridge" tab on a work's page. If what occurred to you later was a wild theory, see WildMassGuessing.

----

.

%%
%% Image does not illustrate the trope. Do not put it back.
%% See the ImagePickin' forum if you think the article needs an image.
%%
->''"By the time you figure out what was wrong with that, it won't matter anymore!"''
-->--'''Sauron''', ''[[Creator/LegendaryFrog One Ring to Rule Them All Special Edition]]''
%%
%% One quote is sufficient. Please place additional entries on the quotes page.
%%

Half an hour after the show is over, a random viewer is staring into his refrigerator, vaguely bemused by the fact that his six-pack of beer has somehow become a two-pack of beer. Rather than work out how this might have happened, it occurs to him to wonder how in the hell [[Series/{{Alias}} Sydney Bristow]] went from Hungary to Melbourne, Australia, then to LA, all within 24 hours.

It didn't bother him during the show. It wasn't until he discovered he was running short of beer that it became an issue.

Fridge Logic has been the writer's-room term for these little InternalConsistency issues for a good while, as in "Don't sweat the Fridge Logic, we've got bigger fish to fry. We've only got 20 minutes left to work in [[NoodleImplements three costume changes, a foreign language, and a weird wig]]." It refers to some illogical or implausible plot point that the audience doesn't realize during the show, but only long afterwards. This naming is highly subjective, since not every person follows the same train of thought. Some people will never even realise there was a problem, while others will call it a PlotHole, since they already noticed the problem during the show.

The phrase was technically coined by Creator/AlfredHitchcock. When asked about the scene in ''Film/{{Vertigo}}'' when Madeleine mysteriously, and impossibly, disappears from the hotel that Scottie saw her in, he responded by calling it an "icebox" scene, that is, a scene that "hits you after you've gone home and start pulling cold chicken out of the icebox."

It is also known under a variety of other names:
* In science fiction circles, this is also known as a "Jellybean Moment". This refers to a story by Creator/HarlanEllison titled ''"Repent, Harlequin!" Said the Ticktockman'', where the climax of the story involves gumming up the works of the society with the application of jellybeans. It's only after the story has been read that the average reader thinks "[[AssPull Where the heck did he get the jellybeans?]]" This phrase is at the core of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Harlan_Ellison/Archive_2#The_.22Jelly_Bean.22_Incident a famous story involving Ellison at a Worldcon]]. This is also {{Lampshaded}} in-story: "Where did he get jelly beans? Nobody has made jelly beans for more than a hundred years!"
* On the commentary track for the ''Film/HotFuzz'' DVD, the filmmakers refer to this as "popcorn logic." It's five minutes after the movie ends, you're walking out of the theater, finishing off your popcorn, and--''wait a tick!''
* The writer David Gerrold refers to this as the "refrigerator door question" in his book on writing, ''Worlds of Wonder''. He also gives an example: In the movie ''Film/{{ET|The Extraterrestrial}}'', if E.T. can make the bicycle fly at the end, why doesn't he use it in the beginning of the film to avoid pursuit?

Ronald D. Moore talks about Fridge Logic extensively on the commentary to ''Series/BattlestarGalactica2003'' episode (2.02) "Valley of Darkness," likening it to the type of logic used to figure out whether the light in the fridge stays on when the door is closed[[note]]It really doesn't. When you close the door, it pushes a switch that turns the light off. Some models switch the light off when the door is sufficiently near completely closing[[/note]].

Stories with a TomatoSurprise or ThroughTheEyesOfMadness may ''count'' on this phenomenon to prevent you from questioning oddities in what appears to be happening. By the time the Fridge Logic would have hit the audience, they've explained what was really going on, and those problems are explained to be clues that something was up.

See also FridgeBrilliance for when there's actually a really good explanation when you think about it, and FridgeHorror when something is incredibly [[NightmareFuel nightmarish]] when you think about it. Sometimes Fridge Logic (and/or a heaping helping of ValuesDissonance) can turn an otherwise happy ending into a {{bittersweet|Ending}} or outright DownerEnding; for this, see EsotericHappyEnding. This is also related to the MST3KMantra, which allows you to just go along for the ride and not sweat the details. When fans notice these ''during'' the show, it's a plain old PlotHole. Not related to StuffedIntoTheFridge. Also not to be confused with BridgeLogic, the un-tasty OvenLogic, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Begriffsschrift Frege logic]] or Bathroom Logic. If the characters themselves fail to ask questions about a given plot development or device, then it's because ApathyKilledTheCat.

'''By the way, we have whole ''sections'' of Wiki/ThisVeryWiki dedicated to these issues. This article just defines a term.''' It neither needs nor wants any examples. To discuss Fridge Logic issues that bug you -- which can be a lot of fun -- see [[Headscratchers/HomePage Headscratchers]], or any of our fine [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/topics.php Forums]], or the "Fridge" tab on a work's page. If what occurred to you later was a wild theory, see WildMassGuessing.

----

'''By the way, we have whole ''sections'' of ThisWiki dedicated to these issues. This article just defines a term.''' It neither needs nor wants any examples. To discuss Fridge Logic issues that bug you -- which can be a lot of fun -- see [[Headscratchers/HomePage Headscratchers]], or any of our fine [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/topics.php Forums]], or the "Fridge" tab on a work's page. If what occurred to you later was a wild theory, see WildMassGuessing.

'''By the way, we have whole ''sections'' of ThisWiki dedicated to these issues. This article just defines a term.''' It neither needs nor wants any examples. To discuss Fridge Logic issues that bug you -- which can be a lot of fun -- see {{Headscratchers}}, or any of our fine [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/topics.php Forums]], or the "Fridge" tab on a work's page. If what occurred to you later was a wild theory, see WildMassGuessing.

Ronald D. Moore talks about Fridge Logic extensively on the commentary to ''Series/BattlestarGalacticaReimagined'' episode (2.02) "Valley of Darkness," likening it to the type of logic used to figure out whether the light in the fridge stays on when the door is closed[[note]]It really doesn't. When you close the door, it pushes a switch that turns the light off. Some models switch the light off when the door is sufficiently near completely closing[[/note]].

See also FridgeBrilliance for when there's actually a really good explanation when you think about it, and FridgeHorror when something is incredibly [[NightmareFuel nightmarish]] when you think about it. Sometimes Fridge Logic (and/or a heaping helping of ValuesDissonance) can turn an otherwise happy ending into a {{bittersweet|Ending}} or outright DownerEnding; for this, see EsotericHappyEnding. This is also related to the MST3KMantra, which allows you to just go along for the ride and not sweat the details. When fans notice these ''during'' the show, it's a plain old PlotHole. Not related to StuffedIntoTheFridge. Also not to be confused with the un-tasty OvenLogic, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Begriffsschrift Frege logic]] or Bathroom Logic. If the characters themselves fail to ask questions about a given plot development or device, then it's because ApathyKilledTheCat.

* In science fiction circles, this is also known as a "Jellybean Moment". This refers to a story by HarlanEllison titled ''"Repent, Harlequin!" Said the Ticktockman'', where the climax of the story involves gumming up the works of the society with the application of jellybeans. It's only after the story has been read that the average reader thinks "[[AssPull Where the heck did he get the jellybeans?]]" This phrase is at the core of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Harlan_Ellison/Archive_2#The_.22Jelly_Bean.22_Incident a famous story involving Ellison at a Worldcon]]. This is also {{Lampshaded}} in-story: "Where did he get jelly beans? Nobody has made jelly beans for more than a hundred years!"

Stories with a TomatoSurprise may ''count'' on this phenomenon to prevent you from questioning oddities in what appears to be happening. By the time the Fridge Logic would have hit the audience, they've explained what was really going on, and those problems are explained to be clues that something was up.

FridgeLogic has been the writer's-room term for these little InternalConsistency issues for a good while, as in "Don't sweat the Fridge Logic, we've got bigger fish to fry. We've only got 20 minutes left to work in [[NoodleImplements three costume changes, a foreign language, and a weird wig]]." It refers to some illogical or implausible plot point that the audience doesn't realize during the show, but only long afterwards. This naming is highly subjective, since not every person follows the same train of thought. Some people will never even realise there was a problem, while others will call it a PlotHole, since they already noticed the problem during the show.

Stories with a TomatoSurprise may ''count'' on this phenomenon to prevent you from questioning oddities in what appears to be happening. By the time the FridgeLogic would have hit the audience, they've explained what was really going on, and those problems are explained to be clues that something was up.

* In science fiction circles, this is also known as a "Jellybean Moment". This refers to a story by HarlanEllison titled ''"Repent, Harlequin!" Said the Ticktockman'', where the climax of the story involves gumming up the works of the society with the application of jellybeans. It's only after the story has been read that the average reader thinks "[[AssPull Where the heck did he get the jellybeans?]]" This phrase is at the core of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Harlan_Ellison/Archive_2#The_.22Jelly_Bean.22_Incident a famous story involving Ellison at a Worldcon]].
** Lampshaded in-story: "Where did he get jelly beans? Nobody has made jelly beans for more than a hundred years!"
* On the commentary track for the ''HotFuzz'' DVD, the filmmakers refer to this as "popcorn logic." It's five minutes after the movie ends, you're walking out of the theater, finishing off your popcorn, and--''wait a tick!''

Ronald D. Moore talks about Fridge Logic extensively on the commentary to ''[[Series/BattlestarGalacticaReimagined Battlestar Galactica]]'' episode (2.02) "Valley of Darkness," likening it to the type of logic used to figure out whether the light in the fridge stays on when the door is closed[[note]]It really doesn't. When you close the door, it pushes a switch that turns the light off. Some models switch the light off when the door is sufficiently near completely closing[[/note]].

----

-->--'''Sauron''', ''[[http://onering.legendaryfrog.com/movies_orse_w.php One Ring to Rule Them All Special Edition]]''

Ronald D. Moore talks about Fridge Logic extensively on the commentary to ''[[Series/BattlestarGalacticaReimagined Battlestar Galactica]]'' episode (2.02) "Valley of Darkness," likening it to the type of logic used to figure out whether the light in the fridge stays on when the door is closed[[note]]It really doesn't. When you close the door, it pushes a switch that turns the light off[[/note]].