History Main / HelpingAnotherSaveFace

* ''Series/{{CSINY}}'': During Mac's speech aphasia arc (he can't recall names of certain everyday things due to lack of oxygen to the brain after being shot and LeftForDead), Lindsay falls victim to an EyepiecePrank; namely, someone put dye on a microscope which resulted in rings around her eyes. She pops into Mac's office wearing dark shades while his girlfriend Christine is there. Christine gives a quizzical look, Lindsay pulls off the glasses and says she got "punked". Mac attempts to explain:

* ''WesternAnimation/MonstersInc'': Mike is about to go on his romantic dinner date with Celia when he realizes he forgot to file his paperwork. He's about to explain to Celia why he can't take her to dinner when Sulley says that Mike was reminding him to get his paperwork. Along with saving Mike's date, this also leads to Sulley meeting Boo, which starts up the plot.

In some cases, [[TakingTheHeat they may even cover, taking the blame themselves]]. Can happen in an EmbarrassmentPlot.

* ''Series/{{CSINY}}'': During Mac's speech aphasia arc (he can't recall names of certain everyday things due to lack of oxygen to the brain after being shot and LeftForDead), Lindsay falls victim to an EyepiecePrank; namely, someone put dye on a microscope which resulted in rings around her eyes. She pops into Mac's office wearing dark shades while his girlfriend Christine is there. Christine gives a quizzical look, Lindsay pulls off the glasses and says she got "punked." Mac attempts to explain:
-->'''Mac:''' Someone dyed her eyes...
-->'''Christine:''' [''realizing he's drawing a blank, she tries to cover for him''] Blue! I see!
* ''Series/{{Firefly}}'': "Shindig", when a wealthy RichBitch demeans Kaylee, one of the older gentlemen there turns it back on her.

* ''WebAnimation/RedVsBlue'': In the first episode of ''Revelation'', [[BadBoss Sarge]] orders for [[LazyBumGrif]] to [[DueToTheDead bury all of the body's of CT's crew]]. However, when Grif returns to where they piled all the bodies, he can't find them due to the wind blowing all the dessert sand over them and covering them. Tucker points out to Grif that just means his job was done for him, and when Sarge arrives to check on Grif, Tucker helps cover for him by assuring Sarge that Grif already buried all the bodies.

* ''[[WesternAnimation/WhatIf2021 What If?]]''; Toward the end of "What If... Thor Were an Only Child?", Captain Marvel drops by to deliver a tablet of "study materials" to Thor to help him sell his "cultural exchange group" story to Frigga.

* ''Series/{{MASH}}'': Hawkeye finds Frank cowering when the camp is pinned down by a sniper. When Frank asks Hawkeye what he intends to tell Margaret, Hawkeye tells him that if they're both lucky, he won't run into her.

* ''Film/PrettyWoman'': Vivian, at dinner with the heads of the company Edward is targeting, makes a faux pas by comparing oysters to snot. James Morse, the kindly old man who runs the company, gently agrees with her.

[[folder:Film -- Live Action]]

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

-->'''Andy''': "I must save Lori's pants!"

** In "Henny Youngman Day", Babs Bunny signs up to do stand-up comedy. She ends up suffering from PerformanceAnxiety due to having having to go after an {{Expy}} of Creator/RobinWilliams. Realizing they messed up by not having him be the closing act, he returns to the stage to perform a doubles act with Babs, winning the audience over and restoring her confidence.

* ''WesternAnimation/TinyToonAdventures'': In "Prom-ise Her Anything", Buster Bunny decides to copy the dance done by Bugs Bunny in "Hot Cross Bunny" (one of the original Looney Tunes shorts), in an attempt to hide the fact he doesn't know how to dance. When he actually performs the dance during the prom, however, everyone stares at him and his date Babs is aghast and embarrassed. Luckily, Bugs steps in and performs the dance too, leading the others to think Buster has just begun a new dance craze and getting them to join in too.

** ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'': In one of her more generous gestures, after Worf passed out on duty from a childhood malady he considers embarrassing, Dr. Pulaski covers for Worf by telling Picard that it was due to ritual fasting.

* ''[[WesternAnimation/WhatIf2021 What If?]]'' Toward the end of "What If... Thor Were an Only Child?", Captain Marvel drops by to deliver a tablet of "study materials" to Thor to help him sell his "cultural exchange group" story to Frigga.

!!Examples

* ''Series/BabylonFive'': Helping another save face is one of the few situations where Minbari culture allows one to lie. Seen most obviously in "[[Recap/BabylonFiveS01E21TheQualityOfMercy The Quality of Mercy]]", when Centauri Ambassador Londo Mollari is caught cheating at cards with his [[BizarreAlienBiology prehensile genitals]] leading to a bar brawl, a Minbari, Lennier is willing to take the blame for the fight.

Their motives may vary. The could be trying to protect a family member, or save TheIngenue from embarrassment. The could be sympathetic, having experienced something like it themselves. They may simply see the offense as a non-issue and feel others are treating it as a FelonyMisdemeanor.

* ''WesternAnimation/BeautyAndTheBeast'': When Beast realizes his bestial eating habits are disturbing Belle, he attempts to use a spoon Chip offers him, but without much success. Realizing he's making a genuine effort, Belle meets him halfway by picking up her bowl and sipping from the rim,which he is able to do.

* ''Film/LethalWeapon3'': When Roger accidentally discharges his gun in the precinct locker room,Riggs immediately begins slamming lockers around to act as though he were the source of the noise.

* ''Literature/DiaryOfAWimpyKid'': After Rowley is forced by a group of older bullies to eat "The Cheese" (a piece of moldy cheese on the playground that became infamous at the school), students are suspicious to where it went. Wanting to save his friend the humiliation of what happened (as well as try and rekindle the friendship), Greg claims that he got sick of the Cheese and threw it away, causing the students to be grossed out by him instead of Rowley.

* ''Series/{{CSINY}}'': During Mac's speech aphasia arc (he can't recall names of certain everyday things due to lack of oxygen to the brain after being shot and LeftForDead), Lindsay falls victim to an EyepiecePrank; namely, someone put dye on an microscope which resulted in rings around her eyes. She pops into Mac's office wearing dark shades while his girlfriend Christine is there. Christine gives a quizzical look, Lindsay pulls off the glasses and says she got "punked." Mac attempts to explain:

* ''Series/{{Firefly}}'': "Shindig", when a wealthy RichBitch demeans Kaylee, one of the older gentleman there turns it back on her.
--> ''What a vision you are in your fine dress ? it must have taken a dozen slaves a dozen days to get you into that getup. 'Course, your daddy tells me it takes the space of a schoolboy's wink to get you out of it again.''
* ''Series/{{MASH}}'': Hawkeye finds Frank cowering when the camp is pinned down by a sniper. When Frank asks Hawkeye what he intends to tell Margaret. Hawkeye tells him that if they're both lucky, he won't run into her.

*** "Amok Time" has Spock in the grip of blood fever during a bout of ''pon farr''. Spock explains the situation to Kirk and [=McCoy=], who both tell him that they'll never tell another soul about the private information he's divulged to them. This is especially poingnant for the Doctor, as he and Spock are VitriolicBestBuds, and it would be easy for him to mock Spock over it, but he never does.

** "[[Recap/DariaS3E07 It Happened One Nut]]": Trent spots Daria working her new job selling nuts in the mall, and convinces the other members of Mystic Spiral to look for a snack elsewhere so that Daria won't be embarrassed being seen by people she knows.

** "[[Recap/DariaS4E09 Mart of Darkness]]": A box store employee who has been ducking Daria and Jane all episode long is revealed to be Andrea, who frets that the duo will now mock the goth girl whose parents forced her to get a job. Daria and Jane promise not to say anything to anyone,as all they wanted was to find the gummy bears.

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* In *Le Mauvais génie* of the Countess of Segur, Mr. Georgey hides the fact Fréderic stole money from the family's safe by saying he wanted to take there money belonging to Julien to buy him gifts. As he told Fréderic afterwards, it was to make sure Fréderic's parents aren't shamed as the parent of a thief.