History Main / ItSeemedLikeAGoodIdeaAtTheTime

* ''ICarly'' episode "iSell Penny Tees":

* On ''ParksAndRecreation'' a young grade-school girl visits the office on a class assignment to learn about government, and finds Ron Swanson to talk with. He happily shares his disapproving views on the government and taxation, and gives her a going-away present of a Claymore mine, telling her "Protect what's yours." Her mother later visits, furious at her daughter being given ordnance, and Ron utters the trope phrase.

* ''TheMagnificentSeven'':

* ''GossipGirl'' episode "All About My Brother"

* ''[[LoisAndClark Lois & Clark]]: The New Adventures of Superman'' episode "Tempus Fugitive"

* On an episode of ''NightCourt'', Mac’s bigoted grandfather can’t accept that his grandson has married an Asian woman. So Harry orders his grandfather arrested and locks him up in the same cell with Mac’s wife, so the two of them can get to know each other better. Mac is aghast when he finds out, and a crestfallen Harry gives the trope name word-for-word as his defense. Mac responds, “Well, sir, I’m sure human sacrifice seemed like a good idea at the time!”

* In the ChakonaSpace 'verse, chakats are mentioned to be highly susceptible to this.

* In ''DrawnTogether'' episode "Breakfast Food Killer", that hiding the UCP codes up his butt seemed like a good idea at the time. Though he didn't really have any other place to hide them.

* Milked for all its comedic worth in ''FamilyGuy''. Adam West rolls around in nuclear waste in order to gain superpowers -- and gets lymphoma. The doctor who he explains this to is taking this all in, and concludes that Adam West is an idiot -- much as someone would do were this same feat attempted in RealLife. The catch? Earlier in the story, the Griffins had gained superpowers in a manner quite similar, and Adam West's rolling around in the waste was part of a desperate plot to put a stop to their evil dominion over the town. Of course, he still succeeds -- the Griffins feel extremely guilty realizing that Adam West got lymphoma just because they were using their superpowers to be [[EvilIsPetty petty jerks]].

This is also used sometimes as an explanation for ChaoticNeutral or ChaoticStupid actions. Contrast IDidWhatIHadToDo, which does the same as in this case, but for LawfulNeutral or LawfulStupid actions and their moral, rather than strategical, consequences. Often goes hand in hand with AlcoholInducedIdiocy for obvious reason. If the plan somehow still ''works'' -- and is stated or implied to work not despite but ''because of'' how ridiculous it seems -- that's RefugeInAudacity.

This is also used sometimes as an explanation for ChaoticNeutral or ChaoticStupid actions. Contrast IDidWhatIHadToDo, which does the same as in this case, but for LawfulNeutral or LawfulStupid actions and their moral, rather than strategical, consequences. If the plan somehow still ''works'' -- and is stated or implied to work not despite but ''because of'' how ridiculous it seems -- that's RefugeInAudacity.

-->'''Dr. Dix''': So why'd you suggest it?
-->'''Chief Jesse Stone'''': Seemed like a good idea at the time, doesn't cost me anything.

* The song [[TitleDrop A Good Idea At the Time]] by OkGo both expresses SympathyForTheDevil and is an [[ShoutOut explicit homage]] to the RollingStones song ''Sympathy for the Devil'', portraying Lucifer as simply a guy after a good time who keeps winding up causing horrific situations throughout history, usually because of [[ItSeemedLikeAGoodIdeaAtTheTime this trope]] and the consumption of [[AlcoholInducedIdiocty ludicrous amounts of booze]].

* The song [[TitleDrop A Good Idea At the Time]] by OkGo both expresses SympathyForTheDevil and is an [[ShoutOut explicit homage]] to the RollingStones song ''Sympathy for the Devil'', portraying Lucifer as simply a guy after a good time who keeps winding up causing horrific situations throughout history, usually because of [[ItSeemedLikeAGoodIdeaAtTheTime this trope]] and the consumption of ludicrous amounts of booze.

* In ''Webcomic/DanAndMabsFurryAdventures'', the cubi race are mentioned to be the kings of this, due to their emotion reading talents making them very emotional.

* ''JesseStone: No Remorse''. Jesse Stone suggests Dr. Dix take up fishing.

[[folder: Films -- Live-Action]]

* ''Literature/{{Solaris}}''

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* Milked for all its comedic worth in ''FamilyGuy''. Adam West rolls around in nuclear waste in order to gain superpowers -- and gets lymphoma. The doctor who he explains this to is taking this all in, and concludes that Adam West is an idiot -- much as someone would do were this same feat attempted in RealLife. The catch? Earlier in the story, the Griffins had gained superpowers in a manner quite similar, and Adam West's rolling around in the waste was part of a desperate plot to put a stop to their evil dominion over the town. Of course, he still succeeds -- the Griffins feel extremely guilty realizing that Adam West got lymphoma just because they were using their superpowers to be [[EvilIsPetty petty jerks]].
** By technicality that would also make this moment an UnintentionalBackupPlan.
* ''TheAmazingChanAndTheChanClan'' episode "The Gypsy Caper". Suzie, Alan, Anne and Tom are exhausted, Tom spots a hive and suggests they partake of the honey as a natural energy source. Unfortunately, the bees aren't too thrilled about that and the group ends up getting a second wind by ''fleeing'' and diving into a lake.
* In ''WesternAnimation/JackieChanAdventures''
** Jade destroys Shendu after they beat him at the end of season 1. Unfortunately this allows other forms of evil beings to come forth, since the world NEEDS a balance of good and evil. The only reason it seems things float towards the good side of things is because said evil is sealed, NOT destroyed.
-->'''Uncle''': I said ''face'' the dragon, not ''waste'' the dragon!
** It happens when Jackie destroys the talismans. He had hoped that their power would be destroyed and would end people misusing their powers, but unfortunately their powers can't be destroyed only their hosts (which were the talismans at the time) can. So now their powers seek out new hosts and he inadvertently started the talisman hunt all over again.
* In ''DrawnTogether'' episode "Breakfast Food Killer", that hiding the UCP codes up his butt seemed like a good idea at the time. Though he didn't really have any other place to hide them.
* In the episode of the Nickelodeon cartoon ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'' entitled, "Chuckie is Rich", Drew stupidly invests all of Chaz's new money into some stupid invention. He uses this as his excuse.
* Every idea Klunk comes up with for [[DastardlyAndMuttleyInTheirFlyingMachines the Vulture Squadron]] to catch Yankee Doodle Pigeon seemed like a good idea at the time. Once it's implemented, EpicFail is imminent.
[[/folder]]

-->''[[AlcoholInducedIdiocy Hold my beer]]. Watch this...''

-------> "Like many happenings at a very successful party it seemed like a good idea at the time."

** Mary Renault on the burning of Persopolis by Alexander the Great:
-> "Like many happenings at a very successful party it seemed like a good idea at the time."

* One stand-up comedian says that this is the reason why men do so many stupid and idiotic things, because guys aren't thinking about the past or the future and are only concerned with having a good time right now. He uses BillClinton as an example, and claims Bill would have gotten off scott free if he had just told the truth.

** In another, as a fire ravages his city, he grabs an ax when the fire reaches his distillery. The narration says "John Jameson devised a brilliant plan. But there was simply no time, so, he devised [[TimeForPlanB another, less-brilliant plan]]." Said not-so-brilliant-plan is chopping open a sluice gate of a giant, stone dam to flood the city. Full version [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6orZrn-WrY here]].

* In one commercial for Jameson's Irish Whiskey, John Jameson leaps overboard when one of his barrels of whiskey is lost in a storm to retrieve it, and while he's down there narrator says "In hindsight, that probably wasn't a good idea" when he sees a [[SeaMonster giant octopus]] start reaching towards him. Viewable [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOydQFJdx1k here]].

** In another, as a fire ravages his city, he grabs an ax when the fire reaches his distillery. The narration says "John Jameson devised a brilliant plan. But there was simply no time, so, he devised another, less-brilliant plan." Said not-so-brilliant-plan is chopping open a sluice gate of a giant, stone dam to flood the city. Full version [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6orZrn-WrY here]].