History Main / LostInTransmission

This trope is about that scene where someone is receiving, or has found, some important piece of information only to have ''--[[SelfDemonstratingArticle connection lost]]--''

''--connection reestablished--'' then the battery gets plugged into ''--connection lost--''

''--connection reestablished--'' [[CowTools except the coconut gets in the way]] ''--connection lost--''

''--connection reestablished--'' [[NoodleImplements and then the goat]] ''--connection lost--''

''--connection reestablished--'' [[OrphanedPunchline then I said "But you're the second one!!"]] Man, everyone was so ''--connection lost--''

''--connection reestablished--'' but undoubtedly, [[HisNameIs the most important part is when]] ''--[[OverlyLongGag connection lost]]--''

''--unable to reestablish communication; connection terminated--''

– [=MySQL=] error [=A113=]– dbconn() – network connection lost. Please try again later

* In the ''AudioPlay/BigFinishDoctorWho'' ''Companion Chronicles'' audio drama "Tales from the Vaut", a century old phonograph record in the U.N.I.T. vault contains a warning from the Doctor's companion Steven Taylor. Unfortunately, it deteriorates before it can explain exactly what it's a warning about.

[[folder:Films -- Animation]]

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

* The Australian ''Late Show'', Tony Martin and Mick Molloy were discussing Thai porno movies, and the station kept having "transmission problems" just as they got to the "interesting" parts.
* Played for laughs in the ''Series/HancocksHalfHour'' TV episode "The Radio Ham". Our hero is a [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amateur_Radio ham radio operator]] who receives a Mayday call from a sinking yacht, but is unable to write down its position because events - a power failure, an angry neighbour and a blown circuit - keep preventing him. Eventually the yacht is saved by one of Hancock's regular correspondents, much to his disgust, and he gives up the hobby.
* This occurs frequently on ''Series/{{Lost}}''. The Swan Orientation film alone had multiple instances: some information lost due to film problems, some due to Radzinsky snipping it out. In season 5, a time flash occurs just as Daniel is trying to get Desmond to help him: "You have to find my mother. Her name is --." Most times the subsequent episodes complete the info.
* ''Series/DoctorWho'': Eleven's instructions to [[spoiler:Rory]] in "The Big Bang". The last word turns out to be [[spoiler:"trouble"]].
--> '''The Doctor:''' ...you're not indestructible, so for God's sake, not matter how bored you get, stay out of ''[teleports away]''
* {{Lampshaded}} in ''Series/{{Knightmare}}'':
-->'''Hordriss:''' It looks just like-- ''[he vanishes]''\\
'''Pickle:''' Oh, would you believe it? Why does that always happen when you get to the best bit?

* In ''Series/DueSouth'' Season 2 Episode 1, Ray and Fraser are on their way to Canada when Fraser deduces that their "pilot" is actually an escaped prisoner. When Ray admits that he brought his gun on board and suggests they take over, Fraser adds a caveat:
-->"On the other hand, there might be a struggle. He might refuse to cooperate, in which case we have to fly the plane ourselves. Now, this might be possible with some assistance from Air Traffic Control. And I did read a flight training manual in my grandmother's library. There were a couple of pages missing, but I'm sure nothing vital."

[[folder:Web Comics]]

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IR68W56DCBU This]] ''WebVideo/AskANinja'' episode.

* In the Tenerife airport disaster, when a KLM 747 started an (unauthorized) take-off roll on a foggy runway occupied by another 747, both air traffic control and the other 747 radioed a warning - but as they were transmitting at the same time, the radio signals ended up blocking each other out, and so the KLM crew didn't hear either of them and continued the takeoff.

* In the Tenerife airport disaster, when a KLM 747 started an (unauthorized) take-off roll on a foggy runway occupied by another 747, both air traffic control and the other 747 radioed a warning - but as they were transmitting at the same time, both messages were partly unintelligible, and so failed to stop the KLM take-off.

* ''Literature/HouseOfLeaves'' makes use of this occasionally. For example, two of Will Navidson's dreams are recounted, and the third dream is said to be very unsettling and key to understanding his actions. Naturally, [[LiteraryAgentHypothesis Johnny misplaced those pages]].

* In the ''Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse'' book ''The Jedi Path'', the prophecy of TheChosenOne is conspicuously redacted. Luke suspects that Palpatine is responsible.

----

* In ''Literature/Discworld'', [[DirtyOldWoman Nanny Ogg]]'s Cookbook is censored at regular intervals for being deemed obscene by the editors. Her chapter on "of manners and convenances in bed" is almost completely covered by the editors' memos, and only weird, out-of-context fragments are readable for added NoddleImplement.

* In ''Film/EventHorizon'', the distress signal sent by the eponymous starship contains the Latin phrase ''liberate me'' ("save me"). It was later realized that the message was actually [[spoiler:'''''liberate''' tute'''me'''t ex inferis'' ("save yourself from Hell")]].

* An episode of kids' show ''WesternAnimation/MarthaSpeaks'' has the kids and Martha hiding a tape recorder to record the plans of what they think are a couple of criminals getting ready to rob a bank. They retrieve the recorder later and take it to the police. When they play the tape, just as the criminals are starting to discuss details, the tape has been recorded over with Martha singing pop tunes. ([[FridgeLogic No explanation over how she managed to get time to record herself singing between the time they retrieved the tape and arrived at the police station.]]

* An episode of kids' show ''WesternAnimation/MarthaSpeaks'' has the kids and Martha hiding a tape recorder to record the plans of what they think are a couple of criminals getting ready to rob a bank. They retrieve the recorder later and take it to the police. When they play the tape, just as the criminals are starting to discuss details, the tape has been recorded over with Martha singing pop tunes. (No explanation over how she managed to get time to record herself singing between the time they retrieved the tape and arrived at the police station... Even for a kids' show, that always bothered me about this episode.)

* One of the Marine logs in ''MetroidPrime 2 Echoes'' has it abruptly ending in static.

-->'''Randall''': It reminds me of a French Canadian - tennis racket stuck to the back of - only snow goose -
bubbling out of my sister's - Brazilian donkey! I don't think I can make myself any clearer!

@@ – [=MySQL=] error [=A113=]– dbconn() – network connection lost. Please try again later@@

--->'''Eli:''' You've got to get out of here! Take Gordon! Head for the coast! Do NOT go through Rav-[transmission cuts out.]

-->"Dear Future Shop, my hard drive just crashed with all my files on it. How do I get it back?" Don't worry, all you need to do is...
-->(cuts to announcement of a recent sale at the store)
-->Be sure to follow those 4 crucial steps and you'll get your files back.

-->There's a [[LaserGuidedTykeBomb new kind of screamer]]. Do ''not'' let it into the perimeter, over.
-->I missed that last part, over... (static)

--> '''Rusty:''' ...Don't use three words when one will do, don't shift your eyes, look always at your mark, but don't stare; be specific, but not memorable; be funny, but don't make him laugh. He's got to like you, and then forget you the moment you've left his sight. And for God's sake, whatever you do, don't, under any circumstances --
--> '''Livingston:''' (off screen) Rust, can you come here a sec?
--> '''Rusty:''' Sure thing. (leaves)
--> '''Linus:''' ...

--> '''Kirk:''' Dammit dammit dammit to hell! Of all the - son of a - Couldn't you have waited two seconds? They were just about to tell us the whole thing!
--> '''Chekov:''' You ''vant'' to go beck?
--> '''[=McCoy=]:''' '''Absolutely not!'''
--> '''Kirk:''' (whispering) It's cold.

-->'''Maynard:''' He must have [[AlmostDeadGuy died while carving it]].
-->'''King Arthur:''' Look, if he was dying [[LampshadeHanging he wouldn't bother to carve "aaargh", he'd just say it]].
-->'''Galahad:''' Perhaps he was dictating.
-->'''King Arthur:''' Oh shut up!

* Halfway through ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheHalfBloodPrince'', Harry observes Professor Slughorn's memory of talking to a young Lord Voldemort in a pensieve. At certain points the image suddenly turns grey, and we hear Slughorn saying things that he didn't say-he modified the memory to cover up telling Voldemort about Horcruxes.
** Ironically, once the true memory is revealed, it turns out Slughorn mostly confirmed what Voldemort had already learned. [[spoiler:What Voldemort wanted to know was if it was possible to create multiple dark objects to keep himself alive by killing seven people]].
* The entire plot of Ellen Raskin's ''The Mysterious Disappearance of Leon (I Mean Noel)'' revolves around this trope.
** "Noel ''glub'' C ''blub'' all... I ''glub'' new...." Said by a drowning man (who survives but then vanishes), and the main characters spend the rest of the book trying to figure out what it means.
* ''Literature/ASeriesOfUnfortunateEvents'' loves this trope.

* The Book of Mazarbul in ''LordOfTheRings'' is read out with all the missing bits included as ellipses. Tolkien also [[DoingItForTheArt inscribed the relevant pages]] to show the missing burned parts.

* In the {{Belgariad}}'s second part, a crucial piece of prophecy is garbled under an ink blot. Garion figures out something is there because the previous and subsequent sentences can't possibly go together.

* Episode 30 of ''Series/MontyPythonsFlyingCircus'' had a RunningGag where periodically the skit would cut to a bizarre set of instructions being read that included the phrase "and paste down the edge of the sailor's uniform, until the word 'Maudling' is almost totally obscured." Near the end of the show, the scene cuts to BBC Newsman Richard Baker at a newsdesk talking and making increasingly strange hand gestures, however there is a voice over preventing us from hearing what he is saying. Finally the voice over ends and the normal audio concludes with Richard saying "... until the word 'Maudling' is almost totally obscured." Bonus points for never knowing what the instructions are supposed to be for to begin with.
** Another ''Python'' gag that uses this trope comes from the ''How to Irritate People'' sketch.
--> '''John Cleese:''' For example, have you ever heard about the two blondes who went to a nudist colony... ''(the audio cuts out for a few seconds, then)'' well, I didn't know he played the violin.
--> Also: "In the event of an emergency, it is vitally important that you *static..........................* AS THE WARNING BUZZER SOUNDS!

--> '''The Doctor:''' "...you're not indestructible, so for God's sake, not matter how bored you get, stay out of" ''(teleports away)''

-->'''Hordriss:''' It looks just like-- ''[He vanishes]''
-->'''Pickle:''' Oh, would you believe it? Why does that always happen when you get to the best bit?

* Hugh Laurie's [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SjBdVYG9ms "All We Gotta Do"]] is all about this. He has the answers to all the world's problems...which he unfortunately mumbles.

* In the ''AudioPlay/BigFinishDoctorWho'' ''Companion Chronicles'' audio drama "Tales from the Vaut", a century old phonograph record in the U.N.I.T. vault contains a warning from the Doctor's companion Steven Taylor. Unfortunately, it deteriorates before it can explain exactly what it's a warning about.

* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons''

* In [=GlaDOS'=] opening announcement from ''VideoGame/{{Portal}}'':

** ''VideoGame/{{Portal 2}}'' gives us this gem. For added laughs, it's played over a graphical depiction of a giant leopard-patterned turret invading the UN, which becomes a BrickJoke later.
--->'''Announcer:''' "If the earth is being governed by a manner of animal king, sentient cloud, or other governing body that either refuses to, or is incapable of, listening to reason, th..." (recording slows to a stop)
* Also from the Orange Box, in ''VideoGame/HalfLife2: Episode Two'', when Alyx (with you alongside her) tries to transmit a warning about an approaching Combine armada to her Dr. Magnusson from the radio tower, transmission interference cuts her off before she's able to convey it properly.

-->'''Eli:''' You've got to get out of here! Take Gordon! Head for the coast! Do NOT go through Rav-[transmission cuts out.]
* Happens in ''VideoGame/HalfLife1'', in the level where you finally meet the Black Ops Assassins ("Apprehension").
--> '''Barney:''' "Freeman, right? I've got a message for you. Make sure you..." [[KilledMidSentence <bang!> "Aaggghh!"]]

* In ''RebelAssault II'', the first mission CutScene has a static - ridden message from a freighter pilot, mentioning "...new weapons..." and generally foreshadowing. Several missions later, you recover the freighter itself and can receive the full message. The static is done so that if you know the full message, you can just tell most of it when reviewing the original.
** Wedge Antilles, during the Assault on Kile II mission in the first ''RogueSquadron'' game, ends up having his transmission cut as he ends up shot down by an ambush of TIE interceptors.

* ''[[VideoGame/TronTwoPointOh Tron 2.0]]'' is loaded with this. For about three-quarters of the game, Jet's receiving incomplete, cryptic, and static-filled transmissions from [=Ma3a=] or "Guest." In "Guest's" case [[spoiler: it turns out Alan is making do with an old arcade game and junk from the storage closet he's locked in]]. Unfortunately, the poor communication ''does'' kill [[spoiler: Alan doesn't realize it's his son that's trying to help Ma3a]] and Jet doesn't get the message [[spoiler: ''not'' to compile the Tron Legacy ([[Film/TronLegacy no relation]]) code]] until it is ''way'' too late.

* The Wiki/SCPFoundation uses this to a great extent to ensure that humanity isn't exposed to [REDACTED] or [DATA EXPUNGED] with regards to the creators of █████ and ████████.

* The ''[[WesternAnimation/HarveyBirdmanAttorneyAtLaw Harvey Birdman]]'' episode, "Sebben & Sebben New Employee Orientation / Juicer Instruction" video has a number of instances where the audio or filmstrip skips, skipping a piece of information that was about to be disclosed, or connecting two unrelated topics in the middle of the narration. As well as, of course, cutting away from the Employee Orientation into how to use your new juicer.
* An episode of kids' show ''MarthaSpeaks'' has the kids and Martha hiding a tape recorder to record the plans of what they think are a couple of criminals getting ready to rob a bank. They retrieve the recorder later and take it to the police. When they play the tape, just as the criminals are starting to discuss details, the tape has been recorded over with Martha singing pop tunes. (No explanation over how she managed to get time to record herself singing between the time they retrieved the tape and arrived at the police station... Even for a kids' show, that always bothered me about this episode.)

* In ''TheSimpsons'', Homer suffers a mental version of this:
** "When the fire starts to burn, There's a lesson you must learn. Something something, then you'll see: You'll avoid catastrophe!"
*** D'oh!

-->'''Kent Brockman:''' ...which if true, means death to us all.

-->'''Ned:''' Don't do it! Don't do it! You'll kill everyone.
-->'''Transmission:''' ''(hiss)'' ...do it! ''(hiss)'' ...do it! ''(hiss)'' ...kill everyone!

* ''VideoGame/ReturnToZork'': When you leave the mayor, Trembyle calls you through Tele-Orb: "That old bore... Oh, that reminds me. Did I tell you about that boar we ran into in the Forest of the Spirits..." and the orb goes out. When you replace the battery, Trembyle finishes the phrase "...use it wisely." The former is a useful hint, the latter is LostForever.

* ''TabletopGame/CallOfCthulhu'' supplement ''Cthulhu By Gaslight'', adventure "The Yorkshire Horrors". An account by a Roman legion scribe of an attack by CthulhuMythos monsters and cultists has two parts that are hard or impossible to read. The first possibly refers to "walking trees" (actually Dark Spawn of Shub-Niggurath). The second is a stain of blood or perspiration that covers up part of the narrative.

* ''LookToTheWest'' takes the form of transmissions from a scouting party in an AlternateUniverse sent home, consisting mainly of excerpts from local history books. As the story goes on, more of these history books have parts censored. Part #100 of the story has constant breaks in transmission with static: this is not explained until the end of the chapter, in which we learn [[spoiler:the scouts were attacked by locals and their transmitter destroyed partway through transmission, corrupting parts of the file]].

* The JonathanCoulton song "Chiron Beta Prime"

* The ''[[HarveyBirdmanAttorneyAtLaw Harvey Birdman]]'' episode, "Sebben & Sebben New Employee Orientation / Juicer Instruction" video has a number of instances where the audio or filmstrip skips, skipping a piece of information that was about to be disclosed, or connecting two unrelated topics in the middle of the narration. As well as, of course, cutting away from the Employee Orientation into how to use your new juicer.