History Main / NeverGiveTheCaptainAStraightAnswer

Now, if this were a real spaceship [[note]]okay, we don't actually have spaceships complex enough to have "bridges" or "captains" yet, but just bear with us here[[/note]], your duty would be to give a short, concise description of the problem. To do otherwise would be irresponsible to the point of criminality.

*** {{Lampshaded}} by SFDebris in one of his reviews in that the Enterprise is less advanced than a teenage girl, because she at least could have whipped out a cell phone and taken a dozen pictures to message the captain with.

* ''{{Eureka}}'', pilot episode. "That's not all we've found — better come take a look."

* Within three pages, ''[[Literature/{{Temeraire}} His Majesty's Dragon]]'' has William Lawrence being told "there is something queer in the hold" of the French ship his crew just captured. No hints concerning the new bulkhead or [[EggMcGuffin heavily secured crate beyond]] are given.

* In the ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' episode [[Recap/SupernaturalS02E21AllHellBreaksLoosePartOne "All Hell Breaks Loose, Part One" (S02, Ep21)]], Ash insists Dean comes to the Roadhouse to find out what he has learned about the Yellow-Eyed Demon, but this may be a JustifiedTrope as he did not feel comfortable discussing his discovery over a phone line.

* This seems to happen to StephenColbert offscreen. Experienced fans know that "We have some footage - now, I have not seen this..." is the cue for an immediate fit of rage and/or tears when the clip actually rolls.

* In ''ExMachina'', Mayor Hundred's chief of staff drags him to the Brooklyn Museum of Art to look at a painting of Abe Lincoln with the word "nigger" across his face, claiming he needed to see it for himself.

** ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration''. In one episode Commander Riker is ordered to report on a situation and all he can come up with is, "Trouble."

* Fairly {{egregious}} in ''Series/DoctorWho'': "The Stolen Earth", as, independently and all over the world, Sylvia Noble (Donna's mum), Sarah Jane Smith, Martha Jones, and Captain Jack Harkness all desperately try to find out what's just happened to the ''entire planet'', only to have whoever's nearby insist that they have to see it for themselves.
** Subverted in "The Time of Angels": Christian and Bob request clarification when told to "Come and see" by a squadmate: "It's not a school trip. Just tell me." [[spoiler: It is, in fact, the Weeping Angel - using their companions' voices. It still kills them.]]

* Subverted in ''JonathanStrangeAndMrNorrell'', where the Greystones' servant says he has to show something to Drawlight. He says it can be seen from the edge of the canal... and then he kicks Drawlight into the canal.

* Creator/DeanKoontz's ''{{Phantoms}}''. In one house Deputy Frank Autry finds a room with bullets (not complete cartidges, just the part that shoots out of the gun) all over the floor. He realizes that they're all of the bullets that have been fired at the mystery monster during the book. He calls his superior Sheriff Bryce Hammond on the radio.

* Inverted in ''Literature/HoratioHornblower''. Hornblower doesn't give his ''crew'' a straight answer so that success will look better to them.

* Parodied in (what else?) ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': In the "lemon tree" episode, Nelson bursts into Mrs. Krabappel's class and says, "Everyone come quick! {{No time to explain}}!" All the children start to run across town, but have to stop when Nelson needs a drink of water. Someone asks if it wouldn't be faster just to tell them what happened, and he snaps, "No! I said there was no time to explain and I stand by that!"

* ''Series/BabylonFive'': it is ALWAYS "Captain, I think you need to see this" or "you'd better get down here". They really need to work on adding some security to those links.

-->Later turns out to be {{justified}} because the Ensign was ordered by a superior officer to only tell the Captain what was going on face to face for security reasons.

* ''Franchise/StarTrek'' in its various incarnations is far and away the most common user, most notably when Commander Riker is ordered to report on a situation and all he can come up with is, "Trouble."

* In ''Film/{{Alien}}'', Ash does this to Captain Dallas twice. His actions can be taken as a bit of FridgeBrilliance, because Ash is [[spoiler:a robot who wants the alien for study and possibly for it to impregnate as many crew members as possible]].

->''I don't like when they encounter something amazing in Engineering or wherever and call up to the bridge and say "Captain, you'd better get down here." Explain what it is! THAT IS WHAT PEOPLE DO. I don't call up my friends and say, "Utahraptor, you'd better get down here." and he says "Why?" and I say "Oh Utahraptor, if only we had descriptive language; if only I could describe something using my words. But you know as well as I that I can only point and say, lookit."''
-->-- '''T-Rex''' on why [[PetPeeveTrope this trope]] bugs him, ''DinosaurComics'', [[http://www.qwantz.com/archive/001270.html #1270]]

Now, if this were a real spaceship [[hottip:*:okay, we don't actually have spaceships complex enough to have "bridges" or "captains" yet, but just bear with us here]], your duty would be to give a short, concise description of the problem. To do otherwise would be irresponsible to the point of criminality.

* This seems to happen to StephenColbert offscreen. Experienced fans know that "We have some footage - now, I have not seen this..." is the cue for an immediate fit of rage and/or tears when the clip actually rolls. [[FridgeLogic Why doesn't anyone tell him what's]] ''[[FridgeLogic in]]'' [[FridgeLogic these clips?]]
** [[RuleOfFunny It's funnier this way.]]
** [[FridgeBrilliance They tried.]] [[GutFeeling He insisted he already knew-- in his gut.]]

** Plus McCoy wants Kirk to be there for [[spoiler: Spock's last moments]], hence the "Better...hurry."