Line #11 Main/RegularCaller


1	In action, adventure or drama shows, the protagonists need a CallToAdventure. [[OncePerEpisode Every. Single. Episode.]] In a series with low [[SeasonFluidity seasonal fluidity]], a single call may last for an entire series, or at least a few episodes. But if FailureIsTheOnlyOption, then don't be surprised to see a Call happen once a week. Originality is hard, so expect to see writers fall back on the same Call frequently. When the same Call comes on a semi-regular basis or even every episode, this is a RegularCaller.
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3	When done well, it ties into the premise of the show and follows logically, and when done poorly it comes off as contrived and risks breaking suspension of disbelief. This trope is ubiquitous in things like {{Police Procedural}}s, Medical Dramas and Courtroom Dramas.
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5	The MagneticPlotDevice can overlap with the RegularCaller, however the Magnetic Plot Device is usually just an in [[TheVerse universe]] justification for the RegularCaller. The BatSignal is one specific kind of RegularCaller. Compare ProphecyPileup, when this happens with prophecies related to a ChosenOne. See also TheMainCharactersDoEverything.
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7	----
8	!!Examples:
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11	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
12	* In ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'', Kyubey is insistent to the point of being annoying on the whole 'Sign a contract with me and become magical girls' thing. Even when the girls are witnessing horrifying and traumatic things happening to those who decided to sign such contracts. ''Especially'' when the girls are witnessing horrifying/traumatic things. [[spoiler:Kyubey has a knack for calling at the most [[ManipulativeBastard manipulative]] times, when the girls are most vulnerable to his offer. Quoting the character sheet: "[[{{Metaphorgotten}} The call is on reversed charges, though.]] ''[[DealWithTheDevil With international call prices]]''."]]
13	** It should be noted that all the contracts made by Kyubey over the course of the series are done as part of a plan to get [[TheChosenOne Madoka]], who is [[spoiler:the greatest source of anti-entropy energy in the universe]], to make a contract. It is unlikely that he is '''always''' this insistent, since under normal circumstances, when someone initially refuses his offer, it would be much more time-efficient for Kyubey to just find someone more willing [[spoiler:and [[UnwittingPawn gullible]]]].
14	* In ''Anime/CowboyBebop'', the Call usually comes in the form of a bounty that needs hunting. Sometimes the Caller is ''[[ShowWithinAShow Big Shots]]'', but just as often they've already found out about it through other channels and ''Big Shots'' just handles the exposition (and PluckyComicRelief).
15	* Freeter of ''Manga/YuushaGojoKumiaiKouryuugataKeijiban'' (AKA, ''Hero Union BBS'') is frequently targeted by SummonEverymanHero type spells, to the point that he ''dodged'' the 24th summon circle that appeared under his feet before it could whisk him away to yet another world. And then he jumped through after consulting his buddies on the transdimensional message board. He goes on at least two more quests over the course of the series.
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18	[[folder:ComicBooks]]
19	* In ''[[ComicBook/SamAndMaxFreelancePolice Sam & Max]]'' and its various adaptations, every case is preceded by a call from the mysterious Commissioner.
20	* In the Silver Age, Comicbook/{{Superman}} often received a CallToAdventure in the form of Jimmy Olsen's signal watch. That, or Perry White would send him to investigate something as Clark Kent.
21	* As mentioned above, the BatSignal is a classic example from the Franchise/{{Batman}} mythos.
22	* ''ComicBook/{{Plutona}}'' has a direct line from the Commissioner that he uses when the city needs help.
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25	[[folder:Fan Works]]
26	* ''Fanfic/{{Paradoxus}}'': In the [[Recap/ParadoxusCapitulo04 fourth chapter]], Bloom learns that it's the Burning Crusade that is behind the attacks on Eraklyon's cities she was investigating the chapter prior. She excuses herself from the conversation to go silently brood about the unending stream of fighting dimensional menaces that has been the Winx's lives up until this point; made worse by the fact they now have families and want a calm, safe dimension to raise their daughters in. Yet, when she emerges from her bath, she accepts forging an alliance with Galadwen because she now has much more to lose.
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29	[[folder:Literature]]
30	* In ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'', there seems to be some supernatural crisis occurring on the streets of Chicago every six months or so. Of course, this is eventually [[JustifiedTrope justified]] in that many of these events were apparently due to the REAL BigBad's (whoever that or they are) EvilPlan to...we're not entirely sure yet, make Harry's life a living hell? It helps that Harry has mentioned that magic and dark forces have been getting stronger of late.
31	** In ''Literature/ColdDays'', we find out why that's been happening. Basically, the theoretical "Black Council" is [[spoiler: in truth not a mastermind or organization, but TheCorruption]].
32	* In Creator/MichaelMoorcock's ''Literature/EternalChampion'' stories, Erekosë (a.k.a. Elric) is always called to a different war on a different world, only getting some measure of peace for a short period of time.
33	* Literature/HarryPotter gets a new call every year, and it almost always has something to do with the current Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. (The reason the subject gets a new teacher every year is finally explained toward the end of the series: [[spoiler:Tom Riddle put a curse on the position after he was turned down for it himself, so that whoever got the job would have something unpleasant happen to him]].)
34	* In ''Literature/WearingTheCape'', Crisis Aid and Intervention Heroes (the setting's city superteams) aren't patrolling freelance crimefighters. Instead they are special services contractors tied into a city's emergency-response department, and most of Hope/Astra's action-scenes start with a summons from Dispatch.
35	* Michael from the ''Literature/KnightAndRogueSeries'' finds one grand adventure (a.k.a. some crime to investigate) per book.
36	* In the ''Literature/YoungWizards'' series the god-like PowersThatBe will usually manipulate things so the wizards will stumble upon whatever it is they're needed to do, though occasionally the wizards are given direct orders.
37	* Though it's never stated outright, there are hints that [[spoiler: [[OurGodsAreDifferent Indra]]]] in Geoph Essex's ''Jackrabbit Messiah'' is the ''god'' of the Call - right down to a phone call itself being his initial method of prodding the protagonist into the plot!
38	* Literature/{{Quiller}} usually starts a novel being coaxed or conned into taking a mission by various directors of the Bureau. This is perfectly acceptable to him, as all shadow executives are {{Blood Knight}}s and their superiors are expected to be {{Manipulative Bastard}}s.
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41	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
42	* In ''Series/StargateSG1'', the main RegularCaller is referred to as an "Unscheduled Offworld Activation". The Unscheduled Offworld Activation happens in almost every episode (except clip shows). The other main one is the Asgard beaming one of the main cast members aboard their spacecraft and requesting their assistance, usually while they are in the middle of something important.
43	* ''Series/CharliesAngels'': "Good morning, Angels!"
44	* ''Series/MissionImpossible'': "Good morning, Mr. Phelps."
45	* ''Series/UFO1970'': SHADO springs into action whenever SID (Space Intruder Detector) detects a FlyingSaucer approaching from space.
46	* ''Series/SevenDays'': The first indication the Chrononaut project has that there's a problem they need to deal with is Frank Parker and the Sphere both disappearing--because they've just arrived somewhere else from seven days in the future, [[OnlyOneMeAllowedRightNow and they can't exist in two places at once]].
47	* ''Series/BurnNotice'': Every single week early on in the series, Michael is either tricked, guilted, or goaded into undertaking a mission that has nothing to do with himself. More recently his sociopathic "handler" just hands him missions.
48	* ''Series/{{Chuck}}'': The General gives the team their missions, usually.
49	** Or Chuck will happen to flash on something relevant and ''then'' the General gives the team their mission. Although this was common at the beginning, it petered out to the point where it hardly happens at all after he gets the Intersect 2.0
50	* ''Series/QuantumLeap'' had Sam simply Leap into a new time period when he was done fixing the last one. Oh boy.
51	* ''Series/{{Leverage}}'': An aggrieved party usually seeks out the services of the team.
52	* ''Series/{{NCIS}}'': Another dead Naval officer.
53	* ''Series/DoctorWho'':
54	** In Series 5, has started having literal calls to adventure, when the Doctor gets a phone call in the TARDIS from some other part of space and time. UsefulNotes/WinstonChurchill has done it twice (the second time getting re-routed to River Song because the Doctor didn't pick up), and so has an unnamed monarch calling about "an Egyptian goddess loose on the Orient Express. InSpace."
55	** This isn't the first time; Martha gives the Doctor her phone at the end of the Series 3 finale [[Recap/DoctorWhoS29E13LastOfTheTimeLords "Last of the Time Lords"]] for precisely this reason.
56	** Bonus points since the TARDIS is [[ShapeshifterModeLock Mode Locked]] into a police callbox.
57	** According to Creator/StevenMoffat this was due to ExecutiveMeddling, as the BBC execs were unfamiliar with the ContrivedCoincidence of the Doctor always turning up at the right time to stop an EvilPlan.
58	* ''WesternAnimation/FilmationsGhostbusters'', the original LiveActionTV version: "Good afternoon, Ghost Busters. This is Mr. Zero..."
59	* ''Series/PersonOfInterest'': the team is sent the Social Security Number of either a victim or a perpetrator of an upcoming violent crime. In Season 2, this trope is revealed to be literal: the [[BenevolentAI Machine]] uses payphones to relay the numbers. As Finch often says, "The Numbers never stop coming." Although for plot-simplification Team Machine focus on one Number at a time, sometimes more than one Number arrives and Team Machine have to split up and work them individually.
60	* Series/Danger5 are briefed by the eagle-headed Colonel, who for some unknown reason insists on bullying IceQueen Claire as a RunningGag.
61	* Short lived Creator/KirstieAlley & Creator/GregEvigan series, ''Masquerade'' was sort of a ''Series/MissionImpossible'' on a budget mixed with ''Series/TheLoveBoat''. A CIA type agency had all its agents exposed so the head of the agency would have the stars recruit a new team of civilians with relevant talents played by a group of guest stars.
62	* In ''Series/{{Llanargollen}}'', detective duo Prys and Ceri are always called on OnceAnEpisode to solve a mystery in their village. "There's a mystery to solve, and that's no lie; Call the detectives, before things go awry!"
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65	[[folder:Puppet Shows]]
66	* ''Series/CaptainScarletAndTheMysterons'' has the Mysterons announce their latest plot to Spectrum, prompting the episode's adventure. Sometimes [[BatmanGambit Spectrum's reaction to the warning is a key part of the Mysterons scheme.]]
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69	[[folder:VideoGames]]
70	* A famous example lies within the ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' series, in which Mario frequently finds his self rescuing Princess Peach from the vicious King Bowser.
71	* Every couple generations, ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda's'' Ganondorf tries to take over Hyrule. Coincidentally, every time he tries, there's a green-shirted elf around who is the only one able to stop him. Specifically, he's sometimes the Hero of Time, but more recently he's going as The Wind Waker, or, "The Hero Formerly Known as the Hero of Time." There's only [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker one exception to this rule]].
72	* "[[Franchise/TouhouProject Reimu]], you must investigate the scarlet mist!" "Reimu, you must investigate why SpringIsLate!" "Reimu, you must investigate the false moon!"...and so on. Justified, since [[BrilliantButLazy if it's not for Yukari's (or Marisa's) once-per-episode urging, Reimu will never do her job]]. It's AllThereInTheManual, though.
73	* [[BadassNormal Adol]] [[KnightErrant Christin]] of VideoGame/{{Ys}}. His attitude can be summed up by: 'Ok, saved this place. [[GotTheCallOnSpeedDial Time to go look for the next place in need of saving]].' While he often finds or is granted magical talismans by grateful locals and goddesses, he either returns them when he's done with them or they fall victim to his [[BagOfSpilling bad luck with ships.]] He's done this seven times, not counting spinoff and AlternateUniverse / CanonDiscontinuity games.
74	* ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamAsylum'' and ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamCity'' features Oracle, Batman's Mission Control who he contacts on a frequent basis, but the real caller is Joker in Arkham City. Deconstructed when it turns out that calling Batman so frequently is part of his (somewhat successful) plan, [[spoiler: because by intentionally giving away hints and playing on Batman's detective mind, he actually succeeds at "[hiding] something from the World's Greatest Detective" by making the truth look like it was too easy to guess to be the logical answer, "dangling it in front of him, right under his big pointy nose", and so Batman failed to realize in time that Joker had a REALLY hammy decoy. The result is that Talia was grievously, maybe even Lazarus-can't-save-them fatally, wounded - and so was Joker.]]
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77	[[folder:WebComics]]
78	* The whole premise of ''Webcomic/TheInexplicableAdventuresOfBob'' is to {{Lampshade}} this. Bob is always minding his own business when some new "call" comes completely out of nowhere and for no apparent reason. Most frequently, The Call crashes into his roof.
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81	[[folder:WesternAnimation]]
82	* In ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'', Phineas finds himself asking "Hey, where's Perry?" near the beginning of nearly every episode, after which it cuts to the pet platypus (under the secret agent name "Agent P") receiving a mission from Major Monogram to stop the evil Dr. Doofenschmirtz, who has usually been found trying to build another [[ThingOMatic -inator device]] fueled by his troubled childhood in order to take over the Tri-State Area.
83	* ''WesternAnimation/InspectorGadget'' would always get an assignment from Chief Quimby in the form of a self-destructing telegram. He would then always assure Quimby "Don't worry, chief, I'm ''always'' on duty!" before marching off to duty, only to throw the telegram away so that it literally blows up in the Chief's face.
84	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' has Professor Farnsworth say "Good news, everyone!" to his employees. It's usually BlatantLies.
85	* ''Series/{{Thunderbirds}}'' has Thunderbird 5 monitoring worldwide communications, to allow them to react to emergencies even though they were a secret organization with no method of direct contact.
86	* ''WesternAnimation/SuperFriends'' (1973-74). The title heroes are called into action by either (a) an emergency signal from the [=TroubAlert=] computer, (b) a message from Colonel Wilcox or (c) both.
87	* ''Franchise/ThePowerpuffGirls'' has the team being called by the mayor and a phone with a flashing red light going off.
88	* 'Hey [[MissionControl Wade]], what's the sitch?' from ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'' pretty much kickstarts every adventure.
89	* Every time the alarm goes off on ''WesternAnimation/TimeSquad''. In one episode, it doesn't go off for several months, which the team is initially happy about since they just got off a particularly rough mission, but then boredom starts to drive them crazy. Eventually, they figure out that the alarm was broken and that they've actually accumulated a huge backlog of missions.
90	* ''WesternAnimation/WonderPets'': "The phone, the phone is winging...there's an animal in trouble!"
91	* In ''WesternAnimation/SWATKats'', Deputy Mayor Callie Briggs has a communicator to summon the titular heroes.
92	** Except for two or three episodes, where they see what's happening on the live news with Ann Gora, and scramble at seeing it.
93	* In ''WesternAnimation/WalterMelon'', being called to adventure happens once or twice every episode. The "protagonist", Walter Melon, an out of shape, far from brilliant "hero for hire" is usually called on the phone by a very poorly disguised pastiche of the actual protagonist from a movie or TV series when they cannot finish their adventure themselves, and hired to do it in their stead. He accepts all major credit cards.
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Context Main / RegularCaller