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| 3 | %% This page has been alphabetized. Please add new examples in the correct order. Thanks! |
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| 6 | %% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1452266899092104700 |
| 7 | %% Please do not replace or remove without starting a new thread. |
| 8 | %% |
| 9 | [[quoteright:350:[[Webcomic/CyanideAndHappiness https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/cyanide_hapiness_garfield.png]]]] |
| 10 | [[caption-width-right:350:Yes, ''ComicStrip/{{Garfield}}'''s been lying to you your whole life.]] |
| 11 | |
| 12 | ->''"Hey, check it — whaddaya buyin'? Heh, heard that in a game once."'' |
| 13 | -->-- '''Rodin''', ''VideoGame/{{Bayonetta}}'' (referencing ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil4'''s inexplicably pirate-accented merchant) |
| 14 | |
| 15 | A group of characters is in some sort of fix or trouble. One character steps up and: |
| 16 | |
| 17 | * contrives a plan just CrazyEnoughToWork |
| 18 | * or manages a bit of out of character or unexpected badassery |
| 19 | * or pulls off a clever [[BondOneLiner bit of dialogue]] that stops everyone in their tracks |
| 20 | * pulls off some manner of complicated stunt like an old pro |
| 21 | |
| 22 | The other people in the scenario, Mooks, DamselInDistress, and even the villain are impressed by this display of incredible competence and showmanship. |
| 23 | |
| 24 | The character who just amazed the crowd shrugs it off modestly, [[StockPhrases saying simply]], "Saw it in a movie once." |
| 25 | |
| 26 | Variations include: |
| 27 | * Saw it on a TV show |
| 28 | * Read it in a book |
| 29 | * My dad/mentor/grandfather once told me a story about it |
| 30 | * Dreamed I did it |
| 31 | |
| 32 | Sister trope to both TaughtByTelevision, YouWatchTooMuchX, and IKnowMortalKombat. See also CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass. |
| 33 | ---- |
| 34 | !!Examples: |
| 35 | |
| 36 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 37 | |
| 38 | [[folder:Anime & Manga]] |
| 39 | * ''Literature/FullMetalPanic'': Kaname says this in the first season when she, Sōsuke, and Kurz are trapped by an army of soldiers in a small trench. The movie she remembers? ''Film/ButchCassidyAndTheSundanceKid''. [[BolivianArmyEnding Yeah, not too encouraging.]] They come out alright, though. |
| 40 | * ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'': |
| 41 | ** ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureStoneOcean Stone Ocean]]'': When trapped in a memory of a crashing jet fighter, Jolyne asks the pilot on how to properly eject the seat she's in, merely because she saw a movie showing a jet fighter with a seat ejection. |
| 42 | ** ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureJoJolion JoJolion]]'': While evading Kei's Born This Way, Josuke hides out in a building but refrains from going up the stairs since he's seen enough horror movies to know that something would be waiting for him atop. |
| 43 | * Subverted in ''Manga/NoMatterHowILookAtItItsYouGuysFaultImNotPopular'' where Tomoko Kuroki tries to apply almost everything she sees in the internet or in ''[[DatingSim Otome]]'' games in order to gain popularity and get laid. ''[[CringeComedy Horrible]]'' HilarityEnsues. |
| 44 | * ''Manga/TheWorldGodOnlyKnows'': This is DatingSim {{Otaku}} Keima Katsuragi's schtick. Whenever someone asks him how he could make a [[InsaneTrollLogic bizarre leap of logic]] or [[AwesomeByAnalysis figure out something in an instant]], he replies, "It often goes like this. [[IKnowMortalKombat In games.]]" |
| 45 | [[/folder]] |
| 46 | |
| 47 | [[folder:Asian Animation]] |
| 48 | * In episode 6 of ''Animation/BoBoiBoy'', Gopal hits two of [=BoBoiBoy=]'s elemental duplicates on the head with a [[FryingPanOfDoom frying pan]] to get them to remember who they are, claiming that he saw this technique on a television show once. Ochobot then hits Gopal himself on the head with a frying pan when the latter can't remember which show it was specifically. |
| 49 | [[/folder]] |
| 50 | |
| 51 | [[folder:Comedy]] |
| 52 | * Creator/StevenWright, to a hitchhiker he'd picked up: "Put your seatbelt on, I want to try something. I saw it in a cartoon once, but I'm pretty sure I can do it." |
| 53 | [[/folder]] |
| 54 | |
| 55 | [[folder:Comic Books]] |
| 56 | * ''ComicBook/{{Robin|1993}}'': While Tim has some of the best martial arts training available in the DCU, having trained under ComicBook/{{Batman}}, ComicBook/{{Nightwing}}, and ComicBook/LadyShiva among others, he still once cheerfully chirps to Bruce that a move he pulled off during a fight was something he "learned from Tom Cruise". |
| 57 | [[/folder]] |
| 58 | |
| 59 | [[folder:Comic Strips]] |
| 60 | * ''ComicStrip/FoxTrot'': After Jason and Paige spill cola into Andy's computer, Paige urges Jason to fix it. He says he remembers seeing Series/{{MacGyver|1985}} do something similar. They need to prise the computer open, clean it out... and then hook it up to bicycle. Or maybe it was a minivan... |
| 61 | * ''ComicStrip/{{Garfield}}'': [[https://www.gocomics.com/garfield/2019/03/16 says]] that "just because you see somebody doing something in a movie... doesn't mean '''you''' can do it" and Garfield wonders why Jon's limping. |
| 62 | [[/folder]] |
| 63 | |
| 64 | [[folder:Fan Works]] |
| 65 | * Examples from Fanfic/{{the Calvinverse}}: |
| 66 | ** From ''Fanfic/CalvinAndHobbesIIIDoubleTrouble'': |
| 67 | --->'''Calvin:''' I saw this on that ''WesternAnimation/{{Jimmy Neutron|Boy Genius}}'' movie!" |
| 68 | ** ''Fanfic/CalvinAndHobbesTheSeries'' has a young Frank Brainstorm attempting to be a pioneer for this reason. It doesn't end well for him. |
| 69 | ** Later, Socrates claims to have gotten the idea to go into a tree from ''WesternAnimation/TheMagicSchoolBus''. |
| 70 | * ''Fanfic/TheManyDatesOfDannyFenton'': When the Snippet based on the timeline where Danny chooses Jen is adapted into a spinoff, it's revealed that falsely accusing Danny and Jen of stealing his tickets is an idea Dash got from a movie. |
| 71 | * In ''WebVideo/YuGiOhTheAbridgedSeries'', when Pegasus drops Bandit Keith through a TrapDoor, he says, "I learned this trick from watching ''Manga/ExcelSaga''!" |
| 72 | [[/folder]] |
| 73 | |
| 74 | [[folder:Films — Animation]] |
| 75 | * In the climax of ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooAndTheWitchsGhost'', when Scooby is captured by the titular ghost, Shaggy tries to save him by throwing water on the ghost. The ghost is left wet and angry while Shaggy is surprised [[ImMelting she's not melting]]. |
| 76 | -->'''Shaggy:''' Like, it worked in ''Film/TheWizardOfOz''. |
| 77 | * ''WesternAnimation/Shrek1'': Justified in that Shrek's world is literally a land of fairy tales, and that the book he mentions is specifically the tale about the very princess they are trying to rescue. Not only that, but said book is the one he was reading (and used as toilet paper) at the very beginning of the movie. |
| 78 | -->'''Shrek:''' The princess will be up the stairs in the highest room in the tallest tower.\ |
| 79 | '''Donkey:''' How do you know she's gonna be there?\ |
| 80 | '''Shrek:''' I read it in a book once. |
| 81 | * The WesternAnimation/YellowSubmarine traverses the Sea of Time where they see a figure whom Ringo mistakes for Father Christmas. John clarifies it's Father Time and quantifies it as he read it in a book. |
| 82 | [[/folder]] |
| 83 | |
| 84 | [[folder:Films — Live-Action]] |
| 85 | * ''Film/Aquaman2018''. Arthur finds a way to escape their pursuers: hiding inside a whale's mouth. He states, "It worked for Pinocchio!" while Mera (being from Atlantis) doesn't understand the reference. Later while in Sicily, a child hands her ''Literature/TheAdventuresOfPinocchio'' and she's not amused. |
| 86 | --> '''Mera''': You risked our lives based on something you read in a children's book?\ |
| 87 | '''Arthur''': It's a book? How 'bout that? [[AdaptationDisplacement I got it from the movie.]] |
| 88 | * ''Film/TheATeam'': |
| 89 | -->'''Murdock:''' ''[while flying a helicopter]'' Hold on, guys, I'm gonna try something I saw in a cartoon once! |
| 90 | * In ''Film/BillAndTedsBogusJourney'', after the pair are murdered by the "Evil Robot Uses" (resulting in them becoming ghosts) they try to warn everyone by [[DemonicPossession possessing Ted's dad]]; when Ted asks Bill if he's sure it will work, Bill replies, "It worked in ''Film/TheExorcist'', parts 1 ''and'' 3." |
| 91 | * In ''Film/TheCandySnatchers'', Eddy says to his accomplice, "I gotta hand it to you, Jessie. I could never have thought of this." Jessie replies, "Me neither. It was on television." |
| 92 | * ''Film/DemolitionMan'': Lenina (Sandra Bullock) explained away [[IKnowKarate her martial arts prowess]] as being from watching Creator/JackieChan movies. |
| 93 | * ''Film/Deranged2012'': When the girls try to get past Max the AngryGuardDog, Mary says she knows what to do because she saw it on The Dog Whisperer. Needless to say it doesn't work. |
| 94 | * Subverted in ''Film/DumbAndDumber'' when Lloyd (Jim Carrey) tricks a group of tough guys they encountered in a restaurant to pay for a meal for himself and Harry (Jeff Daniels), claiming he saw it in a movie. However, it turns out the plan wasn't as foolproof as they thought. |
| 95 | -->'''Harry Dunn:''' That was genius, Lloyd... sheer genius. Where did you come up with a scam like that?\ |
| 96 | '''Lloyd Christmas:''' I saw it in a movie once.\ |
| 97 | '''Harry Dunn:''' Ha ha! That was incredible! So what happened? So the guy tricked some sucker into picking up his tab and gets away with it scot free?\ |
| 98 | '''Lloyd Christmas:''' No, in the movie they catch up to him a half a mile down the road and slit his throat. It was a good one. |
| 99 | * In ''Film/FallingDown'', a random child helps VillainProtagonist Bill [[RecklessGunUsage operate the rocket launcher]] he looted off ThoseWackyNazis, walking him through the entire process [[RefugeInAudacity under the assumption that he's filming a movie]]. When Bill asks how he knows all this, he casually responds that he saw it on TV. |
| 100 | * ''Film/TheGoonies'': Mikey suggests a plan to escape from the pursuing villains in based on a ''Literature/HardyBoys'' story. [[spoiler:Unfortunately, the villains have already caught up with them.]] |
| 101 | -->'''Mikey:''' I saw this on the ''Hardy Boys'' once. We lead a trail of jewels into one cave, and then hide out in another, and when the Fratelli's go into that cave, then we can make a run for it.\ |
| 102 | '''[[spoiler:Ma Fratelli]]:''' [[spoiler:Now that sounds like an excellent idea!]] |
| 103 | * In ''Film/HighHeelsAndLowLifes'', Frances attempts to use a SkeletonKeycard to open Jimmy's door because "it always works on ''Series/CharliesAngels''". All she manages to do is [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome break every card in her wallet]]. |
| 104 | * In ''Film/TheIdolmaker'', talent manager Vinny introduces himself to ''Teen Scene'' editor Brenda by buying her yellow roses. He explains, "I can't take all the credit. I stole it from Creator/ClarkGable. It was in an old movie with Creator/ClaudetteColbert. She was a magazine editor. And old Clark Gable needed a favor." |
| 105 | * ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'': |
| 106 | ** In ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar'', Peter Parker (Spider-Man) gets his idea it to [[spoiler:take down Giant-Man by [[HobblingTheGiant tying up his legs and knocking him over]]]] from ''Star Wars''. |
| 107 | --->'''Peter:''' Hey guys, you ever see that really old movie ''[[Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack Empire Strikes Back]]''? |
| 108 | ** He does it again in ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar,'' referencing ''Film/{{Alien}}''. Here, it's his plan to [[spoiler:defeat Ebony Maw, with Tony's help, by [[ThrownOutTheAirlock spacing him.]]]] |
| 109 | %%* ''Film/PainAndGain'' : |
| 110 | %%-->''I've watched a lot of movies Paul, I know what I'm doing...'' |
| 111 | * In the ''Film/ThePirateMovie'', Frederic dropped his sword when threatened by The Pirate King. He hears a voice tell him, "Use the Force, Frederic." The sword blade glows and he calls it back to his hand, disarming The Pirate King, his mentor, The PK asks, "Did I teach you that?" He responds, "No, saw it in movie once." Since the whole reality turns out to be AllJustADream (of Mabel's), it's justified. |
| 112 | * In ''Series/TheRedGreenShow'' [[TheMovie movie]], ''Duct Tape Forever'', Harold tries to stop the men after him and Red by dumping gasoline on the road to slip up the limo behind them. The reasoning? He saw it in a James Bond movie once. It works...kind of...just not the way you'd expect. |
| 113 | * In ''Film/TheReturnOfTheLivingDead'', the GenreSavvy characters who have seen ''Film/NightOfTheLivingDead1968'' try to put a zombie down by RemovingTheHeadOrDestroyingTheBrain, with [[NiceJobBreakingItHero less than satisfactory results]]. |
| 114 | -->'''Frank:''' It worked in the movie!\ |
| 115 | '''Burt:'''Well, it ain't working now, Frank!\ |
| 116 | '''Freddy:''' You mean the movie ''lied?'' |
| 117 | * In ''Film/{{Spaceballs}}'', President Skroob decides to take a chance with "Snotty" beaming him down because "what the hell, it worked on ''Franchise/StarTrek''." |
| 118 | * ''Film/Titanic1997'': When Jack kisses Rose's hand: |
| 119 | -->'''Jack:''' I saw that in a nickelodeon once and I always wanted to do it!" |
| 120 | * Hilariously played with in ''Film/TropicThunder'' by one of the protagonists, an actor, slowly going insane from withdrawal symptoms (due to being a junkie). |
| 121 | -->'''[[Creator/JackBlack Jeff Portnoy]]:''' I know this is gonna sound crazy, but in this one film I starred in we had to infiltrate the girl's bathroom of a high school. So we built a catapult out of women's underwear and launched ourselves over the fence!\ |
| 122 | (Everyone stares at him for a moment before trying to find a more reasonable plan) |
| 123 | * ''Film/Twins1988'': Vincent is stealing a car, but doesn't want his newly found twin, Julius, who just bailed him out of jail, to know how bad a guy he is, so he tells Julius that he's borrowing it from a friend, but that the friend forgot to leave the key in the wheel well. He grabs a hanger to jimmy the lock, telling Julius, "I saw this in a movie once." When it works on the first try, he says, "Whadda ya know, beginner's luck." |
| 124 | * In ''Film/UnderThePiano'', Rosetta [[DrivenToSuicide attempts suicide]] by downing a bottle of ammonia because she once saw an opera that ends with the heroine drinking poison from a similar brown bottle. |
| 125 | * In ''Film/WillyWonkaAndTheChocolateFactory'' the children need to sign a contract to go inside the factory, Mike Teavee claims that he "Saw this in a movie once: Guy signs his wife's insurance policy, then he bumped her off." |
| 126 | [[/folder]] |
| 127 | |
| 128 | [[folder:Literature]] |
| 129 | * Parodied in ''Literature/TheAdventuresOfHuckleberryFinn''. When Tom shows up to help Huck break Jim out of captivity, Huck's pragmatic plans are always dismissed by Tom, because they 'ain't got enough style' and Tom likes to do things that he got out of books, like trying to dig a tunnel with case knives or giving Jim a bunch of pet snakes and rats. |
| 130 | * ''Literature/TheGoldenRendezvous'' by Alistair [=MacLean=]. The protagonist disarms the BigBad, who has a concealed shoulder holster, simply by yanking his jacket down over his shoulders, immobilising his arms. When the BigBad calmly asks if the protagonist is a professional like himself, he replies "American movies". |
| 131 | * In the ''Literature/{{Hoka}}'' stories, by Creator/PoulAnderson and Creator/GordonRDickson, the Hokas -- a race of teddy-bear-like aliens -- operate entirely on this principle. They absorb fictive universes (essentially, the race is a sponge for tropes), and ''{{becom|ingTheMask}}e'' [[BecomingTheMask them]]. Cowboys, spacemen, Literature/SherlockHolmes, ''Literature/TheJungleBook'' -- they cover a lot of ground. |
| 132 | * In ''Literature/InfinityBeach'', Solly gets the idea of blowing the alien Shroud out of ''Hammersmith'''s airlock from a movie (implied to be ''Film/{{Alien}}''). Unlike in ''Alien'', it doesn't work. |
| 133 | * ''Literature/TheMurderbotDiaries''. There's a RunningGag of Murderbot watching a space opera called ''The Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon''. Murderbot befriends a sentient spaceship and shows it some episodes. Later when Murderbot has to kill or injure some corporate goons, the spaceship uses its drones to remove any traces of Murderbot from the shuttle, which is then sent on autopilot to a different destination. This, of course, was in "Episode 179". |
| 134 | * Repeatedly used in ''Literature/SonicTheHedgehogInRobotniksLaboratory'' with the key difference being that they saw it on "video". Whether video is just the book showing it's age and referring to Video Tapes or that the Mobius equivalent of TV is called Video, is never made clear. |
| 135 | * ''Literature/TheTerror'': When the situation is especially bleak and crew morale is at a low, one crew member proposes a carnivale to cheer everyone up. He notes he got the idea from some pulp novel he read, but he can’t remember the book’s name or how it ends. [[spoiler:His description makes clear he’s talking about “The Masque of Red Death”, a story by Creator/EdgarAllanPoe about TheBeautifulElite trying to distract themselves from a spreading plague by throwing a party, and it ends with the characters all dying horribly at the hands of a monster. [[TemptingFate Guess what happens at the party the crew throws]].]] |
| 136 | [[/folder]] |
| 137 | |
| 138 | [[folder:Live-Action TV]] |
| 139 | * ''Series/TheATeam'' Season 3 episode "[[Recap/TheATeamS3E13Breakout Breakout]]" has a couple of robbers coercing Murdock at gun point to drive [[CoolCar the van]] to get away. Murdock, normally an AcePilot, breaks out some BadassDriver skills: |
| 140 | -->'''Robber:''' Where'd you learn to drive like ''that''?\ |
| 141 | '''Murdock:''' ''[deadpan]'' I saw ''[[Film/TheCannonballRun Cannonball Run]]'' five times. |
| 142 | * In Season 2 of ''Series/BattlestarGalactica2003'', Starbuck and Helo are stranded on Cylon-occupied Caprica and come across the local resistance movement. The leader, Samuel Anders, asks Starbuck for professional help and support, as the tactics they're using are ones they've seen in movies. We see one of their (literal) HollywoodTactics fail in "The Plan". |
| 143 | * In ''Series/BlackBooks'' Fran applies a cold compress to poorly Manny's forehead. When Bernard asks her why she's doing it, she responds: "They do that in the films." |
| 144 | * Gaz in ''Series/TwoPintsOfLagerAndAPacketOfCrisps'' attempts to stop baby Corinthian from crying by shouting: "Silencio!" When it doesn't work, he mutters irritably that it worked for Harry Potter. |
| 145 | * ''Series/{{Blossom}}'': Blossom blinds an intruder (who turns out to actually be her brother) by blowing talcum powder in face. When Six asks her where she learned that trick, Blossom replies "Series/{{MacGyver|1985}}". (Also counts as an ActorAllusion, as Blossom's actress Mayim Bialik had played a recurring character on ''Series/MacGyver1985''.) |
| 146 | * In ''Series/BroadCity'', Lincoln takes up trapeze flying because he saw it in an episode of ''Series/SexAndTheCity''. |
| 147 | * Quoth ''Series/{{Castle|2009}}'', as he's about to do something stupid while being held hostage at a bank robbery: "don't worry mother, I saw this work on ''Die Hard''." |
| 148 | %%* Abed, in ''Series/{{Community}}'', occasionally bursts out with this trope. |
| 149 | * ''Series/DoctorWho'': |
| 150 | ** "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS29E3Gridlock Gridlock]]": Martha Jones persuades the driver of an air car to shut down all systems (including the much-needed air purifier) so that the large monsters in the poisonous fog won't find them. |
| 151 | --->'''Martha:''' I saw it on a film. They used to do it in submarines. The trouble is, I can't remember what they did next. |
| 152 | ** "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS37E5TheTsurangaConundrum The Tsuranga Conundrum]]": Graham cites having seen every episode of ''Series/CallTheMidwife'' as his expertise when asked to be one of [[MisterSeahorse Yoss']] birth partners. Unfortunately, he always had to look away at the squishy bits... |
| 153 | * In one episode of ''Dracula: The Series'', the heroes escape from a [[TheWallsAreClosingIn death-trap]] the Count has in his castle because one of them saw how to in a movie. It later turns out the Count only had the trap installed in the first place because he saw the same movie. |
| 154 | * ''Series/{{Heroes}}'': Used very literally with Monica, whose superpower is being able to copy anything she's seen in person or on TV -- carve a tomato into a rose, play the piano, kick a robber's ass with a flashy wrestling move, CeilingCling... |
| 155 | * ''Series/{{House}}'' parodies this in a third season episode "Lines in the Sand" when he conducts a differential in the lobby: |
| 156 | -->'''Cuddy:''' Is this your master plan? Disrupt hospital business until I replace your carpet?\ |
| 157 | '''House:''' Devious. Saw it in a ''Film/JamesBond'' movie. |
| 158 | * ''Series/{{JAG}}'': After getting Harm out of a minefield in Afghanistan (season 7, episode 23 "In Country"), Mac acknowledges that she only learned how to do it by watching movies. |
| 159 | * ''Series/KenanAndKel'': Subverted in "Fenced In", when Kel tries to [[ItMakesSenseInContext push Kenan's head out of a metal fence using butter and motor oil]]. |
| 160 | -->'''Kel:''' Okay, now this has to work. I saw it in a movie once. Wait, no I didn't. |
| 161 | * ''Series/MarriedWithChildren'': Al is trying to catch a rabbit invading his garden, so Kelly says she saw a documentary on rabbits and how to catch them. (She was describing a Bugs Bunny cartoon.) |
| 162 | * Tony in ''Series/{{NCIS}}'' is an inveterate film buff. When he comes up with a scheme to override a video feed in order to end a hostage situation, his colleagues automatically assume he saw it in a movie, and in spite of his protests they ultimately pinpoint ''which'' movie (it was ''Film/{{Speed}}''). |
| 163 | * ''Series/{{Psych}}'' episode "Romeo and Juliet and Juliet" has Shawn mention "I saw this in a Creator/JackieChan movie..." |
| 164 | * ''Series/Supernatural'' The Season 9 Big Bad hid a distraction behind three death traps pulled out of Indiana Jones, Lord of the Rings and Home Alone. The Home Alone one was mixed with a mystical fire bomb that can kill angels, something Kevin hasn't quite mastered yet. |
| 165 | * ''Series/Brooklyn99'' In an attempt to help Amy, Jake tries a Die Hard firehose escape off the locked roof. It might have worked, but the windows had bars. |
| 166 | * Garak on ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' often uses variations of this phrase to handwave his impressive abilities or intimate knowledge of things like classified military codes. Since almost everyone knows he used to be an actual spy (and a fairly important one at that), none of the main cast believe his explanations for a second. |
| 167 | * ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'': In "[[Recap/StarTrekEnterpriseS03E09NorthStar North Star]]", while visiting a planet of humans still living in the Old West, Trip says he can ride a horse because he's "seen every Creator/JohnFord western." T'Pol is less than optimistic. |
| 168 | * Doubles as a MythologyGag in the first episode of ''Series/WeirdScience'', where Gary and Wyatt are discussing the creation of Lisa. |
| 169 | -->'''Gary:''' We could do it! I saw it in a Creator/JohnHughes movie once! |
| 170 | [[/folder]] |
| 171 | |
| 172 | [[folder:Theatre]] |
| 173 | * In ''Theatre/TheBat'', Cornelia notices a fresh trail of candle grease, and tries to follow it, saying, "Do you remember how Mr. Gillette, in ''Theatre/SherlockHolmes'', when he--" This is later subverted: |
| 174 | -->'''Brooks:''' Is this something else you saw Mr. Gillette do?\ |
| 175 | '''Cornelia:''' I'm using my wits! I never saw any man do that. |
| 176 | [[/folder]] |
| 177 | |
| 178 | [[folder:Video Games]] |
| 179 | * VideoGame/ActionTaimanin: In the Intimacy Event of Maika's support version, she blurts out to Kotaro that she read in a girl's magazine that [[IntimateLotionApplication rubbing suntan oil on a girl's back is something couples do]], which Kotaro himself is currently doing on Maika's back. |
| 180 | * In ''VideoGame/CoffeeTalk Episode 2: Hibiscus and Butterfly'', Amanda, an alien, tries taking their first order by yelling at the Barista to "pour [them] a stiff one!" They then claim it's what their research on Earth etiquette said, but Lua points out that they must've gotten the idea from Orc Westerns. |
| 181 | * Chuck Greene from ''VideoGame/DeadRising2'' can learn new combo weapons by, among other things, looking at movie posters. Namely movies by Creator/{{Clint|Eastwood}} [[Wrestling/TheRock Rockfoot]]. |
| 182 | * In ''VideoGame/LegoMarvelSuperHeroes'', Mister Fantastic carries the rest of the Fantastic Four safely to the ground by stretching himself into a parachute. He admits that he saw the same thing happen in a movie, referencing a similar scene with Elastigirl in ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles1''. |
| 183 | * ''VideoGame/LifeIsStrange'': Max can guess the access code of the Dark Room by only trying the faded numbers on the keypad, causing her to exclaim, "Yes! I thought that only worked in the movies!" However, the player can also guess the passcode by recalling the three-digit number written in red on Nathan's code sheet, making Max's remark a bit nonsensical. |
| 184 | * At the end Leon's B campaign in ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil2'', he compliments Sherry's heroic actions on the train; she mentions seeing someone do it on TV once. |
| 185 | [[/folder]] |
| 186 | |
| 187 | [[folder:Visual Novels]] |
| 188 | * An exchange between Jessica and Anna in ''VisualNovel/AtomGrrrl'' at a casino: |
| 189 | -->'''Anna:''' Hey, by the way, where did you learn to play roulette?\ |
| 190 | '''Jessica:''' Oh, yesterday. I figured, "hey, why don't I check out a Man Ketsudaira movie?" |
| 191 | * Subverted in ''VisualNovel/CrossChannel''. In two different scenes, Taichi insists he can drive cars because he's seen how it works in manga. Naturally, this leads to hilarious results. |
| 192 | * Played straight but justified in ''VisualNovel/UminekoWhenTheyCry''. Trying to interpret the game board's story as a mystery rather than a fantasy story, various characters use knowledge gained from reading mystery novels. |
| 193 | [[/folder]] |
| 194 | |
| 195 | [[folder:Web Comics]] |
| 196 | * ''Webcomic/CyanideAndHappiness'' got that guy with a cat, and he [[http://www.explosm.net/comics/1812/ did read]] this [[ComicStrip/{{Garfield}} comic]]... |
| 197 | * In ''Webcomic/TheInexplicableAdventuresOfBob'' many of [[GadgeteerGenius Molly's]] engineering feats are inspired by pop culture. [[https://bobadventures.thecomicseries.com/comics/608 When she activated her]] {{transforming|Mecha}} {{snow|lems}} [[SiegeEngines ballista]], she managed to include [[ShoutOut shout-outs]] to ''Tom Corbett: Space Cadet'', ''Anime/{{Robotech}}'', ''Anime/BattleOfThePlanets'', ''Franchise/SailorMoon'', and ''Series/{{Ultraman}}''. |
| 198 | * ''Webcomic/LeastICouldDo'' has Rayne bust out a BigNo at goofing a chance with a girl. She calls him on being [[{{Narm}} a bit dramatic]] and he says he Saw It in a Movie Once. |
| 199 | [[/folder]] |
| 200 | |
| 201 | [[folder:Web Original]] |
| 202 | * In ''WebVideo/{{Dream}}'' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tylNqtyj0gs Minecraft Manhunt 3 Hunters Grand Finale]], when Dream was in the Nether and [[spoiler:used a boat-hopping technique to escape from the hunters]], he says he saw that technique on Reddit. |
| 203 | [[/folder]] |
| 204 | |
| 205 | [[folder:Western Animation]] |
| 206 | * A less modest version happens in ''WesternAnimation/Ben10AlienForce''. Julie does the IKnowYoureInThereSomewhereFight with [[spoiler: her pet, Ship]] and when Ben is surprised she pulled it off, she says, "You're not the only one who's seen 'Brain Stealers from Outer Space'." |
| 207 | * ''WesternAnimation/EarthwormJim'': In "Bring Me the Head of Earthworm Jim", after his suit gets swapped with a powerless version, Jim tries different ways to repower himself he found in a pile of "reference materials", which Peter quickly points are his comic books. |
| 208 | -->'''Jim:''' So? Are you suggesting they are less than completely factual? |
| 209 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheFlintstones'': |
| 210 | ** In "[[Recap/TheFlintstonesS4E4DinoDisappears Dino Disappears]]", while being chased by the police, Fred tries to lose them by ducking behind a rock, telling Barney he saw it in an old movie. At first, it looks like it worked, but then the police circle around the rock and crash into them, prompting Barney to quip that they must've seen the same movie. |
| 211 | ** In the episode "Fred's Second Car", Fred and Barney are trapped in a gangster's hideout and Fred gets the idea for them to tackle a {{mook}} and grab his gun when he walks in, saying he saw it in a gangster movie on TV. However, the mook dodges the attack, and he taunts "I watch TV too, fellas". |
| 212 | * ''WesternAnimation/FostersHomeForImaginaryFriends'': In "Cookie Dough", Bloo tries to help raise money to fix the roof of the titular home by starting a lemonade stand, claiming that he's seen people do it in movies. While a lemonade stand is actually a pretty good idea to raise money, [[IdiotHero Bloo]] [[DidntThinkThisThrough ends up doing it on a cold/rainy day in the middle of the winter.]] |
| 213 | -->'''Mac:''' Was it ''summer'' in those movies? You know? ''Summer''? The season that people usually drink lemonade in...\ |
| 214 | '''Bloo:''' It seems so obvious now that you say it. |
| 215 | * In an episode of ''WesternAnimation/{{Freakazoid}}'', Cosgrove [[NoFourthWall tells the audience]] to ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve (and throw in some [[InherentlyFunnyWords Hugbees]]) to save Freakazoid's life after having seen it work in [[WesternAnimation/PeterPan a movie]] once. |
| 216 | * ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'': |
| 217 | -->'''[[MadScientist Professor]] Hubert [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} Farnsworth]]:''' It came to me in a dream. And I forgot it in another dream. |
| 218 | ** In "[[Recap/FuturamaS6E16LawAndOracle Law and Oracle]]", Fry manages to pull off a trick on a light cycle, and when asked where he learned it he replies "Sunny D commercial." |
| 219 | ** In "[[Recap/FuturamaS3E2ParasitesLost Parasites Lost]]": |
| 220 | --->'''Zoidberg:''' We can escape through the nasal capillary into the sinus!\ |
| 221 | '''Hermes:''' Strange. Usually, you don't know anything about human anatomy.\ |
| 222 | '''Zoidberg:''' I learned it from a decongestant commercial. "Soothing action, action, action, action..." |
| 223 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheGrimAdventuresOfBillyAndMandy'': In "The Firebird Sweet", Grim suggests that he and Mandy enter Eris's factory through the sewer pipes, claiming that he saw it in ''Film/DrumsAlongTheMohawk''. |
| 224 | -->'''Mandy:''' I don't remember that being part of the movie.\ |
| 225 | '''Grim:''' [[BlatantLies Uh...it was the director's cut.]] |
| 226 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheHairBearBunch'': The Bunch is rehearsing for a scene in a revisionist version of "Goldilocks and the Three Bears". Twinkles Sunshine, the movie's star and revisionist of the script gives the bears instructions when the evil prince arrives. |
| 227 | -->'''Twinkles:''' When the three bears see the evil prince, they grab him and throw him out of the window.\ |
| 228 | '''Square Bear:''' I saw that on television wrestlin' last night! |
| 229 | * On ''WesternAnimation/JimmyTwoShoes'', Jimmy [[GloveSlap slaps Lucius with a glove]] in order to accept a challenge because he saw it in a movie. |
| 230 | * Almost any time [[TheDitz Stumpy]] from ''WesternAnimation/{{Kaeloo}}'' does something intelligent, it's because he saw it in a movie. |
| 231 | * ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'': |
| 232 | ** In one of Creator/FrizFreleng's cartoons featuring two Mexican cats, the smart cat uses a trick to catch Speedy Gonzales, saying he'd seen it in a WesternAnimation/BugsBunny cartoon. |
| 233 | ** In Frank Tashlin's "The Major Lied at Dawn" (1937), the Major -- after suffering a beatdown against an army of jungle animals -- pulls out a can of spinach, saying "By jove, if it's good enough for that [[WesternAnimation/{{Popeye}} sailor man]], then it's good enough for me."' |
| 234 | ** "The Iceman Ducketh" sees Bugs Bunny trying to evade Daffy Duck, who is chasing him on skis. Bugs comments [[AsideComment to the audience]], "I saw this in a toothpaste commercial once," before tossing a bucket of water in front of Daffy, which instantly freezes into a wall of ice. |
| 235 | ** Bugs gives himself away to a [=WW2=] Japanese soldier in "Bugs Bunny Nips the Nips" by eating a carrot. The soldier says he saw Bugs in a "[[AsianSpeekeeEngrish Walner Blothers-Reon Schresinger-Mellie Merodies cartoon picture.]]" |
| 236 | ** "Porky Pig's Feat" climaxes with Porky and Daffy locked in their hotel room for not paying their bill. Porky comments "Boy, if only Bugs Bunny were here," as he and Daffy recount what they saw Bugs do in one of his cartoons. |
| 237 | * In the ''WesternAnimation/OKKOLetsBeHeroes'' episode "[[Recap/OKKOLetsBeHeroesS2E10TKOsHouse TKO's House]]", KO summons a machine in his mindscape, along with some techno-suits, saying he saw them in [[Film/PacificRim a movie]]. |
| 238 | * ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'': |
| 239 | ** In "[[Recap/PhineasAndFerbNerdyDancin Nerdy Dancin']]", [[MadScientist Doctor Doofenshmirtz's]] trap for [[AnimalEspionage Perry the Platypus]] is the same one used against Franchise/JamesBond in ''Film/{{Goldfinger}}'', strapped down with laser to split him in half. Doofenshmirtz comments that he didn't get to see the rest of the movie, but noted that it "seemed pretty foolproof". Naturally, being [[HarmlessVillain Doofenshmirtz]], he did not tighten the restraints properly and Perry escapes. |
| 240 | ** Inverted in the HalloweenEpisode "Night of the Living Pharmacists" with Vanessa's punk/hipster friends, who apparently only watch foreign expressionist films and are utterly GenreBlind when a ZombieApocalypse breaks out. The more GenreSavvy Candace never references any particular movies, but notes a background in American horror movies may have done them some good. |
| 241 | * In an episode of ''WesternAnimation/PinkyAndTheBrain'': |
| 242 | -->'''Pinky:''' Zounds, you're a good driver, Brain.\ |
| 243 | '''Brain:''' I've watched a lot of ''Series/TheDukesOfHazzard''. |
| 244 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheRocketeer'': In "Save the Statue", Harley believes she can fly a plane because she saw somebody doing it in a movie. |
| 245 | * On ''WesternAnimation/RockyAndBullwinkle'', Bullwinkle describes a situation as an "ethical dilemma which is fraught with portents. When Rocky asks what it's supposed to mean, Bullwinkle says "I dunno...I heard it on ''Meet The Press.''" |
| 246 | * In a second season episode of ''WesternAnimation/Rugrats1991'' called "[[Recap/RugratsS2E26ToothOrDarePartyAnimals Tooth or Dare]]", Angelica comes up with various ideas to pry out Chuckie's prominent front teeth in order to get money after hearing the story of the Tooth Fairy. One of the attempts she makes is something that she tells Chuckie and her cousin, Tommy, she [[TitleDrop once saw in a movie]]. [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome When the plan inevitably fails]], Angelica claims, "Well, it worked in the movie!" |
| 247 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': |
| 248 | ** "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS10E15MargeSimpsonInScreamingYellowHonkers Marge Simpson in: "Screaming Yellow Honkers"]]" features Homer trying to stop an animal stampede by yelling "Film/{{Jumanji}}". After it fails, Homer wonders if there is anything from movies worth learning. |
| 249 | ** "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS15E12MilhouseDoesntLiveHereAnymore Milhouse Doesn't Live Here Anymore]]" has Homer trying the camera trick mentioned in the ''NCIS'' example, "citing" the film ''[[Film/{{Speed}} The Bus That Couldn't Slow Down]]''. |
| 250 | ** And in "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS11E5EIEIAnnoyedGrunt E-I-E-I-(Annoyed Grunt)]]", he sees someone get what he wants by slapping people in the face with a glove. He instantly adopts this and succeeds -- until a "Southern gentleman" accepts his challenge to a duel. He also tries it with UsefulNotes/JimmyCarter and has to flee the ex-president. |
| 251 | ** In "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS9E20TheTroubleWithTrillions The Trouble with Trillions]]", Homer is being questioned by the tax department about his falsified tax return. When they threaten him with a prison term, he says "No sir, please - I can't go to prison! They pee in a cup and throw it on you! I saw it in a movie!" to which the interrogating agent responds "You won't be seeing any prison movies where you're going - prison!" |
| 252 | ** At the beginning of "The President Wore Pearls", the school has a charity casino night, with Martin Prince saying he got the idea from an episode of ''Series/SavedByTheBell''. When the adults ransack the place after learning they haven't been winning real money, Martin moans he should've seen it coming, as the same outcome occurred on ''Saved By the Bell''. |
| 253 | * ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'': |
| 254 | ** After being stranded in the middle of nowhere in "Pizza Delivery", [=SpongeBob=] tries to get himself and Squidward back home by using tactics from old pioneers which he says he "saw in a movie once." Most of them worked albeit their progress was constantly hindered by Squidward. |
| 255 | ** When [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick believe that they are cornered by a monster at the edge of a cliff in "A [=SquarePants=] Family Vacation", Patrick remembers a solution he saw in a movie: jump off the cliff. Mid-falling, Patrick admits to [=SpongeBob=] that he doesn't remember the rest of said movie, so they just keep falling until they land on a conveniently bouncy sea anemone. |
| 256 | ** In "Greasy Buffoons", when a hose is backed up, [=SpongeBob=] shows Mr. Krabs something he "saw in a movie once". He then sucks on the hose, which causes it to start working. |
| 257 | ** In "[[Recap/SpongeBobSquarePantsS13E8 Food PBFFT! Truck]]", [=SpongeBob=] sets a trap by covering a hole with leaves. He tells Squidward he saw it in a ''Junglefish'' comic. |
| 258 | * ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'': |
| 259 | ** In "Barn Mates", Steven suggests that Lapis and Peridot [[ThisIsMySide split the barn in half]], saying he saw it in a sitcom once. Peridot is all for it but Lapis, who is in no mood to forgive Peridot and doesn't want to live with her, shoots that idea down. |
| 260 | ** In "Off Colors", Lars suggests that he and Steven stand still, saying that Yellow Diamond's robonoids won't see them if they do. He turned out to have WrongGenreSavvy, and the two barely avoid getting blasted. |
| 261 | --->'''Lars:''' I think that movie... was about [[Film/JurassicPark dinosaurs]]. |
| 262 | * In the pilot episode of ''WesternAnimation/StormHawks'', Aerrow briefly breaks the fourth wall when he tells a rightfully worried Radarr that "it's okay, I saw this before in a cartoon" right before jumping off his Skimmer to perform a Franchise/FinalFantasy-esque stunt. |
| 263 | * ''WesternAnimation/TaleSpin'': |
| 264 | ** In "[[Recap/TaleSpinTheBiggerTheyAreTheLouderTheyOink The Bigger They Are, The Louder They Oink]]", when Baloo and Kit are trapped in a tree by a lion, Baloo tries to get them out by {{Vine Swing}}ing, saying he had seen it in a movie once. Unfortunately, they end up being too heavy and the vine snaps, causing them to fall to the ground, prompting Kit to ask if that's what happened in the movie. Baloo tries to pass it off by saying it went exactly that way. |
| 265 | ** In the episode "[[Recap/TaleSpinCitizenKhan Citizen Khan]]", Clementine Clevenger attempts to escape a locked room with a BedsheetLadder while saying "This always works in the movies." Unfortunately, the knots get undone and she falls with her noting, "So much for the movies!" Luckily, she has a soft landing in a horse trough. |
| 266 | ** Baloo uses this line almost verbatim in "[[Recap/TaleSpinTheRoadToMacadamia The Road to Macadamia]]". |
| 267 | * ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles1987'': |
| 268 | ** One episode has Donatello attempt to save an alien in a crashed vessel thus: |
| 269 | --->'''Donatello:''' Quick, boil some water!\ |
| 270 | '''Raphael:''' We're not delivering a baby, dumbo!\ |
| 271 | '''Donatello:''' ...I heard it in a movie once... |
| 272 | ** Michelangelo and Donatello are tied up back to-back in chairs with a bomb next to them. Mikey reveals that he has seen a scene like this before on TV and, following his direction, the two rock back and forth to tip over onto the floor. However, when Donatello asks what to do next, Mikey realizes that he doesn't know -- at the time, he'd gone to get popcorn before the scene had finished. |
| 273 | * The ''WesternAnimation/TomAndJerry'' cartoon "Fit to be Tied" features Spike, while beating Tom, doing a wrestling move he claims to have seen on TV. |
| 274 | * An episode of ''WesternAnimation/TransformersPrime'' sees the Decepticons' warship overrun with dark energon zombies. Knockout tells Starscream to aim for the head, as he's seen done in human horror films. It doesn't work. |
| 275 | * In an episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBros'', after fighting one of Wide Wale's henchmen offscreen Brock is asked where he learned a jump move and replies "Achilles in ''Film/{{Troy}}''". |
| 276 | [[/folder]] |
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