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1[[quoteright:282:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/plot_110.jpg]]
2[[caption-width-right:282:[[JustForFun/XMeetsY Plot, meet thick. Thick, meet Plot]].]]
3
4-> ''The plot "thickens," as they say. Why, by the way? Is it a soup metaphor?''
5-->-- '''Gustave H.''', ''Film/TheGrandBudapestHotel''
6
7StockPhrase often said after a turning point in the {{plot}}.
8
9It usually refers to [[{{Plot}} things]] becoming [[GambitPileup overly complex]] or mysterious. Today this term is often PlayedForLaughs. Coined in the 17th century, it originally described the plot of a play that was overly intricate, and by the late 1800s it was used for [[Literature/SherlockHolmes increasingly complex mysteries in detective stories]].
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11The phrase is sometimes parodied as "The plot sickens." You may also hear "the plot thins" - usually uttered after a major AntiClimax.
12
13----
14!!Examples:
15
16[[foldercontrol]]
17
18[[folder:{{Film}}s -- Live-Action]]
19* In ''Film/FaceOff'', Castor Troy's response upon walking in on Jamie wearing just her panties and a cropped t-shirt.
20* ''{{Film/Shadowlands}}''
21-->'''C.S. Lewis:''' He comes; he sleeps; he goes. So the plot thickens.
22* In ''Film/KillBill'', Bill proves himself to be a lover of tales. So ''of course'' he says this.
23* Discussed in Film/TheGrandBudapestHotel.
24-->'''M. Gustave:''' The plot "thickens," as they say. Why, by the way? Is it a soup metaphor?
25* ''Film/StingraySam''. After an {{Exposition}} scene (and the [[BigLippedAlligatorMoment obligatory song about it]]) TheNarrator says: "And so the plot begins to thicken... but not by much."
26[[/folder]]
27
28[[folder:{{Literature}}]]
29* Famously used in the Sherlock Holmes story ''Literature/AStudyInScarlet'', as uttered by Holmes himself.
30* One of the chapters in ''Literature/ThePhoenixGuards'' by Steven Brust is titled "[[InWhichATropeIsDescribed In Which]] The Plot, Behaving In Much The Same Manner As A Soup To Which Cornstarch Has Been Added, Begins, At Last, To Thicken."
31* A chapter heading in ''Literature/MakingMoney'' refers to it, but is "the ''pot'' thickens". This makes sense in context because Moist believes temporarily that Gladys, his golem secretary, is cooking his dog in the pit she's stirring. It turns out to be the sheep's head Adora Belle ordered for dinner.
32* One of the ''Literature/EnchantedForestChronicles'' books has a chapter titled "[[InWhichATropeIsDescribed In Which The Plot Thickens]]," which is followed shortly thereafter by one titled "In Which The Plot Positively Curdles."
33* Every book in ''Literature/TheIncredibleWorldsOfWallyMcDoogle'' has a chapter called "The Plot Sickens."
34[[/folder]]
35
36[[folder:LiveActionTV]]
37* ''Series/HawaiiFiveO'' (1968) pilot episode.
38-->'''Wo Fat:''' As we clever Chinese say, "The plot thickens..."
39* ''Series/KnightRider'' episode "Mouth of the Snake"
40-->'''Michael Knight:''' So, the plot thickens. I bet this guy David Dalton is not down in Mexico looking for the world's biggest burrito.
41* ''Series/TheLeagueOfGentlemen''
42-->'''Pauline:''' It's about Mickey. He's getting married.\
43'''Ross:''' Oh-ho. The plot thickens.
44* ''{{Series/MASH}}'': Inverted as Hawkeye, Henry, Trapper, Klinger and Radar are watching home movies of Frank's wedding.
45-->'''Hawkeye:''' The plot thins.
46[[/folder]]
47
48[[folder:NewspaperComics]]
49* ''ComicStrip/{{Garfield}}'' [[http://garfield.nfshost.com/?s=the+plot+thickens has said this a few times]].
50[[/folder]]
51
52[[folder:Poetry]]
53* Creator/RoaldDahl used this to customary darkly comic effect in his retelling of [[http://allpoetry.com/poem/8503199-Cinderella-by-Roald_Dahl Cinderella]]
54-->Ah ha, you see, the plot grows thicker,\
55And Cindy's luck starts looking sicker.
56[[/folder]]
57
58[[folder:{{Radio}}]]
59One episode of ''Radio/ImSorryIllReadThatAgain'', had this exchange between the narrator and a character:
60-->'''Narrator:''' The plot thickens\
61'''Other voice:''' And tho do the joketh
62
63[[/folder]]
64
65[[folder:VideoGames]]
66* ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'': [[DeadpanSnarker The Warden]] can say it during one of [[TheBard Leliana's]] tales.
67[[/folder]]
68
69[[folder:WesternAnimation]]
70* ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'' - When Luthor's soon-to-be Injustice Gang sees who's gathered them, the Shade quips, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ditmHrfdz44&t=2m3s "Lex Luthor? Well, the plot thins."]]
71[[/folder]]

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