--->[[BatmanCanBreatheInSpace If you're wondering how he eats and breathes]]
--->[[YouFailPhysicsForever And other science facts]]
--->[[MST3KMantra Then repeat to yourself "It's just a show.]]
--->[[BellisariosMaxim I should really just relax."]]
--->- ''MysteryScienceTheater3000'' theme

Samuel Taylor Coleridge, the poet and author, called drama "that willing suspension of disbelief for the moment, which constitutes poetic faith ..."

Any creative endeavor, certainly any written creative endeavor, is only successful to the extent that the audience offers this willing suspension as they read, listen, or watch.

An author's work, in other words, does not ''have'' to be realistic, only believable and internally consistent (see MagicAIsMagicA). When the author pushes the audience too far, the work becomes a WallBanger. As far as science fiction is concerned, geeks are usually happy with all sorts of [[TechnoBabble "inverted polaron flux"-type nonsense]] unless the show tries to use real science, at which point it's fair game. Suspension of disbelief can be broken even in science fiction when a show breaks its own established laws.

Most action movies push this trope almost to the breaking point; for the sake of action, the BigDamnHeroes can do virtually ''anything'', given enough {{Phlebotinum}}.

As always, the RuleOfCool, RuleOfCute, RuleOfDrama, RuleOfFunny, and RuleOfScary override nearly all other considerations.

Compare EmotionalTorque.

Incidentally this is one of the more controversial elements of, believe it or not, ProfessionalWrestling, and is heavily tied to {{Kayfabe}}.

See also:
* GameplayAndStorySegregation
* HowUnscientific
* {{Kayfabe}}
* LiteraryAgentHypothesis
* FourthWall / NoFourthWall
* MagicAIsMagicA
* PlausibleDeniability
* PostModernism
* AcceptableBreaksFromReality

----
<<|ScriptSpeak|>>
<<|MetaConcepts|>>