Some characters feel a current line of discussion is really inappropriate, and they make it clear they should move on to something else. Sometimes they say "moving on", or just leap into another topic.
Reasons the current subject isn't working can vary. Either it's
Squick,
Too Soon, or even something like a
Metaphorgotten line.
There's a hand gesture that shows up frequently in
anime and
manga, that means basically this.
Compare
Stunned Silence,
Shutting Up Now.
Contrast
Digging Yourself Deeper (trying to talk your way out of an uncomfortable subject, and utterly failing).
Examples:
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Anime and Manga
- In Saint Beast, Luca is the main instigator of this, knowing that relating mutinous sentiments is very dangerous under the tyrannical rule of Zeus. Pandora also tries to guide Judas away from defiance at the end of the prequel series, but Judas indicates that he's done silencing himself and intends to openly defy Zeus' rule.
Film
Live Action Television
- Frasier Crane does this a lot.
- In the Doctor Who serial The Ice Warriors:
Jamie: You see how those lassies were dressed?
Victoria: Well, I think it's disgusting, wearing that kind of thing.
Jamie: [Mocking] Oh, aye, so it is, so it is. You er, you don't see yourself dressed like that then?
Victoria: Jamie!
Jamie: Oh, I'm sorry; it was just an idea.
Victoria: We will now change the subject, please.
- On Seinfeld, George and Jerry do not like it when someone does this; they prefer to let conversations continue until they reach a natural end. There's a reason this show's the Trope Namer for Seinfeldian Conversation.
- In The Vicar of Dibley, David constantly does this when the council meetings go off topic. "Moving on..."
- Chandler in Friends did this when other people had raised the subject. "The word you're looking for is 'Anyway...'"
Web Original
