History Main / BigDisasterPlot

* ''LawAndOrder'' featured a ferry boat crash and a deliberate arson at a packed nightclub.

* At the ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' episode ''[[Recap/BatmanTheAnimatedSeriesTheClockKing The Clock King]]'' this trope is: subverted by the ClockKing, who organizes a subway crash just because WeNeedADistraction to kidnap someone.

* At the ''BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' episode ''[[Recap/BatmanTheAnimatedSeriesTheClockKing The Clock King]]'' this trope is: subverted by the ClockKing, who organizes a subway crash just because WeNeedADistraction to kidnap someone.

* ''Series/{{Lost}}'': the crash of Oceanic 815 has been shown in nine episodes of the series, the latest being in season 4. Multiple perspectives have been shown, including the midsection, the tail section, and the Others from the ground.

* ''Series/SecondsFromDisaster'', a show that goes into showing exactly how certain catastrophes occurred. Several episodes were about train crashes.
* It's not the only such show. In fact, some shows even focus almost exclusively on certain types of disaster; for example, the Canadian TV documentary series ''{{Mayday}}'' (known in the United States as ''Air Emergency'' and in Great Britain as ''Series/AirCrashInvestigation'') focuses mostly on plane crashes, with a couple of episodes on train crashes as well.

* A number of episodes of ''{{Series/Babylon 5}}'' have plots kicked off by docking accidents, most particularly ''By Any Means Necessary'', which centered more on the concerns of the dockworkers (obsolete or faulty equipment, insuficient manpower to keep up with the high flow of shipping traffic in and out of the station, etc.) and Earth's attempts to put an end to their strike.

Common in the MedicalDrama and CrimeAndPunishmentSeries, this is any episode of a show that focuses around a big disaster. Frequently used as a season opener (or finale), this will usually involve the creation of a spectacular crash scene and may well get covered in ''RadioTimes'' or another such publication.

Not to be confused with TranslationTrainWreck or an episode that's DarthWiki/SoBadItsHorrible.

* ''{{ER}}''
* ''{{Casualty}}''

* ''GeneralHospital''
* [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Seconds From Disaster]], a show that goes into showing exactly how certain catastrophes occurred. Several episodes were about train crashes.
** It's not the only such show. In fact, some shows even focus almost exclusively on certain types of disaster; for example, the Canadian TV documentary series ''{{Mayday}}'' (known in the United States as ''Air Emergency'' and in Great Britain as ''Series/AirCrashInvestigation'') focuses mostly on plane crashes, with a couple of episodes on train crashes as well.
* The Season 4 premiere of ''Series/{{House}}'' depicted an office building collapsing, whereas the Season 6 finale depicted the process of a crane collapsing and crashing into an apartment building.

* SuperEight

In Crime and Punishment shows, expect a focus on the causation, with the CorruptCorporateExecutive likely to make an appearance.

Can also be used for comedic effect; this happens when anything and everything that can go wrong for the main characters ''[[HumiliationConga does]].''

The experience of watching some episodes or even series has been compared to watching a train wreck in slow motion.

This is when you actually watch a train wreck in slow motion. Or a plane crash.

Common in the MedicalDrama and CrimeAndPunishmentSeries, this is any episode of those shows that focuses around a big disaster. Frequently used as a season opener or finale, this will usually involve the creation of a spectacular crash scene and may well get covered in ''RadioTimes'' or another such publication.

** It's not the only such show. In fact, some shows even focus almost exclusively on certain types of disaster; for example, the Canadian TV documentary series ''{{Mayday}}'' (known in the United States as ''Air Emergency'' and in Great Britain as ''Air Crash Investigation'') focuses mostly on plane crashes, with a couple of episodes on train crashes as well.

Not to be confused with an episode that's DarthWiki/SoBadItsHorrible.

* The premiere of ''Peter Benchley's Amazon'' included a plane crashing in a jungle with the main characters - some of the crash is seen from different passenger perspectives throughout the first three episodes. Interestingly, this also predate ''Series/{{Lost}}'''s plane-crash scenario by two years.

* ''TheRoyal'' will soon have one.
* ''{{Lost}}'': the crash of Oceanic 815 has been shown in nine episodes of the series, the latest being in season 4. Multiple perspectives have been shown, including the midsection, the tail section, and the Others from the ground.

* The premiere of ''Peter Benchley's Amazon'' included a plane crashing in a jungle with the main characters - some of the crash is seen from different passenger perspectives throughout the first three episodes. Interestingly, this also predate ''{{Lost}}'''s plane-crash scenario by two years.

* The Season 4 premiere of ''{{House}}'' depicted an office building collapsing, whereas the Season 6 finale depicted the process of a crane collapsing and crashing into an apartment building.

Not to be confused with an episode that's [[DarthWiki/{{Ptitlew9bltta3dv6n}} So Bad Its Horrible.]]

* ''[[{{Ptitlespennt48}} Grey's Anatomy]]'' has a few, such as a train accident in Season 2 and a ferry crash in Season 3.

----
<<|{{Plots}}|>>

Common in the MedicalDrama and CrimeAndPunishment, this is any episode of those shows that focuses around a big disaster. Frequently used as a season opener or finale, this will usually involve the creation of a spectacular crash scene and may well get covered in ''RadioTimes'' or another such publication.

* ''GeneralHospital''"

** It's not the only such show. In fact, some shows even focus almost exclusively on certain types of disaster; for example, the Canadian TV documentary series ''Mayday'' (known in the United States as ''Air Emergency'' and in Great Britain as ''Air Crash Investigation'') focuses mostly on plane crashes, with a couple of episodes on train crashes as well.

Not to be confused with an episode that's SoBadItsHorrible.