History Main / CounterZany

[[folder:Films - Live-Action]]

-->-- '''Homer''', ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS5E3HomerGoesToCollege Homer Goes to College]]"

* To clear up ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' page quote, the actual episode is not an example. The first Zany Scheme was kidnapping a neighbouring schools' pig, which got the nerds expelled, and Homer tries to counter this with an even zanier scheme: having the nerds push the Dean out of the way of Homer's car, which... well it works in the long run. But yeah, it's not actually an example because both schemes were concocted by Homer.

[[folder: Anime & Manga ]]

[[folder: Film ]]

* ''Film/BillAndTedsBogusJourney'': "How do you stop a pair of bad robot usses?" "By building a pair of ''good'' robot usses to fight them!"

[[folder: Literature ]]

* The works of Creator/PGWodehouse run on this trope.
* Practically standard operating procedure for the ''Literature/MythAdventures'' series.

[[folder: Live Action TV ]]

* ''Series/ILoveLucy'' was probably the first to do this on television. And the second and third and fourth and tenth...
* ''Radio/OurMissBrooks'': Happens occasionally. In "Twins at School", after discovering Connie has been impersonating her non-existent identical twin Bonnie, Mr. Conklin invents a non-existent identical twin of his own. Complete with cowboy accent.

%%* ''Series/ThreesCompany''
%%* ''Series/SavedByTheBell''
* ''Series/ArrestedDevelopment,'' usually involving George Bluth's attempts to teach his children a lesson. It comes to a head in the third season with a [[CounterZany Counter]]-[[ZanySchemeChicken Counter-plus-]][[ThePlan gambit]]-Counter Zany.

%%* Happens occasionally on ''Series/AccordingToJim''.
* The ''Series/{{Community}}'' episode "Conspiracy Theories and Interior Design" features a GambitPileup of Counter Zanies. Since all of them involve people being apparently shot dead only to get back up and reveal they faked the whole thing, the poor Dean ends up a nervous wreck.
* A prank war on ''Series/AllInTheFamily'' involving a double-date and a trans-woman ([[FairForItsDay relatively sympathetically portrayed]]).

[[folder: Theatre ]]

* The word "zany" originates from the "zanni", comic servants, of ''CommediaDellArte'', who often came up with ''literal'' zany scemes.

[[folder: Web Original ]]

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

* ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'': the boys' parents launch a Zany Scheme in which actors pretend to be the boys' time-traveling future selves, with the aim of scaring the boys away from drugs and alcohol. After discovering the truth, Stan attempts to fight the zany scheme with logic but gets nowhere. Butters, with the help of Cartman, launches a CounterZany to get revenge on his parents (by smearing feces all over their house). Needless to say, the Zany-Counter Zany collision results in a standard {{Anvilicious}} message about communication and honesty.
** For added hilarity, Butters' CounterZany somehow had the exact effect he hoped for; his parents apologize for the original scheme immediately, even though they would normally scold him for doing perfectly innocent stuff.
* One ''WesternAnimation/SpongebobSquarepants'' episode involves a "extremely convoluted" plot by Plankton to get the Krabby patty formula by re-friending Mr. Krabs. At the end it looks like Plankton succeeded as Krabs gives him the formula, only for the piece of paper to say, "GOTCHA," and Krabs to reveal he had his own "extremely convoluted" plot to humiliate Plankton. Plankton gets a BigNo at the very end.
* To clear up ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' page quote, the actual episode is not an example. The first Zany Scheme was kidnapping a neighbouring schools' pig, which got the nerds expelled, and Homer tries to counter this with an even zanier scheme: having the nerds push the Dean out of the way of Homer's car, which... well it works in the long run. But yeah, it's not actually an example because both schemes were concocted by Homer.

* ''Westernanimation/{{Kaeloo}}'': In the episode "[[CourtroomEpisode Let's Play Courtroom Drama]]", Mr. Cat violently attacks [[NighInvulnerable Quack quack the indestructible duck]] with a chainsaw and then claims he didn't. Kaeloo decides to put him on trial, with herself as Quack Quack's lawyer and [[TheDitz Stumpy]] as the lawyer. [[spoiler: Mr. Cat points out that Kaeloo can transform into a violent monster whose actions are well beyond her conscious control and accuses Kaeloo of being the real attacker. Kaeloo seems to believe this story and packs her bags. Mr. Cat asks where she is going, and she explains that she is leaving [[CrapsaccharineWorld Smileyland]] in order to avoid hurting her friends. Mr. Cat, feeling extremely guilty and not wanting his [[VitriolicBestBuds "best friend"]] to leave forever, confesses to the crime and says that his story was a made-up lie. Kaeloo then turns around to face him, declares him guilty and punishes him offscreen.]]

-->-- '''Homer''', ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', "Homer Goes to College"

->''The only antidote to a zany scheme, is an even '''zanier''' scheme!''

* ''Series/ArrestedDevelopment,'' usually involving George Bluth's attempts to teach his children a lesson. It comes to a head in the third season with a [[CounterZany Counter]]-[[ZanySchemeChicken Counter-plus-]][[ThePlan gambit]]-[[UpToEleven Counter]] Zany.

The comedic variant of OutGambitted. Sometimes the Zany and the Counter Zany collide in a matter-{{antimatter}} explosion, resulting in [[AnAesop Aesops]] all around, on the house. If the ''CounterZany'' is then countered, you have ZanySchemeChicken.

* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': Rainbow Dash has been getting a bit indiscriminate with her pranks, and only went further after her friends told her she wasn't putting enough thought into them. The obvious solution: [[spoiler: trick her into thinking swapping out cookies for her latest prank accidentally triggered a ZombieApocalypse.]]

* Literature/WhateleyUniverse example: when Generator hatches a plan to prank Phase with realistic shoulder angels, Phase retaliates by stealing Generator's lingerie. While Generator is standing in the middle of the cafeteria. [[CrazyAwesome Generator]] does not take this lying down.

* ''MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': Rainbow Dash has been getting a bit indiscriminate with her pranks, and only went further after her friends told her she wasn't putting enough thought into them. The obvious solution: [[spoiler: trick her into thinking swapping out cookies for her latest prank accidentally triggered a ZombieApocalypse.]]

* [[OlderThanSteam Dates back]] [[TheZerothLawOfTropeExamples at least]] to Creator/WilliamShakespeare. Consider ''MuchAdoAboutNothing'' -- this [[ZanySchemeChicken goes back and forth]] at least three times.

[[folder: Literature ]]

* The works of Creator/PGWodehouse run on this trope.

[[/folder]]

* One ''WesternAnimation/SpongebobSquarepants'' episode involves a "extremely convoluted" plot by Plankton to get the Krabby patty formula by re-friending Mr. Krabs. At the end it looks like Plankton succeeded as Krabs gives him the formula, only for the piece of paper to say, "GOTCHA," and krabs to reveal he had his own "extremely convoluted" plot to humiliate Plankton. Plankton gets a BigNo at the very end.

-->-- '''Homer''', ''TheSimpsons'', "Homer Goes to College"

* WhateleyUniverse example: when Generator hatches a plan to prank Phase with realistic shoulder angels, Phase retaliates by stealing Generator's lingerie. While Generator is standing in the middle of the cafeteria. [[CrazyAwesome Generator]] does not take this lying down.

* ''[[BillAndTedsExcellentAdventure Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey]]'': "How do you stop a pair of bad robot usses?" "By building a pair of ''good'' robot usses to fight them!"

* ''Series/TheBradyBunch''
* ''Series/ThreesCompany''
* ''Series/SavedByTheBell''

* Happens occasionally on ''Series/AccordingToJim''.

* One WesternAnimation/SpongebobSquarepants episode involves a "extremely convoluted" plot by Plankton to get the Krabby patty formula by re-friending Mr. Krabs. At the end it looks like Plankton succeeded as Krabs gives him the formula, only for the piece of paper to say, "GOTCHA," and krabs to reveal he had his own "extremely convoluted" plot to humiliate Plankton. Plankton gets a BigNo at the very end.
* To clear up ''TheSimpsons'' page quote, the actual episode is not an example. The first Zany Scheme was kidnapping a neighbouring schools' pig, which got the nerds expelled, and Homer tries to counter this with an even zanier scheme: having the nerds push the Dean out of the way of Homer's car, which... well it works in the long run. But yeah, it's not actually an example because both schemes were concocted by Homer.

[[AC:{{Anime}} & {{Manga}}]]

[[AC:{{Film}}]]

[[AC:LiveActionTV]]

[[AC:{{Literature}}]]

[[AC:{{Theatre}}]]

[[AC:WebOriginal]]

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]

* ''SavedByTheBell''

* ''HomeImprovement'', especially in earlier seasons, often had Tim and Jill pulling these in response to their children's antics in order to teach them a lesson.
* Happens occasionally on ''AccordingToJim''.

* A prank war on ''AllInTheFamily'' involving a double-date and a trans-woman ([[FairForItsDay relatively sympathetically portrayed]]).

Ricky has been pulling a ZanyScheme to keep [[ILoveLucy Lucy]] away from the club the night the big celebrity is visiting. Lucy finds out. Instead of confronting Ricky, she enlists Fred, Ethel, and the visiting celebrity in "teaching Ricky a lesson he won't soon forget." They stage an elaborate charade, making Ricky believe his scheme has had unintended consequences. Ricky confesses and everyone yells, "Gotcha!"

* ''ILoveLucy'' was probably the first to do this on television. And the second and third and fourth and tenth...
* ''TheBradyBunch''

!!Examples

!!Examples

!!Examples:

* In ''Anime/{{Mao-chan}}'', the new Prime Minister starts a MonsterProtectionRacket to promote his "Three Aces" team... whereupon the Defense Force leaders launch their own fake alien at the same time to try to get the Defense Corps girls back in the public's good graces. Turns into a game of ZanySchemeChicken when Yuriko launches a real alien for the girls to fight... and ''all'' of the aliens look like pandas.

The comedic variant of OutGambitted. Sometimes the Zany and the Counter Zany collide in a matter-antimatter explosion, resulting in [[AnAesop Aesops]] all around, on the house. If the ''CounterZany'' is then countered, you have ZanySchemeChicken.