History Main / CrystalBallScheduling

* The film version of ''BeingThere'' may be the grand master of this trope. Why? Well, with the exceptions of the clips of the film's President of the United States and Chance's appearance on a talk show, ''every single show or commercial'' seen on a television in the film -- and there are many because television watching is Chance's only pastime besides gardening -- not only somehow comments on the proceedings or just Chance's character (or becomes part of his actions), but is a clip of a ''real'' show, commercial, or film. [[Series/SesameStreet You'll]] [[Series/GetSmart often]] [[Series/MisterRogersNeighborhood need to]] [[Main/TheGongShow think]] [[Series/GreenAcres for]] [[Series/CaptainKangaroo a moment]] to figure out the connection of a clip and the action.

* In episode 8 of ''LightNovel/OreNoKanojoToOsananajimiGaShurabaSugiru'', the movie Ai, Eita, and Chiwa are watching in the theater strongly correlates to what's going on with them. Chiwa encourages the childhood friend to get the hero, while Ai backs up the other girl in the movie. Masuzu hilariously mocks the hero for his indecision, then lets out Eita's name, which he manages to overhear.

* In LightNovel/NogizakaHarukaNoHimitsu, somehow, the ShowWithinAShow ''Nocture Girls' School Lacrosse Club'' knows what's going on with Haruka and Yuuto.

* The Itchy and Scratchy Show on ''TheSimpsons'' frequently does this. For example, just before being sent into space, Homer watches an I&S about space flight, and while Bart is home from school sick, he watches an episode where Itchy goes to the doctor.
* The ''Brown Hornet'' cartoon on ''FatAlbertAndTheCosbyKids'' always mirrored the main show's lesson ''du jour''.

* If ''RomeoAndJuliet'' is the SchoolPlay, bet the house on a couple (usually, but not necessarily, the leads in the play) be one of which [[ParentalMarriageVeto parents don't approve]]. Except that they'll probably get a happy ending. Remember, kids: [[CompletelyMissingThePoint Romeo and Juliet are the ideal of the couple in love!]]

* ''{{Hamlet}}'' specifically choses a play that involves the poisoning of a man by his brother in order to gauge the reaction of his EvilUncle whom he believes guilty of the very same crime.

*** ''Theatre/KissMeKate'' is probably the best-known example, although in a nice twist, Frederick, the actor playing Petruchio has to differentiate himself from the character (by not being a giant misogynist) to win back the girl. Offstage, the person who is most like Petruchio is actually Frederick's [[RomanticFalseLead romantic rival]].

* The film version of ''BeingThere'' may be the grand master of this trope. Why? Well, with the exceptions of the clips of the film's President of the United States and Chance's appearance on a talk show, ''every single show or commercial'' seen on a television in the film -- and there are many because television watching is Chance's only pastime besides gardening -- not only somehow comments on the proceedings or just Chance's character (or becomes part of his actions), but is a clip of a ''real'' show, commercial, or film. [[Series/SesameStreet You'll]] [[Series/GetSmart often]] [[Series/MisterRogersNeighborhood need to]] [[Main/TheGongShow think]] [[Main/GreenAcres for]] [[Main/CaptainKangaroo a moment]] to figure out the connection of a clip and the action.
* Justified in ''{{Amelie}}'', where the heroine is probably imagining that the black-and-white mad scientist is talking about her, and her relationships, by name. Probably.

* In ''{{Friends}}'', Joey is acting in a stage play when his lover comes and tells him that she's leaving for Los Angeles. Joey's heartbroken, but returns to the play... which is about an alien visitor leaving his lover to return to their home world.

* Tales of the Black Freighter in ''{{Watchmen}}''.
** Also in ''{{Watchmen}}'', the clips of Ozymandias doing gymnastics which plays during the sex scene (complete with suggestive commentary about "mounting the bar").

* Justified in ''LifeOnMars'' because [[spoiler:Sam is just hallucinating the whole thing anyway.]]

* Similarly, the momentary fragments of SuperRobot show ''Garban'' that Yamada watches, which are glimpsed in between the main action in ''SisterPrincess''.

[[AC: Theatre]]

*** ''KissMeKate'' is probably the best-known example, although in a nice twist, Frederick, the actor playing Petruchio has to differentiate himself from the character (by not being a giant misogynist) to win back the girl. Offstage, the person who is most like Petruchio is actually Frederick's [[RomanticFalseLead romantic rival]].

* The film version of ''BeingThere'' may be the grand master of this trope. Why? Well, with the exceptions of the clips of the film's President of the United States and Chance's appearance on a talk show, ''every single show or commercial'' seen on a television in the film -- and there are many because television watching is Chance's only pastime besides gardening -- not only somehow comments on the proceedings or just Chance's character (or becomes part of his actions), but is a clip of a ''real'' show, commercial, or film. [[Main/SesameStreet You'll]] [[Series/GetSmart often]] [[Series/MisterRogersNeighborhood need to]] [[Main/TheGongShow think]] [[Main/GreenAcres for]] [[Main/CaptainKangaroo a moment]] to figure out the connection of a clip and the action.

* ''{{Hamlet}}'' specifically choses a play that involves the poisoning of a man by his brother in order to gauge the reaction of his EvilUncle whom he believes guilty of the very same crime.

** Similiarly, if the play is ''TheTamingOfTheShrew'', there's a good chance that the actors playing the two leads were a couple, are broken up now, and are reunited through "the magic of Shakespeare". The glaring misogyny of the original play will be downplayed.

----

* Justified in ''TheTrumanShow'', where he's thinking about leaving, turns on the TV and there's a song about not leaving), because everything around Truman is [[ExecutiveMeddling controlled by a TV executive]].

* The film version of ''BeingThere'' may be the grand master of this trope. Why? Well, with the exceptions of the clips of the film's President of the United States and Chance's appearance on a talk show, ''every single show or commercial'' seen on a television in the film -- and there are many because television watching is Chance's only pastime besides gardening -- not only somehow comments on the proceedings or just Chance's character (or becomes part of his actions), but is a clip of a ''real'' show, commercial, or film. [[Main/SesameStreet You'll]] [[Main/GetSmart often]] [[Main/MisterRogersNeighborhood need to]] [[Main/TheGongShow think]] [[Main/GreenAcres for]] [[Main/CaptainKangaroo a moment]] to figure out the connection of a clip and the action.

* Many of the TV shows in ''MaxPayne'', especially ''Address Unknown''.

'''Examples:'''

* Justified in ''TheTrumanShow'', where he's thinking about leaving, turns on the TV and there's a song about not leaving), because everything around Truman is controlled by a TV executive.
* The film version of ''BeingThere'' may be the grand master of this trope. Why? Well, with the exceptions of the clips of the film's President of the United States and Chance's appearance on a talk show, ''every single show or commercial'' seen on a television in the film - and there are many because television watching is Chance's only pastime besides gardening - not only somehow comments on the proceedings or just Chance's character (or becomes part of his actions), but is a clip of a ''real'' show, commercial, or film. [[Main/SesameStreet You'll]] [[Main/GetSmart often]] [[Main/MisterRogersNeighborhood need to]] [[Main/TheGongShow think]] [[Main/GreenAcres for]] [[Main/CaptainKangaroo a moment]] to figure out the connection of a clip and the action.

** Similiarly, if the play is ''The Taming of the Shrew'', there's a good chance that the actors playing the two leads were a couple, are broken up now, and are reunited through "the magic of Shakespeare". The glaring misogyny of the original play will be downplayed.

* Done in a more subdued and subtle way in several scenes in ''NeonGenesisEvangelion'', as soap operas playing in the background, which [[YourMileageMayVary can be interpreted as paralleling]] the SubText of the scenes.

* Happens all the time on ''MartianSuccessorNadesico''. For instance, [[spoiler:the first time a character in ''{{Gekiganger 3}}'' is shown to die, Gai Daigouji is shot at the end of that same episode, and dies at the beginning of the next]].

** [[spoiler: '''[[OrIsIt OR IS HE?!]]''' [[TheBrakShow DUN DUN DUN DUUUNNN!!]]]]

* Done in a more subdued and subtle way in several scenes in NeonGenesisEvangelion, as soap operas playing in the background, which [[YourMileageMayVary can be interpreted as paralleling]] the SubText of the scenes.

*** ''KissMeKate'' is probably the best-known example, although in a nice twist, Frederick, the actor playing Petruchio has to differentiate himself from the character (by not being a giant misogynist) to win back the girl. Offstage, the person who is most like Petruchio is actually Frederick's [[ThePaolo romantic rival]].

<<|NarrativeDevices|>>

<<|ThisIndexHasBalls|>>

* Justified in ''TheTrumanShow'' (where he's thinking about leaving, turns on the TV and there's a song about not leaving), because [[spoiler:[[ItWasHisSled everything around Truman is controlled by a TV executive.]]]]