History Main / PinchMe

* ''{{Eureka}}'' did it with a psychological tool.

* In an episode of the sitcom ''{{Newhart}}'', after suffering through yet another day's worth of insanity from the locals, Dick pinches himself hoping he's dreaming. It doesn't work, but [[spoiler: at the end of the series it's revealed that he really ''was'' dreaming the whole thing.]]
* In ''MarriedWithChildren'', Al says this to Jefferson, who responds by punching him in the jaw. Al promptly goes, "I said ''pinch'' me, not ''punch'' me!" Jefferson then grabs a big handful of Al's gut.
* The episode of ''{{Blackadder}}'' where he accidentally burns the [[NoPlansNoPrototypeNoBackup only copy]] of the dictionary. The writer of the dictionary bursts in on Blackadder and says something to the effect of "I'm tired of the damn thing, it's rubbish, burn it". Blackadder is overjoyed, but then "Baldrick, who gave you permission to become an Alsatian?". Which is enough of a clue for Blackadder to realise and wake up.

* ''KidsNextDoor'', "Op UTOPIA": Nigel realises that he's in a hallucination the moment he sees Wally swim (the real Wally can't swim). Cut to chamber with Nigel in it, struggling to break free.

** Also occurs in [[ComicBook/ForTheManWhoHasEverything an episode]] of ''JusticeLeague'', where Superman is entrapped by a LotusEaterMachine and has to realize that his world was destroyed. In the same episode, Batman is attached to the plot device in question, and realizes it almost immediately--he knows, deep down, that his father didn't beat up the mugger, but was killed by him. A tearjerker moment for both, as Superman tells his scared son good-bye as Krypton explodes and Batman is forced to relive that terrible moment again.
** In [[Recap/{{JusticeLeagueS2E5And6OnlyADream}} Only a Dream]]", Flash recognizes that he's in a dream a few minutes after Dr. Destiny shows up and believes that his alarm clock will wake him up.

* The Disney version of ''Disney/AliceInWonderland'' ends with her being chased by the Queen and her subjects, begging the talking doorknob to let her out. The doorknob is ''still'' locked and explains that she ''is'' out, and shows her sleeping under a tree through his keyhole. Alice then shouts for herself to wake up.
* Played straight in ''{{Spongebob Squarepants}}'' in the episode "Squilliam Returns".

* Subverted in the story "Where Oh Where is Flick?" of ''PBAndJOtter''. Flick enters into a dream in which Mallard Man asks him to help him and he immediately says "I must be dreaming!" Mallard Man agrees that he is and Flick is perfectly cool with this.
* King Julien in ''ThePenguinsOfMadagascar'': "I must be dreaming the most horrible dream inside my head! Quick, pinch me, now bite me, now slap my face and spank my right buttock!"

* In ''TwoStupidDogs'', believing a situation too good to be true, Little Dog orders Big Dog to pinch him. After he complies, he tells him "Harder!"

* In ''{{Erfworld}}'', Parson, still not quite sure it's not all a dream, tries pinching himself to "wake up".

* In ''{{Sinfest}}'', [[http://www.sinfest.net/archive_page.php?comicID=2787 a flood of good luck makes Slick ask for this.]]

!!Examples

[[folder: Anime And Manga ]]

* From ''{{K-On}}!!'', in maybe the third or fourth dream she had that day, Azusa rightly guesses she's in a dream and asks dream!Mugi and dream!Ui to pinch her, and she laments that she won a trip to Finland in that dream.
* Parodied in [[RanmaOneHalf Ranma ½]]: When Akane goes on a date with Ryoga, he's sure that it must be a dream -- so he hits his head against the wall hard enough to cause structural damage to the building. It doesn't hurt, so he thinks he must be dreaming. However, the real reason it didn't hurt is because he's just that strong after training with Cologne.

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* Amusing variation: In ''Series/PoliceSquad'', Drebin mentions in his narration that at such a moment he asked the guy next to him to pinch him. Said guy, a big ugly bruiser, gives him an odd look and ''very'' carefully backs away.
** The Zucker/Abrahams/Zucker team originally used this one in their feature film ''Film/{{Airplane}}'', in the {{Flashback}} scene where Ted Stryker relives his first meeting Elaine.

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[[folder: Live Action TV ]]

* Many AllJustADream episodes end when the character says, "Of course! It's all just a dream!"
* ''Series/DoctorWho'': "The Deadly Assassin". The Doctor is able to escape the Master's traps by denying that they exist. Also "Vengeance on Varos". Also "The Trial of a Timelord".

* At the near end of Machinima/{{Supermarioglitchy4}}'s "The Mario Parable", when Narrator sends Mario to [[spoiler:be killed]], the latter wonders he's just dreaming, and Narrator accepts with him by saying that everything is not real except him.

* In AkameGaKiru when Esdese and Tatsumi are teleported away to a distant island, Tatsumi, thinking it's an illusion asks Esdese to "hurt me". Esdese is overjoyed, because she thinks this means Tatsumi is a masochist and as an insane sadist with a VillainousCrush on Tatsumi, she thinks this makes them a better match. He quickly corrects her.

* [[TearJerker Played for tears]] in ''Anime/SailorMoon''. In the first season finale, Usagi is sitting alone in the snow after all four of the other Inner Senshi die one by one, each sacrificing themself for her. She tells herself that she is only dreaming, and when she wakes up everyone will be there and tell her good morning.

* Britanny says this twice in ''Film/AlvinAndTheChipmunksTheSqueakquel''; the first time is when the Chipettes enter Ian's penthouse for the first time, and the second time is moments before Ian mentions barbecue.

* The episode of ''{{Blackadder}}'' where he accidentally burns the [[NoPlansNoPrototypeNoBackup only copy]] of the dictionary. The writer of the dictionary bursts in on Blackadder and says something to the effect of "I'm tired of the damn thing, it's rubbish, burn it". Blackadder is overjoyed, but then "Baldrick, who gave you permission to become an Alsatian?". Which is enough of a clue for Blackadder to realise and wake up

* About halfway through the film ''Film/WakingLife'', the main character learns he can tell if he's dreaming by flipping light switches or checking digital clocks. Unfortunately, this knowledge doesn't help him wake up.

See also DidYouSeeThatToo for seeking confirmation that something is real.

** Also occurs in [[ComicBook/ForTheManWhoHasEverything an episode]] of ''JusticeLeague'', where Superman is entrapped by a LotusEaterMachine and has to realize that his world was destroyed. In the same episode, Batman is attached to the plot device in question, and realizes it almost immediately--he knows, deep down, that his father didn't beat up the mugger, but was killed by him. A tearjerker moment for both, as Superman tells her scared son good-bye as Krypton explodes and Batman is forced to relive that terrible moment again.

* [[TearJerker Played for tears]] in ''SailorMoon''. In the first season finale, Usagi is sitting alone in the snow after all four of the other Inner Senshi die one by one, each sacrificing themself for her. She tells herself that she is only dreaming, and when she wakes up everyone will be there and tell her good morning.

* Used similarly in Creator/StanislawLem's novel ''The Futurological Congress''. Hero Ijon Tichy is the victim of a hallucinogenic attack, and treats his doctors, revival after cryo-freezing and FishOutOfTemporalWater setting as a product of his hallucinations. [[spoiler: He's absolutely right.]]

* Used similarly in Creator/StanislawLem's novel ''The Futurological Congress''. Hero Ijon Tichhy is the victim of a hallucinogenic attack, and treats his doctors, revival after cryo-freezing and FishOutOfTemporalWater setting as a product of his hallucinations. [[spoiler: He's absolutely right.]]

* Used similarly in one of the ''Pierce The Pilot'' short stories. The hero is the victim of a hallucinogenic attack, and treats his doctors, revival after cryo-freezing and FishOutOfTemporalWater setting as a product of his hallucinations. [[spoiler: He's absolutely right]]

There is ''some'' real life support for this: most people have found themselves suddenly woken just as they realize that they're dreaming. This may be a defensive mechanism to prevent sleep disruptions (the state of being aware that one is dreaming, called "lucid dreaming", cannot cause a breakdown of the mechanisms that normally prevent behaviors such as sleepwalking, contrary to popular belief. Many people enjoy lucid dreams and try to have as many as possible, generally with only positive side effects). But anyone who has experienced sleep paralysis knows that it's not always as simple as that. (and if you've ever been able to control Sleep Paralysis, things get more complicated.

The intersection of AllJustADream and the OntologicalMystery.

* About halfway through the film ''WakingLife'', the main character learns he can tell if he's dreaming by flipping light switches or checking digital clocks. Unfortunately, this knowledge doesn't help him wake up.
* In the movie ''VanillaSky'', Tom Cruise realizes that he is dreaming at the end of the movie when he finally removes the mask he wears to hide his disfigured face to find that his face is perfectly fine underneath. This prompts him to start shouting that he wants to wake up.

* A plot element in ''{{Inception}}''. [[spoiler:Pinching alone's not nearly enough; a 'kick' of some sorts is required to forcibly eject the dreamer from their dream.]]

The intersection of AllJustADream and the OntologicalMystery.

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* ''Series/StargateSG1'': "The Gamekeeper".

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** ''FanFic/HomeWithTheFairies'' dumps Maddie in a field. Her arrival is an OntologicalMystery. There she sleeps, dreams, and wakes in the field again. Because she dreamt then woke, Maddie concludes that she is not dreaming the field. (This ignores the chance of a DreamWithinADream.)

* Amusing variation: In ''PoliceSquad!'', Drebin mentions in his narration that at such a moment he asked the guy next to him to pinch him. Said guy, a big ugly bruiser, gives him an odd look and ''very'' carefully backs away.
** The Zucker/Abrahams/Zucker team originally used this one in their feature film ''{{Airplane}}'', in the {{Flashback}} scene where Ted Stryker relives his first meeting Elaine.

* In RobertSheckley's short story ''Ghost V'', the two main characters realize the air of the planet they've landed on contains chemicals that cause hallucinations; unfortunately, since YourMindMakesItReal, knowing that they're hallucinations doesn't make them the least bit less dangerous.

* ''TheXFiles''. Subversion: Mulder and Scully realize that they are trapped in a chemically induced hallucination, and are promptly freed. Wackiness continues to ensue, at which point it occurs to Mulder that there is absolutely no scientific reason that their having worked it out should negate all the hallucinogenic chemicals in their systems. It's the supporting cast who end up rescuing them for real.
* ''TheGeorgeLopezShow'' uses this twice when George eats a peculiar worm in his drink. Both [[GRatedDrug hallucinations]] end with his Cuban father-in-law dancing in a worm suit.
->" You are having a hallucinogenic reaction to ''me.'' I'm in your ''belly.'' Watch me dance." -'''Vic Palmero'''

* When [[spoiler: Esdese and Tatsumi]] are teleported away to a distant island, Tatsumi, thinking it's an illusion asks Esdese to "hurt me". Esdese is overjoyed, because she thinks this means Tatsumi is a masochist and as an insane sadist with a VillainousCrush on Tatsumi, she thinks this makes them a better match. He quickly corrects her.

* ''[[{{StargateSG-1}} Stargate SG-1]]'': "The Gamekeeper".

** Also occurs in [[ComicBook/ForTheManWhoHasEverything an episode]] of ''JusticeLeague'', where Superman is entrapped by a LotusEaterMachine and has to realize that his world was destroyed. In the same episode, Batman is attached to the plot device in question, and realizes it almost immediately--he knows, deep down, that his father didn't beat up the mugger, but was killed by him.
* The Disney version of ''Disney/AliceInWonderland'' ends with her being chased by the Queen and her subjects, begging the talking doorknob to let her out. The doorknob explains that she ''is'' out, and shows her sleeping under a tree through his keyhole. Alice then shouts for herself to wake up.

* In TwoStupidDogs, believing a situation too good to be true, Little Dog orders Big Dog to pinch him. After he complies, he tells him "Harder!"