History Main / ReadingAheadInTheScript

* ''Manga/DragonHalf'': In the OVA's second episode, Dug Fin swears to get revenge on Mink for [[AdaptationInducedPlotHole something that happened in a manga scene that was left out of the first episode]]--which leads to him getting a TV out to rewatch the preceding episode. After discovering his introductory scene was cut, he loses his temper and swears to get revenge anyway.

** ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureBattleTendency'': The RunningGag of Joseph [[ImprobablyPredictable knowing what someone's next line of dialog will be]] is an example mostly LostInTranslation; the joke is that, as a fan of American comic books, [[MediumAwareness he reads the manga panels left-to-right instead of right-to-left]].

* In the series finale of ''Series/SmallWonder'', Vanessa (posing as Vicki) does this, to the chagrin of the film director.

* One of the most integral plot elements in ''Literature/DevilVenerableAlsoWantsToKnow'' is that Wenren È gets a copy of a book written about the story he's living in that gives him a lot of information about characters he hasn't met yet and events slated to happen in the future, including him falling in love with the book's female lead and sacrificing his life for her which he isn't too keen on letting happen. The book's contents also start getting rewritten in real time when he and other characters' actions begin altering its original plot, which lets him regularly read back through it to see what kind of new events have occurred to its heroine.

* ''Film/TheDeadDontDie'': During the climax, Ronnie reveals to Cliff that the reason he's been so pessimistic throughout the movie is that he read the script and [[CatchPhrase knew it was going to end badly]]. Cliff is pissed at this, as the director only gave him his own scenes instead of the whole thing.

** In "Thugs With Dirty Muggs", police officer F.H.A. Holmes is trying to figure out where gangster Killer will strike next. A silhouetted member of the audience tells him he saw the cartoon before and knows that Killer and his gag will rob the home of Lotta Jewels.

* One episode of ''Westernanimation/MightyDucksTheAnimatedSeries'' had resident MetaGuy Nosedive showing he had the script to the episode, and when Klegghorn questions it Nosedive reads the line the policeman was about to say.

* ''VisualNovel/UminekoWhenTheyCry'' has [[HumanoidAbomination Featherine]] [[PhysicalGod Aurora]] who can not only read the script, she can [[RewritingReality rewrite it at will]]. This is played [[CosmicHorrorStory for all the drama it can be]].

** ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureBattleTendency'': The RunningGag of Joseph [[KnewYouWouldSayThat knowing what someone's next line of dialog will be]] is an example mostly LostInTranslation; the joke is that, as a fan of American comic books, [[MediumAwareness he reads the manga panels left-to-right instead of right-to-left]].

* A variation occurs in the ''Series/DoctorWho'' episode "The Angels Take Manhattan". The events of the episode are written down in a book the Doctor found. Amy is quick to realize that reading ahead gives them some warning about what will happen, only for the Doctor to tell her not to do it. This is because it becomes close to impossible to ScrewDestiny once you've read it. Reading ahead would seal their fate, with no way to know if it would be for better or for worse. As a balance between the two, they read the chapter headings.

* ''Fanfic/ThinkingInLittleGreenBoxes'' ends the [[Literature/HarryPotter Philosopher's Stone]] arc when Harry reads ahead in the book to find that [[spoiler: Quirrel was Voldemort.]] Disappointed by this, ComicBook/{{Deadpool}}, Harry's father, punishes Harry by banning him from BreakingTheFourthWall for five whole chapters. Harry kept to it... mostly.

'''Dr. Teeth:''' We just read the script. ''[holds up script]'' "EXT. DESERT - NIGHT." We knew right where you were.

* ''Theatre/ForbiddenBroadway Strikes Back'' has a weird variation - the characters from ''Theatre/{{Rent}}'' read ahead in the script for ''Theatre/LaBoheme'' to see what they should do next. Of course, since the plot of ''Rent'' is only ''very'' loosely based on ''La Bohème'', it's not a reliable guide.

-->'''Usher''': Possibly. In this draft at least.\\
'''Thought 3''': Hmm. Well, that's certainly a choice.

* ''Webcomic/LsEmpire'' has one character become an author, so they can read the comic's buffer to counteract any plan set in motion against them. [[spoiler: The other authors manage to get around this by deliberately posting the page that details the character's downfall late.]]

A type of MediumAwareness (and, by extension, often a sign of NoFourthWall in the comedy varation). Closely related to NoticingTheFourthWall; also compare GenreSavvy, ThisIsThePartWhere, and ReadingTheStageDirectionsOutLoud. Will often prompt a "WhoWritesThisCrap" reaction in {{Self Parody}}ing works. Contrast ''both'' SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome and ThisIsReality. Can overlap with AnimatedActors.

** In ''Film/{{Spaceballs}}'', when the eponymous villains lose track of Lone Star and Princess Vespa, they try to find her by watching ahead in the film. Dark Helmet wonders how that's possible if they're still making the movie, but [[HandWave future tech]] takes care of that. But they do have to fast-forward through the whole movie to the point they want to see, leading to Helmet having to relive his LudicrousSpeed escapade ("No no no, go past this, past this part. In fact, [[LetUsNeverSpeakOfThisAgain never play this again]]."), and a memorable sequence when they're in real time and looking at "now".

** In ''Film/{{Spaceballs}}'', when the eponymous villains lose track of Lone Star and Princess Vespa, they try to find her by watching ahead in the film. Dark Helmet wonders how that's possible if they're still making the movie, but [[HandWave future tech]] takes care of that. But they do have to fast-forward through the whole movie to the point they want to see, leading to Helmet having to relive his LudicrousSpeed escapade ("No no, skip this part. In fact, [[LetUsNeverSpeakOfThisAgain never show this part again]]."), and a memorable sequence when they're in real time and looking at "now".

[[folder:Web Comics]]