History Main / RuleOfPool

[[quoteright:350:[[Film/SunsetBoulevard https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/pool.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''The poor dope. He always wanted a pool.'']]

%% Administrivia/ZeroContextExample entries are not allowed on wiki pages. All such entries have been commented out. Add context to the entries before uncommenting them.

* In the ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'' series, David's house has a pool, and the other characters mention it a few times in the context of how they envy David's good fortune in this respect. Eventually, this comes into effect when the characters are chased by several {{Mooks}} through David's yard, and they are able to make their escape because the mooks fall into the pool.
* In the book ''Literature/{{Elantris}}'', the characters discover a pool in a well-hidden room. [[spoiler: It turns out to be the "merciful" way of killing Elantrians, originally when they chose to die, later when they were overwhelmed by the pain.]]
* Subverted in the ''Literature/HerculePoirot'' mystery ''The Hollow'': the victim dies at the edge of the pool, and a bystander with... complicated motives throws the apparent murder weapon into the pool, just to make it that bit harder for the detectives.

* In Literature/InstrumentOfGod, 246 pushes a woman who can't swim but is afraid she'd drown into the pool order for her to understand that because they're already dead they ''cannot'' drown.

%%* ''Series/MelrosePlace''
%%* ''Series/{{Dallas}}''
* ''Series/Dynasty1981''. A scenic catfight even happened on a lily pond, which is close to a pool as anyone can get.
* ''Series/BrothersAndSisters'':
** There was a jump-in by several people.
** Invoked right from the first- William Walker falls in during his fatal heart attack.

* ''Series/TheWestWing''. During a flashback to when Toby offered CJ a job on the Bartlett campaign. CJ wasn't wearing either her contact lenses or her glasses and was carrying a box of her possessions on the way back home from the PR firm from which she had just been sacked.

* Though not a pool, in an episode of ''Series/{{NCIS}}'' Ziva falls into a creek, dragging Ducky with her - naturally she has just told him she doesn't need assistance crossing said creek.
** [=McGee=] and Ziva are also pushed into a fountain in one episode.
%% * Subverted and teased at in the episode 'Blackout' of ''Series/ColdCase''.
* ''Series/{{Numb3rs}}'' If there is a pool (or any water, really) Colby will end up in it.
* An episode of ''Series/{{Psych}}'' features [[spoiler:[=McNabb=]'s mailbox rigged with a bomb, which explodes, sending him flying backwards -- into the outdoor pool of the apartment complex he lives in]].

* Averted in the third ''Series/{{Sherlock}}'' episode, "The Great Game". Sherlock agrees to meet [[spoiler:Moriarty]] at a swimming pool, but no-one falls in at all.
%% * In the first episode of ''Series/PartyDown''.

* On the ill-fated ''[[Series/BradyBunchSpinOffs Brady Bunch Variety Hour]]'', the show's stage literally had a built in pool. While it was primarily used by a synchronized swimming troupe (The Kroftettes) during the credits, you can be certain that a fully-dressed Brady cast member would occasionally take a dip.

* ''Series/BabylonFive'': Not actually seen onscreen, but a past incident between Ivanova and a [[AcceptableTargets member of the Psi Corps]] involved a swimming pool:
-->'''Ivanova:''' You know how I feel about telepaths.\\
'''Sheridan:''' Do I ever. You [[DestinationDefenestration threw one out a third-story window]] on Io.\\
'''Ivanova:''' There was an ample pool below the window!\\
'''Sheridan:''' I'll assume you ''knew'' that.

* The opening of the ''Series/{{CSI}}'' episode "Suckers" ''looked'' like this trope, until the team fished out the "body" and discovered it was a mannequin.
* One episode of ''Series/LawAndOrderSpecialVictimsUnit'' included a man shoving his wheelchair-bound wife into their indoor pool, proving she is not really wheelchair-bound.
* Practically every episode of ''Series/TheLoveBoat'' has someone falling or being shoved into the swimming pool.
* ''Series/SilkStalkings'': In "S.O.B.", Rita is talking to a suspect by his pool when the suspect's fiancee gets suspicious and tries to hustle Rita out of there. Rita gives her a push that topples her over the edge of the pool.

* One of the ''[[VideoGame/RockBand Rock Band 3]]'' band progress cut scenes has your band at a rooftop party with a pool front and center. Sure enough, one of the first steps towards rowdiness is the singer pushing some random schmuck into the pool.

* In ''Merge Mansion'' Ursula comments that she once pushed her future husband into the pool because she saw her mother coming and nobody knew that they were dating.

* WesternAnimation/{{Archer}} combines this with SheetOfGlass when he comes across a pool while pursuing a paranoid Music/KennyLoggins. Not just a pool, but a glass walled pool on the top floor of a high rise hotel. Not only is the dunking inevitable, that glass ''must'' shatter the same way [[ChekhovsGun the gun]] ''must'' fire.

* At the end of ''WesternAnimation/TheBeatles'' cartoon "Chains," the boys (aboard a cruise ship) jump into a pool full of girls.
-->'''Paul:''' Oh well, boys. If we must, we must.\\
'''Ringo:''' We must!!

* Ash of the ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'' anime falls victim to this trope whenever [[CuteClumsyGirl Bianca]] is around.

* In ''Franchise/HarryPotter'' fic ''Time to Live'', three Death Eaters following a tracking charm on Harry Portkey to the Muggle hotel where he's staying, appearing over (and falling into) the pool. Harry later jokes that they "attacked the pool and lost."
* "Arm Candy", part of the ''Fanfic/SorrowfulAndImmaculateHearts'' series, opens with a party around the pool at Wayne Manor. By the end of the fourth paragraph someone has been pushed into the pool fully-clothed for being a jerk.
* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12265183/1/Picnic-Panic Picnic Panic]]'' a drunken Ron bumps into a four-year-old guest at the neighborhood barbecue Hermione's parents are hosting, sending her flying into the pool. Fortunately Harry fishes her out unharmed.

* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/4907797/4/Beneath-Boundless-Skies Beneath Boundless Skies]]'' Harry tackles Draco after he tears up some of Harry's old shirts for us as rags and they both fall into the pool.

* ''Film/SunsetBoulevard'' memorably opens with its main character floating face down in a pool.

* ''Film/TheParty'' stars Creator/PeterSellers as a bumbling fool who ''almost'' falls into the extensive pools throughout the party venue every couple of scenes, until the inevitable happens -- to pretty much everyone in the movie.
* In ''Film/MissCongeniality'', Eric and Gracie have a heartfelt conversation in/by the hotel pool (he had been swimming laps, and she had just stormed in after getting fed up with her pageant training). Immediately afterward, Eric grabs Gracie's wrist and yanks her into the water. Gracie notes that Victor is going to kill him for ruining the gown she'd been wearing.
* Averted in ''Film/LittleMissSunshine''; at one point two characters get into a poolside argument. It seems like a clear set-up for one to throw the other into the pool, but it never happens.
* ''Whatever It Takes'', with a full ballroom of people in long dresses or smoking.
* ''Film/LaNotte'' by Creator/MichelangeloAntonioni features high-class socialites jumping into the outdoor pool during the party. Though the heavy shower that had begun just before that had left nobody dry anyway.

%% * In the 1998 version of ''Film/{{The Parent Trap|1998}}''.
%% * ''Film/{{The Parent Trap|1961}}'', the original.
* Subverted in ''Film/CannonballRun''. The hotel where the race starts has a pool, but you don't see it until Terry Bradshaw drives his stock car into it.
* A major plot point in ''Film/NowYouSeeHimNowYouDont'' where the bank robbers drive the invisible car coated with the water-soluble invisibility formula through a fence and into a swimming pool.

%% * Both pool-side scenes from the 2010 movie ''Film/YouAgain'' follow this rule.
* In ''Film/{{Gordy}},'' a young boy is sitting on the diving board over a pool as he talks to his new friend. Of course, when he gets up to leave, he loses his balance and falls in.
* The "Dancing Queen" number in the film version of ''Film/MammaMia'' has women jumping off a pier for no reason.

* ''Film/AgentCodyBanks'' has Cody being thrown into the pool at Hilary Duff's casino-themed party by a bunch of {{Jerk Jock}}s.
* An almost example in ''Film/StarTrekGenerations'' but instead of a pool, it's a holographic ocean. Otherwise, it fits the description of this trope.
* ''Film/AlmostFamous'': Tripping rock star Russell stands on the roof of a house over a swimming pool surrounded by drunk, cheering fans, ranting incoherently and preparing to jump in. Beleaguered trip-sitter William attempts to talk him down. Russell says "okay" and turns to go back inside. Yeah, ''right''.

* In ''Sammy the Way-Out Seal'' (1962), the titular seal pushes a poolside shindig guest in with his nose. Since no one saw the seal, an escalating series of retaliatory pool-pushes ensues.
* In ''Film/LastVegas'', first, Billy pushes Paddy into an indoor pool during the party. Then, Paddy returns the favor the next day at the hotel pool.

* In the first ''Film/LethalWeapon'', as the heroes are escorting a suspect past a covered pool, the suspect goes for a weapon and Riggs reflexively shoots him. He was trying to be nonlethal (this time) but the injured suspect falls in the pool, is tangled in the plastic covering, and drowns.
* In ''Film/GentlemenPreferBlondes'' at the end of "Ain't There Anyone Here For Love?" Dorothy gets knocked into a swimming pool by a dancer leaping over her. This was actually an accident that the director decided to [[ThrowItIn keep in the final cut]] because it was funnier than just having Jane Russell stand on the edge of the pool.
* Several sissies in the cowboy/sissy brawl at the end of ''Film/BlazingSaddles'' wind up in a shallow pool. They start doing water ballet.
* ''Film/TheBurning'': As other guys dive in the lake, Alfred isn't that excited to follow, as he cannot swim. Glazer then rushes to him and pushes him into the water. Moments later, after Woodstock shoots Glazer in the ass with his air pistol while he tries showing off to the girls, camper Rhoda does the same to Glazer while his back is turned.
* In ''Film/DeathBecomesHer'', Ernest chooses to let himself fall off a roof rather than [[spoiler:take an immortality potion and be stuck with the horrible Madeline and Helen for all eternity]]. He winds up crashing through the glass roof of a [[ChekhovsGun previously establish pool house]], and lands in the water mostly unharmed.
* In ''Driven'' (2018), after trying on a dress from John [=DeLorean=]'s wife, Katy jumps into the pool.
* ''Film/JohnAndTheHole'': Played with. John is constantly seen swimming in the pool and constantly practices holding his breath underwater. At the end, when he's fully clothed, [[spoiler:he tries to drown himself.]]

* ''Series/Dynasty''. A scenic catfight even happened on a lily pond, which is close to a pool as anyone can get.

* Literature/TheGreatGatsby has Gatsby's mansion having a marble pool as a symbol status, but has Gatsby never swimming on it and telling his servants not to drain it throughout the whole summer. Ironically, Gatsby's first dip at the pool was his last.

[[{{Snowclones}} Not at all related to the]] RuleOfCool.

%%* ''Series/{{Dynasty}}''

** BoJack has a pool on his rear deck that he's seen floating in in the opening credits, but rarely uses on the show. That is, until the end of Season 3, where he goes on a bender and accidentally drives his Tesla into his pool.
** Another episode has the plot kicked off when BoJack and Diane find a dead body in a pool, and BoJack has to clear his name (though it's the body of an Orca).

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
* If you see a body of water, ''any'' body of water in ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'', someone '''WILL''' fall into it (or have it spilled/splashed on them), [[InvoluntaryShapeshifting triggering]] their Jusenkyo curse and transforming them [[{{Animorphism}} into an animal]], and/or [[GenderBender the opposite sex]] as a result. That's sort of [[RuleOfFunny the point]] of the whole series. And that includes body of water, glass of water, pot of water, etc...
* Ash of the ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'' anime falls victim to this trope whenever [[CuteClumsyGirl Bianca]] is around.

[[folder:Fanfiction]]
* In Franchise/HarryPotter fic ''Time to Live'' three Death Eaters following a tracking charm on Harry Portkey to the Muggle hotel where he's staying, appearing over (and falling into) the pool. Harry later jokes that they "attacked the pool and lost."
* "Arm Candy", part of the ''Fanfic/SorrowfulAndImmaculateHearts'' series, opens with a party around the pool at Wayne Manor. By the end of the fourth paragraph someone has been pushed into the pool fully-clothed for being a jerk.
* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12265183/1/Picnic-Panic Picnic Panic]]'' a drunken Ron bumps into a four-year-old guest at the neighborhood barbecue Hermione's parents are hosting, sending her flying into the pool. Fortunately Harry fishes her out unharmed.
* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11913447/29/Amalgum-Lockhart-s-Folly Amalgum - Lockhart's Folly]]'' Lockhart conjures a temporary floor over the pool he had installed in Hogwarts' dungeons, then vanishes it after most of his fourth-year Defense Against the Dark Arts class unsuspectingly walks on top of it.
* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6628695/26/Eyes Eyes]]'' Viktor tries to dump Nick into the pool at the Malfoys' French manor as a tease, but ends up in it himself after Nick's dog bites him in the rear. Nick then pushes in Adrian, who returns the favor by pulling Nick in after him.

[[folder:Film]]

* ''Film/TheParty'' stars Creator/PeterSellers as a bumbling fool who ''almost'' falls into the extensive pools throughout the party venue every couple of scenes, until the inevitable happens - to pretty much everyone in the movie.

* In the ''{{Literature/Animorphs}}'' series, David's house has a pool, and the other characters mention it a few times in the context of how they envy David's good fortune in this respect. Eventually, this comes into effect when the characters are chased by several {{Mooks}} through David's yard, and they are able to make their escape because the mooks fall into the pool.
* In the book ''Literature/{{Elantris}}'', the characters discover a pool in a well-hidden room. [[spoiler: It turns out to be the 'merciful' way of killing Elantrians, originally when they chose to die, later when they were overwhelmed by the pain.]]

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

* Averted in the third ''Series/{{Sherlock}}'' episode, "The Great Game." Sherlock agrees to meet [[spoiler:Moriarty]] at a swimming pool, but no one falls in at all.

[[folder: Music]]

[[folder: Web Comics ]]
* ''{{Webcomic/Narbonic}}'', though the people who fell in were [[spoiler:pushed off a FloatingContinent several hundred meters above it.]]

%% * Naturally, TheSimpsons.
* {{WesternAnimation/Archer}} combines this with SheetOfGlass when he comes across a pool while pursuing a paranoid Music/KennyLoggins. Not just a pool, but a glass walled pool on the top floor of a high rise hotel. Not only is the dunking inevitable, that glass ''must'' shatter the same way [[ChekhovsGun the gun]] ''must'' fire.
--> '''Archer''': [[LampshadeHanging The predictable thing is going to happen now]], so...''*crash!*''

* Was central to an ad campaign in TheSeventies: Take the Nestea Plunge!
* Comedian Steve Byrne laments the death of this trope in RealLife in recent years. Years back, when you do this, the person mucks around the water and you all get a good laugh. Nowadays, you do this, the person screams out "Oh, my iPod! My cellphone!" and you're out a few hundred dollars. The trope may make a comeback in the future once waterproof phones become widespread.
* Casa Bonita (restaurant near Denver, depicted in WesternAnimation/SouthPark) has little shows (gunfight between Black Bart and the sheriff, for example) taking place over a large pool of water. You pretty much know that, during any given show, ''somebody'' is going in.
* A tragic variation occurred where [[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1330733/Bride-Rachelle-Friedman-paralysed-freak-bachelorette-party-accident.html a bridesmaid pushed a bride into the pool]]. The bride landed wrong and has been paralyzed from the neck down ever since .
** Basically, while it may look fun in the media, please DontTryThisAtHome.

* In {{Film/Death Becomes Her}}, Ernest chooses to let himself fall off a roof rather than [[spoiler:take an immortality potion and be stuck with the horrible Madeline and Helen for all eternity]]. He winds up crashing through the glass roof of a [[ChekhovsGun previously establish pool house]], and lands in the water mostly unharmed.

* ''WesternAnimation/BojackHorseman'' has a pool on his rear deck that he's seen floating in in the opening credits, but rarely uses on the show. That is, until the end of Season 3, where he goes on a bender and accidentally drives his Tesla into his pool.

%% * In the 1998 version of ''Film/TheParentTrap''.
%% * ''Film/TheParentTrap'', the original.

a.k.a The Law of Inevitable Immersion.

* ''Film/AlmostFamous'': Tripping rock star Russell stands on the roof of a house over a swimming pool surrounded by drunk, cheering fans, ranting incoherently (and [[CrowningMomentOfFunny hilariously]]) and preparing to jump in. Beleaguered trip-sitter William attempts to talk him down. Russell says "okay" and turns to go back inside. Yeah, ''right''.

A form of ChekhovsGun.

%% * The dance scene from ''Film/ItsAWonderfulLife''.