Trivia

Trivia pages are attached to the work they are about, on the Trivia tab. They are for on-topic information, fun facts that are not really storytelling tropes (unless they happen In-Universe), or the author's/authors' opinion on the work.

Trivia falls into classifications—that is to say, little bundles of similar facts. The bundles are listed on the wiki because they are sort of fun. If you find an example from one of the following little bundles, it goes on the Trivia tab of the work, not its storytelling (main) trope examples list.

You can also add Trivia items that don't fit any category or premade page as long as they are legitimately trivia and not Tropes or Audience Reactions.

Be aware that Playing with a Trope cannot apply to these Trivia items. They can't be subverted or downplayed or inverted or averted.

Compare YMMV (which also don't go on the main page, but for different reasons).

Please note: This is not the place to list works that have Trivia pages. That would be this auto-index.

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Examples of the following go in the Trivia tab:

A-C

• Abandonware: Older, unsupported software that is no longer distributed by the publisher.
• Ability over Appearance: When choosing the actor to play the role of a character in a live-action adaptation, their acting ability is prioritized over how much they resemble the character from the source material.
• Absurdly Short Production Time: When a work takes a relatively short time to complete.
• Accent Depundent: When a pun used in a work works better (or not at all) with a certain accent.
• Accidental Downer Ending: A work ends on a down note with hints and promises that it will be continued, but it does not.
• Accidentally-Correct Writing: The work was actually trying to make stuff up, but the supposedly false information is actually true.
• Accidentally Correct Zoology: A fictional species made up for a work is discovered to be real later on.
• Acclaimed Flop: A movie was a critical or commercial failure, but is still very revered by those familiar with it.
• Acting for Two: Multiple characters played by the same actor.
• Acting in the Dark: Actors aren't told about the nature of the work or their character to prevent it from affecting their performance.
• Actor Existence Limbo: Animated characters reduced to non-speaking roles when their voice actors become unavailable, often due to death or the actor simply being too high-profile to hire on a continuous basis.
• Actor-Inspired Element: A character's trait is inspired and/or improvised by their actor.
• Actor-Inspired Heroism: A character originally written as a villain or a Jerkass is made more sympathetic from the actor's portrayal.
• Actor Leaves, Character Dies: Killing off a character after the actor becomes unavailable.
• Actor-Shared Background: A character shares the same heritage, upbringing and/or backstory as their actor.
• Adaptation First: The adaptation is localized before the original work.
• Adaptation Overdosed: A work has received numerous adaptations.
• Adaptation Sequence: A work's adaption is adapted multiple times.
• Adored by the Network: A network treats one of the shows it is airing much better than the other shows on the network.
• Alan Smithee: A creator uses a pseudonym because they don't like the results.
• All-Star Cast: A work has a cast of big-name actors.
• Amateur Cast: A work has a cast of untrained or untried actors.
• Anime First: When the anime series comes out before any other adaptions.
• Anonymous Author: A pseudonym that's used instead of the author's real name.
• Approval of God: The creator of the original work praises content made by the fans.
• Artist Disillusionment: When an artist hates their own creative career and/or fanbase.
• Ascended Fancast: The fans' favored actor for a role gets cast as the character.
• Ascended Fanfic: A work that started out as a fanfic becomes a professionally published work.
• Ascended Fanon: The fans' interpretation of something becomes canon.
  • Ascended Fan Nickname: Fan nicknames are given official use.
• Ascended House Rules: The fans' house rules become official rules.
• Ashcan Copy: An adaptation is made solely to hold onto the media rights.
• Attention Deficit Creator Disorder: When a creator is working a lot of projects at the same time.
• Author Phobia: The author's fears take form in their fiction.
• Author's Saving Throw: A creator states via Word of God and/or Word of Saint Paul that they changed a work in response to complaints from the audience.
• Award Category Fraud: Someone is nominated for (or wins) in what is clearly the wrong category.
• Awesome, Dear Boy: An actor agreed to work on a production because they find their role to be cool.
• Baby Name Trend Killer: Factors that cause baby names to be chosen less often, if at all.
• Baby Name Trend Starter: People name their babies after a popular character in fiction.
• Backed by the Pentagon: A film portraying the military receives support from the actual military.
• Bad Export for You: When a work is exported to other countries, the release is inferior to the release made in the work's country of origin.
• Banned Episode: An episode of a show is removed from circulation because of a controversy concerning it.
• Banned in China: A work is banned from being released in another country.
• Based on a Dream: A work that was based on a dream.
• Beam Me Up, Scotty!: An iconic catchphrase either doesn't actually exist or is actually a misquoted variant of what the character actually said.
• Better Export for You: A movie, TV show, or album receives a higher-quality home video release overseas than in its country of origin.
• Billing Displacement: The work gives top billing to more well-known actors even though they are not in starring roles.
• Black Sheep Hit: A hit song that doesn't sound like anything else the artist ever did.
• Blooper: Clips of hilarious mistakes made during production of the film.
• Bonus Episode: An episode that never aired but was added to the retail version.
• Bonus Material: Extra goods that is added to, but separate from, a particular work.
• Box Office Bomb: The amount of money a movie had upon theatrical release is significantly less than the film's budget.
• Breakaway Advertisement: An ad becomes more famous than its product.
• Breakaway Pop Hit: An extremely popular song from a movie nobody remembers.
• Breaking News Interruption: Real-life examples of the We Interrupt This Program trope.
• Breakup Breakout: A performer achieves success after splitting off from a duo or entourage.
• Breakthrough Hit: The creation of this work leads its creator's successful career.
• B-Team Sequel: A lesser team takes over production of the sequel instead of the original creators.
• Budget-Busting Element: A relatively small aspect takes up a disproportionate chunk of the work's budget.
• Bury Your Art: A creator or company refuses to re-release or pulls from circulation a work because they don't want the world to see it.
• …But I Play One on TV: Actors referred to by the names of characters they played.
• California Doubling: A specific location is used as scenery for different places all over the world.
• Cameo Prop: A work features a cameo of a famous movie prop.
• Cancellation: The network airing the show decides not to renew it for more episodes.
• Career Resurrection: A famous actor that fell into disgrace or obscurity, then stages a successful comeback.
• Cash-Cow Franchise: A franchise that keeps going because it is very profitable for the company that owns it.
• Cast the Expert: Hiring a professional to act in a work about said profession.
• Cast the Runner-Up: Someone who auditioned for a bigger part ends up in a different role.
• Cast Incest: Related characters are played by actors who are lovers in real life.
• The Cast Showoff: An actor's talents other than acting are worked into the plot.
• Celebrity Break-Up Song: A Break Up Song written by a celebrity written about another celebrity.
• Celebrity Voice Actor: A celebrity plays a character in an animated work.
• Channel Hop: A television or radio show starts airing new episodes on a different channel. This also applies to works changing publishers and distributors.
• The Character Died with Him: A character is killed off after the actor who played them dies.
• The Character Ice Cream Bar: Ice cream in the shape of a character's head; Unintentional Uncanny Valley levels may occur when melted.
• Character Outlives Actor: When the actor who plays the character dies, this is worked around by reducing them to voiceless cameos, replacing their actor or otherwise making do or removing them from the spotlight without killing them off.
• Chart Displacement: An artist's best-known song is one that didn't do well on the sales charts.
• Children Voicing Children: Animated works have child characters voiced by actual children.
• Christmas Rushed: Production is rushed so the work can be released in time for the holidays.
• Classic Filler Text: An article in a newspaper consists mostly of filler text that has been used in other movies or TV shows.
• Colbert Bump: An obscure work gets more attention after another work references it.
• Completely Different Title: A work is given a different title when translated in another language.
• Concept Art: Behind-the-scenes art for works.
• Conclusion in Another Medium: A work ins concluded in a medium that's different from its original medium.
• Content Leak: When a work's content is leaked before official release.
• Contest Winner Cameo: A cameo is made by someone who won in a contest where the prize was an appearance on the show.
• Contractual Immortality: A character can't die as long as their actor is still obligated to play them.
• Contractual Obligation Project: The work was completed because the creator or creators were legally obligated to.
• Contractual Purity: A family-friendly actor moves onto more adult content, likely attracting attention from Moral Guardians.
• Copiously Credited Creator: One person is credited for most if not all things in the work.
• Corpsing: A creator accidentally breaks character by laughing.
• Costume Backlash: A performer dislikes the costume and/or hairstyle they sported in a particular work.
• Cowboy BeBop at His Computer: Documentations of a work get their facts about the work blatantly wrong.
• Creative Differences: When disagreements among those involved in a work leads to a collapse of the collaboration.
• Creator Backlash: The creator of a work doesn't like the work.
• Creator Breakdown: The creator was suffering depression or hardship during the work's development.
• Creator-Chosen Casting: Casting in an adaptation is chosen specifically by the creator of the original work.
• Creator Couple: A married couple who work in the media together.
• Creator-Driven Successor: A creator makes a work that shares elements with at least one of their previous works without being a true sequel.
• Creator Killer: A work so unsuccessful that it's ruined the reputation of the creator.
• Creator-Preferred Adaptation: The creator of the original work finds the adaptation to be better than their original creation.
• Creator Recovery: Good events or circumstances of a creator's life influence their work.
• Creator's Apathy: The creator admits that the work's flaws are because they didn't care at all about the quality.
• Creator's Favorite: A character the creator likes above all the others.
• Creator's Favorite Episode: The creator's most liked episode of the series.
• Creator's Oddball: A work that is much different from the rest of a creator's output.
• Creator's Pest: A character that the creator despises.
• Cross-Dressing Voices: A character in an animated work is voiced by an actor with a different gender.
• Cross-Regional Voice Acting: Voice actors working on the same project record their lines in separate regions.
• Crossgeneration Video Game: A video game is developed and released simultaneously or near simultaneously on multiple generations of consoles.
• Crowdfunder Cameo: A crowdfunded work includes cameos by supporters.
• The CSI Effect: The fictionalized depiction of crime scene investigation has given the general public unrealistic expectations of Real Life crime scene investigation.
• Cut Song: A song that was written, but not used.

D-K

• The Danza: The character shares their name with the actor.
• Darkhorse Casting: Obscure or little-known actors are cast in movies.
• Dawson Casting: Adults playing teenagers.
• Dear Negative Reader: Responding to criticism by insulting the audience.
• Defictionalization: A fictional item becomes real.
• Delayed Release Tie-In: Merchandise for a delayed work is still released on schedule.
• Deleted Role: The work credits an actor whose scenes were deleted from the final work.
• Deleted Scene: A scene filmed for a work that does not appear in the final version for specific reasons.
• Deliberate Flaw Retcon: The creator tries to deflect criticism by claiming that the work's flaws were on purpose.
• Demand Overload: Overwhelming demand breaks the supply.
• Denial of Digital Distribution: A work is not released digitally, or the digital releases that do exist are restricted in some way.
• Denied Parody: A work seems like a parody, but according to the creators, it was not.
• Descended Creator: A character in the work is played by the creator.
• Development Gag: The work makes a reference to a concept from when the work was still in development.
• Development Hell: It takes forever for a work to complete production because of several obstacles that get in the way of finishing it.
• Diagnosis of God: A possibility that a character has a disorder is confirmed or debunked by the creators.
• Died During Production: A work is canceled, put in Development Hell, or forced to make do with replacements because the creator or one of the actors died.
• Directed by Cast Member: The work is directed by one of the actors.
• Direct to Video: A film doesn't wait for a theatrical or television release and is instead released to VHS or DVD as soon as it's finished production.
• Disabled Character, Disabled Actor: A disabled character is played by an actor who has the disability for real.
• Disowned Adaptation: The creator of the original work dislikes the adaptation.
• Distanced from Current Events: A work gets censored, delayed, or canceled due to a then-recent Real Life tragic event or events.
• Divorced Installment: A work was originally intended to be part of a specific franchise, but instead gets retooled into its own thing.
• Doing It for the Art: The people behind the work do it for artistic merit rather than profit.
• Doubling for London: When British made shows are set in London, but filmed elsewhere.
• Drawing Board Hiatus: A series is taken off the air to be retooled.
• Dueling Dubs: A show is debated over its multiple language dubs.
• Dueling Products: Two (or more) items in the market are in direct competition of one another.
• Dueling-Stars Movie: A movie starring two actors fans want to see together.
• Dueling Works: Two works with similar premises are released at around the same time.
• Dummied Out: Leftover pieces of a work that require a bit of digging to reveal.
• DVD Commentary: A DVD release has an audio track where the production team talk about the development of the movie while watching it.
• Dye Hard: A person whose dyed hair is part of their characterization.
• Dyeing for Your Art: An actor has their hair dyed or shaved so they can play a character who has a different hair color or lacks hair.
• Early-Bird Release: Owners release their work in another form of media before it makes its "official" debut.
• Early Draft Tie-In: Promotional merchandise for a work is reflective of an early draft of the project.
• Edited for Syndication: Reruns of a show have scenes missing from the episodes' original broadcasts.
• Enforced Method Acting: Using external conditions to force a genuine reaction from the actor.
• #EngineeredHashtag: A hashtag designed by someone or by a company to be viral.
• Executive Meddling: The executives force the creator to make changes to the work.
• Executive Veto: The executives say no to an idea the creator wants to do for the work, requiring them to find an alternative that will accomplish what they want to do with the story while appeasing the executives' concerns.
• Exiled from Continuity: A character is forbidden from appearing in an adaptation or from making further appearances in the original work because of legal issues.
• Extremely Lengthy Creation: A work that took over ten years to develop.
• Fake Nationality: An actor plays a character of a different nationality.
  • Fake American: An American character is played by an actor who isn't really American.
  • Fake Australian: An Australian character is played by an actor who isn't really Australian.
  • Fake Brit: A British character is played by an actor who isn't really British.
    • Fake Scot: A Scottish character is played by an actor who isn't really Scottish.
  • Fake Irish: An Irish character is played by an actor who isn't really Irish.
  • Fake Mixed Race: A mixed race character is played by an actor who isn't really mixed race.
  • Fake Russian: A Russian character is played by an actor who isn't really Russian.
• False Credit: Someone is listed in the credits that actually had no involvement in the work's creation.
• Falsely Advertised Accuracy: A creator claims their work is accurate when it actually isn't.
• Fan Community Nicknames: Nicknames given for the fans of specific franchises.
• Fandom Life Cycle: The stages of all work's fandom.
• Fandom Nod: The work references a belief common among the fandom.
• Fan Translation: A foreign work has fans add unofficial subtitles translating the dialogue and text to their native tongue.
• Fanwork Ban: Fan-made content based on the work is not allowed.
• Fatal Method Acting: An actor ends up dying while playing the role.
• Feelies: Merchandise that comes packaged with video games.
• Filmed Stage Production: A theatrical show is filmed on video to be released for public viewing.
• Filming Location Cameo: A show does an episode in the area where it usually films instead of doing its usual California Doubling.
• First Appearance: A character makes their first appearance in a form of media.
• Five-Year Plan: Length of time after which a show can be sold in syndication
• Flip-Flop of God: The creator keeps changing their mind on information not given in the work itself or multiple creators give conflicting opinions on what isn't explained within the work.
• Focus Group Ending: An ending of a work is revised at the request of test audiences.
• Foiler Footage: Multiple resolutions of a Cliffhanger are filmed with the intent of being leaked instead of the true resolution.
• Follow the Leader: A work deliberately imitates other works that are proven successful.
• Follow-Up Failure: A successful work produces a new project that doesn't last for long.
• Font Anachronism: When creators use fonts in their works that weren't even invented yet.
• Foreign Dub as Basis: Why dub the work based on the original language when you can base it on another dub instead?
• Fountain of Expies: A popular character is imitated by several others.
• Franchise Killer: A franchise installment that does so poorly that it completely kills the franchise.
• Franchise Ownership Acquisition: When ownership of a franchise changes via a transaction from one owner to another.
• Franchise Zombie: The franchise keeps going well after what the creator intended.
• Friendship on the Set: Two or more actors become good friends during production and may continue to collaborate out of said friendship.
• Friday Night Death Slot: The network moves a show to a time slot where not many people will be watching it solely so they'd have an excuse to cancel the show.
• From Entertainment to Education: A work intended to be entertainment is used for teaching purposes.
• Full Circle Portraying: Two or more characters have officially been portrayed by the same actor/actress.
• Funny Character, Boring Actor: An actor who is hilarious on screen, but serious or dry in real life.
• Gay Panic: A character's real or perceived homosexuality is toned down to appease Moral Guardians.
• Genre-Killer: A work or event that killed an entire genre.
• Genre Popularizer: A work or event that popularizes an entire genre.
• God-Created Canon Foreigner: The adaptation has a new character created by the creator of the original work.
• God Does Not Own This World: The creator does not own the rights to their work, so the company that does own the work can continue production or reboot the work without the creator's involvement or approval.
• God Never Said That: Fans misinterpret something the creator said or mistakenly believe the creator said it.
• Half-Remembered Homage: A creator takes inspiration from another work, but while in the creation process, they actively avoid going back to the original work so as not to copy it.
• Harpo Does Something Funny: The script simply contains instructions for the actors to improvise.
• He Also Did: A creator does something beyond what they're most known for.
• Hey, It's That Place!: A location that's been seen in multiple movies and tv shows.
• Hey, It's That Sound!: An original work's sound effect being heard in other media.
• Hide Your Pregnancy: When the actress is pregnant but the character isn't, measures are taken so her baby bump is not visible.
• Hire the Critic: The creator commissions someone who disliked something they did to participate in a later work.
• Hitless Hit Album: A hit album with no hit single.
• Hostility on the Set: People involved in the production didn't get along well.
• Humble Beginnings: The simple origin of a Cash-Cow Franchise.
• Hypothetical Casting: When someone involved in a fictional project makes a list of actors who would best represent a cast of fictional characters.
• I Am Not Spock: An actor tries to distance themselves from their most famous role.
• Incestuous Casting: A couple is played by actors who are related to each other in real life.
• Incidental Multilingual Wordplay: Little to no localization is needed when translating wordplay.
• In Memoriam: The work gives a dedication to someone who died before the work's release.
• Inspiration for the Work: How the creator came up with the idea for their work.
• International Coproduction: A work that is made by companies based in different countries.
• Invisible Advertising: A work that receives very little, if any, advertising.
• Irony as She Is Cast: An actor plays a character who does not share the same skills as them.
• Jews Playing Nazis: A Nazi or anti-Semitic character is portrayed by a Jewish actor.
• Keep Circulating the Tapes: A work hasn't received a home media release, or at least one that is still available.
• Kids' Meal Toy: A tie-in promotion at a fast-food chain.
• Killed by Request: An actor asks for the character they play to be killed off so they don't have to play the role anymore.
• Killer App: A game that's so good it's a reason to buy the system it's on.

L-Q

• Late Export for You: A work isn't released in other countries until well after their native release.
• Leslie Nielsen Syndrome: An actor gone from drama to comedy.
• Licensed Game: A video game based on a movie or a TV show.
• Life Imitates Art: Something that happened in fiction eventually happens in Real Life.
• Limited Special Collector's Ultimate Edition: A better, souped-up edition of the original, with added bonuses.
• Limey Goes to Hollywood: The tendency of British artists to develop a career in the USA.
• Line to God: The creator has an account on social media, enabling fans to contact him with questions and such.
• Loads and Loads of Writers: Having more than one writer for a work is not uncommon, but some works have a lot of writers.
• Looping Lines: An actor re-records lines until they deliver them just right so that the better recordings can be edited into the final work.
• Live on Stage!: A show is adapted into a limited-run stage performance that usually has a limited budget.
• Lying Creator: The creator deliberately fibs to the audience about the work.
• Magnum Opus Dissonance: While the work is regarded as the creator's greatest, the creator doesn't think it's really that hot, or vice versa.
• Make-A-Wish Contribution: When an idea or appearance comes from someone who is in Make-A-Wish or a similar organization.
• Making Use of the Twin: When an actor who has a twin is hired, it's made so that the twin also gets to play a role for the work.
• Manual Misprint: The game manual is wrong. Hilarity ensues.
• Marathon Running: Multiple episodes run back-to-back.
• Marth Debuted in "Smash Bros.": Where a character's crossover appearance in a game will be exported before the character's actual original appearance, confusing people as to where he/she actually originated.
• Meaningful Release Date: A franchise installment is released on a date or anniversary with a significant meaning.
• Meme Acknowledgment: A work's creator acknowledges a meme derived from the work.
• Meme Role Reprise: When an actor records a funny line as their most iconic character.
• Memorial Character: A work honors someone who died by naming a character after them.
• The Merch: Selling things related to your product so that you can pay for it.
• Method Acting: An actor tries to replicate their character's mannerisms and emotional state in order to better their performance.
• Mid-Development Genre Shift: A work is retooled into another genre while it's still in its development phases.
• Milestone Celebration: A work that celebrates the franchise's anniversary.
• Missing Episode: An episode of a show that is omitted from reruns or home media releases for unexplained reasons.
• Missing Trailer Scene: A trailer for a film shows a scene that isn't shown in the final film.
• Model Dissonance: Tricks to optimise the game's graphics can look downright bizarre if you peek behind the scenes.
• Model Sheet: A reference point for characters who need to be drawn repeatedly.
• Money, Dear Boy: The actor got involved with the film solely so they'd get paid for it.
• Moved to the Next Console: A video game is announced for one console generation, but eventually released for the next generation.
• Multi-Disc Work: A work comes on two or more disks/cassettes/similar carriers due to its size compared to the medium's limitations.
• Multiple Languages, Same Voice Actor: One voice actor reprises their role in the work's dubs.
• Mutually Fictional: Two works of fiction are a work of fiction within each other's universes.
• Network Death: A television or radio network becomes defunct or absorbed into another network.
• Network to the Rescue: One television or radio network cancels a show and another network picks the show up.
• Never Work with Children or Animals: Kids and animals never behave the way directors want them to.
• Newbie Boom: A fandom gets a sudden influx of new members.
• No Adaptations Allowed: The creator refuses to have adaptations made of their work.
• No Budget: A creative project obviously didn't get much funding or resources.
• No Dub for You: A work is released in another country, but does not get a proper dub.
• No Export for You: A work is never released in a specific country.
• No-Hit Wonder: An artist is successful but has no hit singles.
• Nominal Coauthor: Multiple authors are credited for a work, but some didn't do much, if any, work.
• No Origin Stories Allowed: A backstory is forbidden by the creator(s) from being revealed.
• No Port For You: When a game is released for one platform but not the other, even if nothing's technically keeping it from being ported.
• No Stunt Double: An actor performs all their own stunts.
• Non-Singing Voice: A character has separate actors for speaking and singing.
• Not Screened for Critics: A movie that was not advance shown to critics; often a red flag that it's not very good.
• Novelization First: A book adaptation of the film is released before the film is.
• Official Fan-Submitted Content: A fan work ends up becoming an official part of the series.
• One-Episode Wonder: The series only lasted a single episode.
• One for the Money; One for the Art: A creator does one project for money to do another project they wanna do.
• One-Hit Wonder: An artist only known for one major success.
• One-Take Wonder: An actor's performance was shot in one take.
• Only Barely Renewed: Show that is just barely important enough for the network to renew it, but usually isn't important enough to stick around long after.
• Only So Many Canadian Actors: The acting talent pool is so small in this country/region, you'll see the same actors in a variety of different shows.
• On-Set Injury: An actor is injured during production.
• Orphaned Reference: A scene or line that refers to something that has been cut from the final version.
• Otaku O'Clock: Anime that is aired late at night.
• Out of Holiday Episode: A work is released in a different season than when it's set.
• The Other Darrin: A character ends up played by a different actor.
• The Other Marty: A character gets recast in the middle of production with the new actor dubbing over the lines or re-shooting the scenes of the original actor.
• The Original Darrin: A character is recast for some time, but eventually the original actor reprises their role.
• Outlived Its Creator: The franchise continues production after the original creator has died.
• Out of Order: Episodes are aired out of the intended order.
• Outdated by Canon: A fanwork becomes dated because it contains ideas which have been disproved by canon since its creation.
• Overtook the Manga: The adaptation wraps up the story before the original work reaches its conclusion.
• Parody Retcon: The creators claim a work to be a parody after the fact in an attempt to deflect criticisms.
• Paying Their Dues: A new actor performs menial roles to earn their keep.
• Permanent Placeholder: What was meant to take the place temporarily before a better option can be found ends up the final choice for the finished work.
• The Pete Best: A replacement becomes famous rather than the original.
• Pet Fad Starter: A work that features a certain type of animal creates demand for that animal as a pet.
• Playing Against Type: An actor plays a character that's noticeably different from the kinds of characters they usually play.
• Playing Their Own Twin: If a character has a twin, the actor will play both characters.
• Playing with Character Type: The character does match the kind of roles the actor usually plays, but still has something different from the way the actor usually plays the role.
• Plays Great Ethnics: An actor is able to play a character of any nationality.
• Pop-Culture Urban Legends: Myths and rumors that are attached to works of fiction and other media.
• Popularity Redo: Remaking an old part of an unpopular show in another place where it gets more popular.
• Portmanteau Series Nickname: A series is given a shorter version of its title.
• Port Overdosed: A video game has been ported to many consoles.
• Portrayed by Different Species: An animal is portrayed as a different species.
• Posthumous Credit: The work credits a person involved in production who died before the work was released.
• Post-Release Retitle: When a work changes its title for whatever reason.
• Postscript Season: A show continues production after it was supposed to end.
• Pre-Order Bonus: Pre-ordering a video game gives you exclusive content.
• Preview Piggybacking: A work attaches a preview of a much more anticipated work in order to sell itself.
• Produced by Cast Member: The work is produced by one of the cast members.
• The Production Curse: A work is hit with problem after problem during production.
• Production Lead Time: A delay in releasing an animated work results in the work being dated upon release.
• Production Nickname: A show receives a Fan Nickname that originated with the show's production team.
• Production Posse: A work shares actors, writers, etc. who were involved with another work.
• Promoted Fanboy: A franchise installment is helmed by a fan of the franchise.
• Prop Recycling: Reusing assets in another production.
• Publisher-Chosen Title: The title of a work is chosen by the publisher or someone who is not the author.
• Queer Character, Queer Actor: A lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender character is played by a lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender actor.
• Queer Show Ghetto: Works featuring same-gender romances or LGBT+ topics can only be enjoyed by the LGBT community.
• Quietly Cancelled: Cancellation of a series is inferred from there being no word either way for an extended period.

R-T

• Rarely Performed Song: A musical artist's song, regardless of if its a hit or not, is rarely or never performed live due to backlash, painful subject or difficulty.
• Reality Subtext: When Real Life issues mirror the production, but don't significantly affect it.
• Real-Life Relative: Related characters are played by actors who are related in real life.
• Real Life Writes the Hairstyle: A character's hairstyle is affected by real-life circumstances.
• Real Song Theme Tune: The theme song wasn't written for the show and had actually existed prior to the show entering production.
• Real-Time Timeskip: The time that passed between the original release and the continuation is the same that passed in-universe.
• Recast as a Regular: An actor who plays a minor role gets a major role later on.
• Reclusive Artist: The creator is very asocial and secretive in real life.
• Recursive Adaptation: An adaptation is given its own adaptation in the medium of the original work.
• Recursive Import: The product is changed for export, then the new version is imported back to its country of origin.
• Recycled Script: An episode is basically the same as another episode but with minor differences.
• Recycled Set: A movie set that is reused for a later movie.
• Recycled: The Series: A movie's premise is adapted into a weekly television series.
• The Red Stapler: A work ends up increasing demand for a particular item.
• Referenced by...: A work references another work.
• Refitted for Sequel: Something that didn't make it to the final draft of the original work gets reworked for use in the sequel or a reboot.
• Release Date Change: The intended release date gets changed.
• Renamed to Avoid Association: A character is renamed because another character unrelated to the work shares a name with them, and the creators don't want to confuse the two.
• Remade for the Export: A video game that wasn't released overseas gets a remake that does get released outside the country it is made in.
• Renewed Before Premiere: The network considers the work so important, it is renewed before the work even airs.
• Rereleased for Free: A work is re-released to the public for free.
• Rerun: Re-airing television episodes that have already aired before.
• The Resolution Will Not Be Identified: An episode of a series that is meant to be the Series Finale, but not advertised as such.
• Revival by Commercialization: A song becomes popular again after being used in modern media.
• Role-Ending Misdemeanor: The career of someone involved with the work ends because they committed a crime or did something that the people behind the work didn't approve of.
• Role Reprise: An actor returns to play a role they originally played in the new continuity or some time after they last played the role.
• Romance on the Set: Two people involved in the work's production fell in love during the work's production.
• Rule 34 – Creator Reactions: The creator of the work gives their opinion on smutty artwork based on their creation.
• Running the Asylum: Fans of the series are given a free hand to implement their own ideas and interpretations now that they're the ones in charge.
• Same Voice Their Entire Life: A character keeps their voice actor even in flashbacks, or younger characters keep their voices in flash-forwards.
• Saved from Development Hell: A work that has been in Development Hell finally finishes production and gets released.
• Schedule Slip: A work's release gets delayed.
• Science Imitates Art: A fictional work serves as inspiration for real-life scientific nomenclature.
• Science Marches On: Scientific facts presented as true in a work are later proven incorrect in the real world.
• Screwed by the Lawyers: Production or distribution of a work is ceased or hindered by legal issues.
• Screwed by the Merchandise: A series gets canceled because the merchandise didn't sell well.
• Screwed by the Network: A show gets canceled because of ill treatment by the network.
• Scully Box: To make an actor appear taller, they stand on a box outside of the camera's view.
• Self-Adaptation: The adaptation is made by the same person who created the original work.
• Self-Remake: The remake is made by the same director of the original work.
• Sequel First: A sequel is released in a foreign market before the first installment.
• Sequel Gap: There's a significant amount of time between the current installment and the last.
• Sending Stuff to Save the Show: Viewers are unpleased that a series has been cancelled and proceed to fight back at the network's decision.
• Separated-at-Birth Casting: Actors who are not related, but look like they can be.
• Sequel in Another Medium: The story of the original work is continued or expanded on in a different medium than that of the original.
• Serendipity Writes the Plot: The work's decisions are because they had to work around limitations.
• Series Hiatus: A series goes on a break from releasing new episodes.
• The Shelf of Movie Languishment: A work has finished production but doesn't get released until much later, if it ever gets released at all.
• Shipper on Set: An actor voices their support for a ship in a work they star in.
• Shoot the Money: A work has spent a lot of money on its production and intends to make the most of it.
• Short-Lived, Big Impact: A person or thing that has only been around for a short time, but its impact can still be felt in modern life today.
• Short Run in Peru: Episodes of a show air in another country before they start airing locally.
• Show Accuracy/Toy Accuracy: How well a character's action figures match their depiction on the show.
• Shrug of God: When not even the creator has all the answers about what isn't explicitly shown in the show.
• Similarly Named Works: Works that coincidentally have the same or similar titles.
• Sleeper Hit: A work that becomes an unexpected success upon its release.
• So My Kids Can Watch: An actor plays a role because they want a work that their kids can see.
• Spared by the Cut: A character intended to die presumably survives simply because the scene depicting their death was cut.
• Spin-Off Cookbook: A cook book consisting of recipes for food used in the work the cook book is based on.
• Spoiled by the Cast List: An actor's presence in a cast list spoils a surprise character appearance.
• Spoiled by the Merchandise: The merchandise spoils a scene for people who haven't seen the movie yet.
• Staff-Created Fan Work: People who work on a series create their own fan-works for them.
• Star-Derailing Role: One bad role destroys an actor's standing on the A-list.
• Star-Making Role: The role that led to an actor having a long and memorable career.
• Starring a Star as a Star: A famous actor is cast to play the part of a fictional similarly famous actor.
• Stillborn Franchise: A work that fails to start a franchise.
• Streisand Effect: Attempts to hide or suppress something only make it more widely known.
• Stunt Casting: Casting a famous actor in hopes of cashing in on their popularity.
• Stunt Double: During dangerous scenes, the actor is substituted with an experienced and more physically strong person made to look like them to avoid the regular actor getting hurt.
• Suppressed Mammaries: Tying down breasts to appear younger or male.
• Surprise Release: A work is intentionally announced and released on the same day, with no prior news or marketing.
• Surprisingly Lenient Censor: Censors are more liberal than writers expect.
• Swan Song: A creator's last work or artist's last performance before they died.
• "Take That!" Tit-for-Tat: A work responds to another work insulting it by insulting back.
• Teasing Creator: The creator likes to mess with the work's fans.
• Technical Advisor: Someone who's brought onto the work's production team due to their outside knowledge of the subject.
• Technology Marches On: An old work features use of technology that is now out-of-date.
• Testing the Editors: Creators decide to make sure the editors are doing their jobs.
• Those Two Actors: Two actors who are frequently cast together in movies.
• Throw It In!: An improvised joke or mistake is left in the final version because the creators find it amusing.
• Tie-In Cereal: If it exists, there was a breakfast cereal based off of it.
• Tom Hanks Syndrome: An actor gone from comedy to drama.
• Torch the Franchise and Run: The creator deliberately ends the work in a way that it is impossible to continue the story further, often by killing off all or most of the major characters, in order to prevent the work being revived against their wishes.
• Tourist Bump: A work of fiction increases tourism in a real-life location. Often exploited by said location to lure in more tourists.
• Trailer Delay: Development Hell causes a gap in the release dates of a trailer and a film.
• Trans Character, Cis Actor: A transgender or non binary character is played by a cisgender performer.
• Translation Correction: A mistake is corrected when a work is translated in a foreign language.
• Trend Killer: A work or event killed a trend.
• Tribute to Fido: A character is created based on the creator's pet.
• Trolling Creator: The creator likes to troll their work's fans.
• Troubled Production: A work had several problems faced by the development team during production.
• Two-Hit Wonder: An artist has only two major successes.
• Two Voices, One Character: A character is played by two or more actors within the same work.
• Typecasting: When an actor keeps playing the same kind of role in most of their works.

U-Y

• Un-Canceled: A show gets renewed after cancellation.
• Unbuilt Casting Type: The actor is Playing Against Type before their type is fully established.
• Uncredited Role: The actor who played the character isn't credited.
• Underage Casting: A character is played by an actor who is younger than the character's intended age.
• Unfinished Dub: A series that didn't get completely dubbed because it was dropped.
• Unfinished Episode: An episode that didn't get completed because it was scrapped at the last minute.
• Unisex Series, Gendered Merchandise: The work is aimed at all audiences, but the merchandise is only targeted at one gender.
• Urban Legend of Zelda: A video game rumor that seems almost plausible and just won't die.
• Unspecified Role Credit: The credits list the voice actors involved, but do not specify which characters the actors played.
• Vacation, Dear Boy: A work is produced in an exotic location simply as an excuse for the actor/producer/director to spend a holiday at said exotic location.
• Vaporware: Video games that never get released.
• Vindicated by Cable: A Box Office Bomb makes a lot more money through television airings.
• Vindicated by Reruns: A work becomes more appreciated through its reruns.
• Viral Marketing: Marketing that goes through word of mouth like wildfire.
• Voiced Differently in the Dub: The character's voice in some foreign dubs is wildly different than the original.
• Voice-Only Cameo: A person cameos through a character that is heard on screen but does not appear.
• Voices in One Room: All the show's voice actors have their lines recorded while they're in the same room at the same time.
• Wag the Director: The cast makes demands that must be met if they're going to act in the work.
• The Walrus Was Paul: The creator's explicit intention was to not make sense or have a clear meaning.
• What Could Have Been: Had it not been for one decision, legal barrier, or unforeseen misfortune, this work could've existed or at least been very different.
• Why Fandom Can't Have Nice Things: The creator gets sick of complaints from the fans, so they take drastic measures of retaliation.
• The Wiki Rule: A work has its own wiki.
• Word of Dante: In the event that the creator hasn't said anything about the work, fanon is taken as the next best thing to canon.
• Word of Gay: A character is confirmed by the creator to be lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender.
• Word of God: Information not apparent from viewing the work is confirmed by the work's creator.
• Word of Saint Paul: Details of canon not given in the work itself are revealed by someone close to the creator.
• Working Title: A temporary title used to refer to a work during its production.
• Written by Cast Member: An episode is written or co-written by one of the show's actors.
• Writer Conflicts with Canon: When Word of God directly disproves Canon, thus leading to a canonical paradox.
• Writer Revolt: The writers respond to Executive Meddling by sneaking in a "screw you" aimed at the conditions forced on them.
• Write What You Know: The work is based on the creator's personal experiences.
• Write Who You Hate: Characters in the work are based on real people the creator personally hated.
• Write Who You Know: Characters in the work are based on real people the creator knew.
• Writing by the Seat of Your Pants: The creators just make up the work's story as they go along.
• Written for My Kids: A work written for the author's child or children.
• Written-In Infirmity: An actor gets injured during filming and the creators simply change it so that the actor's character suffers the injury as well in order to prevent production being delayed by waiting for the actor to recover.
• You Look Familiar: One actor plays two unrelated characters, within the same series, but (usually) different episodes.
• You Might Remember Me from...: An actor with a popular role in the past has a resurgence doing something else.

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