Big Lipped Alligator Moments that aren't bad

Okay, let's say you've just seen, read, or listened to the work of your choice. Then, out of nowhere, something weird comes up that just makes you think "Big-Lipped Alligator Moment!" Then it hits you — wait, that wasn't a bad moment, but darn if it didn't stick out like a sore thumb. Has this ever happened to you?

I think some of my favorite BLAMs are the Kwanzaa arcs in the comic strip Curtis. There, the strip totally parts ways with the main cast and gives us these wonderful Mind Screw stories involving things like golden telepathic otters◊ and bears with bat wings◊.

Tropes Are Not Bad

I've never thought Big Lipped Alligator Moments were necessarily bad, just weird.

I think the issue is that they tend to be shown as "What the hell?" moments on work pages, which implies negativity.

Overall they're not bad, but they can be the cause of Fridge Logic fairly easily when they end up being forgotten about and causing contradictions.

WTF?! is not strictly a negative reaction for these sorts of things. Theoretically, some would say it's a bad thing for an event in a story to be such a non sequitor, but if it's entertaining, no harm done.

I didn't say it empirically is' negatively, but WTF can - and frequently does in this sort of situation - imply negativity. Rewording the examples accordingly is probably the best way to go.

...I love BLA Ms. Naturally, they can be done well or very badly. When they're done badly, it just seems like the author can't think of anything else to do so they do something random.

Good examples: Monty Python's Flying Circus. Essentially a show based entirely on the BLAM. The movies still had the random factor, but (because they were movies) tended to have more coherence/actual plot.

The part in the Space Ghost Steve Nash Vitamin Water commercial where Space Ghost was in a weird Vitamin Water trance because of Steve Nash's Vitamin Water. Even Steve Nash was like 'What the Hell?' when it was over. Trust me, it's Better Than It Sounds.

Love Hina's example on that page while it was a little odd for everyone to sing the OP theme song (slowly) and it wasn't in the manga... it fit the situation well and I loved it.

Azumanga's new years dreams were great, all of them were C Mo F s. Edit: I don't think they fit the trope though since new years dreams are a huge thing in japan and there was a reason why they never talk about it. First apperance of Chiyo-dad too, THAT came up many times. (Can I remove it?)

edited 9th Oct '10 6:45:03 AM by Raso