Broke Episode: Difference between revisions

If this is a common theme then it may be a case of [[Perpetual Poverty]]. See also [[Forgot to Pay the Bill]].

 

 

{{examples}}

* A few Italian [[Disney Ducks Comic Universe|Uncle Scrooge]] stories suggests that Scrooge would be flat broke if the Beagle Boys successfully managed to steal all of his cash money. For this to sound plausible, [[Fridge Logic|you have to ignore the fact that he'd still own thousands of shops, factories, and mines]]: He usually only claims of being broke when that happens, in order to guilt-trip Donald into helping him (and offering him some free meals). When his business doesn't go ''perfectly'' right (temporary decrase of ''0,01% in proficts'', for example) he even claims he's going to become broke... ''in a few centuries time''. It's more about his personality than about being broke at all.

* The comic version of ''[[Clinton Cash]]'' starts with [[Bill Clinton|Bill]] and [[Hillary Clinton]] claiming this as they leave the White House, then proceeding to become obscenely rich through their [[Fake Charity]].

 

== [[Live Action TV]] ==

* Because of the deliberately limited funds provided to the cast, just about every season of [[MTV]]'s ''[[Road Rules]]'' had an episode where the team ran low on money.

* For more [[Joss Whedon]] fun, ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'' has "Flooded".

** And don't forget "Doublemeat Palace"!

*** This makes sense for the first four seasons, during which they're all interns or residents. By the time JD is an attending, this seems less plausible. although JD at least does have medical school student loans to pay off, which might eat up a lot of his income.

* As the title suggests, just about every episode of ''[[Two Broke Girls]]'' is one of these, although "And the Rich People Problems" is an interesting inversion: Caroline and Max break into Caroline's old townhouse, which had been sealed off by the feds when her father's assets were all frozen, and are able to spend a few hours living wealthily.

 

== Literature ==

** Which was such a stereotypical start for ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]'' campaigns that it's become a [[Dead Horse Trope]], generally reserved only for the massively uncreative or those putting a twist on it.

*** Or for those [[Reconstruction|deliberately invoking the tradition.]]

 

 

 

== [[Western Animation]] ==

* ''[[The Real Ghostbusters]]'' suffered from this. Thanks to things like Egon's experiments, the cost of maintaining their equipment and Slimer's food bill, the Ghostbusters often found themselves strapped for cash. Anytime they got a job with a potentially big pay off, they would get stiffed on the bill for some reason or another, as how it tends to happen with this trope.

* Many episodes of the cartoon series ''[[Ed, Edd 'n' Eddy]]'' are broke episodes, with the title characters attempting to make money by selling dubious goods or services to the other kids.

* [[The Beatles (band)|The Beatles]] cartoon episode "Please Mr. Postman" had the boys penniless after Ringo blows all their money on rings and then he loses the rings shaking hands with fans. They have to find a way to contact Brian (Epstein) in London for more money.

* ''[[Kim Possible]]'' episode "Triple S" featured a con artist who scammed the Seniors out of their vast fortune. When said con artist was worried about retaliation from Senior, he offered $2 billion for Senior's capture. Junior claimed the money to buy back Senior Island.

 

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Money Tropes]]

[[Category:Older Than Television]]

[[Category:Broke Episode]]

[[Category:Poverty Tropes]]