Once Per Episode: Difference between revisions

{{trope}}

 

 

A relative of the [[Running Gag]]. This is an event that, instead of happening several times in one episode, happens one time in just about every episode of a show.

 

Also compare [[Once a Season]], where a certain plotline or character story gets a yearly invite. May also overlap with [[Different in Every Episode]] if the series follows a specific formula for its references and plots.

{{examples}}

== Anime and Manga ==

* ''[[Kanon]]'': Ayu runs into Yuuichi, [[Crash Into Hello|literally or not]], in every episode except for the ends of the other girls' arcs.

* ''[[Trigun]]'' features a cat skittering across the screen every episode, some times more obviously than others.

* Nishizawa of ''[[Hayate the Combat Butler]]'' eats something while (after her introduction in episode 12) thinking wistfully of Hayate. (She still appears doing it even before her official introduction.)

* ''[[Serial Experiments Lain]]'': The opening [[Aspect Montage]]. Showing Lain on the street outside her house where the shadows aren't quite right.

* There's a [[Running Gag]] in ''[[.hack|.hack//Legend of the Twilight]]'' about Shugo getting bashed in the face and losing a tooth every episode. Fortunately for his dentistry the damage isn't permanent or cumulative, since he is in virtual form when it happens. The gag is dropped in the last few episodes which take a more serious turn.

* In every episode of most ''[[Cutey Honey]]'' incarnations (except the recent ''The Live'' TV series) someone would ask Honey who she is, to which she would laugh, list her different costumes for the episode (usually three) and finish by "but the truth is... Honey Flash!" (cue transformation sequence) "Cutey Honey! The Warrior of Love!"

** "Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again!" Averages once an episode. There are episodes where they don't blast off at all (like the first-season episode where Ash got the Thunderbadge, for example), but on the other hand, there are also episodes where they blast off twice, so it all evens out. In addition, Wobbuffet had been seen, or its cry was heard, in every episode since his introduction save two of them.

** Brock meets a cute girl, immediately proposes to her, and is then dragged off by Misty/Max/Croagunk/whoever. On rare occasions, however, this would turn the other way - the odd episode had Misty gushing over a Water Pokémon (or something related to a water-type) and Brock would drag her away, and one occasion had the cute girl of the week proposing to Brock, leaving him completely dumbfounded.

* In ''[[Zatch Bell]]'', before Ponygon was introduced as a character, he would often be shown walking across the screen for no explicable reason once an episode.

* On ''[[The Noozles]]'', Osgood the lizard pops up out of nowhere at least once an episode to comment on what is going on.

* Once per [[Story Arc]] variation in ''[[Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha]]'': The major battle near the end of an incident will be capped off with [[Finishing Move|Starlight Breaker]]. As ''[[Time Skip|Sound Stage X]]'' showed when {{spoiler|Teana}} did it, this rule is followed even if Nanoha is absent.

* In ''[[Maicchingu Machiko Sensei]]'', Machiko's panties are shown without fail throughout all 95 episodes, not to mention that she will be disrobed at least partially.

* Let us not forget ''[[Rizelmine]]'' with the main male character making her cry her explosive tears, although that was backed off a bit in the second season when things got a little more serious. But the dog was still there in every episode.

* ''[[One Piece]]'' (the manga) always contains an appearance by Pandaman in almost every arc (or, in [[Lady Land|one place]] ''[[Distaff Counterpart|Pandawoman]]''); sometimes it's obvious but most of the time it's not.

* ''[[Revolutionary Girl Utena]]'': The pre-duel sequences. Sure, duelling for the Rose Bride is the point of the show, but to recycle a lengthy animation sequence and some remix of "Zettai Unmei Mokushiroku" ''every single time''? Yes, she has to climb stairs to the duel arena (except in the last 13 episodes, when she takes a "gondola"/elevator). We ''get'' it already. Stock footage is used quite a lot in the show, partly because of the low budget and partly for emphasis.

** Additionally, the [[Greek Chorus|Shadowplay Girls]] show up in nearly every episode and comment on every duel.

* In the first half of ''[[Final Fantasy Unlimited]]'', Kaze pulls out his Magun summon weapon, and saves the day. In the second half of the series, he pulls out the Magun and it malfunctions.

* In every episode of ''[[Nerima Daikon Brothers]]'', someone in the band needs to take out a loan, and the band goes to the Rental Shop to get a [[Plot Coupon]] from [[Nabeshin|the director]].

* ''[[The Idolmaster (anime)|THE iDOLM@STER]]'' - The shot of the front of the 765Pro Office.

* Tsukimiya from ''[[Bloody Cross]]'' gets groped in almost every chapter.

 

== Comic Books ==

* During Mark Waid's run on ''The Flash'', every issue started with the lines "I'm Wally West--the fastest man alive," or some variation thereof. On rare occasion, especially when Wally or a member of his family needs to deliver a speech with emotional punch, other writers still riff on this.

 

== Film ==

* ''[[Star Wars]]'' has many, due to the formulaic nature of the films.

** Every film has the phrase, "I've got a bad feeling about this." Much [[Expanded Universe]] material homages this practice.

** Every single film contains a [[Big No]], some bigger than others.

** All films begin with the opening narration scrolling against a starry sky. When the narration ends, the camera pans to a ship flying through space.

** The Tannen family really hates manure.

* Every ''[[Indiana Jones]]'' film will include Indy fighting a [[Giant Mook|big strong henchman]] (in the first three, played by the same actor) who'll end up being killed in an extraordinarily violent fashion.

* ''[[American Pie]]'': The three main movies feature Stifler coming into unwanted contact with one kind of human excreta or other, Jim getting caught masturbating in a ridiculous way, and Finch having sex with Stifler's Mom. Averted in the fourth movie, American Reunion somewhat, while Jim still gets caught masturbating, Stifler makes someone else come into unwanted contact with his feces, and he has sex with Finch's mom.

* Almost every official [[Marvel Comics]] movie has a [[Creator Cameo]] by [[Stan Lee]].

*** Every Marvel movie featuring the Hulk has him say only [[The Silent Bob|two words.]] In [[Hulk (film)|Hulk]] he says, "Puny human". In [[The Incredible Hulk (film)|The Incredible Hulk]] he says, "Hulk smash". Finally, in [[The Avengers (film)|The Avengers]] he says {{spoiler|"puny god".}}

* The ''[[Transformers (film)|Transformers]]'' films capping off with a [[Linkin Park]] song.

 

== Live Action TV ==

* Game shows:

** ''[[Family Feud]]'': During the Steve Harvey era, utterance of a part of the male and/or female anatomy or a bodily function. Invariably, a question will be written to elict such a response, with most of the "humor" coming from Harvey's reaction and claiming that it won't be long before the show is canceled for its off-color humor.

* A failed escape attempt in ''[[Gilligan's Island]]''.

* The [[End-of-Episode Silliness|uncle jokes]] from ''[[Welcome Back, Kotter]]''.

* The avalanche of ping-pong balls on ''[[Captain Kangaroo]]''.

** Except on occasions when Jim is instructed to dispose of it himself "in the usual manner".

* ''[[The Mighty Boosh]]''

** In the first series, each episode featured at least one character that had part of their costume shaped like a polo mint.

** The subject of conversation turns to Vince's hair at least once an episode, and in every episode Howard utters the line "... I'm Howard Moon."

** Bollo frequently [[Star Wars|"Has a bad feeling about this."]]

** Various characters often ask Vince or Howard, "_____? What is _____?"

'''Mutant''': Freedom? What is freedom? }}

* Neatly riffed on in ''[[Friends]]'', where they are watching ''[[Three's Company|Threes Company]]'' and Chandler remarks dryly that "this is that episode of ''[[Three's Company|Threes Company]]'' where there's some kind of misunderstanding". Phoebe frowns, "Then I've already seen this one" and switches the TV off.

** This was parodied in the ''[[Robot Chicken]]'' episode that featured [[Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny|them and several other unlikely characters racing]] where he pressed the turbo and KITT responded, "I can only use the turbo once per episode". [[Did Not Do the Research|It's not true,]] but that'd [[Rule of Funny|ruin the joke]].

** The final season utilized "Super Pursuit Mode" at least [[Once an Episode]]. (Though it was three times in the season premiere, just to drive the point home) This was also useful as a time-eating [[Transformation Sequence]].

** Also, if you pick any three episodes, chances are that at least two of them will have an immortal whose name begins with a K sound. Sometimes it's the last name, sometimes the first name, sometimes it's a Q.

* The medical team in ''[[House (TV series)|House]]'' somehow manages to suspect lupus in every case. In the first season 4 episode, where House didn't have a team (at the end of Season 3, one was fired and the other two quit), a nearby janitor ''still'' managed to suggest a diagnosis of lupus, commenting after a brief stunned silence that his grandmother had it.

** Lupus can imitate a whole rainbow of other diseases, and can be ludicrously difficult to diagnose; eliminating it from a list of possibles is a sensible move.

** And let's not forget the first Lampshade Hang: in Season 3 House pulled some hidden Vicodin out of a hollowed out lupus text. When his team looks shocked House responds "Come on! It's never lupus." Even funnier was that in one episode, it turned out it ''was'' lupus.

** Remember that House episode where he comes up with a theory but turns out to be wrong, then comes up with a second theory and turns out to be right?

*** More like, "Hey, remember that House episode where he comes up with a theory but it turns out to be wrong, then comes up with another theory and turns out to be wrong, then does something illegal or immoral, and then has another idea, and tests it in a way that would be fatal if he was wrong, but it doesn't matter because he's right?"

*** What about "Hey, remember that House episode where he's stymied and goes to do something totally unrelated to the case, during which an innocuous comment or action causes House to have an epiphany about the case which invariably turns out to be right?"

* Someone dies at the beginning of every episode of ''[[Six Feet Under]]''

* ''[[Monk]]'' does a ''[[The Summation]]'' every episode, often including the phrase "If I'm right... which... I am" and always including the phrase "Here's what happened" to the point that other characters state their desire to say "Here's what happened."

** Subverted when a garbage strike had driven Monk (more) insane. He proceeded to rattle off an explanation of why Alice Cooper killed the mayor to steal his high backed chair, based solely on Cooper sitting in a high back chair in a poster and him being a "dirty hippy", done in the same black and white footage as the usual real events. Everyone just looks at him in stunned silence, until Randy asks "Should I be writing this down?"

** ''Petrocelli'' had this too. In every episode, his client was wrongly accused on the grounds of seemingly conclusive proof. Once in court, the accusation would narrate the supposed events and then (and only then) he would offer his own version of what had happened. Invariably, this was the truth, and his client was declared not guilty.

* [[Mork and Mindy|"Mork, what Earth concept have you misunderstood this week?"]] (an actual [[Lampshade Hanging]] from the show.)

** That's one of the things that changes each season... some seasons the [[Big Bad]] makes the monster grow when he/she desires, or the monster does it ''itself,'' but in some seasons, the customary reaction to the human-sized monster's total destruction is to reassemble it into giant form (this is more common in the magic-based series.) Still, you get instances like Kilobyte, a [[The Dragon|Dragon]] in ''[[Power Rangers RPM]]:'' we see him blown into [[Ludicrous Gibs|Ludicrous (Robot) Gibs]]... and immediately cut to him falling on the ground ''intact,'' standing up, and angrily saying the growth command.

** It was [[Lampshaded]] in one episode of ''[[Power Rangers Ninja Storm]]''. When one of the members of the [[Terrible Trio]] asked the [[Big Bad]] what should they do, he answers something among the lines of: "Make him grow up, of course! How many times have we done that? Didn't you catch it up yet? The rangers destroy the monster, we make the monster grow!"

** Another time:

'''Lothor''': "[[Genre Savvy|I know]] the [[Strictly Formula|formula]]!" }}

* Remember that episode of ''[[Smallville]]'' where Clark goes in to save the day, only to be inadvertently foiled by kryptonite?

*** I think that was every episode of the 1950s Adventures of Superman, too...

** Especially in the first season, the show seems particularly fond of having car crashes/accidents each episode.

** The [[Hard Work Montage]].

** Something will be destroyed. Ranges from "having a frozen turkey dropped on it" to "hit with a car" to "scattered across a two hundred metre radius" to "requires the FBI's supervision, a truck full of TNT and a one-mile radius clearance around the blast zone".

** And how could we forget the guest start of the episode getting killed in some gruesome way before the actual start of the episode?

** Not to mention the written and verbal reading of the title being completely different to each episode.

** Or the villain of the week joining all the criminals caught in the previous episodes in jail. And each of them will be named.

* In ''[[Psych]]'', just about every episode features a [[Fundamentally Funny Fruit|pineapple]], to the point where the advertisements for some episodes advertise a sweepstakes: Find the pineapple.

* ''Twice'' per episode of ''[[The Incredible Hulk]]'', David Banner would transform into the, er, [[Incredible Hulk]]. It always happened about twenty minutes in, and then again right near the end of the episode.

* ''[[I Love Lucy]]'': Desi Arnaz's singing.

** Don't forget Al: [[Deadpan Snarker|I don't think so, Tim]].

* ''[[Cheers]]'' -- "Norm!"

** The British airmen popping out from wherever they've been hidden this time, and saying "Hello!" in a strong English accent, and being incomprehensible to the French characters.

** Mme. Fanny being lifted up in her bed to reach the radio. After season one, this scene would inevitably also include ze flashing bedknobs.

** Some form of [[Benny Hill]]-esque chase sequence, usualy closing out the episode.

** Someone mentioning the painting of ''ze Fallen Madonna wiz ze Big Boobies'' by Van Clomp.

** The elaboration of a near-incomprehensible plan/retelling of the plot so far, involving multiple copies of multiple paintings to be kept by multiple people to sell after the war, various hidden secrets and affairs, and lots of innuendo.

** Crazy ideas with the precursor, "How hard can it be?". Afterwards: "That's not gone well".

** Jeremy Clarkson ending every episode with "...and on that bombshell..." As well as some variation of "The most powerful/fastest/biggest etc... ''in the world.''

* ''[[Made in Canada]]'' (syndicated globally as ''The Industry'') would have one of the main characters making an aside statement of "[[Blatant Lies|I think that went well]]" or "This is not good" to end every show. [[Running Gag|Every. Last. Show.]] For six seasons.

* ''[[The X-Files]]'': Scully and Mulder-centric episodes feature Mulder suggesting something supernatural is going on, Scully responding with [[Arbitrary Skepticism]], and proving it's absurd "scientifically." Mulder is almost always right. Scully never admits it. Mulder actually lampshades this in season 6's "Field Trip".

** Mulder asking Scully to do something and her responding with "What are you going to do?"

* On the New Zealand show ''7 Days'' they make a string of jokes about this with ''[[Married... with Children]]'' star David Faustino.

'''Ben''': I'm on the episode of ''[[McLeod's Daughters]]'' where a handsome stranger comes to town. }}

** Then:

* The "Brainstorming" song shows up at least once an epsiode on "Imagination Movers"

* ''[[CSI: Miami]]'': Horatio Crane puts on his [[Cool Shades]], does the [[Quip to Black]] and bam, we get the [[Metal Scream]] by [[The Who]].

* On ''[[CSI]]'' the original, DB will mention his wife. And he'll either call her or she'll call him.

* ''[[CSI: NY]]'' Danny will say "Boom!"

** [[Overly Long Gag|Gorden cusses his bleedin head off, changes his shirt and cusses his bleedin' head off.]]

* ''[[The Sarah Jane Adventures]]'': Luke and Sarah Jane are separated by some force beyond their control, and this will [[Mama Bear|piss Sarah Jane off]]. Sometime in the last ten minutes, they will be reunited with an incredibly [[Crowning Moment of Heartwarming|heartwarming hug]], and Sarah Jane will tell whoever tried to mess with him something along the lines of "Go to Hell before I send you there myself."<ref>It should probably be noted that this is, in fact, once every ''two'' episodes, as every episode is half of a two-part story, but the point stands.</ref>

* Just about every single episode of ''[[Seinfeld]]'' contains at least one reference to ''[[Superman]]''.

* ''[[The Hard Times of RJ Berger]]'' has an animated sequence in nearly every episode, the majority of them being flashbacks.

** [[Mysterious Watcher|The Observer]], his appearances are often [[Freeze-Frame Bonus|Freeze Frame Bonuses]].

** Also, there's always a specific phrase, or object, background prop, etc that [[Foreshadowing|foreshadows]] something in the next episode. Sometimes they are so specific that the hint only gets clear after watching the next episode.

* [[Saturday Night Live|"Live from New York, it's Saturday Night!"]] Also ''Weekend Update''.

* ''Hill Street Blues'' would open every episode with the daily briefing by the Desk Sergeant, inevitably closed with him telling the officers, "...and hey! Be careful out there!"

** Ilsa gets brainwashed by the enemy and attacks at least one of the good guys.

** Hitler escapes from the team by [[Stock Footage|leaping through a glass window]].

* The same thing happened on ''Hunter'' with the title character's [[Tagline]] "works for me."

 

== Literature ==

* Death turning up in [[Discworld]]. He has at least one cameo in every book. Except for "Wee Free Men" the one book that is actually all about bereavement. Go figure.

* ''[[Animorphs]]'' There will be a meeting in Cassie's barn

 

== Music ==

* Old Crow Medicine Show seems contractually obliged to record at least one [[Ode to Intoxication|song about drugs]] per album.

* [[Type O Negative]] had at least one [[Cover Version]] per album on every album apart from Slow Deep And Hard and Dead Again. (the rerelease of Slow Deep And Hard features their cover of [[Jimi Hendrix|Hey Joe]] (Called Hey Pete) as a bonus track, however)

* [[Iron Maiden]] had one or two epics per album until they decided to make every song on the album an epic from ''A Matter Of Life And Death'' onwards. They would also make sure to have at least one historical song named after a war film.

* Crowded House claimed to have included a reference to a kitchen on every album.

* All of [[The Beatles]] albums have a track where [[George Harrison]] sings lead (mostly the ones he wrote) and all but two have one track allowing [[Ringo Starr]] to [[Step Up to the Microphone]].

* All the [[Garbage]] albums [[Downer Ending|end with a depressing ballad]].

 

== Newspaper Comics ==

* ''[[Little Nemo]]'': Nemo wakes and falls out of bed in the last panel of each of [[Winsor McCay]]'s ''Little Nemo's Adventures in Slumberland'' comic strips.

* ''[[Krazy Kat]]'': Ignatz Mouse attempts (with varying degrees of success) to acquire a brick and hurl it at Krazy Kat. (Okay, this only happens in maybe 75% of the strips, so maybe it should go under [[Running Gag]].)

 

== Radio ==

* ''[[I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue]]'' featured many, including the game Mornington Crescent (usually preceeded by reading a fan letter from Mrs Trellis) and the introduction of the pianist Colin Sell:

* In ''[[Old Harry's Game]]'' the majority of episodes will have the Professor and Satan making a bet, most commonly about morality and something bad would happen to Thomas.

 

== Video Games ==

** The "Siege of Madrigal" [[Easter Egg]] has appeared in all main games so far.

* Each game in the ''[[Ace Attorney]]'' series has a stepladder that can be examined. If it is examined, the following exchange will occur, with the words in parentheses varying each game:

Phoenix: "R-right... sorry. (This girl is ''out'' there!)" }}

* The ''[[Dark Cloud]]'' series is made of Once Per Episode formula.

* ''[[Metal Gear]]'': It seems that Dave Hayter must say "Metal Gear?!" in an exasperated fashion once per game. Additionally, someone Otacon cares about must die.

** The player getting tortured counts as well.

** Revolver Ocelot mentioning in some sort of fair detail why he believes his weapon of choice is by far the greatest creation in all of human history.

* ''[[Final Fantasy]]'' has several. Some are absent in early installments, but once they are introduced, they always appear in each game afterward.

** There will be [[Shout-Out|a pair of characters named]] [[Star Wars|Biggs and Wedge]].

** [[Horse of a Different Color|Giant, flightless yellow birds]] will always be the animal mount of choice.

* ''[[Monkey Island]]'': Guybrush Threepwood always seems to come across The Voodoo Lady right when he needs her, and Stan right when he doesn't.

* The ''[[God of War]]'' series has A) Kratos getting sent to Hades, B) a [[Hot Coffee Minigame]], and C) Kratos [[Say My Name|screaming someone's name]] (usually his enemy's) at the top of his lungs.

** Every ''Call of Duty'' game developed by Infinity Ward [[Identical Grandson|includes a Captain Price]]. The [[Anachronic Order]] present by virtue of having multiple games set during World War 2 means they can do this even though Price ''died'' in the first game.

* Every game in the ''[[Saints Row]]'' series has at least one named ally die over the course of the game, with the player having the ability to [[Everything's Deader with Zombies|bring them back as a zombie later on]].

 

== Web Comics ==

* A failed version of this is in ''[[Concerned]]''. According to the [http://hlcomic.com/index.php?date=2005-06-29 notes of the artist], he was planning to "have a bunch [of barrels] around in every comic after Frohman mistakenly ordered them." Unfortunately, he stopped doing so [http://hlcomic.com/index.php?date=2005-07-06 three comics later.]

* In every story arc of ''[[The Inexplicable Adventures of Bob]],'' something very big will crash into Bob's roof, producing vertical block letters spelling "BOOM!"

 

== Web Original ==

* [[The Annoying Orange|"Hey Troper!" "What?" "Knife."]]

* Parodied in ''[[Homestar Runner]]'', where Strong Bad specifically says that [[Once an Episode]] of ''[[Show Within a Show|Sweet Cuppin' Cakes]]'', Eh! Steve! shows up to deliver his [[Catch Phrase]].

 

== Western Animation ==

** The semi-faux-moralising summation from one of the kids, starting with: "You know, I think I've learned something today..."

* ''[[Pinky and The Brain]]''

** ''Pinky And The Brain'' Lampshades the Once Per Episode escape attempts on ''[[Gilligan's Island]]''.

'''Pinky''': ...No, I don't think I've seen that one... }}

** The ending pattern was averted only once. When Pinky was rendered intelligent via one of Brain's inventions, Brain realized that one of them needed to be stupid to maintain the proper dynamic. Seeing that Pinky was better at being smart than he was, Brain made himself stupid. Unfortunately, Pinky felt bad about upstaging Brain and had already made himself stupid again. Both of them were stuck being idiots because neither of them had the intelligence to operate the machine again. The episode ended with "What are we gonna do tomorrow night, Brain?" "...I have no idea."

* ''[[The Legend of Zelda (animation)|The Legend of Zelda]]'':

** Link's [[Catch Phrase]] "[[Well, Excuse Me, Princess!]]!" in the cartoon. In this case, it's at least ''twice'' per episode, three times if you count the opening.

* ''[[Transformers]]: [[Beast Wars]]'': Waspinator [[The Chew Toy|being beaten and battered, usually in a slapstick manner]]. In multi-part episodes such as "The Agenda", this would happen ''in each part.''

* ''[[Transformers]]'', in every episode that Starscream appears in, he attempts to overthrow Megatron, and fails.

* The [[Catch Phrase]] "Didn't see that coming." is uttered by someone in each episode of ''[[Johnny Test]]''. That's episode as in each 15 minute episode, so it's said twice in each half hour "wrapper episode."

** Lampshaded in the [[Incredible Shrinking Man]] episode.

* ''[[Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog]]'': "I hate that hedgehog!"

** And in "Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law", "I'll take the case!" was uttered in every episode.

*** Did you get that thing I sent you?

* ''[[The Secret Show]]'' has three of these.

** Every episode starts off with half a minute from "The Fluffy Bunny Show", hosted by Sweet Little Granny. Unfortunately, Granny never gets to finish her theme song, as Agent Ray interrupts and removes her and her bunnies from the set

** The director of Uzz -- "[[As You Know]], for reasons of security, my name is changed daily. Today you may call me-- " He checks his communicator and sighs sadly, before announcing that his name is "Fluffy-fuddlesticks" or "Bopybot" or something equally ridiculous.

** Professor Professor calling to check in on Victor, always resulting in the following exchange:

'''Victor:''' ''Yes I'm still alive!'' }}

*** Usually happens while Victor is trying to quietly sneak around some bad guys, hanging from a ledge above a long drop, or surrounded by monsters. And, more often then not, immediately ''after'' falling from said ledge or being pummeled by monsters.

** Candace threatening to tell mom about Phineas and Ferb's latest crazy project.

** Dr. Doofenshmirtz shouting "Curse you, Perry the Platypus!" after being thwarted.

'''Phineas''': Bless you, Perry the Platypus! }}

*** Also inverted by Vannessa in "Dude, We're Getting the Band Back Together!" after Perry helps arrange her sweet sixteen party. As Perry blast off, she calls, "Thank you, Perry the Platypus!"

** Perry is always caught within seconds of arriving on the scene of Doofenshmirtz' latest plan.

** Doofenshmirtz will always explain the reasoning behind his latest device soon after, which usually involves [[Law of Disproportionate Response|some petty grievance]], frequently from [[Hilariously Abusive Childhood|his youth]].

** Also in the sub-cartoon "The Terrible Thunderlizards", Bill will say "When does the hurting stop?"

** Also in the ''Thunder-Lizards'', one of the Lizards themselves, if not someone else, will make a reference to the Bad Things Category. Most memorable example, in a flashback to their school years: "Yes, Cutter. I'd say having our little friend's head ripped off by the Principal would definitely fall into the Bad Things Category."

** And the companion line: "Allow me to introduce myself!" followed by Boris handing Rocky a pre-printed business card with his nom du episode on it.

*** Although this happens once per ending, the episode titles as presented by the narrator should not be forgotten.

* In ''[[Inspector Gadget]]'', Chief Quimby somehow gets blown up by his own exploding message to Gadget...no matter where he is.

** "I'll get you next time, Gadget! [[Large Ham|Nneexxtt Ttiimmee]]!"

* At least once per episode sometime bad will happen to Eustice at the end of each episode of ''[[Courage the Cowardly Dog]]''; he will either get killed, locked up, or severely injured.

* Near the beginning of every ''[[Kim Possible]]'' episode, Kim gets a page from (or, more rarely, pages) Wade on her Kimmunicator. Usually accompanied by the words [[Catch Phrase|"What's the sitch?"]]

* ''[[Woody Woodpecker]]'': Woody's laugh. Subverted in that occassionally someone else performs it, usually to mock Woody (cf. "Well Oiled", "The Coo-Coo Bird"). If Woody loses he will sometimes do a pathetic whining variant (as in "The Clip Joint").

* ''[[Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kids]]'': Elvis somehow finding his way into the briefing room and triggering Mr Socrates' [[Sneeze of Doom]].

* In just about every episode of the ''[[Aqua Teen Hunger Force]]'' the television ends up destroyed.

** Another one would be June pulling some sort of prank on Henry. From mimicing him, randomly bleeping out what he's trying to say, ect.

** Another would be in ''Life with Loopy'' where Larry would say, "Hi, I'm Larry. This is my sister Loopy, and this is (insert main idea of episode)". Starting season two, he'll say, "Hi, I'm Larry. (Insert main idea of episode)".

** Also, in ''Prometheus and Bob'', Prometheus will try to teach Bob something, but the monkey will always mess him up.

*** Or The Cheif saying, "Blast it!" and sometimes "Blasted!".

*** And Bill the Lab Guy saying "There's nothing I can do." or "Oh, no. I was afraid of this!".

* This is actually very common in [[Pixar]] films. Here are some of the most notable examples:

** [[Pixar Regulars|John Ratzenberger]] is the only voice actor to appear in every single Pixar film. Here are all of the characters Ratzenberger has voiced:

*** ''[[A Bug's Life|A Bugs Life]]'': P. T. Flea

*** ''[[Monsters, Inc.]]'': [[Bigfoot, Sasquatch, and Yeti|Yeti the Abominable Snoman]]

*** ''[[Up (animation)|Up]]'': Tom the foreman

*** ''[[Brave]]'': ???

*** ''[[A Bug's Life|A Bugs Life]]'': Can be seen being parked outside of a trailer home.

*** ''[[Monsters, Inc.]]'': See the ''A Bug's Life'' example above.

*** ''[[Finding Nemo]]'': Can be seen driving by at the end of the film during the scene where the Tank Gang finally succeed in escaping from the dentist's fish tank.

*** ''[[Brave]]'': Yes, they actually confirmed that the truck will appear in this movie [[Anachronism Stew|despite taking place in medieval Scotland.]]

** Also, A113 constantly appears in the backgrounds of all of the films (A113 is actually the name of the classroom most of the Pixar staff worked at at the California Institute of Art and Technology). Here are all of the appearances of A113:

*** ''[[A Bug's Life|A Bugs Life]]'': The barcode number on the cereal box used for a building for the insect city Flik visits in the film.

*** ''[[Monsters, Inc.]]'': A sign on the wall in the background during the scene where Sulley thinks that Boo got crushed to death in the trash compactor.

*** ''[[Finding Nemo]]'': The model code on the camera the scuba divers used to stun Marlin just right after capturing Nemo

*** ''[[Cars]]'': Mater's license plate. Also, the number on Trev Diesel (the locomotive that almost hit Lightning McQueen on his way to Radiator Springs)'s headlights and running boards.

*** ''[[Ratatouille]]'': The tag on Git the lab rat's ear.

*** ''[[Up (animation)|Up]]'': The sign in front of the courtroom Carl Friedrickson's trial was held for hitting a foreman attempting to demolish his house.

*** ''[[Toy Story 3]]'': The A113 license place returns, but it's now on a hatchback instead of a minivan.

*** ''[[Ratatouille]]'': [[Up (animation)|Dug the dog.]]

*** ''[[Pixar Shorts|Your Friend, the Rat]]'': [[WALL-E]].

*** ''[[Toy Story 3]]'': [[Cars|Finn McMissile]].

*** ''[[Cars|Cars 2]]'': [[Brave|Queen Eleanor, Princess Merida, King Fergus, and the Royal Triplets]] ''[[Mind Screw|as cars...]]''

*** ''[[Pixar Shorts|Air Mater]]'': [[Planes|Skipper and Sparky]] (Not technically a Pixar film, but under Lasseter's watch).

** Step One: Timmy sees a recurring problem in his life.

** Step Two: Timmy goes to Cosmo and Wanda and does a mini-rant, comes up with a "solution" that has to be be done with magic or would take too long and or he'd be too lazy to do, so then he makes the wish.

** Step Four: The wish backfires. Timmy "has got to find Cosmo and Wanda to unwish that wish", but for some reason they are ether doing something of equal importance, or they can't undo it for some reason. can't unwish it,

** Step Five: Timmy goes on a quest to unwish the wish. The wish gets undone,

** In the second season, [[Memetic Bystander|Derpy Hooves]] has a [[Where's Waldo]] type cameo in every episode.

** Not quite ''every'' episode, but every episode in which Rarity has an appearance, the writers strive to ruin her perfect coiffure at least once.

** ''[[Cinderella (Disney film)|Cinderella]]'': When the Ugly Stepsisters [[Kick the Dog|tear up Cinderella's pink dress]].

** ''[[Sleeping Beauty (Disney film)|Sleeping Beauty]]'': When Aurora hears about her [[Dangerous Sixteenth Birthday|16th birthday]] from the fairies.

** ''[[Tangled]]'': During Flynn's [[Disney Death|"death."]]

* Name one ''[[Good Vibes]]'' episode that ''doesn't'' include an instance of peeing and/or pooping.

 

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Comedy Tropes]]