One Scene, Two Monologues: Difference between revisions

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== Anime and Manga ==
== Anime and Manga ==
* Variation in ''[[Excel Saga (Anime)|Excel Saga]]'': Misaki Matsuya complains to Dr. Kabapu about the legitimacy of their civil service training, while Watanabe is complaining to ''himself'' about the same. Things get a little weird when they both simultaneously mention the apparent cheapness of their prototype laser guns.
* Variation in ''[[Excel Saga (anime)|Excel Saga]]'': Misaki Matsuya complains to Dr. Kabapu about the legitimacy of their civil service training, while Watanabe is complaining to ''himself'' about the same. Things get a little weird when they both simultaneously mention the apparent cheapness of their prototype laser guns.
* In one of the ''[[Slayers]]'' OVAs, Naga gets into an extended argument with the main villain. He has kidnapped Lina for use in a super-chimera and thinks Naga is there to rescue her, Naga is convinced that the villain and Lina are going behind her back just to cheat her out of some profit. The "conversation" goes absolutely nowhere, [[Lampshade Hanging|lampshaded]] by one of the spectators wondering to another "You get the feeling they're not actually listening to each other?"
* In one of the ''[[Slayers]]'' OVAs, Naga gets into an extended argument with the main villain. He has kidnapped Lina for use in a super-chimera and thinks Naga is there to rescue her, Naga is convinced that the villain and Lina are going behind her back just to cheat her out of some profit. The "conversation" goes absolutely nowhere, [[Lampshade Hanging|lampshaded]] by one of the spectators wondering to another "You get the feeling they're not actually listening to each other?"
* In the manga ''High School Debut'' Haruna doesn't realize that they area having two different conversation and Asoka hangs a lampshade on this saying, "Even though we are speaking of different things unexpectedly, we get along quite well."
* In the manga ''High School Debut'' Haruna doesn't realize that they area having two different conversation and Asoka hangs a lampshade on this saying, "Even though we are speaking of different things unexpectedly, we get along quite well."
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* The narrator of [[Brian Aldiss]]'s story "Appearance of Life" finds two holographic messages which turn out to be from a husband and wife. When he turns them on they appear to be conversing with each other, but it soon becomes clear that the wife's message is an expression of her undying love for her husband, while the husband's is a confession of his infidelity.
* The narrator of [[Brian Aldiss]]'s story "Appearance of Life" finds two holographic messages which turn out to be from a husband and wife. When he turns them on they appear to be conversing with each other, but it soon becomes clear that the wife's message is an expression of her undying love for her husband, while the husband's is a confession of his infidelity.
* Chapter 4 of ''Dave Barry's Complete Guide to Guys'' presents a scenario in which a woman named Elaine says to a guy named Roger: "Do you realize that, as of tonight, we've been seeing each other for exactly six months?" From that point, two internal monologues diverge: Elaine thinks about her relationship with Roger and their feelings toward each other, while Roger's thoughts concern car repairs.
* Chapter 4 of ''Dave Barry's Complete Guide to Guys'' presents a scenario in which a woman named Elaine says to a guy named Roger: "Do you realize that, as of tonight, we've been seeing each other for exactly six months?" From that point, two internal monologues diverge: Elaine thinks about her relationship with Roger and their feelings toward each other, while Roger's thoughts concern car repairs.
* [[Terry Pratchett]]'s ''[[Discworld (Literature)/Jingo|Jingo]]'' [[Lampshade Hanging|lampshades]] this by having Vetinari going specifically to talk to Leonard da Quirm to do this.
* [[Terry Pratchett]]'s ''[[Discworld/Jingo|Jingo]]'' [[Lampshade Hanging|lampshades]] this by having Vetinari going specifically to talk to Leonard da Quirm to do this.
** He uses it a lot; the three people (well, two people and a talking dog) [[Drowning My Sorrows|Drowning Their Sorrows]] in ''[[Discworld (Literature)/Moving Pictures|Moving Pictures]]'' also do it, and some of Magrat and Verence's awkward conversations come close as well.
** He uses it a lot; the three people (well, two people and a talking dog) [[Drowning My Sorrows|Drowning Their Sorrows]] in ''[[Discworld/Moving Pictures|Moving Pictures]]'' also do it, and some of Magrat and Verence's awkward conversations come close as well.
** The cultists' meetings in ''[[Discworld (Literature)/Guards Guards|Guards Guards]]'' use this every single time they talk, usually of the "random 3rd person keeps ranting while everyone else moves on" variety.
** The cultists' meetings in ''[[Discworld/Guards Guards|Guards Guards]]'' use this every single time they talk, usually of the "random 3rd person keeps ranting while everyone else moves on" variety.
* In [[GK Chesterton]]'s ''The Return of Don Quixote'', two characters talk about the play. One is discussing his chances to show off in it; the other is discussing its philosophical underpinnings. Neither of them figures out that they are talking past each other.
* In [[G. K. Chesterton]]'s ''The Return of Don Quixote'', two characters talk about the play. One is discussing his chances to show off in it; the other is discussing its philosophical underpinnings. Neither of them figures out that they are talking past each other.




== Live Action Television ==
== Live Action Television ==
* Seems to be a favourite of [[David Simon]]; it happened frequently on ''[[Homicide Life On the Street]]'' and ''[[The Wire]]''.
* Seems to be a favourite of [[David Simon]]; it happened frequently on ''[[Homicide: Life On the Street]]'' and ''[[The Wire]]''.
* In one example from ''[[Arrested Development (TV)|Arrested Development]]'', three characters all monologue about issues regarding their manliness, each continuing the next part of his own monologue from the last phrase of the previous person's monologue, all the while never paying attention to each other. Amazingly, they all reach the same solution to their manly dilemma: going to the mall.
* In one example from ''[[Arrested Development (TV series)|Arrested Development]]'', three characters all monologue about issues regarding their manliness, each continuing the next part of his own monologue from the last phrase of the previous person's monologue, all the while never paying attention to each other. Amazingly, they all reach the same solution to their manly dilemma: going to the mall.
** This sort of thing tended to happen rather frequently in this show, although I think the above example is the most extreme...
** This sort of thing tended to happen rather frequently in this show, although I think the above example is the most extreme...
** In the first season finale, GOB has a scene with Kitty in which he does this; she's trying to convince him to join her to take over the Bluth company, but he's trying to figure out what he can order that's OK for the Atkins Diet. In the commentary, the entire cast was silent for this entire exchange (if you can call it that) and spent a couple of minutes singing the praises of Will Arnett for his performance in the scene, and it was impressive; not a single one of his lines worked off of anything she was saying. "What about macaroni -- let me finish -- ''salad''? GOB is kind of dumb.
** In the first season finale, GOB has a scene with Kitty in which he does this; she's trying to convince him to join her to take over the Bluth company, but he's trying to figure out what he can order that's OK for the Atkins Diet. In the commentary, the entire cast was silent for this entire exchange (if you can call it that) and spent a couple of minutes singing the praises of Will Arnett for his performance in the scene, and it was impressive; not a single one of his lines worked off of anything she was saying. "What about macaroni -- let me finish -- ''salad''? GOB is kind of dumb.
* Happens several times in [[Seinfeld]], done three-way at least once.
* Happens several times in [[Seinfeld]], done three-way at least once.
* Lennier and Vir meet on a weekly basis to do this on ''[[Babylon 5]]''. Sheridan also likes doing this, mostly with Delenn and/or Ivanova, when he's coming up with one of his "clever ideas" -- generally Type 3 conclusions, with a bit of Type 1 occasionally thrown in for laughs.
* Lennier and Vir meet on a weekly basis to do this on ''[[Babylon 5]]''. Sheridan also likes doing this, mostly with Delenn and/or Ivanova, when he's coming up with one of his "clever ideas" -- generally Type 3 conclusions, with a bit of Type 1 occasionally thrown in for laughs.
* This is the entire basis of Darin's conversations with his buddy at the bar he goes to on ''[[Bewitched (TV)|Bewitched]]''.
* This is the entire basis of Darin's conversations with his buddy at the bar he goes to on ''[[Bewitched]]''.
* Happens often on ''[[Just Shoot Me]]'' between Nina and some other character (usually Maya). Self-absorbed Nina often doesn't realize there is someone else talking next to her.
* Happens often on ''[[Just Shoot Me]]'' between Nina and some other character (usually Maya). Self-absorbed Nina often doesn't realize there is someone else talking next to her.
* Occurs in S7 ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV)|Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]''. Spike, being crazy, utters a lot of apparent non sequiturs, and the Scoobies ignore them. The twist is that Willow is invisibly present (and the others, except Spike, are invisible to her), and all of Spike's responses make some kind of sense.
* Occurs in S7 ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]''. Spike, being crazy, utters a lot of apparent non sequiturs, and the Scoobies ignore them. The twist is that Willow is invisibly present (and the others, except Spike, are invisible to her), and all of Spike's responses make some kind of sense.
* ''[[The Two Ronnies]]'' has a sketch in which two men making separate phone calls appear to be having a surreally humorous conversation. Specifically, Gerald (Ronnie Barker) is asking his friend Simon about his date last night, while Walter (Ronnie Corbett) is checking a shopping list with his wife. The scene is one [[Double Entendre]] after another until we find out that Simon's date works at the supermarket they're both talking at, and is having an affair with Walter.
* ''[[The Two Ronnies]]'' has a sketch in which two men making separate phone calls appear to be having a surreally humorous conversation. Specifically, Gerald (Ronnie Barker) is asking his friend Simon about his date last night, while Walter (Ronnie Corbett) is checking a shopping list with his wife. The scene is one [[Double Entendre]] after another until we find out that Simon's date works at the supermarket they're both talking at, and is having an affair with Walter.
* ''[[Greys Anatomy]]'' has this in one episode, with Derek and Meredith. What Derek was talking about I can't remember, but Meredith was talking about how she didn't understand how two people (Burke and Yang) could be in a relationship and not talk to each other.
* ''[[Grey's Anatomy]]'' has this in one episode, with Derek and Meredith. What Derek was talking about I can't remember, but Meredith was talking about how she didn't understand how two people (Burke and Yang) could be in a relationship and not talk to each other.
* Popular in the middle seasons of ''[[Last of the Summer Wine]]'', although that was often One Scene ''Three'' Monologues.
* Popular in the middle seasons of ''[[Last of the Summer Wine]]'', although that was often One Scene ''Three'' Monologues.
* Every single time Wilson tries to make the eponymous ''[[House (TV)|House]]'' behave ethically, this is the result.
* Every single time Wilson tries to make the eponymous ''[[House (TV series)|House]]'' behave ethically, this is the result.
* Done in ''Coupling'', Season 1 Episode 5. Jeff is trying to chat up a woman who speaks nothing but Hebrew; Jeff knows this (an earlier scene has him stumbling hilariously through flirting with her), but true to fashion tries to make it happen anyway. The scene plays out and then rewinds with the cue, "But now, imagine you're an Israeli" and translates her lines...while muddling up Jeff's (the actor combined several other languages to make up his gibberish).
* Done in ''Coupling'', Season 1 Episode 5. Jeff is trying to chat up a woman who speaks nothing but Hebrew; Jeff knows this (an earlier scene has him stumbling hilariously through flirting with her), but true to fashion tries to make it happen anyway. The scene plays out and then rewinds with the cue, "But now, imagine you're an Israeli" and translates her lines...while muddling up Jeff's (the actor combined several other languages to make up his gibberish).
* ''[[A Bit of Fry and Laurie]]'' has a sketch parodying religious television. It's pretty well summed up by this exchange:
* ''[[A Bit of Fry and Laurie]]'' has a sketch parodying religious television. It's pretty well summed up by this exchange:
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== Theatre ==
== Theatre ==
* The scene in ''[[Shakespeare|Henry VI, Part 1]]'' where Suffolk first meets Margaret is of this form. For the first half of the scene, Suffolk soliloquizes while Margaret tries to talk to him; for the second half, their roles are reversed.
* The scene in ''[[Shakespeare|Henry VI, Part 1]]'' where Suffolk first meets Margaret is of this form. For the first half of the scene, Suffolk soliloquizes while Margaret tries to talk to him; for the second half, their roles are reversed.
* Musicals do this a lot. One particular example comes from ''[[Les Misérables (Theatre)|Les Misérables]]'' in which Javert and Jean Valjean talk past each other without really listening.
* Musicals do this a lot. One particular example comes from ''[[Les Misérables (theatre)|Les Misérables]]'' in which Javert and Jean Valjean talk past each other without really listening.
* Mushnik and Seymour in ''[[Little Shop of Horrors]]'' obsess about their respective paramounts (money and Audrey, respectively). As is typical, it's not Seymour who takes the initiative for the ensuing musical number.
* Mushnik and Seymour in ''[[Little Shop of Horrors]]'' obsess about their respective paramounts (money and Audrey, respectively). As is typical, it's not Seymour who takes the initiative for the ensuing musical number.
* ''Titanic'' had "The Proposal/The Night Was Alive", though one hopes Bride was listening enough to Barrett's dictation to be able to send the telegraph.
* ''Titanic'' had "The Proposal/The Night Was Alive", though one hopes Bride was listening enough to Barrett's dictation to be able to send the telegraph.
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== Video Games ==
== Video Games ==
* ''[[Tales of Symphonia (Video Game)|Tales of Symphonia]]'' has a bonus skit in which two of the party members do this:
* ''[[Tales of Symphonia]]'' has a bonus skit in which two of the party members do this:
{{quote| '''Raine:''' Hmm...a civilization that sunk into the sea... no, that lived under the sea....<br />
{{quote| '''Raine:''' Hmm...a civilization that sunk into the sea... no, that lived under the sea....<br />
'''Colette:'''But then, you'd be eating nothing but fish all the time.<br />
'''Colette:'''But then, you'd be eating nothing but fish all the time.<br />
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'''Regal:''' ...I'm not sure if they are even talking with each other or not.<br />
'''Regal:''' ...I'm not sure if they are even talking with each other or not.<br />
'''Sheena:''' Just once I'd like to see what's going on inside both of their heads. }}
'''Sheena:''' Just once I'd like to see what's going on inside both of their heads. }}
* ''[[Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney]]: Trials and Tribulations'' features a person who claims to have seen a nun flying over a burning bridge. While the lawyers exclaim how crazy the witness is, the judge focuses on the witness's sketch of the scene, culminating in:
* ''[[Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney]]: Trials and Tribulations'' features a person who claims to have seen a nun flying over a burning bridge. While the lawyers exclaim how crazy the witness is, the judge focuses on the witness's sketch of the scene, culminating in:
{{quote| '''Attorneys:''' [[This Is Sparta|ARE!... YOU!...]]<br />
{{quote| '''Attorneys:''' [[This Is Sparta|ARE!... YOU!...]]<br />
'''Judge:''' High! This person's really flying high! }}
'''Judge:''' High! This person's really flying high! }}
* Kotomi and Tomoya in [[Clannad (Visual Novel)|Clannad]] have one of these at their first meeting. It somehow goes from Tomoya asking why she's cutting paper out of library books to her asking him if he wants to eat the paper. And then if he wants to eat clay, but adds that it would give her indigestion. ''This is normal for her.''
* Kotomi and Tomoya in [[Clannad]] have one of these at their first meeting. It somehow goes from Tomoya asking why she's cutting paper out of library books to her asking him if he wants to eat the paper. And then if he wants to eat clay, but adds that it would give her indigestion. ''This is normal for her.''




== Web Comics ==
== Web Comics ==
* ''[[Xkcd (Webcomic)|Xkcd]]'' has [http://www.xkcd.com/234/ this] example with Houdini and spaces and... [[Never Mind]].
* ''[[Xkcd]]'' has [http://www.xkcd.com/234/ this] example with Houdini and spaces and... [[Never Mind]].
* From ''[[Spacetrawler]]'', [http://spacetrawler.com/2010/11/02/spacetrawler-90/ this scene]: Pierrot is pissed about getting locked in a duct and won't talk about anything else, while Emily calmly lists off the food she brought for him. Then she ends the conversation by giving Pierrot a [["Shut Up" Kiss]].
* From ''[[Spacetrawler]]'', [http://spacetrawler.com/2010/11/02/spacetrawler-90/ this scene]: Pierrot is pissed about getting locked in a duct and won't talk about anything else, while Emily calmly lists off the food she brought for him. Then she ends the conversation by giving Pierrot a [["Shut Up" Kiss]].




== Western Animation ==
== Western Animation ==
* In the ''[[Ed, Edd n Eddy]]'' episode "Pop Goes the Ed", both Ed and Edd try to talk with Sarah and Jimmy about two different topics; Ed talks about a monster movie, while Edd talks about brain surgery footage he saw. The two conversations blend together in odd ways:
* In the ''[[Ed, Edd 'n' Eddy]]'' episode "Pop Goes the Ed", both Ed and Edd try to talk with Sarah and Jimmy about two different topics; Ed talks about a monster movie, while Edd talks about brain surgery footage he saw. The two conversations blend together in odd ways:
{{quote| '''Edd:''' The operation I saw involved remarkable new brain extraction techniques...<br />
{{quote| '''Edd:''' The operation I saw involved remarkable new brain extraction techniques...<br />
'''Ed:''' By hideous mutants with huge drooling mouths.<br />
'''Ed:''' By hideous mutants with huge drooling mouths.<br />
Retrieved from "https://allthetropes.org/wiki/One_Scene,_Two_Monologues"