Overused Running Gag: Difference between revisions
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{{trope}}
{{quote|''"It's a running gag... well, it's limping a bit by now."''
|'''Paul Merton''', '''''[[Have I Got News for You]]'''''}}
When the writers openly acknowledge that a [[Running Gag]] has run its due course, even as they are hauling it out again— [[Like a Broken Record|gain— gain— gain—]] '''[[Percussive Maintenance|*WHACK*]]'''
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There we go. Anyhow, the use of a [[Running Gag]] is generally constrained over the course of one episode. But there are some jokes that the writers thought [[If It Was Funny the First Time|are just so funny that they should be used in another episode]], and another, and ''another'' and ''another''. Even if it isn't [[Once an Episode]], it's still squeezed into the series wherever they see fit— [[Running Gag|fit— fit— fit— fit—]] '''*THUMP*'''
Okay. After a while, though, the writers will come to realize that the bit has started to peter out. Then one can be sure to start seeing plenty of [[Lampshade Hanging]] and heavy [[Subverted Trope|subversion]] in the effort to keep the joke fresh, or tolerated. Once ''that'' wears thin, one can expect the bit to be dropped like a Christmas ham— [[Rule of Three|ham— ham— ham— ham—]] '''*SMACK*'''
Okay, that joke's ''really'' wearing thin. Before we continue, let's get that audio equipment fixed.
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''One hour later....''
There, fixed. Anyhow, for this to be a trope, examples should ''not'' be subjective. They should be based on whether the writers have reacted to its overuse (lampshaded or used it less), rather than just a feeling that the gag has been used too much.
The inevitable fate of many a comedy [[Catch Phrase]]. Commonly confused with [[Overly Long Gag]], which is when a single gag is stretched out for an irritatingly long time. That said, for any joke, good or bad, enough repetition can make people decide it's an Overused Running Gag.
Compare [[Discredited Meme]], which this often leads to— [[Oh, No, Not Again|to— to— to— to—]] '''*WHUMP*'''
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'''Note: This is for [[In-Universe]] examples only. Do not use this trope to [[Complaining About Shows You Don't Like|Complain About Running Gags You Don't Like]].'''
{{examples|Examples of Acknowledged [[Overused Running Gag|Overused Running Gags]]}}▼
== Anime and Manga ==
* In ''[[Sayonara, Zetsubou-sensei]]'', during an episode [[Don't Explain the Joke|explaining]] many of the series' jokes to newer audiences, the audience member asks about the background running gags. "It's like something we do [[Once an Episode]]." "[[Self Deprecating Humor|What's funny about that]]?"
* In a meta example, ''[[Bakuman｡]]'' featured the main characters working on a light-hearted comedy manga, but only a bit more than 10 chapters in, they're already making entire chapters based on the running gag of the main character saying "I dunno about that." This serves as one of the signs that this isn't the right sort of series for them.
* In ''[[Clannad (visual novel)|Clannad]]'', Okazaki attempts to make Kotomi more social by bringing her to new people and telling her to introduce herself, at which point she always turns around and introduces herself to Okazaki. The third time this occurs, Okazaki remarks that that particular gag is getting old.
* Brock flirting with any older female he sees in ''[[Pokémon (anime)|Pokémon]]'', before being hauled away by Misty/Max ([[Ear Ache|by the ear]]), Bonsly (using Double-Edge) and Croagunk (getting Poison Jabbed [[Ass Shove|in the ass]]). It's acknowledged in-universe by his companions (and even antagonists Team Rocket) occasionally getting annoyed at his antics. It was funny the first three times, then it just became old. For Croagunk's bit, it's a minor [[Running Gag]] in of itself for Dawn to get caught completely surprised whenever Brock makes an instant recovery.
* Gintoki & Kagura picking their noses in ''[[Gintama]]'', sometimes more than once an episode, and there are [[Long Runner|over 230 episodes]].
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== Live
* ''[[The Man Show]]'' had a "Museum of Annoying Guys", and one of them was the [[Real Life]] version of this trope. "It's the beat a [[Catch Phrase]] to death guy."
* The Rita Moreno episode (#5 of season 1) of ''[[The Muppet Show]]'' features an old-style phone backstage. When it rings, Fozzie answers it, and something comes out of the receiver related to who's calling. At the fifth call, Kermit gets fed up and asks, "Is there no end to this [[Running Gag]]?"; then Animal comes in and puts an end to it (as well as to incoming calls, unless someone thinks to call the number for the phone on the desk).
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*** It doesn't hurt that the Demonic Duck's dialog crosses into [[Better Than a Bare Bulb]] territory.
* ''[[Ctrl+Alt+Del|Ctrl Alt Del]]'' had the [[Running Gag]] where Ethan gets hit by an arrow from off panel (as a homage to ''[[The Kentucky Fried Movie]]''). The author decided to end the gag after it became overused and played with its end by having the last arrow fired by Ethan and [[No Fourth Wall|into the author himself]] as punishment for all the times he was hit.
* A strip of ''[[The Order of the Stick]]'' has one person telling his teammates to stop [[Calling Your Attacks|screaming]] "[[With Catlike Tread|SNEAK ATTACK]]"; after that, for the first time, someone ''reacts'' to them yelling and kills them before they can land the blow.
** For added strangeness, the one being criticized for [[Calling Your Attacks|calling his attacks]] is a fighter that shouts "Power Attack", while the dozens of rogues in the fight are shouting "Sneak Attack" with no commentary.
* [[PvP]] had a panda that would randomly attack Brent. The reasons behind these attacks were eventually explained in a rather long arc, and the gag died down considerably after that.
* For a while, almost all the male characters in ''[[Sluggy Freelance]]'' joked among themselves that "monkeys" was Gwynn's pet name for her breasts. Since Gwynn owns several ''real'' monkeys, this gag came up a lot when she made innocent remarks like "[https://web.archive.org/web/20130828085713/http://www.sluggy.com/daily.php?date=070109 My monkeys! They're gone!]" or "[https://web.archive.org/web/20130830095641/http://www.sluggy.com/daily.php?date=060628 Be on the lookout for my monkeys and grab them if you see them. They could pop up anywhere.]" Eventually, Riff got tired enough of the joke to [https://web.archive.org/web/20130828085718/http://www.sluggy.com/daily.php?date=070219 reprimand himself for using it again]. And then {{spoiler|The monkeys got killed off.}}
* At least one running gag in ''[[Bob and George]]'' (specifically, [http://www.bobandgeorge.com/archives/000419 Wily getting overheard] [http://www.bobandgeorge.com/archives/000516 by someone standing just behind him]) got this treatment. As early as the [http://www.bobandgeorge.com/archives/000617 third iteration], it was acknowledged as an Overused Running Gag, and supposedly retired. And then it was [http://www.bobandgeorge.com/archives/010617 brought out of retirement]. And [http://bobandgeorge.com/archives/index.php?date=010804 averted], [http://bobandgeorge.com/archives/index.php?date=020106 inverted], [http://bobandgeorge.com/archives/index.php?date=020612 inverted again], [http://bobandgeorge.com/archives/index.php?date=020914 parodied] ([http://bobandgeorge.com/archives/index.php?date=020916 to the breaking point]), [http://www.bobandgeorge.com/archives/031127c double subverted], [http://www.bobandgeorge.com/archives/040612 lampshaded], and...[http://www.bobandgeorge.com/archives/060930 well], [http://www.bobandgeorge.com/archives/070712 you get the idea].
* ''[[Nerf Now]]'''s fans are starting to get fed up with photo notes claiming "Mine!" or "Spy here".
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* The [[MS Paint Adventures]] series ''[[Problem Sleuth]]'' featured Demonhead Mobster Kingpin, a [[Marathon Boss]] who kept revealing new [[One-Winged Angel]] modes and regenerating lost health. The contributors [[Arc Fatigue|were getting sick of the guy]], [http://www.mspaintadventures.com/?s=4&p=001743 and Andrew Hussie knew it].
** The series is riddled with running gags, some of which are overused for comedic effect. Most notoriously, the "Retrieve arms from x" command has been done about ''12 times'' in ''[[Problem Sleuth]]'' and ''[[Homestuck]]''. ''So far''.
** Subverted in Act 5. When the first new character of this act is introduced, it seems that, as usual, all the typical running gags will play out before he's introduced for real... [http://www.mspaintadventures.com/?s=6&p=003893 but the narrator and the character are having none of it].
* "And that was the X time I died" used by [[Unskippable]] when some catastrophe seemingly killed the main character was eventually acknowledged with the words: "No, wait, I take it back. Semenoske got nuked, this guy's going to be fine."
* Richard of ''[[Looking for Group]]'' doesn't seem willing to acknowledge the "Fork of Truth" has had its day and needs to be retired. In the Fork's most recent appearance, the other cast members completely ignored his rant about it, except for Sooba.
* Newsgroup rec.humor was flooded with the two-strings-in-a-bar/frayed-knot jokes. This is to the point where some jokes began pointing out that [http://www.netfunny.com/rhf/jokes/87/7617.html the joke was killed].
* The ''[[Citation Needed]]'' podcast begins with a rundown of improbably named podcasts that supposedly failed to last as long as ''Citation Needed''. By episode 8, these podcasts include "Running Gags To Start Your Podcast With That Are Becoming Increasingly Hard To Think Of".
* [[Wrestlecrap]]'s induction of a wrestler named Man Mountain Rock featured a picture of said wrestler shrugging with the caption "Yeah, I don't know either dude." After using this picture in 6 straight updates, writer RD Reynolds threatened to end its use. Fan demand brought him into an additional 6 updates and possibly counting.
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* ''[[Drawn Together]]'' is yet another example of the "regurgitate the same jokes over and over, then acknowledge how they've stopped being funny and continue using the jokes over and over again" tactic.
* Find a [[Running Gag]] ''not'' [[Lampshade Hanging|lampshaded]], [[Inverted Trope|inverted]], or [[Subverted Trope|subverted]] on [[Phineas and Ferb]].
* ''[[Family Guy]]''
** The two vaudeville players Vern and Johnny, who appeared so often to fill the time before commercial breaks that Stewie ''killed them'' to assure the audience that they would never appear again. (They ''[[Refuge in Audacity|still]]'' came back... as ghosts).
** In the last season or so, Cleveland would get knocked out of his house on a regular basis. It was even used twice after Cleveland left for ''[[The Cleveland Show]]''. Cleveland eventually lampshades it, saying "I fell out of that house way too many times than could possibly be funny." In fact, that's how Cleveland's first wife died.
* In ''[[The Simpsons]]'', the clip where Homer falls down the Springfield Gorge (from the episode "Bart the Daredevil") was referenced several times. In the episode "The Blunder Years", when Homer flashes back to it, Lisa interrupts him, saying "Everyone's sick of that memory."
* In ''[[
== TV Tropes ==
* On [[
** Now Older Than Dirt itself has become way overused and misused, being frequently applied to pages that are nowhere near old enough to count (currently the cutoff is 800 BCE; previously it was 500 BCE). Doesn't help that despite being an index, it's often treated as a trope.
* I Am Not Making This Up and So Yeah ended up being [[Discredited Meme|discredited]] and finally dead. So Yeah (
* [[Or So I Heard]] was completely reworked too.
* Any trope that is listed on [[Pothole Magnet]] tends to become this.
* The beautiful [[Brazil (useful notes)|useful notes: Brazil]] page has a beautiful example of this with the beautiful word, "beautiful".
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{{reflist}}
[[Category:Comedy Tropes]]
[[Category:Self-Demonstrating Article]]
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
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