Take That

Marc Summers: In Encino Man, what actor plays the caveman?

Contestant: Pauly Shore?

Marc Summers: No, it's not Pauly Shore. This person has talent.

—Double Dare

Every so often a TV Series, Film, or even radio talk show will make a reference to another one, usually in the same market niche or genre. Most of the time it's just a simple Shout Out or a Homage, and if it's a Comedy Series, you can expect at least a little spoofing.

But sometimes it's a bit more mean-spirited than that. Whether it's because of a perceived rivalry, jealousy, bitterness or Pride, the mention will be derogatory and boastful. More often than not, rather than be a "Take that!" to the disparaged show, it'll reflect even worse on the joker, it'll actually make a good production turn sour, and it makes a bad production look like a monumental act of hubris. It can be especially jarring (and often hilarious for reasons the producers didn't intend) if the show being mocked goes on to win popular and / or critical acclaim, awards, and respect from its audience, while the show doing the mocking becomes widely reviled or forgotten.

"Take That" is something you hear a lot on DVD commentaries. Whenever the show gets to a gag that's at the expense of some real-life group(s), the commentator says, "Take that, celebrity / studio / organization / other target!"

It is more likely to occur if the creators of the work are relatively confident they won't suffer any significant backlash from the insult; for example, someone who has Protection From Editors, or the writer of a Fan Work or Web Comic.

Often, a Take That will be aimed at someone or something related to the work itself:

Armed With Canon: Take That, Other Creator On This Franchise!
Biting the Hand Humor: Take That, Employers!
Take That Audience
Take That Critics
Take That Scrappy
Self Deprecation: Take That, Me!

This trope is sometimes known as a "potshot" in normal parlance.

A common element of commercials. Often uses Brand X / No Celebrities Were Harmed / Scapegoat Ads.

Not to be confused with This Loser Is You. Nor with the British boy band. Often a Super Trope of Muse Abuse.

(Note To Tropers: This trope seems to have turned into a wildly overspread meme, and presently, there are over a hundred completely unnecessary insults around TV Tropes that Pothole to this article. Try to remove any you come across, including the ones that don't pothole to this article, unless it's on a special page, such as WMG. There's some rather funny stuff here, and we'd hate for it to go the way of I Am Not Making This Up.)

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