Trick Dialogue: Difference between revisions

 

Visual media typically use a [[Reveal Shot]], often a [[Closeup on Head]], to execute '''Trick Dialogue'''. Compare [[Fourth Wall Psych]] (where the character appears to be speaking to the audience but is actually talking to another person). See also [[Not So Dire]].

 

== [[Anime]] and [[Manga]] ==

** Ranma himself also does this from time to time, often to indulge his ego as he imagines the other party's response. Invariably, Akane is always there to catch the tail-end of it, making him backpedal and either deny everything, or try (and fail, badly) to reuse the dialogue.

* The ''[[Mahou Sensei Negima]]'' chapter where [[Shrinking Violet|Nodoka]] confesses her feeling to Negi began with this. Close-up of Negi seemingly asking what she wants. Close-up of Nodoka requesting him to spend the free activity day together with her. Wide-area shot showing Nodoka practicing in front of a Negi bobble-head in her room.

* Yes, literature. In the very first [[Aubrey-Maturin]] book, Aubrey tells all his troubles to his [[Heterosexual Life Partners|particular friend]]... who hasn't returned to the ship yet.

 

* Carter's rant about reproductive organs in the ''[[Stargate SG-1]]'' episode "Moebius, Part I". This was used partly to differentiate this version of Samantha Carter with the previous one, who had no problem uttering the same line during a briefing in the series' first episode, and partly as an in-joke.

** Another episode had an interesting twist. Daniel, who is out of phase (read: invisible), is talking to his grandfather, Nick. Nick starts talking back, thinking that Daniel is a hallucination. Daniel continues replying, thinking that his grandpa is just thinking out loud. Eventually, it turns out that Nick can see Daniel. Yes, they managed to have a conversation ''without realizing it''.

* An episode of ''[[House (TV series)|House]]'' featured Allison Cameron making a Freudian slip-up in front of a documentary crew by saying "I love House!" When next we see her, she's frantically trying to find some way of qualifying that statement without making matters worse and failing. On first reveal she is talking to a mirror; on second reveal, her current boyfriend is on the bench behind her looking put-upon for being forced to listen to this.

{{quote|'''Giles:''' W-w-w-what I'm proposing is, um... and I-I don't mean to appear indecorous, is, is, um, a, a-a-a social engagement, um, a, a, a, a-a date, if you're amenable. (to himself) You idiot!

'''Buffy:''' Boy, I guess we never realized how much you liked that chair. }}

** Done again a few seasons later when a certain character we know and kind of love practices confessing his love to Buffy by talking to a mannequin wearing one of her sweaters and a blonde wig. He makes it about four sentences into the imagined conversation before it degenerates into mutual (half-imagined) verbal abuse, and he winds up beating it over the head with a box of chocolates.

* An entire episode of ''[[Angel]]'' has Lorne telling the story of the episode to a theatre - that, at the end, is revealed to be empty.

* Sara Sidle of ''[[CSI]]'' has done this at least twice.

* The start of ''[[Spaced]]'' begins with Tim and Daisy apparently splitting up with each other. However, at the end of the scene, we see that they are in different locations, having completely different conversations. Tim is getting dumped by his girlfriend and Daisy is talking to a homeless man.