What Could Possibly Go Wrong?: Difference between revisions

{{trope}}

 

 

Say there is one critical thing that could happen that would cause a catastrophe that, left unchecked, would directly or indirectly result in disaster. But everyone in the story is assured that this critical thing will never, ever happen. Ever. [[Genre Savvy|The audience]] [[Million-to-One Chance|knows better]].

 

 

 

[[The Law of Conservation of Detail]] helps this along; the scientist isn't going to bother to mention the failsafe unless it's going to, well, [[Failsafe Failure|you know]]. When is the last time you were watching a movie, and someone mentioned "if this object was damaged, there would be a catastrophe!" and the object was [[They Wasted a Perfectly Good Plot|never mentioned again for the rest of the movie]]? Frequently combined with [[Einstein Sue]], where ''one'' person in the work's universe sees the incoming problem (and works to fix it).

'''Flint''': I dunno. [[Tempting Fate|But that'll never happen.]]

}}

* [[Lampshade Hanging|Lampshaded]] by the ever [[Genre Savvy]] Peter Venkman in ''[[Ghostbusters]]'': [[Sarcasm Mode|"Why worry]]? Each one of us is carrying an unlicensed nuclear accelerator on his back".

* In ''[[Zack and Miri Make a Porno]]'', Zack uses the fateful words "What Can Go Wrong?" the night before the crew was planning to shoot the real action for their movie. Since this happens only halfway in the movie, you don't need to be a genius to [[Tropes Will Ruin Your Life|know what to expect]] after that phrase.

{{quote|

'''[[The Stoic|Stoick]]''': I need you to stay and look after Hiccup

}}

* In ''[[Babes in Toyland]] (1986)'' one of the good guys explains that he's been collecting the evil of the world, distilling it to its essence, and sealing it into a bottle.

* The print ad for the 1973 movie ''Westworld'' reads "where nothing can possibly go worng" (deliberately sic).

 

** Ironically, almost everything involved in the plan goes ''right.''

* In ''[[Septimus Heap]]'', {{spoiler|Marcia's comments about Septimus's '''Darke Week''' opening up channels for the '''Darke''' to come out and Septimus's reassurance against it already foreshadow the outbreak of the '''Darke Domaine''' in ''Darke''.}}

 

 

* The premise of every episode of the 1984-86 US TV series ''[[Crazy Like a Fox]]''. The series starred Jack Warden as Harry Fox, a free-spirited private detective who lived by his wits and John Rubinstein as his high-strung attorney son Harrison who unwillingly and frequently found himself dragged into his father's cases. The show's opening would always feature Harry and Harrison talking on the phone in their offices like this:

{{quote|

{{quote|'''Ida''': We’ve come this far, there's no turning back.

'''The Doctor''': Oh, did you have to? 'No turning back'? That's almost as bad as "Nothing could possibly go wrong" or "This is gonna be the best [[Soapland Christmas|Christmas]] [[Eastenders|Walford's]] ever had." }}

** In "The Doctor's Wife" he's knocked together an improvised TARDIS from spare parts.

{{quote|"Right, perfect, look at that; what could possibly go wrong? ''(bit falls off the console with a crash)'' That's fine; that always happens."}}

{{quote|

'''ROMANA''': Don't you think that's a bit dangerous?

}}

* The predictable [[Sitcom]] variety is parodied on ''[[That Mitchell and Webb Look]]'', in the "Get Me Hennimore" sketches. The boss gives his [[The Ditz]] employee a truly preposterous set of tasks to do, with maximum scope for confusion, embarrassment and general disarray, and tops it off by [[Tempting Fate|wondering aloud how his instructions could possibly be misconstrued]]; [[Gilligan Cut]] to the smoking aftermath. "[[First Name Ultimatum|HenniMOOOORE!]]"

* In ''[[Honey I Shrunk the Kids (TV series)|Honey I Shrunk the Kids]],'' when Wayne says it, ''the dog he's talking to'' leaves the room.

* Jimmy Fallon used this in a joke while hosting the 2010 Primetime Emmys:

{{quote|"[[NBC]] asking the host of [[Late Night]] to come to Los Angeles to host a different show, what could possibly go wrong?" Camera cuts to [[Conan O'Brien]] in the audience.}}

* On Doogie Howser, Doogies best friend is trying to convince him to go with him to check out an car after work. He warns Doogie not to try to get out of it with some gallbladder emergency. Doogie assures him it's an Wednesday and nothing ever happens on an Wednesday. Then he walks away from the TV where the news announcer says "The Verdict in the Rodney King Trial has just come in," and the Intro begins.

 

 

 

== Newspapers ==

 

 

''(Cue Waterfall up ahead.)''

}}

* In ''[[Chzo Mythos|Seven Days A Sceptic]]'' practically everything on the ship is built on the assumption that nothing will go wrong (whereas in [[Real Life]] the opposite holds true). Examples include escape pods that need to be fueled up for hours before use and the captain's suite emergency unlock, which is installed on the inside. The ship's scanners can also track the number of living beings on board but not their locations, the power source is mounted in a huge shaft with no railings, there's a glass-domed observation deck with no apparent protections against micrometeorites (or radiation, for that matter) and the prison cell uses a force field instead of metal bars that won't vanish in case of power failure. No wonder the engineer spent most of his time hiding in the dining area and making the counselor fix things for him - he must've had a breakdown on the first day and been in denial since.

* In ''[[Mass Effect]]'', the [[Sapient Ship|Reapers]] play the [[Batman Gambit]] by letting species of the galaxy find their technology littered across several star systems just so they can advance to a desirable state, ripe for a galactic harvesting. Really, [[Tempting Fate|how can this backfire]]?

== [[Web Comics]] ==

* [http://www.shamusyoung.com/twentysidedtale/?p=1258 This strip] of ''[[DM of the Rings]]'' is an exemplary usage.

* [http://www.kevinandkell.com/1997/kk1013.html This strip] of the [[Web Comic]] ''[[Kevin and Kell]]''.

* ''[[8-Bit Theater|Eight Bit Theater]]'' seems like it's on the brink of [http://www.nuklearpower.com/2009/07/02/episode-1147-the-big-plan/ invoking this trope]:

** There's also [http://www.nuklearpower.com/2006/06/03/episode-703-what-could-go-wrong/ Episode 703: What Could Go Wrong?], which indulges in some heavy [[Tempting Fate]].

* Frequently invoked and lampshaded in ''Narbonic'', particularly [http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/narbonic_plus/series.php?view=archive&chapter=42439 here] (the bottom comic).

* In ''[[El Goonish Shive]]'', one strip is titled "[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2004-11-15 Surely Nothing Bad Can Come from This]"

{{quote|'''Sam Starfall:''' Hey, even '''''I''''' don't say that out loud.}}

* [http://www.the-whiteboard.com/autowb657.html this strip] of ''[[The Whiteboard]]''.

{{quote|

'''Guy''': Aw, ''c'mon, Beth!'' I know it's a ''bit'' creepy, but what's the ''worst'' that can happen?

'''Hellish thing''': ''Bleauuugh!!'' Souls! I need ''soulsgh!!''

}}

{{quote|'''Vexxarr''': I would have thought that by now you'd know better than to ask a question like that out loud...

'''Minionbot''': ...and ruin the fun?}}

{{quote|

'''Ayne''': Don't fuss so much, Myhrad, what's the worst that can happen?

'''Myhrad''': Uhm...

 

== Web Original ==

 

== [[Western Animation]] ==

** Most of the time it's played straight, however. That became his catch phrase because he actually ''does'' say the trope title often. It's almost a [[Once Per Episode]] thing for Timmy.

** Its used so often that when things inevitably go bad when Timmy wishes to be in an old cartoon, Cosmo complains that no one had a chance to say what could possibly go wrong yet.

* The ''guaranteed big seller'' Ford Edsel.

* The ''New'' Coke. Let's radically change the recipe for our flagship soft drink, keep the same name, and take the old one off the shelves. Now, according to [[The Other Wiki]], Coke did do their best to prepare for it, and it actually was well-liked. The real problem was a subtler one of a [[Vocal Minority]] gradually convincing people it was bad. If true, that speaks volumes.

** More recently, Coca-Cola's done it again: Let's release a holiday version of Coke Classic in white cans (the color of Diet Coke cans) and hope nobody gets confused. It didn't go over well, and Coca-Cola has [http://www.delish.com/food/recalls-reviews/white-holiday-coke-cans-replaced-due-to-consumer-outrage since released the holiday version in red.]

** Perhaps A slightly more subdued example, Coke switched from an easy-to-grip ridged cap to one that is themed as a bottle cap, but completely smooth. [[Two Stupid Dogs|Cute, but wrong.]] They have since adopted some sort of hybrid

* [http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/23/opinion/keller-bomb-bomb-bomb-bomb-bomb-iran.html?_r=1 This article] about a possible war against Iran is [[Exactly What It Says on the Tin]] .

* [[The Rolling Stones]] hire [[Hells Angels]] to work security and pay them in beer. At least one audience member wound up dead.

 

[[Category:What Could Possibly Go Wrong?]]

[[Category:Finagle's Law]]