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]].

If anyone ever mentions a [[Deflector Shields|component]] in a reactor that is the only thing stopping a meltdown, or a [[Restraining Bolt|lockout chip]] that is the only thing stopping a [[A.I. Is a Crapshoot|megalomaniacal AI]] from taking sentient control, rest assured that it will either fail, be stolen, or be destroyed, and things will [[Go Horribly Wrong]].

 

 

[[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).

* 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.

* In ''[[Megamind]]'', the titular character [[Victory Is Boring|is bored]] after he defeats his nemisis, [[The Cape (trope)|Metroman]]. So he decides to create a new nemesis by giving someone else Metroman's superpowers. What Could Possibly Go Wrong? (IIRC, [[The Dragon|Min]][[The Lancer|ion]] asks this ironically. Well, instead of giving an altruistic person superpowers, he accidentally gives them to an average joe [[Stalker with a Crush|(at best)]]. He decides to go along with the plan anyway. Then, ''after'' said average joe {{spoiler|decides he would rather be a supervillain, Megamind pushes all of [[Berserk Button]]s at once}}. [[Sarcasm Mode|Great plan]].

{{quote|

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

** 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|

}}

* 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.