What Could Possibly Go Wrong?: Difference between revisions

{{trope}}

 

 

 

 

 

[[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).

It's often used to drive a plot. Everything is normal and then this happens and [[Anthropic Principle|all hell breaks loose]].

 

 

 

 

== [[Film]] ==

* This trope is such a central part of the movie ''License to Drive'', not only is the exact phrase used, not only is it used by the main character, not only is the moment he says it featured prominently in the movie's trailer... but he addresses the question [[No Fourth Wall|directly to the audience!]]

'''Grand Moff Tarkin:''' Evacuate? In our moment of triumph? I think you overestimate their chances. }}

* Opening credits to ''[[Crazy Like a Fox]]'': "All I need is a ride. What could possibly happen?"

** Played through again in the sequel and [[Lampshade Hanging|lampshaded]].

'''Rick:''' Yeah, and no harm ever came from reading a book. Remember how that one went? }}

* ''[[The Incredibles]]'' has "We're superheroes. What could happen?" {{spoiler|Cue giant robot.}}

* [[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 ''[[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).

 

 

== [[Literature]] ==

* ''[[Jurassic Park]]''. Although in this one, the critical "thing" that could happen (the control system being hacked, among other things) isn't clearly foreshadowed. But c'mon, an island full of vicious dinosaurs run by an man who continuously insists everything is perfectly safe is just [[Tempting Fate|asking for trouble]].

** In the book, this is all but Ian Malcolm's sarcastic catchphrase.

** Ravanna the Demon-King was so hard to kill because of blessings he extorted from Brahma that prevented gods and demons and such-like from killing him. He disdained to get immunities from human or animals, because they were mere food. What could they possibly do?

* One of [[Spike Milligan]]'s silly poems for kids has the King of China declare "I've never felt finer!" — and then promptly keel over and die.

* Inverted by [[Harry Potter|Ronald Weasley]]: "Have you ever heard of a plan where ''so many'' things could go wrong?"

 

 

* 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:

* Jeremy Clarkson saying,"How hard can it be?" on ''[[Top Gear]]'',<s>often</s> always uttered before they show a segment where the presenters have to work on cars.

** Lampshaded once, after the series came off hiatus:

** And lampshaded pretty much every time he says it by Hamster and May ever since.

* In the ''[[Angel]]'' episode "Spin the Bottle," Lorne introduces the [[Phlebotinum]]:

* A fine example in the ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'' episode ''Once More With Feeling'':

** Snap cut to the demon Sweet looking at one of the dancers {{spoiler|burst into flames}}.

** Lampshaded in an earlier episode:

* [[Lampshade Hanging|Lampshaded]] on ''[[The West Wing]]'':

'''Sam''': Isn't that what we usually say right before something becomes a big deal? }}

** "The Satan Pit":

'''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.

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

 

 

== Newspaper Comics ==

* ''[[Calvin and Hobbes]]'', about Calvin's plan to push the car out of the garage so they can use it as a clubhouse:

'''Hobbes:''' Whenever you ask that, my tail gets all bushy. }}

** And with good reason. The car winds up rolling out of the driveway, down the road, and into a ditch.

 

== Newspapers ==

 

 

== Video Games ==

* Dr. Muto says this before turning on his everlasting power source, which five seconds after being turned on blows up the entire planet, except for his house.

* ''[[Persona 2]]'': ''Innocent Sin'', when the party is at [[The Very Definitely Final Dungeon|Xibalba]], where it's revealed later on that {{spoiler|their thoughts become reality there}}: ([[Fan Translation]] version.)

* 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.

* The haiku that describes the Black Cat familiar in ''[[Kingdom of Loathing]]'' is "What a cute kitty!/What could possibly go wrong,/with her at your side?" It is one of the two most actively harmful familiars in the game, reducing experience gains, depleting MP, destroying randomly dropped items, and occasionally preventing the use of skills and items in combat.

 

== [[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]]''.

** 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).

 

== 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.

* This is literally the title of the pilot (and only) episode of the cartoon based on [[Bubsy]]. It's also his catchphrase during said show.

* This becomes Spanky Ham's catchphrase on ''[[Drawn Together]]''.

* ''esternAnimation/RegularShow'' has quite a few examples, especially ''Appreciation Day'', which has a manager's book in which only the truth can be written. Rigby and Mordecai write tall tales in it.

* Cera says this in the second ''[[The Land Before Time]]'' movie.

* In the ''[[Duckman]]'' Episode "Clear and Presidente Danger", Duckman begins wondering out-loud about becoming the new leader of the third-world country Porto Guano and ends with "What Could Possibly go Wrong?" Cornfed [[Breaks the Fourth Wall]] to say to the audience "For a complete list, please send $12 to Journal Graphics, Washington, DC, 20300."

* One name: [[Looney Tunes|Wile E. Coyote]].

* [[The Powerpuff Girls]] Movie: Jojo assures the girls that Townsville will love them after they help him with his plan. Suuuuuure, they will.

 

== [[Real Life]] ==

* [http://www.cracked.com/article_16583_5-scientific-experiments-most-likely-end-world.html The 5 Scientific Experiments Most Likely to End the World], courtesy Cracked, invokes the trope by name.

** [http://www.cracked.com/blog/the-7-most-mind-blowing-places-science-has-discovered-life/ This more recent article] has this for #5 among others, where a life form ''grows'' instead of dying when subjected to extreme gravity:

* A highly-contagious pathogen being tested in a lab in tornado alley. [http://science.slashdot.org/story/09/07/27/2140218/DHS-Pathogen-Lab-To-Be-Built-In-Tornado-Alley?art_pos=12 Slashdot link] (note the tag).

* The ''perfectly safe'' Hindenburg.

** While it seemed safe enough at the time, in hindsight, flying around in a balloon filled with hydrogen is pretty dangerous. To quote [[The Other Wiki|Wikipedia]], "nowadays helium is preferred because of its lack of flammability." No kidding.

* 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

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

 

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Probability Tropes]]

[[Category:This Index Is Cursed]]

[[Category:Stock Phrases]]

[[Category:Plots]]