...it's like TV Tropes, but LINKED DATA!
Derailed Train of Thought
- 150 statements
- 28 feature instances
- 22 referencing feature instances
| Derailed Train of Thought | type |
FeatureClass | |
| Derailed Train of Thought | label |
Derailed Train of Thought | |
| Derailed Train of Thought | page |
DerailedTrainOfThought | |
| Derailed Train of Thought | comment |
When one character becomes so sidetracked by one train of thought that he completely forgets about the original topic. Characters prone to this include the Cloud Cuckoo Lander, The Ditz, and the Talkative Loon. The Only Sane Man (who is often subject to this) can respond with a facepalm, some form of internal monologue expressing his disbelief, or an attempt to remind the invoker of this trope what they were talking about in the first place. Occasionally, the subject material brought up in the Derailed Train of Thought can result in the recipient receiving Too Much Information. Responses may include the Spit Take, and for added humor, the invoker of the Derailed Train of Thought may remain unaware of the reaction he/she has caused. Sometimes, the invoker of this trope may not be a Cloud Cuckoo Lander, but is extremely embarrassed and, as such, wants to turn the subject to something different. Or it could be a Cloud Cuckoo Lander who also happens to be extremely embarrassed. Compare also with Non Sequitur, in which it is heavily implied that the character should be discussing one thing, but one of them goes completely against those expectations. In this trope, it is made clear by an initial statement what the conversation is about, and then one character turns the topic to something completely different. Observe: In Non Sequitur (taken from their page): In Derailed Train of Thought: Notice that in the second example, Alice specifically stated that they were going to talk about cell phones, whereas in the first, it was merely implied. Related to Wiki Walk, Metaphorgotten and Sidetracked by the Analogy. Compare Seinfeldian Conversation in which the conversation is pointless but not necessarily unrelated. Examples |
|
| Derailed Train of Thought | fetched |
2024-02-19T01:00:12Z | |
| Derailed Train of Thought | parsed |
2024-02-19T01:00:12Z | |
| Derailed Train of Thought | processingComment |
Dropped link to FirstPersonSmartass: Not an Item - FEATURE | |
| Derailed Train of Thought | processingComment |
Dropped link to MotorMouth: Not an Item - FEATURE | |
| Derailed Train of Thought | processingComment |
Dropped link to WeirdAlYankovic: Not an Item - IGNORE | |
| Derailed Train of Thought | isPartOf |
DBTropes | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_1a018c31 | type |
Derailed Train of Thought | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_1a018c31 | comment |
In Carry On Matron, Sid Carter and his partners in crime, Ernie Bragg and Freddy, are planning to steal a stockpile of contraceptive pills from Finisham Maternity Hospital. As they look over the plans for the hospital and Sid explains where the pills are kept, Ernie asks where the babies are kept. An impatient Sid tells him they're in the wards, of course, but Ernie says it's not quite so obvious - he was born on the top deck of a Number 73 bus in Brixton High Street. Freddy says that's impossible as the Number 73 goes to Putney and Wimbledon, not Brixton, and then Sid says they're both wrong, it goes to Holloway (where he used to visit his wife, Gertie, in the women's prison). | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_1a018c31 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_1a018c31 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Carry On Matron | hasFeature |
Derailed Train of Thought / int_1a018c31 | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_21b21f35 | type |
Derailed Train of Thought | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_21b21f35 | comment |
BoJack Horseman's Todd Chavez, the resident Cloud Cuckoolander, is very prone to these. | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_21b21f35 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_21b21f35 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| BoJack Horseman | hasFeature |
Derailed Train of Thought / int_21b21f35 | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_3127e38 | type |
Derailed Train of Thought | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_3127e38 | comment |
The Newsroom features this regularly, most notably when a meeting where a discussion regarding the possibility of American troops having committed a war crime segues into a long discussion about whether Santa Claus has eight or nine reindeer. | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_3127e38 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_3127e38 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Newsroom | hasFeature |
Derailed Train of Thought / int_3127e38 | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_32c541e6 | type |
Derailed Train of Thought | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_32c541e6 | comment |
In Fullmetal Alchemist, Ed would rather recite the periodic table than talk about his potential love for Winry. | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_32c541e6 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_32c541e6 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Fullmetal Alchemist (Manga) | hasFeature |
Derailed Train of Thought / int_32c541e6 | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_3b34143f | type |
Derailed Train of Thought | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_3b34143f | comment |
Luna Lovegood of Harry Potter often manages to turn a conversation into something about the magical equivalent of Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster. Many of the conversations she starts begins with her saying something completely ordinary, and then turning it into this trope. | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_3b34143f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_3b34143f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Harry Potter | hasFeature |
Derailed Train of Thought / int_3b34143f | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_400469e | type |
Derailed Train of Thought | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_400469e | comment |
In Calvin and Hobbes, Calvin often goes off into these. Watterson apparently based Calvin's tangents off of his own wife's. | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_400469e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_400469e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Calvin and Hobbes (Comic Strip) | hasFeature |
Derailed Train of Thought / int_400469e | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_593d139f | type |
Derailed Train of Thought | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_593d139f | comment |
In Dave Barry Slept Here, Thomas Jefferson, who is writing the Declaration of Independence in an all-nighter, lets the document's subject wander to people flushing inappropriate objects down toilets, among other things. | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_593d139f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_593d139f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Dave Barry Slept Here | hasFeature |
Derailed Train of Thought / int_593d139f | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_5d63cc8 | type |
Derailed Train of Thought | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_5d63cc8 | comment |
In Inglourious Basterds, Colonel Hans Landa, in the middle of a conversation that will alter the course of history, pauses to ask his native English-speaking captives if he is properly using the expression "Bingo!" | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_5d63cc8 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_5d63cc8 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Inglourious Basterds | hasFeature |
Derailed Train of Thought / int_5d63cc8 | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_62a7de21 | type |
Derailed Train of Thought | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_62a7de21 | comment |
Azumanga Daioh: Osaka, Cloud Cuckoo Lander extraordinaire, does this at least once, with a discussion on Japanese characters that starts with hemorrhoids and goes on to the proper way to write kanji, and then to sea life. | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_62a7de21 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_62a7de21 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Azumanga Daioh (Manga) | hasFeature |
Derailed Train of Thought / int_62a7de21 | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_6adbab6f | type |
Derailed Train of Thought | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_6adbab6f | comment |
In Outnumbered, a question to Pete from Ben about where Friday the 13th beliefs originated ends with Ben describing how someone could end up accidentally crucify themselves. | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_6adbab6f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_6adbab6f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Outnumbered | hasFeature |
Derailed Train of Thought / int_6adbab6f | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_72e7d7f6 | type |
Derailed Train of Thought | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_72e7d7f6 | comment |
Lord Peter Wimsey's mother, the Dowager Duchess of Denver, tends to change the subject four or five times - in rapid succession - whenever she opens her mouth. | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_72e7d7f6 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_72e7d7f6 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Lord Peter Wimsey | hasFeature |
Derailed Train of Thought / int_72e7d7f6 | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_7884ec15 | type |
Derailed Train of Thought | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_7884ec15 | comment |
In Seinfeld, George's boss, Mr. Steinbrener, always gets sidetracked by one thing or another when George tries to talk to him. | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_7884ec15 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_7884ec15 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Seinfeld | hasFeature |
Derailed Train of Thought / int_7884ec15 | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_7c4f1adb | type |
Derailed Train of Thought | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_7c4f1adb | comment |
Our Miss Brooks: Absent-minded Mrs. Davis often suffers from thought derailment. | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_7c4f1adb | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_7c4f1adb | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Our Miss Brooks (Radio) | hasFeature |
Derailed Train of Thought / int_7c4f1adb | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_80a922a6 | type |
Derailed Train of Thought | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_80a922a6 | comment |
Played with in Lethal Weapon 4, where Lee Butters and Leo Getz go off on a huge tangent about cell phones, for no apparent reason. | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_80a922a6 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_80a922a6 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Lethal Weapon 4 | hasFeature |
Derailed Train of Thought / int_80a922a6 | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_86b851f7 | type |
Derailed Train of Thought | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_86b851f7 | comment |
Grisaia Series: Michiru occasionally does this, which considering her extremely ditzy personality, is little wonder. | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_86b851f7 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_86b851f7 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Grisaia Series (Visual Novel) | hasFeature |
Derailed Train of Thought / int_86b851f7 | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_86c3beca | type |
Derailed Train of Thought | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_86c3beca | comment |
Girl Genius: Count Wolkerstorfer has a habit of getting himself off track, an example from a section of his conversation with Dimo and Krosp when he was attacking the Corbettites: | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_86c3beca | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_86c3beca | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Girl Genius (Webcomic) | hasFeature |
Derailed Train of Thought / int_86c3beca | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_987ae286 | type |
Derailed Train of Thought | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_987ae286 | comment |
Happens briefly to Lightning McQueen at the beginning of Cars when psyching himself up for the race. | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_987ae286 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_987ae286 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Cars | hasFeature |
Derailed Train of Thought / int_987ae286 | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_b4fe32c9 | type |
Derailed Train of Thought | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_b4fe32c9 | comment |
Invader Zim - Don't even try to have a coherent conversation with Gir. | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_b4fe32c9 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_b4fe32c9 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Invader Zim | hasFeature |
Derailed Train of Thought / int_b4fe32c9 | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_c43df4d8 | type |
Derailed Train of Thought | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_c43df4d8 | comment |
The Doctor, on Doctor Who. Fairly often. | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_c43df4d8 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_c43df4d8 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Doctor Who | hasFeature |
Derailed Train of Thought / int_c43df4d8 | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_c5d0768d | type |
Derailed Train of Thought | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_c5d0768d | comment |
The ghost of Cyril Pennyfeather does this in his conversation with Lori and Dimity in Aunt Dimity Goes West. Cyril is explaining how he calmed Lori and Dimity while going unnoticed by either of them: | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_c5d0768d | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_c5d0768d | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Aunt Dimity | hasFeature |
Derailed Train of Thought / int_c5d0768d | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_ca5d97f1 | type |
Derailed Train of Thought | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_ca5d97f1 | comment |
The Monty Python's Flying Circus episode "Erizabeth L" has a police inspector (from the Film Fraud Division) who's apparently incapable of arresting a dangerous criminal who's impersonating famous directors without digressing into a lengthy biography of the director in question. | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_ca5d97f1 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_ca5d97f1 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Monty Python's Flying Circus | hasFeature |
Derailed Train of Thought / int_ca5d97f1 | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_d4efb984 | type |
Derailed Train of Thought | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_d4efb984 | comment |
Sophia did this practically every time she told a Sicily story on The Golden Girls. She'd get off on a tangent, then say "But I digress." | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_d4efb984 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_d4efb984 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Golden Girls | hasFeature |
Derailed Train of Thought / int_d4efb984 | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_d89cbc1a | type |
Derailed Train of Thought | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_d89cbc1a | comment |
SCP-6320 from Find Us Alive weaponizes this, with a memetic effect that prevents the cast from telling anyone about the memetic effect. Harley rambles about mandarin grammatical structure, Klein starts trying to explain Rohan Kishibe's Stand, and Raddagher gives up trying to explain with a blunt "This isn't working". | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_d89cbc1a | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_d89cbc1a | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Find Us Alive (Podcast) | hasFeature |
Derailed Train of Thought / int_d89cbc1a | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_e11e9296 | type |
Derailed Train of Thought | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_e11e9296 | comment |
Tristram Shandy is made of this. The book is about the supposedly interesting life and opinions of Tristram Shandy, but the narrator keeps getting sidetracked, not even getting to Tristram's birth before partway into the second volume. | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_e11e9296 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_e11e9296 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Tristram Shandy | hasFeature |
Derailed Train of Thought / int_e11e9296 | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_e4a82515 | type |
Derailed Train of Thought | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_e4a82515 | comment |
Least I Could Do uses this occasionally, always played for laughs. One example here: | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_e4a82515 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_e4a82515 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Least I Could Do (Webcomic) | hasFeature |
Derailed Train of Thought / int_e4a82515 | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_e694aadb | type |
Derailed Train of Thought | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_e694aadb | comment |
Ciaphas Cain (Hero of the Imperium)'s stream-of-consciousness memoirs occasionally drift off topic and he brings himself back to the point with "But I digress." | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_e694aadb | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_e694aadb | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Ciaphas Cain | hasFeature |
Derailed Train of Thought / int_e694aadb | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_f1449c6b | type |
Derailed Train of Thought | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_f1449c6b | comment |
StacheBros: "Toadsworth's Tale" starts out on the topic of Toadsworth's story, but when he gets to the part where he accidentally burns his birth certificate with his good looks, he loses focus when he talks about accidentally burning his great uncle (again, with his good looks), ignoring his jury duty sentence, and wanting to become an English professor after using an alliteration. | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_f1449c6b | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_f1449c6b | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| StacheBros (Web Video) | hasFeature |
Derailed Train of Thought / int_f1449c6b | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_fb671bf3 | type |
Derailed Train of Thought | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_fb671bf3 | comment |
Part of the brand of the engineering podcast Well There's Your Problem: Engineering, even when talking about what happens when it goes bad, can be rather dry at times, and the hosts tend to fill much of each episode's running time with banter, snarking and jokes to entertain and disarm the at times extremely dark subject matter. | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_fb671bf3 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Derailed Train of Thought / int_fb671bf3 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Well There's Your Problem (Podcast) | hasFeature |
Derailed Train of Thought / int_fb671bf3 |
The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.
Copyright of DBTropes.org wrapper 2009-2013 DFKI Knowledge Management. Imprint. - Thanks to Bakken&Baeck for hosting. Contact.
Copyright of data TVTropes.org contributors under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.
Copyright of data TVTropes.org contributors under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.