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Party Scheduling Gambit

 Party Scheduling Gambit
type
FeatureClass
 Party Scheduling Gambit
label
Party Scheduling Gambit
 Party Scheduling Gambit
page
PartySchedulingGambit
 Party Scheduling Gambit
comment
Somebody, usually our Loser Protagonist heroine, is throwing a party. Perhaps it's her first "grown-up party", maybe it's a fairly major birthday, like her sweet 16th or her "now you're a teen!" 13th. However, someone else (usually the Alpha Bitch) has found out about this and scheduled a bigger, better and unsupervised party on the same day and time as the Cool Loser's party.
Of course, everyone at school goes to the Alpha Bitch's party, tempted by expensive freebies or a famous band she's somehow managed to wrangle, leaving our heroine and her few closest, strongest friends sitting alone with her parents, surrounded by unused party stuff and miserable.
However, something happens at the Alpha Bitch's party; perhaps the party-goers don't actually have fun, maybe the police show up and close it down for being too noisy, or her parents close it down and ground her for trashing their house. Everyone heads over to the Cool Loser's house, and end up having a much more fun party.
The trope doesn't always follow this format; variations do show up — maybe it is the Cool Loser who schedules a party against the Alpha Bitch's when the Cool Loser isn't invited, for example. It also isn't an exclusively teen trope; versions with adults have been seen, but it shows up a lot in shows aimed at tweens that feature teens.
This trope seems to plague female characters slightly more than males, but not enough to label it as Always Female. See also Start My Own.
This isn't exclusive to partying; whether deliberate or not, any event scheduled to occur at the exact same time as a similar event qualifies as this type of gambit.
 Party Scheduling Gambit
fetched
2023-10-29T03:31:30Z
 Party Scheduling Gambit
parsed
2023-10-29T03:31:30Z
 Party Scheduling Gambit
processingComment
Dropped link to InsultToRocks: Not an Item - FEATURE
 Party Scheduling Gambit
processingComment
Dropped link to Masquerade: Not an Item - FEATURE
 Party Scheduling Gambit
processingComment
Dropped link to OvershadowedByAwesome: Not an Item - FEATURE
 Party Scheduling Gambit
processingComment
Dropped link to SpinOff: Not an Item - FEATURE
 Party Scheduling Gambit
processingComment
Dropped link to TwentyFourHourPartyPeople: Not an Item - FEATURE
 Party Scheduling Gambit
processingComment
Dropped link to VoodooShark: Not an Item - FEATURE
 Party Scheduling Gambit
isPartOf
DBTropes
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_10861ce9
type
Party Scheduling Gambit
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_10861ce9
comment
On The Smurfs, Brainy Smurf throws a "smarty party", but excludes the Smurflings for being too young, so they decide to throw their own party. Eventually, everyone goes to the Smurflings' party after being expelled from Brainy's party for breaking any of the myriad rules he set up.
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_10861ce9
featureApplicability
1.0
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_10861ce9
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Smurfs
hasFeature
Party Scheduling Gambit / int_10861ce9
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_231b713e
type
Party Scheduling Gambit
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_231b713e
comment
The O.C. reverses this by having Kaitlin throw a party on the night of the Alpha Bitch's scheduled Sweet 16 with kegs. Everyone prefers her party.
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_231b713e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_231b713e
featureConfidence
1.0
 The O.C.
hasFeature
Party Scheduling Gambit / int_231b713e
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_3558eaa2
type
Party Scheduling Gambit
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_3558eaa2
comment
Greendale Community College decided to have a Sadie Hawkins dance. Britta, ever the activist, found it sexist, and decided to hold a Sophie B. Hawkins dance at the same time. She meant Susan B. Anthony, but refused to acknowledge her wrongness, and tried to hire a Sophie B. Hawkins look-a-like to attend. Someone (possibly Pierce) managed to get the real Sophie B. Hawkins to show and saved the dance.
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_3558eaa2
featureApplicability
1.0
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_3558eaa2
featureConfidence
1.0
 Community
hasFeature
Party Scheduling Gambit / int_3558eaa2
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_3df10170
type
Party Scheduling Gambit
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_3df10170
comment
AEW and NXT have had a couple run-ins where their shows fell on dates that coincided. Both sides have claimed this wasn't by any design. NXT also counter-programmed AEW Dynamite on Wednesday nights for awhile, although NXT eventually shifted it to Tuesdays.
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_3df10170
featureApplicability
1.0
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_3df10170
featureConfidence
1.0
 All Elite Wrestling (Wrestling)
hasFeature
Party Scheduling Gambit / int_3df10170
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_490a7d52
type
Party Scheduling Gambit
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_490a7d52
comment
The Karma of Lies: After Marinette is convinced to spend an entire week preparing a party for Lila and the rest of the class, Lila manipulates the others into throwing a picnic of their own at the same time. When confronted about this, Marinette's Fair-Weather Friends claim that they intended to attend both, since her party was going for longer... while ignoring the fact that they didn't invite her to said picnic despite holding it at the park right outside her family bakery.
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_490a7d52
featureApplicability
1.0
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_490a7d52
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Karma of Lies (Fanfic)
hasFeature
Party Scheduling Gambit / int_490a7d52
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_4f1f3628
type
Party Scheduling Gambit
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_4f1f3628
comment
It happened on The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, although this time with The Brainless Beauty London, who in this case is also the best friend who doesn't understand the concept of not getting her way. She learns her lesson in the end, though, and comes to the other party.
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_4f1f3628
featureApplicability
1.0
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_4f1f3628
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Suite Life of Zack & Cody
hasFeature
Party Scheduling Gambit / int_4f1f3628
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_4f980a5a
type
Party Scheduling Gambit
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_4f980a5a
comment
In order to get back at Renata on Big Little Lies, Madeline invites a bunch of moms and their kids to Disney on Ice on the same day as Renata's daughter Amabella's birthday party, knowing that it will hurt Amabella because Madeline's own daughter Chloe and several of their friends will miss it. Madeline is right, and Renata calls and asks her to reconsider, but she smugly refuses.
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_4f980a5a
featureApplicability
1.0
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_4f980a5a
featureConfidence
1.0
 Big Little Lies
hasFeature
Party Scheduling Gambit / int_4f980a5a
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_5ae0bec6
type
Party Scheduling Gambit
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_5ae0bec6
comment
Enforced by WWE's Vince McMahon, who scheduled the first Survivor Series PPV on Thanksgiving Night 1987, the same night that the NWA was airing their first PPV Starrcade, and told the PPV companies of the time to choose between Survivor Series and Starrcade, and further told them that if they aired Starrcade, they would not get to air WrestleMania that spring. Most chose Survivor Series. McMahon did the same thing again by airing the Royal Rumble for free on the USA Network against NWA's Bunkhouse Stampede. Jim Crockett Promotions retaliated by airing the first Clash of the Champions on TBS against WrestleMania IV. Eventually, the pay-per-view companies asked them to stop scheduling shows opposite each other.
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_5ae0bec6
featureApplicability
1.0
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_5ae0bec6
featureConfidence
1.0
 WWE (Wrestling)
hasFeature
Party Scheduling Gambit / int_5ae0bec6
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_5cad8158
type
Party Scheduling Gambit
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_5cad8158
comment
An episode of Lizzie McGuire had this done impromptu as an inversion after Lizzie was banned from the school dance after being made to confess to breaking a statue (Kate was the one who broke it) or else the dance would be cancelled. After, nearly everyone ditched the dance and headed over to Lizzie's house instead, leaving Kate alone at the school.
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_5cad8158
featureApplicability
1.0
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_5cad8158
featureConfidence
1.0
 Lizzie McGuire
hasFeature
Party Scheduling Gambit / int_5cad8158
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_6274e926
type
Party Scheduling Gambit
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_6274e926
comment
A variation happens in Jem when Eric Raymond and The Misfits film and premiere a big-budget movie, solely to upstage Jem's indy effort. The Misfit's movie is a dog and the premiere crowd moves en masse to the lower key theater holding Jem's premiere. (A later episode has Jem/Jerrica nominated for an Oscar for her effort.)
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_6274e926
featureApplicability
1.0
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_6274e926
featureConfidence
1.0
 Jem
hasFeature
Party Scheduling Gambit / int_6274e926
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_651bfe08
type
Party Scheduling Gambit
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_651bfe08
comment
Archie Comics (2015): Happens in the first issue of Reggie & Me, where the teen population of Riverdale leaves Reggie's party because Veronica is throwing her own on the same night. Archie later tries to clarify that Veronica didn't mean for that to happen, but Reggie is upset all the same.
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_651bfe08
featureApplicability
1.0
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_651bfe08
featureConfidence
1.0
 Archie Comics (2015) (Comic Book)
hasFeature
Party Scheduling Gambit / int_651bfe08
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_66fd2e30
type
Party Scheduling Gambit
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_66fd2e30
comment
Invoked in Wax and Wayne. As Steris points out, the Yomen-Ostlin wedding invited almost every aristocrat in the city so that they could not only insult everyone they didn't invite, but stop them from starting their own party by preemptively stealing all the guests.
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_66fd2e30
featureApplicability
1.0
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_66fd2e30
featureConfidence
1.0
 Wax and Wayne
hasFeature
Party Scheduling Gambit / int_66fd2e30
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_82439e64
type
Party Scheduling Gambit
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_82439e64
comment
The Office (US)—in "A Benihana Christmas" Angela's overbearing unpleasantness as head of the Party Planning Committee lead Karen and Pam to form the Committee for Planning Parties and plan a more fun party. Inverted in that the ones pulling the gambit are the protagonists.
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_82439e64
featureApplicability
1.0
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_82439e64
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Office (US)
hasFeature
Party Scheduling Gambit / int_82439e64
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_946f58c1
type
Party Scheduling Gambit
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_946f58c1
comment
This happened with Angelica's 13th birthday party and Savannah's party in All Grown Up!.
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_946f58c1
featureApplicability
1.0
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_946f58c1
featureConfidence
1.0
 All Grown Up!
hasFeature
Party Scheduling Gambit / int_946f58c1
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_9888f901
type
Party Scheduling Gambit
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_9888f901
comment
Daria: Quinn gets roped into planning the school dance by Sandi, who then throws her own party, which turns out to be lame. Subverted in that Quinn is the more popular of the two; double subverted in that, once she realises the rest of the Fashion Club won't help her, Quinn foists planning off onto Daria and Jane.
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_9888f901
featureApplicability
-0.3
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_9888f901
featureConfidence
1.0
 Daria
hasFeature
Party Scheduling Gambit / int_9888f901
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_9d7ec380
type
Party Scheduling Gambit
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_9d7ec380
comment
Invoked in The Good Place episode "Existential Crisis". Tahani — an accomplished socialite who took great pride in her events — is asked to plan a party for a neighbor's birthday, except it's all a setup by Vicky and the Bad Place demons to torture her by arranging a bigger, more extravagant party to overshadow hers. She gets wind of the scheme through Michael and goes along with her party anyway so they won't know she's clued in to the torture, but she takes it as a challenge to try and outshine the demons instead and puts her all into the preparations despite knowing that it's a setup. She gets so caught up believing she could beat them at their own petty game that she is is then legitimately crushed and miserable when the demons use their powers and control "the Good Place" to make their party an awesome spectacle that overshadows hers completely.
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_9d7ec380
featureApplicability
1.0
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_9d7ec380
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Good Place
hasFeature
Party Scheduling Gambit / int_9d7ec380
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_ac5db594
type
Party Scheduling Gambit
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_ac5db594
comment
In The Dead Zone when Johnny foresees most of his son Chuck's class dying by fire when the restaurant their graduation celebration is to be held in is struck by lightning, Roger Chatsworth doesn't really believe it will happen, but they invite everyone to come to his house for an alternate party instead to humor Johnny. Everyone who accepted the alternate invitation survives, while most of those who stuck with the original party dies horribly.
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_ac5db594
featureApplicability
1.0
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_ac5db594
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Dead Zone
hasFeature
Party Scheduling Gambit / int_ac5db594
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_c593876f
type
Party Scheduling Gambit
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_c593876f
comment
That's So Raven has this happen in one episode. There, due to the scheming of the Alpha Bitch, people turned up the week before the party instead and Raven had the misfortune to be wearing an embarrassing mud mask and her jammies at the time. Her parents were also in spandex workout suits. In the end Raven, Chelsea and Eddie plan to embarrass The Alpha Bitch (Nikki) back, they manage to get her Covered in Gunge (well, hairspray, water and feathers) just before her party, but Raven had a last minute change of heart and decided not to force her to be seen that way by her party goers. Raven still lets the girl leave her house carrying a bouquet of poison ivy.
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_c593876f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_c593876f
featureConfidence
1.0
 That's So Raven
hasFeature
Party Scheduling Gambit / int_c593876f
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_d6f1c48d
type
Party Scheduling Gambit
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_d6f1c48d
comment
In Leave for Mendeleiev, Chloe throws a party in an effort to cheer up Adrien, inviting the whole school. After an argument with Aurore over her harassing Marinette, she snaps that they can just leave; Aurore happily takes her up on that offer, and as both girls are leaving, Kim shouts that they should all head to the pool. This triggers a mass exodus; even Adrien ditches Chloe despite how she organized the whole thing for his sake in the first place.
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_d6f1c48d
featureApplicability
1.0
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_d6f1c48d
featureConfidence
1.0
 Leave for Mendeleiev (Fanfic)
hasFeature
Party Scheduling Gambit / int_d6f1c48d
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_de096121
type
Party Scheduling Gambit
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_de096121
comment
Inverted in Accepted, in which the ones who make the gambit are the sympathetic protagonists, and their party is legitimately far more awesome than that of the dumb frat boys they are screwing over. Even after the frat tries to shut them down, they just party harder.
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_de096121
featureApplicability
1.0
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_de096121
featureConfidence
1.0
 Accepted
hasFeature
Party Scheduling Gambit / int_de096121
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_e066a2e0
type
Party Scheduling Gambit
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_e066a2e0
comment
Pucca: Ring Ring held a party and invited everyone except for Pucca, who instead got a note stating she wasn't invited and that Ring Ring so wanted her not to show up she'd not even tell the day of the party. Ring Ring also told Pucca not to wear the same dress as her during the party. Pucca and the chefs then held a party at the Goh Rong. Pucca invited everyone. That included Ring Ring but she didn't open the letter, assuming it was fan mail. Both parties were held at the same day and nobody showed up at Ring Ring's (other than the vagabonds but they just ate and left). After several attempts to ruin Pucca's party, Ring Ring finally read her invitation and learned Pucca wanted Ring Ring to tell the day of her party to avoid helding hers the same day.
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_e066a2e0
featureApplicability
1.0
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_e066a2e0
featureConfidence
1.0
 Pucca (Animation)
hasFeature
Party Scheduling Gambit / int_e066a2e0
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_e25322af
type
Party Scheduling Gambit
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_e25322af
comment
Homestar Runner: The cartoon "The Luau" has Strong Bad throwing a marshmallow roast at the same time as Marzipan's luau. The invitations even say "Same time as Marzipan's stupid Luau". Even then, people's attendance had more to do with the fact that they expected Marzipan's party to suck (since she's a known Granola Girl and willing associate of terminally gloomy bore Strong Sad) than they expected Strong Bad's to be particularly jumpin'.
The cartoon provides an unusual variation of this trope with its outcome. Strong Bad can't light the wood, because Homestar had apparently urinated on it earlier in the cartoon. Homestar himself gets bored of managing the tofu at Marzipan's luau and attends Strong Bad's roast, but then the tofu catches fire and everyone ends up running to the Luau by accident simply because they spotted "a fire" where they could roast their marshmallows. Everyone except Strong Bad, who ended up just roasting a marshmallow against a single match stacked on top of his wood pile. Marzipan is oblivious to all of this and thinks they are enjoying the tofu.
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_e25322af
featureApplicability
1.0
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_e25322af
featureConfidence
1.0
 Homestar Runner (Web Animation)
hasFeature
Party Scheduling Gambit / int_e25322af
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_e936047a
type
Party Scheduling Gambit
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_e936047a
comment
Hey Arnold! has a near perfect example of "schedule a party against the Alpha Bitch". Arnold is one of the few kids in their class that gets invited to Rhonda's "cool kids" party. Even Gerald doesn't, as Rhonda was worried he'd out-cool her. However, her party is dull and Arnold is annoyed that most of his friends haven't been invited. So he leaves and throws an impromptu "geeks party" at his house. Everyone heads there attracted by the more fun atmosphere. Eventually Rhonda shows up as well, but she isn't allowed in until she declares herself a "geek" (for that night at least).
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_e936047a
featureApplicability
1.0
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_e936047a
featureConfidence
1.0
 Hey Arnold!
hasFeature
Party Scheduling Gambit / int_e936047a
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_f655ed11
type
Party Scheduling Gambit
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_f655ed11
comment
Frasier is a victim of the adult version of this trope when his nemesis in the apartment upstairs throws a cooler, more fun Christmas party than Frasier and invites everyone in their building. As Frasier's party involves poetry recitals and obscure Christmas carols, everyone chooses to go to the other one - until Martin pulls a few strings with his friends in the police department and gets it shut down because so many people in one apartment is a fire hazard.
While separated Niles attempts to throw a party for his high society friends only to learn Maris is throwing an even bigger party at the same time. Niles calls her to demand she reschedule but ends up folding and agreeing to attend her party instead.
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_f655ed11
featureApplicability
1.0
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_f655ed11
featureConfidence
1.0
 Frasier
hasFeature
Party Scheduling Gambit / int_f655ed11
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_f6c05e8e
type
Party Scheduling Gambit
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_f6c05e8e
comment
Friends:
"The One With the Girl Who Hits Joey" has this trope reversed a bit. Ross had freshly moved in to his new apartment, and got ostracized by all the other tenants because he didn't feel like giving a large check to help throw a retirement party for the janitor. Eventually, he gets sick of this and decides to throw a party to get everyone to like him. It happens to coincide with the very retirement party to which he didn't contribute and even Phoebe, whom he invited, ended up at the janitor's party. Ross is arguably the jerk in this instance, even if you sympathize with his initial decision.
"The One With the Two Parties" had an odd example that ended up like this even though the same people were organising both parties, and the fact they coincided was intentional. Because Rachel's parents literally couldn't be in the same room, the gang arranged two birthday parties; one in the girls' apartment and one in the boys' apartment, with the 24-Hour Party People evenly split between them. But before long everyone in the former party who heard about the other one started drifting from Monica's uptight formal do, to Joey's more relaxed event.
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_f6c05e8e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_f6c05e8e
featureConfidence
1.0
 Friends
hasFeature
Party Scheduling Gambit / int_f6c05e8e
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_f6fe1bfc
type
Party Scheduling Gambit
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_f6fe1bfc
comment
Sabrina the Teenage Witch:
Sabrina ends up making a clone of herself to attend one party, and she goes to the cooler one, because Libby requested it. It had already been demonstrated in that episode these clones have brains of pudding. Sabrina gets back just slightly too late to stop the situation, but just in time to spin it. That Halloween, Sabrina actually goes to the lamer party - a family gathering.
The next year, she competes with Libby by throwing a party at her own house and it's still not quite played straight, because Sabrina's Masquerade policing is keeping the guests annoyed and/or bored. It's when her efforts fail and everything starts breaking down that the party becomes fun (this is Halloween, after all).
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_f6fe1bfc
featureApplicability
1.0
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_f6fe1bfc
featureConfidence
1.0
 Sabrina the Teenage Witch
hasFeature
Party Scheduling Gambit / int_f6fe1bfc
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_ffb43795
type
Party Scheduling Gambit
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_ffb43795
comment
Cobra Kai: This is the basis for the Wild Teen Party Aisha plans at the very site Yasmine was planning hers. Yasmine is not impressed.
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_ffb43795
featureApplicability
1.0
 Party Scheduling Gambit / int_ffb43795
featureConfidence
1.0
 Cobra Kai
hasFeature
Party Scheduling Gambit / int_ffb43795

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

 Party Scheduling Gambit
processingCategory2
Gambit Index
 Party Scheduling Gambit
processingCategory2
Narrative Devices
 Party Scheduling Gambit
processingCategory2
Party at My Index
 Pucca (Animation) / int_e7137e4f
type
Party Scheduling Gambit
 Giraffes On Horseback Salad (Comic Book) / int_e7137e4f
type
Party Scheduling Gambit
 The Karma of Lies (Fanfic) / int_e7137e4f
type
Party Scheduling Gambit
 The Dead Zone / int_e7137e4f
type
Party Scheduling Gambit
 The Farthest-Away Mountain / int_e7137e4f
type
Party Scheduling Gambit
 That's So Raven / int_e7137e4f
type
Party Scheduling Gambit
 The Office (US) / int_e7137e4f
type
Party Scheduling Gambit
 Daria / int_e7137e4f
type
Party Scheduling Gambit
 Jem / int_e7137e4f
type
Party Scheduling Gambit
 The Smurfs (1981) / int_e7137e4f
type
Party Scheduling Gambit