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Subverted Punchline
- 156 statements
- 29 feature instances
- 23 referencing feature instances
| Subverted Punchline | type |
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| Subverted Punchline | label |
Subverted Punchline | |
| Subverted Punchline | page |
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| Subverted Punchline | comment |
A gag where a character teases an obvious joke...and says something else. This might be because they're The Ditz or Giver of Lame Names, and the potential joke honestly didn't occur to them. It can also be used by a character with a bit more wit to inject some sarcasm into a simple pun or be used as part of a Last-Second Word Swap if the speaker wants to avoid a Lame Pun Reaction. The gag can be split across two characters by having one Comically Missing the Point of another's implied joke (sometimes combined with Are You Pondering What I'm Pondering?). To make sure the audience expects the looming joke, it is typically more heavily telegraphed than the Stealth Pun, with emphasis placed the relevant words to make sure that the audience gets it. Compare Subverted Rhyme Every Occasion (which does something similar with obvious rhymes), Subverted Catchphrase (which relies on an established phrase) and Stealth Pun, (which is left unspoken so the audience can figure it out themselves rather than be subverted). Contrast Obligatory Joke (which usually involves making a pun because the opportunity is just too good to pass up). Subtrope of Bait-and-Switch and Anti-Humor (which is when you set up a punchline or a gag... and there just isn't one, or there's something serious or boring in its place). Compare Orphaned Punchline, which is for when we don't get the setup. Examples |
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| Subverted Punchline | fetched |
2024-02-01T18:31:06Z | |
| Subverted Punchline | parsed |
2024-02-01T18:31:06Z | |
| Subverted Punchline | processingComment |
Dropped link to EasterEgg: Not an Item - FEATURE | |
| Subverted Punchline | processingComment |
Dropped link to InUniverse: Not an Item - FEATURE | |
| Subverted Punchline | processingComment |
Dropped link to WaynesWorld2: Not an Item - UNKNOWN | |
| Subverted Punchline | processingUnknown |
WaynesWorld2 | |
| Subverted Punchline | isPartOf |
DBTropes | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_261c8d3f | type |
Subverted Punchline | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_261c8d3f | comment |
The Simpsons: Channel 6's traffic reporter is Arnie Pie. His news report, done while reporting from a helicopter over the traffic, is called "Arnie in the Sky" (instead of "Pie in the Sky"). In the May 2022 episode "Poorhouse Rock", Marge downloads a podcast for Homer on "beers that you don't hear about much anymore". You'd expect one of them to be Corona... only for Homer to listen to an episode on Löwenbräu. |
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| Subverted Punchline / int_261c8d3f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_261c8d3f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Simpsons | hasFeature |
Subverted Punchline / int_261c8d3f | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_3cd90f30 | type |
Subverted Punchline | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_3cd90f30 | comment |
Arrested Development: Actor Judge Reinhold appears on a Show Within a Show version of Judge Judy. The title? Mock Trial with J. Reinhold. | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_3cd90f30 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_3cd90f30 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arrested Development | hasFeature |
Subverted Punchline / int_3cd90f30 | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_455e3038 | type |
Subverted Punchline | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_455e3038 | comment |
King of the Hill: | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_455e3038 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_455e3038 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| King of the Hill | hasFeature |
Subverted Punchline / int_455e3038 | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_468bebb0 | type |
Subverted Punchline | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_468bebb0 | comment |
In Discworld: Leonard of Quirm's dialogue has a lot of these jokes (from the perspective of the reader, since the names don't exist In-Universe) thanks to his status as a Giver of Lame Names for his inventions. In Witches Abroad Granny Weatherwax repeatedly attempts to tell a (fairly well known) joke about a man ordering an alligator sandwich, but never gets the punchline right (and it's never given in the book either, leaving the reader to figure out that a man who orders an alligator sandwich and wants it fast, tells the cook to be quick about it, etc. is telling them to "make it snappy!"). |
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| Subverted Punchline / int_468bebb0 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_468bebb0 | featureConfidence |
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| Discworld | hasFeature |
Subverted Punchline / int_468bebb0 | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_4c44acb7 | type |
Subverted Punchline | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_4c44acb7 | comment |
This was a staple on I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue. For example: | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_4c44acb7 | featureApplicability |
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| I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue (Radio) | hasFeature |
Subverted Punchline / int_4c44acb7 | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_4d8e5ec | type |
Subverted Punchline | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_4d8e5ec | comment |
The Daily Show A segment with then-correspondent Ed Helms involved him coming up for an idea for a "gay radar", which he decides would be called the "homometer." A segment with Buck Henry was titled "The Henry Stops Here." Jon Stewart on Mike Huckabee: "Let Huckabee hucka...exist." |
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| Subverted Punchline / int_4d8e5ec | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_4d8e5ec | featureConfidence |
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| The Daily Show | hasFeature |
Subverted Punchline / int_4d8e5ec | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_5db577ba | type |
Subverted Punchline | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_5db577ba | comment |
In The Dark Knight, Bruce Wayne / Batman is given a new device by Lucius Fox which allows his cellphone to emit sonar pulses to map a room. The expected punchline is "Bat", because he's Batman, but: | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_5db577ba | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_5db577ba | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Dark Knight | hasFeature |
Subverted Punchline / int_5db577ba | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_61572f0f | type |
Subverted Punchline | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_61572f0f | comment |
A Big Train sketch has an employee in a large food company attending a presentation, where someone is explaining that they found their cakes sold better when they were heated up. The character quips: "You could say that they sold like hot cakes!" - which is met very coldly from everyone present. He's transferred under a cloud to the broth department, where his new boss explains that they recently ruined a batch of broth by having too many chefs in supervision, to which he starts to quip "You could say that... you've bollocksed it up." | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_61572f0f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_61572f0f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Big Train | hasFeature |
Subverted Punchline / int_61572f0f | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_77bda8e9 | type |
Subverted Punchline | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_77bda8e9 | comment |
In Witches Abroad Granny Weatherwax repeatedly attempts to tell a (fairly well known) joke about a man ordering an alligator sandwich, but never gets the punchline right (and it's never given in the book either, leaving the reader to figure out that a man who orders an alligator sandwich and wants it fast, tells the cook to be quick about it, etc. is telling them to "make it snappy!"). | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_77bda8e9 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_77bda8e9 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Witches Abroad | hasFeature |
Subverted Punchline / int_77bda8e9 | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_7832b74c | type |
Subverted Punchline | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_7832b74c | comment |
In the Steven Universe episode "Future Vision", Steven quips that his middle name is "Danger". At first, it looks like Garnet's suffering from Blunt Metaphors Trauma, but instead she playfully "corrects" and tweaks him on the nose: The subversion is subverted in the episode "Together Forever", wherein it appears that it actually is his middle name. |
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| Subverted Punchline / int_7832b74c | featureApplicability |
-0.3 | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_7832b74c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Steven Universe | hasFeature |
Subverted Punchline / int_7832b74c | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_78621bac | type |
Subverted Punchline | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_78621bac | comment |
One contestant on America's Got Talent, a performer named "Piff the Magic Dragon" (a guy in a dragon costume doing magic) showed up. He then said that you've probably heard of his brother...Steve. | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_78621bac | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_78621bac | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| America's Got Talent | hasFeature |
Subverted Punchline / int_78621bac | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_7950b30f | type |
Subverted Punchline | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_7950b30f | comment |
On an episode of The Colbert Report Stephen mentioned a story about Burger King advertising Windows 7 and said that Apple needed its own fast food tie-in that would be "big...for mac." He decides it should be Carl's Jr. | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_7950b30f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_7950b30f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Colbert Report | hasFeature |
Subverted Punchline / int_7950b30f | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_90ba3eec | type |
Subverted Punchline | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_90ba3eec | comment |
On an episode of Virtually Famous, James Acaster came up with the game "what's under my hat". He hid things that could be found in a kitchen under his hat and each time it was revealed he would make one of these gags. | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_90ba3eec | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_90ba3eec | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Virtually Famous | hasFeature |
Subverted Punchline / int_90ba3eec | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_971e8e24 | type |
Subverted Punchline | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_971e8e24 | comment |
The alternate commentary track featuring Mr. Plinkett that RedLetterMedia released for Star Trek V: The Final Frontier has a gag where Plinkett explains that the movie's producers were worried about placing the actor DeForest Kelley in the woods... because his last name sorta sounds like "killer". In the Revenge of the Sith review, Plinkett sets up that if you rearrange the letters in "Sith", you get another word... "Tshi", which he claims is Chinese for "disappointment in the cooking of the duck meat." |
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| Subverted Punchline / int_971e8e24 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_971e8e24 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| RedLetterMedia (Web Video) | hasFeature |
Subverted Punchline / int_971e8e24 | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_9d7ec380 | type |
Subverted Punchline | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_9d7ec380 | comment |
From The Good Place: | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_9d7ec380 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_9d7ec380 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Good Place | hasFeature |
Subverted Punchline / int_9d7ec380 | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_a4616794 | type |
Subverted Punchline | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_a4616794 | comment |
The first episode of Friendship is Witchcraft has the phrase "Talk about eye candy!" as an unexplained running gag, usually in response to some mild Eye Scream scenes. A few episodes later, a character shows up in an eye-patch: | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_a4616794 | featureApplicability |
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| Subverted Punchline / int_a4616794 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Friendship is Witchcraft (Web Video) | hasFeature |
Subverted Punchline / int_a4616794 | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_ad666b39 | type |
Subverted Punchline | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_ad666b39 | comment |
From Fly by Night: | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_ad666b39 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_ad666b39 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Fly by Night (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Subverted Punchline / int_ad666b39 | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_ae11fb90 | type |
Subverted Punchline | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_ae11fb90 | comment |
In Arfenhouse Teh Movie Too, Woogy mangles an old joke whose punchline is supposed to be, "Well, then, you'd better go and catch it": | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_ae11fb90 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_ae11fb90 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arfenhouse (Web Animation) | hasFeature |
Subverted Punchline / int_ae11fb90 | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_b30ae4db | type |
Subverted Punchline | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_b30ae4db | comment |
In one episode of Game of Thrones, the Affably Evil Roose Bolton is talking to Jaime Lannister, who just had his hand chopped off by some of Roose's men. When Jaime starts insinuating threats, Roose comments, "I would have thought you'd learnt not to overplay your... position." | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_b30ae4db | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_b30ae4db | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Game of Thrones | hasFeature |
Subverted Punchline / int_b30ae4db | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_b3e81703 | type |
Subverted Punchline | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_b3e81703 | comment |
Sometimes used in Arthur, King of Time and Space. One Sunday Strip spends multiple panels carefully setting up the punchline "I wouldn't send a knight out on a dog like this", before Lancelot derails it by asking, if the dog has no nose, how does it smell? | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_b3e81703 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_b3e81703 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arthur, King of Time and Space (Webcomic) | hasFeature |
Subverted Punchline / int_b3e81703 | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_bc848d30 | type |
Subverted Punchline | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_bc848d30 | comment |
On SpongeBob SquarePants, there is one scene which involves SpongeBob and Patrick annoying Squidward and others at Goo Lagoon by playing "Small Plastic Disk That You Throw". SpongeBob comments that the name is a bit too long, and wishes it was easier to say. Patrick immediately comes up with "Small Plastic Disk That You Toss", which SpongeBob praises him for. The expectation was "Frisbee" — although that would be copyrighted. | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_bc848d30 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_bc848d30 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| SpongeBob SquarePants | hasFeature |
Subverted Punchline / int_bc848d30 | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_ca5d97f1 | type |
Subverted Punchline | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_ca5d97f1 | comment |
In The Secret Policeman's Biggest Ball, a benefit for Amnesty International, the Monty Python's Flying Circus played this to the point of subverting the entire routine. The stage is set for the famous parrot sketch, the crowd is giddy with anticipation, John Cleese as Mr. Praline begins by declaring the parrot he purchased is dead... | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_ca5d97f1 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_ca5d97f1 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Monty Python's Flying Circus | hasFeature |
Subverted Punchline / int_ca5d97f1 | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_d4ab83d3 | type |
Subverted Punchline | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_d4ab83d3 | comment |
In APICO, the first chapter of the Liquids section of your guidebook starts with this: | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_d4ab83d3 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_d4ab83d3 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| APICO (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Subverted Punchline / int_d4ab83d3 | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_d4d633b7 | type |
Subverted Punchline | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_d4d633b7 | comment |
In "Episode 2: Memory" of Code 7, META seemingly sets up but then subverts a dick joke when asking Raven (who is disguised as Mr. Palakiko, one of Oriens Receiver Station's employees) a few questions to prove she isn't a spy or shapeshifter. | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_d4d633b7 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_d4d633b7 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Code 7 (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Subverted Punchline / int_d4d633b7 | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_d6eb7846 | type |
Subverted Punchline | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_d6eb7846 | comment |
On The Replacements, Dick Daring's stunt coordinator / engineer's name is Phil Mygrave (just say it out loud). He's still a good, decent guy, though. C.A.R., for his part, is flabbergasted that none of the other regulars can bring themselves to joke about Phil's Unfortunate Name. | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_d6eb7846 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
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| The Replacements | hasFeature |
Subverted Punchline / int_d6eb7846 | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_d9c4a85e | type |
Subverted Punchline | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_d9c4a85e | comment |
In Marvel Adventures: The Avengers #2 The Avengers save an oceanic research station from mutated sea life, but Iron Man suspects some kind of foul play. There's just something... strange about all this. | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_d9c4a85e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_d9c4a85e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Marvel Adventures (Comic Book) | hasFeature |
Subverted Punchline / int_d9c4a85e | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_db3b75ff | type |
Subverted Punchline | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_db3b75ff | comment |
Barney Miller: An arrestee is running for President: | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_db3b75ff | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_db3b75ff | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Barney Miller | hasFeature |
Subverted Punchline / int_db3b75ff | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_ef9ba9b4 | type |
Subverted Punchline | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_ef9ba9b4 | comment |
In the Revenge of the Sith review, Plinkett sets up that if you rearrange the letters in "Sith", you get another word... "Tshi", which he claims is Chinese for "disappointment in the cooking of the duck meat." | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_ef9ba9b4 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_ef9ba9b4 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Revenge of the Sith | hasFeature |
Subverted Punchline / int_ef9ba9b4 | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_f2ce02ea | type |
Subverted Punchline | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_f2ce02ea | comment |
From the Key & Peele sketch "Continental Breakfast": | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_f2ce02ea | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Subverted Punchline / int_f2ce02ea | featureConfidence |
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| Key & Peele | hasFeature |
Subverted Punchline / int_f2ce02ea |
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