Ironic Echo Cut

Related to the Gilligan Cut, this is a comic device that brackets a hard cut with two versions of the same line. The first may be straight or even deadly serious, but the repetition ends up being funny:

"Jilly must be freezing her butt off!" (Hard cut to Jilly in the forest) Jilly: "I'm freezing my butt off!"

Sometimes the echo is inverted:

"I'm sure Josh knows what he's doing." (Hard cut to Josh hip-deep in auto parts) Josh: "I have no idea what I'm doing!"

Or, on occasion, there will be a bit more irony present:

Mayor (of the preparations of a ceremony): "This is the day that will put our town on the map! This is it!" (Cut to a much more sinister happenings in some sort of evil science lab) Antagonist: "This is it."

The implication that both lines are being uttered almost simultaneously seems to have something to do with the resulting humor.

Note that when used in anime, this bit usually includes a sneeze from the referred person, because the Japanese are allergic to being talked about behind their backs.

This is Older Than Steam, being a classic trope of farce for several hundred years now.

Often used in the delivery of Hypocritical Humor. Compare with the plain old Ironic Echo, which comes several scenes later, and Strange Minds Think Alike. Another form of Tempting Fate. Not to be confused with Description Cut. Contrast Twisted Echo Cut.

Examples of Ironic Echo Cut include:

Anime & Manga

• Cross Game, with some nice post-cut sarcasm:

Aoba: I bet he's nervous like hell. After all, this is the first game he can't afford to lose. Cut to Kou sleeping Kou's mother (from downstairs): Kou! How long are you going to sleep? Don't you have a game today? Kou (half awake): Uh? Game? (Unfazed) God, I'm so nervous.

• Variation: at one point in episode 31 of Soul Eater, Kid suggests to no one in particular that they should have a party. One title card later, we cut to a party being held in his house.
• An omake in the Fullmetal Alchemist manga volumes, adapted into an episode of the 2003 anime, has this:

Ed has requested a battle with the Flame Alchemist, Roy Mustang, in lieu of the regular assessment. Mustang: Come on, the Fuhrer knows it wouldn't be fair with me against the kid. I'd love to show off my valor, but there's no way he's going to allow it. Cut to a meeting with the Fuhrer Bradley: That sounds like a very interesting fight. I'm going to allow the battle assessment.

Comic Books

• In a scene from Elf Quest, both Leetah and Two-Edge say "I lost." Leetah has been trying to save a life, while Two-Edge has been playing a deadly game with everybody's lives.
• Runaways combined this with a subversion of the Evil Laugh. For full effect, Old Lace is a Deinonychus.

Mr. Wilder: I have no doubt [the children] are plotting to destroy us even as we speak. Cut* Molly: Bwa ha ha! I just put a hat on Old Lace! That is freaking hilarious.

• Empowered, when her wall clinging ability manifested.

Thugboy and Ninjette: Didn't know she could do that. Empowered: Didn't know that I could do this...

• Great Lakes Initiative has just saved Christmas from a D List Villain, when this ironic echo cut appears:

Flatman: Man, I wish Squirrel Girl was here. This's our biggest adventure in months and she's missing it. Cut to Squirrel Girl* Uatu the Watcher: Congratulations, Squirrel Girl. By defeating Thanos, you have saved the entire multiverse. I wish I could have helped, but as a Watcher I am forbidden to interfere. Squirrel Girl: Hey, that's okay, Uatu. Still, I can't believe me and Tippy-Toe took out the real Thanos! Uatu the Watcher: Yes, Squirrel Girl, with my cosmic senses, I can confirm that that is, in fact, the one true Thanos, and not a robot, clone, or simulacrum.

• Well, it's older than the internet, at least. Orphan Annie does this!
• Used far, far too often in Dork Tower.
• From issue #3 of The Ren and Stimpy Show comic book:

Ren: "Can't you see that Blammo Toys ees an eeveel corporation, targeting mindless eediots, like you, and taking them for everything they've got?! Stimpy: Gee, Ren, I'm sure that's not the case... [Meanwhile at Blammo HQ...] Executive #1: Ha! Yet again we've targeted mindless idiots like Stimpson J. Cat! Executive #2: And took them for everything they had!

Film

• Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade:

Elsa: It's perfectly obvious where the pages are. He's given them to Marcus Brody. Professor Henry Jones: Marcus? You didn't drag poor Marcus along did you? He's not up to the challenge. Walter Donovan: He sticks out like a sore thumb. We'll find him. Indiana Jones: The hell you will. He's got a two day head start on you, which is more than he needs. Brody's got friends in every town and village from here to the Sudan, he speaks a dozen languages, knows every local custom, he'll blend in, disappear, you'll never see him again. With any luck, he's got the grail already. [Cut to middle of fair in the Middle East, Marcus Brody wearing bright suit and white hat, sticking out like sore thumb] Marcus Brody: Uhhh, does anyone here speak English?

• • This example is made even more hilarious when Indy reveals he was bluffing.
• Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country: Spock states his confidence that the Captain is already in the middle of his escape ... cut to Kirk getting the crap beat out of him in a prison fight.
• Another example without the cut: Austin Powers in Goldmember.

Austin: (To his father) Like I'd ever let Goldmember get away. Foxxy Cleopatra enters the shot* Foxxy: Austin? Goldmember's getting away.

• This is almost James Rhodes (Terrence Howard)'s entire purpose in the Iron Man film.
  • The man in action:

Rhodey: Now, what am I supposed to tell the press? Stark: Ah...training exercice, isn't that the usual BS? Rhodey: It's not that simple. Cut to Rhodey in front of the press* Rhodey: An unfortunate training exercise...

• Used often in Forrest Gump, sometimes with the variation of having Forrest mention something another character would say, only to cut to that character repeating it again.

Forrest Gump: Mama always said life was like a box a chocolates, never know what you're gonna get. Cut* Mrs. Gump: Life's a box of chocolates, Forrest. You never know what you're gonna get.

Mrs. Gump: Remember what I told you, Forrest. You're no different than anybody else is. Did you hear what I said, Forrest? You're the same as everybody else. You are no different. Cut* Principal: Your boy's...different, Ms. Gump.

Forrest Gump: Lieutenant Dan was always getting these funny feelings about a rock or a trail or the road, so he'd tell us to get down, shut up. Cut* Lieutenant Daniel Taylor: Get down! Shut up!

Forrest Gump: Bubba knew everything there is to know about the shrimpin' business. Cut* Bubba: I know everything there is to know about the shrimpin' business.

Forrest Gump: Momma had all sorts of visitors. Cut* Mrs. Gump: We had all sorts of visitors.

• From City of God:

Knockout: Why didn't he kill me? Cut to Ze. Ze stops walking, turns around, thinking.* Ze: Why didn't I kill him?

• In Singles, Linda is talking with her girlfriends after she and Steve have their initial one-night stand:

Linda: This guy plays no games. Cut to Steve, talking with his friends* Steve: I've got to play this one perfectly.

• Clear and Present Danger: An American sniper is targeting a drug lord's house for a laser-guided bomb when a garish yellow truck drives up to the house. His reaction is echoed by the drug lord.

Sniper: Oh, what the hell is this? Cut to the drug lord Drug Lord: What the hell is this?

• Hoodwinked does the second variety nearby the beginning.

Red: I decided to call Granny. If anyone knew what to do, she would. *Cut to Granny sewing* Granny: I don't know what to do. I'm just a tired old woman.

• From The Fifth Element:

Cornelius: We're saved. *Cut* Zorg: I'm screwed.

• • The Fifth Element did these cuts often and did them well.

Zorg: This case is empty. *Scene switch* [Leeloo laughs] Cornelius: What do you mean, empty? *Scene switch* Zorg: Empty. The opposite of full.

• From The Family Stone:

Everett: (To his fiancée that he's about to introduce to his family) Don't worry, they're going to love you. *Cut Amy, Everett's sister: I hate her.

• Used straight in Fright Night, when Charlie tries to reveal what's moved in next door:

Charlie: He's a vampire! Charlie's mom: A what? *Cut* Charlie's girlfriend: A what?!

• • In this case, the humor comes from the tone of voice: his mother's response is perplexed, as if she isn't even certain what a vampire is, whereas Amy's is outraged that he'd expect her to swallow such an apparent load of hooey. The possibility he might actually know what he's talking about doesn't even occur to either.
• Slightly inverted in Grosse Pointe Blank:

Martin:There's a contract out on your life. Believe me. I was hired to kill you, but I'm not going to do it. It's either because I'm in love with your daughter or because I have a new-found respect for life. *Cut* Grosser: (following in van) That punk is either in love with that guy's daughter or he has a new-found respect for life!

• Used in Finding Forrester, with Forrester giving Jamal romantic advice.

Forrester: The key to a woman's heart is an unexpected gift at an unexpected time. *Cut* Claire: (opening a present) This is so unexpected!

• In Toy Story 2, Deluded Buzz, Mr. Potato Head, Slinky, Hamm, and Rex are in a ventilation shaft in Al's apartment to rescue Woody. They look through the grate and mistakenly think Woody is being tortured.

Rex: What are we going to do, Buzz? Buzz: Use Your Head! (Cut to the other toys running while carrying Rex to use as battering ram against the grate.) Rex: BUT I DON'T WANT TO USE MY HEAD!!!

• The live action film George of the Jungle invokes this trope as much as possible.

Literature

• John Ringo tends to have these in his books, especially at chapter transitions. Watch On The Rhine, written by Tom Kratman, as part of Ringo's Posleen War Series (Ringo's name is on the cover of Watch only due to a marketing decision, not because he wrote any of it, as per a question/answer session at DragonCon, in 2007) has them nearly every scene change.
• The New Jedi Order novel Star by Star has a brutal example of this:

Anakin Solo (after receiving a heavy wound that eventually kills him): It's just a little cut. Cut to next chapter and an entirely different setting and group of people. Leia Organa Solo: You call this a shortcut?

• The four Sonic the Hedgehog novels by Martin Adams love this trope, but in that case it tends to be a character's voice echoing the narrator or another character's thought processes.
• The Discworld novel Moving Pictures has a scene where a cinema owner is imagining what two film stars are doing, unaware that they don't know they're stars, and the male lead is now working as an assistant horse holder.

Prob'ly eating caviar off of golden plates, and lounging around up to their knees in velvet cushions, you bet. "You look up to your knees in it, lad," said the horse holder.

• In Catch22:

Appleby was a fair-haired boy from Iowa who believed in God, Motherhood, and the American Way of Life, without ever thinking about any of them, and everybody who knew him liked him. "I hate that son of a bitch," Yossarian growled.

• From the tenth Ranger's Apprentice book, when Alyss and Evanlyn propose setting out on their own to get reinforcements for battle:

Alyss: It's such a logical idea, [Halt] can hardly say no, can he? Cut* Halt: No! No, no, no — and, just in case you missed it the first time, no.

• There's an unspoken one in one of Isaac Asimov's Black Widowers stories, when a very forgetful man has misplaced the card on which he'd written some information he desperately needs. The Widowers agree not to ask Henry, despite all his previous successes, because there's no way he could just "pull the answer out of a hat" in this situation. Then Henry enters with the card in question; the guest had absentmindedly handed it to Henry when he arrived, along with his hat and coat, and Henry tucked the card into the man's hat for storage. So he did pull the answer out of a hat — but no one points this out.

Live Action TV

• 100 Deeds for Eddie McDowd: Gwen's dad has suggested she get a part-time job to pay for an expensive watch she wants.

Gwen: Oh, no. Working in a fast food restaurant? There is nothing more humiliating than that. Cut to her brother, Justin, who has been stuffed in a basketball hoop* Justin: Oh, man. This is even more humiliating than working in a fast food restaurant.

• An example of an ironic echo without the cut comes from the Firefly episode "The Message":

Zoe: First rule of battle, little one: don't ever let 'em know where you are. Enter Mal, whooping and hollering Mal: Whoo-hoo! I'm right here! I'm right here! You want a piece o' me?! Zoe: 'Course, there are other schools of thought.

• • And a traditional one in the first episode: Mal tells Simon that Kaylee has died of a gunshot wound - after earlier promising that if she died, Simon and his sister would follow. When Simon finds out that Kaylee is alive and well, he says, stunned, "That man is psychotic." Cut to Mal, Jayne, Zoe and Wash laughing hysterically, as Wash chokes out, "You are psychotic!" (Mal, grinning, concedes, "I am a bad, bad man.")
    • Later, when being interrogated by Alliance officers, Zoe brushes off questions about her and Wash by saying they're "very private people". Cut to Wash saying that the first thing that attracted him to her was her legs.
  • A rather dark one in Heart of Gold:

Book: "No... I only bury the dead, child. No one here's gonna die. Cut to a different room Jayne: "There's people gonna die."

• • Joss Whedon is simply the MASTER of this technique and variations there-of. It's gotta be like half of the humor element of any of his shows (especially the darker ones).
• An example from one episode of Eureka has one foot in this trope and the other in Description Cut.

ZANE: Carter, Henry, and Stark. That's your money team. They know exactly what they're doing. Cut to Carter, Henry, and Stark crouching in the bushes, Carter holding a huge gun. STARK: You sure you know what you're doing? CARTER: I have no idea.

• Frequently used straight in Arrested Development, but subverted in the first season finale when twice, after baldfaced lies, it cuts to an insert saying "FOOTAGE NOT FOUND."
• The Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode "Earshot" takes this a bit further, as the 'echo' comes from what Cordelia is thinking, before she speaks — while everyone else is thinking one thing and saying another, Cordelia thinks "I don't see what this has to do with me" then repeats that exact phrase out loud.
  • Delayed echoes are also used in "Life Serial", in which each act begins with Buffy saying "This is gonna be great" as she prepares for her next new job.
  • From "The Zeppo"

Xander: Oh man, I'm out of my league. I gotta find Buffy. She'll know what to do. Buffy: (To Angel) I don't know what to do!

• House, "Humpty Dumpty": Dr. Cuddy was advocating a dangerous treatment, forcing House into the unusual role of being the voice of caution.

Wilson: This is exactly the type of thing you would do. House: Well, obviously. After cut, Stacy tells Cuddy: It's actually the type of thing he'd do.

• • When the team makes the correct diagnosis in "Daddy's Boy":

House: Do a pet scan. Check his cervical spine. It's not gonna be good news. (Cut) Foreman: (To the patient's father) Mr. Hall, it's not good news.

• Coupling does it a lot, generally involving the two genders talking alone. One of the best examples: Susan has found a porn video in Steve's VCR.

Patrick: You can't tell anything from a title like Inferno. Steve: Patrick, Inferno isn't the full title. Patrick: Well, how bad can it be? (Hard cut) Sally: Lesbian Spank Inferno?!

• In the Scrubs episode where the Janitor gets to narrate, this trope is slightly modified by contrasting the Janitor's inner monologue with JD's inner monologue.

Janitor [inner monologue]: Now help him up so he still thinks there's hope yet for our relationship. JD [inner monologue]: Even though the Janitor had basically kidnapped me and imprisoned me for a day in a water tower, as he helped me up, I couldn't help but feel there was hope yet for our relationship.

• The second example at the top of this page plays out almost word for word in an episode of Eureka. In fact, the only difference was probably that the character in question was not, in fact, named Josh.
• Done frequently in Father Ted.
  • For example, in the first episode, Ted is delighted that he has been chosen to be interviewed for a TV programme on priests on remote islands. Cut to the office of the producers which shows that he was about the fiftieth choice.
  • From Tentacles of Doom: Ted says that all sorts of care and consideration go into the changing of the official class of holy relics. Cut to an office in the Vatican, where a priest idly presses a button on his computer keyboard and says "What about the Holy Stone of Clonrichert?" Second priest, not even looking up from his newspaper: "Whatever."
• Occurs in several episodes of Frontline. In one instance, Emma accuses the producer of feeding the controversy around a supposedly racist writer the show has been attacking. Mike responds, What, you think we sat at a whiteboard and mapped this whole thing out?" Cut to Marty, who is planning the week's stories on the writer on the whiteboard.
• One Foot in the Grave:

Victor: *Cheerfully* Gorgeous. The sort of day that actually makes you glad you're alive. [Cut to Victor and Margaret trapped in a shed by a huge swarm of angry bees.] Victor: Oh God, I wish I was dead!

• In That 70s Show episode "Radio Daze", Donna has just said over the radio that she doesn't have a boyfriend:

Max: The point is, we're selling an image here, and an available Hot Donna is good for ratings. Donna: Oh. Well, what the hell. Eric won't have a problem with this. Cut to Eric in his basement. Eric: What the hell? I have a problem with this!

• • In "Burning Down the House" (though using a split screen instead of a cut):

Eric: Hey, I sang to Donna. Yeah, she kinda melted. I mean, she called me a dink, but I don't think she meant it. Donna: Eric was such a dink tonight. And I mean it.

• In the Stargate SG-1 episode The Quest, Vala Mal Doran says, earnestly, regarding the map to the Holy Grail, "we would never dream of stealing it!" Cut to the team in a pub, where Vala says, "we have to steal it."
• In the Stargate Atlantis episode "The Kindred", Teyla claims to be having visions of her lover, who's currently being held captive. McKay lists all the equally weird things that have happened to him since arriving in Atlantis and says, "If you say it was a vision, I believe it was a vision." Cut to him walking down the hall with Sheppard, saying, "I seriously doubt it was a vision."
• The Grey's Anatomy episode "I Saw What I Saw" does this repeatedly, as a series of past events is pieced together from stories told to a review board.

Lexie: Dr. Karev seemed to have it under control. Dr. Adamson: Karev seemed totally out of control.

• In How I Met Your Mother, Ted and Robin have just had their first fight, and are talking it over with their respective best friends:

Lily: He's upset because you won't listen to him, not because you don't like some movie. Ted: HOW DO YOU NOT LIKE Field of Dreams?!

• • In "Murtaugh", when Robin asks Ted if he thinks Barney can accomplish everything on the list:
    

Ted: Robin, there is some pretty tough stuff on that list. (Laughs) Do you really think Barney's going to get his ear pierced? (Cut to Barney coming in with a roll of tape on his ear) Barney: Get ear pierced! Check. Alright, I'm off to go do laundry at mom's house.

• Used in a non-humorous way on an episode of Newswipe, where it shows footage of an interview of a criminal psychologist on what TV news shows shouldn't do whenever a mass murder takes place (such as turning the murderer into an Anti-Hero), intercut with images of news shows doing exactly that.
• Another cutless example can be found in NCIS, when Ziva worries about Tony feeling down after his breakup with Jeanne.

Ziva: Alright, but I thought maybe you needed a little cheering up. Tony: If I needed to be cheered up, I would've put superglue on McGee's keyboard. (Shift focus to McGee holding up a keyboard stuck to his hands.) McGee: You put superglue on my keyboard.

• • An earlier episode used the traditional cut.

Kate:(In Paraguay) The best part? No Gibbs checking up on us. (Cut to Washintgon with a map showing their location via GPS) Gibbs: What the hell are they doing?

• A scene from The Golden Girls has Dorothy, visiting the concession stand Sophia (her mother) and Max (then-husband of Sophia) are running at the time. Dorothy worries that the weather might cause Sophia to get sick. Sophia responds with, "Please, I haven't had a cold for 40 years!" Cue the cut, followed by Max and Sophia being sick and treated at home, while the latter moans: "This is the worst cold I've had in 40 years."
• According to Jim has Jim in a speed-eating contest during a family picnic. His wife urges him to stop, and he replies: "They'd have to pump out my stomach first!" Cut to the next scene where paramedics carry Jim off to hospital, saying: "He'll be all right after we pump out his stomach."
• In the Corner Gas episode "Oh, Baby", Brent is babysitting an out-of-control child but he says he won't call Emma for help because, "I'm a grown man. He's six. I should be able to handle it." Cut to Emma on the phone with Brent, saying, "You're a grown man. He's six."
• Parodied in Pablo Francisco's "Movie Previews Guy" skit, during a Keanu Reeves movie trailer.

Preview Guy: They knew too much. Keanu: We know too much! Preview Guy: They went too far. Keanu: We went too far! Preview Guy: Those are my lines! Keanu: Those are his lines!

• In the White Collar episode "Forging Bonds", while they are discussing the past investigation of Neal's crimes, Peter tells a preening Neal that he wasn't that good. The show then goes into a flashback where Peter is saying "This guy is good!"
• Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide: After dodging his crazy vice-principal, Ned is stuck wearing a Wild Boy t-shirt and grass skirt from the museum gift shop.

Ned: I'm supposed to meet Suzy for lunch! What am I gonna tell her? "I saw the Wild Boy skirt and I just had to have it"? Cut to him and Suzy Ned: Then I saw the Wild Boy skirt, and I said, "I just have to have it!"

• In the Charmed episode "Pardon My Past", Phoebe discovers that she was evil in a past life, but her vision lacks details. To get them, she decides to go to the only person from her vision who's likely to still be alive, who was a kid at the time.

Phoebe: I just hope she's forgotten what I did to her doll. (Cut to a nursing home) Christina Larson: My dolly! You broke my dolly!

• Malcolm in the Middle thrived on this trope.
  • When trying to clear Craig's apartment of dozens of cats, Lois says, "Hold on, I have an idea!" Cut to the characters sitting in the same position in an apartment that was recently ravaged by fire with Lois saying, "O.K., that was a really bad idea." Hal tops it off with, "I don't think I've ever seen cats move that fast before."
  • Malcolm and his brothers are confined to their room and trying to orchestrate an escape. Malcolm's brothers appeal to his genius intellect to devise a plan which leads to Malcolm saying, "O.K., here's what we're going to do." Cut to a shot of Lois opening the bedroom door only to see the boys inexplicably wrapped head to toe in tin-foil, precariously balanced on some stacked stools, and reaching towards the ceiling fan with a broom handle. When they see their mother, they panic and come crashing to the floor. Malcolm turns to the camera and exclaims, "Well, it seemed like a good idea!"
• From the Boy Meets World episode "Train of Fools":

Cory: Oh Eric, don't you worry about that, I'm not gonna do anything stupid. (cut to next scene) Eric: Cory, how could you do something so stupid?

• In Castle, in which Beckett is discussing finally ending the unending UST between her and Castle:

Beckett: So then, what do I do? Beckett's psychiatrist: What do you want to do? (Cut to Castle and his new, totally-unlike-Beckett muse) Ethan Slaughter: I'd tell you what I'd do. I'd go all caveman on that partner of yours, show her what time it is in real-man land.

Machinima

• Red vs. Blue does this several times:

Church: Private Mickey was the first to go. He was halfway across the base when he started screaming bloody murder. (Cut to Mickey spinning around and shooting) Mickey: Bloody Murder! Bloody Murder!

Church: Tex walked up to him, pulled Jimmy's skull right out of his head and beat him to death with it. Tucker: Wait a second, how do you beat someone to death with their own skull? That doesn't seem physically possible! Church: That's exactly what Jimmy kept screaming! (Cut to Jimmy being beaten to death with his own skull) Private Jimmy: This doesn't seem physically possible!

Simmons: Grif, don't you understand that because we lost Sister, we're horribly outnumbered? We already lost Donut and Sarge, now it's four on two. The Blues are probably gearing up for an enormous attack right now! At any moment they're gonna come over that hill, guns blazing, yelling "CHAAAARGE!" (Cut to the Blues, under attack) Church: RETREEEAAATTTT!!!

Church: Man, I hope Tucker's having an easier time with his part of the plan. (Cut) Tucker: Crap. This isn't going very well at all!

Grif: I bet the Blues don't have to deal with anything this annoying. (Cut) Computer Phone Lady: To leave a callback number, press 11. Church: There is no 11, you FUCKING WHORE! Doc: Ooh, language!

Donut: Okay, 'cause I'm saying right now, if they came at us with their tank, I'm gonna totally freak out. (Cut to Tucker, Lopez, and Sheila) Tucker: Man, I sure hope they don't totally freak out when they see us coming. (Later) Donut: Oh no, it's true! I'm gonna freak out! I'M FREAKING OUT!

Church: If he starts giving him mouth-to-mouth, I'm leaving. (Cut to Simmons and Grif, trying to resuscitate Sarge) Simmons: Maybe you should give him mouth-to-mouth. (Cut back to Church and Sarge) Church: I'm leaving.

Tucker: He must be one smart sonuvabitch. (Cut to Donut, completely lost with the flag) Donut: Man, I am so freakin' lost!

• • Beta Complex:

Sarge: Let's say the Blues are launching a coordinated offensive. (Cut to Blue Team) Church: Where the heck are we? I don't even know this map! Tucker: Where are the weapons? Caboose: Which base is ours?

• Yu-Gi-Oh the Abridged Series got a good joke out of this with Ishizu's narration.

Ishizu (narrating): Something told me that Marik wouldn't be forgetting his experience on the surface for a long time. Marik: I will not forget my experience on the surface for a long time.

• Yahtzee explains this in his Mortal Kombat episode thusly:

It's like a sitcom moment wherein Character X defends the intelligence of Character Y while in the background Character Y is busy snorting Drano off the back of an enraged lioness.

Radio

• In The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy radio series, during the description of the Guide's advice when falling from a great height, the narrator points out that the Guide does not mention the possibility that someone might survive by falling onto a large bird in flight because "the very idea is utterly ludicrous". Arthur, and later Ford and Zaphod then fall onto large passing birds who both remark:

Bird: Look, this is utterly ludicrous!

Video Games

• Super Robot Wars Original Generation uses this very well. This major boss shows up and just kinda toys with the good guys before leaving. After the good guys get back to base, one guy remarks that the villain seemed to have been showing off, but another one blows him off, says that's something the protagonist would do instead. Cut to villain hideout. The Dragon notes that he was showing off, and the villain owns up to it.

Giado: Mon, I think he wuz just showing off! A mecha otaku, I swear! Garnet: Can't be! He's not at all like Ryusei! Cut to enemy base* Shuu: You were just showing off, weren't you? Bian: ...Yeah, pretty much.

• Disgaea manages to use both versions at the same time!

Kurtis: There's no way Gordon's in trouble. He's probably already defeated the Overlord and is on a picnic somewhere going "La la laaa." Cut to Gordon, enslaved by the Overlord, on a picnic somewhere Gordon: La la laaa!

• Alpha Protocol

Leland: I thought I'd underestimated you, but it looks like you were too dumb to figure it out. (Return to flashback) Mike: ...so they underestimated me and thought I was too dumb to figure it out!

• Portal 2:

GLaDOS: Well. This is the part where he kills us. Wheatley: Hello! This is the part where I kill you. "Chapter 9: The Part Where He Kills You" Achievement Unlocked: "The Part Where He Kills You": This is that part.

• • Although there is no actual Hard Cut or cut at all.

Web Animation

• From Strong Bad's Cool Game For Attractive People Episode 1: Homestar Ruiner

Strong Bad: Well, I didn't get a chance to pummel Homestar with my fists, or beat him in a race, but I did succeed in turning him into a publicly humiliated criminal fugitive without a girlfriend. And I didn't even have to use my A-K. Strong Bad enters his basement and finds Homestar seated on the couch. Homestar: Oh, hey Strong Bad. Strong Bad: Homestar?! What are you doing here in my hallowed halls?! Homestar: Now that I'm a publicly humiliated criminal fugitive without a girlfriend, you're the only friend I've got, so I'm gonna go ahead and crash here for a couple of weeks or years until I put my life back together. Strong Bad: Irony!

• Bowser's Kingdom episode 6:

Hal: I wonder how Team Super Awesome Platinum Bros. are enjoying their vacation? (Cut to Team Super Awesome Platinum Bros. Chomp Bro is in a tug-of-war with a Yoshi over Monty Mole.) Monty Mole: Don't let go of me, guys! Please don't let me go! Chomp Bro: I'll never let go, Monty! (Pan right to Mouser and a pack of hungry Yoshis.) Mouser: Panicking!

Webcomics

• Dominic Deegan does this fairly often.
• This Sequential Art strip.
• Reduced to parody in this episode of 8-Bit Theater.
• In Skin Horse, concerning things you really don't want to know.
• Tales of the Questor inverted this when the duke tries to hire Quentyn to slay a dragon.
• DMFA subverts the inverted form here.

Alexsi: I've been kidnapped by my mom's boss...great. Of course this would happen on the day that I'm scheduled to show off Lost Lake! Destania: Oh, I'm sure the inn is fine, Alexsi. Cut* Dan (shapeshifted as Alexsi): Over here is the doorway to the inn's guest rooms! Reporter: I must say this place is very charming! Dan: What did you expect? Comedic irony?

• • Also parodied here.
• Happens twice in Order of the Stick, combining with Villains Out Shopping.
• Used in Everyday Heroes here, and again here.
• Although it's technically not a "cut", this The Way of the Metagamer comic applies this trope to half its panels.
• In Ménage à 3, Didi decides that it's up to her to deflower Gary because "Every Man should know the intimate touch of a woman". Cut to Gary being pinned down by a nun-chuck twirling Yuki screaming "Die pervert!!!"
• Done in The KAMics in this comic
• Spinnerette:

Child Heather: You're wrong, Ben! I will too be a superhero! The best superhero ever! (Jump to present) Cal Warden: You're the worst superhero ever! Spinnerette: What, me?

• Looking for Group has a dramatic take on the trope when the King of Legara is killed, in a past flashback and in the present.

Tavor: Oh.

Web Original

• A variation in the Redearth 88 episode "Creepy Stalking 101":

Linc: I hate dogs. Cut to Bucket the dog bounding towards Linc, pulling Rachel along behind her. Rachel: Oh my God! She's friendly, I promise! Linc: Oh, I love dogs.

• Dragon Ball Abridged had a memorable scene in Episode 15, cutting between scenes of Frieza stating confidence in Dodoria's skills and Dodoria screwing up.

Zarbon: "How do you think Dodoria is doing out there?" Freeza: "We are talking about one of my finest soldiers, there is no way that they'll escape Dodoria's grasp." (Krillin head-butts Dodoria in the face and escapes.) Dodoria: "Ah, Dammit!" Zarbon: "But what if they have any tricks in their sleeves?" Freeza: "Come now Zarbon! We know Dodoria wouldn't let them out of sight!" (Krillin blinds Dodoria with a solar-flare, which includes a shot of Freeza in the shower.) Dodoria: "Ah, DAMMIT!!" Zarbon: "Still, sir, we have to remember that Vegeta is on the planet." Freeza: "Oh Please! Like Vegeta could even lay a hand on Dodoria." (Vegeta smacks Dodoria downwards.) Dodoria: "AH, DAMMIIIIIT!!!" *Splash*

• Suburban Knights has this gem as both teams learn simultaneously the location of the treasure:

Film Brain:"Oh, you've" The Nostalgia Chick:"Got to be" Todd in the Shadows:"Fucking" The Nostalgia Critic:"Kidding me! It's right back where we started?!"

Western Animation

• Inverted echo example: Hey Arnold!, "Cool Party": Gerald is certain that he's cool enough to be invited to Rhonda's party, mostly because his best friend Arnold has already been invited as well. Hard cut to Rhonda telling her best friend Nadine that Gerald has been put on the geek list, much to Nadine's surprise...and Gerald's when he finds out from Phoebe.
  • In fact, they played this trope into the ground over the course of the series.
• Rocket Power: Otto, wanting to go surfing while playing hooky, thinks he has tricked his dad into giving him surfboards for him and Sam via a phone call. He hangs up.

Otto: Relax, dude. Raymondo totally bought it. Cut to Raymondo hanging up as well* Ray: Oh, man, I didn't buy that for a second.

• Courage the Cowardly Dog used this to do a Double Subversion of the Gilligan Cut in an episode where Muriel received free tickets for an ocean liner. Eustace, her husband, isn't interested.

Eustace: I'm not getting out of this chair. Gilligan Cut to ocean liner at sea. The scene changes to Eustace on the deck...still in his chair from the previous scene. Eustace: Nope, I'm not getting out of this chair.

• • Even funnier when the ocean liner is being attacked, and Eustace and the chair are sent flying...Eustace still refuses to leave his chair. He then spends the rest of the episode complaining, "Where's my chair?"
• Avatar: The Last Airbender: Aang's trying to sabotage a Fire Nation war machine, but the Earthbenders nearly hit him with friendly fire.

Aang: *Calling up to them* General Sun, tell your soldiers to stop shooting rocks down here! Sun: *not hearing Aang over the noise* Soldiers, whatever you do, don't stop shooting rocks down there!

• • This also happens in Season One.

Zuko: *Looking at map with Aang's route traced on it* The Avatar is clearly a master of evasive maneuvering. After cut, Sokka looks at the same map: You have no idea where we are, do you?

• The Simpsons does a variant of this using a single character then proceeds to give it a good old Lampshade Hanging.

Homer: "Thanks Moe, how can I ever repay you?" Moe: "Hey, some things mean more to me than money." [Cut to Moe being given several wads of money] Moe: "Like a whole lot of money!" Soldier: "Why did you just say that sentence fragment?"

• • And when Homer tried to buy a hair regrowth serum, but can't because it's way out of his price range. This upsets him:

Homer: (Sobbing) see you later, pal. Thanks for nothing. [Cut to Homer retelling story to family.] Homer: (Angrily boasting) so I tell him, "see ya later, pal! Thanks for nothing!"

• • And an inverted echo, when Homer fails an initial plan to crash Moe's car in an insurance scam and tries an alternate plan in full view of witnesses (including Moe):

Moe: Homer, you idiot. Homer: Homer, you genius!

• • Also inverted at the end of Treehouse of Horror VI:

Reverend Lovejoy: Be strong, Marge, I'm sure he's gone to a better place. Homer: D'oh! Ew...this is the worst place yet.

• In Season 7 of Futurama, Fry is promoted to "Executive Delivery Boy". Hermes turns to Leela and says "It's a meaningless title that helps insecure people feel better about themselves." Fry then says, "I feel better about myself!"
• The SpongeBob SquarePants episode 'Idiot Box' is full of these.
  • After a failed attempt to find out how the box keeps getting the sound effects:

Squidward: (Leaves the box) All right, fine. If you don’t want to show me, I don’t care! I’ve got better things to do than pace the floor wondering how you two work this thing. (Cut back to Squidward's house) Squidward: (Pacing the floor) How do those two work that thing?

• • When he had finally found a plan to find out the secret of the box:

Squidward: (Sitting in a chair) I’ll wait all night if I have to! (Cut back to him, revealing that it is already night, the box is still ongoing)

• • When he's inside the box and still can't find out the secret:

Squidward: I mean, do I really believe that if I sit here and pretend to drive a race car that I’m suddenly going to start hearing noises? (Steps on the imaginary gas pedal and hears the actual noise) What the…? (Squidward turns the imaginary key) It actually works!

• • Actually a subversion, the car sound effects actually come from a garbage truck, picking up the box Squidward is in.
  • After Squidward ends up in the dump:

Spongebob: Hey, our box is gone! Patrick: Oh, well. Spongebob: I know! Let's go see Squidward! Patrick: I hope he's not too down in the dumps today. (Music like a down noise is playing)

• Fairly Oddparents does this with Crimson Chin comics - the narrator will say what's happening to the unsuspecting citizens, and then the citizens will echo it, including a guy at the end saying, "We were so unsuspecting!"
  • In "Foul Balled", Timmy sticks up for Chester after his wish to make him the best baseball player ever wears off after Chester stops being friends with him, therefore going back to his crappy baseball playing. Note that the following quote may not be accurate.

Timmy: We're 40 points up, in the 9th inning, and 3 outs left, there's no WAY you'll catch up with us! Cut to the scorebored where the Bankees are catching up with the Losers* Chester: I can't believe they're catching up with us.

• • Even the video games have this. In the opening cutscene to the PC version of Breakin' Da Rules:

Wanda: It could be worse, sweetie! Cosmo: Yeah! At least your parents aren't going away for the weekend and leaving your evil babysitter Vicky in charge! Vicky: Surprise, twerp! Your parents are going away for the weekend and left me in charge! Wanda: You gotta stop saying things like that! Cosmo: It is my gift; it is my curse!

• Used four times in an episode of Sushi Pack as it cut between Tako and Maguro hurtling toward Earth on an asteroid, and the rest of the team trying to figure out what happened to them.

Maguro: If there is a way to signal the others of our location, they could help. Cut to the others on Earth* Ikura: If only we knew their location, we could help.

• Not totally sure it counts, but the very last scene of Transformers Generation 1 begins with something like this.

Cerebros, on the restored Cybertron: "It's a miracle." [Cut to the villains' base, where baddies are bickering] Galvatron: "It's a miracle we finally got this flying junkpile of yours stablized!" Zarak: "You were the idiot who opened the Plasma Energy Chamber, Galvatron." Galvatron: "SILENCE!"

• • And in Transformers Animated (not verbatim, but it's about right):

Megatron: The Autobots would never fire on their ultimate weapon. [Cut to Sentinel Prime slamming his fist down] Sentinel Prime: I say we fire on [Omega Supreme] now!

• Family Guy - In "The Son Also Draws", Peter claims to be Native American to get the family car back from a casino after Lois gambles it away:

Lois: Peter, there is no way they're gonna believe you're an Indian. Cut to casino office* Indian Casino Worker: He's an Indian, all right!

• • "Oh, you think everyone's an Indian."
• In the Phineas and Ferb pilot "Roller Coaster":

Linda: Candace, be honest. Aren't the boys a little young to be building a roller coaster? (Hard cut to Phineas and Ferb working on their roller coaster in - and through - a tune-up shop) Shop Owner: Aren't you a little young to be building a roller coaster? Phineas: Yes. Yes I am.

• • That exchange, in various forms, turns into a Running Gag as the series goes on.
  • Repeated in Roller Coaster; The Musical, except after Linda asks it (Candace responding, "Yes, yes he is.") we cut to a music and dance routine version of the exchange.
• Danny Phantom; in the episode "One of a Kind", Jazz invites a representative from Genius Magazine over to attempt to demonstrate that her parents were genii, while attempting to keep a lid on the Ghost Hunting...to little or no avail. Danny had just had a fight with a ghost, leaving his room wrecked, so when the representative came up to try to talk to him, he slammed the door in her face.

Danny: Jazz is going to kill me for that. Jazz: I'm gonna kill him for that.

• • In the episode "Boxed Up Fury", The Box Ghost is finally taken as a serious threat when he steals the power of Pandora's Box. When Danny tries to find Pandora to remedy the situation, this trope is utilized:

Danny: I sure hope things are finally under control at Amity Park. News Reporter: Things are out of control in Amity Park.

• Aqua Teen Hunger Force: Frylock in the episode "The Clowning", where Carl is slowly being mutated by an outer space clown virus, Frylock runs from the room saying he knows what he's doing. Out in the hall, he tells Meatwad and Shake, "I have no freaking idea what I'm doing."
• From Cats Don't Dance, underlining a Gilligan Cut:

Tilly: Well? Sawyer: I can't do this. Tilly: And? Sawyer: I can't do this. Tilly: So? *CUT* Sawyer: I can't believe I'm doing this...

• From The Chipmunk Adventure:

Simon: They're going to sacrifice Theodore tonight! Alvin: Over my dead body! Cut to the three of them suspended over a ravine, about to be sacrificed. Simon: You mean over our dead bodies!

• The Codename: Kids Next Door Grand Finale:

In the future Adult Number 2: Suffice it to say, Father was not happy finding us in his house. Flashback Father: I am not happy finding you kids in my house!

• From Invader Zim

Professor Membrane: Anyone who would build a space-time object replacement device is a complete moron. Zim: Gir! The space-time object replacement device is complete!

• The Christmas Special The Year Without a Santa Claus has an exchange where Santa says (of two AWOL elves): "Poor little guys. They must be scared to death," which is followed by a hard cut to one of the elves saying "I'm scared to death!"
  • Is this the 1974 stop-motion version, or the 2006 live-action version?
• From the Magic School Bus, Ralphie was sick and worrying about how he was missing broadcasting day, to which his mother says that his class could do fine without him. Cut to his classmates exclaiming that they couldn't do it without him.
• From The Boondocks:

Riley: And that's when it hit me: the best idea I've ever had in my entire life. Huey: That's the worst idea you've ever had in your entire life.

• In the Maryoku Yummy episode "Ooka Times Two," Ooka convinces Yuzu and Nonki to give their robot a test run by having it do all her chores, then goes off to play while it works. Mabui is surprised to see Ooka so soon, and asks if she finished her chores. Ooka replies, "Let's just say, I have everything under control." Back at the house, however, Yuzu cries out, "It's out of control!" as the robot goes haywire.
• From Megamind:

Roxanne: Since you left, Megamind is running rampant through the streets. Megamind: I'm so tired of running rampant through the streets.

• In The Superhero Squad Show, we get the first and second versions in one: Magneto thinks Scarlet Witch is enduring a horrible ordeal aboard the SHIELD Helicarrier. We cut to the Helicarrier with Scarlet Witch saying "I can't endure this horrible ordeal any longer!" It turns out she's on the couch with the other heroes watching videos about funny pets.
• Happens in House of Mouse in an episode where Jafar is scheduled to perform a magic act.

Mickey: They're late! Gee, I hope they're not lost. (Cut to Jafar and Iago standing in the middle of the desert) Iago: We are SO lost! Jafar: Calm yourself, Iago! Mickey won't replace us! (Cut back to the House of Mouse) Mickey: Now who can replace them?

• Also happens in the pilot of Young Justice

Mark Desmond: He hacked the motion sensors. (Cut to Robin with his handheld computer) Robin: I hacked the motion sensors! Kid Flash: Sweet!

• Here Comes the Grump:

Princess Dawn: Do you think we've given Grump the slip? (Cut to Grump) Grump: You will never give Grump the slip!

• My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic:

Twilight: Spike knows he can't be replaced. (Cut) Spike: They're trying to replace me!

• Wolverine and the X-Men:

Wolverine: What mutant would be stupid enough to go after Magneto's helmet anyway? (Cut to Gambit disembarking in Genosha and whistling)

• In The Grinch Grinches the Cat in the Hat, when the Grinch starts tormenting the Cat with his "darkhouse" (basically the opposite of a lighthouse):

The Grinch: I just push a button up here in this place, And you can't see your mitten in front of your face! (Cut to a dark spotlight surrounding the Cat.) The Cat: Huh? Why, I can't see my mitten in front of my face!

• In Xiaolin Showdown, Omi explains how he got to the future after being stranded in the past by Jack Spicer's incomplete time machine.

Omi: Luckily I was with Grandmaster Dashi, greatest of all Xiaolin Dragons. Surely he would have the answer! (Cut to Dashi looking sympathetic) Dashi: Sorry, Omi, but I don't have any time-travelling Shen Gong Wu. subverted in that Dashi did know how to get Omi to the present.