tvtropes.org

Amusing Third-Party Interjection - TV Tropes

  • ️Wed Sep 18 2024

Two people or groups are having a conversation or argument, when someone who was merely listening from the sidelines decides that it would be the perfect opportunity to throw in their two cents' worth, typically to deliver an amusing One-Liner that could, depending on the situation, deflate the rising tension (particularly if the remark is Calling the Old Man Out, Speaking Up for Another, or the preamble to a "The Reason You Suck" Speech), or, in some situations, it can serve as the ignition point on the already packed powder keg (typically done on purpose For the Lulz / For the Evulz). Often the purview of a Troll, The Prankster, The Gadfly, The Troublemaker, and nearly every single Deadpan Snarker out there.

In some cases, though amusing, the line can also act as a Devastating Remark or a Wham Line. May also overlap with an Armor-Piercing Question, or if a question was asked, an Armor-Piercing Response.

In some instances, the remark can come during a Big Damn Heroes moment when the hero(es) reveal that they have arrived/survived, in which case it will often serve to bring someone back from the Despair Event Horizon.

To count as an interjection, the remark must be made aloud so that all present can hear, not something someone mutters to themselves as an aside, or an Unspoken Retort, which the audience is aware of, but those around them aren't.

Compare The Triple. Compare Rocky Roll Call, which sometimes ends with a third party joining in for funsies. If the third party was the subject of the conversation, see Right Behind Me.

Examples:

open/close all folders 

Anime & Manga 

  • Space Battleship Yamato 2199: As part of Kodai's punishment for a minor infraction, he's being made to pilot a recon plane with Yuuki handling the radar. Yuuki keeps trying to insist that Kodai allow her to fly the plane, and Kodai refuses adamantly, with the two of them arguing loudly and pulling rank on each other, when the bridge crew chimes in:

    Yoshikazu: 003, this is the Yamato. Sorry to interrupt, but we can hear everything you say.

    Kodai & Yuki: O_O

Fan Works 

  • A Game of Cat and Cat: From "(In)Effective Communication": When a group is Talking with Signs (well, cellphone screens), another person steps in and has a digression about magical laser beams before he's noticed:

    Kazuya slowly turned to his left. A man was squatting next to them. He waved.

    It took you long enough. Hi guys. What are you doing here?

Films — Live-Action 

  • The Cat in the Hat: After Nevins escapes with the lock for the Things' crate, Conrad and Sally argue over what to do next, with the former insisting they track Nevins down themselves, and the latter insisting they phone their mother for help and fess up. The Cat defuses the argument by offering up a patently ludicrous third option, before persuading Sally to go with Conrad's idea.
  • Elf: When Walter Hobbes and his secretary are whispering a conversation about what to do about Buddy, Buddy joins in by whispering, "I like to whisper, too."
  • Ghostbusters: Afterlife: Phoebe and Callie have been knocked on their asses by Gozer, who has been restored to full power. Gary and Lucky are possessed by the terror dogs Zuul and Vince Clortho, and Gozer is preparing to fry the two members of the Spengler family when, from offscreen, a familiar voice calls out, "Hey, Flattop!" Everyone turns to see that the surviving members of the original Ghostbusters have arrived.
  • Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End: Jack and Barbossa both try to give orders on the ship, and they both end up arguing about which one of them deserves to be captain, because Jack owns the ship and Barbossa holds the charts. All of a sudden, Pintel screams at both of them to shut up, causing both captains and the entire rest of the crew to stare at him in Stunned Silence. Pintel then meekly backs away and clarifies that since the current status of captaincy was unclear, he thought he'd try and run for the position himself.

Literature 

Live-Action TV 

  • The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air: In "Not with My Pig, You Don't", Uncle Phil is angry when Will shares his mother's stories about his childhood with the press right as he's about to receive an award, as he wanted to present himself as a lifelong civil-rights crusader rather than a humble country boy, and he storms off to sulk in the men's room. Will confronts him there and urges him to realize the trailblazing things he did do as a kid, which Phil doesn't think highly of about because they weren't acts of protest, all while a man in a nearby stall listens in.

    Will: And what about the whites-only restroom?

    Phil: In case my mother didn't make it painfully clear, I wasn't trying to prove a point. I only went in there because I really had to go.

    Man in stall: I see a whole lot of that!

  • Ms. Marvel (2022): In the finale, Kamala is trying to urge her non-powered friends to leave while they can before the confrontation with the Department of Damage Control. After Bruno and Nakia both point out what the DODC has already done against them, Zoe suddenly jogs up to the group and adds her own complaint against the agency. The others didn't even know she was there.
  • Night Court: "Murder". A woman who runs a sperm bank is interviewing resident Handsome Lech Dan Fielding as a prospective donor, holding the interview in the courthouse's cafeteria. She asks if Dan's ever donated before, and Bull remarks from the neighboring table, "Yes, he gave at the office." Bull laughs at his own joke, then remarks that he's not going to be able to get through the interview, and moves off.
  • Star Trek:
    • Star Trek: The Original Series: In "Amok Time", Spock, believing he has just killed Captain Kirk, beams aboard the Enterprise, and informs Doctor McCoy that he intends to turn himself over immediately for court martial, and plans to offer no defense.

      Capt. Kirk: Don't you think you'd better check with me first?
      Spock: [shocked] Captain? [grabs Kirk with extreme joy] JIM!

    • Star Trek: The Next Generation: In "Deja Q", Q is being punished by the Continuum and has been Brought Down to Normal. He pleads with Captain Picard to believe him that this is not some elaborate prank.

      Q: What must I do to convince you people?
      Worf: Die.
      [Riker visibly struggles to keep from laughing]
      Q: Oh, very clever, Worf. Eat any good books lately?

    • Star Trek: Voyager: In the episode "Dreadnought", the pregnant Samantha Wildman is discussing possible baby names with Kes. The Doctor is at the other end of sickbay, ready to interject commentary. Since he has encyclopedic knowledge of all known races, he also knows that any name that sounds good to a human also means something rude to another race or is the namesake of someone who did terrible things.

Webcomics 

Western Animation 

  • Harley Quinn: Exaggerated in the Arkham Asylum mess hall when Harley, after months of waiting, still insists that the Joker will come to break her out:

    The Riddler: [Nadia Comenici] broke a record. Which is what you sound like: A broken record! He's. Not. Coming!

    Harley: That is just one person's opinion.

    Every villain and guard in the background: HE'S! NOT! COMING!

  • My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic: "Daring Don't"; after Twilight tells Rainbow Dash that the publication of Daring Do's latest book has been pushed back another two months, Rainbow complains about the lengthy wait. Fluttershy, of all ponies, goes Deadpan Snarker, having already witnessed Rainbow's antics with trying to get the book.

    Rainbow Dash: Two more months! But I've waited so long already! I don't think I can make it another two months!

    Fluttershy: Yeah, I can vouch for that.

  • The Simpsons episode "Much Apu About Nothing": Lisa tells Homer that all Americans, except Native Americans, have roots in other countries. Homer thinks a Native American is anyone born in America, so Lisa says, "No, Dad, I meant American Indians". Apu, a man who immigrated from India to America, chimes in with "Like me!"
  • SpongeBob SquarePants: When SpongeBob, Squidward, and Mr. Krabs are talking to each other, wondering how long Sandy can survive without her diving suit, Patrick joins in, asking, "Sandy's a girl!?"