History Main / IfYouCanReadThis

* This ultimately lead to a "[[ThrowItIn Sure, Why Not?]]" moment on ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise''. ''Enterprise'' was the first ''Trek'' series shot and broadcast in true Platform/HighDefinition, which meant that LCARS computer readouts were legible on screen. The production crew didn't think this was the case and proceeded to write out a complete history for Captain Archer on a computer screen for an episode involving time travel and the infamous MirrorUniverse. Details included how he was eventually promoted to Admiral, was elected President of the Federation, and died peacefully in his sleep the day after he witnessed the launch of the ''U.S.S. Enterprise'' NCC-1701. After fans posted screenshots of the entries online, the writing staff was left with no choice but to canonize the details, whether they'd planned to or not.

* This ultimately lead to a "[[ThrowItIn Sure, Why Not?]]" moment on ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise''. ''Enterprise'' was the first ''Trek'' series shot and broadcast in true UsefulNotes/HighDefinition, which meant that LCARS computer readouts were legible on screen. The production crew didn't think this was the case and proceeded to write out a complete history for Captain Archer on a computer screen for an episode involving time travel and the infamous MirrorUniverse. Details included how he was eventually promoted to Admiral, was elected President of the Federation, and died peacefully in his sleep the day after he witnessed the launch of the ''U.S.S. Enterprise'' NCC-1701. After fans posted screenshots of the entries online, the writing staff was left with no choice but to canonize the details, whether they'd planned to or not.

** The episode “The Neutral Zone” has Troi pull up the family tree of Clare Raymond, a woman from the 1990s who has just awoken from cryogenic status. It seems not only are six of her ancestors actors who played [[Series/DoctorWho a certain Doctor]], but also among them are characters from such diverse sources as ''Series/TheMuppetShow'', ''Series/{{MASH}}'', and ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show''. Eventually, it seems the designers of the tree simply gave up and began tacking "Raymond" onto the names of ''TNG'' cast members ("Brent Spiner Raymond", for example.)

[[folder: Anime and Manga ]]

See also: CrystalClearPicture, compare with FreezeFrameBonus. Not to be confused with DeadManWriting, which may use "If you (can) read this" as a stock phrase. FontAnachronism can rely on this same principle, when old-time lettering is streamlined so the modern audience can better read it.

* Beginning with season 12, ''Series/{{Degrassi}}'' has posted most printed material shown onscreen to the show Website/{{Tumblr}}.

* In one issue of ''The Batman Strikes!'', the concentrating reader can see that the newspapers lying around Poison Ivy's cell contain a mini-subplot about Harvey Bullock desperately trying to stop Gotham from holding "Riddles About Reptiles Week" and other supervillain-friendly events. In a straighter use of this trope, another newspaper contains excerpts of the issue's script.

* A surveillance console displaying a lot of scrolling small text in ''Film/AScannerDarkly'' is actually scrolling through ''Film/BladeRunner's'' screenplay...''in screenplay format!''

* ''VideoGame/{{Vexx}}'' has numerous instances of text in the game's {{Fictionary}} slash SubstitutionCipher, Asataran. The longest of these is a very lengthy book title. If you actually take the time to translate it (not easy, since no translation guide is provided with the game manual--you've got to piece it together yourself--and the texture is blurred) -- the title of the book turns out to be [[spoiler: "A Lesson in Patience."]]

* ''Series/{{Cheers}}'': In episode "[[Recap/CheersS3E3 I Call Your Name]]", aired in 1984, Cliff gives Carla a letter to mail. In high definition it is obvious that the letter has no address at all, instead only random squiggles.

* In [[Anime/FullMetalAlchemist the 2003 anime version]] of ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'', any book on alchemy shown onscreen is copied from ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' player's manuals on alchemy. Evidently, Amestris runs on a D20 system.

* In the 2009 anime version of ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'' In a couple of episodes if you read the newspaper talking about the war in Ishval (the 10th episode of season 1) the story on the right of the page is actually about the Rodney King Beatings and LA Riots)

* In the 2009 anime version of ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'' In a couple of episodes if you read the newspaper talking about the war in Ishval (S1E10 and S3E1) the story on the right of the page is actually about the Rodney King Beatings and LA Riots)

* On ''Series/BabylonFive'', the [[SpaceFighter Starfury]] [[AcePilot pilots]] wear flight suits complete with patches for the various fighter squadrons based on B5, with slogans such as "Ugly But Well Hung"[[note]][[DontExplainTheJoke Starfuries are kept slung on racks in the hangar bay and launch by being dropped through a hatch in the floor.]][[/note]] At first, producer Creator/JMichaelStraczynski thought he was GettingCrapPastTheRadar, and only later did he learn that there effectively was no radar - the network had not bothered to assign any [[MoralGuardians censors]] to look out for such things.

* In one ''Manga/AxisPowersHetalia'' strip, Creator/HidekazHimaruya included this small note as if deliberately for scanlators:

** In the first season, an invisible girl is (eventually) taken by the government and put in a classroom with other invisible children. They are asked to open their textbooks. We learn today's lesson will be on infiltrating a cult compound to assassinate its leader... the textbook is readable in DVD format, and consists of the lyrics to "Happiness is a Warm Gun" by Music/TheBeatles.