History Main / ItsALongStory

* ''StarTrekVoyager''. In "Projections" this line is spoken by the Doctor to Captain Janeway because the [[DreamWithinADream events that have happened are all so convoluted]]. When Janeway does insist on an answer, she quickly loses patience and orders the Doctor thrown in the brig.

* In the ''StarTrekEnterprise'' episodes "Affliction" and "Divergence" Lieutenant Reed keeps getting into awkward conversations due to getting caught running a black op for Section 31 and being thrown in the brig for it. Since everyone is busy dealing with the Klingons, both he and Captain Archer have no time to explain why he's in the brig to anyone... except when one of the Klingons who attacked the Enterprise gets tossed into the cell next to him. When Reed replies to his inquiry on why he's in the brig with "That's a long story," the Klingon prisoner in turn replies "Entertain me." Reed then manages to give him a minimal-details summary in one line.

Compare ItMakesSenseInContext where this trope is used but not invoked.

* ''StarTrekEnterprise''. In "Projections" this line is spoken by the Doctor to Captain Janeway because the [[DreamWithinADream events that have happened are all so convoluted]]. When Janeway does insist on an answer, she quickly loses patience and orders the Doctor thrown in the brig.

* In ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII'', when the gang are in Christmastown, [[strike: Sandy Claws]] SantaClaus asks [[IdiotHero Jack]] "What sort of trouble did you bring ''this'' time?" Sora asks Jack about it, and Jack replies, "[[TheNightmareBeforeChristmas It's a long story!]]"

-->''Paulie'': I'm warning you, its a long story.

-->''Paulie'': Okay, Chekov, sit down.

** Later, when Eorache asks how he escaped:" "It is a long tale," said Goodgulf, taking a deep breath. "Then save it," interrupted Eorache."

-->'''Max''': Its kind of a long drawn out complicated story with a bunch of different parts. Basically, I didn't. Let's go.

* Conker says this in at the intro to ''VideoGame/ConkersBadFurDay'', when he begins to explain to the viewer how he became a king and who all the strange people surrounding his throne are. The rest of the game takes place during the previous day.

* ''JusticeLeague'': In "Hereafter", Superman is blasted into the future. The world mourns his loss and the league has to stop supervillain rioting in Metropolis. Meanwhile Superman has a nature hike across a crazy post-apocalyptic landscape, and fights [[BigCreepyCrawlies giant cockroaches]] with HeelFaceTurn Vandal Savage as they try to power up a time machine. Superman appears a few days later with a beard, ragged clothes and pops up just in time to take a bullet meant for Batman. What happened to him? "It's a long story."

** A lot of {{Batman}}'s anecdotes are subtle [[ShoutOut references]] to BatmanTheAnimatedSeries and his [[{{Comicbook/Batman}} Comic adventures]], truncated with either this or YouDoNotWantToKnow.

* In ''TheFlintstones'' episode "Happy Housewife," where Wilma stars in a TV show about making husbands happy through cooking, only she's been neglecting Fred. The president of a rival TV station takes this to mind and visits Fred:

** A lot of {{Batman}}'s anecdotes are subtle [[ShoutOut references]] to BatmanTheAnimatedSeries and his [[{{Comicbook/Batman}} Comic adventures]], truncated with either this or YouDoNotWantToKnow

* Subverted in ''TheAdventuresOfTintin'': in ''Recap/TintinLandOfBlackGold'', Haddock meets Tintin at the end, and is very adamant in his repeated attempts to explain what happened to him offscreen ("It's quite simple - and, at the same time, rather complicated..."), only to be interrupted every time. Eventually, he gives up, BreakingTheFourthWall to tell the reader "you'll never know!" The real reason for this was that that ''Land of Black Gold'' was an adaptation of a story concept Herge developed before he invented the Haddock character.

* In one ''DangerMouse'' episode, Penfold basically turns his back for a moment and then sees that D.M. has escaped from the trap he was just in, and fixed their car as well. Penfold asks how he did it, and D.M. says, "I'll explain... later, Penfold." Penfold: "But how did you fix the car?" D.M.: [[{{Lampshade}} "I'll explain later, Penfold!"]]

* In ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII'', when the gang are in Christmastown, [[strike: Sandy Claws]] SantaClaus asks [[IdiotHero Jack]] "What trouble did you bring ''this'' time?" Sora asks Jack about it, and Jack replies, "[[TheNightmareBeforeChristmas It's a long story!]]"
** The same could be said for the entire series' plot in general.

* In HappyEndings, Max puts his typical spin on this trope.

** Later, when Eorache asks how he escaped: "It is a long tale," said Goodgulf, taking a deep breath. "Then save it," interrupted Eorache."

* In ''What If'', our heroes answer with this to any and every adult they meet. The adults choose let the subjet drop.

-->''Janitor'': I'm Russian. I like [[WarAndPeace long]] [[Literature/TheBrothersKaramazov stories]].

* ''CharbyTheVampirate'' sums up Mye's terrifying night with [[http://www.drunkduck.com/Charby_the_Vampirate/4786451/ chibi drawings]]. It is long indeed, as it started a good [[http://www.drunkduck.com/Charby_the_Vampirate/4785837/ 75 pages earlier]].

-->'''Rachel''': Okay, Joe, I think it's time we told you teh sad truth Robin has had to face throughout her childhood. It's a long and sordid tale, and every twist and turn will break your heart.

* Played uncomfortably straight in the [[PollyWantsAMicrophone appropriately-titled]] ''Paulie'' as he is talking to the janitor.

* ''{{Kanon}}'' Ayu tells Yuuichi several times that the reason she's stole Taiyaki is a really long story. He keeps pestering her about it until she gives up and tells him ''I was hungry.''

-->'''Oz''': Got bit.

*** And then next season on ''Series/{{Angel}}''. (Yes, all three episodes are by the same writer too.)
---->'''Angel''': It's complicated how this all happened, Buffy, you know? It's kind of a long story.
---->'''Buffy''': Your new sidekick had a vision, I was in it, you came to Sunnydale?
---->'''Angel''': Okay, maybe not that long.
*** [[RunningGag And then]] during Buffy's final season.
---->'''Giles:''' I told you my concerns when you recklessly chose to remove the chip from his head.
---->'''Robin:''' Wait, sorry — chip?
---->'''Giles:''' Well, uh, it's a... long story.
---->'''Buffy:''' The military put a chip in Spike's head so he couldn't hurt anyone.
---->'''Giles:''' And that would be the abridged version.

-->'''Kermit:''' It's a long story... Actually, it's a ''short'' story. He did something ''dumb''.

-->''Janitor'': I'm Russian. I like [[WarAndPeace long]] [[TheBrothersKaramazov stories]].

* Subverted in ''TheAdventuresOfTintin'': in ''Recap/TintinLandOfBlackGold'', Haddock meets Tintin at the end, and is very adamant in his repeated attempts to explain what happened to him offscreen ("It's quite simple - and, at the same time, rather complicated..."), only to be interrupted every time. Eventually, he gives up, BreakingTheFourthWall to tell the reader "you'll never know!"
** The real reason for this was that that ''Land of Black Gold'' was an adaptation of a story concept Herge developed before he invented the Haddock character.

* This is Captain Susano's response in ''AHDotComTheSeries'' upon being asked why his [[NoSwastikas Cyborg Robots With Green Blood]] have started acting like TheThreeStooges.