History Main / RuleOfPool

If the program is a PoliceProcedural, the immersion will have already occurred, and the police will be investigating its tragic results. If it's an action genre, someone's ''going'' to fall into that pool and [[BloodIsSquickerInWater die in a diffusing cloud of pink]].

* In the 2009 Halloween episode, TheNostalgiaCritic (intentionally) dives into a pool fully clothed. After he climbs back out, he gets knocked back in again, almost immediately.

A form of [=~Chekhov's Gun~=].

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* In the {{Animorphs}} series, David's house has a pool, and the other characters mention it a few times in the context of how they envy David's good fortune in this respect. Eventually, the Rule of Pool comes into effect when the characters are chased by several {{Mooks}} through David's yard, and they are able to make their escape because the mooks fall into the pool.

* DoubleSubverted in the {{Abbott and Costello}} film ''Hit the Ice''. Lou is pushed backwards right to the edge of the pool, but doesn't go in. He then [[BreakingTheFourthWall turns to the camera and mocks the audience]] for assuming he'd fall in, only to promptly do so.

* In ''{{Gordy}},'' a young boy is sitting on the diving board over a pool as he talks to his new friend. Of course, when he gets up to leave, he lsoes his balance and falls in. Becomes a DarthWiki/WallBanger when you realize that ''[[TooDumbToLive he can't swim and yet he was sitting on the diving board.]]''

* Both pool-side scenes from the 2010 movie ''You Again'' follow this rule.

* ''TheWestWing'' When we see a flashback to when Tobey came to offer CJ a job on the Bartlett campaign.

* TruthInTelevision at the pool where this lifeguard works. Several kids have pushed other kids and this lifeguard into the pool, fully clothed.

* Averted in the pilot episode of KyleXY.

* One of the ''[[RockBand Rock Band 3]]'' band progress cutscenes has your band at a rooftop party with a pool front and centre. Sure enough, one of the first steps towards rowdiness is the singer pushing some random schmuck into the pool.

* ''{{Narbonic}}'', though the people who fell in were [[spoiler:pushed off a FloatingContinent several hundred metres above it.]]

* An episode of Psych features [[spoiler:McNabb's mailbox rigged with a bomb, which explodes, sending him flying backwards -- into the outdoor pool of the apartment complex he lives in]].

[[AC:{{WesternAnimation}}]]
* Naturally, TheSimpsons.

* One of the ''[RockBand Rock Band 3]]'' band progress cutscenes has your band at a rooftop party with a pool front and centre. Sure enough, one of the first steps towards rowdiness is the singer pushing some random schmuck into the pool.

[[AC:{{Webcomics}}]]

[[AC:{{Anime}} and {{Manga}}]]
* If you see a body of water, ''any'' body of water in ''[[RanmaOneHalf Ranma 1/2]]'', someone '''WILL''' fall into it (or have it spilled/splashed on them), [[InvoluntaryShapeshifting triggering]] their Jusenkyo curse and transforming them [[{{Animorphism}} into an animal]], and/or [[GenderBender the opposite sex]] as a result. That's sort of [[RuleOfFunny the point]] of the whole series.

[[AC:{{Literature}}]]
* In the first JackReacher book ''Killing Floor'', in the final act Reacher sets a trap for a group of killers with himself as the bait at Hubble's house, which has a pool in the backyard. Though he manages to kill four of the group silently with his knife, [[spoiler:Kliner's son]] spots him trying to sneak up on him in the backyard. After managing to avoid getting blasted with his shotgun, Reacher [[spoiler:tackles him into the pool and drowns him.]]

[[AC: WebOriginal]]
* In the 2009 Halloween episode, TheNostalgiaCritic (intentionally) dives into a pool fully clothed. After he climbs back out, he gets knocked back in again, almost immediately.

* In ''{{Dexter}}'' the title characetr pushes his adopted daughter Astor into the pool at a party in an attempt a playfulness. While she is actually wearing a bathing suit, she doesn't much appreciate it.

* If you see a body of water, ''any'' body of water (teacups, puddles, pools, oceans...) for any length of time in ''[[RanmaOneHalf Ranma 1/2]]'', [[InvoluntaryShapeShifting someone]] [[BalefulPolymorph WILL]] [[GenderBender fall]] into it or have it spilled/splashed on them. That's sort of [[RuleOfFunny the point]] of the series.

* DoubleSubverted in the {{Abbott and Costello}} film ''Hit the Ice''. Lou is pushed backwards right to the edge of the pool, but doesn't go in. He then turns to the camera and mocks the audience for assuming he'd fall in, only to promptly do so.

Not at all related to the RuleOfCool.

*In the 2009 Halloween episode, [[ThatGuyWithTheGlasses The Nostalgia Critic]] (intentionally) dives into a pool fully clothed. After he climbs back out, he gets knocked back in again, almost immediately.

If there's a swimming pool, and the people around it are fully clothed (i.e., not in swimsuits), someone's getting pushed into that pool.