History Main / SchizoContinuity

* The ''TabletopGame/DiscworldRoleplayingGame'' outright states (in the sidebar "Officially Unofficial") that it is written to be in continuity with the books, but the books are under no compunction to be in continuity with it. (The second edition had to tweak a few things based on later novels, most notably that the adventure "Full Court Press" made some assumptions about how refuse collection in Ankh-Morpork worked that were completely contradicted by the introduction of Harry King.)

* Arguably the case between ''Series/{{Titans|2018}}'' and ''Series/DoomPatrol2019.'' The Doom Patrol were introduced on ''Titans'' as the group that helped raise Beast Boy. The SpinOff has most of the actors from that episode reprise their roles, but the story presented doesn't really allow for the possibility that Beast Boy was part of the group, along with everyone being [[AdaptationalAngstUpgrade angstier than they were before]], and some of the actors and showrunners made statements in interviews that the two shows weren't in continuity with each other. A view of the Multiverse in the Series/{{Arrowverse}} Crisis Crossover ''[[Series/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths2019 Crisis on Infinite Earths]]'' also gives different universe numbers to the two shows.

* The ''Franchise/DoctorWhoExpandedUniverse'' is ''generally'' in One-Sided Continuity with the televised Franchise/{{Whoniverse}}, barring occasional throwaway references (the most prominent being the Eighth Doctor listing all his Big Finish companions in [[Recap/DoctorWho50thPrequelTheNightOfTheDoctor "The Night of the Doctor"]]) and the inclusion of concepts in the revival seasons that were first introduced in expanded media (ex. the Master being an old school friend of the Doctor, a TARDIS dying when its pilot does, the Doctor telling the year by smelling the air, the Doctor being able to erase memories, etc.). The relationship of the various spin-off media to ''each other'' is ... confused, often being split not even by series, but by ''author'', so if, for instance, Author A believes that the ''Literature/EighthDoctorAdventures'' and ''AudioPlay/BigFinishDoctorWho'' are in continuity with each other, they would write for ''both'' series accordingly, while if Author B believes they're alternate timelines, they would do likewise. (This does not stop the [=EDAs=] by both authors being in continuity with ''each other'', of course.) The official position of both companies is simply one big ShrugOfGod.

** In a rare example of one-sided continuity where the ''original'' media is the one that maintains it, Creator/MarvelComics considers all Marvel media to be part of the same Multiverse, with the MCU being Earth-1999999. The MCU disagrees, numbering the Sacred Timeline as Earth-616 of its own multiverse, introducing their own version of the Time Variance Authority (who are supposed to be pan-universal) in ''Series/{{Loki}}'', and claiming that their Comicbook/AmericaChavez has ''no'' [[AlternateSelf Alternate Selves]] in ''Film/DoctorStrangeInTheMultiverseOfMadness''.

** ''Series/AgentsOfSHIELD'' became an example of the Alternate Timeline as of its last seasons. Seasons one through five kept right in line with the MCU right up to ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar''. But then the show received a surprise renewal for two more seasons and could not account for the end of ''Infinity War'' and ''Film/AvengersEndgame'' (either the staff was not appraised of what was happening in the films, or could not risk the possibility of spoiling ''Endgame''). As a result, the end of ''Infinity War'' just... never happened; and the staff claimed that the final seasons were being retconned into occurring before ''Infinity War'' (despite the fact that season five established that it ended as the film began, and that the later seasons included a couple years of {{Time Skip}}s).

* Creator/ImageComics operates on this rule - their comics exist in one world only when crossovers takes place and events from one series may be referenced in another only if the creators wish it. It's especially visible in ''ComicBook/{{Invincible}}'' #60 -- comics that featured appearances of probably every single Image Comics hero aside from ComicBook/BombQueen and you won't find a single reference to those events (including the destruction of several cities) anywhere but in ''Invincible'' and ''ComicBook/TheAstoundingWolfMan''.

* The ''Franchise/DoctorWhoExpandedUniverse'' is ''generally'' in One-Sided Continuity with the televised Franchise/{{Whoniverse}}, barring occasional throwaway references (the most prominent being the Eighth Doctor listing all his Big Finish companions in [[Recap/DoctorWho50thPrequelTheNightOfTheDoctor "The Night of the Doctor"]]) and the inclusion of concepts in the revival seasons that were first introduced in expanded media (ex. the Master being an old school friend of the Doctor). The relationship of the various spin-off media to ''each other'' is ... confused, often being split not even by series, but by ''author'', so if, for instance, Author A believes that the ''Literature/EighthDoctorAdventures'' and ''AudioPlay/BigFinishDoctorWho'' are in continuity with each other, they would write for ''both'' series accordingly, while if Author B believes they're alternate timelines, they would do likewise. (This does not stop the [=EDAs=] by both authors being in continuity with ''each other'', of course.) The official position of both companies is simply one big ShrugOfGod.

* The ''Franchise/DoctorWhoExpandedUniverse'' is ''generally'' in One-Sided Continuity with the televised Franchise/{{Whoniverse}}, barring occasional throwaway references (the most prominent being the Eighth Doctor listing all his Big Finish companions in "Night of the Doctor"). The relationship of the various spin-off media to ''each other'' is ... confused, often being split not even by series, but by ''author'', so if, for instance, Author A believes that the ''Literature/EighthDoctorAdventures'' and ''AudioPlay/BigFinishDoctorWho'' are in continuity with each other, they would write for ''both'' series accordingly, while if Author B believes they're alternate timelines, they would do likewise. (This does not stop the [=EDAs=] by both authors being in continuity with ''each other'', of course.) The official position of both companies is simply one big ShrugOfGod.

* The second-edition ''[[TabletopGame/TrinityUniverse Trinity Continuum]]'' settings work this way, because they're six games and counting (seven if you include the corebook setting) set in separate time periods of the same universe, but the decision was made to not have a set future for any individual game. As a result, if you're playing in a chronologically later game, then the earlier games are considered canon, but if you're playing an earlier game, later games are only "possible futures" and nothing is canon past the start date. This also ties into how one of the major superhuman characters of the setting is said to have traveled many different timelines.

* The second-edition ''[[TabletopGame/TrinityUniverse Trinity Continuum]]'' settings work this way, because they're six games and counting (seven if you count the corebook setting) set in separate time periods of the same universe, but the decision was made to not have a set future for any individual game. As a result, if you're playing in a chronologically later game, then the earlier games are considered canon, but if you're playing an earlier game, later games are only "possible futures" and nothing is canon past the start date. This also ties into how one of the major superhuman characters of the setting is said to have traveled many different timelines.

* The second-edition ''[[TabletopGame/TrinityUniverse Trinity Continuum]]'' settings work this way, because they're six games and counting set in separate time periods of the same universe, but the decision was made to not have a set future for any individual game. As a result, if you're playing in a chronologically later game, then the earlier games are considered canon, but if you're playing an earlier game, later games are only "possible futures" and nothing is canon past the start date. This also ties into how one of the major superhuman characters of the setting is said to have traveled many different timelines.

* The second-edition ''[[TabletopGame/TrinityUniverse Trinity Continuum]]'' settings work this way, because they're four games set in separate time periods of the same universe, but the decision was made to not have a set future for any individual game. As a result, if you're playing in a chronologically-later game, then the earlier games are considered canon, but if you're playing an earlier game, later games are only "possible futures" and nothing is canon past the start date.

* Arguably the case between ''Series/{{Titans|2018}}'' and ''Series/DoomPatrol2019.'' The Doom Patrol were introduced on ''Titans'' as the group that helped raise Beast Boy. The SpinOff has most of the actors from that episode reprise their roles, but the story presented doesn't really allow for the possibility that Beast Boy was part of the group, along with everyone being [[AdaptationalAngstUpgrade angstier than they were before]], and some of the actors and showrunners made statements in interviews that the two shows weren't in continuity with each other. A view of the Multiverse in the Series/{{Arrowverse}} Crisis Crossover ''Series/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'' also gives different universe numbers to the two shows.

* Arguably the case between ''Series/{{Titans|2018}}'' and ''Series/DoomPatrol2019.'' The Doom Patrol were introduced on ''Titans'' as the group that helped raise Beast Boy. The SpinOff has most of the actors from that episode reprise their roles, but the story presented doesn't really allow for the possibility that Beast Boy was part of the group, along with everyone being [[AdaptationalAngstUpgrade angstier than they were before]], and some of the actors and showrunners made statements in interviews that the two shows weren't in continuity with each other. A view of the Multiverse in the Series/{{Arrowverse}} Crisis Crossover also gives different universe numbers to the two shows.

* Arguably the case between ''Series/{{Titans|2018}}'' and ''Series/DoomPatrol2019.'' The Doom Patrol were introduced on ''Titans'' as the group that helped raise Beast Boy. The SpinOff has most of the actors from that episode reprise their roles, but the story presented doesn't really allow for the possibility that Beast Boy was part of the group, along with everyone being [[AdaptationalAngstUpgrade angstier than they were before]], and some of the actors and showrunners made statements in interviews that the two shows weren't in continuity with each other. A view of the Multiverse in the Series/{{Arrowverse}} Crisis Crossover also shows the two shows as being set in different universes.

* Arguably the case between ''Series/{{Titans|2018}}'' and ''Series/DoomPatrol2019.'' The Doom Patrol were introduced on ''Titans'' as the group that helped raise Beast Boy. The SpinOff has most of the actors reprise their roles, but the story presented doesn't really allow for the possibility that Beast Boy was part of the group, along with everyone being [[AdaptationalAngstUpgrade angstier than they were before]]. A view of the Multiverse in the Series/{{Arrowverse}} Crisis Crossover also shows the two shows as being set in different universes.

* ''Franchise/DoctorWhoExpandedUniverse'' is ''generally'' in One-Sided Continuity with the televised Franchise/{{Whoniverse}}, barring occasional throwaway references (the most prominent being the Eighth Doctor listing all his Big Finish companions in "Night of the Doctor"). The relationship of the various spin-off media to ''each other'' is ... confused, often being split not even by series, but by ''author'', so if, for instance Author A believes that the ''Literature/EighthDoctorAdventures'' and ''AudioPlay/BigFinishDoctorWho'' are in continuity with each other, they would write for ''both'' series accordingly, while if Author B believes they're alternate timelines, they would do likewise. (This does not stop the [=EDAs=] by both authors being in continuity with ''each other'', of course.) The official position of both companies is simply one big ShrugOfGod.

* ''Fanfic/BothSyllables'' was a popular fanfic series with a few {{Recursive Fic}}s, including ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5413714/1/Policy-of-Truth Policy of Truth]].'' Eventually the main series was [[DeadFic abandoned]] and taken down from the internet. At that point ''Policy of Truth'''s author decided to take the story (and later, its sequel) in a different direction by introducing [[spoiler:Zim]] and [[spoiler:Tak]]. ''Both Syllables'' also established Dib's full name as "Dilbert Putchel," while [=PoT=] went with the [[AscendedFanon now-canonical]] "Dib Membrane."

* ''Franchise/StarWars'' and its ExpandedUniverse had this relationship under Creator/GeorgeLucas: the movies and ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars'' were in canon with all books, comics and games, but Lucas refused to acknowledge the opposite and contradicted them on a regular basis (a big one being that most works written prior to the prequel trilogy assumed that the Clone Wars and the Jedi Purge had been two separate conflicts that took place about twenty years apart, causing any number of {{Continuity Snarl}}s). In 2014, new owners Creator/{{Disney}} roped off all previous material other than the then-six films and as "Franchise/StarWarsLegends", and declared that all subsequent Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse material would be considered official canon, though contradictions have crept in anyway over time.

* ''Franchise/StarWars'' and [[Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse its Expanded Universe]] had this relationship under Creator/GeorgeLucas - movies were in canon with all books, comics and games, but Lucas refused to acknowledge the opposite.

* WordOfGod states that ''VideoGame/TheWitcher'' games are just one possible future for ''Literature/TheWitcher'' book series. This is in case Sapkowski would want to write a sequel to the series, and so he wouldn't have to reference the games.

* Arguably the case between ''Series/{{Titans}}'' and ''Series/DoomPatrol2019.'' The Doom Patrol were introduced on ''Titans'' as the group that helped raise Beast Boy. The SpinOff has most of the actors reprise their roles, but the story presented doesn't really allow for the possibility that Beast Boy was part of the group, along with everyone being [[AdaptationalAngstUpgrade angstier than they were before]]. A view of the Multiverse in the Series/{{Arrowverse}} Crisis Crossover also shows the two shows as being set in different universes.

* Most inter-company comic book crossovers worked like this until 1996's ''DC Versus Marvel.'' Prior to that miniseries, when ComicBook/{{Superman}} met ComicBook/SpiderMan, the ComicBook/TeenTitans met the ComicBook/XMen, or [[{{ComicBook/Gen13}} Gen13]] met Comicbook/SpiderMan, the assumption for the duration of those stories was that the two characters had always been part of the same universe and had simply never met before. Since ''DC Versus Marvel,'' such crossovers have been much more likely to involve [[ParallelUniverse parallel universes.]]

In order to avoid [[ContinuitySnarl several]] [[ArmedWithCanon kinds]] [[CanonDiscontinuity of]] [[FanonDiscontinuity problems]] that could come from not sticking to one continuity, some writers may decide to announce that two or more works are still in continuity ''and'' are not, FromACertainPointOfView.

** The connection with Film/SonysSpiderManUniverse might be a case of this. Sony owns the rights to ComicBook/SpiderMan characters, but made the MCU films ''Film/SpiderManHomecoming'' and ''Film/SpiderManFarFromHome'' in conjunction with Marvel Studios. While Marvel has specifically stated that ''Film/Venom2018'', starring a [[Comicbook/{{Venom}} popular Spider-Man opponent]], is not in continuity with their shared universe, Sony has made comments implying that they are. (Or at least, in continuity with ''Homecoming'', which is too connected to other MCU films to easily write them off.) Things got ''far'' more confusing during the run-up to ''Film/SpiderManNoWayHome'', as the trailer for fellow SSU film ''Film/Morbius2022'' seems to explicitly refer to MCU elements, ''No Way Home''[='s=] trailer incorporates characters from [[Film/SpiderManTrilogy yet]] [[Film/TheAmazingSpiderManSeries other]] ''Spider-Man'' film continuities, and TheStinger of ''Film/VenomLetThereBeCarnage'' has [[spoiler:Eddie and Venom being sucked out of their home dimension and into the MCU]].

** This also extends to the [[ComicBook/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicIDW comics]]. The events of the cartoon have happened, mostly, but the comics have yet to be referenced in the cartoon, with a few episodes strongly implying that the comic stories haven't happened, and members of the staff have said the comics won't effect or be referenced in the show.

* The ''MyLittlePony'' G4 cartoons, ''[[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic Friendship Is Magic]]'' and ''[[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirls Equestria Girls]]''. They share the same characters and the same writing staff, and these writers have insisted that the events of ''Equestria Girls'' actually are canon to ''Friendship Is Magic''. But the character arc in ''EQG'' is completely dependent on a big event from ''FIM'' season three, while ''FIM'''s only reference to ''EQG'' have been a few blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameos. So even though ''EQG'' is technically canon, it's totally ignorable [[FanonDiscontinuity for the fans who are so inclined]].

** The connection with Film/SonysUniverseOfMarvelCharacters might be a case of this. Sony owns the rights to Comicbook/SpiderMan characters, but made the MCU films ''Film/SpiderManHomecoming'' and ''Film/SpiderManFarFromHome'' in conjunction with Marvel Studios. While Marvel has specifically stated that ''Film/Venom2018'', starring a [[Comicbook/{{Venom}} popular Spider-Man opponent]], is not in continuity with their shared universe, Sony has made comments implying that they are. (Or at least, in continuity with ''Homecoming'', which is too connected to other MCU films to easily write them off.) ''Film/Morbius2022'' takes things even further, as its trailer seems to explicitly refer to the other MCU ''Spider-Man'' films.

* ''Series/{{Dallas}}'' and its SpinOff ''Series/KnotsLanding'' had a shared continuity until Bobby's death on the parent show. Bobby's brother Gary was the main character on ''Knots Landing;'' naturally the death affects him, and later in the season [[DeadGuyJunior he names his new son after Bobby]]. The next season of ''Dallas'' infamously revealed that Bobby's death, and the entire previous season, was AllJustADream. Bobby remained dead in ''Knots Landing,'' however, and the shows never crossed over again.

* ''Fanfic/BothSyllables'' was a popular fanfic series with a few {{Recursive Fic}}s, including ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5413714/1/Policy-of-Truth Policy of Truth]].'' Eventually the main series was [[DeadFic abandoned]] and taken down from the internet. At that point ''Policy of Truth'''s author decided to take the story (and later, its sequel) in a different direction by introducing [[spoiler:Zim]] and [[spoiler:Tak]], as well as changing Dib's surname to the [[AscendedFanon now-canonical]] "Membrane."