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| 10 | [[quoteright:350:[[Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/zany.png]]]][[caption-width-right:350:This image crops out the guy on rocket-propelled roller skates.]] |
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| 12 | ->''"Kim, [=PeeJee=] is our friend. And if someone is worth caring about, they're worth the effort of a long, convoluted solution that doesn't actually address the problem. Now, I need four cellphones, ten balls of yarn and two nights worth of cigarettes. I've got a miracle to perform."'' |
| 13 | -->-- '''Aubrey Chorde''', ''Webcomic/SomethingPositive'' |
| 14 | |
| 15 | A SitCom plot where [[{{Schemer}} one or more characters tries to achieve some end]] -- usually extricating themselves from trouble -- with a bizarre, elaborate, luck-based plan, something like "You distract them by faking a heart attack while I sneak into the bedroom and switch the real ring for the fake one, and remember this whole time they think I'm you and you're me..." Oftentimes the plan isn't fully explained to the audience, only [[NoodleImplements humorous snippets]] of it. |
| 16 | |
| 17 | Sometimes they pull it off by the skin of their teeth. More often than not it all comes crashing down right at the end. Sometimes another character launches a CounterZany, which may escalate into a ZanySchemeChicken. This trope can be similar to a small-scale GambitRoulette. |
| 18 | |
| 19 | This trope, being over-used, is often subverted by having the character to whom the zany scheme is proposed simply shoot the whole thing down as ridiculous, and switch to another plot. An [[DoubleSubversion even further subversion]] occurs when the ''sensible'' plot then fails while [[CrazyEnoughToWork the zany one succeeds]]. |
| 20 | |
| 21 | Since the Zany Scheme is usually known by the audience in advance (to some degree), it is subject to the UnspokenPlanGuarantee. |
| 22 | |
| 23 | Contrast with ASimplePlan. See also ComplexityAddiction. |
| 24 | |
| 25 | May overlap with TheTroublemaker. |
| 26 | |
| 27 | ---- |
| 28 | !!Examples: |
| 29 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 30 | |
| 31 | [[folder:Advertising]] |
| 32 | * In Advertising/JayBushAndDuke ads for Bush's Baked Beans, Duke's schemes for selling off the secret family recipe range from the mundane, such as simply printing advertising flyers (albeit using a secret printing press in his basement) to the zany: spelling out a contact message in crop circles or getting bees to spell out this message in the air. |
| 33 | [[/folder]] |
| 34 | |
| 35 | [[folder:Anime and Manga]] |
| 36 | * Higashikata Josuke, the [[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureDiamondIsUnbreakable fourth]] [=JoJo=] of ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'' had his fair share of these to make money, and almost always got away with them. |
| 37 | * ''Anime/MischievousTwinsTheTalesOfStClares'': Many an episode focus on the girls trying to bunk off class or secretly throw parties without the teachers noticing. The most egregious of these would be when the girls are tasked to make fancy wooden boxes in woodwork class, but Patricia and some others don't want to do it...so they commission a carpenter to do it instead. |
| 38 | * ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'' has Asakura and some of the girls from Negi's class come up with one of these (during the BeachEpisode) to help Negi and Asuna make up after a fight. The plan: rather than you know, talk it out, they decide to pretend that Negi is drowning so that Asuna can rescue him. Then Chizuru decides to embellish it a little by adding some [[ThreateningShark fake sharks]], played by Natsumi and Ku Fei, to the mix. Naturally, they fail to tell Negi their plan, so he freaks out when he's suddenly pulled underwater and attacked by sharks. As such, he attacks a shark with Martial Arts, only to find that ''the shark knows Kung Fu''. The plan fails miserably, by the way. |
| 39 | * ''Manga/OnePiece'': Dark King Silvers Rayleigh proposed to Luffy that he should [[spoiler:Break into Marine headquarters again, ring the bell that's inside a good sixteen times, wait for someone to take a picture of him there and then escape again back to the Isle of Women. Then, when his crew sees his arm that has 3D crossed out and 2Y underneath, they will know that they should stay where they are for another two years and take a ''[[TookALevelInBadass level in badass]]'' or two.]] The funny thing is, it totally worked. |
| 40 | * ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'': Par for the course. Half the plots are built around zany schemes, usually involving a way to get rid of the various Jusenkyo curses, or master some new martial arts technique. And the practically ''never'' wind up working out. |
| 41 | * ''Manga/SgtFrog'': Pretty much any attempt by Keroro to begin the invasion of "Pekopon" (i.e., Earth) is this... along with any attempt to make money, especially if it's raise money to start the invasion, and ''especially'' if it's to make money to buy more "Gunpla" (Franchise/{{Gundam}} models), even just to get Gundam models period. |
| 42 | -->'''Keroro''':[[UnevilLaugh Keeeero kero kero kero kero...]] |
| 43 | * ''Manga/SquidGirl'': Any attempt by Ika Musume to start '''her''' invasion[[note]]Or "inkvasion" as the dub calls it.[[/note]] of Earth. |
| 44 | * ''Manga/TouhouIbarakasenWildAndHornedHermit'': [[Franchise/TouhouProject Reimu Hakurei]] does this nearly OnceAnEpisode due to the manga's portrayal of her [[{{Flanderization}} overplaying her greed]]. Given her status as being in PerpetualPoverty when it comes to donations all these schemes are either interrupted by [[HermitGuru Kasen Ibaraki]] or backfire against her. |
| 45 | [[/folder]] |
| 46 | |
| 47 | [[folder:Fan Works]] |
| 48 | * In ''Fanfic/AdviceAndTrust'', Asuka's scheme to talk Misato into letting Shinji and her sleep together involved Strip Chess matches, foot massages and inversed role-playing. It fails miserably. |
| 49 | * ''Fanfic/ConsequencesMiraculousLadybug'': In Principal Damocles' chapter of ''TEACHERS'', ''EYES OF THE OWL'', his plan to [[LiarRevealed expose Lila]] is remarkably straightforward: [[TheBait using Marinette]] to lure Lila in front of one of the school's CCTV cameras so she can be CaughtOnTape bullying her. Marinette remarks that she's accustomed to far more complicated plans, but finds how simple this one really refreshing. |
| 50 | * ''Fanfic/ConversationsWithACryptid'': In ''Kidnapping of a Cryptid'', Mineta and Tsuyu come up with a plan to ensure that he ends up partnered with Izuku for an upcoming project. This involves getting him temporarily suspended from school, something both initially assume will be easy due to his perverted antics. To their mutual horror, however, they discover that all the teachers at U.A. are {{apathetic|Teacher}} ''at best''; those who don't turn a blind eye actually ''encourage'' his perversions. By the time he finally gets suspended, he's suffered a PsychosomaticSuperpowerOutage due to becoming desensitized to sex and has to attend therapy to cope with that alongside his depression. |
| 51 | * In ''Fanfic/ADelicateBalance'', Twilight hopes to maximize the chances of Applejack being receptive to her LoveConfession by using the information she's gotten from binging various advice books to engineer a series of "romantic scenarios" that will make the other mare more receptive to her feelings. |
| 52 | -->'''Twilight:''' I've actually put together plans going [[TimeForPlanB all the way through N]]. Although I doubt I'll have to go past plan G. |
| 53 | * ''Fanfic/{{A Different Song|Magiaburst}}'': Alya and Nino team up with Jessica and Aeon and attempt two of this to help Marinette and Adrien hook up. First, they try to convince the pair that they've been trapped by a supervillain who exclusively targets those whom nobody loves, hoping to force a LoveConfession out of them. When this fails, they recruit Cyrus and set up an encounter with a "superhero who spreads love" at a café. After this one fails as well, Jessica suggests that they should just let the two of them fall in love at their own pace. |
| 54 | * ''Fanfic/DifferentTalesDifferentLessons'': Tai Lung and Tigress attempt to [[DatePeepers spy on]] Po's first date with Jia by disguising themselves as unassuming patrons of the noodle shop. Thing is, Tigress is dealing with her first pregnancy cravings, and the shop has a new chef who starts flirting, unaware that they're newlyweds... |
| 55 | * ''Fanfic/JulekaVsTheForcesOfTheUniverse'' employs this as one of the signs of Alya being a ControlFreak: she keeps coming up with these behind Marinette's back and forcing her into them, insisting that she's incapable of managing her love life by herself. She is ''not happy'' with the prospect of Marinette [[GrewASpine standing up for herself]] and showing interest in somebody other than Adrien -- she'll [[ShipperWithAnAgenda make her ship sail]] come hell or high water, and ''who CARES'' how her "bestie" feels about it?! |
| 56 | * ''Fanfic/NoSuchLuckNoSuchLove'': Lincoln's heavy reliance upon these [[WesternAnimation/TheLoudHouse in canon]] is {{Deconstruct|ionFic}} when he admits to Lori just how much he ''hates'' trying to be "the man with the plan" all the time. His relationship with the rest of his family is so strained that he's been forced to result to come up with zany schemes just to ''get attention'' or anything he wants from them. |
| 57 | ** In addition, Lynn Sr. initially didn't care about Lincoln's notepad being destroyed because he assumed there wasn't anything ''valuable'' in there, "just" some plans that he'd written down. In reality, said notebook had several sketches and detailed drawings showing off his son's talents as an artist. |
| 58 | * ''Fanfic/TheOneToMakeItStay'': Alya's propensity for these is {{Deconstruct|ionFic}}ed throughout the story: |
| 59 | ** Due to her impulsivity and failure to [[DidntThinkThisThrough think things through]], her plans tend to blow up rather spectatularly -- particularly the ones that involve helping Marinette get closer to Adrien, which frequently result in her bestie being [[HumiliationConga utterly humiliated]]. Making matters worse, she refuses to accept Marinette's decision to stop pursuing Adrien, insisting that she just "needs to be pushed": |
| 60 | --->'''Marinette:''' But I don't ''want'' to confess to Adrien.\ |
| 61 | '''Alya:''' [[DramaticallyMissingThePoint That's exactly my point]]. Now come on, Adrien is waiting for you. |
| 62 | ** Alya is so convinced that she knows what Marinette wants better than her bestie that she responds to her refusing to comply with one of her schemes by StagingAnIntervention. Even after Marinette reveals she's started dating Luka, she blithely accuses her of only doing so in order to [[OperationJealousy make Adrien jealous]]. |
| 63 | ** She is so gung-ho about [[ShipperWithAnAgenda making her ships sail]] that she attempts to use ''LILA'' as an UnwittingPawn in her ''own'' attempt at staging an OperationJealousy. When Lila finds out, she takes it as evidence that Alya is just as SecretlySelfish and {{manipulative|Bitch}} as ''she'' is. |
| 64 | ** This is also PlayedForDrama with her ManipulativeEditing of one of Chat Noir's {{Love Confession}}s, making it appear that Ladybug reciprocated. On top of making Chat Noir act [[EntitledToHaveYou even more entitled]], it also inspires Hawkmoth's scheme to exploit the resulting rift between the heroes, resulting in [[spoiler:Adrien losing the Ring to Miracle Queen]]. |
| 65 | * One of the trademarks of Slytherins in ''Fanfic/TheParselmouthOfGryffindor''; for instance, Pike goes to ridiculous lengths to pretend to be a Dementor so he can steal something from the Gryffindor dorms. Also, Hermione's plot to [[ScrewDestiny loophole out the Prophecy]], which involves indelible writing on the walls of Hogwarts, [[NoodleImplement a hamster, and an ant]]. |
| 66 | [[/folder]] |
| 67 | |
| 68 | [[folder:Film — Animated]] |
| 69 | * In ''WesternAnimation/TheEmperorsNewGroove'', [[EvilChancellor Yzma's]] plan to assassinate [[TheCaligula Kuzco]]: |
| 70 | -->'''Yzma''': I'll turn him into a flea, a harmless, little flea, and then I'll put that flea in a box, and then I'll put that box inside of another box, and then I'll mail that box to myself, and when it arrives... ''(laughs)'' I'LL SMASH IT WITH A HAMMER! It's brilliant, brilliant, brilliant, I tell you! Genius I say! ''(knocks over a bottle of poison and spills on a flower, [[ThatPoorPlant which instantly shrivels and dies]])'' [[ASimplePlan Or, to save on postage, I'll just poison him with this.]] |
| 71 | ** Got upgraded to RunningGag status in ''WesternAnimation/TheEmperorsNewSchool''. She comes up with a Zany Scheme roughly OncePerEpisode. |
| 72 | * ''WesternAnimation/MonstersInc1'' has Mike's plan to get Boo out of town before the CDA finds out. |
| 73 | -->'''Mike''': Okay, I have a plan. Using mainly spoons, we will dig a tunnel under the city and release it into the wild!\ |
| 74 | '''Sulley''': [[FlatWhat Spoons.]] |
| 75 | [[/folder]] |
| 76 | |
| 77 | [[folder:Film — Live-Action]] |
| 78 | * ''Film/{{Americathon}}'': The plot is about a US President, played by John Ritter, trying to save the United States from ''foreclosure'' with a telethon. |
| 79 | * Amusingly played with in ''Film/CampRock'', where Caitlin upon finding out Mitchie's Zany Scheme immediately calls her on how unbelievably stupid it is, and isn't particularly interested in hearing her explanation. |
| 80 | * In the "everybody did it" ending of ''Film/{{Clue}}'', Mr. Boddy set up a BatmanGambit-version of one of these. The man was an information broker who controlled a large network of spies and informants who would gather and extort classified government information, using them to blackmail officials, figureheads, and other related individuals for personal gain. However, some of his agents threatened to go rogue and expose him, so Mr. Boddy organized them to come to his house in the guise of servants and locals. None of them knew one another was one of Mr. Boddy's agents, as they had never personally met. He also brought in six of his blackmail victims, each of whom had personal reasons to kill one of the agents. The only exception was Professor Plum, who had reason to kill ''Mr. Boddy'' himself. Boddy expected this, so he swapped places with his butler, using him as a SacrificialLamb since none of the victims had ever actually met him in person. Once all of his errant agents were killed by the blackmail victims' hands, Mr. Boddy would continue to blackmail them to ensure his identity, business, and crimes remain a secret. The crazy part is that the whole scheme ''actually works'', and Mr. Boddy would've gotten away with it, [[spoiler:had one of the victims not been an undercover FBI agent]]. |
| 81 | * In the first ''Film/HighSchoolMusical'' movie, Chad and Taylor, along with their respective teams, the Wildcats and the school nerds, cook up a plan to drive Troy and Gabriella away from each other and the upcoming musical so they can focus on their own competitions instead, the upcoming Championship game and the Academic Decathlon. Namely, Troy's teammates exploit his [[WellDoneSonGuy desire of approval from his father]] by reminding him of East High's legacy of basketball triumphs and his dad's role in it, and Troy, feeling the pressure, is forced to lie and say that Gabriella and the musical are only distractions, while Taylor and the other nerds film the moment with a webcam they hid in the locker room and show it to Gabriella, making her assume Troy doesn't really care for her. The whole thing works a [[GoneHorriblyRight tad too well]] and causes Troy and Gabriella to feel way too downhearted to properly focus on anything, [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone much to the regret]] of the Wildcats and the nerds. |
| 82 | * ''Film/ItShouldHappenToYou'' stars Gladys Glover who wants to be a ''somebody''. How does she achieve this? By plastering her name across billboards in all of New York City, that's how. |
| 83 | * In ''Film/LibeledLady'', Connie Allenbury is suing Warren Haggerty's newspaper after the paper prints a false story about her breaking up a duke's marriage. So what does Haggerty do? He gets his girlfriend to marry a reporter, then pays the reporter to seduce Connie, thus essentially framing her for breaking up another marriage and nullifying the libel suit. |
| 84 | * ''Film/MatrimonysSpeedLimit'': Marian's boyfriend Fraunie breaks off their engagement after he's ruined by the stock market. She has tons of money but he won't take a bailout. So she hits on a wacky scheme: fake a telegram that tells him he'll get an UnexpectedInheritance if he marries that day. What she doesn't account for is the fact that a 12 noon deadline might lead Fraunie to marry ''someone else''. |
| 85 | * The selling point of ''Film/OlsenBanden'' series is combining Zany Scheme with TheCaper plot. When the creators became aware of that, number of schemes per movie increased. |
| 86 | * In ''Film/OneTwoThree'', a Coca-Cola heiress fell in love with and married a Communist from UsefulNotes/EastGermany. So James Cagney starts one of these to get the marriage annulled (or all proofs disappeared) and the husband imprisoned. [[spoiler:But then Scarlett, the heiress, is pregnant, and he has to a) rescue Otto, the husband, from the claws of East German police, b) prove they're legally married, and c) turn Otto into an acceptable son-in-law.]] |
| 87 | * In ''Film/PlanB'', Bruno wants to get back together with his ex Laura after seeing her with a new boyfriend named Pablo but his initial plan of just asking her to get back with him doesn't work, so what's his [[TimeForPlanB Plan B]]? Proving to Laura that he's better for her than Pablo? Sabotaging her interactions with Pablo? Getting Pablo to fall for another woman? Nope -- ''obviously'' the best possible back-up plan for him is to [[FauxYay seduce Pablo himself]] so that he'll break up with Laura. |
| 88 | * ''Film/AVeryHaroldAndKumar3DChristmas'' centers on Harold and Kumar trying to find a replacement Christmas tree for the one they destroyed. Their first plan of getting one from a tree lot is reasonable enough, but once that fails they try to steal one from a Christmas party [[spoiler:at a mobster's apartment]], and a church. |
| 89 | * ''Film/TheWizard'' has two for the price of one: Corey (Fred Savage of ''Series/TheWonderYears'' fame) scheming to get his brother Jimmy to California in order to prove that he doesn't belong in a home, and Haley scheming to get money to get them there, while also suggesting that Jimmy enter a video game tournament at Universal Studios Hollywood. |
| 90 | * ''Film/TheWorldsGreatestAthlete'' has college coaches Sam Archer and Milo Jackson catch sight of the Franchise/{{Tarzan}} lookalike, and potential super athlete Nanu. Sam and Milo learn that among Nanu's tribe when one man saves the life of another, he has become that man's protectorate for the rest of both their lives and must follow the man he saved wherever he goes. They then attempt several schemes to try and get Nanu to save Archer's life. |
| 91 | [[/folder]] |
| 92 | |
| 93 | [[folder:Literature]] |
| 94 | * ''Literature/AngelaNicely'': |
| 95 | ** In "Tiger Trouble!", Angela wants Miss Darling to win the Teacher of the Year award, so she decides to have Laura dress as a tiger and have it look like Miss Darling scared the tiger away. |
| 96 | ** In "Problems, Problems!", Angela decides to get Molly the new girl noticed by writing "Kiss Me!" on a sign, and having her stick it to Miss Boot's back. |
| 97 | * ''Literature/CharlieAndTheChocolateFactory'' turns out to have this as its jumping-off point. Willy Wonka doesn't have a family, nor anyone to serve as his heir, and he doesn't want the factory he created and loves dearly to fall into the hands of an adult who would change the way things are done. His solution is the Golden Ticket contest: five tickets are hidden in five Wonka Bars, which will be found by five random children. He will then escort said children on a tour of his factory, and at the end he'll pick the kid he likes best to become his heir, the tour serving as a SecretTest of their worthiness. Unfortunately, the world is full of bad children -- poor Mr. Wonka winds up having to deal with a tour group consisting of four {{Spoiled Brat}}s and one good kid. Luckily, his [[TheWonderland wonderland]] runs on LaserGuidedKarma... |
| 98 | * This forms the plot of almost every single novel, short story and TV adaptation of Creator/PGWodehouse's ''Literature/JeevesAndWooster''. A typical plot involved Bertie stealing a piece of silver from a country house because the owner's niece, Stiffy, wanted her fiance to pretend he had caught the thief so her uncle would agree to the marriage - Bertie reluctantly agreed because Stiffy had found a notebook belonging to one of his friends that if made public would break up the friend's engagement, in which case the fiancee (who believed from a previous zany scheme that Bertie was in love with her) would marry Bertie, who, being too much of [[ExtremeDoormat a gentleman]] and [[UpperClassTwit man of honor]] to point out he couldn't stand her... this is actually a much simplified version of the plot. The original is far more convoluted. |
| 99 | ** This was also par for the course in Wodehouse's ''Literature/BlandingsCastle'' series, as well as a number of his one-offs. |
| 100 | * The ''Literature/{{Jennings}}'' books more or less run on Zany Schemes, usually initiated and largely performed by Jennings himself in order to avoid getting told off by a teacher. Sometimes the schemes are pulled off without a hitch, sometimes they work but in a different way than intended, or end up not mattering because of some outside circumstances that nobody could have predicted, and sometimes they fail spectacularly. |
| 101 | * Several sub-plots of ''Literature/KillTimeOrDieTrying'' revolve around this trope. Examples include a scheme to steal urine for a pregnancy test and a campaign to swing a student council election in favour of the candidate willing to give the club a club-room. The war-cry of WARP lampshades this trope: "Bad idea?" ''(dramatic pose)'' "How bad?" |
| 102 | * In ''Literature/PleaseDontTellMyParentsIHaveANemesis'', Penelope Akks is secretly Bad Penny, a teenager supervillain, who her parents believe is a separate person harassing her. Her plan for establishing herself as a hero involves copying herself into a robotic duplicate, having a staged fight where she wins over "Bad Penny", and then to fess up to her parents, who will cotton onto the robotic duplicate quickly, in hopes that they'll be so impressed by her honesty that they'll overlook the whole villainy thing. |
| 103 | %%* ''Literature/ASeriesOfUnfortunateEvents''. |
| 104 | %% Administrivia/ZeroContextExample. Add context to the entry before uncommenting it. |
| 105 | * Pops up a few times in the ''Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse'', particularly in the Literature/XWingSeries. Rogue Squadron proves surprisingly adept at coming up with unorthodox solutions to military problems, so much so that Wedge Antilles founds Wraith Squadron specifically to encourage such outside-of-the-box thinking. He succeeds beyond his wildest expectations, resulting in stunts like converting a shuttle's smuggling compartment into a makeshift boarding pod to capture an enemy warship, breaking into an enemy base by starting a BarBrawl and disguising themselves as the shore patrol detail taking the losers home, and disguising themselves as stereotypical tourists as part of a plot to infect an enemy crew with a highly unpleasant but ultimately non-lethal disease. |
| 106 | -->'''Wedge:''' ''(After describing how they're currently defenseless and an enemy warship is inbound)'' Anybody have any ideas?\ |
| 107 | '''Face:''' Leader, this is Eight. I say we leave Seven's X-Wing up in orbit for them to find, and when they pull it in, we board and seize them.\ |
| 108 | '''Wedge:''' Thanks much, Eight. Anybody else?\ |
| 109 | '''Face:''' Sir, I'm serious. I've been thinking about this.\ |
| 110 | ''(The plan is described in detail, and then the team somehow manages to turn this into the smuggling compartment/boarding pod plan and pulls it off)'' |
| 111 | * If the twins aren't the main focus of a ''Literature/SweetValleyHigh'' book, one of these of Jessica Wakefield is frequently the B-plot. Despite the fact that they always blow up in her face, she will continue trying to pull one off. And sadly, several of them have been genuine attempts at improving herself (cooking lessons, music lessons), making it rather unfair that they go as badly as the other ones. |
| 112 | * Several of the chapters in ''Literature/WinnieThePooh'' revolve around these, most notably Rabbit's plans to kidnap Roo and "unbounce" Tigger and Pooh's plans to steal honey and catch a "Heffalump". |
| 113 | [[/folder]] |
| 114 | |
| 115 | [[folder:Live-Action TV]] |
| 116 | * ''Series/{{Alias}}'' uses one of these most every episode. |
| 117 | * Maeby from ''Series/ArrestedDevelopment'' comes up with a few of these to "rebel" against her parents. |
| 118 | -->'''Maeby''': ...I'll walk up to my mom and say "I met this really cute guy" and she'll walk by and see us totally making out!\ |
| 119 | '''George Michael''': ...[[KissingCousins but we're cousins]].\ |
| 120 | '''Maeby''': That's what makes it funny! |
| 121 | * An episode of ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'' has Sheldon coming up with a fake cousin, including creating a blog and Facebook page and hiring an actor to play him, to [[FawltyTowersPlot cover a small lie]] Leonard told Penny. |
| 122 | ** Elaborating, Leonard told Penny he couldn't go to a performance of hers because he had a work-related seminar to be at, which Penny accepted as a valid reason. Sheldon noted afterwards that this lie could easily be found out by the simple method of tracking down the event in question and discovering that neither Leonard nor Sheldon were scheduled to attend. Never mind that Penny would not investigate this lie so thoroughly, even if she could. In response, Sheldon told Penny that they weren't going to a seminar, they were in fact going to a drug intervention for Sheldon's fake cousin, with blog and Facebook page detailing a descent into addiction and despair. |
| 123 | * Subverted in ''Series/{{Blackadder}}'': |
| 124 | -->'''Blackadder:''' Am I jumping the gun, Baldrick, or are the words "I have a cunning plan" marching with ill-deserved confidence in the direction of this conversation?\ |
| 125 | '''Baldrick:''' They certainly are sir!\ |
| 126 | '''Blackadder:''' Well, forgive me if I don't do a cartwheel of joy; your record in this department is hardly 100%. So what is it?\ |
| 127 | '''Baldrick:''' We do nothing.\ |
| 128 | '''Blackadder:''' Yup, it's another world-beater. |
| 129 | ** By and large, Baldrick's "cunning plans" are too stupid to even count as zany, especially since Blackadder usually dismisses them out of hand. The scheme detailed above is that they don't do anything until their heads are cut off, then like chickens when their heads are cut off they run away. The most notable exceptions are his plan to Edmund out of marrying the Spanish Infanta by [[MistakenForGay pretending to be gay]] in ''The Black Adder'', and the SwappedRoles scheme in ''Blackadder The Third''. |
| 130 | * Cory and Shawn on ''Series/BoyMeetsWorld'' were fond of coming up with these, though this diminished in the later seasons as the characters grew up and the show [[CerebusSyndrome got more serious]]. |
| 131 | * Zany Schemes pop up all over the place on ''Series/{{Chuck}}''. Pretty much ''everything'' Lester does to boost sales or just plain slack off qualifies. Even the much more serious Sarah and Casey are NotSoAboveItAll. |
| 132 | ** Chuck's plans on spy missions are often...unorthodox to say the least. |
| 133 | --->'''Sarah:''' [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments Chuck, are you about to disarm a nuclear bomb with a box of fruit juice?]] |
| 134 | * In the Brazilian TV series, ''Series/CityOfMen'', our protagonists use schemes for everything from getting our main character's sister and a gang leader together using notes and candy to avoiding the wrath of gang members by making a map of the favela. These plans often backfire. |
| 135 | * In ''Series/{{Community}}'' this happens quite frequently. It's the reason why a plan to get chicken fingers expanded into a racketeering empire. |
| 136 | -->'''Jeff:''' If we say we disapprove, we'll just drive her further into his hemp-braceleted arms. We need to be smart, we need to hatch a scheme. |
| 137 | * Incredibly common on ''Series/DesperateHousewives'', from all four leads. |
| 138 | * Basically every show on the (current incarnation of the) Disney Channel. These frequently involve elaborate disguises and poor stealth skills. Although they rarely work, [[AesopAmnesia the characters try them in every show anyway]]. It's worth noting that the writers are beginning to {{lampshade}} it too. On ''Series/HannahMontana'' Lilly once bemoaned a zany scheme a good five seconds before Miley dreamed it up, prompting Miley to ask her if she'd become that predictable. Lilly (and probably the bulk of the home viewing audience) both responded "Yes." |
| 139 | * Subverted in the ''Series/DoctorWho'' episode "The Impossible Astronaut", The Doctor winds up in the Oval Office, where he agrees (at gunpoint, which happened a lot in that episode) to help Richard Nixon find someone, he then proceeds to say (with dramatic music) "I'm going to need a SWAT team ready to mobilize, street-level maps covering all of Florida, a pot of coffee, 12 jammy dodgers, and a fez." All he really needed (and got) were the maps. |
| 140 | * Frequently played with on ''Series/TheDrewCareyShow'', where Lewis and Oswald eventually lost any chance of convincing Drew to go along with their plans ("Okay, we'll call that plan, 'The Idiot Plan,'" "If by any chance my plan fails, ''don't do your plan''"). |
| 141 | * Louis Stevens breathed this trope on ''Series/EvenStevens''. A few of them involved trying to buy hot sneakers from a shady salesman, making the neighbor kid look like a genius so he could meet his favorite news anchor and rent out his house as a bed and breakfast while his parents were away in order to afford to go skiing for a weekend his best friend Alan Twitty was almost certainly expected to be involved. |
| 142 | * This trope combined with IndyPloy is pretty much standard operating procedure for Crichton on ''Series/{{Farscape}}''. |
| 143 | * It comes up a great deal in ''Series/{{Grimm}}'' when trying to cover up the Wesen aspect of a crime, bringing to justice a Wesen whose crime cannot be adjudged by 'secular' law, or shielding a Wesen who may be technically guilty, but is not morally culpable. |
| 144 | * The plot of many episodes of ''Series/HappyEndings''. Lampshaded in "The Ex Factor" when Penny meets Pete's friends, and is shocked when they are able to avoid such things. Notable is "Fowl Play Date" when Penny and Brad accidentally kill Alex's parrot and have to cover it up. |
| 145 | * ''Series/TheHoneymooners''. Ralph Kramden is practically the TropeNamer. |
| 146 | * ''Series/{{House}}'' did this in an episode, in which Rachel swallows a coin and House and Wilson device a crazy plot to make sure Rachel won't be harmed while preventing Cuddy from finding out. Ultrasounds, fake cancer children, fake radiation leaks, and several illegal procedures ensue. [[spoiler:The kid poops it out fine later, though by that point, House and Wilson had concluded that she'd never swallowed it.]] |
| 147 | * Occurs often in ''Series/HowIMetYourMother''; with the most insane and elaborate schemes coming from [[WackyGuy Barney]], who has a tendency to go way over the top with every one, as well as having an inability to back down from a challenge. In one episode, it's revealed he hired actors to play his fake wife and son for years so that his mother would be proud of him. |
| 148 | ** Barney has an entire playbook of such schemes which are just about getting women into bed. |
| 149 | * On ''Series/{{Hyperdrive}}'', [[spoiler:Teal]] constructs an intricate plan that falls somewhere between Zany Scheme and GambitRoulette involving chocolate, knockout gas, and the purchase of a planet, [[spoiler:just so she can get a date with Commander Henderson]]. |
| 150 | * ''Series/ICarly'': Not [[Series/Zoey101 relied]] on as much as [[Series/HannahMontana other]] [[Series/DrakeAndJosh shows]] in its [[{{Sitcom}} genre]]. One however, was [[{{Jerkass}} Sam]] and [[ButtMonkey Freddie]] rescheduling Carly's interview with a private school headmistress to her apartment, setting up a mini-golf course inside Spencer's apartment, inviting 2 dozen kids over, and getting the kids to think she had a prize hidden on her, done to sabotage Carly's chances of being admitted to the school so Carly wouldn't leave them. |
| 151 | ** The episode "iHave My Principals". After having Principal Franklin guest on iCarly which resulted in him being fired, two of the [[SadistTeacher meanest teachers]] take his place. After the new co-principals create a reign of terror at the school, the iCarly gang connives with all the students. They hatch a plan to have an all-out schoolwide rebellion in order to prove to the school superintendent that their previous principal is much better than the new ones. |
| 152 | ** Subverted in "iScream on Halloween" where Carly explains a complicated scheme to gain access to the locked door of Apartment 13-B, but Sam just picked the lock. |
| 153 | *** Not too complicated, from what she said it sounded like the old "distract them long enough to get the necessity" scheme. |
| 154 | ** {{Defied|Trope}} in "iWant My Website Back". Mandy comes up with a plan to get iCarly.com back from Nevel. As soon as she mentions it involving three zebras, Sam shuts her up. |
| 155 | * The standard for this type of plot is ''Series/ILoveLucy''. In one episode, Ricky is able to recognize and subvert the Zany Scheme in its infancy by asking Lucy directly, "What's up?" |
| 156 | * [[OnceAnEpisode Twice an episode]] in ''Series/KenanAndKel''--once during the main body of the show, and again in the closing with a short list of NoodleImplements. |
| 157 | * ''Series/LastOfTheSummerWine'': Pretty much every episode. |
| 158 | * ''Series/LazyTown'': Robbie comes up with one nearly every episode. |
| 159 | * Lois and Hal from ''Series/MalcolmInTheMiddle'' actually have a standard protocol for when Hal ends up doing something complicated and stupid. The rules, established when Hal and Craig enter a competition involving a game that is ''so very clearly not VideoGame/DanceDanceRevolution'' and rapidly become obsessed, include freezing the joint bank account and the provisions that Hal still has to go to work and can not, under any circumstances, involve their sons. |
| 160 | ** The boys rely on these pretty often to try to get out of whatever trouble they've caused, with the plans usually being formulated by Malcolm. |
| 161 | * Averted notably in an episode of ''Series/TheMaryTylerMooreShow'', where she has some guests over for drinks, only to discover that they were expecting dinner. Rather than hatch a Zany Scheme to prepare dinner on the sly while they waited, Mary actually ''explains that there's been a misunderstanding''. For a regular sitcom viewer this plotline can come as a shock! |
| 162 | * ''Series/{{MASH}}'' has a ton of them. A few examples: |
| 163 | ** A soldier wants a nose job. The team of doctors sets up an elaborate scheme to get him the operation without anyone getting in trouble rather than just pretending he broke his nose. |
| 164 | ** A nurse's husband is visiting, but she's in trouble, so they create an elaborate scheme that creates more potential for being caught than doing something simpler and more straight-forward. |
| 165 | ** Hawkeye and Trapper take some blood from Frank while he's sleeping, to transfuse to a North Korean, who turns out to have hepatitis. They suspect Frank might have given it to him, so they cook up a Zany Scheme to get some of his urine to test, a Zany Scheme to keep him from having sex with Hot Lips, and one to keep him away from patients. All this when they could have pretended to notice some symptoms in him (Frank is known to be a bit hypochondriac, so he probably would have believed it), so he'd voluntarily submit to testing and take a break from sex and patients until the results came back. Instead they had to admit the reason for their odd behavior to keep him out of surgery. |
| 166 | ** Whenever Frank is in charge, you can bet Hawkeye is cooking up some kind of scheme. |
| 167 | * ''Series/MyFamily'' occasionally indulged in this when just relying on Ben being sarcastic was wearing thin, usually involving Nick as either the schemer or the guy whose antics the scheme is supposed to paper over. One Christmas episode had him fill the entire house with Christmas trees on December 21, planning to sell them the next year. Another episode has Nick get behind on his pricing work at a local supermarket and bring dozens of cans of tuna home with him, leading to Ben trying to reverse shoplift them back to the supermarket in a ConspicuousTrenchcoat and getting caught. |
| 168 | * In ''Series/TheOfficeUS'' episode "Frame Toby", Dwight has a talking head moment at the end of the episode where he describes his perfect crime. His description of the crime however, qualifies it as this: |
| 169 | -->'''Dwight:''' I break into Tiffany's at midnight. Do I go for the vault? No. I go for the chandelier. It's priceless. As I'm taking it down, a woman catches me. She tells me to stop. It's her father's business. She's Tiffany. I say "no". We make love all night. In the morning the cops come and I escape in one of their uniforms. I tell her to meet me in Mexico but I go to Canada. I don't trust her. Besides, I like the cold. Thirty years later I get a postcard. I have a son, and he's the chief of police. (in an aside: ''This'' is where the story gets interesting.) I tell Tiffany to meet me in Paris by the Trocadero. She's been waiting for me all these years. She's never taken another lover. [[BaitAndSwitch I don't care. I don't show up. I go to Berlin.]] ''That's'' where I stashed the chandelier. |
| 170 | * Happens a lot in ''Series/OnlyFoolsAndHorses''. Likely most episodes in fact, although some, like the 'Peckham Spring' episode pretty much come to mind here. |
| 171 | * ''Radio/OurMissBrooks'': There must be a course in zany schemes over at Madison High School. Everybody has had one in the works, one time or another. These are just a few examples. Remember, all [[ItMakesSenseInContext make sense in context]]. |
| 172 | ** In "Two Way Stretch Snodgrass", Miss Brooks hatches a scheme to waylay Strech's transfer by having Mr. Conklin and her masquerade as the [[DumbJock dim athlete's]] equally dim parents. |
| 173 | ** One of Walter Denton's schemes is a monstrous April Fool's Day joke, in "Wild Goose". He imitates a radio quizmaster, tricking Mr. Conklin into thinking he's won a TV from Sherry's Department Store. Cue Miss Brooks chasing down the stream of notes Walter left, in vain pursuit of the elusive television set. |
| 174 | ** Mr. Conklin, pompous though he may be, isn't above the general zaniness either. In "The Big Jump", he plans to jump off the roof (onto a firemen's parachute) as part of a civil defense drill. He chickens out, and volunteers Miss Brooks to act as his stunt double. |
| 175 | ** Mrs. Conklin gets into the act in "Non-Fraternization Policy". She's working to derail Mr. Conklin's newly imposed Islamic-style separation of the sexes at Madison. |
| 176 | ** Even Mr. Boynton take part. "Clay City English Teacher" sees him try to imitate Sam Spade in an effort to lure Miss Brooks away from the eponymous teacher. |
| 177 | ** Goody-two-shoes Harriet Conklin has a zany scheme now and again. In "New Girl", she tricks the titular girl's mother into believing Mr. Boynton is a serial killer. |
| 178 | ** To Mrs. Davis, zany schemes are old hat. Perhaps her SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome, at least as far as zany schemes go, occurs in the [[TheMovie cinematic]] [[GrandFinale series finale]]. Mrs. Davis brings about Miss Brooks' HappilyEverAfter through some clever manipulation of Mr. Boynton and his mother. |
| 179 | * Very prominent on ''Series/PerfectStrangers''. |
| 180 | ** {{Lampshaded}} at one point when Balki mentions that whenever Larry tries to impress his boss, lie to his girlfriend (usually claiming to match the talents of some guy he perceives as a rival), or says, "I have a plan!", Balki puts a dollar into a cookie jar. Apparently, he'd been able to buy a small mansion with his savings. |
| 181 | *** They lampshade this frequently in later seasons: |
| 182 | -->'''Larry:''' Don't worry everyone, I have...\ |
| 183 | '''Everyone:''' DEAR GOD.\ |
| 184 | '''Larry:''' ...a plan!!! |
| 185 | * The foundation for almost everything in ''Series/RaisingHope'', ranging from Virginia pawning her engagement ring, then buying it back, pawning it back to get back the items she used to buy it back in the first place, then re-pawning it again...; to Burt faking his own kidnapping to get a break from the family, which itself was secretly masterminded by Maw Maw; to the family plotting a complicated "heist" in order to break Maw Maw out of a nursing home; to Burt and Virginia stealing Jimmy and Sabrina's coffee, wallets and remote controls, and (slightly accidentally) bursting a water main in their house and finally, inviting Sabrina's ex-boyfriend Wyatt over for dinner - ''and move in'' - in order to create some sexy chaos a and tension when they believe Sabrina and Jimmy's intimate life is on the rocks. |
| 186 | ** Lampshaded in the fourth season episode "Extreme Howdy's Makeover" where Sabrina pulls a Zany Scheme of her own. When exposed, Virginia observes: |
| 187 | --->'''Virginia:''' You believed in your husband ''so much'' that you lied to the people you love and manipulated everyone around you in the most convoluted way possible.\ |
| 188 | '''Burt:''' That's just what you would have done.\ |
| 189 | '''Virginia:''' ''(tears of joy)'' I know! |
| 190 | ** Also lampshaded by Maw Maw in the fourth season episode "Dysfunction Function": |
| 191 | --->'''Maw Maw:''' ''(wearing a pirate costume)'' Are you doing one of your crazy plans where you dress up in costumes... and leave me out of it?\ |
| 192 | '''Virginia:''' No, Maw Maw, but if it turns into one of those, we'll let you know. |
| 193 | * {{Subverted|Trope}} in the ''Series/RedDwarf'' episode "Rimmerworld": |
| 194 | -->'''Lister''': There's got to be a way out. There hasn't been a prison built that could hold Derek Custer. Why don't we scrape away this mortar here, slide one of these bricks out, then using a rope weaved from strands of this hessian, rip up a kind of a pulley system so that when a guard comes in, using it as a trip wire, gets laid out, and we put Rimmer in the guard's uniform, he leads us out, we steal some swords, and fight our way back to the 'Bug!\ |
| 195 | '''Kryten''': Or we could use the teleporter. |
| 196 | * Common on ''Series/SavedByTheBell''. |
| 197 | * ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}'': Kramer and Newman are prone to these, alone or working as a team. |
| 198 | ** One good example is when Kramer and Newman get the idea to take their money-back bottles to another state because they're worth more money there. |
| 199 | * ''Series/StargateAtlantis'' did this one episode. When the Asurans held the city, [=McKay=] had the team plant C4 explosives in the shield generators, supposedly so that when the shield activated it would essentially take itself down. However, he blabbed the whole plan to Woolsey, who can't resist the Asuran mind probe. [[spoiler:Here's the good part. That was actually part of the plan. The real plan was to have the Asurans find the C4, and thus overlook the crystals that turned the entire shield into a giant anti-replicator wave of doom that saved them all. I call this one Zany Scheme and BatmanGambit in one.]] |
| 200 | * A staple on ''Series/ThreesCompany'' and a major plot point in the entire series, including the fact that Jack must pretend to be gay so he can live in the same apartment with two attractive girls. |
| 201 | * ''Series/TopGear'': It's never just "How easy to drive is this this Ford Fiesta?" it's "Could this Fiesta evade bad guys while driving through a shopping centre? Could it do a beach assault with the Royal Marines?" The really zany schemes are just for their own sake, such as "Buy a cheap car and turn it into a boat", inevitably preceded by the words "[[CharacterCatchphrase How hard]] [[WhatCouldPossiblyGoWrong can it be?]]" |
| 202 | * In ''Series/WhatCouldPossiblyGoWrong'', the guys don't really want to get up to get a beer from the fridge. So they simply make a hole in the fridge, connect tubes and use vacuum systems to suck the cans from the fridge directly to the couch in the living room. |
| 203 | * ''Series/WhiteCollar'' has this in the second season episode "Need to Know": When Neal Caffrey requires $10,000 in cash on short notice, his associate Mozzie accesses one of Neal's secret caches through a pre-arranged zany scheme that involves various NoodleImplements which Mozzie acquires from FBI Peter Burke, refusing to explain their purpose until each is deployed. |
| 204 | [[/folder]] |
| 205 | |
| 206 | [[folder:Newspaper Comics]] |
| 207 | * Before WesternAnimation/{{Popeye}} was introduced, most of the stories in Thimble Theater were about Castor Oyl's schemes to get rich quick. Popeye was added to the cast when Castor needed someone to help him sail to a casino near Africa. |
| 208 | [[/folder]] |
| 209 | |
| 210 | [[folder:Opera]] |
| 211 | * ''Theatre/TheMarriageOfFigaro'' teems with zany schemes. To stop the Count getting his aristocratic hands on Susanna, for instance, she and her fiance Figaro decide to outwit him by arranging an assignation between her and the Count but sending the page Cherubino dressed as a girl in her place. When the plan is rumbled they hit upon a new one: this time neglected Countess will disguise herself as Susanna and meet her own husband in the garden. Hilarity ensues, to the accompaniment of some of the most meltingly beautiful music ever written. |
| 212 | ** The aria that Tim Robbins plays over the prison loudspeakers in ''Film/TheShawshankRedemption'' comes from the ''Marriage of Figaro''. It is Susanna and the Countess composing a fake love letter to the Count. This gives Red's line, 'I don't know what those two Italian ladies were singing about, and I don't want to know,' a certain irony. They sound so angelic that it's probably lucky he didn't learn what they were really up to. |
| 213 | [[/folder]] |
| 214 | |
| 215 | [[folder:Puppet Shows]] |
| 216 | * ''Series/KingdomAdventure'': Eventually, [[TheDragon Pitts']] attempts to get Keena's watering can degenerate into this—for starters, he thinks the watering can is magical, but it's ''not''. His bumbling guards further complicate matters. |
| 217 | * ''Series/TheMrPotatoHeadShow'': In one episode, Mr. Potato Head thinks that his rival is trying to hire away his star singer, so he sets out to give her the variety-show episode she wants, and everything else she wants, too...without letting her know why. She ends up thinking he's fallen in love with her. HilarityEnsues. |
| 218 | ** Most of the characters' plans are relatively simple, but insanity always follows, regardless. |
| 219 | * ''Series/TheMuppetShow'': They wouldn't be the Muppets if they were straightforward planners. Miss Piggy, as the most ambitious, tends to be the most likely to come up with an absurd idea to get what she wants, such as faking massive popularity in order to get Kermit to give her a raise or tricking him into taking part in a "wedding sketch" that will be an actual wedding... from which he extricates himself by summoning Lew Zealand to perform his boomerang fish act and fleeing in the confusion. |
| 220 | [[/folder]] |
| 221 | |
| 222 | [[folder:Radio]] |
| 223 | * Henry Aldrich of ''Radio/TheAldrichFamily'' regularly tries these when he gets into a sticky situation, invariably making things worse. For example, when his parents order him to return the West Indian straw hat he has purchased as they think it looks silly, the shop assistant points out that since he has had it monogrammed, they cannot take it back, so Henry and his friend Homer Brown try combing the phone book to find someone with the initials H.A. who wears a size 6 1/2 hat and is willing to buy a straw hat for the $3 in store credit Henry's mother thinks he received. They try to narrow the list of possible buyers by calling the newspaper, only to lead the reporter to think Henry has been robbed (or otherwise done wrong by) someone with a straw hat with the initials H.A. - which causes problems for Henry's father when he secretly decides to keep the hat for himself and goes to have it enlarged... |
| 224 | * Oh so very often on ''Radio/TheGoonShow'', which - thanks to being written by Creator/SpikeMilligan - was able to make ''perfect sense'' ([[ItMakesSenseInContext within the context of the show, anyway]]) of a plan to drain a Scottish loch by making Ned Seagoon believe it granted immortality. |
| 225 | -->'''Grytpype-Thynne:''' You could be the first man to break the world land speed record in a Wurlitzer[[note]]pipe organ[[/note]].\ |
| 226 | '''Seagoon:''' I've never heard such a ridiculous idea.\ |
| 227 | '''Grytpype-Thynne:''' Neither have I, but there it is. |
| 228 | * Almost every episode of ''Radio/TheNavyLark'' involved either; a Get Rich Quick scheme by [[CMOTDibbler CPO Pertwee]], an attempt by [[StupidBoss Commodore Povey]] to drum the crew out of the navy, [[ChivalrousPervert Sub-Lieutenant Phillips]] trying to woo [[SassySecretary WRN. Chasen]], [[OnlySaneMan Cmdr. Murray]] trying to save his career from the lot of them, or [[GambitPileup all at once]]. |
| 229 | * ''Radio/OurMissBrooks'': There must be a course in zany schemes over at Madison High School. Everybody has had one in the works, one time or another. These are just a few examples. [[ItMakesSenseInContext They all make sense in context.]] |
| 230 | ** In "Two Way Stretch Snodgrass," Miss Brooks hatches a scheme to waylay Strech's transfer by having Mr. Conklin and her masquerade as the [[DumbJock dim athlete's]] equally dim parents. |
| 231 | ** One of Walter Denton's schemes is a monstrous April Fool's Day joke, in "Wild Goose." He imitates a radio quizmaster, tricking Mr. Conklin into thinking he's won a TV from Sherry's Department Store. Cue Miss Brooks chasing down the stream of notes Walter left, in vain pursuit of the elusive television set. |
| 232 | ** Mr. Conklin, pompous though he may be, isn't above the general zaniness either. In "The Big Jump," he plans to jump off the roof (onto a firemen's parachute) as part of a civil defense drill. He chickens out, and volunteers Miss Brooks to act as his stunt double. |
| 233 | ** Mrs. Conklin gets into the act in "Non-Fraternization Policy." She's working to derail Mr. Conklin's newly imposed Islamic-style separation of the sexes at Madison. |
| 234 | ** Even Mr. Boynton take part. "Clay City English Teacher" sees him try to imitate Sam Spade in an effort to lure Miss Brooks away from the eponymous teacher. |
| 235 | ** Goody-two-shoes Harriet Conklin has a zany scheme now and again. In "New Girl", she tricks the titular girl's mother into believing Mr. Boynton is a serial killer. |
| 236 | ** To Mrs. Davis, zany schemes are old hat. Perhaps her SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome, at least as far as zany schemes go, occurs in the [[TheMovie cinematic]] [[GrandFinale series finale]]. Mrs. Davis brings about Miss Brooks' HappilyEverAfter through some clever manipulation of Mr. Boynton and his mother. |
| 237 | [[/folder]] |
| 238 | |
| 239 | [[folder:Tabletop Games]] |
| 240 | * Within the tabletop gaming fandom, these are typically referred to as "PC plans" or "PlayerCharacter plans" - those that don't boil down to "murder anything that makes my paladin's DetectEvil go off bing", anyway (and even some of those qualify, if the plan to pull off the murdering is weird enough). The patron saint of these plans, [[Blog/ThingsMrWelchIsNoLongerAllowedToDoInAnRPG Mr Welch]], for example, records in his famous list that he's been banned from attempting to use 20,000 pigeons as flying piranha, using armadillos as substitute cannonballs, bribing dragons with tummy rubs, fielding octogenarians in frontline combat, appointing a sabre-tooth tiger as his second in a duel, and ever making any plan that hinges on the medicinal value of dire wombats. |
| 241 | [[/folder]] |
| 242 | |
| 243 | [[folder:Theatre]] |
| 244 | * In ''Theatre/{{Thirteen}}'', Evan comes up with a few of these to get his friends into an R-Rated movie. |
| 245 | -->'''Evan''': And all I have to do is... |
| 246 | * The ''CommediaDellArte'' is the TropeNamer, since the lower-class characters, or "Zanni", typically came up with schemes of this kind. |
| 247 | * [[OlderThanSteam Dates back]] at least to Creator/{{Shakespeare}}. Consider ''Theatre/MuchAdoAboutNothing''. In fact, it's hard to find a Shakespeare play that ''doesn't'' contain at least one. Even the tragedies are usually caused by Zany Schemes GoneHorriblyWrong (or [[ManipulativeBastard ingeniously pulled off by the villain]]). |
| 248 | ** Before Shakespeare, there was Creator/{{Plautus}}, and even ''he'' took inspiration from older sources. |
| 249 | [[/folder]] |
| 250 | |
| 251 | [[folder:Video Games]] |
| 252 | * Given the NoodleImplements the player often had to work with during the heyday of AdventureGames, the solutions to many puzzles often became a Zany Scheme. ''Especially'' the more comically-minded series like ''VideoGame/MonkeyIsland'', ''VideoGame/KingsQuest'' or ''VideoGame/QuestForGlory''. |
| 253 | * In ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'', the [[LizardFolk Argonian]] race has something of a cultural knack for coming up with these. It is likely linked to their BlueAndOrangeMorality (what is "zany" to a human may not be to a tree-worshiping lizard) and their [[LanguageEqualsThought unusual thought processes]] (their native language, Jel, has no past or future tense verbs, leading Argonians to think and live "in the now"). |
| 254 | * {{Subverted|Trope}} in ''VideoGame/Persona3'': During one of the early Full Moon missions, the team is making preparations to break into the school when Junpei comments that he has everything "set to go". Because Junpei is [[IdiotHero just the sort of person who would try it]], everyone else assumes from the wording that he's rigged up some sort of bomb. His real plan is actually much simpler: |
| 255 | -->'''Yukari:''' An explosive? For real?!\ |
| 256 | '''Junpei:''' Nah, all I did was unlock a door... |
| 257 | * ''VideoGame/RideToHellRetribution'': In order to get through an electrified fence, the game railroads you to... steal a tanker truck from a bunch of people, drive so far to the Hoover Dam, murder anyone that gets in your way (either on foot or smashing through them with the tanker you stole), pick up an assault rifle, cross the river solely to shoot that tanker up to the point it blows up and damages the dam, which will shut down the electrified fence; the next scene shows you climbing it up now that it's no longer electrified. That's an elaborately zany process to replace simpler solutions like, 'find a switch to turn off the fence'. |
| 258 | [[/folder]] |
| 259 | |
| 260 | [[folder:Webcomics]] |
| 261 | * ''Webcomic/AkiAlliance'' lampshades it when Aki's friend asks her if it's a "[[http://www.ryanestrada.com/2006/01/31/comics/aki-alliance/aki-alliance-chapter-2-kendra-woodward-page-15/ real plan or a sitcom plan]]". |
| 262 | * ''Webcomic/EerieCuties'': This is Cessily's schtick, in her attempts to gain popularity [[AllGhoulsSchool at Charybdis.]] As noted by the cast page: [[http://www.eeriecuties.com/cast/ "she's got a bajillion of 'em, all of them terrible".]] While Laura is noted as being "her hapless sidekick". They aren't kidding. Some of the plans they come up with are just [[http://www.eeriecuties.com/strips-ec/my_next_plan plain]] [[http://www.eeriecuties.com/strips-ec/football_field weird]]. |
| 263 | * [[TheChessmaster King Urtica]] of ''Webcomic/{{Exiern}}'' is not above doing [[http://exiern.com/comic/being-silly/ convoluted schemes with a chance of failure]]. |
| 264 | -->'''[[RebelliousPrincess Princess Peonie]]''': You made [[GenderBender Tiffany]] my guardian so I can make her into a girl?\ |
| 265 | '''[[MagnificentBastard King Urtica]]''': You think I asked a [[WildCard barbarian of questionable loyalty and uncontrolled temper]] to guard you for your safety?\ |
| 266 | '''[[PraetorianGuard Neils]]''': Oh that's a relief. We thought you had gone a bit loopy. ''(to Peonie)'' No offense little one but I rather have him endanger your life for an evil scheme than just because he's being dumb. |
| 267 | * Sam Starfall from ''Webcomic/{{Freefall}}'' absolutely ''loves'' these, though he has been known to take the more direct route on occasion. |
| 268 | ** In [[http://freefall.purrsia.com/ff1700/fc01691.htm this comic]], Sam plans to get past the guard shack using "a coffee pot, half a ream of paper, and three fully automatic hot glue guns". When he finds there are no guards in the guard shack and the gate is open, he just runs past noting "those poor guards missed out on a beautiful, complex and unnecessarily dangerous escape plan." |
| 269 | * ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'': |
| 270 | ** Susan describes Justin's plan for dealing with a problem as a [[http://egscomics.com/?date=2011-02-04 wacky hijinks solution.]] He doesn't end up going through with it. |
| 271 | ** Catalina has a habit of making zany plans. For example, her plan to convince everyone that Elliot isn't gay involves [[http://www.egscomics.com/index.php?id=1741 tackle-kissing him in the hallway,]] and [[http://www.egscomics.com/index.php?id=1742 pretending that they're on again off again lovers.]] This only succeeds because, throughout all of this silliness, Elliot manages to come across as the [[http://www.egscomics.com/index.php?id=1745 kind of guy who would openly admit if he was gay]]. No one actually believes Catalina, as everyone seems to know that she's gay, and has a girlfriend. Thankfully [[http://www.egscomics.com/index.php?id=1746 Elliot talks her out of making an "ultimate apology plan."]] |
| 272 | * The [[http://www.insecticons.com/insecticomics/v2/144.html Zany Scheme]] arc of ''Webcomic/{{Insecticomics}}'' features Thrust trying to come up with...well, see trope name. Dreadmoon isn't impressed. |
| 273 | * Most of the cast of ''Webcomic/MenageA3'' are nothing like as clever as they think they are, so this is one of the comic's regular plot devices. Some examples by character: |
| 274 | ** Zii likes to think of herself as a great manipulator, but most of the time, she just improvises her way out of difficulties, and sometimes she makes things worse rather than better. For example, she brings Yuki into band rehearsals to disrupt Sonya's attempts to seduce her, but that of course brings Yuki into the band -- which Zii had been ''specifically'' trying to avoid. |
| 275 | ** Sonya is, as she says herself, [[http://www.ma3comic.com/strips-ma3/is_he_single fulla great plansh...]] uh, full of bright ideas. Putting Peggy in a heavy wig and dark glasses to seduce Gary would just be one notable example. |
| 276 | ** For that matter -- Peggy's OperationJealousy scheme on behalf of Sonya may have been quite well-designed in itself, but it had to involve ''Sonya''. |
| 277 | ** Tatiana's experiment to determine whether or not Gary really was "the perfect sub" tipped over the edge into lunacy. It actually sort of worked on its own terms, though, despite her failure to cover some details. |
| 278 | * In ''Webcomic/NoRestForTheWicked'', Perrault is proposing a scheme to get Red and November inside the locked gate: he tracks down the owner, convinces him that robbers are about to attack, persuades him that his only safety is leaving open the gates so the robbers will plunder the place and let him escape -- whereupon Red [[CuttingTheKnot chops through the gate]]. |
| 279 | * Both parodied and subverted in ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'', where Elan initially had an unknown scheme to get Thog and himself back to their respective teams. It is known that this involved [[NoodleImplements Thog dressing like a leprechaun, and filling a wooden alpaca with potato salad]], but they ended up getting a ride from someone else. |
| 280 | ** His EvilTwin brother Nale is little better, and devised a Zany Scheme to kill Elan that involved, among other things, Thog on rocket skates (with only an 84% chance of having [[AnvilOnHead an anvil land on him]]). |
| 281 | * In ''Webcomic/PvP'', these are referred to as "Wacky Adventures". At one point Cole, who's upset that he always gets cast as the disapproving conventional one, insists on taking part in one - when Francis comes up with a sensible and risk-free plan to get the information they need, Cole then insists that they instead concoct an unnecessarily zany scheme to achieve the same goal. |
| 282 | * ''Webcomic/SluggyFreelance'' details Zany Scheme "Operation Hidden Herald" [[http://sluggy.com/comics/archives/daily/20010930 here]]. It includes sub-schemes like "Operation Run-Around-Willy-Nilly" and "Operation Look-I'm-Tom-Cruise." |
| 283 | -->'''Riff:''' How are we going to get the keycard from Gwynn?\ |
| 284 | '''Torg:''' I'll seduce her (...) I know I don't have much of a chance of seducing Gwynn, but if I pulled it off, wouldn't I be cool?\ |
| 285 | '''Sasha:''' You want this whole operation to hinge on acting cool?\ |
| 286 | '''Riff:''' ''I want to try! I want to try!'' |
| 287 | * Aubrey from ''Webcomic/SomethingPositive'' comes up with these on a regular basis. Her friends have a standing rule stating that "the person who accidentally inspires one of Aubrey's schemes is the one who has to help her until it either blows up in her face, or she loses interest. |
| 288 | * ''Webcomic/StandStillStaySilent'' is basically kicked off by a convoluted one of these disguised as a GetRichQuickScheme -- with added LightmareFuel. First, get some seed money together, somehow (read: "charm governmental bureaucracy to fund you rather less than you'd hoped by lying about the extent of your mission goals"). Second, provision and equip some [[WeAreTeamCannonFodder more qualified]], [[BunnyEarsLawyer bold]] [[RagtagBunchOfMisfits adventurers]] (poorly) to go out into the [[PostApocalyptic Silent]] [[DeathWorld World]] to [[AdventurerArchaeologist appropriate treasured artefacts]] and, maybe, information. [[TemptingFate With luck, they'll bring their own food and gear to help defray costs]]. Three, have them survive over winter collecting loot... somehow. Four, [[PointOfNoReturn get them back]] just before spring and things [[ForbiddenZone out there]] [[OurMonstersAreDifferent really get dangeous]]... somehow. Five, sell books and/or other treasures you "forget" to properly disclose for big money under the table... somehow. Six, profit... while ''somehow'' avoiding fraud, theft, reckless endangerment or manslaughter charges. [[MissingStepsPlan Spot the holes]]? This isn't going to go quite according to plan, is it? |
| 289 | * ''Webcomic/TerrorIsland'': Sid and Stephen's scheme to get the other to buy groceries gets increasingly zany and more complex as time goes on. |
| 290 | * Basically the entire, continuously evolving plotline of ''Webcomic/TriangleAndRobert'' is an infernal machine powered entirely by Schemes both Zany AND Wacky. Plus the occasional Beam of Pure Chocolate. |
| 291 | [[/folder]] |
| 292 | |
| 293 | [[folder:Web Original]] |
| 294 | * In ''Fanfic/FarceOfTheThreeKingdoms'', when Zhuge Liang's isn't using KillItWithFire, he's using one of these. They include building a replica of Stonehenge and hotboxing it, and performing an exorcism with tortellini. They always seem to work somehow, possibly because he's (in-universe) the CreatorsPet. |
| 295 | * WebVideo/MrBallen has a RunningGag where he exaggerates the typical [=YouTuber=] directive to "hit" or "smash" the Like button into scenarios that depict the action of clicking as comically abusive, as if the button were a real person. These range from simple pranks all the way up to murder, and some are multi-step plots that would require extensive planning and/or correct timing to pull off. |
| 296 | * WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic is always busy coming up with these for the Website/ChannelAwesome staff- such as invading the micro-nation of [[WebVideo/{{Kickassia}} Molassia]] or [[WebVideo/SuburbanKnights searching for magical gauntlets in urban Chicago]]. The site members are now familiar and tired of his plots but they can't complain, or else they're fired. And they kinda enjoy it, even though they won't admit. |
| 297 | ** Also deconstructed with the Critic. With Kickassia at least, it's heavily implied that he wanted power because he's miserable with his usual life. |
| 298 | * The Trump Boys series from ''Website/TheOnion'' features Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump engaged in these, however their plans are always childishly simple and lack any common sense, such as interrogating a janitor using a serum of all the sodas mixed together or trying to cover up their dads crimes by printing out incriminating emails and shredding them. |
| 299 | * Any given episode of ''WebVideo/{{Roadkill}}'', or as it could have been named, "Zany Scheme: The Series". Here's an abbreviated list of some of their over-the-top hot-rodding stunts: |
| 300 | ** Buy a gutted 70’s Corvette with one of the weakest production V8 engines ever mounted in Florida, drive it to Kentucky to the Corvette Museum. Offer to place said Corvette in the giant sinkhole that had opened up there and swallowed several cars. The curators were not amused. |
| 301 | ** Tow one dragboat with no engine to a lake. Take V8 engine out of truck that towed it there, Install on dragboat. Go racing with said boat next day. Take engine out of boat and reinstall on truck. Why? Because they can. |
| 302 | ** Freiburger buys a car, while Finnegan decides what to do with it. Neither one knows what the other has chosen, resulting in having to drive to Vegas off-road in a 1980 Chevrolet Monte Carlo lowrider with adjustable suspension. Why? Because Roadkill. |
| 303 | ** Take the body off of a Monte Carlo and stick it on a NASCAR frame to make it "road legal". |
| 304 | ** Road trip to a convention just to perform an engine swap in the Crusher Camaro during the three-day convention, right on the show floor, for the sole purpose of demonstrating that the swap really was that trivial. Then roadtrip back using the new engine. |
| 305 | ** Get a stock 1969 Impala and stuff the old engine from the Crusher Camaro into it, without changing anything else on the car, just to entertain two Aussies who came to visit them. Then have them race in it. |
| 306 | * In ''WebVideo/UltraFastPony'', Rarity comes up with a convoluted scheme to ruin Fluttershy's modeling career. Said plan involves building a fence, ignoring a blue-bellied pelican, and dancing a polka. Also, Rarity got a bit distracted while she was coming up with the scheme, so instead of punishing Fluttershy, the plan culminates in punching Rainbow Dash. |
| 307 | * One [[Franchise/TouhouProject Walfas]] [[http://www.walfas.org/flash/nitori_flash.swf flash]] was about [[GadgeteerGenius Nitori]] intentionally creating a problem just so she could solve it and become a hero. The problem in question was the imminent collision of a ship and an iceberg (sound familiar?) which she attempts to solve by giving Shiki's hat and stick and one of [[CuteGhostGirl Youmu's]] swords to CatGirl Chen, then tossing her overboard so she could destroy the iceberg. She then realizes that Chen (a cat) [[OhCrap can't swim]]. [[spoiler:Luckily, it was AllJustADream.]] |
| 308 | * Generator's latest Zany Scheme in the ''Literature/WhateleyUniverse''? Using her powers to create shoulder angels to torment Phase, because Phase was peeking at Generator's roommate in the bathroom. It goes FromBadToWorse |
| 309 | ** [[spoiler: Eventually, the entire school was nearly wrecked.]] |
| 310 | ** Note that, previously, she was involved in an actual 'NoodleIncident', she animated a stuffed cabbit doll as part of an epic chase, she later rigged that cabbit with enough weaponry to rip a man's arm off, she's obsessed with ''Franchise/HelloKitty'', and she's a trap! Zany Schemes are her forte. (Oh, and don't forget what she had to go through to go to a lesbian hot-tub thing. Even if she's not a lesbian.) |
| 311 | ** Don't forget when she decided she needed to wear the school's 'pacifist' and 'ultra-violent' armbands, and just switch off on different days. |
| 312 | [[/folder]] |
| 313 | |
| 314 | [[folder:Western Animation]] |
| 315 | * ''WesternAnimation/CalvinAndTheColonel'' has this as the entire premise. |
| 316 | * ''WesternAnimation/CatDog'' has this often happen where it's often [[CatsAreMean Cat]] who often comes up with plans in order to make a quick buck or a type of item that interests him (like a new tv set in one episode), and often uses [[DogsAreDumb Dog]] as his means to get what he wants. Examples include making their own brand of candy, using Dog to power everyone's electricity in the city and forcing Dog to eat pecan pies despite being allergic to them to win a tv. |
| 317 | * ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales2017'': Weaponized and exploited by Flintheart Glomgold during the Lunar Invasion of Duckburg. The Lunarians' plans counter every defense Scrooge and the gang have to the point where [=McDuck=] and Co. have nothing to fight with, until Glomgold, in an Enemy Mine situation due to the events of the invasion, decides to take charge. His scheme is so ridiculously convoluted that the Lunarians are driven back and the invasion is thwarted because their leader has no idea how to counter Glomgold's seemingly assinine and inane actions. |
| 318 | * ''WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddy'' did this frequently, and occasionally [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] it. |
| 319 | * ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'': |
| 320 | ** In "[[Recap/FamilyGuyS3E7LethalWeapons Lethal Weapons]]", Peter claims that his plan to get rid of the New York tourists who come during the fall is so brilliant that his brain would explode just by thinking about it. However, the following scene shows him behaving as silly as usual. |
| 321 | ** In "[[Recap/FamilyGuyS2E2HolyCrap Holy Crap]]", Peter is trying to think of a way to get his visiting father, Francis, to express love for him. Francis is highly religious, and the Pope [[ContrivedCoincidence just so happens]] to be traveling in Rhode Island around the same time. When Peter sees the Pope on TV, he announces "I just got a crazy idea!" -- and promptly [[SubvertedTrope sticks his hand in a working waffle iron]]. Once the pain fades, he [[DoubleSubversion realizes he can kidnap the Pope and get him to help with Francis]]. |
| 322 | * ''WesternAnimation/FostersHomeForImaginaryFriends'': Bloo's bread and butter. Lampshaded by Mr. Herriman in ''Partying is Such Sweet Soiree'': |
| 323 | -->'''Mr. Herriman:''' I trust I can count on you to refrain from your usual numbskull plots and knuckle-headed shenanigans?\ |
| 324 | '''Bloo:''' [[InsistentTerminology Eh, they're really more like hare-brained schemes]].\ |
| 325 | '''Mr. Herriman:''' If they were hare-brained, they'd be clever. |
| 326 | * ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'': Commonly used for episodic conflict, occasionally [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] by any of the characters. |
| 327 | ** In "The Devil's Hands Are Idle Playthings," Robot Devil gives Bender an airhorn that he attaches to his face, which Bender plans on using [[JerkAss to become even more annoying than usual.]] This results in Leela getting deafened, resulting in her borrowing Calculon's ears to hear Fry's opera, resulting in the Robot Devil [[DynamicEntry interrupting the show halfway through]] and revealing his plan while [[SpontaneousChoreography managing to keep in time and with the melody of the music.]] |
| 328 | --->'''Robot Devil:''' Ah, my ridiculously circuitous plan is one quarter of the way complete! [[EvilLaugh Muahahahaha! Waaahahahaha haaa!]] |
| 329 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheGetAlongGang'' has Bingo "Bet-it-all" Beaver, who has been known to try these on any occasion. |
| 330 | * ''WesternAnimation/GoofTroop'': Pete and especially Max often come up with one of these. [[LaserGuidedKarma Pete's usually backfire in ways that punish him.]] With Max, the schemes sometimes succeed, sometimes fail, and are sometimes [[ShaggyDogStory profoundly unnecessary]]. Usually they rely on [[DumbIsGood Goofy]] and [[ExtremeDoormat PJ]] respectively to get the job done, though Goofy often causes more problems than he solves and PJ is almost always [[TheDragAlong totally set against the plan]] which he will [[OnlySaneMan often criticize for being stupid]] or at least doubt that it will work. |
| 331 | * ''WesternAnimation/{{Grojband}}'': Corey always has "a crazy plan that just might work" whenever he and the band need lyrics for their songs or when he's trying to find what Grojband's new gimmick is for the episode. Amazingly, his wacky plans almost always succeed. |
| 332 | * This is a common occurrence on many of Creator/HannaBarbera's works, especially WesternAnimation/YogiBear, (many incarnations of) WesternAnimation/TheFlintstones, WesternAnimation/TopCat, and WesternAnimation/TheJetsons (though, not as often as the others). |
| 333 | * ''WesternAnimation/HollyHobbieAndFriends'': The "Hey Girls", the group formed by Holly Hobbie and her friends, often hatch them, though they often turn out to be both inspired and work out well. |
| 334 | * ''WesternAnimation/LeagueOfSuperEvil'': Most episodes involve the titular villains pulling one in some effort to be evil. Of course, given that they're all {{Harmless Villain}}s, most of their "evil" schemes rarely involve anything more dangerous than annoying their neighbors or trying to prove a point to somebody (like a more competent supervillain, a superhero, or the neighborhood kids). |
| 335 | * ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'': Pretty much any attempt by [[WesternAnimation/WileECoyoteAndTheRoadRunner Wile. E Coyote to catch the Road Runner]] is this... |
| 336 | * ''WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug'': The episode "Gigantitan" opens with [[TheHero Marinette]] launching an elaborate scheme to get a date with Adrien. Her plan opens with [[{{Goth}} Juleka]] ([[CodeName codenamed]] Rose) bringing a fake "no parking" sign near Adrien's bodyguard's car, while [[OnlySaneMan Mylene]] (Sunflower) informs [[PoliceAreUseless Officer Roger]] about the "illegally" parked car, forcing the bodyguard to drive away. When Adrien finishes the photoshoot he's attending, he will approach the spot where his bodyguard was, prompting Marinette to approach him while [[WideEyedIdealist Rose]] (inexplicably codenamed Tulip) cues up a rickshaw for them (driven by [[RecurringExtra Theo]]). The rickshaw will take them to Andre the ice-cream seller, at which point [[PassionateSportsGirl Alix]] (Violet) to rollerskate past the two while throwing flower petals. Predictably, the plan falls apart almost immediately. |
| 337 | * ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': |
| 338 | ** "Owl's Well That Ends Well" has Spike getting jealous of Twilight Sparkle's new owl companion. He decides the best course of action would be to dress up like DastardlyWhiplash, cover a mouse-shaped cat toy in ketchup and frame the owl. HilarityEnsues. |
| 339 | ** The episode "Swarm of the Century" thoroughly [[DeconstructedTrope deconstructs]] this trope. When some eternally-hungry and constantly-reproducing insects called Parasprites invade Ponyville, the Mane Six try to stop them -- everyone, that is, except resident {{Cloudcuckoolander}} Pinkie Pie, who instead runs around collecting musical instruments. The rest of the ponies dismiss her weird action as "Pinkie being Pinkie," but in the end, it turns out that the Parasprites enter a Pied Piper-like state when they hear music, and Pinkie's one-pony marching band ends up saving the day. In her [[AnAesop letter to Princess Celestia]], Twilight Sparkle notes that while someone's ideas can occasionally seem odd, you should listen to them anyway (although that might have been clearer if [[BrokenAesop Pinkie had taken the time to explain what she was doing]]). Twilight herself comes up with a straighter example when the town is in ruins and Princess Celestia is nearly there, planning to [[Film/BlazingSaddles construct an entire fake Ponyville]], although it ends up not being necessary. |
| 340 | * ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'': This is Dr. Doofenshmirtz's shtick as the [[{{Flanderization}} show goes on]]. At the beginning of the series, he genuinely tried to take over "THE ENTIRE TRI-STATE AREA!" with his "-inators," but as the episodes progressed, he became just as likely to develop enormous machines to erase some embarrassing phone messages that he left his girlfriend or keep the Fireside Girls from selling him snacks. |
| 341 | * ''WesternAnimation/PinkyAndTheBrain'' is defined by this. OnceAnEpisode, the Brain comes up with a new Zany Scheme to TakeOverTheWorld. |
| 342 | * ''WesternAnimation/ReadyJetGo'': The protagonist Jet is ''full'' of them. Many of them involve either machines, food, or science. In "Astronaut Ellen Ochoa", he comes up with a convoluted method to make lemons into lemonade. |
| 343 | * ''WesternAnimation/{{Recess}}'' lives off these, generally thought up by the gang's leader T.J. In one episode he even suffers HeroicBSOD because his schemes fail. He gets better after the gang prove that none of their plans work without him. |
| 344 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheRenAndStimpyShow'' has this several times: |
| 345 | ** In "[[Recap/RenAndStimpy1x03SpaceMadnessTheBoyWhoCriedRat The Boy Who Cried Rat]]", Ren dresses himself in a WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse outfit ([[ShoutOut plus the episode being a parody of]] WesternAnimation/TomAndJerry), as Stimpy offers his rodent killing services to a couple that Ren made his mouse-hole in, just so they could earn [[MemeticMutation five bucks]]. |
| 346 | ** "[[Recap/RenAndStimpy2x06BigBabyScamDogShow Big Baby Scam]]", where Ren and Stimpy pretend to be babies so they wouldn't have to do any work and be fed and pampered. Oh, the victims of their plan are the exact same people. |
| 347 | ** "Altruists" of ''WesternAnimation/RenAndStimpyAdultPartyCartoon'', to some extent. [[Film/TheThreeStooges Despite the whole plot]] [[ShoutOut being]] [[OutOfCharacter very unusual for the duo]], they attempt to break into a house to steal money and various other things from a rich family. Their plan included distracting the angry duck guarding the house with Stimpy disguised as a duck-woman, willing for a one night stand, beating the couple's kids with a blackjack, and stealing a painting of the Mexican Elvis, Mexa Canelves. Of course, the couple they rob is the afromentioned one. |
| 348 | * ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': Homer Simpson lives for this. |
| 349 | ** From "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS13E15BlameItOnLisa Blame it on Lisa]]": |
| 350 | --->'''Marge:''' Homey, what are you going to do?\ |
| 351 | '''Bart:''' Crazy scheme, crazy scheme, crazy scheme...\ |
| 352 | '''Homer:''' Get me tools and beer!\ |
| 353 | '''Bart:''' YES! |
| 354 | ** In fact, "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS5E3HomerGoesToCollege Homer Goes to College]]" gave us the TropeNamer: |
| 355 | --->'''Homer:''' The only antidote to a zany scheme, is an even ''zanier'' [[CounterZany scheme]]!\ |
| 356 | '''Nerd:''' Why does it have to be zany? |
| 357 | ** And another from "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS19E15SmokeOnTheDaughter Smoke on the Daughter]]": |
| 358 | --->'''Homer:''' It's time for Operation: Crazy Plan! |
| 359 | * ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'': In "[[Recap/SouthParkS19E1StunningAndBrave Stunning and Brave]]", when Cartman has finally had enough of the bros at [[PoliticalCorrectnessIsEvil P.C. Fraternity]]: |
| 360 | -->'''Cartman:''' We're going to war with these PC people once and for all! Butters, I'm going to need 200 pregnant Mexican women and some taco launchers. |
| 361 | * [[Franchise/TheLionKing Timon and Pumbaa]] frequently came up with these in their [[DenserAndWackier somewhat surreal]] [[WesternAnimation/TimonAndPumbaa TV show]]. |
| 362 | [[/folder]] |
| 363 |
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