Line #7 PlayingWith/PutOnABus


1	'''Basic Trope''': A character leaves (usually with specific explanation) in such a way that they can return later.
2	* '''Straight''':
3	** In a season premiere of ''The Troperville Show'', Diane tells her friends Alice, Bob, and Charles that she will be moving away. At the end of the season, she leaves Troperville. In later seasons, [[LongBusTrip she is only mentioned in passing.]]
4	** Same as above, except Diane is not mentioned after her absence, and moves back after several seasons.
5	* '''Exaggerated''':
6	** Many characters move away over the course of the series, and others are introduced. Once written off, most characters are [[WhatHappenedToTheMouse never mentioned again]]. By the series finale, the only original characters left are Alice, Bob, and Charles.
7	** [[CommutingOnABus Everyone comes and goes,]] enough so that it seems as if none of the main characters live in Troperville.
8	* '''Downplayed''':
9	** [[CommutingOnABus Diane still visits her friends a few times per season.]]
10	** Diane does not move away, but is DemotedToExtra. Obviously, it would be easy for the writers to make her a main character again.
11	* '''Justified''': This trope ''requires'' an InUniverse explanation; if a character is dropped without a justification, it's ChuckCunninghamSyndrome.
12	** Diane is moving away because of a job promotion.
13	** She has been divorced, and her ex-husband kept everything.
14	** She is simply tired of living in Troperville, and wants to make a fresh start in another city.
15	** She's in a ConvenientComa.
16	** [[CowboyCop Detective Diane]] had become too attached to one of the murder cases and was ordered by the [[InternalAffairs DIA]] to go through psychiatric treatment.
17	* '''Inverted''':
18	** Diane "dies", but is [[DisneyDeath resurrected]] several episodes later. In other words, she is brought back from the dead, which would be impossible in RealLife.
19	** Diane is an old friend of the gang who moved away before the first episode. She is ''introduced'' when she moves back to Troperville in the fourth season.
20	** Diane stays behind while all the other characters that the show follows move to another place.
21	* '''Subverted''': Diane decides not to move away after all, possibly because she doesn't want to leave her friends.
22	* '''Double Subverted''': She moves away later on.
23	* '''Parodied''':
24	** Every time anyone boards a bus, everyone else wonders if he/she will ever return. Bonus points if said bus appears in a setting where it would make no sense (e.g. the Middle Ages).
25	** [[StatusQuoIsGod The Status Quo Demon]] repeatedly thwarts Diane's attempts to leave the city, but she eventually manages to get out.
26	** The bus's destination is given as "Away From This Show".
27	* '''Zig Zagged''': Eight characters are retired over the course of the series, seven of whom were put on buses; Diane [[TheBusCameBack returns once]] in the next season, Nicole moves back to Troperville three seasons after her departure (possibly [[TheOtherDarrin with a new actress]]), Larry [[CommutingOnABus visits his friends in Troperville in later seasons]], Quentin [[BackForTheFinale moves back in the final episode]], Sam [[LongBusTrip never returns]] but writes letters to the others, Paul [[BusCrash dies two seasons after leaving]] due to [[TheCharacterDiedWithHim his actor's death]], and Ida [[WhatHappenedToTheMouse is never mentioned again]]. The eighth character, Helen, simply [[ChuckCunninghamSyndrome vanishes without an explanation]].
28	* '''Averted''':
29	** Diane [[KilledOffForReal dies]], possibly because she's [[CreatorsPet unloved]] or [[TheCharacterDiedWithHim her actress has died]].
30	** Diane is [[ChuckCunninghamSyndrome written off with no explanation]].
31	** Diane's actress dies or quits, but [[TheOtherDarrin a replacement]] [[CharacterOutlivesActor is found]].
32	** No one is written off.
33	* '''Enforced''': "Diane hasn't been very popular since her {{Flanderization}}, but we can't kill her off and remain family-friendly. Let's put her on a bus."
34	* '''Lampshaded''': "Our friend Diane moved away about a year ago. I hope she returns someday."
35	* '''Invoked''': Diane is [[TheExile banished from Troperville]].
36	* '''Exploited''': The main group of friends is a GenderEqualEnsemble. Alice brings in a new friend, Emily, to replace Diane.
37	* '''Defied''': Everyone begs Diane not to leave, and she stays.
38	* '''Discussed''': "Why is Diane so quiet lately? You'd think she were planning to move away." "Oh no! [[NoFourthWall People will stop watching our show]] if Diane's gone!"
39	* '''Conversed''': "Why didn't they just kill Diane off? We all know she's not coming back. Good riddance!"
40	* '''Implied''': Buses that stay in Troperville are painted green, while those that go out of town are red. In the background of a scene (perhaps Alice, Bob, and Charles talking), Diane boards a red bus. After this episode, she is [[ChuckCunninghamSyndrome never seen again]].
41	* '''Plotted A Good Waste''': The writers simply decide to have Diane move away.
42	* '''Played For Laughs''': Diane's house is frequently destroyed as a RunningGag. After Diane moves away, Charles demolishes the house as a prank, and then remembers that Diane moved away. [[WhatTheHellHero Alice and Bob react badly]], e.g. "You fool! Now no one can move into Diane's house!" "We were hoping to befriend our new neighbor."
43	* '''Played For Drama''':
44	** PutOnABusToHell
45	** BusCrash
46	* '''Untwisted''': Everyone begs Diane not to leave, but she ignores them.
47	----
48	This trope was PutOnABus, but I have a feeling it'll be back someday.
49	----
50	%% Optional items, added after Conversed, at your discretion:
51	%%
52	%%* '''Deconstructed''': ???

Context PlayingWith / PutOnABus