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| This is an idea with that “sitcom” scenario where 99.99% of it is normal, and then there’s this jarring break. Perhaps there’s a lack of funding with the production, or the show is on its way out. It could be injected into the plot for numerous reasons. |
I think it needs a term and rules if it hasn’t been named before.
Some rules:
- “breaking the cosmic wall”
- it’s a sequence break and must not be the norm (blinking or missing episode wouldn’t affect the watch. It’d just be unknown)
- there must be a return to normal after a paradigm shift
- it should carry some kind of uncanny horror
Examples
A possible example I came up would be this:
- Standard show, similar to a “7th Heaven” runs 5 seasons
- During a random episode the main character looks directly at the camera and begins to scream bloody murder for 1 second
- The entire screen ripples with psychedelic multicolored waves during this and the body distorts.
- They continue the episode. Nobody comments on this.
Another:
- After 3 seasons of this “The Office” type of comedy with very little critical appeal we see one.
- The main character is stressed and leaves the office for a cigarette break.
- We have never left the confines of the set
- He opens the door and for a moment we see that the entire external universe is a giant children’s ball pit extending to infinity or an Ikea showroom or dated aquarium etc.
- He says “oh” and then goes back to the office.
- The entire sequence lasts 1 second. It should be the money shot for the season, but substitution of a fancy CGI shot for basically cheap and heavily compressed (massively artifacted) jpegs of a ball put could be used to equal (possibly greater) effect (edited)
Another:
- In the “dark side of moon” face of a character, a sign is revealed. All characters for the duration of the episode, have been wearing “kick me” signs, just outside of view of the camera. It is only revealed here.
Another:
- The king in an extremely brutal and serious medieval fantasy is suddenly wearing a full cybergoth outfit while seated at the banquet table.
- The camera pans to the meal prepared and when returning to him he’s back in regal attire.
Update
There’s a feel of this in the 2024 film “I Saw the TV Glow”
Another:
- A regular show, without any kind of magical elements ever introduced
- Something is high on a shelf that they cannot reach.
- Effortlessly they levitate to it, in an almost robotic way with their hand in a fixed upward position (it must feel like precisely tuned foot thrusters)
- Gracefully float down
- Carry on, and never addressed
Another:
- The scene is in a church, focused on a character in the pews.
- He’s wearing a button up shirt and begins reaching into his shirt between the buttons, almost like a hitman revealing a concealed weapon.
- All while continuing to look forward (it’s almost like his hands are acting independently of the rest of his body, possessed) the sternum is revealed to be a glowing emerald gem, radiant in his core.
- He scratches it, conceals it again, and carries on.
Another:
- This would be best in a Brady bunch style family show.
- The main male lead is at the dinner table, along with his family.
- Table is set with traditional American meal of meat and mashed potatoes, everyone passes around preparing a plate.
- The father figure stops everything and makes a giant smile while holding the peas.
- He says loudly to his family “Wait, who are you guys? I don’t know you. HELP!”
- While he says this his features are slowly morphing back to what is expected in this setting. Normalcy.