Friday, June 19, 2020

Prognosis: Negative!

One of the more memorable "George being George" scenes on Seinfeld was when he called to get the results for his cancer tests:
Scene cuts to George on the phone with his doctor

GEORGE: This is George Costanza, I'm calling for my test results. Negative? Oh, my God. WHY! WHY! WHY? What? What? Negative is good? Oh, yes of course! How stupid of me. Thank you. Thank you very much.
Ten years earlier on Only Fools and Horses, Del Boy went through the same thing:
Del lifts his results card from the envelope. He studies it. And then with a horrified expression looks to Rodney and Grandad.

Grandad: What - what's it say Del?

Del can barely raise his voice above a whisper as he replies.

Del: It says - it says, result of test...negative!

Rodney and Grandad are left stunned by this news. Rodney now reacts.

Rodney: Negative?
Del: Yeah!
Rodney: Well that means all clear you plonker!
I seriously doubt Jerry Seinfeld or Larry David had ever watched Only Fools and Horses, so this must be one of those comedy tropes that just come up to writers. I wonder what other shows this one has appeared in, and what other common tropes are there? (Furrowing brow in thought, looking away in the distance. Dog barks.) 
 

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