| abstract | - In certain situations, characters (and writers, it seems) just have to make certain puns. And they're usually the same ones. But Tropes Are Not Bad, as in many cases the audience may feel disappointed or even slightly confused if the obligatory joke fails to come up. Nonetheless, many writers try to inject some freshness into the obligatory, by lampshading or overt and deliberate subversion.
* Anything involving a primate is going to involve lines like "Monkeying Around" or Making a Monkey('s uncle) out of someone," and "Monkey Business".
* We're just going to make it easy and say that whenever a situation with an animal comes up, somebody will have to quote a saying or phrase having to do with it.
* Anything involving honey, molasses, maple syrup, etc. will be described as a "sticky situation."
* A person Bound and Gagged, or even just bound, will be described as "a little tied up right now."
* If an animal of some kind is biting someone, an onlooker will be prompted to ask, "What's eating you?"
* Any hand-related pun when dealing with hand monsters or armless people.
* Cat-related jokes are sometimes catastrophic or catholic. They may leave you catatonic.
* Any time electricity is involved, you know someone will quip about a "shocking" situation.
* Similarly, expect An Ice Person to be surrounded by an abundance of "Ice to meet you," "Take a chill pill," etc. jokes. See also Incredibly Lame Pun, Bond One-Liner, Quip to Black, and others, which have considerable overlap. You Look Like You've Seen a Ghost is one subtrope. A Punny Name or Unfortunate Name resulting in this may make someone a Phrase Catcher. Examples of Obligatory Joke include:
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