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to nuke the fridge
01
to damage a movie's credibility by adding an absurd or unrealistic scene
Slang
What does "to nuke the fridge" mean in film slang?
The phrase "to nuke the fridge" is a satirical variation of "jump the shark," meaning a moment in a film or franchise that is so absurd or unrealistic that it signals a sharp decline in quality. The structure references an infamous scene in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull where the character survives a nuclear explosion by hiding in a refrigerator. It is used to criticize moments that stretch credibility beyond audience acceptance.
Examples
Fans say the series nuked the fridge in the fourth film.
