The Internet has gifted the world with many wonderful things: quizzes that determine which pizza topping best represents your personality, an easy way to find out what Tom Hiddleston is up to, memes, and endless cat videos, just to name a few. But of all the Internet’s gifts, the greatest is the ability to instantly communicate with people all around the world: GChat. But on Monday morning, the unthinkable happened. GChat crashed for several hours, resulting in the communication of users all over the world being temporarily suspended. There was no way to communicate with our bosses and co-workers, no way to procrastinate by talking with our friends, no way of reminding our family members to defrost tonight’s dinner. How would we function? How would we fill this silence? Well, we decided to pass the time by taking a look at some of the most popular instances of communication failure in movies and television in order to put the loss of GChat in perspective.
Sandra Bullock Losing Communication with Mission Control, Gravity
Warner Bros via Everett Collection
When Communication Failed: She spiraled out into the dark, airless abyss of outer space.
When GChat Failed: Your rage about last night’s The Walking Dead was sent out into the empty void of the Internet, rather than your roommate.
Allison Lohman’s Cell Battery Being Drained by a Demon, Drag Me to Hell
Universal via Everett Collection
When Communication Failed: She is attacked by said demon as part of a curse that was placed on her.
When Gchat Failed: You were unable to find out if anyone in your office had a phone charger, and now you can’t SnapChat anybody either.
The Ship’s Radio Breaking in the Crash, Lost
ABC
When Communication Failed: They were unable to call for help, and stranded on a mysterious island for six seasons.
When GChat Failed: You were unable to send your sister a BuzzFeed quiz, and thus will never know which Lost character she is. (Even though you know she’s Anna Lucia. Boo.)
Indiana Jones Sabotaging the Zeppelin’s Radio, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Paramount via Everett Collection
When Communication Failed: The crew discovered Jones’ sabotage and he was unable to escape.
When GChat Failed: You discovered subreddits you never needed to know existed.
Tom Hanks’ Radio Transmitter Being Destroyed in the Storm, Cast Away
20th Century Fox via Everett Collection
When Communication Failed: He was stranded and forced to befriend a volleyball.
When GChat Failed: You were forced to befriend your co-workers in order to talk about whatever they did over the weekends… ugh, all those stories about their kids…
The Study Group Losing Cell Signal in the Space Simulator, Community
NBCUniversal, LLC
When Communication Failed: They had to work together to land the simulated rocket, and learned not to talk back to computer systems.
When GChat Failed: You found new, creative ways of cursing out your Internet connection.
Robert Shaw Destroying the Radio, Jaws
Everett Collection
When Communiation Failed: They were unable to call for help, and stranded on a sinking ship that was being attacked by an angry shark.
When GChat Failed: You were unable to make plans for drinks tonight, and now you’ll be stranded at home while everyone else has fun.
Brad Pitt Being Unable to Get Through to His Wife, World War Z
Paramount Pictures
When Communication Failed: She called him back at the worst possible moment and he was almost eaten by zombies.
When GChat Failed: You were unable to send your friend the hilarious Parks and Recreation .gif you spent 20 minutes searching for. And she was almost eaten by zombies.
