You Can't Do It Freehand
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About
You Can't Do It Freehand is a four-panel exploitable image macro featuring screenshots and quotes from the 2016 superhero film Doctor Strange. The meme uses a scene in which several doctors doubt Dr. Steven Strange's surgical abilities. In the final panel, the memer adds an absurd frame that recontextualizes what Strange performs surgery.
Origin
On October 13th, 2016, the film Doctor Strang premiered in Hong Kong.[1] In one scene in the film, Dr. Steven Strange perfroms surgery without the aid of "image guidance" technology. Three characters, Strange, Dr. Christine Palmer and Michael Stulhbarg (portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch, Rachel McAdams and Michael Stuhlbarg, respectively) have the following exchange:[2]
Dr. Christine Palmer: Image status, STAT.
Dr. Strange: We do not have time for that.
Dr. Christine Palmer: You can’t do it freehand.
Doctor Strange: I can and I will.
Dr. West: This isn’t the time for showing off, Strange.
On February 6th, 2017, YouTuber Movie Buff shared the scene. The post received more than 10 million views (shown below).
Three and a half years later, Facebook[3] user Troy Wullbrandt posted the earliest known usage of the scene as a meme in the Marvel Shieldposting on September 24th, 2020. The post received more than 450 reactions in less than one week (shown below).
Spread
That day, other members of the group began using the format. For example, that day, on September 24th, 2020, user[4] Sam Gman shared a version in which the fourth panel features the money haircut meme. The post received more than 8,800 reactions and 215 comments in less than one week (shown below, left).
On September 27th, 2020, Redditor[5] user SettraTheTitleBoishared a variation of the meme on the /r/Grimdank[5] subreddit. The post received more than 14,000 points (97% upvoted) and 195 comments in less than one week (shown below, center).
On September 28th, Redditor ketamineforpresident shared on the /r/memes[6] a variation in which Strange plays with a TechDeck. The post received more than 57,000 points (97% upvoted) and in less than one week (shown below, right).
Various Examples
Template
Search Interest
Not available.
External References
[1] IMDB – Doctor Strange
[2] Fandom – Doctor Strange
[3] Facebook – Marvel Shieldposting
[4] Facebook – Marvel Shieldposting
[5] Twitter – /r/Grimdank
