Short deadpan reaction lines like this spread through meme edits and soundboards because they sum up a feeling in less than two seconds. The phrase not a big surprise became a reusable punchline for videos where the ending is clear from the start, from gaming fails to everyday mishaps shared on social media. Its popularity comes from timing rather than context, so creators can drop it into almost any predictable moment without explanation. That flexibility has kept it circulating as a sarcastic response long after many longer clips fade.