Within a React native app, I have the following fetch call:

```
fetch("https://facebook.github.io/react-native/movies.json")
    .then(response => response.json())
    .then((responseJson) => {
        console.log('HI THERE')
        //console.error(responseJson);
    });

```

Leaving it as is, when the fetch call is executed, the `.then` does not appear to execute ('HI THERE' does not get printed). However, if I uncomment the line containing `console.error(responseJson);`, then the whole `.then` gets executed.

A similar question is [here](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/45737535/react-native-fetch-promise-then-not-executing-immediately), but I'm not entirely sure if the problem occuring there is exactly what I'm experiencing. Also, the answer has to do with the fact that fetch calls are asynchronous and we cannot expect them to execute immediately; the problem I am experiencing is that the fetch call does not execute the `.then` at all (I have waited several minutes several times) until that one line is uncommented AND the app is reloaded AND the fetch call is re-executed.

Why does this happen - and how can I fix it so it executes as expected? Is it a React Native bug - possibly related to [this](https://github.com/facebook/react-native/issues/6679) one?