I'm trying to understand how MOVs operate but all my online reading is calling my understanding of electronics into question.

[![enter image description here][1]][1]


  [1]: https://i.sstatic.net/N4zx1.png


The above diagram seems to be the typical layout of a MOV used for surge protection. When surges occur, the resistance across the MOV drops creating effectively a short.

Online resources are suggesting that this "dissipates the voltage" protecting the parallel circuit, but this doesn't make sense to me - will the protected circuit still not see the increased voltage and therefore an increased current?

My only thought is that the increased current through the MOV will cause the fuse to trip, but this isn't the mechanism of surge protection alluded to in online resources. 

Any help would be very much appreciated.