History Main / FailedDramaticExit

* In an episode of ''[[Manga/HayateTheCombatButler Hayate the Combat Butler: Can't Take My Eyes Off You]]'' [[SpoiledBrat Nagi]] follows Hayate along on a shopping trip, stomps off in a huff after he won't buy her the item she wanted, then has to immediately come back when she realises she doesn't know how to get back home.

* An unintentional example from ''Film/ArtemisFowl''. After delivering a smug one-liner to Holly - his hostage - Artemis slams the hatch on her cage door shut and walks off. This looks a lot less cool when you consider that ''most of the cage is made of chicken wire'', and Holly could have continued to scream at him just by ''standing up straight''.

-->'''Jake:'' Okay, thank you so much. Now ''get this piece of trash out of my sight!''

* In ''Disney/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs'', after being told to go wash, Grumpy crossly storms out on the Princess... and walks straight into a door.

* In ''Series/BlackBooks'', Fran and Bernard have a fight. Fran storms out of the bookshop, coldly informing Bernard that she doesn't think they should see each other for a while. She then immediately reenters, announces "I forgot my bag!" in an embarrassed sing-song tone and flounces out again once she's picked it up.

* ''Series/BrooklynNinNine'': Jake angrily interrogates a suspect until he gets all the information he needs, including a computer password ("dougandkateforever") for an incriminating website.

* ''Manga/ShokugekiNoSoma'' doesn't like to let its characters take themselves too seriously, so whenever someone tries acting too dramatic it tends to backfire immediately.

* ''Series/BrooklynNinNine'': Jake angrily interrogates a suspect until he gets all the information he needs, including a computer password ("dougandjudyforever") for an incriminating website.

* In ''Disney/{{Pinocchio}}'', after he and Lampwick argue in the pool hall, Jiminy angrily tries to stomp away but falls into one of the holes on the table instead. When he finally leaves the room proper, his clothes are disheveled and twisted up from his previous fall.

** She then adds, [[BaitAndSwitch "But this is my fight,"]] and locks them in their own house. The Dwarves manage to find a spare key, and the Prince announces that it's been a long time coming, but he's finally found something worth fighting for. The Dwarves cheer, and the Prince... [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments locks the door behind him and rushes off, leaving the Dwarves trapped in their own house. For the second time]].

* ''Webcomic/EerieCuties'': [[CuteWitch Melissa]] [[MagicalGirl Hellrune]] ends up pulling one, after being insulted by [[spoiler:Ash]], who thought she'd consent to a casual fling. She slaps him one, tells him where he can get off, then storms off in a huff... [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments and right into his closet!]] [[http://www.eeriecuties.com/strips-ec/i_do_not_need_your_favors But she was STILL MAD dammit!]]

* In one episode of ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'', Grunkle Stan dramatically leaves the Mystery Shack through the window, but is only halfway out when he slips and falls. Wendy just walks away, casually stating that she's going to get his orthopedic back pillow.

* Here's what happens to Henry Higgins in ''Theatre/MyFairLady'' trying to end an argument by delivering a dramatic speech and then storming out of the room:

** Also after Daphne has an argument with Martin and Frasier about something. She tells them off and storms off to her room, but as Frasier points out to Martin, "That would have been a very dramatic exit -- if only her room were down that hall." Followed by a still-angry Daphne marching back across the apartment to her room, refusing to make eye contact with them.

** Also after Daphne has an argument with Martin and Frasier about something. She tells them off and storms off to her room, but as Frasier points out to Martin, "That would have been very effective--if her room were on that side of the apartment." Followed by a mortified Daphne slowly slinking her way back across the hallway to her room, refusing to make eye contact with them.

->''The meeting ended with [[UsefulNotes/LeonTrotsky Trotsky]] being ordered to make a public statement admitting and apologizing for crimes against the workers' state. Trotsky jumped from his seat and tried to slam the door of the throne room at the Kremlin. The hall door is massive, Trotsky pulled it with all his strength, but it was dead slow to open. In his fury he did not notice and made repeated attempts to bang it shut. Thus instead of witnessing a dramatic gesture indicating a historic breach, we watched a sorry figure struggling with a door.''

Bob and Alice are arguing, screaming at each other at the top of their lungs. Finally Bob says something that really ticks Alice off. "I'm outta here!" She yells. She leaves, slamming the door shut behind her. Two seconds later she returns...because she forgot her coat. She leaves again, slamming the door behind her again. She returns again.... She forgot her keys...

Generally a comedy tropes, Failed Dramatic Exit is when a character's dramatic exit is foiled by them returning for whatever reason. Subtrope of FailedAttemptAtDrama. Supertrope of HouseAmnesia, as when the character leaves dramatically, but returns when they realize that they're at their own house. Compare also to TheExitIsThatWay in which a character storms off but is then told that they are going in the wrong direction.

* Happens twice in an episode of ''Series/EverybodyLovesRaymond,'' where Ray accidentally humiliated one of kids' friend's dad ''to his child.'' Ray tries to correct his mistake, but the guy says to just forget it. They leave Ray's house, but have to return because the child forgot his retainer. Ray's attempts to apologize then snowball into a situation in which the whole Barone family describes times they have said and done incredibly dumb and/or said offensive things to people. Things just grow more and more awkward before the man and his kid leave again. Ray then notes that the man [[HereWeGoAgain forgot his keys...]]

* ''Series/{{Community}}'' has a few examples. In the BottleEpisode Britta tries to leave the study room, but quickly returns after being insulted. Later in the episode Shirley gets a straighter example. She tells everyone to burn in hell and tries to leave, but no one allows her to [[ItMakesSenseInContext until they find Annie's pen.]]
** In a later episode the group is arguing in the study room all night. Finally Jeff basically says [[WesternAnimation/SouthPark "Screw you guys, I'm going home!"]] and then leaves the room. A second later he swivels around and heads back into room because they now have class in fifteen minutes.

** In the episode "Gone", the Trio attempt to make a dramatic escape from Buffy [[SmokeOut under the cover of a smoke bomb]], but they can't get the door open in time, and the smoke clears to reveal them still fiddling with it before they finally manage to get out. It happens again in "Seeing Red" -- after Buffy has defeated Warren and Andrew, the former escapes using a JetPack. Andrew reveals that he has a jet pack as well, and tells Buffy that it's not over, and they will meet again...before jetting into an overhanging roof and knocking himself unconscious.

* In ''Series/BoyMeetsWorld'' Cory attempts the dramatic exit, but ends up going through the wrong door and into a closet. He saves it by saying "And I'm taking back my sweater!"

** The scene is referenced again in a later episode when a [[WhoWouldWantToWatchUs crappy TV show]] is made about Drake and Josh {{Expies}} Drew and Jerry. Drake and Josh watch a scene of the ''Drew and Jerry Show'', and in it the Jerry character says "I may have stumbled, but that does not lessen the significance of this departure!" This prompts Josh to wonder why they made Jerry such a dork, only to realise the reason and hang his head in shame.

* In the ''Series/{{Friends}}'' episode "The One with the Jellyfish", Phoebe meets her real mother, and gets mad at her, because she never tried to contact her. She shouts "I don't ever want to see you again!", and storms out, than returns for her purse, covering her eyes with her hand.

-->'''Jack:''' Do you mind, I'm trying to be dramatic.

** In "Rainbow Rocks", her human counterpart likewise fails at [[SmokeOut vanishing in a puff of smoke]]. Twice, in fact, and [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] by Pinkie both times. The second time, Trixe falls off the bleachers after being spotted. "[[ThirdPersonPerson Trixie]]'s okay!"

* In the first episode of ''WesternAnimation/HarveyBirdmanAttorneyAtLaw'', Race Bannon proclaims to his partner Benton Quest that, as he looks after the boys the most, he has a better claim to the children. Dr Quest tells Bannon to calm down, but Race pulls Benton's arm forcing him to the ground. He exclaims there's nothing that can be done to stop him and storms out. Dr Quest is still lying on the ground when race steps back proclaiming that he forgot his keys.

* During the filming of ''Film/{{Chinatown}}'', Creator/JackNicholson wanted to wrap filming for the day because there was a basketball game on, while Creator/RomanPolanski wanted to get the scene perfect. Finally, when they got a completed take of the last scene, Nicholson intentionally messed up the set dressing that Polanski had spent half an hour arranging. Polanski responded by trying ([[FailedAttemptAtDrama and failing]]) to smash the tv in Nicholson's trailer. This sparked an argument that culminated in Nicholson tearing off his costume and storming off the set, then realizing that his trailer was attached to the set and having to slink back on in his underwear.

** When they have an argument and Josh trips on his way out of the room. "I may have stumbled, but that does not lessen the significance of this departure!"
** The scene is referenced again in a later episode when a [[WhoWouldWantToWatchUs crappy TV show]] is made about Drake and Josh {{Expies}} Drew and Jerry. Drake and Josh watch a scene of the ''Drew and Jerry Show'', and in it the Jerry character says "I may have tripped, but that does not diminish the impact of this exit!" This prompts Josh to wonder why they made Jerry such a dork, only to realise the reason and hang his head in shame.

[[folder:Web Animationl]]

** In "George Goes to Disneyland", George calls Benny out for not taking him to Disneyland when he was a kid and sets out the door to join his family there, , saying "I don't anything from you!". Seconds later, George comes in to ask her to drive him there, because Ernie's car is blocking his.

* Used in ''Series/TheGeorgeLopezShow'' after George's mom gets arrested for helping with a robbery thirty years ago. Because George wouldn't say anything to exonerate her, as she is taken away by the police she shouts "I never want to see you again!" George responds by saying "But how are you going to get bail?" She stops, comes back in (with the police officer still holding on to her) and says "I'll see you one last time!"