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[[quoteright:349: [[Film/HalloweenH20TwentyYearsLater http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Image32_3873.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:349:And they landed ''just'' out of her reach, too!]]
Whenever a character is in immediate danger, they will rarely just be able to ''run'' away from said threat. Usually, a locked door or gate will get in their way. But not to worry, the character always has the right keys and just enough time to open the door before they are killed.
Except... Uh-oh! They just dropped the keys!
The OopsIDroppedTheKeys trope refers to the often-used cliche (particularly in horror movies) where a character will ''always'' drop their keys if they are in a life-or-death situation. It doesn't matter if a killer is right behind them, or if a pack of wild and hungry animals is mere seconds from tearing them apart, the character will ''always'' fumble with and drop their keys at a crucial moment, thus giving the threat some much-needed time to catch up with them (and in some cases, actually ''kill'' them).
This also happens often in car scenes too... If a character wants to escape from something in their car, they can never just put the key in the ignition and start the engine. First, they will drop the keys near the gas pedal and spend the next minute-or-so stumbling around to find them.
----
!!Examples:
[[AC:{{Film}}]]
* In ''{{Titanic}}'', Rose and Jack are trapped in the lower decks of the ship by a metallic gate as it floods. One of the cabin crew tries to unlock it but manages to do and say the [[OopsIDroppedTheKeys trope]] before apologetically fleeing. Cue Jack attempting to retrieve the gate key multiple times as the freezing cold water rises.
* In ''Film/HalloweenH20TwentyYearsLater'', Molly and John are being chased by Michael Myers and surprisingly manage to get a fair distance away from him, before locking themselves in a small courtyard. Unfortunately, Molly drops the keys ''outside'' the courtyard and spends a few minutes trying to reach them, thus allowing Michael Myers to catch up to them, pick up the keys and unlock the courtyard gate with ease.
* This happens in ''DragMeToHell''.
* Played with in ''Film/{{Zombieland}}'', when Columbus drop his keys by the car while being chased by a zombie, but is smart enough to circle around the car until he's able to reclaim the keys without getting killed.
** Not that it mattered, because he left his car unlocked.
* In TheHumanCentipede, Lindsay ''deliberately'' drops the keys (for some reason) after locking herself in the [[MorallyAmbiguousDoctorate doctor's]] bedroom. She then realizes what a dumb idea this was, when the doctor then appears at the window with an axe.
[[AC:{{Literature}}]]
* In Franchise/TheDarkTower novel ''Literature/TheWasteLands'', Jake has to go through a HauntedHouse to reach a magical doorway that will take him to the others in Mid-World. Just as the house comes alive and tries to eat him, he drops the key that will let him open the portal and it falls through the floorboards.
[[AC:LiveActionTV]]
* ''Series/DoctorWho's'' "Closing Time" featured a variation. The Doctor escaped out of ahouse from the attacking monster, but accidentally dropped his Sonic Screwdriver as the door closed behind him. This led him being locked outside as the monster confronted his friend Craig moments later.
* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer''. In "Passion" Angelus is waiting outside Buffy's home when her mother comes home, and starts putting on a psycho ex-boyfriend act to make her nervous. Joyce manages to both fumble her house keys and drop a bag of fruit she's carrying before Buffy intervenes.
[[AC:{{Music}}]]
* In the music video for ''TheyMightBeGiants'' "Bastard wants to hit me", the character has managed to slip away from the titular bastard, and get to his car. However, the bastard notices him, and is very angry that he left before he was finished talking to him. The man freaks out and drops his keys. He picks them up, but before he can open the door the bastard catches up to him and lays him out.
* The final verse to [[{{Music/Nickelback}} Nickelback]]'s ''Animals'' has the singer frantically looking for the car keys after [[spoiler: his girlfriend's dad]] catches them getting it on in a car.
[[AC:WesternAnimation]]
* FostersHomeForImaginaryFriends: Frankie drops her key to the front door of the house into a mud puddle while being chased by an apparent crazed killer. And thanks to some earlier shenanigans (it's a long story) there are now ''dozens'' of other keys in the bottom of the same puddle when she tries to fish the right one out.
----
[[caption-width-right:349:And they landed ''just'' out of her reach, too!]]
Whenever a character is in immediate danger, they will rarely just be able to ''run'' away from said threat. Usually, a locked door or gate will get in their way. But not to worry, the character always has the right keys and just enough time to open the door before they are killed.
Except... Uh-oh! They just dropped the keys!
The OopsIDroppedTheKeys trope refers to the often-used cliche (particularly in horror movies) where a character will ''always'' drop their keys if they are in a life-or-death situation. It doesn't matter if a killer is right behind them, or if a pack of wild and hungry animals is mere seconds from tearing them apart, the character will ''always'' fumble with and drop their keys at a crucial moment, thus giving the threat some much-needed time to catch up with them (and in some cases, actually ''kill'' them).
This also happens often in car scenes too... If a character wants to escape from something in their car, they can never just put the key in the ignition and start the engine. First, they will drop the keys near the gas pedal and spend the next minute-or-so stumbling around to find them.
----
!!Examples:
[[AC:{{Film}}]]
* In ''{{Titanic}}'', Rose and Jack are trapped in the lower decks of the ship by a metallic gate as it floods. One of the cabin crew tries to unlock it but manages to do and say the [[OopsIDroppedTheKeys trope]] before apologetically fleeing. Cue Jack attempting to retrieve the gate key multiple times as the freezing cold water rises.
* In ''Film/HalloweenH20TwentyYearsLater'', Molly and John are being chased by Michael Myers and surprisingly manage to get a fair distance away from him, before locking themselves in a small courtyard. Unfortunately, Molly drops the keys ''outside'' the courtyard and spends a few minutes trying to reach them, thus allowing Michael Myers to catch up to them, pick up the keys and unlock the courtyard gate with ease.
* This happens in ''DragMeToHell''.
* Played with in ''Film/{{Zombieland}}'', when Columbus drop his keys by the car while being chased by a zombie, but is smart enough to circle around the car until he's able to reclaim the keys without getting killed.
** Not that it mattered, because he left his car unlocked.
* In TheHumanCentipede, Lindsay ''deliberately'' drops the keys (for some reason) after locking herself in the [[MorallyAmbiguousDoctorate doctor's]] bedroom. She then realizes what a dumb idea this was, when the doctor then appears at the window with an axe.
[[AC:{{Literature}}]]
* In Franchise/TheDarkTower novel ''Literature/TheWasteLands'', Jake has to go through a HauntedHouse to reach a magical doorway that will take him to the others in Mid-World. Just as the house comes alive and tries to eat him, he drops the key that will let him open the portal and it falls through the floorboards.
[[AC:LiveActionTV]]
* ''Series/DoctorWho's'' "Closing Time" featured a variation. The Doctor escaped out of ahouse from the attacking monster, but accidentally dropped his Sonic Screwdriver as the door closed behind him. This led him being locked outside as the monster confronted his friend Craig moments later.
* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer''. In "Passion" Angelus is waiting outside Buffy's home when her mother comes home, and starts putting on a psycho ex-boyfriend act to make her nervous. Joyce manages to both fumble her house keys and drop a bag of fruit she's carrying before Buffy intervenes.
[[AC:{{Music}}]]
* In the music video for ''TheyMightBeGiants'' "Bastard wants to hit me", the character has managed to slip away from the titular bastard, and get to his car. However, the bastard notices him, and is very angry that he left before he was finished talking to him. The man freaks out and drops his keys. He picks them up, but before he can open the door the bastard catches up to him and lays him out.
* The final verse to [[{{Music/Nickelback}} Nickelback]]'s ''Animals'' has the singer frantically looking for the car keys after [[spoiler: his girlfriend's dad]] catches them getting it on in a car.
[[AC:WesternAnimation]]
* FostersHomeForImaginaryFriends: Frankie drops her key to the front door of the house into a mud puddle while being chased by an apparent crazed killer. And thanks to some earlier shenanigans (it's a long story) there are now ''dozens'' of other keys in the bottom of the same puddle when she tries to fish the right one out.
----
to:
[[caption-width-right:349:And they landed ''just'' out of her reach, too!]]
Whenever a character is in immediate danger, they will rarely just be able to ''run'' away from said threat. Usually, a locked door or gate will get in their way. But not to worry, the character always has the right keys and just enough time to open the door before they are killed.
Except... Uh-oh! They just dropped the keys!
The OopsIDroppedTheKeys trope refers to the often-used cliche (particularly in horror movies) where a character will ''always'' drop their keys if they are in a life-or-death situation. It doesn't matter if a killer is right behind them, or if a pack of wild and hungry animals is mere seconds from tearing them apart, the character will ''always'' fumble with and drop their keys at a crucial moment, thus giving the threat some much-needed time to catch up with them (and in some cases, actually ''kill'' them).
This also happens often in car scenes too... If a character wants to escape from something in their car, they can never just put the key in the ignition and start the engine. First, they will drop the keys near the gas pedal and spend the next minute-or-so stumbling around to find them.
----
!!Examples:
[[AC:{{Film}}]]
* In ''{{Titanic}}'', Rose and Jack are trapped in the lower decks of the ship by a metallic gate as it floods. One of the cabin crew tries to unlock it but manages to do and say the [[OopsIDroppedTheKeys trope]] before apologetically fleeing. Cue Jack attempting to retrieve the gate key multiple times as the freezing cold water rises.
* In ''Film/HalloweenH20TwentyYearsLater'', Molly and John are being chased by Michael Myers and surprisingly manage to get a fair distance away from him, before locking themselves in a small courtyard. Unfortunately, Molly drops the keys ''outside'' the courtyard and spends a few minutes trying to reach them, thus allowing Michael Myers to catch up to them, pick up the keys and unlock the courtyard gate with ease.
* This happens in ''DragMeToHell''.
* Played with in ''Film/{{Zombieland}}'', when Columbus drop his keys by the car while being chased by a zombie, but is smart enough to circle around the car until he's able to reclaim the keys without getting killed.
** Not that it mattered, because he left his car unlocked.
* In TheHumanCentipede, Lindsay ''deliberately'' drops the keys (for some reason) after locking herself in the [[MorallyAmbiguousDoctorate doctor's]] bedroom. She then realizes what a dumb idea this was, when the doctor then appears at the window with an axe.
[[AC:{{Literature}}]]
* In Franchise/TheDarkTower novel ''Literature/TheWasteLands'', Jake has to go through a HauntedHouse to reach a magical doorway that will take him to the others in Mid-World. Just as the house comes alive and tries to eat him, he drops the key that will let him open the portal and it falls through the floorboards.
[[AC:LiveActionTV]]
* ''Series/DoctorWho's'' "Closing Time" featured a variation. The Doctor escaped out of ahouse from the attacking monster, but accidentally dropped his Sonic Screwdriver as the door closed behind him. This led him being locked outside as the monster confronted his friend Craig moments later.
* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer''. In "Passion" Angelus is waiting outside Buffy's home when her mother comes home, and starts putting on a psycho ex-boyfriend act to make her nervous. Joyce manages to both fumble her house keys and drop a bag of fruit she's carrying before Buffy intervenes.
[[AC:{{Music}}]]
* In the music video for ''TheyMightBeGiants'' "Bastard wants to hit me", the character has managed to slip away from the titular bastard, and get to his car. However, the bastard notices him, and is very angry that he left before he was finished talking to him. The man freaks out and drops his keys. He picks them up, but before he can open the door the bastard catches up to him and lays him out.
* The final verse to [[{{Music/Nickelback}} Nickelback]]'s ''Animals'' has the singer frantically looking for the car keys after [[spoiler: his girlfriend's dad]] catches them getting it on in a car.
[[AC:WesternAnimation]]
* FostersHomeForImaginaryFriends: Frankie drops her key to the front door of the house into a mud puddle while being chased by an apparent crazed killer. And thanks to some earlier shenanigans (it's a long story) there are now ''dozens'' of other keys in the bottom of the same puddle when she tries to fish the right one out.
----
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None
Changed line(s) 24,25 (click to see context) from:
* In the DarkTower novel ''Literature/TheWasteLands'', Jake has to go through a HauntedHouse to reach a magical doorway that will take him to the others in Mid-World. Just as the house comes alive and tries to eat him, he drops the key that will let him open the portal and it falls through the floorboards.
to:
* In the DarkTower Franchise/TheDarkTower novel ''Literature/TheWasteLands'', Jake has to go through a HauntedHouse to reach a magical doorway that will take him to the others in Mid-World. Just as the house comes alive and tries to eat him, he drops the key that will let him open the portal and it falls through the floorboards.
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** Not that it mattered, because he left his car unlocked.
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[[AC:{{Live Action TV}}]]
to:
Changed line(s) 27,28 (click to see context) from:
* ''BuffyTheVampireSlayer''. In "Passion" Angelus is waiting outside Buffy's home when her mother comes home, and starts putting on a psycho ex-boyfriend act to make her nervous. Joyce manages to both fumble her house keys and drop a bag of fruit she's carrying before Buffy intervenes.
to:
* ''BuffyTheVampireSlayer''.''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer''. In "Passion" Angelus is waiting outside Buffy's home when her mother comes home, and starts putting on a psycho ex-boyfriend act to make her nervous. Joyce manages to both fumble her house keys and drop a bag of fruit she's carrying before Buffy intervenes.
Changed line(s) 33 (click to see context) from:
[[AC:{{Western Animation}}]]
to:
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Changed line(s) 27 (click to see context) from:
to:
* ''BuffyTheVampireSlayer''. In "Passion" Angelus is waiting outside Buffy's home when her mother comes home, and starts putting on a psycho ex-boyfriend act to make her nervous. Joyce manages to both fumble her house keys and drop a bag of fruit she's carrying before Buffy intervenes.
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Changed line(s) 32 (click to see context) from:
[[AC:{{WesternAnimation}}]]
to:
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[[AC:{{WesternAnimation}}]]
* FostersHomeForImaginaryFriends: Frankie drops her key to the front door of the house into a mud puddle while being chased by an apparent crazed killer. And thanks to some earlier shenanigans (it's a long story) there are now ''dozens'' of other keys in the bottom of the same puddle when she tries to fish the right one out.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Natter and aesthetic tweak
Changed line(s) 19,20 (click to see context) from:
* Played with in ''Film/{{Zombieland}}'', when Columbus drop his keys by the car while being chased by a zombie, but is smart enough to circle around the car until he's able to reclaim the keys without getting killed. Then it turns out the car wasn't even locked.
** Though he'd still need the keys to ''start the car'', naturally.
** Though he'd still need the keys to ''start the car'', naturally.
to:
* Played with in ''Film/{{Zombieland}}'', when Columbus drop his keys by the car while being chased by a zombie, but is smart enough to circle around the car until he's able to reclaim the keys without getting killed. Then it turns out the car wasn't even locked.\n** Though he'd still need the keys to ''start the car'', naturally.
Changed line(s) 31 (click to see context) from:
* The final verse to [[{{Music/Nickelback}} Nickelback]]'s ''Animals'' has the singer frantically looking for the car keys after [[spoiler: his girlfriend's dad]] catches them getting it on in a car.
to:
* The final verse to [[{{Music/Nickelback}} Nickelback]]'s ''Animals'' has the singer frantically looking for the car keys after [[spoiler: his girlfriend's dad]] catches them getting it on in a car.car.
----
----
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Changed line(s) 30 (click to see context) from:
* In the music video for ''TheyMightBeGiants'' "Bastard wants to hit me", the character has managed to slip away from the titular bastard, and get to his car. However, the bastard notices him, and is very angry that he left before he was finished talking to him. The man freaks out and drops his keys. He picks them up, but before he can open the door the bastard catches up to him and lays him out.
to:
* In the music video for ''TheyMightBeGiants'' "Bastard wants to hit me", the character has managed to slip away from the titular bastard, and get to his car. However, the bastard notices him, and is very angry that he left before he was finished talking to him. The man freaks out and drops his keys. He picks them up, but before he can open the door the bastard catches up to him and lays him out.out.
* The final verse to [[{{Music/Nickelback}} Nickelback]]'s ''Animals'' has the singer frantically looking for the car keys after [[spoiler: his girlfriend's dad]] catches them getting it on in a car.
* The final verse to [[{{Music/Nickelback}} Nickelback]]'s ''Animals'' has the singer frantically looking for the car keys after [[spoiler: his girlfriend's dad]] catches them getting it on in a car.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
[[AC:{{Literature}}]]
* In the DarkTower novel ''Literature/TheWasteLands'', Jake has to go through a HauntedHouse to reach a magical doorway that will take him to the others in Mid-World. Just as the house comes alive and tries to eat him, he drops the key that will let him open the portal and it falls through the floorboards.
* In the DarkTower novel ''Literature/TheWasteLands'', Jake has to go through a HauntedHouse to reach a magical doorway that will take him to the others in Mid-World. Just as the house comes alive and tries to eat him, he drops the key that will let him open the portal and it falls through the floorboards.
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None
Changed line(s) 1 (click to see context) from:
[[quoteright:349: [[Film/{{Halloween}} http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Image32_3873.jpg]]]]
to:
[[quoteright:349: [[Film/{{Halloween}} [[Film/HalloweenH20TwentyYearsLater http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Image32_3873.jpg]]]]
Changed line(s) 17 (click to see context) from:
* In ''Film/{{Halloween}}: H20'', Molly and John are being chased by Michael Myers and surprisingly manage to get a fair distance away from him, before locking themselves in a small courtyard. Unfortunately, Molly drops the keys ''outside'' the courtyard and spends a few minutes trying to reach them, thus allowing Michael Myers to catch up to them, pick up the keys and unlock the courtyard gate with ease.
to:
* In ''Film/{{Halloween}}: H20'', ''Film/HalloweenH20TwentyYearsLater'', Molly and John are being chased by Michael Myers and surprisingly manage to get a fair distance away from him, before locking themselves in a small courtyard. Unfortunately, Molly drops the keys ''outside'' the courtyard and spends a few minutes trying to reach them, thus allowing Michael Myers to catch up to them, pick up the keys and unlock the courtyard gate with ease.
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None
Changed line(s) 24 (click to see context) from:
* ''Series/DoctorWho's'' "Closing Time" featured a variation. The Doctor escaped out of ahouse from the attacking monster, but accidentally dropped his Sonic Screwdriver as the door closed behind him. This led him being locked outside as the monster confronted his friend Craig moments later.
to:
* ''Series/DoctorWho's'' "Closing Time" featured a variation. The Doctor escaped out of ahouse from the attacking monster, but accidentally dropped his Sonic Screwdriver as the door closed behind him. This led him being locked outside as the monster confronted his friend Craig moments later.later.
[[AC:{{Music}}]]
* In the music video for ''TheyMightBeGiants'' "Bastard wants to hit me", the character has managed to slip away from the titular bastard, and get to his car. However, the bastard notices him, and is very angry that he left before he was finished talking to him. The man freaks out and drops his keys. He picks them up, but before he can open the door the bastard catches up to him and lays him out.
[[AC:{{Music}}]]
* In the music video for ''TheyMightBeGiants'' "Bastard wants to hit me", the character has managed to slip away from the titular bastard, and get to his car. However, the bastard notices him, and is very angry that he left before he was finished talking to him. The man freaks out and drops his keys. He picks them up, but before he can open the door the bastard catches up to him and lays him out.
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** Though he'd still need the keys to ''start the car'', naturally.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Saw movie recently and noticed discrepancy between previous description and what actually happened.
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* In ''{{Titanic}}'', Rose and Jack are trapped underneath the ship by a metallic gate as it floods. One of the cabin crew throws his keys to them, but neither of them catch it. Cue Jack attempting to retrieve the gate key multiple times as the freezing cold water rises.
to:
* In ''{{Titanic}}'', Rose and Jack are trapped underneath in the lower decks of the ship by a metallic gate as it floods. One of the cabin crew throws his keys tries to them, unlock it but neither of them catch it.manages to do and say the [[OopsIDroppedTheKeys trope]] before apologetically fleeing. Cue Jack attempting to retrieve the gate key multiple times as the freezing cold water rises.
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None
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* Played with in ''Film/{{Zombieland}}'', when Columbus drop his keys by the car while being chased by a zombie, but is smart enough to circle around the car until he's able to reclaim the keys without getting killed.
to:
* Played with in ''Film/{{Zombieland}}'', when Columbus drop his keys by the car while being chased by a zombie, but is smart enough to circle around the car until he's able to reclaim the keys without getting killed. Then it turns out the car wasn't even locked.
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None
Changed line(s) 1 (click to see context) from:
[[quoteright:349: [[{{Halloween}} http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Image32_3873.jpg]]]]
to:
[[quoteright:349: [[{{Halloween}} [[Film/{{Halloween}} http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Image32_3873.jpg]]]]
Changed line(s) 17 (click to see context) from:
* In ''{{Halloween}}: H20'', Molly and John are being chased by Michael Myers and surprisingly manage to get a fair distance away from him, before locking themselves in a small courtyard. Unfortunately, Molly drops the keys ''outside'' the courtyard and spends a few minutes trying to reach them, thus allowing Michael Myers to catch up to them, pick up the keys and unlock the courtyard gate with ease.
to:
* In ''{{Halloween}}: ''Film/{{Halloween}}: H20'', Molly and John are being chased by Michael Myers and surprisingly manage to get a fair distance away from him, before locking themselves in a small courtyard. Unfortunately, Molly drops the keys ''outside'' the courtyard and spends a few minutes trying to reach them, thus allowing Michael Myers to catch up to them, pick up the keys and unlock the courtyard gate with ease.
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None
Changed line(s) 23 (click to see context) from:
* ''DoctorWho's'' "Closing Time" featured a variation. The Doctor escaped out of ahouse from the attacking monster, but accidentally dropped his Sonic Screwdriver as the door closed behind him. This led him being locked outside as the monster confronted his friend Craig moments later.
to:
* ''DoctorWho's'' ''Series/DoctorWho's'' "Closing Time" featured a variation. The Doctor escaped out of ahouse from the attacking monster, but accidentally dropped his Sonic Screwdriver as the door closed behind him. This led him being locked outside as the monster confronted his friend Craig moments later.
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None
Changed line(s) 23 (click to see context) from:
* ''DoctorWho's'' "Closing Time" featured a variation. The Doctor escaped out of the house from the attacking monster, but accidentally dropped his Sonic Screwdriver as the door closed behind him. This led him being locked outside as the monster confronted his friend Craig moments later.
to:
* ''DoctorWho's'' "Closing Time" featured a variation. The Doctor escaped out of the house ahouse from the attacking monster, but accidentally dropped his Sonic Screwdriver as the door closed behind him. This led him being locked outside as the monster confronted his friend Craig moments later.
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None
Changed line(s) 22 (click to see context) from:
to:
[[AC:{{Live Action TV}}]]
* ''DoctorWho's'' "Closing Time" featured a variation. The Doctor escaped out of the house from the attacking monster, but accidentally dropped his Sonic Screwdriver as the door closed behind him. This led him being locked outside as the monster confronted his friend Craig moments later.
* ''DoctorWho's'' "Closing Time" featured a variation. The Doctor escaped out of the house from the attacking monster, but accidentally dropped his Sonic Screwdriver as the door closed behind him. This led him being locked outside as the monster confronted his friend Craig moments later.
