Line #42 Main/TheLabRat


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3	%% Administrivia/ZeroContextExample entries are not allowed on wiki pages. All such entries have been commented out. Add context to the entries before uncommenting them.
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6	[[quoteright:230:[[VideoGame/AnimalCrossingNewHorizons https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/438_petri_amiibo_card_na.png]]]]
7	[[caption-width-right:230:[[VisualPun Some Lab Rats aren't this easy to spot]], [[CharacterCatchphrase mmmhmm]].]]
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9	Any character who performs scientific analysis. Forensics people, usually. If on [[ForensicDrama a show about those people]], such as ''Series/{{CSI}}'' and its spinoffs, he will be the member of the team who deals with the most technical and specialized aspects.
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11	They will often be fairly geeky, and/or [[MisfitLabRat members of other subcultures]]. Sometimes they will leave the lab and have adventures, or even become a more major character. Often the PluckyComicRelief if they get any character development. Not to be confused with the actual [[AnimalTesting lab animals]], [[TestedOnHumans humans]] StrappedToAnOperatingTable, ProfessorGuineaPig, or ResourcefulRodent, though examples of the last two tropes sometimes fit this one as well. [[note]]Actually, come to think of it, [[UpliftedAnimal any]] of [[GotVolunteered those]] could fit, circumstances depending.[[/note]]
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13	Not to be confused with TheRat, who's the one selling information.
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15	!!Examples
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17	[[foldercontrol]]
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19	[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
20	* Any character in the Mazinger series (''Anime/MazingerZ'', ''Anime/GreatMazinger'' and ''Anime/UFORoboGrendizer'') filled TheProfessor role fit in this trope: Dr. Kabuto, Prof. Yumi, Prof. Kenzo Kabuto, Prof. Umon... All of them performed scientific analysis and research, either to design the HumongousMecha or to draw the information they needed from the data the BridgeBunnies collected.
21	* ''Manga/MoriartyThePatriot'': Sherlock keeps a full chemistry lab in 221B Baker Street and he's frequently shown interrupted during experiment. When he first meets John, for example, he's working on a solution to detect traces of blood to assist with his detective work.
22	* Shion Karanomori of ''Anime/PsychoPass'' is responsible for the lab analysis and at the same time, is Division One's MissionControl and a skilled hacker. However, she's a latent criminal who is not allowed to go outside the headquarters so she has to depend on the Enforcers and Inspectors to gather the evidence.
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25	[[folder:Comic Books]]
26	* Barry Allen, ComicBook/TheFlash, is a forensic scientist who got his SuperSpeed powers through a FreakLabAccident.
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29	[[folder:Fan Fiction]]
30	* Dr. Otto Octavius refers to himself as exactly this in ''Fanfic/LifeAfterDeathTrilogy''.
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33	[[folder:Literature]]
34	* ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'' has Waldo Butters, whose adventures outside the lab result in him very firmly returning to it, and only leaving while wearing a BulletProofVest.
35	* ''Literature/SwordOfTruth'': In the Palace of the Prophets, Wizard Warren becomes known as The Mole for stopping leaving the underground libraries. It takes Richard to draw him out again. Warren turns out to be both brilliant and a power combat-wizard, so it was mainly shyness.
36	* Every chapter featuring Melodie Crookshank in ''Literature/TyrannosaurCanyon'' emphasizes her technical expertise and discoveries specifically in her basement laboratory. The fact that she has no friends and few coworkers strikes her as dangerously isolating over the book.
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39	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
40	* Nigel Townsend from ''Series/CrossingJordan''. He was as much a main character as anyone who wasn't Jordan could be throughout the show's duration, but his overenthusiasm at tackling any overly technical problem, quirky sense of humor, ambiguous personal life, and arguable ability to fall into the goth subculture place him squarely in this trope.
41	* ''Series/{{CSI}}'':
42	** Greg Sanders, whose nickname at Website/TelevisionWithoutPity inspired this entry's title. He has now become a CSI in his own right, but not before his intended first replacement quit after only one day on the job due to being overwhelmed by everyone hounding her to do everything he'd been doing up to then. At one point, reference is made to him doing the work of six people.
43	** Greg's role has been taken over by multiple people: David Hodges (Trace Analysis, endearingly annoying), Archie Johnson (Audiovisual) Mandy Webster (Fingerprints), Henry Andrews (Toxicology) and Wendy Simms (DNA, lower rung love interest). They get a LowerDeckEpisode with the hilarious "You Kill Me". Also, the aptly named episodes "Lab Rats" and "Field Mice".
44	%%* ''Series/CSIMiami'':
45	%%** Natalia Boa Vista, who eventually upgraded to full CSI.
46	%%** Maxine Valera also does this job.
47	* ''Series/{{CSINY}}'':
48	** Adam Ross, who bounces from DNA to Trace to Ballistics and is, among other things, the resident TechnoWizard.
49	** "[[Recap/CSINYS08E14 Flash Pop]]" centers around some of the lower level lab techs, one of whom was murdered in a copy-cat version of an unsolved case from 1957. The other techs hold a vigil for her in the lab, which is particularly moving to Jo. Adam refers to all of them as friends.
50	%%* Marshall Flinkmann, the MissionControl from ''Series/{{Alias}}''.
51	* Broots from ''Series/ThePretender'', whose job description rarely entails leaving his electronics lab at Villain HQ.
52	* Abby Sciuto, the PerkyGoth lab tech from ''Series/{{NCIS}}''. A major case of BunnyEarsLawyer.
53	* In ''Series/{{Bones}}'', either Zack, Hodgins or Brennan (in that order or probability) depending on the episode and the context.
54	** Called "squints" in-universe by Booth. Because they sit in the lab and squint at things.
55	*** Also the rotating team of 'Squinterns', Dr Brennan's interns.
56	* In ''Series/{{Fringe}}'', Massive Dynamic's Brandon Fayette, and for pretty much the final two seasons, Astrid Farnsworth.
57	* ''Series/{{Dexter}}'': While "serial killer" is a better description, blood-spatter analyst [[Characters/DexterDexterMorgan Dexter Morgan]] is considered TheLabRat in his public life.
58	** If anything, Dexter is a subversion. At his job, he's seen as one of the lab rats, but the audience knows better. His co-worker Masuka, on the other hand, is a dead-on example.
59	%%* Chloe O'Brian from ''Series/TwentyFour''.
60	%%* Samantha Carter from ''Franchise/StargateVerse''.
61	%%* Fred (and later Knox) in ''Series/{{Angel}}''.
62	* Early seasons of ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' have Willow doing this, before it becomes less "chemical analysis" and more "potion-brewing".
63	* In ''Series/{{Dollhouse}}'' while Topher has pretensions of being a MadScientist he's really just one of these, his assistant Ivy even more so.
64	%%* Agent Pendrell in ''Series/TheXFiles''.
65	* Lester in ''Series/BeakmansWorld'' is a ''literal'' lab rat. Well, lab guy-in-a-rat-suit, but you get the picture.
66	%%* Eve Lockhart in Series/WakingTheDead also qualifies.
67	%%* Phil and Lem from ''Series/BetterOffTed''.
68	%%* Barry Allen's day job in ''Series/TheFlash1990'' and ''Series/TheFlash2014''.
69	* ''Series/{{Gotham}}'' has [[ComicBook/TheRiddler Edward Nygma]], who annoys colleagues with his habit of giving out information he finds in [[DelightingInRiddles the form of riddles.]]
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72	[[folder:Video Games]]
73	* Ema Skye in the ''Franchise/AceAttorney'' series. Technically, she's a detective who really likes science, but the spirit is still there.
74	* ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossing'' villager Petri embodies this trope both figuratively, as a scientist-themed snooty villager with a laboratory-themed residence, and [[VisualPun literally]], as a mouse villager introduced in ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossingNewHorizons''.
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77	[[folder:Webcomics]]
78	* ''Webcomic/GunnerkriggCourt'' has Kat, even when dealing with second shadows and ghosts.
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81	[[folder:Western Animation]]
82	%%* The Lab Rat from ''WesternAnimation/{{Grossology}}'' actually goes by this name.
83	* A sort of literal version of this occurs in ''WesternAnimation/CreatureComforts'', where a couple of lab rats in a maze being voiced by two real-life scientists talk about their day jobs.
84	* Wally West, the Flash in ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'', works as one as a nod to Barry Allen.
85	[[/folder]]
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Context Main / TheLabRat