History Main / EnterStageWindow

* Happens after Veronica is driven in shame from a party in ''Theatre/Heathers''. She climbs in through JD's window for some... ''Music/DeadGirlWalking''.

* Yayoi of ''[[Anime/ParallelTroubleAdventureDual Dual!]]'' usually wakes protagonist Kazuki by climbing through his window every morning. She does not use a ladder or a convenient tree, but a bridge between their houses. That she apparently built overnight without anyone noticing.

* Played even more horrifically in ''Film/TwinPeaksFireWalkWithMe'', with the demon Bob slowly climbing through Laura's bedroom window. This is followed by a truly disturbing rape scene.

** Buffy typically departed from and returned to her house this way, before her mother knew she was The Slayer. In "[[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS1E7Angel Angel]]", Buffy climbs in through her window, informs Angel that her mother isn't home, and is then [[LampshadeHanging at a loss]] when asked why she [[ThereWasADoor didn't just use the door]].

** Buffy typically departed from and returned to her house this way, before her mother knew she was The Slayer. At one point, Buffy climbs in through her window, informs Angel that her mother isn't home, and is then [[LampshadeHanging at a loss]] when asked why she [[ThereWasADoor didn't just use the door]].

* In Disney's ''Disney/{{Aladdin}}'':

* Done in ComicBook/CaptainAmerica with [[ComicBook/BuckyBarnes Winter Soldier]] sneaking into [[ComicBook/BlackWidow Natalia's]] room in a flashback to when they were both subjects of a KGB secret program.

* ''Film/SkyHigh2005'' has the GirlNextDoor love interest meet the hero on a tree by his window. Significant in that her superpower is [[GreenThumb control over plants]].

* Both times Peter visits Gwen in ''Film/TheAmazingSpiderMan'', he enters through her bedroom window. In the first time, he claims he got there through the fire escape (''twenty stories'') because he's frightened of the doorman. [[spoiler:In the second time, she already knows he's Spider-Man so he doesn't have to come up with any excuse.]]
* ''Film/{{Bullshot}}''. ComedicHero Bullshot Crummond tries to contact his client Rosemary Fenton this way, and only manages to attract a good deal of attention.
-->"[[MoveAlongNothingToSeeHere Just ignore me!]] I'm a collector of unusual insects!"
* In ''Film/TheCannonballRun'' sequel, Sammy Davis Jr does this to Dean Martin in a high rise hotel room. As his character is in the middle of trying to seduce a girl, he's not happy and shoves him out the window, only to be surprised when Sammy stands up unharmed (he's standing on a window washing platform).
-->"You are the tallest short man I've ever seen."

* The protagonist of the Australian film ''Flirting'' (1991) does this when sneaking into a girl's school, only for the window to slam down on his back, trapping him there.
* In ''Film/HappyBirthdayToMe'', Etienne enters Virginia's room through her window, spies on her as she prepares for a bath and [[PantyThief steals her panties]].
* Played for horror in ''Film/TheCabinetOfDrCaligari'' when Cesare, a murderous sleepwalker and henchman to the MadScientist Dr. Caligari, sneaks through Jane's bedroom window as she sleeps. He's been instructed to kill her, but is so moved by her beauty he [[IHaveYouNowMyPretty kidnaps her for himself]], leading to an iconic shot of him [[TouchOfTheMonster carrying her]] over the [[{{Bizarrchitecture}} surreal rooftops]] of Holstenwall. Even when Jane is rescued, she is so traumatised by her ordeal that she spends the rest of the movie in a semi-catatonic state, and the FramingStory pitches the main narrative as a story about why she is the way she is.
* In the 1931 version of ''[[Film/Frankenstein1931 Frankenstein]]'', the monster climbs into a second-storey window to find Elizabeth, Dr. Frankenstein's (ahem) bride, preparing for their wedding, in a scene clearly influenced by the above ''Caligari''. Like Jane, Elizabeth is profoundly shaken by her encounter with the monster, although she seems to be doing better at the end.
* Played even more horrifically in ''Film/TwinPeaksFireWalkWithMe'', with the demon Bob slowly climbing through Laura's bedroom window. This is followed by a truly disturbing rape scene.
* In ''Film/TigerHouse'', Kelly gets into her boyfriend Mark's bedroom by climbing up the trellis and going through his window. It is implied that this is her usual way of entering because Mark's mother does not approve of her and she usually tries to come and go without being seen.

* In the Australian kids show ''Shirl's Neighbourhood'', every single character entering the treehouse came in through the window. Because the treehouse didn't have a door.

* ''Series/AlexaAndKatie'' often use each other's windows to visit each other. As their bedrooms are directly across from each other and connected by a tree, this is actually the fastest way between their two houses.
* How the titular character on ''Series/DirkGentlysHolisticDetectiveAgency'' is introduced to his unwitting "sidekick" Todd (whose perspective has had most of the show's screen time up to that point). Cue a [[CloudCuckooLander genuine & enthusiastic "Hi!" from Dirk,]] while he's still hanging halfway out the window. And cue a [[RealityEnsues freak-out from Todd over a complete stranger climbing into his apartment.]]

* "[[Music/{{Bad}} Smooth Criminal]]" by Music/MichaelJackson has "He came in through the window".
* In "The Beers" by Music/TheFrontBottoms, the narrator comes to a WildTeenParty via the window.

* In ''On the Twentieth Century'', Oscar Jafee boards the titular train through the window.
* Also parodied in the coarse-acting short ''Il Fornicazione'' by Michael Green. A lover tries to sneak in via a stage window but he's too fat.

* In ''{{Webcomic/Clockwork}}'', Gaz does this in order to sneak up on Jean after having his two subordinates misdirect him by coming in through the door.

* In an episode of ''WesternAnimation/{{Doug}}'', when Roger develops a crush on Doug's sister, Judy, he attempts to do this, obviously referencing ''Theatre/RomeoAndJuliet''. However, he gets the wrong house and is instead greeted by Doug's neighbor, Mrs. Dink, wearing curlers and a facial mask. She just smirks and says to him, [[DeadpanSnarker "Nice try, Romeo, but you're about thirty years too late."]]

* In ''Series/{{Chuck}}'', it's kind of a RunningGag. Chuck's friend Morgan always climbs through Chuck's window whenever he comes to visit Chuck, for absolutely no reason. He even calls it "The Morgan Door". A SugarWiki/{{Funny Moment|s}} in the opening scene of the pilot has Morgan dangling from the window and struggling to keep his grip...only for it to be revealed that Chuck's room ''is on the ground floor'' when he finishes screwing around and stands up.

* Jack tries this in ''Webcomic/{{Crankrats}}''. Unfortunately, [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments the window in question is not exactly Jack-sized.]]

* How the titular character on ''Series/DirkGentlysHolisticDetectiveAgency'' is introduced to his unwitting "sidekick" Todd (whose perspective has had most of the show's screen time up to that point). Cue a [[CloudCuckooLander genuine & enthusiastic "Hi!" from Dirk,]] while he's still hanging halfway out the window. Cue a [[RealityEnsues freak-out from Todd over a complete stranger climbing into his apartment.]]

If the window is shut, the traditional way to get the resident's attention is to throw gravel at it, but as that's become [[DiscreditedTrope something of a cliché]], it's usually [[PlayingWithATrope subverted somehow]] (they break the window, or hit their friend with a rock, or discover they picked the wrong room...)

* ''Series/AlexAndKatie'' often use each other's windows to visit each other. As their bedrooms are directly across from each other and connected by a tree, this is actually the fastest way between their two houses.

** It's even funnier because a reverse-angle shows Hector dangling outside the second-story window, and there's ''nothing there'' he couldn't have climbed up; the wall is absolutely bare.

If the window is shut, the traditional way to get the resident's attention is to throw gravel at it, but as that's become [[DiscreditedTrope something of a cliche]], it's usually [[PlayingWithATrope subverted somehow]] (they break the window, or hit their friend with a rock, or discover they picked the wrong room...)

* In early seasons of ''Series/DawsonsCreek'', every last character climbed a ladder into Dawson's bedroom. Most often Joey, but Jen and even Pacey did so on multiple occasions.
* As seen in the page picture, Sam of ''Series/ClarissaExplainsItAll'' always enters Clarissa's house via a ladder at her window. ''*clunk*'' "Hi, Sam." ''*guitar riff*''
-->'''Clarissa's Dad:''' Why doesn't that kid ever use the door?

-->'''Zay:''' So what? You guys just come through the window and that's okay? I don't like it. It's impolite. Oh, and I took some cereal. You're out of milk, now.

* ''Series/TeenWolf'': This is [[{{HeterosexualLifePartner}} Stiles's]] most frequent way to enter the [=McCall=] residence, in fact the ''first time'' the viewers meet him he's climbing into Scott's window in the middle of the night, and on several occasions gives both Scott and Scott's mother Melissa quite the scare. By Season 2 he's just had a key made to simplify things, and Melissa's resigned herself to him making their house a second home.
* Donna does this with Eric in at least one early episode of ''Series/That70sShow''.
* ''Series/ICarly'': Samantha Puckett is known for breaking into the home of her best friend Carly Shay, by using the fire escape into Carly's bedroom.
** That one might just be {{Fanon}}. However, Mandy barged back in the Shay loft to stay there overnight in one of her episodes. When Carly asked her how she entered with the door locked, Mandy replied, "But not all your windows are."
* On ''Series/DrakeAndJosh'', Josh visits Mindy this way.
* In ''Series/{{House}}'', Wilson seems to have a bit of an obsession with climbing through windows. In the premiere of season 6, he gets into Dr. House's apartment through his window after he refuses to answer the door. Then, Wilson brings Chinese food to Cuddy's while [[spoiler:Dr. House is babysitting her daughter Rachel]]. After [[spoiler:Rachel eats a coin]] while the two are supposed to be watching her, they try to solve the situation before Cuddy finds out. When Cuddy comes home during their planning, Wilson escapes by climbing out a window.
** House: "You're telling me to do the right thing while climbing out a window?!"
** Wilson also tells Cuddy, "Just say the word, and we will climb out that window right now," when she's upset over her [[spoiler:breakup with Dr. House]].
*** Wilson may have an obsession with windows in general. He tends to throw things at them when he becomes angry, either at House during an argument, or at a random guy who wouldn't stop playing the same song over and over.
* On ''Series/{{Glee}}'', Rachel enters Puck's room this way in a dream (it is, in fact, how he knows that he's dreaming).
* [[StalkerWithACrush Rose]] regularly climbs over the side of the deck outside Charlie's house in ''Series/TwoAndAHalfMen'', and one gets the distinct impression that she does it ''more'' when he's ''not'' there.

* This is how Zack and Jessie generally visit each other on ''Series/SavedByTheBell''. All other visits bypass the front door and go directly to room.

* [=CeCe=] and Rocky of ''Series/ShakeItUp'' live in the same apartment building. As such, Rocky usually enters via the fire escape.
* Something of a staple on ''Series/TheVampireDiaries'': Vampires are constantly entering through Elena's bedroom window, and Matt inexplicably enters Caroline's house through her window in one episode.
* A freerunner on one of the ''Series/{{CSI}}'' shows used this technique to get into his girlfriend's room, despite her father's furious attempts to keep him away from her. It worked until [[spoiler:her kid brother rigged the flagpole outside the window to shock anyone who touched it, and electrocuted him]].
* In ''Series/{{Victorious}}'' episode "The Bird Scene", Sikowitz suggested that Tori enter through the window.
** He's entered and exited through that window a couple of times (including [[DeletedScene the extended version of the pilot]]).
** An enraged Jade comes in through the window to ambush Cat in "Crazy Ponnie".
* At least one episode of ''Series/SmallWonder'' had Reggie enter Jamie's (presumably second-story) bedroom through the window.
* Non-romantic variant in ''Series/WelcomeBackKotter'', with the Sweathogs dropping in on their favorite teacher via his living room window. He wasn't bothered by it, but his wife was.
* In the ''Series/LoveAmericanStyle'' episode "[[PoorlyDisguisedPilot Love and the ]]Series/{{Happy Day|s}}", Potsie visits Richie in this manner.
* ''Series/OneTreeHill'' averts this trope by giving Lucas's bedroom a door to the outside, making it much easier for people to come and go as they please.

[[folder:Theater]]

* Music/TheBeatles: "[[Music/AbbeyRoad She Came In Through the Bathroom Window]]". Humorously, Creator/PaulMcCartney was inspired to write the song based on an experience where a LoonyFan had broken into his house through a bathroom window.

* In ''Series/{{Chuck}}'', it's kind of a RunningGag. Chuck's friend Morgan always climbs through Chuck's window whenever he comes to visit Chuck, for absolutely no reason. He even calls it "The Morgan Door". A CrowningMomentOfFunny in the opening scene of the pilot has Morgan dangling from the window and struggling to keep his grip...only for it to be revealed that Chuck's room ''is on the ground floor'' when he finishes screwing around and stands up.

* Jack tries this in ''Webcomic/{{Crankrats}}''. Unfortunately, [[CrowningMomentOfFunny the window in question is not exactly Jack-sized.]]

If the window is shut, the traditional way to get the resident's attention is to throw gravel at it, but as that's become [[DiscreditedTrope something of a cliche]], it's usually [[PlayingWithATrope subverted somehow]] (they [[WindowPain break the window]], or hit their friend with a rock, or discover they picked the wrong room...)

Subtrope of ThereWasADoor. Contrast BedsheetLadder, which is for the person inside getting out. For the glass shattering DynamicEntry variant, see SuperWindowJump, which may also be at the same time as FastRoping.