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Skeleton Key Card
- 387 statements
- 75 feature instances
- 47 referencing feature instances
| Skeleton Key Card | type |
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| Skeleton Key Card | label |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card | page |
SkeletonKeyCard | |
| Skeleton Key Card | comment |
In TV land, some 90% of locked doors can be opened in seconds by following three simple steps: Insert a credit card between the door and the frame just above the lock. Jiggle card a bit. Turn handle. Up to a point, this used to be Truth in Television. Early spring-bolt locks could be circumvented with flexible strips in a similar way (though actual credit-cards are usually too stiff for the purpose), especially if carelessly installed. However lock manufacturers introduced features to prevent this kind of attack a long time ago, and dead-bolt locks were always immune to it. As such, it's a Discredited Trope. Sub-Trope of Improvised Lockpick. Not to be confused with a Skeleton Key or a key card that acts like a Skeleton Key. Or The Skeleton Key. |
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| Skeleton Key Card | fetched |
2024-03-22T17:16:21Z | |
| Skeleton Key Card | parsed |
2024-03-22T17:16:21Z | |
| Skeleton Key Card | processingComment |
Dropped link to DoubleSubverted: Not an Item - FEATURE | |
| Skeleton Key Card | processingComment |
Dropped link to TheSeventies: Not an Item - FEATURE | |
| Skeleton Key Card | processingComment |
Dropped link to TheSixtyEightRooms: Not an Item - UNKNOWN | |
| Skeleton Key Card | processingComment |
Dropped link to VictimOfTheWeek: Not an Item - FEATURE | |
| Skeleton Key Card | processingUnknown |
The Sixty-Eight Rooms | |
| Skeleton Key Card | isPartOf |
DBTropes | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_11b7db91 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_11b7db91 | comment |
The Ice King uses a credit card to unhook the latch on Bubblegum Princess' shutters in the Adventure Time episode "Mortal Folly". | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_11b7db91 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_11b7db91 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Adventure Time | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_11b7db91 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_11e9403c | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_11e9403c | comment |
1-800-Where-R-U: In book 5, while breaking into the apartment where Rob's little sister Hannah had been staying, Jess initially asks Rob for a credit card she can use to slip the lock (he refuses, since he knows it'd be destroyed in doing so), but winds up using her Juilliard ID card instead. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_11e9403c | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_11e9403c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| 1-800-Where-R-U | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_11e9403c | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_135eac46 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_135eac46 | comment |
Clue: Book 3, chapter 7 ("Sound the Alarm!") has Boddy installing a great deal of security equipment in the mansion, and asks Mr. Green (and all the other guests) to try to break in through the front door. Falling back on this trope, Green uses a credit card to slip the lock... and like everyone else who tried to break in that way, triggers a trap door under the welcome mat. And then his suitcase falls in after him, landing on his head. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_135eac46 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_135eac46 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Clue | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_135eac46 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_18916544 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_18916544 | comment |
Fillmore!: In "Test of the Tested", Ingrid uses her library card to spring the lock on the equipment storeroom in the basement of the gym. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_18916544 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_18916544 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Fillmore! | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_18916544 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_201c1492 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_201c1492 | comment |
Used by Visser in Blood Simple to get into Ray's house. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_201c1492 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_201c1492 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blood Simple | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_201c1492 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_225c51e0 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_225c51e0 | comment |
Parodied in The Naked Gun where Frank tries this with Brand X card and it doesn't work. He tries it with an American Express card and the door opens. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_225c51e0 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_225c51e0 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Naked Gun | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_225c51e0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_2275c659 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_2275c659 | comment |
Subverted by House who brandishes his credit card while betting his team he can unlock a door in under 20 seconds, only to grab the spare key under a flowerpot once they're foolish enough to take the bet. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_2275c659 | featureApplicability |
-0.3 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_2275c659 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| House | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_2275c659 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_22e7c6e9 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_22e7c6e9 | comment |
Probe's "Metamorphic Anthropoidic Prototype Over You": Josephine becomes the prime suspect in a murder due to being able to pick the lock on her cage with a credit card that she stole from Austin. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_22e7c6e9 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_22e7c6e9 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Probe | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_22e7c6e9 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_2467c186 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_2467c186 | comment |
Ace Ventura did it with a door sign. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_2467c186 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_2467c186 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Ace Ventura | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_2467c186 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_25d97c04 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_25d97c04 | comment |
James Bond: The Q-card in Agent Under Fire opens one electronically-locked door in "Night of the Jackal." It is never used again. NightFire has one that can open doors on a computer: the Q-Worm, a miniature CD-ROM hidden inside a credit card. |
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| Skeleton Key Card / int_25d97c04 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_25d97c04 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| James Bond (Franchise) | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_25d97c04 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_261c8d3f | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_261c8d3f | comment |
In The Simpsons episode "Marge Gets a Job", Marge's new office at the nuclear plant doesn't have a key to the door because it was lost. Instead of replacing the lock, Smithers just tells Marge she can get in with a credit card. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_261c8d3f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_261c8d3f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Simpsons | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_261c8d3f | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_2b985901 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_2b985901 | comment |
Subverted in I Dream, where a pair of characters destroy every (fake) credit card they have trying to open a door this way. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_2b985901 | featureApplicability |
-0.3 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_2b985901 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| I Dream | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_2b985901 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_2bbcacd9 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_2bbcacd9 | comment |
In the Looney Tunes short "Box Office Bunny", Daffy Duck, outraged at the prices of movie tickets, pulls out his library card - and uses it to open the back door of the theater. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_2bbcacd9 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_2bbcacd9 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Looney Tunes | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_2bbcacd9 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_2bc165fe | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_2bc165fe | comment |
The World Is Not Enough has a Visa credit card with a lockpick inside it. Sliding back the lower portion of the card causes the spring-loaded pick to pop out. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_2bc165fe | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_2bc165fe | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The World Is Not Enough | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_2bc165fe | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_2dc12aeb | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_2dc12aeb | comment |
NetHack lets you use your anachronistic credit card that the Tourist class starts the game with to open any lock - even, for some reason, padlocked treasure chests. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_2dc12aeb | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_2dc12aeb | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| NetHack (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_2dc12aeb | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_31ea2c8f | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_31ea2c8f | comment |
In Kyle XY, Stephen Trager uses this to get into a locked door. This is followed with an amazed "Teach me" from his teenage son. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_31ea2c8f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_31ea2c8f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Kyle XY | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_31ea2c8f | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_324ac40f | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_324ac40f | comment |
Played straight in Beneath a Steel Sky, using Reich's ID card. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_324ac40f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_324ac40f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Beneath a Steel Sky (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_324ac40f | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_3558eaa2 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_3558eaa2 | comment |
Community: Alluded to in "Accounting for Lawyers", while trying to break into Alan', Jeff's old lawyer buddy, office to find evidence that he turned Jeff into the state Bar, Abed pulls out things people use for capers, including a credit. The ineffectiveness is possibly lampshaded in that he states "the credit card doesn't work". | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_3558eaa2 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_3558eaa2 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Community | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_3558eaa2 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_3669a15 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_3669a15 | comment |
A few characters do a similar trick with a knife at various points in the Catteni books; the protagonist explicitly compares it to the credit card trick. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_3669a15 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_3669a15 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Catteni | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_3669a15 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_38cf90bd | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_38cf90bd | comment |
In the Seven Days episode "Pinball Wizard", Parker uses his newly acquired "Platinum Card" first to rent a Porsche and then to break into a girl's apartment. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_38cf90bd | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_38cf90bd | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| 7Days | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_38cf90bd | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_3aa53b32 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_3aa53b32 | comment |
In On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Bond sneaks a strip of plastic from the Piz Gloria ski shop to defeat the room locks while spying at night. Part of why he gets caught and has to escape is the SPECTRE agent running the shop actually having good enough inventory records and paying enough attention to notice a strip is missing after "Sir Hilary Bray" leaves and calling it in. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_3aa53b32 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_3aa53b32 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| On Her Majesty's Secret Service | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_3aa53b32 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_43576f5 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_43576f5 | comment |
Supernatural: Dean uses a credit card to get into Angela's house in "Children shouldn't play with dead things". Of course, when Angela's roommate freaked out at his being there he calmed her down by showing her he had a key, so... maybe he was just using the credit card as a joke? | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_43576f5 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_43576f5 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Supernatural | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_43576f5 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_43da6f7f | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_43da6f7f | comment |
Leonard uses this tactic in Memento to break into a motel room. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_43da6f7f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_43da6f7f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Memento | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_43da6f7f | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_49340431 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_49340431 | comment |
On the Brooklyn Nine-Nine episode "Chasing Amy", Jake and Amy get locked out on a roof. Jake tries to open the door with a hotel key card he had forgotten to return. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_49340431 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_49340431 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Brooklyn Nine-Nine | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_49340431 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_4b0f00d7 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_4b0f00d7 | comment |
Universal Monsters: Subverted in book 5, where the teens have to break into Ben Browning's RV. Captain Bob breaks out his library card to try and get the door open... and breaks the card in the attempt. Then it turns out the door wasn't locked. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_4b0f00d7 | featureApplicability |
-0.3 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_4b0f00d7 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Universal Monsters | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_4b0f00d7 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_4b306707 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_4b306707 | comment |
The Nickelodeon series Hey Dude! had an episode where one character manages to snap his father's credit card in half trying this trick. He tried desperately to find some way to hide or replace the broken card, only for the ending to reveal that it was expired anyway and the bank had already sent him a replacement with instructions to destroy the original. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_4b306707 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_4b306707 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Hey Dude! | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_4b306707 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_4bb953f3 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_4bb953f3 | comment |
Taken to extremes in The B-Movie Comic, where Snuka opens a vault door with his mastercard. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_4bb953f3 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_4bb953f3 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The B-Movie Comic (Webcomic) | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_4bb953f3 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_4ccb5958 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_4ccb5958 | comment |
FBI: Most Wanted: In "Inheritance", Remy and Ortiz arrive at the house of a woman they believe might be the killer's next target and find the door locked and no response when they knock. Ortiz offers to kick the door down, but Remy instead opens it with his platinum card. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_4ccb5958 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_4ccb5958 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| FBI: Most Wanted | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_4ccb5958 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_5320ab5e | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_5320ab5e | comment |
Columbo: In "Double Exposure", the murderer (played by Robert Culp) uses a credit card to jimmy the lock when he breaks into the home of his first victim to steal a weapon to murder his second (It Makes Sense in Context). | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_5320ab5e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_5320ab5e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Columbo | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_5320ab5e | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_537003f8 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_537003f8 | comment |
In the Inspector Morse book "The Dead of Jericho", Morse (who has no official standing in the case) makes a surreptitious investigation of the crime scene, and is caught by Detective Constable Walters. Once Morse has satisfied him about his motives for being there, Walters asks him how he got in. Unwilling to reveal the real answer (which involves bribery) Morse attempts to use this trope as an explanation: | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_537003f8 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_537003f8 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Inspector Morse | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_537003f8 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_54d84ec4 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_54d84ec4 | comment |
Kirk tried to use this method to break into a sperm bank on Dear John (American version). Subverted when the card (John's) breaks off in the lock. ("Oh. I guess it doesn't take American Express.") Like the Perfect Strangers example, the part with the John's name is stuck in the door. Ralph, on the other hand, manages to do this successfully. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_54d84ec4 | featureApplicability |
-0.3 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_54d84ec4 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Dear John | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_54d84ec4 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_554ceb27 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_554ceb27 | comment |
Subverted in High Heels and Low Lifes with multiple credit cards of Frances', apparently since she figured it might work This Time. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_554ceb27 | featureApplicability |
-0.3 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_554ceb27 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| High Heels and Low Lifes | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_554ceb27 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_5ada53ed | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_5ada53ed | comment |
James Bond: Parodied in A View to a Kill, where Bond pulls out a credit card to unlock a window. But after flipping it over we see that it's an electronic lockpick from The Sharper Image. The World Is Not Enough has a Visa credit card with a lockpick inside it. Sliding back the lower portion of the card causes the spring-loaded pick to pop out. |
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| Skeleton Key Card / int_5ada53ed | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_5ada53ed | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| James Bond | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_5ada53ed | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_5d30f322 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_5d30f322 | comment |
In Frequency, Frank Sullivan uses this technique to get into Sissy Clark's apartment. Unfortunately he's too late. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_5d30f322 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_5d30f322 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Frequency | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_5d30f322 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_5e033e45 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_5e033e45 | comment |
Subverted in Roxanne. Charlie is called to Roxanne's house to unlock her door. He opens his tool chest to reveal nothing but a single credit card, however the door doesn't take Master Card. He then uses the Old Reliable method to gain access to her house (deftly scaling the 3 story home to crawl in through the unlocked attic window). | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_5e033e45 | featureApplicability |
-0.3 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_5e033e45 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Roxanne | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_5e033e45 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_5e2e1dfb | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_5e2e1dfb | comment |
Just a Gigolo: Simon needs help with a dog in Episode 6, but the door is locked, so Nick uses Natalie's credit card to get in. Unfortunately for him, it ends up breaking in the door, so they just smash in through a window. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_5e2e1dfb | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_5e2e1dfb | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Just a Gigolo | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_5e2e1dfb | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_60f95f8 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_60f95f8 | comment |
Nick Velvet: After being locked in a closet in "The Theft of Cinderella's Slipper", Nick attempts to use a credit card to shim the lock, but the door is too well-fitted and he can't slide the card in. He is instead reduced to a laborious process of Hooking the Keys. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_60f95f8 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_60f95f8 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Nick Velvet | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_60f95f8 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_61983588 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_61983588 | comment |
Desperados (2020): Subverted, Wesley attempts to use a card to unlock Jared's hotel room, but she just ends up breaking it instead. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_61983588 | featureApplicability |
-0.3 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_61983588 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Desperados (2020) | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_61983588 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_6a2d31a6 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_6a2d31a6 | comment |
In Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz, the title character jimmies the lock on a sliding glass door using an ID card. Although this was stated to have something to do with the general disrepair of the home... or, at least, a fairly valid explanation was provided. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_6a2d31a6 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_6a2d31a6 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Odd Thomas | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_6a2d31a6 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_6e1d5f36 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_6e1d5f36 | comment |
Farscape. In "A Human Reaction", John Crichton steals the ID card of one of The Men in Black holding Aeryn Sun prisoner. It looks like he wants it to get into somewhere secret, but instead he uses it to break into a house so they can hide out. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_6e1d5f36 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_6e1d5f36 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Farscape | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_6e1d5f36 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_6eb4ca5c | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_6eb4ca5c | comment |
Viper invokes this trope in Jackie Chan Adventures when the entire gang is locked up in Section 13. However, Jade pulls out a macguffin "card" that renders this trope meaningless. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_6eb4ca5c | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_6eb4ca5c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Jackie Chan Adventures | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_6eb4ca5c | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_7ab7da61 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_7ab7da61 | comment |
Three's Company: After Jack's girlfriend locks herself in the bathroom and refuses to come out, Mr. Furley attempts to use his credit card to open the door. She steals the card when he inserts it and the door remains locked. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_7ab7da61 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_7ab7da61 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Three's Company | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_7ab7da61 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_7cdef00a | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_7cdef00a | comment |
Arriving at David's house in Death Spa, the two cops obligingly turn their backs while Michael jimmies the lock with a credit card. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_7cdef00a | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_7cdef00a | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Death Spa | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_7cdef00a | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_7e053c98 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_7e053c98 | comment |
Parodied in A View to a Kill, where Bond pulls out a credit card to unlock a window. But after flipping it over we see that it's an electronic lockpick from The Sharper Image. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_7e053c98 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_7e053c98 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| A View to a Kill | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_7e053c98 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_7ed055b4 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_7ed055b4 | comment |
In Insomnia, when Dormer first enters Finch's apartment, he picks the lock using a credit card. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_7ed055b4 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_7ed055b4 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Insomnia | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_7ed055b4 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_8300bb14 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_8300bb14 | comment |
Fletch plays with this one when the titular character, trying to avoid his ex-wife's attorney, uses a credit card on a window to break into his own apartment. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_8300bb14 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_8300bb14 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Fletch | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_8300bb14 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_832f6cef | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_832f6cef | comment |
The French Connection. Popeye Doyle's partner uses a credit card to get into Popeye's apartment. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_832f6cef | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_832f6cef | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The French Connection | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_832f6cef | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_83768720 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_83768720 | comment |
It's mentioned in some of the Philip Marlowe stories by Raymond Chandler that Marlowe carries a strip of celluloid in his wallet precisely for this purpose (this was in the days before credit cards). In The '70s, National Lampoon published a parody called "The Big Recall", starring Ralph Nader as a detective. The sole reason he kept a gasoline credit card was to break into buildings; he figured that the interest rates the corp. charged justified his using its card that way. |
|
| Skeleton Key Card / int_83768720 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_83768720 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Philip Marlowe | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_83768720 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_83c239c | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_83c239c | comment |
Green Lantern: The Animated Series: Hal tries to open the door to Scar's quarters with a credit card light construct in the "Scarred" episode. Kilowog just breaks the door down. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_83c239c | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_83c239c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Green Lantern: The Animated Series | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_83c239c | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_8c05f749 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_8c05f749 | comment |
Death in Paradise: DI Mooney uses his credit card to slip the lock on an empty house rented by one of the suspects in "Written in Murder". In "Murder Begins at Home", the Victim of the Week uses a playing card to unhook the latch on the police station shutters and climb inside, locking the shutter after him, before experiencing a Time-Delayed Death: thereby inadvertently creating a Locked Room Mystery. |
|
| Skeleton Key Card / int_8c05f749 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_8c05f749 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Death in Paradise | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_8c05f749 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_8d81f086 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_8d81f086 | comment |
In the Monk episode "Mr. Monk and Sharona", Monk, Natalie and Sharona play this method straight in one scene to look for evidence. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_8d81f086 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_8d81f086 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Monk | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_8d81f086 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_920f4a8c | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_920f4a8c | comment |
The Silent Age: Joe does this with a police ID card to enter a locked office in the second chapter of the first episode. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_920f4a8c | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_920f4a8c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Silent Age (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_920f4a8c | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_97a70962 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_97a70962 | comment |
The Professionals do this in their first episode, showing that CI5 aren't hampered by petty matters like search warrants. An odd one occurs in "A Hiding To Nothing" when Doyle appears to be picking a lock with a skeleton key, but when he opens the door he's shown holding a credit card. You'd think the skeleton key would be more effective so he wouldn't have to change methods. |
|
| Skeleton Key Card / int_97a70962 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_97a70962 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Professionals | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_97a70962 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_994af351 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_994af351 | comment |
Maya Fey does this to escape her captor in the fourth case in the second Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney game. She manages to open the door, but is still caught. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_994af351 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_994af351 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (Visual Novel) | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_994af351 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_998cbda3 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_998cbda3 | comment |
Daredevil (2015): In "Penny and Dime," Karen uses this method to break into Frank Castle's house. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_998cbda3 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_998cbda3 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Daredevil (2015) | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_998cbda3 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_9a0cb5f4 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_9a0cb5f4 | comment |
Bob's Burgers: Louise tries to use a credit card to open the "Room of Secrets" of a frat house in "My Big, Fat, Greek Bob". Unfortunately, she finds that modern doors are immune to such tactics. In "Sheshank Redumption", Bob finds that his ATM card is unusable because it has been scratched. A flashback shows that Louise used it to show Tina and Gene how to open a door as part of a "life seminar". |
|
| Skeleton Key Card / int_9a0cb5f4 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_9a0cb5f4 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Bob's Burgers | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_9a0cb5f4 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_9dbd9699 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_9dbd9699 | comment |
Subverted in The 'Burbs when Ray's store credit card snaps in half as he attempts this. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_9dbd9699 | featureApplicability |
-0.3 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_9dbd9699 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The 'Burbs | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_9dbd9699 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_a35664a1 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_a35664a1 | comment |
When Goofy tries this in a Mickey Mouse Works short, he only gets a sales receipt for the door. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_a35664a1 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_a35664a1 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Mickey Mouse Works | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_a35664a1 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_abb70593 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_abb70593 | comment |
The Magician: In "The Magician - Pilot", a heavy uses his credit card to jimmy the lock on Tony's dressing room. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_abb70593 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_abb70593 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Magician | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_abb70593 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_b10cb057 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_b10cb057 | comment |
Subverted on Perfect Strangers when Larry tries to open a door with his credit card and it breaks. Worse, the part with his name on it is stuck inside. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_b10cb057 | featureApplicability |
-0.3 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_b10cb057 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Perfect Strangers | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_b10cb057 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_b3933a70 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_b3933a70 | comment |
Home Improvement has an episode where Tim, attempting to show the efficacy of the anti-theft system he's installed, has a guest star thief try to break in. Moments after saying that he's engaged the system, the front door opens and the thief walks in. He explains that he used a credit card to slip the lock. Tim replies "Sure, if you don't mind destroying your credit card doing it" to which the thief says, "That's why I used yours" and hands Tim's wallet to him. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_b3933a70 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_b3933a70 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Home Improvement | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_b3933a70 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_ba6cc3a1 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_ba6cc3a1 | comment |
Parodied in Granblue Fantasy with a weapon called Master Key. It's a fire axe. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_ba6cc3a1 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_ba6cc3a1 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Granblue Fantasy (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_ba6cc3a1 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_c41875bc | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_c41875bc | comment |
Superman IV: The Quest for Peace : Lois uses a credit card to get into Clark's apartment to return the cape he lost in his battle with the Nuclear Man. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_c41875bc | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_c41875bc | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Superman IV: The Quest for Peace | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_c41875bc | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_c9b854c4 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_c9b854c4 | comment |
Nancy Drew used this trick once. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_c9b854c4 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_c9b854c4 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Nancy Drew | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_c9b854c4 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_ce2c3c13 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_ce2c3c13 | comment |
Lampshaded in The Curse of Monkey Island. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_ce2c3c13 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_ce2c3c13 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Curse of Monkey Island (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_ce2c3c13 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_e5c5bc22 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_e5c5bc22 | comment |
In the third edition GURPS Lite rules, the example given for using defaults for skills is a player who doesn't have the Lockpicking skill rolling against IQ-5, and their character running a credit card against the latch because they saw that in a movie once. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_e5c5bc22 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_e5c5bc22 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| GURPS (Tabletop Game) | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_e5c5bc22 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_e6318baf | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_e6318baf | comment |
One episode of Midsomer Murders has Barnaby and Jones trying to get inside a closed building in a hurry (his daughter's wedding is coming up). Jones tries to open the lock with Barnaby's credit card, leading to a still-locked door, a broken credit card and a very annoyed Barnaby. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_e6318baf | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_e6318baf | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Midsomer Murders | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_e6318baf | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_e99e039b | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_e99e039b | comment |
NightFire has one that can open doors on a computer: the Q-Worm, a miniature CD-ROM hidden inside a credit card. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_e99e039b | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_e99e039b | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| NightFire (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_e99e039b | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_f15f622e | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_f15f622e | comment |
When master improvisator MacGyver travelled (hallucinogenetically) into the past, he witnessed none other than Merlin himself pulling this stunt. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_f15f622e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_f15f622e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| MacGyver (1985) | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_f15f622e | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_f6c05e8e | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_f6c05e8e | comment |
Subverted in Friends, where Chandler tries this to open a locked cupboard, but loses his credit card through the gap. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_f6c05e8e | featureApplicability |
-0.3 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_f6c05e8e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Friends | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_f6c05e8e | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_f702c688 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_f702c688 | comment |
Phoenix. In "Give a Dog a Bone", a member of the so-called Dogs (the Victorian State Police surveillance unit), does this while executing a covert warrant while the owner is absent. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_f702c688 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_f702c688 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Phoenix | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_f702c688 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_f985c67c | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_f985c67c | comment |
The Q-card in Agent Under Fire opens one electronically-locked door in "Night of the Jackal." It is never used again. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_f985c67c | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_f985c67c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Agent Under Fire (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_f985c67c | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_fb27829b | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_fb27829b | comment |
Played straight in Fantastic Mr. Fox. Fox is more surprised that Kylie is eligible for a Titanium card. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_fb27829b | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_fb27829b | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Fantastic Mr. Fox | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_fb27829b | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_fc0e7530 | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_fc0e7530 | comment |
Deedee does it in the very first episode of Dexter's Laboratory. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_fc0e7530 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_fc0e7530 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Dexter's Laboratory | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_fc0e7530 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_ff7b68ba | type |
Skeleton Key Card | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_ff7b68ba | comment |
Judge Harry T. Stone on Night Court once helped the guys break into a strip club this way. | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_ff7b68ba | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Skeleton Key Card / int_ff7b68ba | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Night Court | hasFeature |
Skeleton Key Card / int_ff7b68ba |
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