...it's like TV Tropes, but LINKED DATA!
Van in Black
- 378 statements
- 70 feature instances
- 50 referencing feature instances
| Van in Black | type |
FeatureClass | |
| Van in Black | label |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black | page |
VanInBlack | |
| Van in Black | comment |
That large, menacing black van pulling over on the other side of the street the moment you go inside. Maybe you dismissed it as paranoid speculation, just as "The Man" wanted you to but you should know what it means — They are watching you at this very moment from that very car. If Lampshaded there will be a honkin' big radar dish on top. These vehicles provide a sense of foreboding mystery to the characters they follow and the audience. The vans appear in the background, and are viewed only from the outside. Unlike Spies In a Van, it's common that neither the audience nor The Protagonist ever find out who is in the vans, or what they are doing. Occasionally, both tropes can occur in the same series, if there are competing vans or if the organization operating them determines the heroes are not their enemy and invites them into The Masquerade. If they're not only watching you but about to kick your ass, then the black van will be replaced by a black sedan or SUV with tinted windows - the GAZ-13 or 14 Chaika and the Chevrolet Suburban, depending on the setting. An important distinction was that in Soviet times and places, black vehicles were entirely reserved for official government fleets while when a black Suburban is seen on American streets in real life, it is assumed to be in soccer-mom use. See also Black Helicopter. The Cleanup Crew might come in one. Commonly used in Vehicular Kidnapping, and every parent's worst fear is that one of these might be a Creepy Stalker Van. Despite the trope name, any van of any color can qualify, for that matter it doesn't even have to be a van, just a non-descript nebulous organisation monitering someone in a vehicle. For the curious, the trope title is simply a pun on The Men in Black. Compare Sinister Car. |
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| Van in Black | fetched |
2023-12-04T11:31:23Z | |
| Van in Black | parsed |
2023-12-04T11:31:23Z | |
| Van in Black | processingComment |
Dropped link to BadassNormal: Not an Item - FEATURE | |
| Van in Black | processingComment |
Dropped link to Castle2009: Not an Item - UNKNOWN | |
| Van in Black | processingComment |
Dropped link to FellOffTheBackOfATruck: Not an Item - FEATURE | |
| Van in Black | processingComment |
Dropped link to JohnnyAndTheBomb: Not an Item - UNKNOWN | |
| Van in Black | processingComment |
Dropped link to MamaBear: Not an Item - FEATURE | |
| Van in Black | processingComment |
Dropped link to MaxPayne2: Not an Item - UNKNOWN | |
| Van in Black | processingComment |
Dropped link to MilkmanConspiracy: Not an Item - FEATURE | |
| Van in Black | processingComment |
Dropped link to Mooks: Not an Item - FEATURE | |
| Van in Black | processingComment |
Dropped link to NewAgeRetroHippie: Not an Item - FEATURE | |
| Van in Black | processingComment |
Dropped link to Obliterated: Not an Item - UNKNOWN | |
| Van in Black | processingComment |
Dropped link to OlderThanTheyThink: Not an Item - FEATURE | |
| Van in Black | processingComment |
Dropped link to PaperThinDisguise: Not an Item - FEATURE | |
| Van in Black | processingComment |
Dropped link to PlayedWith: Not an Item - FEATURE | |
| Van in Black | processingComment |
Dropped link to RealLife: Not an Item - FEATURE | |
| Van in Black | processingComment |
Dropped link to SamAndMaxSaveTheWorld: Not an Item - UNKNOWN | |
| Van in Black | processingComment |
Dropped link to SuspiciouslySpecificDenial: Not an Item - FEATURE | |
| Van in Black | processingUnknown |
JohnnyAndTheBomb | |
| Van in Black | processingUnknown |
Castle (2009) | |
| Van in Black | processingUnknown |
Obliterated | |
| Van in Black | processingUnknown |
MaxPayne2 | |
| Van in Black | processingUnknown |
SamAndMaxSaveTheWorld | |
| Van in Black | isPartOf |
DBTropes | |
| Van in Black / int_18d2fbe8 | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_18d2fbe8 | comment |
Clint Barton thinks he sees one outside his apartment window: | |
| Van in Black / int_18d2fbe8 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_18d2fbe8 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Hawkeye / Comicbook | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_18d2fbe8 | |
| Van in Black / int_222c2051 | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_222c2051 | comment |
Chuck has these on occasion. | |
| Van in Black / int_222c2051 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_222c2051 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Chuck | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_222c2051 | |
| Van in Black / int_227431b6 | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_227431b6 | comment |
The van in Runaways, although it's white and actually is fairly nondescript. Invoked by Chase, who went with it precisely because of vans' reputations for blending in: | |
| Van in Black / int_227431b6 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_227431b6 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Runaways (Comic Book) | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_227431b6 | |
| Van in Black / int_2275c659 | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_2275c659 | comment |
The private investigator in House also used an "ice cream truck" for spying purposes. | |
| Van in Black / int_2275c659 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_2275c659 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| House | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_2275c659 | |
| Van in Black / int_24ffd341 | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_24ffd341 | comment |
Frank's "Rape Van" from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. | |
| Van in Black / int_24ffd341 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_24ffd341 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_24ffd341 | |
| Van in Black / int_261c8d3f | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_261c8d3f | comment |
The Simpsons love this one: In the episode Bart the Murderer, Marge had noticed a pizza van that had been parked outside the Simpsons's house for days, which a government agency surveillance team was hiding out in. After Marge asks 'How long does it take to deliver a Pizza?' it zooms off to be replaced immediately with a "florist" van. The florist's name: Flowers By Irene. Parodied again with similar vans labeled CIA, FBI, and ATF, which here stand for "Chinese Intelligence Agency", "French Bureau of Investigation", and "A-Team of Finland". In one episode Homer is sent into the Kwik-E-Mart with a hidden camera by the Channel 6 news team, which is monitoring him from a van parked out front, with "Ordinary Van" painted on the outside. In episode "The Trouble With Trillions", the 'Two Guys from Quantico Pizza' van comes into play when Homer is press-ganged into helping an investigation of Mr Burns. Another episode has an otherwise nondescript van, with "ORDINARY VAN" on the side. |
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| Van in Black / int_261c8d3f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_261c8d3f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Simpsons | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_261c8d3f | |
| Van in Black / int_277f6649 | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_277f6649 | comment |
In an early episode of Super Jail, the Warden sends Jared undercover among the prison inmates, and monitors Jared's activities from inside the back of a van parked in the middle of the Warden's office. | |
| Van in Black / int_277f6649 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_277f6649 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Superjail! | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_277f6649 | |
| Van in Black / int_2af19e5c | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_2af19e5c | comment |
One of these shows up on Jess and JT's street the morning after they find Mooney in the Cool Kids Table game Bloody Mooney episode two. | |
| Van in Black / int_2af19e5c | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_2af19e5c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Cool Kids Table (Podcast) | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_2af19e5c | |
| Van in Black / int_2be8d594 | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_2be8d594 | comment |
In LG15: the resistance, black vans are used by villain groups LifesBlood Labs and the Order, mainly for the purpose of kidnapping. | |
| Van in Black / int_2be8d594 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_2be8d594 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| LG15: the resistance (Web Video) | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_2be8d594 | |
| Van in Black / int_2f1b5710 | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_2f1b5710 | comment |
The conspiracy in Jekyll use a black van full of surveillance equipment to keep track of the protagonist — who makes a point of mentioning how inconspicuous it isn't. (Which may be the point, since — although the van isn't just a decoy — he turns out to also be under surveillance by several more genuinely inconspicuous methods.) | |
| Van in Black / int_2f1b5710 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_2f1b5710 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Jekyll | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_2f1b5710 | |
| Van in Black / int_32066b8e | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_32066b8e | comment |
In V for Vendetta, Norsefire has vans with listening devices on their roofs, patrolling the streets and listening to everyones conversations. | |
| Van in Black / int_32066b8e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_32066b8e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| V for Vendetta | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_32066b8e | |
| Van in Black / int_34ba17d | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_34ba17d | comment |
Best Seller (1987) opens with a long sequence of the robbers driving through the streets of Los Angeles in a black van. However they're not trying to be inconspicuous at all, as the van is fitted with loudspeakers broadcasting political slogans. | |
| Van in Black / int_34ba17d | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_34ba17d | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Best Seller | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_34ba17d | |
| Van in Black / int_3558eaa2 | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_3558eaa2 | comment |
Community - in Intro To Political Science, a female Secret Service agent investigates Abed as a potential threat during an upcoming vice-presidential visit, and the two hit it off. Duty prevents her from getting involved, but the end tag shows them on a date of sorts, as he watches a movie on tv, and she monitors and talks with him from a surveillance van outside his window. | |
| Van in Black / int_3558eaa2 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_3558eaa2 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Community | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_3558eaa2 | |
| Van in Black / int_375da5af | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_375da5af | comment |
In E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, the government forces use a black van with surveillance equipment to find E.T. | |
| Van in Black / int_375da5af | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_375da5af | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_375da5af | |
| Van in Black / int_38ce5997 | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_38ce5997 | comment |
The Boys (2019). In "Get Some", Billy Butcher hires a cheap Pack-N-Go truck for their surveillance, commenting that a black van with 'Flowers' on the side would be far more conspicuous. This becomes a Brick Joke in the season final when Butcher sees a black florists van parked outside the hotel they're staying at, and drives past without stopping because he realises the rest of the Boys have been captured. | |
| Van in Black / int_38ce5997 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_38ce5997 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Boys (2019) | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_38ce5997 | |
| Van in Black / int_3cd90f30 | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_3cd90f30 | comment |
In Arrested Development, surveillance vans have "Blendin" commercial markings; Blendin Moving and Storage, Blendin Catering, Blendin Electric, and Blendin Pet Grooming are all seen (the latter two apparently on left and right sides of the same van). | |
| Van in Black / int_3cd90f30 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_3cd90f30 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Arrested Development | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_3cd90f30 | |
| Van in Black / int_3d6b7986 | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_3d6b7986 | comment |
In Matilda, the title character notices a car is always parked on the street outside their house. The car turns out to belong to cops who are trying to arrest Matilda's father for selling cars with faulty car parts. | |
| Van in Black / int_3d6b7986 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_3d6b7986 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Matilda | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_3d6b7986 | |
| Van in Black / int_3ff0f7dd | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_3ff0f7dd | comment |
In KateModern, a black van is the preferred mode of transport of the sinister Watcher. | |
| Van in Black / int_3ff0f7dd | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_3ff0f7dd | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| KateModern (Web Video) | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_3ff0f7dd | |
| Van in Black / int_455e3038 | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_455e3038 | comment |
In King of the Hill, this is invoked and subverted in "Dale to the Chief". Dale falsely accuses Hank of terrorist conspiracy and reports him to the FBI. Dale expected the agent to arrive in a Black Suburban but he instead had a green Ford Taurus. | |
| Van in Black / int_455e3038 | featureApplicability |
-0.3 | |
| Van in Black / int_455e3038 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| King of the Hill | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_455e3038 | |
| Van in Black / int_48cf61a6 | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_48cf61a6 | comment |
Superfriends. In the 1973-74 episode "The Balloon People", Dr. Noah Tall and Twisty use a van called the "Snoop Wagon" to spy on the title characters. Bonus points for having an exterior radar dish and extendable telescope. | |
| Van in Black / int_48cf61a6 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_48cf61a6 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Superfriends | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_48cf61a6 | |
| Van in Black / int_49ff762 | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_49ff762 | comment |
The SUV in Torchwood. In "Children of Earth" the bad guys have these; lampshaded when Ianto thinks a mysterious dark van is tailing him — it turns out to be delivering newspapers. | |
| Van in Black / int_49ff762 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_49ff762 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Torchwood | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_49ff762 | |
| Van in Black / int_4e865e0f | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_4e865e0f | comment |
In The Game (1997), Nicholas finds himself being terrorized by various cars marked "CRS." One's a cabbie (Crown Royal Sedans), another a maintenance van (Cable Repair Services), etc. | |
| Van in Black / int_4e865e0f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_4e865e0f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Game (1997) | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_4e865e0f | |
| Van in Black / int_58808436 | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_58808436 | comment |
The Yamainu's vans in Higurashi: When They Cry. | |
| Van in Black / int_58808436 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_58808436 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Higurashi: When They Cry (Visual Novel) | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_58808436 | |
| Van in Black / int_5ae06982 | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_5ae06982 | comment |
During 2010 former AAA luchadors Cuije, El Alebrije, Psicosis II, Histeria and Maniaco began trailing CMLL luchadors on the road in a black SUV and attacked La Sombra, El Hijo del Fantasma and La Máscara during the April 12th 2010 Puebla show to send the message that even though they had ended up on the independent circuit they were still better than CMLL's roster. | |
| Van in Black / int_5ae06982 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_5ae06982 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| AAA (Wrestling) | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_5ae06982 | |
| Van in Black / int_5dc630cf | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_5dc630cf | comment |
In The Simpsons Hit & Run, Homer gets paranoid about strange black vans around Springfield. While expecting them to be under the control of Mr. Burns, they later turn out to be pizza delivery vans. The mission where you follow them is called "Flowers By Irene", in reference to a similar van named as such that pop up in Bart the Murderer. | |
| Van in Black / int_5dc630cf | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_5dc630cf | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Simpsons Hit & Run (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_5dc630cf | |
| Van in Black / int_5e3f9611 | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_5e3f9611 | comment |
The Handmaid's Tale: These are everywhere, and anyone is liable to be suddenly pulled off the street and taken away. | |
| Van in Black / int_5e3f9611 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_5e3f9611 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Handmaid's Tale | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_5e3f9611 | |
| Van in Black / int_62636e2b | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_62636e2b | comment |
Not vans, but black cars (latest model, mostly Mercedes and BMW) with tinted windows were the hallmarks of The Mafiya in The '90s. | |
| Van in Black / int_62636e2b | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_62636e2b | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The Mafiya | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_62636e2b | |
| Van in Black / int_66804bb9 | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_66804bb9 | comment |
G.H.O.S.T. employs these in Transformers: EarthSpark. Hashtag accidentally scans one for her alt mode, and the built-in surveillance tech that was installed in it gives her Hollywood Hacking abilities. | |
| Van in Black / int_66804bb9 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_66804bb9 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Transformers: EarthSpark | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_66804bb9 | |
| Van in Black / int_68d7b51d | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_68d7b51d | comment |
4chan calls it a party van. Sounds fun! | |
| Van in Black / int_68d7b51d | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_68d7b51d | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| 4chan (Website) | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_68d7b51d | |
| Van in Black / int_691be369 | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_691be369 | comment |
The X-Files. Inverted in "Dreamland" where The Men in Black travel in white 4WD's. | |
| Van in Black / int_691be369 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_691be369 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The X-Files | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_691be369 | |
| Van in Black / int_6e859048 | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_6e859048 | comment |
Subverted in Big Hero 6. While Hiro and Baymax explore a pier at night where Yokai kept the microbots. They are being tailed by a slow-moving SUV, with no clue who's driving. Turns out the driver of the SUV was Wasabi, with GoGo, Honey and Fred riding along, all wanting to help Hiro. | |
| Van in Black / int_6e859048 | featureApplicability |
-0.3 | |
| Van in Black / int_6e859048 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Big Hero 6 | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_6e859048 | |
| Van in Black / int_70814599 | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_70814599 | comment |
Used in some Earth-centric episodes of Stargate SG-1, though it's an unusual example because it's Our Heroes in the black vans, as they work for The Government. | |
| Van in Black / int_70814599 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_70814599 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Stargate SG-1 | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_70814599 | |
| Van in Black / int_7460586f | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_7460586f | comment |
Archer: In the Season 13 finale, the business Slater uses as a front in the Central American country of Manatina is named The Confectionary Institute of Americas. When everyone else points out how unsubtle this is, Slater proclaims that he "doesn't do subtle." | |
| Van in Black / int_7460586f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_7460586f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Archer | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_7460586f | |
| Van in Black / int_75c31694 | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_75c31694 | comment |
Parodied again with similar vans labeled CIA, FBI, and ATF, which here stand for "Chinese Intelligence Agency", "French Bureau of Investigation", and "A-Team of Finland". | |
| Van in Black / int_75c31694 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_75c31694 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The A-Team | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_75c31694 | |
| Van in Black / int_78fc0025 | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_78fc0025 | comment |
In Twin Peaks: The Return, Hutch and Chantal are professional hitmen and drive around in an unmarked, white van on their way to kill Dougie. They use the van to store guns and dead bodies. | |
| Van in Black / int_78fc0025 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_78fc0025 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Twin Peaks | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_78fc0025 | |
| Van in Black / int_7942748d | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_7942748d | comment |
In The End Is Near, Matt and Mello make a bet whether there's one involved in Near's kidnapping. There's not. | |
| Van in Black / int_7942748d | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_7942748d | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| The End Is Near (Fanfic) | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_7942748d | |
| Van in Black / int_7a7102f5 | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_7a7102f5 | comment |
Get a 5-star wanted level in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and the FBI will come after you in black tinted SUV's. Probably the best time to retreat to a safehouse before the army shows up. At a couple points in the San Andreas mission "Wear Flowers in Your Hair", The Truth will tell CJ to drive to an out-of-the-way location, then order him to think about some random object until a strange van passes by. When asked for an explanation, The Truth will only mention that "sub-dermal neurophones" are involved. |
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| Van in Black / int_7a7102f5 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_7a7102f5 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_7a7102f5 | |
| Van in Black / int_7febe32 | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_7febe32 | comment |
In Godslave, the black car the two Blacksmiths use to tail Edith just screams "we're spying on you!" She fails to notice, though. | |
| Van in Black / int_7febe32 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_7febe32 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Godslave (Webcomic) | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_7febe32 | |
| Van in Black / int_86f433bb | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_86f433bb | comment |
In The Fourth Bear, the Men in Green, a mysterious, government affiliated organization, are always seen shortly after the mysterious, explosion-related deaths of famous cucumber growers. | |
| Van in Black / int_86f433bb | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_86f433bb | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Nursery Crime | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_86f433bb | |
| Van in Black / int_90c73dda | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_90c73dda | comment |
One Animorphs story has Tobias under surveillance by Controllers due to him being Elfangor's son, although they don't know he's human. He sees a rust-eaten van that's clearly been there for years... except the next day it's moved across the street. | |
| Van in Black / int_90c73dda | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_90c73dda | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Animorphs | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_90c73dda | |
| Van in Black / int_924bb56e | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_924bb56e | comment |
The Actives from Dollhouse were ferried to and from their engagements in black vans. In keeping with the surveillance van motif, the vans would remain nearby during the engagement so that handlers could monitor their assigned Active. And the sinister connotations of black vans are repeatedly lampshaded or discussed by characters, or even invoked as a motive for their actions. In "Echoes" a team of Actives programmed into believing they're NSA investigators are sent to a college campus. They pull up in a line of three black vans, no doubt to play into this trope for anyone watching. Backfires in "Instinct" when Echo (programmed to believe she is a mother with child) notices the black van parked outside her house for the past week and assumes something sinister — her handler is unable to bring her in because Echo flees whenever she sees one. |
|
| Van in Black / int_924bb56e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_924bb56e | featureConfidence |
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| Dollhouse | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_924bb56e | |
| Van in Black / int_97a70962 | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_97a70962 | comment |
The Professionals. In "Look after Annie", a black van pulls up at the rear of the building where a female politician is due to speak, and a gang of thugs in black leather jump out. They've been hired to kill the politician, who of course is dressed in white. | |
| Van in Black / int_97a70962 | featureApplicability |
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| The Professionals | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_97a70962 | |
| Van in Black / int_987ae287 | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_987ae287 | comment |
Karl Hallzemoff, the Hugos' transport van from Cars 2. | |
| Van in Black / int_987ae287 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_987ae287 | featureConfidence |
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| Cars 2 | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_987ae287 | |
| Van in Black / int_9b530c26 | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_9b530c26 | comment |
In Archie Comics story Maybe the Last Archie Story, Betty is sunbathing in a secluded, empty area of the beach, unaware that a window-tinted, black car has pulled over on a high cliff overlooking her position, and she is being watched by its owner, an old enemy of the gang. | |
| Van in Black / int_9b530c26 | featureApplicability |
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Van in Black / int_9b530c26 | |
| Van in Black / int_9bb59653 | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_9bb59653 | comment |
Reddington and Keen frequently have backup in the form of the unmarked FBI van in The Blacklist but on one occasion Raymond points out the van to a bad guy in order to put him on the spot for not noticing it himself. | |
| Van in Black / int_9bb59653 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_9bb59653 | featureConfidence |
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| The Blacklist | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_9bb59653 | |
| Van in Black / int_b4a7ec59 | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_b4a7ec59 | comment |
The animated series of The Littles has Canon Foreigner Agent Mulder Dr. Hunter's van. It is black, high-tech, and it's the only one of its kind in the entire area of Grand Valley, it seems. Metallicar Syndrome is fully averted — every time the heroes see it, they know it's Dr. Hunter looking for them. | |
| Van in Black / int_b4a7ec59 | featureApplicability |
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Van in Black / int_b4a7ec59 | |
| Van in Black / int_b65ae944 | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_b65ae944 | comment |
An absurdly oversized van in Silent Hill: Origins (it's just a prop, but somebody forgot to scale it correctly) is treated as this in a Let's Play. | |
| Van in Black / int_b65ae944 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_b65ae944 | featureConfidence |
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Van in Black / int_b65ae944 | |
| Van in Black / int_b712435c | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_b712435c | comment |
Lampshaded in Leverage, where the heroic team of con-men are amused and astounded to find the FBI performing surveillance on a prominent mobster's home in a black van marked "Plumber." This is only the first sign of said FBI agents' affable incompetence. | |
| Van in Black / int_b712435c | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_b712435c | featureConfidence |
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Van in Black / int_b712435c | |
| Van in Black / int_b7ca6f6e | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_b7ca6f6e | comment |
A white van with tented windows was the vehicle the ninjas who abducted Samoa Joe on February 8th of 2010 disappeared in. | |
| Van in Black / int_b7ca6f6e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
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Van in Black / int_b7ca6f6e | |
| Van in Black / int_b7db5642 | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_b7db5642 | comment |
In Stranger Things, The Men in Black operate out of white vans, while pretending to be checking the power lines and street lights. However, the effect is ruined when four of them show up at once in convoy and speed around chasing children on bikes. | |
| Van in Black / int_b7db5642 | featureApplicability |
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| Stranger Things | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_b7db5642 | |
| Van in Black / int_ba366aa8 | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_ba366aa8 | comment |
Agency vans in Syphon Filter 2. | |
| Van in Black / int_ba366aa8 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_ba366aa8 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Syphon Filter (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_ba366aa8 | |
| Van in Black / int_bef5c7c2 | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_bef5c7c2 | comment |
Inferno. The WHO team is driving one of these, giving them a villainous appearance that causes Langdon to flee. They turn out to be Good All Along. | |
| Van in Black / int_bef5c7c2 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
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Van in Black / int_bef5c7c2 | |
| Van in Black / int_bff78dfe | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_bff78dfe | comment |
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Martha Clark is kidnapped by Lex Luthor's men in a black van. Shortly after, his men also kidnap Lois Lane this time using a white van (though in that case they were posing as cleaners). | |
| Van in Black / int_bff78dfe | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_bff78dfe | featureConfidence |
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| Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_bff78dfe | |
| Van in Black / int_c58c1b01 | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_c58c1b01 | comment |
In the finale of A Most Wanted Man, German intelligence has successfully gained evidence that the head of a charity organisation is funneling money to terrorists. They do a Not My Driver ploy to take him off somewhere quiet where he can be coerced into becoming an informant, only for several black SUV's to ram the car off the road and abduct their target for extraordinary rendition. | |
| Van in Black / int_c58c1b01 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
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| A Most Wanted Man | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_c58c1b01 | |
| Van in Black / int_c72021c5 | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_c72021c5 | comment |
Black Vans appear occasionally in Deus Ex, along with Black Helicopters. | |
| Van in Black / int_c72021c5 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_c72021c5 | featureConfidence |
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Van in Black / int_c72021c5 | |
| Van in Black / int_c75d67d | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_c75d67d | comment |
Person of Interest. Trigger teams working for Samaritan drive black SUV's. | |
| Van in Black / int_c75d67d | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_c75d67d | featureConfidence |
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Van in Black / int_c75d67d | |
| Van in Black / int_cf9c72e6 | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_cf9c72e6 | comment |
A Van of Undercover Cops appears in several scenes in Lucky Number Slevin. They even (briefly) abduct the main character. | |
| Van in Black / int_cf9c72e6 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_cf9c72e6 | featureConfidence |
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Van in Black / int_cf9c72e6 | |
| Van in Black / int_d0f124da | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_d0f124da | comment |
Jonny Quest TOS episode "The Quetong Missile Mystery". When the Quests drive away from their ship, we see a van with surveillance equipment inside that was keeping an eye on them. It drives off after them when they leave. It was sent by General Fong to keep watch on them. | |
| Van in Black / int_d0f124da | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
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| Jonny Quest | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_d0f124da | |
| Van in Black / int_d2d6de50 | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_d2d6de50 | comment |
A scene in Ocean's Eleven involved the team attempting to purchase one of these. Hilarity Ensues. | |
| Van in Black / int_d2d6de50 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_d2d6de50 | featureConfidence |
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| Ocean's Eleven | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_d2d6de50 | |
| Van in Black / int_d4ab5d5a | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_d4ab5d5a | comment |
Twister. The opposing storm chasers drive black vans/trucks, fitting their role in the story as the "bad guy" corporate sell-outs. | |
| Van in Black / int_d4ab5d5a | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_d4ab5d5a | featureConfidence |
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| Twister | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_d4ab5d5a | |
| Van in Black / int_d9673ef7 | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_d9673ef7 | comment |
Also used in The Handmaid's Tale; usually the Eyes drive in black vans only notable by the insignia they have on the side. | |
| Van in Black / int_d9673ef7 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_d9673ef7 | featureConfidence |
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| The Handmaid's Tale | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_d9673ef7 | |
| Van in Black / int_df72e458 | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_df72e458 | comment |
In The President's Analyst, soon after a paranoid Dr. Schaefer flees his job by ingratiating himself to a family of tourists who take him to their home, there's a big service van with a 'TPC' logo on the side parked on their neighborhood street. It doesn't really merit any notice, but toward the movie's end we find out 'TPC' is The Phone Company, which has been tailing and finally abducting him. | |
| Van in Black / int_df72e458 | featureApplicability |
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| The President's Analyst | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_df72e458 | |
| Van in Black / int_df76da7e | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_df76da7e | comment |
There are some Vans In Black in Mirror's Edge but seeing how you more often take the roofs, they are much less prominent than Black Helicopters. | |
| Van in Black / int_df76da7e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_df76da7e | featureConfidence |
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Van in Black / int_df76da7e | |
| Van in Black / int_e081af79 | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_e081af79 | comment |
In The Inexplicable Adventures of Bob!, Agent Ben And Agent Jerry, the local The Men in Black, have a big black van plainly labeled "F.B.I. Undercover." It has been referred to as "the MIB-Mobile" and "the Paranormal Paddy-Wagon." | |
| Van in Black / int_e081af79 | featureApplicability |
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| Van in Black / int_e081af79 | featureConfidence |
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Van in Black / int_e081af79 | |
| Van in Black / int_e293455a | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_e293455a | comment |
The Three Nemeseses in Buffy the Vampire Slayer have a black van, which is rather less stealthy after one has the idea of painting a Star Wars mural on the side. | |
| Van in Black / int_e293455a | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_e293455a | featureConfidence |
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Van in Black / int_e293455a | |
| Van in Black / int_e356cbe8 | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_e356cbe8 | comment |
Shoot 'Em Up. After a Car Chase Smith's car is suddenly hit by a black van at the crossroads. Any belief that this might be an accident is dispelled when mooks stick their guns out the side doors. Then three more gunmen pop up in the sun roof. | |
| Van in Black / int_e356cbe8 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
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| Shoot 'Em Up | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_e356cbe8 | |
| Van in Black / int_e381e71f | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_e381e71f | comment |
These show up in Digimon Tamers. Amusingly enough in an early episode, Takato comments on how those look amazingly like they'd belong in a Government Conspiracy. | |
| Van in Black / int_e381e71f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_e381e71f | featureConfidence |
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| Digimon Tamers | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_e381e71f | |
| Van in Black / int_e6390874 | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_e6390874 | comment |
In the second episode of X-Ray & Vav, Rusty Bonjour gives the main characters instructions from an unmarked van. Except the van isn't really unmarked: the words "Unmarked Van" are painted on it. | |
| Van in Black / int_e6390874 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_e6390874 | featureConfidence |
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Van in Black / int_e6390874 | |
| Van in Black / int_f2dff49f | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_f2dff49f | comment |
In Little Mosque on the Prairie, when an agent of the Canadian Secret Service came to Mercy on holiday, the Muslim community got paranoid, and Baber noticed a delivery truck outside the Mosque. He claims it's a stakeout, and there are three agents there, one of them called "Sarge", and they're drinking coffee out of paper cups. At the end of the episode, the Secret Service really start surveillance on the Mosque there really are three agents there, drinking coffee out of paper cups, and one of them is called "Sarge" | |
| Van in Black / int_f2dff49f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
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Van in Black / int_f2dff49f | |
| Van in Black / int_f4e799ee | type |
Van in Black | |
| Van in Black / int_f4e799ee | comment |
In the third season finale of Burn Notice, Michael tells Simon that he's seen a certain van circling the block and that it's probably an FBI vehicle watching them. When he goes to it it's actually just a regular van transporting alcohol. Michael just needed to get out of Simon's line of sight to use the delivery boy's phone to call Sam and Fiona. | |
| Van in Black / int_f4e799ee | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Van in Black / int_f4e799ee | featureConfidence |
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| Burn Notice | hasFeature |
Van in Black / int_f4e799ee |
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