Wild Card Excuse: Difference between revisions

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[[File:~~TWGOK83_09_RH350i_1447~~.png|link=The World God Only Knows|right]]

[[File:TWGOK83 09 RH350i 1447.png|link=The World God Only Knows|right]]

{{quote|''"Uhhh... internet."''|'''Timmy Turner''' to everyone who asks where he got his stuff from, ''[[The Fairly Odd Parents]]''}}

The [[Wild Card Excuse]] is a Subtrope of [[Blatant Lies]]. It often consists of a [[Blatant Lies]] or a [[Lame Excuse]] that is elevated to a [[Running Gag]] in the series.

The '''Wild Card Excuse''' is a Subtrope of [[Blatant Lies]]. It often consists of a [[Blatant Lies]] or a [[Lame Excuse]] that is elevated to a [[Running Gag]] in the series.

In a game of cards, a wild card can be played in any situation. The wild card excuse is the same way. Late for class? You hit your head. Acting strange? You hit your head. You were seen lighting things on fire with your mind? You hit your... Okay, you get the point. What matters is that the same excuse is always used, no matter the situation, no matter how implausible it is, and it is always believed.

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** That gag may have been used because the show originally filmed in Vancouver althought set in San Francisco.

* ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'' mostly averted this, our heroes generally coming up with new, individualized (if implausible) excuses each time. On the other hand, Sunnydale's police department (when not suffering from [[Sunnydale Syndrome]]) usually covered up monster attacks by explaining that it was "gangs on PCP."

* Used often in ''[[Smallville]]'' during the earlier seasons, when any questions Clark Kent was asked about his interest in the caves or any Native American symbols that were related to his Kryptonian heritage were met with "It's for a term paper" ~~-- to~~ the point where [[Lex Luthor]] himself actually [[Lampshade Hanging|lampshades]] it later.

* Used often in ''[[Smallville]]'' during the earlier seasons, when any questions Clark Kent was asked about his interest in the caves or any Native American symbols that were related to his Kryptonian heritage were met with "It's for a term paper"—to the point where [[Lex Luthor]] himself actually [[Lampshade Hanging|lampshades]] it later.

* A variation in ''[[Doctor Who]]'', the question being "Who are you?" and the answer being "I'm the Doctor.", rarely yielding any further questions.

** There are sometimes further questions, but very rarely answers, at least none that are directly relevant.

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* ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' - The [[Coneheads]] handwave their weirdness by claiming to be from France.

* ''[[Fawlty Towers]]'' - Manuel being from Barcelona. It explains his bad English. It fails to explain anything else.

* ''[[Supernatural (TV series)|Supernatural]]'' has a minor variation: The brothers have fake identities every case (FBI agents, doctors, etc), and stick with that for the entirety of the ~~episode--which~~ makes sense, considering they're stuck in a small town. This has led to truly ridiculous claims, such as managing to get everything for a case by being ''health inspectors''.

* ''[[Supernatural (TV series)|Supernatural]]'' has a minor variation: The brothers have fake identities every case (FBI agents, doctors, etc), and stick with that for the entirety of the episode—which makes sense, considering they're stuck in a small town. This has led to truly ridiculous claims, such as managing to get everything for a case by being ''health inspectors''.

{{quote|'''Naked Woman:''' Wh-what are you and that kid doing in the women's showers?

'''Sam:''' Don't worry, ma'am. I'm with the health department. }}