Tropescilloscope: Red Herring
A misleading and distracting "clue". (read more at tvtropes.org)
More Tropes
Anyone Can Die
Bond Villain Stupidity
Composite Character
Comically Missing the Point
Honor Before Reason
The Stoner
Grievous Bottley Harm
Dies Wide Open
Ass Shove
Better to Die than Be Killed
Visual Pun
She Cleans Up Nicely
Nice Hat
Hair-Trigger Temper
Random Events Plot
After the End
Training Montage
Disney Villain Death
Bond One-Liner
Those Wacky Nazis
Last-Name Basis
Famous Last Words
Jitter Cam
Smoking Is Cool
Bound and Gagged
Did Not Get the Girl
Double Entendre
Ax-Crazy
The Starscream
Action Prologue
Cain and Abel
Book-Ends
Manic Pixie Dream Girl
Psychopathic Manchild
What Happened to the Mouse?
Not So Different
Nice Guy
Earn Your Happy Ending
My Beloved Smother
Those Two Bad Guys
Parental Neglect
Needs Wiki Magic Love
Outrun the Fireball
Motor Mouth
Destination Defenestration
Improbable Infant Survival
aka: Infant Immortality
This Is Gonna Suck
The End... Or Is It?
All There in the Manual
And the Adventure Continues
Cold-Blooded Torture
Retcon
folderlabel
Artistic License Biology
Shown Their Work
Recycled IN SPACE!
Beta Couple
Star-Crossed Lovers
Woman in White
Hell Is That Noise
Works Set in World War II
Flipping the Bird
Throwing Your Sword Always Works
Overprotective Dad
Badass Bookworm
Girl-on-Girl Is Hot
Character Development
German Films
Room Full of Crazy
Calling the Old Man Out
Bad Boss
Bitch in Sheep's Clothing
Arranged Marriage
Market-Based Title
Ungrateful Bastard
Alas, Poor Villain
Faux Affably Evil
Pet the Dog
Mr. Exposition
Sadistic Choice
Informed Ability
Corpsing
Chekhov's Gunman
Beauty Is Never Tarnished
Soundtrack Dissonance
Damsel in Distress
Amusing Injuries
No-Holds-Barred Beatdown
Reality Has No Subtitles
Black Comedy
Funny Foreigner
Dissonant Serenity
Well-Intentioned Extremist
Decoy Protagonist
Product Placement
Creative Closing Credits
Greater-Scope Villain
Bad "Bad Acting"
It's Personal
Eureka Moment
The Sociopath
Karmic Death
No Good Deed Goes Unpunished
Every Car Is a Pinto
Insistent Terminology
As You Know
Sexy Discretion Shot
Enemy Mine
Evil-Detecting Dog
Sole Survivor
Vampire Fiction
Big Applesauce
Despair Event Horizon
timeperiod
No Ending
Sacrificial Lion
Corrupt Corporate Executive
Adaptational Attractiveness
The Hero Dies
Adapted Out
Affectionate Parody
Made of Explodium
Foreshadowing
Developing Doomed Characters
Meaningful Echo
Kids Are Cruel
Call-Forward
Beware the Nice Ones
Screw the Money, I Have Rules!
Jump Scare
Sudden Sequel Death Syndrome
Screw the Rules, I Have Money!
Becoming the Mask
Japanese Films
Fatal Flaw
Artistic License Gun Safety
Self-Deprecation
Vacation Films
Dark Reprise
Mythology Gag
Death by Adaptation
Black Best Friend
Punctuated! For! Emphasis!
Romantic Comedy
Distracted by the Sexy
Car Fu
The Musical
Big-Bad Ensemble
Fan Disservice
Kill It with Fire
Sequel Hook
The Ghost
Skewed Priorities
Laughing Mad
Revenge
Laser-Guided Karma
Immune to Bullets
Dual Wielding
Celebrity Paradox
"Where Are They Now?" Epilogue
Mystery and Detective Films
Stalker with a Crush
Names to Run Away from Really Fast
Apocalypse How
Evil Cannot Comprehend Good
Not So Above It All
Shell-Shocked Veteran
Punch-Clock Villain
Logo Joke
Freeze-Frame Bonus
Obfuscating Stupidity
Adaptation Expansion
Index of Film Westerns
Setting Update
Married to the Job
Diabolus ex Machina
Suspiciously Similar Substitute
Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?
Jerkass Has a Point
Silence Is Golden
Toilet Humour
aka: Toilet Humor
Hope Spot
Spiritual Successor
Evil Laugh
Cool Shades
Man on Fire
Deus ex Machina
Pretty Little Headshots
Smug Snake
Imagine Spot
Anachronic Order
Bloodier and Gorier
Red Herring
Colour-Coded for Your Convenience
aka: Color Coded For Your Convenience
Hidden Depths
The Ace
British Films
Action Film, Quiet Drama Scene
True Companions
Big Bad Duumvirate
Failed a Spot Check
Double-Meaning Title
The Lancer
Catapult Nightmare
Dirty Cop
Chekhov's Gun
Berserk Button
Ugly Guy, Hot Wife
Foil
Retired Badass
Freudian Excuse
Break the Cutie
Auto Erotica
Naïve Newcomer
One-Word Title
Hypocritical Humor
Toplessness from the Back
Playing Gertrude
The Power of Love
La Résistance
Badass Longcoat
Anti-Villain
Only Known by Their Nickname
Cassandra Truth
All There in the Script
Chewing the Scenery
Determinator
aka: The Determinator
Paper-Thin Disguise
Tranquil Fury
Slap-Slap-Kiss
Curb-Stomp Battle
Camera Abuse
Totally Radical
Actor Allusion
Not Even Bothering with the Accent
The Bad Guy Wins
Bloody Hilarious
Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds
A Minor Kidroduction
Based on a True Story
Adaptational Heroism
Broken Bird
Real Life
Very Loosely Based on a True Story
Take a Third Option
Film Noir Index
Evil Is Hammy
I'm a Humanitarian
Obviously Evil
Make It Look Like an Accident
Disproportionate Retribution
Pre-Mortem One-Liner
Femme Fatale
An Arm and a Leg
Cowboy Cop
Major Injury Underreaction
No Celebrities Were Harmed
Tempting Fate
Television Movie Index
Wounded Gazelle Gambit
Let's Get Dangerous!
Camp Gay
The Dreaded
Shirtless Scene
The Mole
The Remake
Cool Guns
Spared by the Adaptation
Badass in a Nice Suit
Noodle Incident
Red Eyes, Take Warning
Overly Long Gag
Roger Ebert: Great Movies List
Improvised Weapon
Deal with the Devil
The '50s
Vomit Discretion Shot
Mind Screw
Rule of Three
Race Lift
Large Ham
Grey and Gray Morality
Heroes Want Redheads
Slashed Throat
And Starring
Aside Glance
Gone Horribly Right
The Un-Reveal
Five-Man Band
Big "NO!"
Credits Gag
Rousing Speech
Fake Shemp
The Reveal
World of Ham
Guile Hero
Adults Are Useless
One Steve Limit
Captain Ersatz
Plucky Comic Relief
Pyrrhic Victory
Blonde, Brunette, Redhead
Light Is Not Good
Only in It for the Money
Badass Boast
Real Life Writes the Plot
Genre Shift
Leitmotif
"Well Done, Son!" Guy
Hong Kong Films
Bait-and-Switch
Villain Opening Scene
Demonic Possession
Documentary
Shout-Out
Unreliable Narrator
Punny Name
Fanservice Extra
Blood Knight
The Film of the Book
No Antagonist
Chekhov's Skill
Truth in Television
Up to Eleven
Manly Tears
Disguised in Drag
Impaled with Extreme Prejudice
The Oner
Black and Gray Morality
Our Zombies Are Different
Retirony
Posthumous Character
Gilligan Cut
Alpha Bitch
Air-Vent Passageway
Recap /
RiffTrax
aka: Riff Trax Movies
Crucified Hero Shot
Dull Surprise
Thriller
Creator Cameo
Darker and Edgier
Half the Man He Used to Be
Get Out!
Oh, Crap!
Evil vs. Evil
Peek-a-Boo Corpse
Madness Mantra
Translation Convention
Anguished Declaration of Love
Henpecked Husband
Off-into-the-Distance Ending
Undying Loyalty
Big Bad
Darkest Hour
Running Gag
Storming the Castle
Department of Redundancy Department
Dark Action Girl
Accidental Murder
Would Hit a Girl
Moment Killer
Deadpan Snarker
Due to the Dead
Karma Houdini
Animal Motifs
Evil Plan
Neck Snap
Mundane Made Awesome
Authority Equals Asskicking
Plot Hole
Small Name, Big Ego
A Father to His Men
Not Quite Dead
Show Within a Show
Horror Doesn't Settle for Simple Tuesday
Drives Like Crazy
Does Not Like Shoes
In Name Only
The Quiet One
Batman Gambit
Bavarian Fire Drill
Guns Akimbo
Awesome, but Impractical
Final Girl
Adorkable
Neck Lift
Dogged Nice Guy
Never Found the Body
20 Minutes into the Future
Those Two Guys
Lock and Load Montage
Betty and Veronica
The Load
Bunny-Ears Lawyer
Beard of Evil
Disney Death
The Voiceless
Kick the Son of a Bitch
Nice Job Fixing It, Villain!
Deconstruction
Improbable Aiming Skills
Shoot the Shaggy Dog
Mexican Standoff
Left the Background Music On
Red Right Hand
Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold
Defiant to the End
Bloodless Carnage
Mama Bear
Author Avatar
Artistic License Military
Word of God
Straight Gay
Eyepatch of Power
Drill Sergeant Nasty
Armor-Piercing Question
Bi the Way
Worthy Opponent
Vomit Indiscretion Shot
Race Against the Clock
Fourth Date Marriage
Bullying a Dragon
Nice Job Breaking It, Hero!
Serial Killer
Casting Gag
Age Lift
Hate Sink
Easily Forgiven
Dark and Troubled Past
Precision F-Strike
Adaptation Dye-Job
Video Credits
Flashback
Defrosting Ice Queen
And I Must Scream
An Axe to Grind
Deliberately Monochrome
Funny Background Event
Ambiguously Gay
Bland-Name Product
Manchild
Card-Carrying Villain
Bittersweet Ending
Reckless Gun Usage
Combat Pragmatist
Manipulative Bastard
Sliding Scale of Idealism vs. Cynicism
Mad Scientist
Captain Obvious
Only One Name
No OSHA Compliance
Big Damn Heroes
Gainax Ending
Loophole Abuse
Gender Flip
Superhero
Back from the Dead
Bare Your Midriff
Even Evil Has Loved Ones
The Alcoholic
Cat Scare
Green-Eyed Monster
Not Using the "Z" Word
Dumb Blonde
Suspiciously Specific Denial
Aww, Look! They Really Do Love Each Other
Instant Death Bullet
Soft Glass
Driven to Suicide
Leave the Camera Running
Drowning My Sorrows
Made of Iron
Brick Joke
Leaning on the Fourth Wall
Cool Old Guy
Sealed Evil in a Can
Foregone Conclusion
Body Horror
Badass Normal
Too Dumb to Live
Ripped from the Headlines
For the Evulz
Properly Paranoid
Jerk Jock
Bilingual Bonus
Heroic Sacrifice
Not So Stoic
O.O.C. Is Serious Business
The X of Y
Ship Tease
For Want of a Nail
Drugs Are Bad
Gory Discretion Shot
Ghost Fiction
Rasputinian Death
Horror Films
Riddle for the Ages
Politically Incorrect Villain
Our Vampires Are Different
Four-Temperament Ensemble
Expy
Psycho for Hire
Cloudcuckoolander
Big Eater
Everyone Calls Him "Barkeep"
Dying Moment of Awesome
The Dragon
Fanservice
You Have Outlived Your Usefulness
Artistic License Physics
Trailers Always Spoil
Shower Scene
Here We Go Again!
Taking the Bullet
"Shaggy Dog" Story
Gold Digger
Bar Brawl
Sir Swears-a-Lot
Mr. Fanservice
Expository Hairstyle Change
Danny Peary Cult Movies List
I Just Shot Marvin in the Face
Author Appeal
The Ditz
As Himself
The Brute
B-Movie
Ragtag Bunch of Misfits
Italian Films
Male Frontal Nudity
Spanner in the Works
Conspicuous CG
Rape Is a Special Kind of Evil
Unwitting Instigator of Doom
In the Back
Adaptation Name Change
Gratuitous English
Same Language Dub
"The Reason You Suck" Speech
Groin Attack
Zombie Stories
Boom, Headshot!
Chiaroscuro
Broken Aesop
Meet Cute
Hero Antagonist
Determinator
Took a Level in Jerkass
Canon Foreigner
The Atoner
Crazy-Prepared
Insane Troll Logic
The Smurfette Principle
Christmas Movies Index
Rated M for Manly
Coming-of-Age Story
Yandere
Your Cheating Heart
Pimped-Out Dress
Gorn
Face Death with Dignity
Science Fiction Films
Arch-Enemy
The Dog Bites Back
As the Good Book Says...
Cruel and Unusual Death
Morality Pet
Chase Scene
Big Brother Instinct
Never My Fault
Parental Substitute
She's Got Legs
Older Than They Look
Death by Irony
Frame-Up
Military and Warfare Films
Fire-Forged Friends
The Lost Lenore
Cluster F-Bomb
There Is No Kill Like Overkill
Evil Counterpart
Really Gets Around
No-Sell
Stock Footage
Dwindling Party
Dutch Angle
Dirty Old Man
Reality Is Unrealistic
All Men Are Perverts
Mighty Whitey
Novelization
Never Trust a Trailer
Villain Ball
Unresolved Sexual Tension
Genre Throwback
Heterosexual Life-Partners
Villain with Good Publicity
Jerkass
What You Are in the Dark
Extreme Doormat
Important Haircut
Rape as Drama
Male Gaze
Put on a Bus
Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane
Mistaken for Gay
Rule of Symbolism
You Have Got to Be Kidding Me!
The Un-Favourite
aka: The Un Favorite
Badass Grandpa
More Dakka
Reasonable Authority Figure
Whole Plot Reference
He Who Fights Monsters
Bring My Brown Pants
Music Stories
Eagleland
Sci-Fi Horror
Bald of Evil
Jerk with a Heart of Gold
Fatal Family Photo
Sports Stories
A God Am I
Twist Ending
Babies Ever After
Vitriolic Best Buds
Daddy's Girl
Redemption Equals Death
The '90s
FaceHeel Turn
Catch-Phrase
Children Are Innocent
The Chick
Mooks
Sanity Slippage
BrotherSister Incest
Cat Fight
You Killed My Father
The Alleged Car
Broken Pedestal
Break the Haughty
Handicapped Badass
The '70s
My God, What Have I Done?
Super Strength
Rule of Cool
It Can Think
Extremely Short Timespan
Bury Your Gays
"Awesome McCool" Name
Fun with Acronyms
Anachronism Stew
Refuge in Audacity
Red Shirt
Dramatic Irony
Epic Movie
Death of a Child
Mood Whiplash
Downer Ending
Intergenerational Friendship
Hooker with a Heart of Gold
The Casanova
Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right!
Historical Villain Upgrade
Anti-Hero
Butt-Monkey
From Nobody to Nightmare
Unspoken Plan Guarantee
BFG
No Name Given
Fantastic Racism
As Long as It Sounds Foreign
An Aesop
Biopic
Pun
aka: Incredibly Lame Pun
Fingore
Meaningful Background Event
I Have Your Wife
Adaptational Villainy
Breaking the Fourth Wall
All Girls Want Bad Boys
Fiery Redhead
Roaring Rampage of Revenge
Actually Pretty Funny
Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass
Daylight Horror
Friend to All Children
Implacable Man
The Vamp
Loads and Loads of Characters
Why Don't You Just Shoot Him?
Eiffel Tower Effect
Empathic Environment
Adaptational Badass
A.I. Is a Crapshoot
Almost Kiss
Costume Porn
Affably Evil
HeelFace Turn
Narrator
Jack Bauer Interrogation Technique
Closed Circle
Abhorrent Admirer
Ascended Extra
Hero of Another Story
Attempted Rape
Reality Ensues
Cool Old Lady
Love Triangle
Shut Up, Hannibal!
Genre Savvy
I Need a Freaking Drink
Historical Hero Upgrade
My Greatest Failure
Say My Name
Monumental Damage
Happily Married
Early Installment Weirdness
Covers Always Lie
Tagline
Malevolent Masked Men
Mercy Kill
MacGuffin
Scenery Porn
Hoist by His Own Petard
Horror Comedy
Crazy Jealous Guy
Creepy Child
Even Bad Men Love Their Mamas
Naked People Are Funny
Deliberate Values Dissonance
Villain Song
Pragmatic Villainy
Brainless Beauty
Offscreen Moment of Awesome
Crapsack World
All Just a Dream
It's All About Me
Imperial Stormtrooper Marksmanship Academy
Accidental Misnaming
Curse Cut Short
Be Careful What You Wish For
Police Brutality
Pay Evil unto Evil
A Date with Rosie Palms
Match Cut
Never Trust a Trailer
aka: Trailers Always Lie
Suddenly SHOUTING!
Dramedy
Everyone Has Standards
Homage
Black Dude Dies First
Psychological Thriller
Alliterative Name
'80s Hair
Unusual Euphemism
Black Comedy Rape
Ironic Echo
Only Sane Man
NO INDOOR VOICE
Redshirt Army
Artistic License Law
Good Is Not Nice
The Stoic
Insult Backfire
Didn't Think This Through
Spiteful Spit
Your Head A-Splode
Kick the Dog
Slasher Smile
Line-of-Sight Name
Humiliation Conga
Bottomless Magazines
The '60s
Sequel Escalation
Taking You with Me
Fat Bastard
Not What It Looks Like
It Will Never Catch On
Central Theme
Nothing Is Scarier
Screw This, I'm Outta Here!
Eldritch Abomination
Antagonist Title
Establishing Character Moment
Country Matters
Facial Horror
Romantic False Lead
Agony of the Feet
Poor Communication Kills
Heroic BSoD
Death Glare
The Mafia
Action Survivor
The Bully
Depraved Bisexual
Men Are the Expendable Gender
Serious Business
Time Skip
Protagonist Title
Wicked Cultured
I Did What I Had to Do
Artistic License History
Rule of Funny
Papa Wolf
Even Evil Has Standards
MayDecember Romance
He Knows Too Much
Together in Death
Chuck Cunningham Syndrome
Does This Remind You of Anything?
Heel Realization
Brutal Honesty
I Want My Beloved to Be Happy
Rich Bitch
Interrupted Suicide
What the Hell, Hero?
Evil Is Petty
Silent Movie
You Have Failed Me
Lighter and Softer
Action Genre
Australian Movies
Sassy Black Woman
The '80s
Wham Line
Slasher Movie
Bowdlerise
Hypocrite
Villain Protagonist
Russian Films
Blood from the Mouth
Killed Mid-Sentence
Arc Words
Shipper on Deck
The Faceless
The Cavalry
Call-Back
Would Hurt a Child
Fainting
Asshole Victim
Award-Bait Song
The Chessmaster
Adult Fear
Scenery Gorn
Historical-Domain Character
Ms. Fanservice
Historical In-Joke
Continuity Nod
Sinister Minister
Wham Shot
From Bad to Worse
Abusive Parents
Ominous Latin Chanting
Pretty in Mink
Eye Scream
Parental Incest
The Cameo
The Place
Action Girl
Parental Abandonment
Stuff Blowing Up
Unusually Uninteresting Sight
Early-Bird Cameo
Wrong Genre Savvy
Contrived Coincidence
Dressing as the Enemy
Fish out of Water
Idiot Ball
Exactly What It Says on the Tin
Stealth Pun
Film Noir
In Medias Res
Amoral Attorney
Humans Are Bastards
Mugging the Monster
Dark Is Not Evil
Blatant Lies
Aluminum Christmas Trees
Obstructive Bureaucrat
Once More, with Clarity!
War Is Hell
Spell My Name with an "S"
Adaptation Distillation
Death by Sex
Woman Scorned
Kubrick Stare
N-Word Privileges
Scare Chord
Re-Cut
Ooh, Me Accent's Slipping
All for Nothing
Martial Arts Movie
French Films
Have a Gay Old Time
Big Fancy House
Red Oni, Blue Oni
The Stinger
Dropped a Bridge on Him
Bolivian Army Ending
Knife Nut
Dramatic Gun Cock
Missing Mom
Scary Black Man
Off with His Head!
Domestic Abuse
Advertised Extra
Animated Credits Opening
Took a Level in Badass
The Smart Guy
Wretched Hive
Love at First Sight
Blackmail
Framing Device
Tap on the Head
Lampshade Hanging
Kill 'em All
Pragmatic Adaptation
How We Got Here
Title Drop
Exact Words
Rewatch Bonus
Epic Fail
Getting Crap Past the Radar
Belligerent Sexual Tension
Non-Indicative Name
The Great Depression
Knight Templar
The Hero
One-Man Army
Disappeared Dad
Artistic License Geography
Intrepid Reporter
Sir Not-Appearing-in-This-Trailer
Stylistic Suck
Demoted to Extra
Maybe Ever After
Token Minority
Canadian Movies
Hollywood Law
Evil Sounds Deep
Police are Useless
Film Series
Public Domain Feature Films
Take That!
Stealth Hi/Bye
Fantasy Films
Pre-Asskicking One-Liner
Villainous Breakdown
Only a Flesh Wound
Meaningful Name
Offscreen Teleportation
Annoying Younger Sibling
Evil Brit
Fate Worse than Death
Cool Car
Stepford Smiler
The Big Guy
Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking
Animal Title Index
Improbable Weapon User
Dirty Coward
Ambiguous Ending
Faking the Dead
Hollywood Darkness
Ambiguous Disorder
Death Seeker
Irony
Victoria's Secret Compartment