History Main / HomeAloneAntics

** In "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS5E6MargeOnTheLam Marge on the Lam]]", Homer decides to go out in the town on his own (after Marge left with Ruth). When Lisa suggests he should hire a babysitter, Homer thinks the kids should be alone so when any robbers come, they can set up traps to stop them, using the movie as an example.

* The episode "Home Alone Sweep" from ''[[TheSootyShow Sooty and Co]]'' has Sweep left home alone. He hears sounds outside and starts setting traps for the burglars. [[spoiler:However, it turns out that the 'burglar' was actually Matthew, who ends up falling into all of his traps.]]

* Some could make an argument that the climatic battle in ''Film/Skyfall'' turned out like this with M setting up explosive traps all around Skyfall Manor for when Silva's men invade the estate.

* Parodied in a cutaway gag in the ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' episode "Christmas Guy", showing what would happen if the robbers in the trope namer were smart.

** Played straight on the earlier episode "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS1E13SomeEnchantedEvening Some Enchanted Evening]]", where the Simpsons kids are left with a BabysitterFromHell (a serial, [[FollowTheLeader Springfield's]] [[AmericasMostWanted Most Wanted]]-caliber thief called "The Babysitting Bandit") while Homer and Marge are out celebrating their anniversary and they knock her out.

* [[AvetedTrope Averted]] in ''Film/SpyHard'': A bunch of secret agents chasing a CaptainErsatz of [[HomeAlone Kevin McAllister]] through a house simply evade and defuse all of the traps.

* [[AvetedTrope Averted]] in SpyHard: A bunch of secret agents chasing a CaptainErsatz of [[HomeAlone Kevin Mc Allister]] through a house simply evade and defuse all of the traps.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfSonicTheHedgehog'' episode, "Tails in Charge", Tails sets traps for Scratch and Grounder to get back at them for [[Main/TakenForGranite turning Sonic to stone]].
* A DiscussedTrope (and giving a ShoutOut to the TropeNamer) yet averted on TheSimpsons episode "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS6E9HomerBadman Homer Badman]]". Homer wants to leave the kids alone to go to a candy convention, only for an [[WhatTheHellHero understandably]] [[RealityEnsues horrified]] Marge to say no and call the babysitting service-which sets up the [[AccidentalPervert rest of]] [[ConvictedByPublicOpinion the episode's]] [[StrawmanNewsMedia plot]].

* A DiscussedTrope (and giving a ShoutOut to the TropeNamer) yet averted on TheSimpsons episode "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS6E9HomerBadman Homer Badman". Homer wants to leave the kids alone to go to a candy convention, only for an [[WhatTheHellHero understandably]] [[RealityEnsues horrified]] Marge to say no and call the babysitting service-which sets up the [[AccidentalPervert rest of]] [[ConvictedByPublicOpinion the episode's]] [[StrawmanNewsMedia plot]].

* A DiscussedTrope (and giving a ShoutOut to the TropeNamer) yet averted on TheSimpsons episode "Homer Bad Man". Homer wants to leave the kids alone to go to a candy convention, only for an [[WhatTheHellHero understandably]] [[RealityEnsues horrified]] Marge to say no and call the babysitting service-which sets up the rest of the episode's plot.

** Played straight on the earlier episode "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS1E13SomeEnchantedEvening Some Enchanted Evening]]", where the Simpsons kids are left with a BabysitterFromHell (a serial, [[Expy Springfield's]] [[AmericasMostWanted Most Wanted]]-caliber thief called "The Babysitting Bandit") while Homer and Marge are out celebrating their anniversary and they knock her out.

** Played straight on the earlier episode "Some Enchanted Evening", where the Simpsons kids are left with a BabysitterFromHell (a serial, AmericasMostWanted-caliber thief called "The Babysitting Bandit") while Homer and Marge are out celebrating their anniversary and they knock her out.

* [DiscussedTrope Discussed]] (and giving a ShoutOut to the TropeNamer) yet averted on TheSimpsons episode "Homer Bad Man". Homer wants to leave the kids alone to go to a candy convention, only for an [[WhatTheHellHero understandably]] [[RealityEnsues horrified]] Marge to say no and call the babysitting service-which sets up the rest of the episode's plot.
** Played straight on the earlier episode " ", where the Simpsons kids are left with an EvilBabysitter while Homer and Marge are out celebrating their anniversary and they knock her out.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfSonicTheHedgehog'' episode, "Tails in Charge", Tails sets traps for Scratch and Grounder to get back at them for [[Main/TakenForGranite turning Sonic to stone]].

* The ''Film/RichieRich'' live action movie turned into this near the end, as the house's traps were used against the bad guys. This time it was a group of kids using them. This example might be an ActorAllusion too, since [=McCauley Culkin=] starred as Richie as well as the first two ''Home Alone''s.

* The ''Film/RichieRich'' live action movie turned into this near the end, as the house's traps were used against the bad guys. This time it was a group of kids using them. This example might be an ActorAllusion too, since McCauleyCulkin starred as Richie as well as the first two ''Home Alone''s.

A subtrope of {{Slapstick}}. This is the {{Lighter and Softer}} version of {{Die Hard on an X}}, and a variant of the HumiliationConga. Related to HomeFieldAdvantage, as the kid is probably setting up the traps in his own home or some place he's more familiar with than his opponents.

* A DarkerAndEdgier version of this trope is in play at the old family estate in ''Film/SkyFall''.

[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/home_alone_antics_7480.gif]]

* The ''Film/RichieRich'' live action movie turned into this near the end, as the house's traps were used against the bad guys. This time it was a group of kids using them.

** Used again in the first act of the episode "[[Recap/MrBogusS2E3BogundaBogettaAndBogus Bogunda, Bogetta & Bogus]]", this time in the Anybody residence when Jake and Butch return. This time, Bogus is able to keep them deterred by firing light bulbs from a lamp, using a toy mouse to grab them on the nose, and using his shadow projected on the wall to scare them out of the house.

* ''WesternAnimation/MrBogus'':
** In the first act of the episode "[[Recap/MrBogusS1E5ShopAroundTheClock Shop Around The Clock]]", Bogus sets up a series of tactics and scenarios in order to stop [[ThoseTwoBadGuys Jake and Butch]] from stealing a priceless crown from the department store. These include controlling a pair of fishing pants, dressing himself up as a conductor to use music instruments to attack Butch, and controlling a fisherman dummy to chase away the two baddies.
** Used again in the first act of the episode "[[Recap/MrBogusS2E3BogundaBogettaAndBogus Bogunda, Bogetta & Bogus]]", this time in the Anybody residence when Jake and Butch return. This time, Bogus is able to keep them deterred by firing light bulbs from a lamp, using a toy mouse to grab them on the nose, and using his shadow projected on the wall to scare them out of the house.

* The episode "Home Alone Sweep" from ''[[TheSootyShow Sooty and Co]]'' has Sweep left home alone. He hears sounds outside and starts setting traps for the burglars. [[spoiler:However, it turns out that the 'burglar' was actually Matthew, who ends up falling into all of his traps.]]

* In an episode of ''Series/TheDickVanDykeShow'' while Rob is away Laura watches a scary movie on TV and is afraid that someone will break into the house. Milly comes over and they set booby-traps at the front door etc. so that whoever might break in will make a loud noise so they can bean him with a baseball bat. Naturally, Rob comes home earlier than expected and trips the homemade alarm.
* One ''Franchise/ArchieComics'' story has Archie and Jughead house-sitting for Mr. Lodge. Although the mansion has a sophisticated security system, the boys decide to play it safe and add some extra anti-burglar defenses, involving the usual buckets of water, tin cans, flypaper, etc. Of course, Mr. Lodge comes home and walks into all the booby traps.
* ''Film/TooMuchTheRobotWithAHeart'' has Susie and a Japanese boy escape bungling kidnappers/robotnappers by setting traps that they comically fall for, resulting in them making a huge mess of a fish market.

!Examples include:

* The ''Richie Rich'' live action movie turned into this near the end, as the house's traps were used against the bad guys. This time it was a group of kids using them.

* The episode ''Home Alone Sweep'' from ''[[{{Sooty}} Sooty and Co]]'' has Sweep left home alone. He hears sounds outside and starts setting traps for the burglars. [[spoiler: However, it turns out that the 'burglar' was actually Matthew, who ends up falling into all of his traps.]]
* One ''CalvinAndHobbes'' strip has Calvin's parents come home to find a house full of booby traps, because Calvin watched a scary movie while they were out and then rigged up defenses against a monster attack.

* One ''ArchieComics'' story has Archie and Jughead house-sitting for Mr. Lodge. Although the mansion has a sophisticated security system, the boys decide to play it safe and add some extra anti-burglar defenses, involving the usual buckets of water, tin cans, flypaper, etc. Of course, Mr. Lodge comes home and walks into all the booby traps.

* ''Film/HomeAlone'' is the TropeNamer, TropeCodifier and UrExample. While the majority of the film is actually about a boy's attempts to live on his own after accidentally being left behind by his parents, and how he manages buying food, tricking people into thinking there are others in the house, and so on, the movie was overwhelmingly remembered for its ending, which consists of the boy setting traps for robbers that are planning to rob his house, and them getting caught in them. The traps only get more violent and extreme in the second movie.

Named after, and probably started by, ''Film/HomeAlone'', Home Alone Antics are an unusually specific trope. At its most well-known form, a kid sets traps in or around a house, and bad guys who are after the kid (or the house or something in it) end up getting hurt by the traps.