There have been so many episodes showing how Phil is a good handyman, good with fixing things and building things and putting things together, etc. Yet he can't open a simple closet door for 18 hours?
Good handyman? He couldn't get the water heater pilot light lit. The tree house was a dangerous disaster. The broken step was shoddily repaired and soon defective again. Bob Vila he isn't.
While true he does show moments of clarity he also is hyper-emotional, and has a tendency to panic when stressed, losing the ability for rational behavior. Him freaking out in the hotel room when Robot Phil malfunctioned when he simply could have phoned the family is another example. Besides, it motivates humor like Phil hilariously rationing out the Tick Tacs.
"I'm doing good in the game, so I'm doing good in life!" - Charlie Kelly
well, there have been many episodes where he is good with electronics (setting up new television systems, wiring, putting in computers/printer). So I would think having at least that technical knowledge, he would somehow be able to figure out how to get out of a closet.
yes, that was exactly what I was referring to. It would be different if it were a different situation that got him locked in and he couldn't figure it out, but as you said - it was as simple as the handle fell off, and you would think with his other technical knowledge (and yes, I am aware that someone pointed out that electronics aren't the same as construction type skills) he would be able to figure it out.
We have seen him enter houses twice through windows - the divorcee in the Bicycle episode, and Cam and Mitchell's house in the (Hawaii?) episode - he said it was a skill realtors need.
He's said that a lot of problems as a realtor has to do with keys. You'd think between that and his love of magic he'd learn how to pick a lock, at least know enough how to move the latch & free himself.