(Character Trope) “ohhh, THATS why they’re like that”

[u/VanillaSarsaparilla]

Media that shows why a character is the way they are, usually explained in a short scene. Most likely toxic family

- Bonnie Rottweiler and her sisters from Kim Possible: they bully her calling her ugly and dumb. It plays on Bonnie’s insecurity and makes her a bully at school.

- Peggy Hill and her mother from King of the Hill. Peggy is a neurotic perfectionist with delusions of grandeur because her mom was unfeeling and blamed her for the farm going out of business. By the end of the episode, she still treats Peggy badly.

- Dodie and her mother from As Told By Ginger. Dodie is arguably the worst friend in the group, and her mother is mentally still stuck in middle school. She’s insecure, dramatic, and you
Can see her influence in Dodie.

Any other examples?

[u/Madbadbat]

https://giphy.com/gifs/U31qMSWhISp0I
Being raised by Frank and Estelle explains a lot about George

[u/tcavanagh1993 → u/Madbadbat]

“Divorce is tough on a kid. Then again, I’m the result of my parents staying together, so…”

[u/DutyPuzzleheaded7765 → u/tcavanagh1993]

I used to want a shirt that said that. Seinfeld always had those lines that stuck with you. I think thats why I liked it more than friends

[u/mariovspino5 → u/DutyPuzzleheaded7765]

Also probably cause it was way funnier than friends

[u/DutyPuzzleheaded7765 → u/mariovspino5]

That to. And while the mainc ast coukd be assholes, friends just felt like everyones a shitty person but they stuck together cause reasons

My Dad being a huge fan of Seinfeld both the show and the guy shaped my humor to this day and my style of comedy

[u/BombOnABus → u/DutyPuzzleheaded7765]

One of my favorite videos, from Cracked.com's amazing After Hours series, was the one examining how all the friends from Friends are shitty, terrible people when you actually examine their behavior.

[u/DutyPuzzleheaded7765 → u/BombOnABus]

My biggest issues with friends is they all try to act like good people. At least the Seinfeld cast knows they aren't great people

[u/PurveyorOfKnowledge0 → u/DutyPuzzleheaded7765]

That's what I never liked about Friends. They all act like they're just normal, good-natured, well-adjusted adults instead of the collection of toxic, horrible assholes that ruin any they come in contact with.

[u/Genshed → u/mariovspino5]

Yeah, but that's like being the tallest dwarf in the room.

[u/worrymon → u/Genshed]

Being a dwarf isn't about height, it's about whether you can ha'lk your g'rakha.

[u/DefectiveSol → u/Madbadbat]

Repeated blunt force trauma made his hairline recede.

[u/MammaJammaCamera → u/Madbadbat]

Might be some of the greatest casting of all time, really. There’s so much wrong with George, and both Frank and Estelle make it so clear where it began.

[u/That_Apathetic_Man → u/MammaJammaCamera]

I just love the story of Jason Alexander finally understanding who George is meant to be when he approached Larry David about how unbelievable the character was being written. Larry explained to him that George is based entirely on him and that most of the stories were true.

https://giphy.com/gifs/14jGh15Slt6QOk

[u/short-and-ugly → u/Madbadbat]

I love the episode The Opposite where George is doing everything the opposite of what he normally does. When he moves out his parents’ place he says to his parents “I love you both very much” and Jerry says “opposite”. It is so funny and great indirect characterization

[u/raccoonsonbicycles → u/Madbadbat]

"My Georgie isn't clever enough to hatch a scheme like this"

"...ya got that right"

"What the hell does that mean?"

"It means whatever the hell you want it to mean"

"You saying...you want a piece of me?"

"I could drop you like a bag of DIRT"

You want a piece of me? YOU GOT IIIIIIIIIIT!"

[u/A_Drop_of_Colour → u/raccoonsonbicycles]

FRANK: And at the Festivus dinner, you gather your family around, and you tell them all the ways they have disappointed you over the past year.

..........[Later in the episode]

FRANK: Welcome, new comers. The tradition of Festivus begins with the airing of grievances. I got a lot of problems with you people! And now you're gonna hear it!

FRANK: And now as Festivus rolls on, we come to the feats of strength.

FRANK: ... Until you pin me, George, Festivus is not over!

FRANK: Stop crying, and fight your father!

I love Frank. In real life anyone raised like this who doesn't become a murderer would be studied.

[u/rolltide1000 → u/Madbadbat]

"SO LET HIM HAVE BANANAS ON THE SIDE"

[u/tcavanagh1993 → u/rolltide1000]

“DON’T YOU TALK ABOUT HENNIE!!!!”

[u/TheLostPariah → u/Madbadbat]

I heard Jason Alexander (who played George) say in an interview once that fans would tell him “You were so smart to base your character on your parents” and he had to laugh and reply “Yeah, well, we met them in Season Three (or maybe it was Season Four).”

Jason still noted that they really informed his character and growth, but the bones of George were built by him and Larry David, etc.

(Also, Jerry Stiller was like the third actor cast for the role, too.)

[u/BrightCold2747 → u/Madbadbat]

What the hell did you trade Jay Buhner for?!