History Characters / Gayle

* {{Foil}}: To Terry and Brendan. Where Brendan's [[CreepyGood deeply uncanny albeit nice]] and Terry's [[EmbarrassingHobby lodged in the last years of an edgy, Linkin Park-filled phase of her youth]], the Jennies are [[NaiveEverygirl optimistic, well-adjusted preteens]], who, despite being [[TheNondescript dreadfully normal in comparison]], are still every bit as talented and intelligent, if not more than, the two leading students of the local high school.

* {Foil}: To Gayle, at least in Episode 36. Whereas Gayle is domineering, destructive, and a self-pronounced [[SheIsTheKing tyrannical "she-king" from the Old D]], Bethany is cordial, concerned, and a diplomatic representative of the New D. This is despite Gayle regularly taking things from her yard in a [[PaperThinDisguise Phantom of the Opera mask.]]

* {Foil}: To Terry and Brendan. Where Brendan's [[CreepyGood deeply uncanny albeit nice]] and Terry's [[EmbarrassingHobby lodged in the last years of an edgy, Linkin Park-filled phase of her youth]], the Jennies are [[NaiveEverygirl optimistic, well-adjusted preteens]], who, despite being [[TheNondescript dreadfully normal in comparison]], are still every bit as talented and intelligent, if not more than, the two leading students of the local high school.

* TheFoil: To Gayle, at least in Episode 36. Whereas Gayle is domineering, destructive, and a self-pronounced [[SheIsTheKing tyrannical "she-king" over her neighborhood]], Bethany is cordial, concerned, and diplomatic, despite Gayle regularly taking things from her yard in a [[PaperThinDisguise Phantom of the Opera mask.]]

* AlphaBitch: {{Averted}}. Introduced as the new town meeting organizer, she seems like this to the people of the Old Development. Though [[HypocriticalHumor Gayle]] immediately perceives her as a megalomaniacal threat, and Bethany ''does'' speak with a distinctly RichBitch affect, she's actually quite friendly and polite when asking her neighbors to cover their bins.

[[caption-width-right:350:"Please! Just cover your bins."]]
* AlphaBitch: {{Averted.}} Introduced as the new town meeting organizer, she seems like this to the people of the Old Development. Though [[HypocriticalHumor Gayle]] immediately perceives her as a megalomaniacal threat, and Bethany ''does'' speak with a distinctly upper middle class affect, she's actually quite friendly and polite when asking her neighbors to cover their bins.

[[caption-width-right:350:"Hi! Bethany Fox."]]
* AlphaBitch: {{Averted.}} Though [[HypocriticalHumor Gayle]] immediately perceives her as a megalomaniacal threat, and Bethany ''does'' speak with a distinctly upper middle class affect, she's actually quite friendly and polite when asking her neighbors to cover their bins.
* DisapprovingLook: Has one of these when Gayle begins demonstrating [[EpicFail exactly why Bethany is right about the Old D's trash bins.]]

!!The Jennies
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gayle_episode_36_town_meeting_youtube_3_29_9.jpeg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:"Oh, it's [[OneSteveLimit Jenny."]]]]
* GentlemanAndAScholar: A sort-of ChildProdigy version that's demonstrated in Episode 39. They all have varied interests and talents, but demonstrate ''extreme'' (yet not entirely unrealistic) proficiency at them despite being so young and well-adjusted, much to Gayle's dismay. Still susceptible to mistakes.
-->"That one just dropped her flute, like a small imbecile, [[RealityEnsues 'cause they have flaws]]. Good."
* HiveMind: PlayedWith and {{Parodied}}. Gayle [[FauxHorrific initially treats]] them as this. Ride in a collective on Razor scooters in apparently perfect posture around the neighborhood in weirdly uniform outfits, often to carry out one errand together in unison-- though they do this entirely by choice, have their own (albeit similar) personalities and otherwise are just a normal group of pre-teen friends. Though, they're ALL [[OneSteveLimit named Jenny.]]
* [[NiceGuy Nice Girl]]: All very, very pleasant and polite.
* OneSteveLimit: Actively avert this.
* TheDividual: Always appear with each other. Essentially constitute one character, because of the above HiveMind trope, but have enough individuality to play this trope straight instead.
* TroublingUnchildlikeBehavior: {{Downplayed}}. They're just very well-organized. Gayle considers them this, though.

* ChuckCunninghamSyndrome: A weird example in that Ira's still PutOnABus in Episode 10; the audience sees him exit the series, but it seems as if every record of his presence or memory disappears from Northbread as soon as he leaves. Possibly because of the below EarlyInstallmentWeirdness. It'd be very hard to characterize Gayle as an morally-complicated, albeit extremely chaotic, person if it was still acknowledged [[MoralEventHorizon she had kidnapped a child for well over a decade]], much less ''still had him around.''

!!Gayle’s Sister

* SpecialGuest: {{Parodied}}. Of course, the [[Main/BarefootContessa Barefoot Contessa]] star doesn't actually appear, but is played by an actor representing Gayle's hallucinations of her. Instructs Gayle on how to "properly" make her croutons.

* {{Chuunibyou}}: An older western version that gets PlayedWith. While ''much'' less socially awkward that other examples, she still [[DanceOff refers to herself as a b-girl]] and spends some of her afternoons breakdancing to Linkin Park. See NotLikeOtherGirls below.
* NotLikeOtherGirls: {{Discussed}}. She describes herself as this in Episode 39, demonstrating that, despite her intelligence and wit, she's still an awkward teenager. Gayle, for once, [[WomenAreWiser really does know better.]]

* HopelessWithTech: {{Zigzagged}}. Implied to have only kept up with technology up until some point in the 2000s-- she makes a well-informed comment about MapQuest directions but in the same episode screams about DVDs in desperation, not understanding what an iPad is. She also describes non-existent websites and services such as "Yahoo Maps" at times, and struggles with Bonnie to find the right word for "livestreaming."

* TookALevelInKindness: Related to CharacterizationMarchesOn above. Episode 10 concludes with [[spoiler:the family so disgusted at Gayle claiming that Terry hooked up with her best friend Michaela's boyfriend, purely out of spite, that [[RageBreakingPoint Ira and Terry attempt to permanently move out of the house.]] Ira is never seen after Season 1, and Terry eventually returns three episodes into Season 2.]] Contrast that with Gayle going to rediculous lengths to spare David and Terry embarassment and suffering come Season 3. While as mentioned in VillainProtagonist below, Gayle [[AntiHero doesn't exactly becoming a morally-upstanding individual]], her relationship with her family is still far less hostile and toxic than it had been characterized as before.

* GentlemanAndAScholar: A sort-of ChildProdigy version that's demonstrated in Episode 39. They all have varied interests and talents, but demonstrate ''extreme'' (yet not entirely unrealistic) proficiency at them despite being so young and well-adjusted, much to Gayle's dismay.

* GentlemanAndAScholar: A sort-of ChildProdigy version that's demonstrated in Episode 39. They all have varied interests and talents, but demonstrate ''extreme'' (yet entirely possible) proficiency at them despite being so young and well-adjusted, much to Gayle's dismay.
--->"That one just dropped her flute, like a small imbecile, [[RealityEnsues because they have flaws]]. Good."

* GentlemanAndAScholar: A sort-of TeenGenius version that's demonstrated in Episode 39. They all have varied interests and talents, but demonstrate ''extreme'' (yet realistic) proficiency at them despite being so young and well-adjusted, much to Gayle's dismay.

* GentlemanAndAScholar: A child prodigy version that's demonstrated in Episode 39. They all have varied interests and talents, but demonstrate ''extreme'' (yet realistic) proficiency at them despite being so young and well-adjusted, much to Gayle's dismay.

* AxCrazy: Prone to violence.

* CharacterizationMarchesOn: Progresses from [[BloodKnight indiscriminate violence]] in the name of her own reputation, and arguably consistent emotional abuse, to [[JerkWithAHeartofGold still abrasive]] and occasionally destructive behavior, but with a noted concern for the rest of her family, even if she expresses it in bizarre and sometimes unhelpful ways.

* {{Chuunibyou}}: An older western version that gets {{PlayedWith}}. While ''much'' less socially awkward that other examples, she still [[DanceOff refers to herself as a b-girl]] and spends some of her afternoons breakdancing to Linkin Park. See NotLikeOtherGirls below.
* NotLikeOtherGirls: {{Discussed}}. She describes herself as this in Episode 39, demonstrating that, despite her intelligence and wit, she's still an [[Main/Chuunibyou awkward teenager.]] Gayle, for once, [[WomenAreWiser really does know better.]]

* TheSocialExpert: [[DownplayedTrope Downplayed.]] Terry has her quirks like any other high schooler, but she very easily charms the people of the New Development and seems reasonably popular with her peers. It causes Gayle to compare her to Nancy Reagan at one point.

* Chuunibyou: An older western version that gets {{PlayedWith}}. While ''much'' less socially awkward that other examples, she still [[DanceOff refers to herself as a b-girl]] and spends some of her afternoons breakdancing to Linkin Park. See NotLikeOtherGirls below.

* Senior Year Struggles: Several episodes center on the ups-and-downs of Terry's year before college. Gayle's antics often add to these struggles-- or as in several moments in Season 4, [[spoiler:actually make things easier.]]

* NotLikeOtherGirls: {{Discussed}}. She describes herself as this in Episode 39, demonstrating that, despite her intelligence and wit, she's still an [[Chuunibyou awkward teenager.]] Gayle, for once, [[WomenAreWiser really does know better.]]

* AxCrazy
* CompetitionFreak

* EvilMatriarch: Oh yeah.

* HotBlooded
* ItsAllAboutMe

* TalksLikeASimile

* UpToEleven

* NotLikeOtherGirls: {{Discussed.}} She describes herself as this in Episode 39, demonstrating that, despite her intelligence and wit, she's still an awkward teenager.

* GentlemanAndAScholar: A child prodigy version that's demonstrated in Episode 39. They all have varied interests and talents, but demonstrate ''extreme'' (yet realistic) talent at them despite being so young and well-adjusted, much to Gayle's dismay.

* GentlemanAndAScholar: Demonstrated in Episode 39. They all have varied interests and talents, but demonstrate ''extreme'' talent at them despite being so young, much to Gayle's dismay.

* TookALevelInKindness: Related to CharacterizationMarchesOn above. Episode 10 concludes with [[spoiler:the family so disgusted at Gayle claiming that Terry hooked up with her best friend Michaela's boyfriend, purely out of spite, that [[TheLastStraw Ira and Terry attempt to permanently move out of the house.]] Ira is never seen after Season 1, and Terry eventually returns three episodes into Season 2.]] Contrast that with Gayle going to rediculous lengths to spare David and Terry embarassment and suffering come Season 3. While as mentioned in VillainProtagonist below, Gayle [[AntiHero doesn't exactly becoming a morally-upstanding individual]], her relationship with her family is still far less hostile and toxic than it had been characterized as before.

* Flanderization: {{Downplayed.}} Her TheDitz qualities become much more emphasized in the third season, complete with an [[MockingMusic awkward jingle.]] She's still relatively moral and collected compared to Gayle and Bonnie.