History Characters / StayTuned

-->'''Spike:''' [[BerserkButton Are you implying that it was]] [[NeverMyFault ''my'' fault?]]

-->"All I wanted was to be the big shot for once. Take my remote. Get out of here. You two still got a chance of making it together.

* NoBiologicalSex: It's a robot, so this is to be expected. However, it can inferred as male due to having a male-sounding voice, and Roy ''does'' refer to it with male pronouns a couple of times.

* {{Irony}}: After banishing Crowley, Spike warns Pierce that he's dead meat if he screws up in Hell Vision. By the end of the film, it's ''Spike'' who screws up and becomes dead meat as he (implicitly) gets devoured by a dog, while Pierce takes up his position as the head honco.

* AndThereWasMuchRejoicing: Downplayed. While Murray isn't celebrating her wife's death, his remarks to Helen about her indicate that he doesn't exactly miss her.

[[caption-width-right:350:[[labelnote:Click here to see him in Hell Vision]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/staytunedtropes_seidenbaum.png[[/labelnote]]]]

!!!'''Portrayed by:''' Joyce Gordon

* FamousLastWords: "MURRAY!" (said just before getting crushed to death by a giant monster.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/staytunedtropes_seidenbaum.png]]

* NoNameGiven: Has no first name, only referred as Mrs. Seidenbaum.

* HenpeckedHusband: His wife, Sarah, definitely wore the pants in their marriage. It's because of this that he enjoys being in Hell Vision.

[[folder:The Gorgons]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/img_1049.PNG]]
[[caption-width-right:350:L-R: Mrs. Gorgon and Mr. Gorgon]]

!!!'''Portrayed by:''' [[Wrestling/TheOneManGang George Gray]] (Mr. Gorgon), Faith Minton (Mrs. Gorgon)

->''"The vilest and evilest duo ever to disgrace a wrestling ring! That ogre and ogress...The Gorgons!"''
-->-- Ring Announcer

A duo of professional wrestlers in the Underworld Wrestling Federation.

* EightiesHair: Both of their headgear sport large mohawks.
* BattleCouple: Goes without saying, since they're both wrestlers.
* BeardOfEvil: Mr. Gorgon sports one.
* ByTheHair: Mrs. Gorgon grabs Helen by her hair and even tears a chunk of it out. Needless to say, [[BerserkButton it doesn't]] [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown end well for the Gorgons.]]
* FatBastard: Mr. Gorgon.
* {{Heel}}: To contrast the Knables' roles as [[{{Face}} babyfaces]].
* HornedHumanoid: Their headgear each have large horns, giving them the appearance of this trope.
* LeotardOfPower: Both of them wear a black one, but Mrs. Gorgon wears one that exposes her legs.
* OneHeadTaller: Downplayed. Mr. Gorgon is slightly taller than his female partner.
* RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver: Their ring gear is red and black and are as vicious as they come.
* StatuesqueStunner: Mrs. Gorgon is impressively tall, as her actress, Faith Minton, is 6 feet, 1 inch tall.
* TheVoiceless: Neither of them speak, only letting out roars.
* WrestlingMonster: Obviously, especially Mr. Gorgon, due to his actor, George Gray, being an actual pro wrestler.

[[folder:Robo-Cat]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/staytunedtropes_robocat.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''"Warning! You are trespassing in a human habitation! The penalty is death!"'']]

!!!'''Voiced by:''' Uncredited Voice Actor

->''"This is one clever pussy."''
-->--Roy Knable

A robotic cat that appears in the cartoon segment to hunt and kill the now mousified Roy and Helen.

* ByTheLightsOfTheirEyes: Its introduction has him in a closet, only showing its glowing red eyes.
* CatsAreMean: A very robotic one, at that.
* CreepyMonotone: The few times it speaks. Justified, since it's a robot.
* DeathGlare: Seems to be its default expression.
* KillItWithFire: Has a flamethrower as one of its weapons.
* KillerRobot: Of course.
* NoBiologicalSex: It's a robot, so this is to be expected. However, it can inferred as male due to having a male-sounding voice, and Roy ''does'' refer to it with male pronouns a couple of times.
* PullingThemselvesTogether: After being electrocuted and reduced to pieces by Roy and Helen, it immediately repairs itself.
* TheQuietOne: Says only three lines through the entire segment.
* RedEyesTakeWarning: Has glowing red eyes and is a murderous creature.
* SlasherSmile: Sports one several times while attempting to kill the Knables.
* SuperPersistentPredator: It's relentless in chasing Roy and Helen, even after being electrocuted.
* ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill: Has an assortment of weapons ranging from guns to a '''flamethrower.'''
* ThisIsGonnaSuck: Its reaction upon seeing the Robo-Dog Roy ordered.

* LoserProtagonist: He's a ButtMonkey of a down-on-his-luck coach potato who initially to find escapism in watching TV all day long, something that Spike tried to exploit to claim his soul. Roy however eventually overcame this to make sure he doesn't have to be a loser.

* KillerRobot

!!!'''Portrayed by:''' Pam Dawber

* {{Jerkass}}: At several points throughtout the film, Diane is shown to be very rude to Darryl, who keeps trying to warn her about what happened to their parents. She calls him names like dipstick, dweebnik, and pus-head, and abrasively ignores Darryl's warnings to stay away from the satellite dish. Though this does lessen once she discovers her parents inside and helps Darryl out.

* JawDrop: All of them have done it at least once throughout the film

* DramaticallyMissingThePoint: When Helen screams in shock after seeing the new TV set Roy got, he (assuming that Helen screamed because of how expensive it must have been) tries to assure her that he got it on a free trial and there's no obligation. This despite the fact that she screamed because of the fact that he even got a new TV at all, resulting in Helen [[RageBreakingPoint deciding she's had enough, storming up to her room and furiously packing her bags.]]

* ForgottenAnniversary: While in the game show segment, it's revealed in the form of a trivia question, that Roy skipped a previous anniversary dinner with Helen, in favor of watching the World Series in bar, and covered it up by saying he had car trouble. Helen is understandably upset.

* SpannerInTheWorks: By pulling the above-mentioned BigDamnHeroes moment just as Roy's about to beheaded, he ends up being this for Spike.

** A mild case of this also happens earlier in the film when she calmly but firmly tells Diane (who is going away to stay with a friend for the night) to go straight to her friend's house and stay away from boys, after finding out that she was secretly making out with her boyfriend.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/staytunedtropes_spike_4.png]]

[[caption-width-right:350:''"I guess you could call us a pretty normal family. That's if anything is ever normal."'' [[note]]From left to right: Diane, Helen, Darryl and Roy[[/note]]]]

->'''Portrayed by:''' Creator/JohnRitter

* TrademarkFavoriteFood: Donuts seem to be this, if the cartoon segment and these two lines of dialogue are any indication

->'''Portrayed by:''' Pam Dawber

[[caption-width-right:350:''"Our parents are trapped in television!"'']]

->'''Portrayed by:''' David Tom

* ThisIsMyStory: "My name is Darryl Knable. I'm a pretty normal kid who had a pretty normal life...until that night."

->'''Portrayed by:''' Heather [=McComb=]

[[caption-width-right:350:''"Here at Hell Vision, we've turned the process of soul acquisition into an entertainment extravaganza, and all for the benefit of one very demanding viewer below."'']]

->'''Portrayed by:''' Creator/JeffreyJones

[[caption-width-right:350:''Trust me, babe. You walked into the right place. Very cushy down here. I mean, you can cool your heels in here for the rest of eternity, '''if''' you kiss the right ass. And let me tell ya, these lips ain't calloused for nothin'!"'' ]]

->'''Portrayed by:''' Creator/EugeneLevy

->'''Portrayed by:''' Erik King

--> "Personally, I think he's losing it. A pathetic thing to watch."

[[caption-width-right:350:''"I ditched my wife five channels ago. She happened to meet the business end of a fifty-ton reptile. And I can tell you, I don't exactly miss dried meatloaf."'']]

->'''Portrayed by:''' Bob Dishy

[[caption-width-right:350:''"The vilest and evilest duo ever to disgrace a wrestling ring! That ogre and ogress...The Gorgons!"''[[note]]Mrs. Gorgon (left) and Mr. Gorgon (right)[[/note]]]]

->'''Portrayed by:''' [[Wrestling/TheOneManGang George Gray]] (Mr. Gorgon), Faith Minton (Mrs. Gorgon)

* TheVoiceless: Neither of them speak, only letting out roars. Their picture quote above comes from the ring announcer, who is played by Wrestling/CaptainLouAlbano.

* PopCulturedBadass: Unavoidable given the amount of TV he's watched, but Roy puts his extensive knowledge of TV to good use on several occasions, and even namedrops ''Series/MacGyver'' and ''Film/{{The Maltese Falcon|1941}}''.

* YouAreGrounded: After he rescues Helen and return to the real world, he threatens this to Darryl and Diane when they see the neighbor's dog in the backyard. He immediately takes it the dog ends up beamed into the satellite dish.

YouAreGrounded: After he rescues Helen and return to the real world, he threatens this to Darryl and Diane when they see the neighbor's dog in the backyard. He immediately takes it the dog ends up beamed into the satellite dish.

* BadBoss: Banishes Crowley to field work for letting a past customer escape.

* HoistByHisOwnPetard: The last we see of Spike is him stuck in a chandelier with Rivets, the Knables' neighbor's dog (he was sucked into Hell Vision), right below him. Crowley, the very man he demoted to field work earlier, cuts the rope with an axe, causing Spike to fall the ground and become dog chow.

* MajorInjuryUnderreaction: After accidentally breaking off a finger, Roy and Helen understandably react with disgust and shock, respectively. Crowley's reaction is ''far'' more subdued.

* CorruptCorporateExecutive

* HalfHeartedHenchman

* MinionWithAnFInEvil

* MassOhCrap: All four of them when they see that the neighbor's dog found their way into their yard and is heading towards them.

* RedOniBlueOni: Roy and Diane (Red), Helen and Darryl (Blue).

* BerserkButton: Endangering Helen is a bad idea, as Spike learned the hard way.

* AdaptationDyeJob: In-universe example. In the cartoon segment, she goes from a brunette to having gray fur as a mouse, as pictured above.
* BerserkButton: Do not mess with her hair, as Mrs. Gorgon learned the hard way.

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: If she hadn't beat on the satellite dish with a shovel, she wouldn't have gotten sucked into Hell Vision with Roy.

[[caption-width-right:350:''"The vilest and evilest ever to disgrace a wrestling ring! That ogre and ogress...The Gorgons!"''[[note]]Mrs. Gorgon (left) and Mr. Gorgon (right)[[/note]]]]

* ByTheHair: Mrs. Gorgon grabs Helen by her hair and even tears a chunk of it out. [[BerserkButton It doesn't end well for the Gorgons.]]

* IJustWantToBeSpecial: [[spoiler: Or rather want''ed,'' but after being shot, Murray basically says this to Roy and Helen with his dying breath.

Here is the character sheet for the 1992 film, ''Stay Tuned''.

* OffWithHisHead: Almost happens to him in a show about the French Revolution (aptly titled ''Off With His Head!'') [[spoiler: Fortunately, Darryl intervenes before it happens]].

* SoulSuckingRetailJob: Works as a salesman for plumbing equipment at the beginning of the film. [[spoiler: Thankfully at the end, he gets a new job running a fencing school]].
* TookALevelInBadass: When he discovers after being released that [[spoiler: Helen is still in Hell Vision and a train is going to run her over]], Roy immediately takes action and goes back in Hell Vision [[spoiler: to save her]].

--> "Now I want you both to stay inside. You make sure those donuts are ready. I'm gonna be very hungry when I get back." [[note]]Said to Darryl and Diane before [[spoiler: he goes back into Hell Vision to rescue Helen.]][[/note]]

* AllJustADream: Briefly discussed. After being sucked into Hell Vision, she initially believes it's nothing more than a bad dream. [[ThatWasNotADream It's obviously not.]]
--> "This has gotta be a dream. That's what this is, this is a bad dream."

* BigNo: [[spoiler: Does one after Roy gets shot by Spike in a showdown. Luckily, his remote took the bullet.]]

* EurekaMoment: [[spoiler: When Darryl intervenes just as Roy is about to be decapitated, the latter remarks, "My God," prompting the executioners to believe that Darryl is God. Helen decides to take advantage of this...to Darryl's confusion.]]

--> [[spoiler: '''Darryl:''' ''(to Diane)'']] What's an infidel?
--> [[spoiler: '''Diane:''']] I-I don't know.

* PsychoticSmirk: A non-villainous example. Helen sports this [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/img_1012.PNG expression on her face]] moments before throwing Roy's fencing trophy at the TV.

* BatmanGambit: He and Diane planned to go away for the night so their parents can be alone, hoping to save their failing marriage. [[spoiler: It ultimately works in the end.]]

* BigDamnHeroes: Does this just as his father [[spoiler: is about to lose his head to the guillotine]].
* ChekhovsGun: The machine he uses to hack into television airwaves at the beginning. [[spoiler: He uses it to stall the execution of his father just long enough to let the timer run out.]]

* FirstPersonPeripheralNarrator: The beginning and end of the film is tied together with him narrating about his parents. The beginning is where he talks about his parents (particularly his father) and their failing marriage. The end has him talking about [[spoiler: how their marriage improved and his dad cut down on TV and got a new job]].
* GodGuise: [[spoiler: Invokes this at his mother's behest, to rescue his father from the guillotine.]]

* EvenEvilHasStandards: Both Pierce and Ducker, the contract specialist who revealed the protest filed on the Knables' case, object to [[spoiler: leaving Helen trapped in the system while Roy gets to go home]], with the latter suggestion to get an authorization (presumably to [[spoiler: release her despite not being under contract]]).

* EurekaMoment: Upon Roy and Helen surviving all 24 hours in Hell Vision, Spike has a VillainousBreakdown, and strangles Pierce for condescendingly wishing him farewell. However, Ducker, Hell Vision's contract specialist, reveals a snag in the Knables' contract [[spoiler: (or more accurately, ''Roy's'' contract)]].
-->'''Ducker:''' As I suspected, there was a protest filed on the Knable case. A verbal contract binds only those parties personally making the agreement. [[spoiler: Therefore, the contract can only be for one person...you took ''two.'']]

* HoistByHisOwnPetard: [[spoiler: The last we see of Spike is him stuck in a chandelier with Rivets, the Knables' neighbor's dog (he was sucked into Hell Vision), right below him. Crowley, the very man he demoted to field work earlier, cuts the rope with an axe, causing Spike to fall the ground and become dog chow.]]

* IfYouDieICallYourStuff: [[spoiler: After he takes over Hell Vision following Spike's death.]]

* KlingonPromotion: [[spoiler: Takes over Spike's position after Spike gets killed.]]

A neighbor of the Knables. He was under the thumb of his wife until Spike knocked on his door and offered him escape. [[spoiler: Needless to say, he doesn't regret it.]]

* DamnItFeelsGoodToBeAGangster: [[spoiler: Becomes a crime lord and the owner of a club after being sucked in, and enjoys every bit of it.]]
-->[[spoiler: "Outside, I was Murray the Doormat. In here...Boss Seidenbaum."]]
* HenpeckedHusband: His wife, Sarah, definitely wore the pants in their marriage. [[spoiler: It's because of this that he enjoys being in Hell Vision.]]
* IJustWantToBeSpecial: [[spoiler: Or rather want''ed'', but after being shot, Murray basically says this to Roy and Helen with his dying breath.]]
-->[[spoiler: "All I wanted was to be the big shot for once. Take my remote. Get out of here. You two still got a chance of making it together.]]
* ImDyingPleaseTakeMyMacGuffin: [[spoiler: After getting shot by a gangster, he gives Roy his remote just before he dies.]]
* SmallRoleBigImpact: While he doesn't have a lot of screentime, he is the character that sets the plot in motion, first by being the first one to get sucked into Hell Vision in the cold opening, then to establish the AnyoneCanDie nature of Hell Vision (by having his wife get crushed by a [[NotZilla NotZilla's]] foot), and finally by [[spoiler: giving his remote to Roy after being gunned down]].
* WalkingSpoiler: Let's just say there's a reason why his section is heavily spoiler-tagged.

* ThisIsGonnaSuck: Its reaction upon seeing the [[spoiler: Robo-Dog Roy ordered.]]