History ComicStrip / DennisTheMenaceUK

* LoopholeAbuse: In one episode of the 1996 series, Dennis wins a ''LiveActionTV/BluePeter'' art competition and is invited onto the set. When "his" winning drawing is revealed on air, however, it turns out to be a bunch of splodges that Gnasher made, with the judge apparently oblivious to Dennis' actual drawing on the other side of the page. Once this has been explained, the presenters decide there ain't no rule saying a dog can't win - since Gnasher's under the age limit, he's still eligible.

* HandyFeet: From time to time, he has used his bare feet the way hands are normally used, as his hands have been otherwise occupied.

* LosingAShoeInTheStruggle: In the 1996 episode "Journey to the Centre of the Bed", Dennis tries to grab hold of [[ItMakesSenseInContext the goblin who has stolen his tooth]], but only succeeds in pulling off one of his stockings.

* SpecialGuest: The nineties series featured guest appearances from the likes of Creator/HughLaurie, Creator/BillyConnolly, Creator/LesliePhillips, [[Radio/ImSorryIHaventAClue Tim Brooke-Taylor, Willie Rushton]], Creator/BernardCribbins, Creator/KenDodd and Creator/BrianBlessed.

** A good example is one episode of the 90s series in which an eccentric millionaire challenges Beanotown to go a week without TV, with the promise of £1 million if they manage it. Dennis spends the whole week trying to power his family's TV back up in spite of the challenge, only to be thwarted time and again. On the final day, the TV in Dennis' house is suddenly switched on, and the townspeople angrily chase after Dennis in the belief that he's just cost them the reward. It's only when they reach his house that they realise he ''can't'' be responsible because he's ''not in the house''.[[note]]It turns out to have been the millionaire himself, who just couldn't miss his favourite soap opera; since the townspeople made it that far, he gives them the £1 million anyway.[[/note]]

* SurpriseLitterOfPuppies: In one a very rare long-term arc during the early 1980s, Gnasher went missing for several weeks, with readers being encouraged to join in the search in RealLife. It finally turned out that he'd fallen in love with a beagle and had a litter of puppies with her. The only one who looked like him, Gnipper, subsequently joined the cast.

* TookALevelInKindness: In contrast, Dennis became more mischievous and attention seeking than outright cruel in his pranks. Most of his nastier moments have some sort of provocation.

* LosingAShoeInTheStruggle: In the 1996 episode "Journey to the Centre of the Bed", Dennis tries to grab hold of [[ItMakesSenseInContext the goblin who has stolen his tooth]], but only succeeds in pulling of one of his stockings.

* AdaptationalBadass: Rubi to an extent in Unleashed. In the comics she's largely confined to her lab and her wheelchair is a big clunky model. In the show she's always out and about taking part in the gangs adventures and she often serves as TheLancer for Dennis as well as being TheSmartGuy. Also her wheelchair is now a sports model and she can move very fast when needed.
* AdaptationalHeroism: The 1996, while still keeping the mischievious personality, made him considerably nobler and heroic, to the point where he actually saved Beanotown from various villains.

** In "Constable Menace" even when Angel Face was caught in the act, she claimed Dennis made her do it and was instantly believed.

* AntiHero[=/=]VillainProtagonist: Dennis is traditionally a bully who lives mainly to create chaos. More recent comics and the cartoons at times try to portray him as less mean.
* AdaptationalBadass: Rubi to an extent in Unleashed. In the comics she's largely confined to her lab and her wheelchair is a big clunky model. In the show she's always out and about taking part in the gangs adventures and she often serves as TheLancer for Dennis as well as being TheSmartGuy. Also her wheelchair is now a sports model and she can move very fast when needed.

* AdaptionalBadass: Rubi to an extent in Unleashed. In the comics she's largely confined to her lab and her wheelchair is a big clunky model. In the show she's always out and about taking part in the gangs adventures and she often serves as TheLancer for Dennis as well as being TheSmartGuy. Also her wheelchair is now a sports model and she can move very fast when needed.

* JadedWashout: The current version of Dennis' dad is pretty much [[Series/MarriedWithChildren Al Bundy]] if he existed in a children's comic.

* LateForSchool: Being late for school, either by accident or design, is a habitual problem for Dennis. In one episode of the animated series, Mrs Creecher tells him off for being late and he argues that it was the first time this week. She then points out it's Monday. It then turns out he's been late every day that term.
* LighterAndSofter: The new series makes Dennis much more goody-goody. He's still a menace, but he has been softened up a lot.

* MeaningfulName: His surname is actually The Menace.

** In issue 3649, Dennis' parents got a makeover that made them about 20 years younger and more like Dennis. This was revealed to be a subversion: the new designed parents are actually completely different characters to the original parents because they are the adult versions of the ''original'' Dennis and Minnie, [[spoiler:meaning that viewers were now reading about the antics of Dennis the Menace, Jr.]]!

Subverted in recent years as the current Dennis is now the original's son. Its also heavily implied Dennis's Mum is a grown up Minnie the Minx so we know both their names.

* UncannyFamilyResemblance: Dennis the Menace and his female cousin Denise the Menace.

* MayorPain: Mayor Scrimp in the 2013 series.

** In ''Dennis and Gnasher: Unleashed'' is where he's the most heroic and humble towards his friends and even some adults, only clinging the JerkassBall on several occasions.

** It's impossible to imagine Dennis without Gnasher, yet he didn't meet his dog until ''seventeen years'' into his run in ''The Beano''.

* HeroesLoveDogs: Dennis' best friend and partner-in menacing is Gnasher.

* IconicSequelCharacter: Dennis did not appear until almost thirteen years into the run of the Beano comic.

* AdaptationalJerkaas: Whilst Walter was fairly polite in the earlier comic strips, many of the cartoon series portray him as a very vindictive and vengeful arch-nemesis who ''wants'' to make Dennis's (and in some cases, everyone else's) life a misery by stopping them from having fun or getting them into trouble for petty reasons, at least whenever Dennis didn't even bother Walter.

* NotMeThisTime: Considering Dennnis' reputation, it's not surprising that he gets this a lot.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dennis_the_menace_from_venice_featuring_harry_roy_1.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:The song that inspired Dennis' name.]]* ShoutOut:
** Dennis was named after a music hall song that name-dropped the phrase in the chorus. The actual name of the song is still unknown.
*** No, it's not. It's "Dennis the Menace from Venice"; here it is in a 1935 performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0yUbhWYtLM

* ShoutOut:

Unlike the U.S. Dennis, he is more actively malicious than simply mischievous. If you look at it the right way, it is not hard to interpret his actions toward the so-called "softies" as bullying based merely on the fact that those boys are more effeminate and quiet than he is. This has meant that a manipulative and calculating streak has been given to Dennis' main rival, Walter, in hope of balancing this out.

* TrademarkFavoriteFood: Pie-Face and, well, [[CaptainObvious pies]].