History Main / GleefulAndGrumpyPairing

* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' gives us Mai as the grumpy, goth, EmotionlessGirl and her best friend Ty Lee the peppy, upbeat GenkiGirl.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Animaniacs}}'':

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'': Downplayed for the adoptive siblings Chuckie and Kimi Finster. Kimi is very cheerful and energetic, but Chuckie, while nervy and a bit of a pessimist at times, isn't all that grumpy.

** Played straight with Lucy and Linus. Lucy is a sourpuss who is often rather nasty to others (Charlie Brown in particular), while Linus is more upbeat and friendly.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheGhostAndMollyMcGee'' features the eponymous duo, the miserable and mischievous Scratch (the ghost) and energetic, optimistic tween Molly [=McGee=], whom Scratch has bound himself to after cursing her to be eternally haunted by him.

* ''Webcomic/PixieAndBrutus'': Pixie, a naive kitten, rarely feels sad or notes anything nasty about events in her life (though the latter changes slightly during strips in which she's older). Brutus, a ShellShockedVeteran, experienced a lot of horrible things during his career and maintains a gruff and occasionally hostile stance even after becoming a civilian pet. [[DefrostingIceKing However, he slowly unbends under Pixie's influence.]]

* Alex and Ethan in ''Webcomic/{{Immaterial}}'', not quite to the point of ManicPixieDreamGirl, but she's a fairly impulsive PluckyGirl who brings the clinically depressed, caucious DeadpanSnarker on the wackiest adventure of his life (to date).

* ''WesternAnimation/SmilingFriends'': the CheeryPink Keet and all-around NiceGuy Pim (cheery) and the less-enthusiastic, cynical JerkWithAHeartOfGold Charlie (grumpy).

* ''WesternAnimation/SmilingFriends'' has the CheeryPink Keet and all-around NiceGuy Pim (cheery) and the less-enthusiastic, cynical JerkWithAHeartOfGold Charlie (grumpy).

* ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'': [[KnightInSourArmor Stan Marsh]] has this dynamic with [[WideEyedIdealist Butters]] Stotch whenever they team up. To a larger extent, [[HotBlooded Cartman]] also has this dynamic with Butters when the latter partakes in his schemes.

* In ''Film/TheCondemned1976'',, has this dynamic between Feng Da-gang, a former bodyguard being sentenced to imprisonment after being framed for working with bandits who robbed his former master and killed the master's family, as well as Feng's cellmate, Yang Lin, a pickpocket and thief who have a happy-go-lucky persona. Naturally, Feng is both upset, angry, and constantly quiet due to being the victim of a FrameUp, while Yang, being TheGadfly, repeatedly cracks jokes in front of his cellmate and tries to troll Feng and get him into conversations which Feng would rather avoid, leading to an absolutely pissed-off Feng trying to smash Yang's brains out with a brick. But as the film progresses Yang becomes sympathetic to his cellmate's condition, and when both men manage to escape from prison Yang then actively helps Feng to [[ClearMyName clear his name]].

* In ''Film/{{The Condemned|1976}}'', (the 1976 Creator/ShawBrothers movie, not [[Film/TheCondemned the 2007 Steven Austin flick]]), has this dynamic between Feng Da-gang, a former bodyguard being sentenced to imprisonment after being framed for working with bandits who robbed his former master and killed the master's family, as well as Feng's cellmate, Yang Lin, a pickpocket and thief who have a happy-go-lucky persona. Naturally, Feng is both upset, angry, and constantly quiet due to being the victim of a FrameUp, while Yang, being TheGadfly, repeatedly cracks jokes in front of his cellmate and tries to troll Feng and get him into conversations which Feng would rather avoid, leading to an absolutely pissed-off Feng trying to smash Yang's brains out with a brick. But as the film progresses Yang becomes sympathetic to his cellmate's condition, and when both men manage to escape from prison Yang then actively helps Feng to [[ClearMyName clear his name]].

A SubTrope of OddCouple and RedOniBlueOni. Compare CynicIdealistDuo (where the dichotomy of the characters come from their externalized world views, rather than internalized personalities), TomboyAndGirlyGirl, SensitiveGuyAndManlyMan, RudeHeroNiceSidekick. Sister trope to (and known to overlap with) HamAndDeadpanDuo and StraightManAndWiseGuy. SmartJerkAndNiceMoron can also, and almost always does overlap with this trope, difference being the duo contrast in intelligence as well as temperament.

* The Advertising/WilkinsCoffee commercials play with this: the Gleeful character, Wilkins, is also a trigger happy guy who's obsessed with the nominal product and will hurt anyone who says otherwise. On the other hand, the Grumpy one, Wontkins, can't stand the product, but he's mostly all bark and no bite.

* ''Anime/YuGiOhArcV'': Deconstructed between Dennis Macfield, an entertainment duelist who is actually TheMole for Academia and Shun Kurosaki, a brooding loner who is actually a JerkWithAHeartOfGold.

* Franchise/{{Batman}} and Franchise/{{Superman}}. Superman is an outgoing and friendly hero who spreads hope for a brighter future wherever he goes, while Batman is a sulking recluse who put it upon himself to never be truly happy after the death of his parents. They are often [[Recap/SupermanTheAnimatedSeriesS2E16To18WorldsFinest paired up as a team]], [[Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice or as]] [[VideoGame/{{Injustice2}} enemies]].

* Among the many, many, contrasts in the ''Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles'' there is the energetic goofball Michelangelo compared to the short-tempered belligerant Raphael.

* Ben and his little sister Saoirse from ''WesternAnimation/SongOfTheSea''. Ben starts out as a snarky, cynical BigBrotherBully, while his sister Saoirse is sweet and loving young girl. [[spoiler:Ben does start to warm up to his sister by the film's end, though.]]

* In ''Film/{{The Condemned|1976}}'', (the 1976 Creator/ShawBrothers movie, not [[Film/TheCondemned the 2007 Steven Austin flick]]), has this dynamic between Feng Da-gang, a former bodyguard being sentenced to imprisonment after being framed for working with bandits who robbed his former master and killed the master's family, as well as Feng's cellmate, Yang Lin, a pickpocket and thief who have a happy-go-lucky persona. Naturally, Feng is both upset, angry, and constantly quiet due to being victim of a FrameUp, while Yang, being TheGadfly, repeatedly crack jokes in front of his cellmate and tries to troll Feng and get him into conversations which Feng would rather avoid, leading to an absolutely pissed-off Feng trying to smash Yang's brains out with a brick. But as the film progresses Yang becomes sympathetic to his cellmate's condition, and when both men managed to escape from prison Yang then actively helps Feng to [[ClearMyName clear his name]].

* ''Film/{{Dutch}}'': Dutch Dooley, a headstrong and goofy construction worker, volunteers to bring his girlfriend's son home for the holidays. Said son. Doyle is snobby, entitled student. Cue several days of long highways, fighting, learning, and the occasional GroinAttack.
* ''Film/FerrisBuellersDayOff'' has the titular Ferris Bueller, a care-free slacker, and Cameron Frye, his highly neurotic and insecure friend.

* {{Deconstructed|Trope}} in ''Film/PlanesTrainsAndAutomobiles''. Neal Page is a cynical advertising executive trying to get home for Thanksgiving, and is thrust into a series of misadventures with jolly shower ring salesman Del Griffith. As we spend time with both characters it becomes clear that Neal genuinely loves his family and is grumpy because of the frustrations that keep hitting him, while Del's cheer is to mask that he's a SadClown [[spoiler:who lives on the road because his wife passed away years earlier]].
* ''Film/TommyBoy'' has Tommy Callahan, the dopey yet well-meaning son of Big Tom Callahan, and Richard Hayden, Big Tom's stern right-hand man, who, by his own admission, didn't want to go on the road with Tommy to sell break pads.

** Cisco Ramon and Caitlin Snow from ''Series/TheFlash2014'' are often this, especially in the beginning of the series when Caitlin is DefrostingIceQueen.

* In ''Series/BattlestarGalactica1978'', Starbuck is a wise-cracking jokester to Apollo's spiritually skeptic no-nonsense demeanor.

* This is Daniel and Vala's relationship in ''Series/StargateSG1.'' Interestingly, Daniel isn't generally the grump in other relationships (although Vala is irrepresable with everybody). This pairing seems to bring it out in him.

** ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'': Downplayed for [[AloofLeaderAffableSubordinate Picard the captain and Riker the first officer]]. Picard is very serious, no-nonsense and kind of stern, while Riker is jokey and [[ReallyGetsAround romantic]].

** ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'': Jadzia Dax is very quirky, liking to make silly jokes and tell lighthearted stories of her past. One of her closest friends is Kira, who angers easily and is rather serious. She happens to [[spoiler: marry Worf, who is even more so those things. He even lampshades this aspect of their pairing during some cold feet before the wedding]]

* ''Series/{{Victorious}}'' often pairs up the easily-angered Jade with the bubbly and hyperactive Cat.

* In the ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossing'' series, The pelican sisters that run the Post Office, Pelly and Phyllis, are this. Pelly, the younger sister and who works during the day, [[FriendlyShopkeeper is cheerful, sweet and treats clients with respect]]. Phyllis, the older sister and who works during the night, [[ApatheticClerk is grumpy, rude, and insults clients under her breath]].

* Sora and Riku from ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'', especially more noticeable after the latter's HeelFaceTurn. Sora is a [[HotBlooded energetic]] and [[AllLovingHero kindhearted hero]] who is always [[PerpetualSmiler with a bright smile in his face]] and with a [[{{Keet}} cheerful attitude]], and uses [[ThePaladin light-related abilities]]. Riku is [[TheStoic calm and composed]], but also very [[ByronicHero troubled and brooding]] due to his [[TheCorruption past experiences]], as such [[PerpetualFrowner he doesn't smile very often]] and uses [[BlackKnight dark-related abilities]]. This is also reflected in their clothing and hair color and style, with Riku's color palette and appearance always having a much more bleak and dark appearance compared to Sora (save for ''III'', where Sora is wearing all black with red highlights while Riku wears a much cheerier palette).

* In ''VideoGame/WarioWare'', you have the duo of Ashley and Red, who have this dynamic with each other. Ashley being a reserved, aloof and quiet witch in training who barely smiles in contrast to her fellow peers, and Red being an incredibly cheerful, energetic and friendly imp who is always shown smiling.

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'' has [[spoiler: Hythlodaeus and Emet-Selch]] appear in ''Endwalker'' as the cheerful and grump pairing. The former is both ThePollyanna and TheGadfly, which annoys his friend to no end when he's on the recieving end of his ribbing. Despite the stark personality contrast between the two, they are good friends to one another.

* Bowser Junior and Chef Pee Pee from ''WebVideo/SuperMarioLogan'' have this respective dynamic. Junior loves making Chef Pee Pee play games with him, take him fun places, and cook food for him. Chef Pee Pee, however, hates having to look after Junior, especially because it's one of the many responsibilities that [[BadBoss Bowser]] gives him.
* The Schue-Horyn twins of ''WebVideo/WaywardGuideForTheUntrainedEye'' often have this dynamic, where pragmatic, serious IntrepidReporter Artemis is often frustrated by her laid back brother's puns and wild theories. When those theories start looking more and more likely, however...

* ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDragonJakeLong'': The Oracle Twins. Ironically, they see the futured outcomes of their opposite personality. Sara, the optimistic twin named "Little Miss Sunshine", sees the bad stuff that's going to happen, while Kara, the cynical twin named "Miss Gloom and Doom", sees the good stuff.

** [=BoJack=] is also contrasted against his roommate Todd, a cheerful slacker who constantly has wacky ideas that get on [=BoJack=]'s nerves. However, [=BoJack=]'s cynical, overly-judgmental attitude often makes Todd feel less confident, and part of his story arc is learning to break away from [=BoJack=].

** Mabel an optimistic and energetic people person with outlandish interests, while her brother Dipper is intellectual, often snarky, and more down to Earth.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheGrimAdventuresOfBillyAndMandy'': Billy is the optimistic and cheerful one who's often naïve, while Mandy is the devious, mean and grumpy one known for wearing an ironically cutesy wardrobe.

** Downplayed with Hilda and Frida. Hilda is a fearless adventurer girl who loves the outdoors and Frida, while friendly, is ThePerfectionist and ControlFreak who becomes a nervous wreck and loses her temper when things don't go her way. Becomes a deconstruction when it ended up causing a PlotMandatedFriendshipFailure between them. When they reconciled with each other, it becomes a reconstruction; Frida learned that she doesn't have to be perfect, while Hilda learned to take things into consideration.

** In season 2, Hilda seems to have this dynamic with her mother, Johanna albeit downplayed as well. While friendly herself, Johanna ends up getting upset of Hilda keeping her in the dark of her adventures that she grounds her as a result.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheLoudHouse'': Most roommate pairs of Lincoln's sisters. The irritable and short-tempered Lori with the always happy Leni, the outgoing PassionateSportsGirl Lynn with the borderline nihilistic Lucy, the happy and easy going Lana and the judgmental and petulant Lola, and the serious and melancholic Lisa with the CheerfulChild Lily. {{Averted|Trope}} with Luna and Luan. Luan would indeed count as gleeful, but Luna is in no way grumpy, and is nearly as gleeful as Luan, if not more so.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': Ned Flanders and Homer Simpson have this respective dynamic. Ned is very jovial and kind, even when he is being mistreated, and has two well-behaved children. Homer abhors Ned out of both jealousy for his good lifestyle and popularity, as well as Ned's insufferably pious and goody-goody demeanor. Homer is also quick to get angry, especially when his three children (particularly Bart) misbehave.

* ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama'': [[DefrostingIceQueen formally]], [[TookALevelInKindness abrasive]], and [[TookALevelInCheerfulness moody]] {{Goth}} Girl, [[PerkyGoth Gwen]], twice, during the Island season. First with the cheery hopeless romantic, Cody, and then with the fun loving party dude Geoff.
** In the later seasons and [[WesternAnimation/TotalDramaPresentsTheRidonculousRace spin off]], there's the enthusiastic BigFun Owen and the cynical DeadpanSnarker Noah.
* ''WesternAnimation/WanderOverYonder'': Wander is a happy-go-lucky alien who always acts friendly and upbeat to everyone, even his enemies. His steed, Sylvia, is more cynical and worldly, and believes that sometimes you have to bust a few heads to get things done. She is often annoyed by Wander's seeming naiveté, but is still loyal enough to follow his lead.

** Kyōtarō Ichikawa is a pessimistic FirstPersonSmartass who deconstructs everything around him as a defense mechanism. Anna Yamada is outgoing, childishly playful, and a bit spacey. Usually on covers and art alongside each other, Anna has a bright smile and is more comfortable with posing while Kyōtarō keeps an annoyed and/or embarrassed frown.

A SubTrope of OddCouple and RedOniBlueOni. Compare CynicIdealistDuo, where the dichotomy of the characters come from their externalized world views, rather than internalized personalities, TomboyAndGirlyGirl, SensitiveGuyAndManlyMan or RudeHeroNiceSidekick. Sister trope to (and known to overlap with) HamAndDeadpanDuo and StraightManAndWiseGuy. SmartJerkAndNiceMoron can also, and almost always does overlap with this trope, difference being the duo contrast in intelligence as well as temperament.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheLoudHouse'': Most pairs of Lincoln's sisters. The irritable and short-tempered Lori with the always happy Leni, the outgoing PassionateSportsGirl Lynn with the borderline nihilistic Lucy, the happy and easy going Lana and the judgmental and petulant Lola, and the serious and melancholic Lisa with the CheerfulChild Lily. {{Averted|Trope}} with Luna and Luan. Luan would indeed count as gleeful, but Luna is in no way grumpy, and is nearly as gleeful as Luan, if not more so.

* ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'': KnightInSourArmor Stan Marsh has this dynamic with WideEyedIdealist Butters Stotch whenever they team up.

** Hayley and Steve have a rather similar dynamic, with the former being a cynical, lethargic SoapboxSadie and the latter being an enthusiastic nerd.

* ''WesternAnimation/DanVs'': Title character Dan is regularly angry at everyone and everything, and his best friend Chris is a chipper, upbeat BigEater.

** Hayley and Steve have a rather similar dynamic, with the former being a cynical, lethargic SoapboxSadie and the latter being an enthusiastic ExtravertedNerd.

* ''Film/ChipNDaleRescueRangers2022'': During much of the movie, Chip is shown as someone quite serious and somewhat bitter, while Dale is more cheerful and fun. This mirrors their roles in [[WesternAnimatiom/ChipNDaleRescueRangers the series]], where Chip is an anal-retentive StraightMan and Dale is his PluckyComicRelief foil.

* ''[[Film/ChipNDaleRescueRangers2022 Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers]]'': During much of the movie, Chip is shown as someone quite serious and somewhat bitter, while Dale is more cheerful and fun.

* ''Film/TheBigLebowski'': The Dude is a sanguine, laid back, optimistic stoner, while Walter is a gruff and mean veteran with quite the HairTriggerTemper (he illustrates SeriousBusiness by pulling out a gun during a bowling tournament!).

->'''Ernie:''' ''(chuckle)'' I feel so good I'm laughing!\\

'''Bert:''' ''(angrily)'' And I! Don't! Care!

* ''Manga/TheDangersInMyHeart'': Kyōtarō Ichikawa is a pessimistic FirstPersonSmartass who deconstructs everything around him as a defense mechanism. Anna Yamada is outgoing, childishly playful, and a bit spacey. Usually on covers and art alongside each other, Anna has a bright smile and is more comfortable with posing while Kyōtarō keeps an annoyed and/or embarrassed frown.

* ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'': Newspaper chief J. Jonah Jameson is a grouchy, miserly BadBoss at the ''Daily Bugle''. Peter Parker is a cub photographer at that newspaper, a bright and capable college student trying to earn sustenance working for Jameson. Jameson, of course, horribly underpays his staff, including Parker. Peter gets some comfort in his alternate persona, Spider-Man, thwarting the many evildoers of New York, often merrily taunting them in the process.

* ''WesternAnimation/Frozen2013'': Anna, a cheerful optimist, and Kristoff, a grumpy misanthrope, work together to save Anna's sister Elsa and their kingdom. Kristoff helps Anna [[WideEyedIdealist avoid getting in over her head]], and Anna helps Kristoff [[DefrostingIceKing realize other humans aren't all bad and become more comfortable with them]].
* ''WesternAnimation/IceAge'' sees the happy go lucky and outgoing sloth, Sid, forming a one-sided friendship with the grumpy wooly mammoth, Manny. By the end of the movie, though, their friendship becomes genuine, [[VitriolicBestBuds albeit, a bit volatile]]. Sid also has this relationship with the irritable saber-toothed cat, Diego.
* The BrotherSisterTeam of Violet and Dash from ''Franchise/TheIncredibles''. Dash is an energetic, extroverted kid who loves having superpowers, while Violet is an EmoTeen who gets easily frustrated and tends to lash out when she's upset.

* Ben and his little sister Saoirse from ''WesternAnimation/SongOfTheSea''. Ben starts out as a snarky, cynical BigBrotherBully, while his sister Saoirse is sweet and loving young girl. [[spoiler: Ben does start to warm up to his sister by the film's end though]].

* ''Film/ChipNDaleRescueRangers2022'': During much of the movie, Chip is shown as someone quite serious and somewhat bitter, while Dale is more cheerful and fun.
* In ''[[Film/TheCondemned1976 The Condemned]]'', (the 1976 Creator/ShawBrothers movie, not [[Film/TheCondemned the 2007 Steven Austin flick]]), has this dynamic between Feng Da-gang, a former bodyguard being sentenced to imprisonment after being framed for working with bandits who robbed his former master and killed the master's family, as well as Feng's cellmate, Yang Lin, a pickpocket and thief who have a happy-go-lucky persona. Naturally, Feng is both upset, angry, and constantly quiet due to being victim of a FrameUp, while Yang, being TheGadfly, repeatedly crack jokes in front of his cellmate and tries to troll Feng and get him into conversations which Feng would rather avoid, leading to an absolutely pissed-off Feng trying to smash Yang's brains out with a brick. But as the film progresses Yang becomes sympathetic to his cellmate's condition, and when both men managed to escape from prison Yang then actively helps Feng to [[ClearMyName clear his name]].

[[folder:Stand-Up Comedy]]
* Creator/JeffDunham built his most popular puppet, Walter, around this trope. Jeff is a happy guy who likes cracking jokes, while Walter is a miserable, cantankerous old man who complains about pretty much everything.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Video]]

* ''WebVideo/ImAMarvelAndImADC'': [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1R5PhReY5k The pairing of]] serious-but-justice-oriented [[{{ComicBook/Watchmen}} Rorschach]] and the psychopathic {{ComicBook/Deadpool}} became a meme, resulting in the creation of several buddy cop videos.

* ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales2017'':
** Snarky Lena initially befriends gleeful Webby for less-than-honest reasons [[spoiler: as part of her Aunt Magica's evil plot to get to Scrooge [=McDuck=]]]. But Webby's unconditional love and self sacrifice lead Lena to reject this plan.

** [[spoiler: Della Duck is revealed to be the gleeful one with her twin brother Donald, especially when they were kids (though they ''both'' inherited the Duck family's HairTriggerTemper).]]

* ''WesternAnimation/GreenEggsAndHam2019'': The fun loving and happy Sam-I-Am paired with the grouchy and self-loathing Guy-Am-I. Then, there are the BADGUYS; the serious and grizzled [=McWinkle=], and his GenkiGirl rookie partner, Gluntz.