History Theatre / TheOddCouple

''The Odd Couple'' is a 1965 Broadway play by Neil Simon, which was later adapted [[Film/TheOddCouple1968 into a 1968 movie]], which itself was later adapted into a sitcom which ran from 1970-1975. All three are highly regarded. The play also spawned a couple less highly regarded television adaptations: ''WesternAnimation/TheOddballCouple'', a 1975 animated series (starring a cartoon dog and cat), and ''The New Odd Couple'', a 1982 sitcom with black actors in the lead roles.

A third live action series starring Matthew Perry and Thomas Lennon premiered on February 19, 2015. [[Series/TheOddCouple It has its own page here]].

[[quoteright:320:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Odd_Couple_3187.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:320:Jack Klugman as Oscar, Tony Randall as Felix.]]

** "Security Arms": Their apartment gets bulgarized, and Oscar walks into the living room to find Felix bound and gagged. Horrified, Felix moves into a new building with ultra-high security. Oscar pooh-poohs Felix as being overly paranoid...then moves in with him just a few days later after he hears a wild gun fight right outside the apartment. It takes some serious issues

* BigRottenApple: Not a main feature of the series, but given that it does take place in 1970s New York this trope ends up showing up a few times. In addition to occasional quips from the characters about getting mugged and scenes of Oscar checking out a titty bar (just watch the Season One end credits and read the text on that building Oscar walks up to towards the end) in at least one version of the end credits, it provided the setup or a plot point for a few episodes:

''The Odd Couple'' is a 1965 Broadway play by Neil Simon, which was later adapted into a 1968 movie, which itself was later adapted into a sitcom which ran from 1970-1975. All three are highly regarded. The play also spawned a couple less highly regarded television adaptations: ''WesternAnimation/TheOddballCouple'', a 1975 animated series (starring a cartoon dog and cat), and ''The New Odd Couple'', a 1982 sitcom with black actors in the lead roles.

* CrackOhMyBack: In the film, Felix is hiding in Oscar's bathroom after being kicked out by his wife. Terrified that he's going to attempt suicide, Oscar and the other poker players break into the bathroom, hitting Felix with the door, who proceeds to moan about his back throughout the rest of the scene.

* MissingTheGoodStuff:
** In the film version, Oscar misses seeing a rare triple play when Felix phones him at the ballpark press box to inform him he's making franks and beans for dinner.
--->'''Oscar''': ARE YOU CRAZY? ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND? TAKE YOUR FRANKFURTERS AND... ([[CurseCutShort slams phone down]])
** In an episode of the series, Felix tries to take a reaction shot of Oscar as he watches a ballgame and snaps the flash during an important moment. Oscar tries to watch the replay - and Felix accidentally sets off the flash in his eyes again.

* SuicideAsComedy: The film opens with a despondent Felix planning to jump to his death from a hotel room, only to throw his back out trying to open the window.

!!Tropes:

* NeatFreak: Felix. When he was married, his wife would clean the house and a maid would come in once a week to clean some more, but he ''still'' felt compelled to get up in the middle of the night and clean everything all over again.

** AllWomenAreLustful: In the female version of the play, this was played straight with Olive (genderbent Oscar) while Florence is implied to be its inversion, AllWomenArePrudes.

** It's implied that Oscar's kids were also adapted out when he was genderbent into Olive for the female version, as Olive never mentions having any either living with her, her ex-husband, or any of their parents. Neither Florence or their mutal friends mention her having children either, and she sends money to her ex-husband because he's a gambler who persuades her to keep sending it to him, not because of any legal alimony or child support obligations. When Florence (genderbent Felix) runs into the bathroom in the first act, Olive reassures their mutual friends that Florence can't hurt herself in there because that bathroom is the "guest bathroom", instead of it being the "kids' bathroom" as it is referred to in the original male version.

* AllMenArePerverts: Play straight with Oscar, inverted with Felix.

* ContinuityReboot: ''The New Odd Couple'', ''Oscar and Felix'', and the 2015 series.

** It's implied that Oscar's kids were also adapted out when he was genderbent into Olive for the female version, as Olive never mentions having any either living with her, her ex-husband, or any of their parents. Neither Florence or their mutal friends mention her having children either, and she sends money to her ex-husband because he's a gambler who persuades her to keep sending it to him, not because of any legal alimony or child support obligations. When Florence (genderbent Felix) runs into the bathroom in the first act, she reassures their mutual friends that Florence can't hurt herself in there because that bathroom is the "guest bathroom", instead of it being the "kids' bathroom" as it is referred to in the original male version.

** It's implied that Oscar's kids were also adapted out when he was genderbent into Olive for the female version, as Olive never mentions having any either living with her, her ex-husband, or any of their parents. When Florence (genderbent Felix) runs into the bathroom in the first act, she reassures their mutual friends that the bathroom is the "guest bathroom", instead of it being the "kids' bathroom" as it is referred to in the original male version.

* ForgottenFirstMeeting: In one of the several versions of how Felix and Oscar first met, it was when Oscar's father ran a speakeasy in 1920s [[TheWindyCity Chicago]] and Felix's father was an optometrist who fitted Oscar's father with glasses.

** Specially on the TV series, Felix takes practically everything, from his habits to his pastimes to his relationships, to extremes, which is why he often finds himself being called a lunatic. In the end, though, his childlike enthusiasm and good heart win out over any annoyance he causes. Felix is especially {{adorkable}} when he's happy or excited. In "I'm Dying of Unger", he rolls on the bed like a little kid after tricking Oscar's agent into giving him three more days.

* {{Poker}}: The movie, sitcom and original play featured a weekly poker game at Oscar's apartment. The genderflipped stage version makes it a weekly Trivial Pursuit game instead.

* DatingServiceDisaster: Before the internet - before PC's even - there was computer dating, believe it or not. In a third season episode, Oscar signs up with a computer dating service and embellishes his bio. He winds up matched with Felix's ex-wife.
** In TheStinger, Oscar tries again, and [[spoiler:winds up matched with his OWN ex-wife]].

* LaughTrack: For the show's first season only. Nobody liked it, up to and including Neil Simon. Randall and Klugman ''especially'' despised it and campaigned hard for moving to three-camera comedy with a StudioAudience.
** It was still used for sweetening for the rest of the series, though.

* BedmateReveal: This happens to Felix. It's a long scene with no dialogue that begins with Felix coming home late from work, gargling, putting his PJ's and a sleep mask on and climbing into bed. While on his back a sleeping woman suddenly rolls over and throws her arm around him, while still asleep. He picks up her arm, takes off his mask, sits up, gets out of bed, looks down at her (still asleep) and delivers the only line in the scene: "It's not my birthday...".

* GoToYourRoom: One episode of has Oscar yelling this at Felix after losing his patience with him. Felix replies that he doesn't have to take this and [[ComicallyMissingThePoint that he's going to his room]].

* FourTemperamentEnsemble:
** Felix Unger: Melancholic/ Phlegmatic
** Oscar Madison: Choleric/ Sanguine
** Murray Greshler: Phlegmatic
** Myrna Turner: Phlegmatic/Sanguine
** Gloria Unger: Sanguine/ Phlegmatic
** Blanche Madison: Phlegmatic/ Melancholic

* FamilyThemeNaming: The Pigeon sisters are named Gwendolyn and Cecily, after the heroines of ''{{The Importance of Being Earnest}}''.