History WesternAnimation / StressedEric

* {{Jerkass}}: Every single character in the show, except for Eric and his kids, is a thoroughly unlikable, unsympathetic asshole who you would **JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Maria can be nice but, mostly, she's a jerk who cares mostly about her booze. When she's rehabilitated in ''Au Pair'', she becomes nicer.

* ExtremeOmmnivore: Brian will eat almost everything from [=VHSes=] to people's hair.

* BigEater: Brian will eat almost everything from [=VHSes=] to people's hair.

* TheDitz: Brian. Besides being held in school back for three years, in much of scenes, he's bordering TooDumbToLive, as he's often nomming on something he's not supposed to.

%%* TheAlcoholic: Maria.

%%* DeliberatelyCuteChild: Claire.
%%* TheDitz: Brian.

%%* ElmuhFuddSyndwome: Claire again.
%%* EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep: Doc.

%%* GirlishPigtails: Claire.
%%* GranolaGirl: Liz.

** Claire is allergic to virtually ''everything''.

* {{Jerkass}}: Every single character in the show, except for Eric and his kids, is a thoroughly unlikable, unsympathetic asshole who you would never want as your friend in real life.
%%* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Maria to an extent.

%%* SadistShow: Probably the animated king of this trope.

%%* TheVoiceless: Brian.

** Really any time things seem to be going well for Eric you can expect it not to last long.

%%* FailureIsTheOnlyOption: Every single damn time.

* IdiosyncraticEpisodeNaming: This is another member of the One Word Episode Title club (see also ''Lou Grant,'' ''Series/{{Smallville}}'', ''Series/TheSecretCircle'', ''Series/{{Revenge}}'', ''Series/RosieAndJim'', and ''Series/TotsTV'').

* SuicideAsComedy: In "Pony", an entry in Claire's diary implied she was going to die, because she's never going to get a pony.

* TheyKilledKennyAgain: Eric dies of stress at the end of every episode. Save "Au Pair".

* VomitDiscretionShot: In the first opening when Eric finds Maria hungover.

%% ZeroContextExample entries are not allowed on wiki pages. All such entries have been commented out. Add context to the entries before uncommenting them.

** "Au Pair" ends with Maria finally getting her act together, only for her and the rest of the family to be killed by one of the failed auditionees for her job.

* NotQuiteDead: In Pony, Eric comes home to see that Brian's hair is alight after he eats a chemistry set, but later in the episode, he's alive and well, because you don't have to kill anyone off forever in fiction!

* ShipTease: In "Au Pair" it's hinted Eric and the newly rehabilitated Maria may become an item... shortly before the episode ends.

* SuicideAsComedy: In "Pony" an entry in Claire's diary implied she was going to die, because she's never going to get a pony.

* TheyKilledKennyAgain: Eric dies of stress at the end of every episode. Save Au pair.

%%* {{Jerkass}}: Pretty much everyone who isn't a Feeble.

* BolivianArmyEnding: The last episode, "Au Pair", does this. Instead of Eric's temple choking him, he and Maria find themselves cornered by one of the failed applicants for the Maria's job, ''driving a tank''. The episode ends with them all screaming.

* KafkaKomedy: Eric Feeble can't catch a break. Ever.
* LighterAndSofter: While both seasons feature bad luck for Eric Feeble, the second season isn't so relentlessly oppressive towards its main character.

* ShipTease: In "Au Pair" it's hinted Eric and the newly rehabilitated Maria may become an item... shortly before they're killed.

* StrictlyFormula: The first season was very much this: Eric is faced with a looming deadline (typically work-related), tries to meet it, but the whole world prevents him from doing so. The second season was ''far'' less formulaic. However, both seasons still ended each episode with Eric's head vein choking him by the episode's end (an exception is "Au Pair", which ends with a rival maid pointing her tank at Eric and the family, and the four screaming).

* ExpressLaneLimit: One episode has three such lanes: "Less than ten items but more than four", "less than four items but more than one", and "one item or less" (which the Eric promptly uses to checkout ''one'' potato.)

* OncePerEpisode / RunningGag: The old lady's green letter dropping into the sewer.

* OutOfOrder: "Au Pair" was supposed to be the finale, but instead aired as the second to last episode.

[[caption-width-right:349:[[{{Understatement}} Life can be stressful, sometimes.]]]]

* BigEater: Brian will eat almost everything from [=VHSes=] to [[ComedicSociopath people's hair]].

* ButtMonkey: '''Eric'''. [[UpToEleven Oh dear God.]]

* CulturalTranslation: Yes, Creator/TheBBC have broadcast ''WesternAnimation/DinoBabies'', ''WesternAnimation/LittleBear'', and ''ComicBook/BuckyOHareAndTheToadWars'' with the American voices still intact, but Stressed Eric? The cartoon was made by Creator/KlaskyCsupo (creators of ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'' and ''WesternAnimation/TheWildThornberrys''), but it was the BBC that chose the voice acting for the characters and the setting in it!
** Although when the first season was shown in the US, Eric was revoiced by Hank Azaria (all the other voices remained). Also, production went to a different company for its second season. (Which has never been repeated on British television.)

** Claire is allegic to virtually ''everything''.
** Claire's friend Julie is allergic to even more things, [[UpToEleven including air]]. Her mother says she feels stupid giving birth to a daughter more allergic than Claire.

* SeriouslyScruffy: Plays this trope for laughs with Eric. As he gets more stressed, the vein on his temple throbs [[OncePerEpisode until it eventually bursts out and strangles him]]. Naturally, his environment tends to be rather cluttered, too.

%%* ButtMonkey: '''Eric'''. [[UpToEleven Oh dear God.]]

%%* TheAlcoholic: Maria.
%%* BeehiveHairdo: Mrs. Perfect.

%%* ButtMonkey: '''Eric'''. [[UpToEleven Oh dear God.]]

%%* ChickMagnet: Doc.

%%* DeliberatelyCuteChild: Claire.
%%* TheDitz: Brian.

%%* ElmuhFuddSyndwome: Claire again.
%%* EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep: Doc.

%%* FailureIsTheOnlyOption: Every single damn time.
%%* FunnyForeigner: Maria to an extent.
%%* GirlishPigtails: Claire.
%%* GranolaGirl: Liz.

%%* {{Jerkass}}: Pretty much everyone who isn't a Feeble.
%%* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Maria to an extent.

%%* ParodySue: The Perfects.
%%* SadistShow: Probably the animated king of this trope.

%%* SassySecretary: Allison.

%%* StereoFibbing: Occurs in "Drool".

%%* TheTalk: Eric gives one in "Au Pair".

%%* TheVoiceless: Brian.

* IdiosyncraticEpisodeNaming: This is another member of the One Word Episode Title club (see also ''Lou Grant,'' ''Series/{{Smallville}}'', ''TheSecretCircle'', ''Series/{{Revenge}}'', RosieAndJim, and TotsTV).

* CrapsackWorld: The whole world seems to be out to get Eric.

* TheAlcoholic: Maria.
* BeehiveHairdo: Mrs. Perfect.

* ButtMonkey: '''Eric'''. [[UpToEleven Oh dear God.]]

* ChickMagnet: Doc.

* DeliberatelyCuteChild: Claire.
* TheDitz: Brian.

* ElmuhFuddSyndwome: Claire again.
* EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep: Doc.

* FailureIsTheOnlyOption: Every single damn time.
* FunnyForeigner: Maria to an extent.
* GirlishPigtails: Claire.
* GranolaGirl: Liz.

* {{Jerkass}}: Pretty much everyone who isn't a Feeble.
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Maria to an extent.

* ParodySue: The Perfects.
* SadistShow: Probably the animated king of this trope.

* SassySecretary: Allison.

* StereoFibbing: Occurs in "Drool".

* TheTalk: Eric gives one in "Au Pair".

* TheVoiceless: Brian.

* BlondesAreEvil: The Perfects.

Think modern life is stressful? Well just be thankful that you're not Eric Feeble, the perpetually struggling forty-something and unfortunate star of this short-lived British animated series, and arguably one of the darkest shows ever made in this category. The series lasted for 13 episodes, broadcast in two seasons. The first season was broadcast in 1997, the second in 1999. The first series (but ''not'' the second) was co-produced by Creator/KlaskyCsupo.

Eric is a divorced father of two. He is the primary caregiver for both of his kids. Which is a stressful duty. Brian, Eric's son, seems to have a learning disability. He is 9 to 10-years-old, but has already flunked classes for three years. He doesn't speak at all, wanders aimlessly, and has a tendency to place random items into his mouth. Claire, Eric's daughter, is notably frail. She is 6-years-old and her immune system is hypersensitive. She has allegic reactions to just about everything, and has to eat special regulation food. Which doesn't stop her from craving for regular food. Maria, their Portuguese au-pair, is alcoholic. His ex-wife Liz currently lives with another man, and tries to rediscover herself through following NewAge ideas. Which doesn't prevent her from incessantly calling Eric when she feels like it.

* ButtMonkey: '''Eric'''. [[UpToEleven Oh dear god.]]

* CloudCuckooLander: The cleaning lady at Eric's work throws out all his work at the end of each day while singing "La la la-la laaah, stick it in the bin!"

* OnceAnEpisode / RunningGag: The old lady's green letter dropping into the sewer.

* SeriouslyScruffy: Plays this trope for laughs with Eric. As he gets more stressed, the vein on his temple throbs [[OnceAnEpisode until it eventually bursts out and strangles him]]. Naturally, his environment tends to be rather cluttered, too.

* TheyKilledKenny: Eric dies of stress at the end of every episode. Save Au pair.

* ButtMonkey: '''Eric'''. Oh dear god.

* CatchPhrase: Eric: MARIA!!!, GET A MOVE ON!, ALISON! WILL YOU SHUT UP?

* CrossPoppingVeins: Eric gets them several times an episode. At the end, they get so bad that they grab him by his throat!
** Lampshaded in Pony when Claire's diary says that she is too scared to ask Eric, because of this trope.

* IllGirl: Claire. She's allegic to virtually ''everything''.
** [[UpToEleven Claire's friend Julie is allergic to even more things, including air!]] Her mother says she feels stupid giving birth to a daughter more allergic than Claire.

* YouGottaHaveBlueHair: Maria.

* [[AlwaysSomeoneBetter Always Someone Worse]]: The Perfects.

* [[DownerEnding Downer Beginning, Middle and End]]: PlayedForLaughs, depending on your sense of humour.

* IdiosyncraticEpisodeNaming: This is another member of the One Word Episode Title club (see also ''Lou Grant,'' ''{{Smallville}}'', ''TheSecretCircle'', ''{{Revenge}}'', RosieAndJim, and TotsTV).