History YMMV / Drood

** It is possible for John Jasper to actually be voted the murderer, and as he's insane and lusts over Edwin's fiancee for the entire show, it makes the most sense. It's also reportedly [[spoiler:the intended ending for the source material]]. Most audience members avoid voting for Jasper ''because'' it's so obvious, so most shows have his attempted murder and VillainSong remain a simple RedHerring before the ''real'' murderer is revealed.

* EvilIsSexy: While the sympathy levels of the murderers vary, several can apply.
** Even when he's not chosen as the show's murderer (and he almost always isn't), Jasper is clearly a morally dubious loon, and he's typically played by handsome leading men who are all too happy to play into their good looks.
** Rosa is described as being a great beauty, [[DudeMagnet having both Jasper and Neville pining after her]]. Betsy Wolfe's portrayal played this aspect up by fooling around with her breasts during the voting period
** Puffer is also clearly meant to be a bit of a seductress, meaning she can easily apply, even if she's a bit up there in years.
** While the others are less explicit in this regard, they can still very much apply. After all, Neville and Helena are to be played by young, likely attractive actors and have their own exotic appeal, Crisparkle despite being a goofy old priest can still be quite an {{Adorkable}} SilverFox, and Bazzard is supposed to be the understudy for the attractive role of Jasper and even more {{Adorkable}} than Crisparkle.
** The only murder candidate who will almost always avert this is a the dirty schlub Durdles, whose looks are pretty much always toned down, even if they aren't very good to begin with.

* FoeYay:
** Oh so very much during "The Name of Love/Moonfall Reprise". While Jasper has only love, albeit of a very creepy and violent nature, in his heart for Rosa, she hates him for his incredibly creepy fixation on her. But in this song where he confesses his feelings for her, the libretto explicitly notes that "Rosa tries to break away from Jasper's hypnotic hold but is repeatedly drawn back in fascinated terror". Then later in the show, the two of them can hook up as the lovers, with Rosa noting her earlier attraction and Jasper again repeating his love for her, this time with both being much more gentle.
** Jasper also has this with both Puffer and Helena if voted as a couple with either by the end. The former gives a far colder response than any other lover pairing, yet it still results in them singing a duet dedicated to love. The latter has Helena talk about all of Jasper's sins including his deplorable treatment of her brother and friend before admitting that she finds him to be [[AllGirlsWantBadBoys "the most fascinatingly attractive man she's met"]].

* FanPreferredCouple: Every potential lover has their own assets to get the vote so there's plenty of diversity on that fronts but many people love voting [[BrotherSisterIncest Helena and Neville as the lovers]] [[RuleOfFunny due to the potential to be]] [[CrossesTheLineTwice awkwardly hilarious]].

* CaptainObviousReveal: It is possible for John Jasper to actually be voted the murderer, and as he's the one who actively antagonizes Edwin and lusts over his fiancee for the entire show, it makes the most sense. It's also reportedly [[spoiler:the intended ending for the source material]]. However, most audience members avoid voting for Jasper ''because'' it's so obvious, so most shows have his attempted murder and VillainSong remain a simple RedHerring before the ''real'' murderer is revealed.

* EthnicScrappy: {{Averted}} by Neville and Helena Landless. Both are extremely dim depictions of Ceylon citizens and often played by white people, but most viewers realize that the joke here is making fun of InUniverse racist depictions, and much like {{Film/Borat}}, the representation is just playing on blind stereotypes that don't even apply to the country they're from, only reinforcing the parody. In general, the Landless twins are both fan favorites and do well in voting.

** A comedic but still valid example with Bazzard, or more specifically, his actor; Philip Bax, whose eternally stuck in small, thankless roles, longing for a larger part. How bad are his parts? He played "the title role" in Theatre/MuchAdoAboutNothing.[[ThrowTheDogABone Thankfully, he gets a chance to perform his own solo number, and the audience can make it so that he gets an even bigger part to play later on]].

** The Reverend Crisparkle was very much in love with Rosa Bud's mother but lost her to another man and not long after that, she lost her life. Years later he's still broken up about it, which is only exacerbated by seeing Rosa who bears a striking resemblance to his former love. Then, Crisparkle also sees his new apprentice and friend Neville become the number one suspect in the search of Edwin Drood's murderer. [[ThrowTheDogABone the end though]], Crisparkle himself can prove Neville's innocence and/or finally get over his LostLenore with a new love.

** Durdles will count if he's chosen as the murderer. [[spoiler: As he points out, he's essentially forced into this role by the audience, as there's no reason why he would ever want to kill Drood]]. And unlike every other potential murderer, he's really not even a JerkassWoobie, as [[spoiler: he only ever attacks Drood because in his drunken stupor he mistook him for an attacking spirit, meaning that his crime was [[AccidentalMurdee purely accidental]]]].

** Bazzard, or more specifically, his actor; Philip Bax, whose eternally stuck in small, thankless roles, longing for a larger part. [[ThrowTheDogABone Thankfully, he gets a chance to perform his own solo number, and the audience can make it so that he gets an even bigger part to play later on]].
** Rosa Bud certainly applies. Stuck in a ForcedMarriage to someone that she may have been able to love, but can't understand the circumstances. Even worse is she finds herself stuck in two different [[LoveTriangle love triangles]], with one being with Jasper who utterly terrifies her. [[ThrowTheDogABone She can finally find an apparently good relationship if voted as a lover in the end]].
** Helena Landless suffered from her a physically abusive stepfather and faces prejudice in her new home. Not only that, she has to see her HotBlooded brother Neville set himself up for conflict that she knows can only end poorly. And in addition to that, she has to see her new friend Rosa in suffering from the same dramatic plot.

** Rosa certainly applies. Stuck in a ForcedMarriage to someone that she may have been able to love, but can't understand the circumstances. Even worse is she finds herself stuck in two different LoveTriangles, with one being with Jasper who utterly terrifies her. [[ThrowTheDogABone She can finally find an apparently good relationship if voted as a lover in the end]].

** Neville Landless is as HotBlooded as they come, being all to quick to get into conflict, garnering him a problematic reputation. However, it's clear that he's had a rough life, having [[AbusiveParents a bastard of a stepfather]], facing racial prejudice in his new home, and instantly falling for Rosa Bud, who is engaged to Edwin Drood. The last point is especially bad for Neville since Drood is quite InnocentlyInsensitive towards Neville's culture, later straight up dropping the innocent part. Then, when Drood is missing and assumed dead, Neville is attacked and nearly arrested by the police with no definitive evidence. And even if he's voted the murderer and the near arrest is technically justified, it's still clearly motivated by racism and [[spoiler: John Jasper's machinations]]. Not only that, but in a different scenario, Neville can [[spoiler: be framed by an additional attempted murderer in the form of Bazzard]]. [[ThrowTheDogABone Luckily for Neville]], in the end he can find himself a free man and even wind up becoming lovers with Rosa. [[Squick Or his sister]].
** John Jasper is a [[StalkerWithACrush lust crazed loon]] and [[spoiler: attempted murderer who tries to frame a [[MultipleEndings possibly]] innocent man]] but he also suffers from a rather nasty SplitPersonality, with a good man being trapped underneath his vile actions. Additionally, while his actions towards Rosa are certainly quite villainous, Jasper's also shown to be in suffering over them, with the man at one point begging for her love and claiming that he himself is a victim enslaved by his love for her.

** Neville Landless is as HotBlooded as they come, being all to quick to get into conflict, garnering him a problematic reputation. However, it's clear that he's had a rough life, having [[AbusiveParents a bastard of a stepfather]], facing racial prejudice in his new home, and instantly falling for Rosa Bud, who is engaged to Edwin Drood. The last point is especially bad for Neville since Drood is quite InnocentlyInsensitive towards Neville's culture, later straight up dropping the innocent part. Then, when Drood is missing and assumed dead, Neville is attacked and nearly arrested by the police with no definitive evidence. And even if he's voted the murderer and the near arrest is technically justified, it's still clearly motivated by racism and [[spoiler: John Jasper's machinations]]. Not only that, but in a different scenario, Neville can [[spoiler: be framed by an additional attempted murderer in the form of Bazzard]]. [[ThrowTheDogABone Luckily for Neville, in the end he can find himself a free man and even wind up becoming lovers with Rosa.

** John Jasper is a [[StalkerWithACrush lust crazed loon]] and [[spoiler: attempted murderer who tries to frame a [[MultipleEndings possibly innocent man]]]] but he also suffers from a rather nasty SplitPersonality, with a good man being trapped underneath his vile actions. Additionally, while his actions towards Rosa are certainly quite villainous, Jasper's also shown to be in suffering over them, with the man at one point begging for her love and claiming that he himself is a victim enslaved by his love for her.

** Special mention goes to Bazzard, who's one of the smaller principle roles and clearly the least important of them all plot wise, but [[LargeHam his shamelessly hammy antics]] [[TheWoobie in search of a larger role]] often endears him to the audience. Rupert Holmes noted that Bazzard was more often than not a beneficiary of the voting.

* AwardCategoryFraud: Both Broadway productions saw John Jasper's actor (Howard [=McGillin=] and Will Chase respectively) nominated for a Tony in the Featured Actor category. This is despite Jasper being about the most prominent character alongside the Tony winning role of the Chairman, and unlike all the other suspects [[spoiler: with the exclusion of the FinalLoveDuet, he always gets to perform all of his written material every show]]. This is even more noticeable since Cleo Laine was nominated for playing Princess Puffer in the original and Stephanie J. Block was nominated for playing Drood in the revival, both women placed in lead, even though their parts are clearly smaller than that of [=McGillin=] and Chase. The original run's Drama Desk record saw McGillin nominated in the lead category where he lost to George Rose for playing the Chairman. It also saw Featured Actress Tony nominee Patti Cohenour as Rosa Bud nominated in lead alongside Cleo Laine.

* AwardCategoryFraud: Both Broadway productions saw John Jasper's actor (Howard [=McGillin=] and Will Chase respectively) nominated for a Tony in the Featured Actor category. This is despite Jasper being about the most prominent character alongside the Tony winning role of the Chairman, and unlike all the other suspects [[spoiler: with the exclusion of the fairly short FinalLoveDuet, he always gets to perform all of his written material every show]]. This is even more noticeable since Cleo Laine was nominated for playing Princess Puffer in the original and Stephanie J. Block was nominated for playing Drood in the revival, both women placed in lead, even though their parts are clearly smaller than that of [=McGillin=] and Chase.

** The "Perfect Strangers" reprise with the newly voted lovers takes and already great song and adds a new hilarious touch with it due to two more than likely {{Corpsing}} and [[ThrowItIn ad libbing]] cast members who have just been StrangledByTheRedRing.