Line #5 StraightMan/WesternAnimation


1	* ''WesternAnimation/AquaTeenHungerForce'': Frylock is the Straight Man to lines that usually don't even make sense spoken by anthropomorphic food items and stoned two-dimensional aliens.
2	* Lana Kane usually fulfils this role in ''WesternAnimation/{{Archer}}'', often being the only one taking the mission at hand remotely seriously while Archer is deliberately goofing off to get a rise out of her.
3	%%* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'': Zuko and Sokka take this role. In the SequelSeries ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'' it's Tenzin, Lin, and Mako.%%ZCE
4	%%* ''WesternAnimation/TheBoondocks'': Huey Freeman is the straight man of Riley Freeman, Robert "Granddad" Freeman... and even Uncle Ruckus.%%ZCE
5	* WesternAnimation/ClassicDisneyShorts have a trio composed of two comedic characters, the [[TheChewToy unlucky]] and [[HairTriggerTemper irritable]] WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck, and the clumsy and sometimes stupid WesternAnimation/{{Goofy}}... and the everyman WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse. If Mickey isn't around, Donald will become the straight man to Goofy.
6	%%* ''WesternAnimation/CodeLyoko'': Ulrich often plays the Straight Man to Odd's antics.%%How?
7	* ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'': Brian starts out as a simple foil for Peter and/or Stewie's wackiness. Evolution of Brian's character gives us an interesting case study in exactly what level of CharacterDevelopment is appropriate for these types. If all they ever do episode after episode is set up other characters' jokes and snark at their buffoonery, you run the risk of having a FlatCharacter. Going too far in the other direction, though, takes us into [[{{Anvilicious}} much]] [[AuthorAvatar more malignant]] [[AuthorFilibuster territory]], as giving too much exposure to a character whose main purpose is appearing more sensible and intelligent than others will eventually necessitate the writers revealing their own prejudices about just what they think an intelligent or sensible way of life is.
8	* ''WesternAnimation/TheFutureIsWild'': C.G., because of her time and her father, often plays this trope towards her crew, Ethan, Emily and Luis and Squibby as she is more serious and analytical than they were. Luis also plays this, toward his two friends, apparently even before they meet C.G. and Squibby.
9	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}'': [[spoiler:Puck]] says of his [[spoiler:Owen]] persona, "The Trickster has played many roles, but [[AccidentalInnuendo never that of the straight man]]."
10	* On ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZim'', [[VillainProtagonist Zim's]] insanity is usually contrasted to [[HeroAntagonist Dib]], though his base's supercomputer or even ''[[CloudCuckooLander GIR]]'' can play this role in a pinch. In general, though, everyone will play this to everyone else at some time or another, because they're ''all'' at least slightly insane.
11	** When Dib needs to be the [[YouHaveToBelieveMe insane one]] when trying to warn everyone about Zim, his sister [[EnfantTerrible Gaz]] provides the foil.
12	*** Both regularly foil their mad scientist father whenever he comes up with a new invention.
13	* WesternAnimation/JimmyTwoShoes is usually ([[DependingOnTheWriter but not always]], [[TookALevelInDumbass especially in Season 2]]) this to the other main characters, acting fairly normal ([[ThePollyanna for him]]) so that Beezy's hedonistic idiocy , Heloise's psychopathic sadism, or Lucius's narcissistic tyranny can play off of his friendly optimism.
14	* WesternAnimation/KimPossible is a laser-focused StraightMan to her {{sidekick}} Ron, both comedically and in the action scenes.
15	* ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'': Ever since soon after creation, it has been customary to pair WesternAnimation/DaffyDuck with a Straight Man -- usually WesternAnimation/PorkyPig, who has been the go-to straight man ever since ''his'' creation years earlier -- but later on WesternAnimation/BugsBunny occasionally played straight man to his then more abrasive personality.
16	%%* ''WesternAnimation/{{Metalocalypse}}'': Charles Foster Ofdenson plays Straight Man to Dethklok and OnlySaneMan to the setting.%%ZCE
17	* Tommy Anybody serves as this to ''WesternAnimation/MrBogus''.
18	* ''Franchise/MyLittlePony'':
19	** ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'':
20	*** Twilight Sparkle is the character to fill this role most often, thanks to her {{Only Sane Ma\|n}}re status serving as a contrast to the various bizarre behaviors of her friends. Exceptions to this come whenever her neuroticism [[SanitySlippage gets the better of her sanity]], in which case the Straight Men are either Spike, who most often plays the role of exasperated observer to Twilight's antics, or the level-headed Applejack.
21	*** Additionally, Fluttershy and Applejack are usually the ones to play this to whatever character is serving as their comedic {{foil}} at the time, while it is more rare for [[BoisterousBruiser Rainbow Dash]], [[LargeHam Rarity]], and especially [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} Pinkie Pie]] to do so. The character dynamics of "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E13HearthsWarmingEve Hearth's Warming Eve]]" are built around the three "straight" characters playing idealized versions of themselves that are paired with the three "funny" characters, whose personality flaws are dialed up to eleven -- Twilight's studious mindfulness against Rarity's vocal drama, Fluttershy's quiet caution against Rainbow Dash's hot-headed MilesGloriosus, and Applejack's level-headed practicality against Pinkie's bizarre non-sequiturs.
22	*** Cheerilee plays the comic foil to the Cutie Mark Crusaders in "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E11FamilyAppreciationDay Family Appreciation Day]]" and "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E17HeartsAndHoovesDay Hearts and Hooves Day]]".
23	** ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyANewGeneration'': In early moments, Hitch serves as the level-headed and mildly exasperated straight horse in contrast to Sunny's energetic activism and Sprout's incompetence.
24	* ''WesternAnimation/NedsNewt'': Ned serves this role to the rather chaotic and random Newton the newt.
25	* ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'':
26	** Perry's ''voicelessness'' puts him in the straight man position to Doofenshmirtz (and, to a lesser extent, Major Monogram).
27	** And, of course, Linda, despite her own goofy moments, plays the perfect straight woman to Candace's obsessive insanity.
28	* ''WesternAnimation/ReadyJetGo'':
29	** Sean is usually this when with Jet, Sydney and Mindy, since they (Jet especially) tend to come up with strange ideas while Sean is more practical.
30	** Mitchell acts as this towards Mindy and Lillian, being the OnlySaneMan in their group.
31	** In "Earth Camping", the serious but egotistical Mr. Peterson is this to the more goofy, laid-back Carrot.
32	* ''WesternAnimation/RoverDangerfield'': Raffles the border collie is easygoing and slightly naive compared to the titular joker.
33	* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'':
34	** Lisa has the thankless task of playing foil to ''her entire town''. In the early days she and Bart were a classic StraightManAndWiseGuy combo, and while this is still true, she often finds herself playing straight to almost everyone else in Springfield. Luckily, she is usually excellent at it.
35	** Superintendent Chalmers is the straight man to Principal Skinner, most notably in their "Skinner & the Superintendent" sketch from "22 Short Films about Springfield". Referenced in "Marge Simpson in: Screaming Yellow Honkers" when they perform a WhosOnFirst skit at the teachers' talent show.
36	** Becomes a DiscussedTrope in ''Brother From Another Series'', where Krusty explains the trope to Cecil:
37	--->"Free comedy tip, slick: the pie gag's only funny when the sap's got dignity - like that guy! Hey Hal, pie job for Lord Autumnbottom, there!"
38	* ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'':
39	** Stan is the Straight Man to the WHOLE town in later seasons. While Stan is probably the "straightest" character, others exist too.
40	** Kyle is Straight Man almost as much as Stan, especially compared to Cartman.
41	** Sharon will often play Straight Woman to her [[CloserToEarth less sane]] husband Randy.
42	** And in general, kids are often the Straight Boys and Girls [[AdultsAreUseless to the town's idiot adults]], though at times the Mayor will do this too (despite at other times being an AuthorityInNameOnly or be just as stupid as them). The premise of the entire show basically boils down to the idea that all kids are straight men to adults: they stand on the sidelines and comment with bewilderment on the insanity that is the adult world.
43	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Spliced}}'':
44	** Patricia generally functions as the straight woman to Peri, Entree, and Joe's craziness, though Peri fills in when she's not around.
45	** Octocat also is this to Smarty-Smarts.
46	* Much like his ''Looney Tunes'' predecessor, Hamton Pig in ''WesternAnimation/TinyToonAdventures'' often plays this role. Babs even invokes the trope in the first episode, saying that every show needs a straight man. He's often straight man, to Daffy's counterpart Plucky, though one notable plot played ''Plucky'' as suffering straight man to ''Hamton'''s ridiculously nuclear family.
47	* WesternAnimation/YogiBear may be "smarter than the average bear", but more often than not, his pal Boo-Boo has this role.

Context StraightMan / WesternAnimation