Line #57 WesternAnimation/RubyGloom


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ruby_gloom_ruby_gloom_24650368_649_506.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:The Bright Side of the Dark Side[[note]]Counterclockwise from left to right: [[TheDitz Frank and Len]], [[GenkiGirl Iris]], [[PerkyGoth Ruby Gloom]], [[TheEeyore Misery]], [[FriendlySkeleton Skull Boy]], [[ThePrankster Boo Boo]], [[LovableCoward Scaredy Bat]], [[SilentSnarker Doom Kitty]], [[SmallNameBigEgo Poe]], and [[LivingToys Mr. Buns]][[/note]]]]
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4	On the outskirts of [[HalloweenTown Gloomsville]] rests a mysterious, labyrinthine Victorian mansion upon a hill. Residing within its halls lie all sorts of terrifying creatures, including [[TheEeyore miserable]] [[OurBansheesAreLouder banshees]], [[GenkiGirl energetic]] {{cyclops}}, [[JackOfAllTrades crafty]] [[DemBones living skeletons]], and [[TheDitz foggy-minded]] [[MultipleHeadCase two-headed men]]. And trapped among them is but a young, red-headed girl who each day must bravely contend with their horrifying machinations such as... throwing surprise parties and performing musicals. Wait, she's friends with all of them? On second thought, [[DarkIsNotEvil maybe these monsters aren't so scary]].
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6	Originally based on a line of melancholic stationery created by American artist Martin Hsu, and a prime example of the PerkyGoth mentality, ''Ruby Gloom'' is a [[CanadianSeries Canadian animated program]] produced by Creator/{{Nelvana}} for Creator/{{YTV}}. The series focuses on the adventures of eponymous [[ThePollyanna Ruby Gloom]], who lives in the aforementioned mansion alongside her circle of eccentric friends, which alongside the aforementioned spooks, include a [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold know-it-all]] talking raven, a [[AcrophobicBird bat too scared to fly]], a [[ThePrankster prankster]] ghost, and a [[LivingToys living toy]] named Mr. Buns. Oh, and Ruby's pet cat [[DeathbringerTheAdorable Doom Kitty]].
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8	''Ruby Gloom'' ran for 40 episodes over 2 seasons, airing from 2006 to 2008. While the show never saw much exposure outside of Canada (including a complete absence from American airwaves), it developed a significant cult following for its quirky and likable characters and clever but good-natured sense of humor. The entire series can be watched for free on Nelvana's [[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUIixndCOJ8yMeztWQnV3ClZ8rjtX6VL5 Treehouse Direct channel]].
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10	----
11	!!This show contains examples of:
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13	* [[AcrophobicBird Acrophobic Bat]]: Scaredy Bat
14	* AdaptedOut: The original books had a character named Jealousy. She never appears in the cartoon.
15	* AdvertisedExtra: Despite appearing in the opening theme and being treated like a main character, Boo Boo only appeared in thirteen episodes.[[labelnote:Which?]]'Doom with a View', 'Missing Buns', 'Science Fair or Foul', 'Poe-Ranoia', 'Quadrogloomia', 'Skull Boys Don't Cry', 'Shaken Not Scared', 'Once in a Blue Luna', 'Lucky Me', 'Tooth or Dare', 'Seeing Eye to Eyes', 'Ubergloom' and 'Disaster Becomes You'.[[/labelnote]]
16	* AllJustADream: One episode reveals near the end that most of the episode was just Misery dreaming. Some of the beginning and ending skits feature this as well.
17	* AlliterativeFamily: Misery's family all have names starting with "M".
18	* AlternativeForeignThemeSong: The ending theme in the Japanese version is called [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0O9GJj4aek "Siren"]] by Nana Kitade, who used the alias "Ruby Gloom" for this single.
19	* AlwaysNight: Played with. It feels like it's always nighttime in Gloomsville, but the episode "Sunny Daze" establishes that Misery's presence makes the sky perpetually overcast during the day. When she leaves during that episode, the weather is normal... until it gets ''too'' sunny.
20	* AmbiguouslyHuman: Ruby. She seems to be the [[TokenHuman only human]] in the cast, but maybe she is a living doll or a vampire. We will never know.
21	* AmusingInjuries:
22	** Misery is always hit by lightning, only to say "ouch" and come back ten seconds later in best shape.
23	** Inverted in one episode, where Misery isn't hurt at all—the other characters are getting hurt instead.
24	** Ruby gets her own taste of pain in "Disaster Becomes You" when she has Misery's bad luck and in "I'll Be Home for Misery" when Misery's cousin Mayhem gives her a strong handshake. [[spoiler:Though the "I'll Be Home for Misery" example turns out to be part of a dream.]]
25	** Iris' exuberance sometimes causes her to crash land when doing things such as jumping or cartwheeling around, after which she'll reassure everyone, "I'm good!"
26	* AnimatedActors: Some of the wraparound sketches ("Ruby's Blooper Reel") portray the characters as these, although unlike many examples of this trope, their personalities don't seem to change much when out-of-character.
27	* AnimationBump: The animation became noticeably smoother looking in the second season.
28	* AnthropomorphicPersonification: Possibly Misery and her family.
29	* ArbitrarySkepticism: In "Once in a Blue Luna" despite what kind of world she lives in Misery is adamant that monsters don't exist. [[spoiler:Until the end.]]
30	* ArtisticLicenseAnimalCare: Ruby has no qualms with feeding her cat muffins that contain chocolate. Then again, maybe it's already dead.
31	* BadIsGoodAndGoodIsBad: Ruby starts a scary story with "It was a light and sunny day."
32	* BaitAndSwitch: In "Skull in the Family" after Ma sees Iris and yells "Evil eye!" for a second Iris appears to be offended, but then she starts thinking that "Evil Eye" is supposed to be some kind of staring game.
33	* BalloonBelly: In [[Recap/RubyGloomS01E20 "Broken Records"]], Iris has one when trying to break the record for eating the most of Gloomsville's stinkiest cheese; gorgonlimburgerazola. It disappears as soon as she gives up.
34	** Mr. Buns apparently acquired one when he went on vacation to France and stocked up on the local cuisine.
35	* BeYourself: Of course.
36	* BigFancyHouse: The main cast all live in one. It's also an OldDarkHouse, [[DarkIsNotEvil minus any spookiness]].
37	* BlahBlahBlah: In "Hair(less): The Musical", when Skelly T starts talking to Skull Boy about getting him into show business, Skull Boy gets distracted by a loose thread on Skelly T's hat and just hears him saying "blah blah blah".
38	* BlankStare: A prominent RunningGag is this being the go-to response to another character saying something weird, most often [[NoodleIncident Misery]] or [[JackOfAllTrades Skullboy]], accompanied by a {{Beat}} and an [[SqueakyEyes audible blink]] or two for added effect.
39	* BollywoodNerd: Scaredy has the right accent, and he's actually rather smart. So he is possibly a rare non-human example of this trope.
40	* BookEnds: In the last scene of the final episode, the cast walk in silhouette the same way they do in the opening theme.
41	* BreadEggsBreadedEggs: Poe's guesses in the murder mystery game in "Bad Hare Day".
42	-->''It's the Professor. N-no, the Cook! No! The Professor's cook!''
43	* BrickJoke: The punchline of "Missing Buns".
44	** Also, that comment about Misery's family having a high lead content in their blood? [[spoiler:It's the reason they're able to return from outer space in the episode Out Of This World.]] Though that time she claimed it was iron rather than lead, which actually makes more sense in both cases.
45	* BubblePipe: Whoever's playing the role of Detective Danger in the Detective Danger game often has one, along with the usual hat.
46	* ButtMonkey: Misery, and her bad luck.
47	* CallBack:
48	** The caves and flytrap forest from "Iris Springs Eternal" reappear in "Misery Loves Company." It also has Misery singing the "Train Wreck" song.
49	* {{Calvinball}}: The quiz show in "Lucky Me".
50	* CaptainErsatz: In an inversion, a lot of people consider Ruby the polar opposite of [[WesternAnimation/TheGrimAdventuresOfBillyAndMandy Mandy]].
51	* CatchPhrase:
52	** Ruby has "Look on the bright side" and to a lesser extent [[ICantBelieveImSayingThis "I hate to say this, but..."]]
53	*** In "Hair(less) The Musical", there's a whole musical number dedicated to the former and it's repeated several times. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Xp6l7TK8rE
54	** Iris has "I'm good."
55	** Misery has "Ow."
56	** MadLibsCatchphrase: Skull Boy has "I think I might come from a long line of _________s"
57	* CentipedesDilemma: Throughout the second half of "Lucky Me" Ruby asks Skull Boy questions that he answers perfectly without thinking when up to that point he'd had trouble with even the simplest questions after losing his lucky charm. Skull Boy falls apart once this is actually pointed out to him.
58	** Ruby does something similar for Venus in "Venus de Gloomsville," encouraging her to just relax and have fun with her writing.
59	** In the career day skit, Frank and Len were doing guitar riffs corresponding to different careers, but choked when they got to 'guitar player'.
60	** Scaredy was doing [[HiddenDepths surprisingly well]] as Frank and Len's drummer until Ruby and Skull Boy pointed out how confident and unafraid he was behind the kit, which caused him to become timid and nervous all over again.
61	* CheerfulChild: The triplets Myopic, Malice and Misbegotten from "I'll Be Home for Misery", which is odd considering they come from a family of [[TheEeyore Eeyores]].
62	** Ruby herself as well.
63	* TheChewToy: Misery's bad luck is PlayedForLaughs.
64	* CompanionCube: Mr. Buns, knitted together by Ruby. Also in "Pet Poepulation", Frank & Len get a pet rock.
65	* ConditionedToAcceptHorror: Misery, due to her ChewToy status.
66	** A prime example occurs when everyone else gets her bad luck in "Disaster Becomes You", and she organizes a [[TrainingFromHell "Disaster Camp"]] to teach them how to deal with it:
67	-->'''Scaredy:''' Um, excuse me, but at Disaster Camp, everything could [[GoneHorriblyWrong go horribly awry!]]
68	-->'''Misery:''' [[BrutalHonesty You]] ''[[BrutalHonesty bet]]'' [[BrutalHonesty it will!]]
69	-->'''Poe:''' If we got to Disaster Camp, we might get [[HostileWeather caught in a terrible storm?]]
70	-->'''Misery:''' [[BluntYes I know.]]
71	-->'''Iris:''' [[MotorMouth Or we could walk across the lawn, trip on nothing, get critically injured, and be rushed to the hospital!]]
72	-->'''Misery:'''[[SeenItAll ...What's your point?]]
73	* CrazyPrepared: In ''Last Train To Gloomsville'' Scaredy Bat packs everything from crayons to spare keys to basically ''an entire bedroom''!
74	* CutawayGag: In "The Beat Goes On" when Ruby, Misery and Iris are having "fun" playing musical instruments, Misery compares it to a time when she went to the dentist. The scene then cuts to Misery sitting in a dentist's chair about to get her teeth drilled, with a giant drill.
75	* CuteApproachesCamera: Done so by Doom Kitty [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_xqQxC0i_s here]].
76	* DarkIsNotEvil: Intentionally exemplifies this trope. Ruby's friends include a two-headed Frankenstein's Monster, an animate skeleton, a banshee, a cyclops, a black cat, a bat, a ghost, a venus flytrap, a doll and three ravens. Despite being traditionally being monstrous or "dark", all are decidedly not evil, and very friendly, if a bit eccentric.
77	* DecadeDissonance: The show takes place in an odd timeline in regard to technology. The gang has an old timey radio and no television, yet Frank and Len have modern musical instruments.
78	** And, oddly, their amp seems to be coal powered.
79	** Ruby has a portable music player... which is a ''tiny phonograph'' that she listens to with earbuds.
80	* DefangedHorrors: To the max. The show is full of monsters, people getting injured (albeit comically), and references to death and dying, but it’s downplayed because no one ever ''actually'' dies or even really gets hurt.
81	* DefensiveWhat: In the ColdOpen to "Yam Ween" Skull Boy gives one in response to either the rest of the characters' mixed reactions to the Yam and Ween story or [[MenDontCry him getting emotional about it]].
82	* DelayedOhCrap: Frank and Len in "Disaster Becomes You".
83	-->'''Len:''' What's up, guys?
84	-->'''Frank:''' [[DullSurprise It appears that the house is flooding, Len.]]
85	-->'''Len:''' Oh, that's all. Thanks, Frank.
86	-->'''Frank:''' No problem. Any time.
87	-->'''Len:''' Great! So, uh, [[ParrotExposition did you say the house is flooding?]]
88	-->'''Frank:''' That's what I said, Len. [[OverlyLongGag I said the house is flooding.]] [[HypocriticalHumor Try paying attention sometime.]]
89	-->[{{Beat}}]
90	-->'''Frank:''' [[SuddenlySHOUTING THE HOUSE IS FLOODING!! OH, NO!!]]
91	* DemBones: Skullboy, and the Skele-tunes.
92	* DesperatelyLookingForAPurposeInLife: Skull Boy.
93	* DisneyDeath: [[spoiler:Ruby]] in "Last Train to Gloomsville Part 2".
94	* DissonantSerenity: Iris in both "Sunny Daze" and "Disaster Becomes You."
95	-->'''Iris:''' ''(with a cheery voice and a smile)'' We're doomed!
96	* TheDitz: Frank and Len. Len more so than Frank.
97	* DodgyToupee: During a brief stint as an ultra-courteous gentleman in "Shaken, Not Scared", Skull Boy dons one of these.
98	* DoomyDoomsOfDoom: Doom Kitty.
99	* DoorstopBaby: Bunny in "Bad Hare Day" is introduced in this fashion. [[spoiler:Subverted, as it turns out to be a way for him to case the joint.]]
100	* DramaticThunder: When Migraine shouts her catchphrase.
101	* DuetOfDifferences: In "Hair(less): The Musical", when the ever-optimistic Ruby is failing to cheer up the gang despite her efforts, she and the gloomy [[TheEeyore Misery]] sing a duet about their differences. Misery wishes she could help out with Ruby's efforts, Ruby reassures her that it's just not for her, and both of them express contentment with their roles.
102	-->'''Ruby:''' I don't mind to cheer friends up.\
103	'''Misery:''' And I don't mind being in this rut. I'm the dark...\
104	'''Ruby:''' I'm the dawn...\
105	'''Ruby/Misery:''' After all, it's in our job description.
106	* EarthquakeMachine: Misery is a living one whenever she jumps up and down on the ground, despite her supposedly low weight.
107	* TheEeyore: Misery.
108	* ElegantGothicLolita: Ruby, Misery, and Iris.
109	* EscalatingPunchline: Skull Boy, when describing his lucky charm in "Lucky Me":
110	-->'''Skull Boy:''' A horseshoe.\
111	'''Poe:''' Well that shouldn't be hard to spot.\
112	'''Skull Boy:''' A seahorse horseshoe.\
113	'''Others:''' Ohhhhhh.\
114	'''Skull Boy:''' For a baby seahorse.\
115	'''Others:''' Ohhhh...\
116	'''Skull Boy:''' A baby miniature seahorse.\
117	'''Others:''' Oh.
118	** Ruby and Iris have this exchange in [[Recap/RubyGloomS01E20 "Broken Records"]]:
119	-->'''Ruby:''' How about this one, Iris? The record for balancing cantaloupes.\
120	'''Iris:''' That's easy.\
121	'''Ruby:''' While on a unicycle.\
122	'''Iris:''' No problem.\
123	'''Ruby:''' On a tightrope.\
124	'''Ruby:''' And whistling Mozart.\
125	'''Ruby:''' In a tornado.
126	* EstablishingCharacterMoment: The first episode gives introductory scenes to most of the cast. The best one may be Misery's, where a few sentences into an already gloomy conversation, she puts the always-optimistic Ruby at a temporary loss for words by describing her own genetic predisposition toward being struck by lightning. Two seconds later, Ruby further establishes her own character by changing the subject and managing to lift her spirits a little anyway.
127	* EverybodyDoTheEndlessLoop: Whenever the characters dance it's always the same animation looped over and over.
128	* EveryoneCanSeeIt: It's not stated that ''everyone'' can see Ruby has a crush on Skull Boy, but if Frank and Len could figure it out...
129	** They were only able to figure it out because they were ''literally'' inside Ruby's head. And even then, Frank had to clue Len in on what it meant.
130	* TheFamilyForTheWholeFamily: Boo-Boo's bosses/guardians/mentors/whatever, Mr. White and Mr. Whyte.
131	* FantasyTwist: From "Skull Boys Don't Cry":
132	-->'''Misery:''' I used to have imaginary friends too. But they blew up.
133	* FriendlySkeleton: Skullboy and The Skeletunes definitely qualify on both counts.
134	* FeudEpisode: There are two of these; [[Recap/RubyGloomS01E20 "Broken Records"]] and "Frank and Len Unplugged".
135	* FoodPorn: That chocolate cake in "Poe-ranoia".
136	* FourthWallMailSlot: Three episodes use "Ruby's Mailbag" as their opening or closing skits: "Unsung Hero", "Name That Toon", and "Out of this World".
137	* FunnyAfro: Misery gains one in "Skull Boys Don't Cry" in one of the attempts to fix her tangled hair.
138	-->'''Misery:''' Iris... So that conditioner you gave me to straighten my hair didn't work. Although... I do feel like "getting my ''groove'' on." Whatever that is.
139	* GenkiGirl: Iris.
140	* GlassShatteringSound: Misery sings beautifully when asleep, but if she tries to sing when awake, this is usually the result. Iris' attempt at breaking the record for "highest-pitched shriek" in [[Recap/RubyGloomS01E20 "Broken Records"]] has the same effect.
141	* GoodAngelBadAngel: The two appear to Boo Boo in "Shaken, Not Scared" (with one of the Mr. Whites playing the role of the "good" angel), but rather than encouraging him to do good or bad, they tell him to "haunt" and "prank", respectively.
142	* GossipEvolution: The ending skit for "Disaster Becomes You" is based around this.
143	* GroundhogDayLoop: The episode "Deja Vu, Again".
144	* HairRaisingHare: What Bunny in "Bad Hare Day" turns out to be. [[spoiler:He plays the part of an abandoned RidiculouslyCuteCritter with a cold so he can infiltrate the mansion and steal everyone's valuables.]]
145	* {{Halloweentown}}: Gloomsville, of course.
146	* HandcarPursuit: "Last Train to Gloomsville Part 2"
147	* HappyRain: In keeping with the show's PerkyGoth aesthetic, the sky is perpetually overcast and the characters generally enjoy showers and thunderstorms. When Misery takes a trip and the sun comes out, [[LightIsNotGood things go downhill very quickly]], and everyone's glad to see Misery (and the bad weather) return.
148	* HardboiledDetective: Skull Boy's "Skull Spade" persona in "Missing Buns".
149	* TheHatMakesTheMan: "Ruby Cubed"
150	* HeadbuttOfLove: When Ruby and Skull Boy reunite at the end of "Hair(less) the Musical", they touch their foreheads together while {{holding hands}}.
151	* HiccupHijinks: Misery's hiccups can create tornadoes.
152	* HollywoodToneDeaf: Ruby and Iris sing in off-key, off-rhythm shouts that, although still not totally realistic, are not as overdone as some examples of this trope. Misery (while awake) does sing in the top-of-her-lungs, randomly-pitched shrieking wail that exemplifies this trope, but it's [[JustifiedTrope justified]], as she appears to actually ''be'' a banshee.
153	** Except in "Hair-Less", when Misery drops the shrieking and sings just fine, awake.
154	* HowWeGotHere
155	* HypnoFool: Len in "Grounded in Gloomsville."
156	* IdentityAmnesia: Skull Boy gets this [[EasyAmnesia via the usual method]] in "Forget Me Not". Frank and Len get the idea to hit him on the head a second time early on, but it's not until the end of the episode that they finally get around to it, by which time Skull Boy has regained most of his memory on his own.
157	* ImOkay: Iris says this all the time whenever her boundless energy and recklessness gets the better of her. Also, yet again, Misery's deadpan "Ow"s whenever something happens to her.
158	* InAnotherMansShoes: The plot of "Quadra Gloomia": Frank and Len inexplicably end up in each of their friends' heads through repeated head trauma and see life through their eyes.
159	* InanimateCompetitor: In one episode, Poe is seen fencing against someone who's just offscreen, their swords clashing together. His opponent turns out to be Mr. Buns, the stuffed rabbit. The second Mr. Buns is onscreen, the sword he was apparently wielding clatters to the floor as he just sits there, by all appearances an inanimate toy.
160	* IntellectualAnimal: Poe is a subversion of this, being a KnowNothingKnowItAll.
161	* IResembleThatRemark: In "Name That Toon" as Poe is complaining about how his counterpart in Skull Boy's cartoon is an oblivious chatterbox he sits on the piano lid, making it collapse on Misery's hand.
162	* IronicEcho: In "Hair-Less", Ruby sings "Look on the Bright Side" to Skull Boy to cheer him up. At the end of Part 1, Skull Boy sings it to Ruby to try to cheer her up.
163	* IronicFear: There's a bat who's afraid of heights and the dark.
164	* IronicName: Ruby Gloom herself. Her last name may be Gloom, but [[PerkyGoth she's the opposite of gloomy]]. Before the cartoon was made, Ruby really was gloomy. Sort of.
165	* ItsBeenDone: Venus struggles with this during "Venus de Gloomsville."
166	* ItWasADarkAndStormyNight:
167	** In "Disaster Becomes You", Skull Boy tries to read a book at Disaster Camp that starts this way. Thing is, it's storming out of story as well, so he can only read when the lightning flashes bright enough to see the page. After he gets through that one sentence, the book disintegrates.
168	** "Shaken, Not Scared" inverts the phrase, starting off a scary story with "It was a light and sunny day".
169	* ItWasHereISwear: Skull Boy trying to introduce the guys to the Skeletunes in "Skull Boys Don't Cry". The first two times they stay hidden to mess with him as a joke, but they do show up the third time.
170	* ItWasWithYouAllAlong: In "Hair-less" Skull Boy leaves to find where he belongs, only to realise at the end he sees Ruby and all their other friends as his family.
171	* JackOfAllTrades: Skull Boy
172	* JiveTurkey: The Skeletunes. On the various occasions when Ruby and company encounter the lead singer, they're left utterly perplexed.
173	** Ruby becomes one of these in "Hair(less) the Musical" after soaking up enough of his lingo to replicate it... somewhat.
174	* KnowNothingKnowItAll: Poe
175	* LargeHam: ''Misery'' - of all people - sometimes fits this trope:
176	-->"I'm also the Queen of disasters, by the way. And the Princess. And the Baroness! And the Countess! And the ''Vis''countess! '''THE EMPRESS!!"'''\
177	"'''BEWARE!!!'''...of the cupboard!"
178	** As well as some of her relatives: Morose ("''Why?! Why?!''"), Mayhem ("''Hah Hah Hah!''") and Migraine ("''I'm Queen of the world!''")
179	* LastSecondWordSwap: This poem from Poe:
180	-->'''Poe:''' ...The bats will not harm you, I told them, "Let pass!" The ghouls are a problem, best watch your...\
181	''[Edgar and Allen stop playing and give him a surprised look]''\
182	'''Poe:''' ...em... bottom...
183	* LateToThePunchline: In [[Recap/RubyGloomS01E20 "Broken Records"]] when Iris tells a joke and it bombs, Ruby starts laughing after about a minute, saying she just got it. It's not made clear whether she really was late to the punchline or she was just trying to humor Iris.
184	* LeftTheBackgroundMusicOn: During Skull Boy's monologue in "Missing Buns".
185	* {{Leitmotif}}: Enter Misery, cue [[OminousPipeOrgan spooky organ music]].
186	** Iris has an upbeat trumpet piece, while Poe has a classical strings piece.
187	* LethalChef: Misery
188	* LightIsNotGood: In an episode when Misery goes away the dark clouds covering the sky of their home place instantly disappear; while the main characters are delighted at first then the sun's rays increase the temperature drastically and everyone tries to get Misery home.
189	* LikeAnOldMarriedCouple: When Skull Boy temporarily moved in with Poe they started acting like a couple on the verge of divorce, complete with Ruby acting like a marriage counselor.
190	* LimitedAnimation: Mocked in "Name That Toon"
191	* LimitedWardrobe: Outside of costume changes for a few skits or gags, most of the characters have only one outfit.
192	** [[UnlimitedWardrobe Skullboy on the other hand.....]]
193	* LiteralMetaphor: "Science Fair or Foul" has Misery literally catching lightning in a bottle.
194	* LivingToys: Mr. Buns is a strange example. The other characters treat him as if he's alive, and he seems to do things when he's not on-screen... but whenever he's on-screen, he's just a lifeless sock-bunny. In the most extreme case, he's fencing with Poe from just off-screen, only for the sword to drop the moment he's visible in the frame.
195	** Many people think that Ruby Gloom herself is, in fact, a Living Doll. This is supported by her hobby of sewing, pure white skin, and the stitches around her eyes. As well as being called "Doll Face" by Skull Boy.
196	* LoonyFriendsImproveYourPersonality: Misery, after a fashion. Though she's incredibly gloomy and pessimistic, most of her instances of happiness and laughter come from being with her friends.
197	* MadnessMantra: Whenever Misery's relatives visit, she often ends up repeating "Family visits are ''always'' fun!" while giving herself some blunt force trauma to the head.
198	* MadScientist: Mr. Mummbles sure ACTS like one, except he has a few differences from the stereotype: his project is a funpark, and he seems to be Scottish.
199	** Skull Boy adopts this persona when building his robot in "Science Fair or Foul", complete with the usual accent and shouting, "IT'S ALIVE!".
200	* TheManInTheMoon: The moon is alive. Other than singing the theme song, it has no additional dialogue.
201	** Although it did giggle in one episode.
202	* MeaningfulName: Misery is generally [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin not the perkiest girl in the world.]]
203	* MickeyMousing: Uses this up to a point, but it is particularly notable for the character Doom Kitty, whose every movement and action is punctuated by an appropriate violin chord. It's adorable.
204	* UsefulNotes/TheMillenniumAgeOfAnimation
205	* MinimalistCast: The bulk of episodes generally only feature the main cast. The exceptions usually either become recurring characters in their own right or are related to Misery.
206	* MinorInjuryOverreaction: Poe, in "Disaster Becomes You".
207	-->'''Poe:''' Ow! A ''papercut''?! A PAPERCUT!! ''OH'', WILL THE ''PAIN'' NEVER ''CEASE''??
208	-->'''Misery:''' [[BrutalHonesty Um, most likely, no.]] [[IronButtMonkey But you get used to it.]]
209	* MirrorCrackingUgly: Misery has cracked mirrors, as well as other things made of glass, just by looking at them.
210	* MisappliedPhlebotinum: In "Science Fair or Foul" Skull Boy builds a robot dad to help him make a science project. If Skull Boy was able to build a working robot he could have just made that his project.
211	* MissingMom: Ruby may have this. We'll never get to see both her birth parents. For some reason, [[AdultsAreUseless there is no parent or guardian]] in the mansion. The closest they have to an adult is Poe.
212	* MistakenForBrooding: In "Gloomer Rumor", Ruby is trying to plan a surprise party, but Frank and Len mistakenly think she's going through the FiveStagesOfGrief because [[MistakenForDying they think she's dying]].
213	* MistakenForDying: Parodied with Frank and Len in "Gloomer Rumor" when they think Ruby is dying.
214	* MistakenForInsane: In "Doom with a View", Doom [[InvisibleToNormals is the only one who can see Boo Boo the ghost]] and tries to point him out to everyone else. They wonder if Doom has lost it or is possibly having a nervous breakdown, so Ruby and Doom have to prove that Boo Boo does exist.
215	* MistakenSpecies: In "I'll Be Home for Misery" Mayhem thinks Scaredy is a bird.
216	* {{Mockumentary}}: In "Frank and Len Unplugged", Misery films a rockumentary of the two.
217	* MultipleHeadCase: Frank and Len.
218	* MusicalEpisode: Hair(less): The Musical. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahmFI75Kf5E And]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10b5UqXrflU it's]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8JtCLzMOJs actually]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6rLghVNk5o pretty]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxl4mQdNR88 friggin']] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-0p1Z5-QX0 good.]]
219	* MyGodYouAreSerious: In "I'll Be Home For Misery," when Misery begins to worry that her relatives' arguments will escalate:
220	-->'''Misery:''' You ''have'' to help me here, Ruby. These guys have ''never'' gotten along.
221	-->'''Ruby:''' I'm sure they'll be fine. They're family!
222	-->''[Misery starts laughing hysterically and stops when Ruby gives her a BlankStare]''
223	-->'''Misery:''' Oh, sorry. I thought you were joking.
224	* NeverSayDie: Averted, surprisingly or [[PerkyGoth not.]] The first episode has multiple instances of the word in a comedic context, as [[ReportsOfMyDeathWereGreatlyExaggerated Frank and Len are under the mistaken belief that Ruby is dying.]]
225	** The episode ''Poe-ranioa'' has Poe straight-up accuse the new neighbor of murder (which of course is false, but still)
226	** The show in general has a lot of death references, from characters hanging out in a graveyard for fun to Skull Boy sleeping in a coffin. It actually becomes a plot point in ''Uber-Gloom''.
227	* NightAndDayDuo: In "Hair(less): The Musical", Misery and Ruby's DuetOfDifferences has them calling themselves the dark and the dawn, respectively, representing the former's gloominess and the latter's optimism.
228	* NightmareFetishist: Misery shows this sometimes. Of course, Ruby herself is also a PerkyGoth, and all of the main characters are this to some degree living in the scary mansion (except [[LovableCoward Scaredy Bat]])
229	* NoAntagonist: The closest the show ever came to a bad guy was the thieving rabbit in "Bad Hare Day." There was also a pair of con artists in "Skull in the Family" who falsely presented themselves as Skull Boy's family in hopes of getting a reward and or stealing from them. But they get a HeelFaceTurn at the end of the episode.
230	* NoHuggingNoKissing: While it was clear that Ruby and Skull Boy had feelings for each other, neither of them acted on them and no other characters had feelings for anyone else. The closest was the episode "Ruby Cubed" where Skull Boy obtained a magic hat that made Iris and Misery fall in love with him (and strangely has no effect at all on Ruby).
231	* NoRomanticResolution: Ruby and Skull Boy never admit to their mutual crush.
232	* NonVoyageParty: In the first episode of Ruby Gloom, "Gloomer Rumor," Ruby plans a surprise party for her friends, and they all misinterpret her sneaky behavior. Skull Boy, Misery, and Iris all assume she must be moving away, while Frank and Len think she's dying.
233	* NonverbalMiscommunication: A RunningGag with Doom Kitty.
234	* NoodleIncident: Misery, frequently:
235	-->'''Misery:''' The last time I was surprised, that pack of wolves was ruthless...
236	** Also, in one episode Skull Boy asks for everyone to give him whatever is in their pockets; Scaredy contributes a plastic flamingo.
237	--->''(strange looks)''\
238	'''Scaredy:''' ''(sigh)'' It was a phase...I'm over it now.
239	* TheNoseless: Ruby looks like this when not in profile.
240	* NotHyperbole: Misery regarding Malady and Malaise in "Misery Loves Company":
241	-->'''Misery:''' My cousins are...''cold!''
242	-->'''Ruby:''' Hey, they'll warm up to us in no time!
243	-->''[Later, after [[IcePalace the house freezes]]]''
244	-->'''Misery:''' ''[[AnIcePerson "My cousins are cold!"]]'' [[PoorCommunicationKills That's what I've been trying to tell you!]]
245	-->'''Ruby:''' I thought you meant cold [[IceQueen figuratively]], and not [[InstantIceJustAddCold literally]].
246	-->'''Misery:''' That side of my family [[BeenThereShapedHistory was responsible for the]] ''[[BeenThereShapedHistory Ice Age!]]'' [[EndlessWinter Malady and Malaise are a walking cold front!]]
247	* AnOddPlaceToSleep: Misery's bed of nails.
248	* {{Oktoberfest}}: Uta and Gunther - Much to the disappointment of German fans, who thought ''Ruby Gloom'' was above such stereotyping.
249	* OminousPipeOrgan: Misery's {{leitmotif}}.
250	* TheOneGuy: Among Misery's relatives in "I'll Be Home for Misery" the only male is the one with a stitched up mouth.
251	* OurGhostsAreDifferent: Boo-Boo
252	* OutOfCharacterMoment: In "Ruby Cubed" Iris and Misery childishly and kind of cruelly tease Skull Boy about being the romantic male lead. While it's arguable if that's out of character for Iris, it's definitely out of character for Misery.
253	* ParentalBonus: Poe quips in "Missing Buns", "If the button fits, you must acquits!" How many kids would get that?
254	** In the episode "Ubergloom" [[spoiler:a visiting brother and sister have locked themselves in a room to develop their photographs.]]
255	--->'''Iris:''' Yeah, but they've spent the last three hours alone in a dark room. How much fun can that be?\
256	'''[[NightmareFetishist Misery]]:''' Actually, a lot.\
257	''[Everyone reacts]''
258	** Poe's poem:
259	--->'''Poe:''' ...The bats will not harm you, I told them, "Let pass!" The ghouls are a problem, best watch your...\
260	''[Edgar and Allen stop playing and give him a surprised look]''\
261	'''Poe:''' ...em... [[LastSecondWordSwap bottom...]]
262	** And in another episode:
263	--->'''Poe:''' There once was a crow from Nantucket...
264	** One of the episodes was called "Skull Film/BoysDontCry."
265	** From [[Recap/RubyGloomS01E20 "Broken Records"]] at the end of the TelecomTree scene:
266	--->'''Skull Boy:''' Misery, we're having a brainstorm session. My room in ten minutes! ''(hangs up)''
267	--->''(Misery, Scaredy, Frank and Len exchange awkward looks)''
268	--->'''Skull Boy:''' ''(picks up again)'' Oh, [[NotWhatItLooksLike that goes for the rest of you too]].
269	--->'''Others:''' Oh.
270	** In the episode, "Missing Buns", how Ruby acted towards Skullboy after [[spoiler:learning that he was the cause of Mr. Buns' strange disappearance. The music that played during the scene didn't help.]]
271	** In the first episode, Doom Kitty tries to stop Iris from reading Ruby’s diary by pretending to '''hang herself'''.
272	* PeoplePuppets: Iris does this with Ruby, Skull Boy and Scaredy Bat in the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LObSyURjz8 Pulling Strings]] short, making them dance around. They get their own back by making her a puppet and make her do... nothing. For [[GenkiGirl Iris]], this is unbearable.
273	* PerkyGoth: Ruby fits this trope perfectly, being bright, cheerful and friendly in every situation. The only thing that can get her down is bright colors. The strange thing is that the merchandise on which the show was based kind of gave Ruby a very melancholic feel.
274	** Everyone in this show is a Perky Goth to an extent.
275	* PieEyed: Done as a throwback in "The Adventures of Skull Boy and Doom" at the beginning of "Disaster Becomes You".
276	* PlagueOfGoodFortune: Every Friday the 13th, everyone in Misery's family has extraordinarily good luck and their normally extraordinarily bad luck is spread to those around them. Misery has so much good luck to make up for that she even gains FertileFeet.
277	* PlotMandatedFriendshipFailure: Three have happened over the course of the show. They include Ruby and Iris in [[Recap/RubyGloomS01E20 "Broken Records"]], Skull Boy and Poe in "Gloomates", and Frank and Len in "Frank and Len: Unplugged".
278	* ThePowerOfFriendship
279	* PresentPeeking: In the episode "Happy [[YouMeanXmas Yam Ween]]", Iris is shown to be this kind of kid.
280	-->'''Iris:''' I'm just going to ''look'' at the presents. [[BlatantLies I'm not going to open them all up and then rewrap them.]]
281	* RearWindowInvestigation: "Poe-ranoia"
282	* ReportsOfMyDeathWereGreatlyExaggerated: In the first episode, a rumor gets around that Ruby is dying. By the end, everyone thinks she's dead and is mourning her, while she tries to correct them. All PlayedForLaughs.
283	* ReversePsychology: Ruby attempts this on Scaredy in "The Beat Goes On". It fails.
284	-->'''Misery:''' Well, that was a complete success!\
285	'''Iris:''' What? No it wasn't. It was... Oh!
286	** And before that Misery successfully used reverse psychology on Ruby to convince her it was a good idea.
287	* RidiculouslyCuteCritter: Scaredy Bat and Boo Boo.
288	** Subverted with Bunny in "Bad Hare Day".
289	* RippleEffectIndicator: Poe in "Time Flies."
290	* RoommateDrama: The episode "Gloomates" revolves around Skull Boy moving in with Poe after his room is accidentally destroyed by Iris. Things are fine at first, until Skull Boy finds a book that inspires him to adopt TheSlacker personality, which annoys Poe and the two engage in a fight. It takes Ruby talking to both of them one-on-one (even if she just used the same speech for both) for them to reconcile with each other.
291	* ScaryShadowFakeout: In the episode "Missing Buns", Ruby, Scaredy and Skull Boy are running away from an imposing figure as thunder cracks and the figure's shadow casts across the hallway. It soon turns out to be Misery, who’s just the seeker in a game of hide-and-seek.
292	* ScaryStingingSwarm: Misery and Malady both get attacked by bees and, despite the swelling, don't seem too bothered.
293	* SecondEpisodeIntroduction: Despite appearing in the intro, Scaredy Bat isn't properly introduced until the second episode, "Grounded in Gloomsville".
294	* SecretSanta: The gang does this in "Happy Yam Ween". It's implied that through ContrivedCoincidence Frank and Len happen to pick each other every year.
295	* SeriesContinuityError: In "Forget Me Not" when Skull Boy regains his memory, among the clips from past episodes is one of the ruined Gloomsville World's Fairs from "Deja Vu Again" even though he shouldn't remember that.
296	* ShipTease: Ruby and Skullboy.
297	** [[DemBones A skeleton man]] and [[LivingToy a living doll]] pairing? [[WesternAnimation/TheNightmareBeforeChristmas Does this remind you of anything?]]
298	* SidetrackedByTheAnalogy: In "Gloomer Rumor" when Frank tries explaining the first stage of dying to Len.
299	-->'''Frank:''' Say your amp's not working. What's the first thing you do?
300	-->'''Len:''' My amp's not busted.
301	-->'''Frank:''' Exactly. You deny it.
302	-->'''Len:''' I'm telling you, it's not busted!
303	-->'''Frank:''' That's denial.
304	-->'''Len:''' Hey! Did you bust my amp?
305	* SilentSnarker: Doom Kitty. She is mute, so she communicates through charades.
306	* SillyWalk: In "Hair(less): The Musical", while singing "I Tried to Fit In", Skull Boy does an exaggerated walk where he's leaning back while taking large steps, at one point pausing to lean forward on one foot while holding the other behind him and to the side before sweeping it around in a wide circle to the front, shifting his weight toward the back again to resume the gait.
307	%%* SliceOfLife: Kind of.
308	* SpoofAesop: From "Shaken not Scared": Pranking is bad, but haunting is okay.
309	* StrangeMindsThinkAlike: In "Poe-ranoia" when Poe comes up with a name for the mysterious new neighbor it just happens to be his real name; Mr. Mummbles. Though for all we know Poe could have been one M off.
310	* SubvertedRhymeEveryOccasion: In one of the pre-show shorts called "Whilst," where Poe dreams he's a slam poet. One part of his poem goes:
311	-->'''Poe:''' The bats will not harm you,\
312	I told them, "Let pass!!"\
313	The ghouls are a problem;\
314	Best watch your....
315	* SuddenlySHOUTING: Misery and Scaredy Bat have a tendency to do this when panicking.
316	** "Iris Springs Eternal":
317	-->'''Misery:''' Oops. I think I pressed the thingamaWARNING!!
318	** "Tooth Or Dare":
319	-->'''Scaredy:''' ''(clears throat)'' Um, a strange winged creature sneaks into one's room under the cover of darkness to ''steal one's teeth''...
320	-->[{{Beat}}]
321	-->'''Scaredy:''' AND EVERYONE IS OKAY WITH THIS?!?!
322	** "Out Of This World":
323	-->'''Scaredy:''' Oh, thank you Skullboy. You know, I am ''glad'' you cleared up that nagging [[ItMakesSenseInContext baking soda]] issue. But, you know, one question: WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO NOW!?
324	* TapOnTheHead: In "Quadrogloomia" and "Forget Me Not".
325	* TelecomTree: In [[Recap/RubyGloomS01E20 "Broken Records"]], Skull Boy calls Misery --who is with Scaredy, Frank, and Len-- for a brainstorming session to help Iris and Ruby reconcile. After Misery & company exchange awkward glances, Skull Boy picks up again to tell them they are invited too.
326	* ThisIsGonnaSuck: In "Disaster Becomes You", everyone has this reaction in response to Misery conscripting them into [[TrainingFromHell "Disaster Camp"]]:
327	-->'''Poe:''' Oh dear.\
328	'''Scaredy:''' Oh my.\
329	'''Skullboy:''' Uh-oh.\
330	'''Iris:''' ''[[DissonantSerenity (cheerily)]]'' [[DissonantSerenity We're doomed!]]\
331	''[Everyone [[BlankStare stares]] at Iris]''
332	* ThreeShorts: Actually uses an unusual format, where one full-length episode is framed by two super-short segments.
333	* ToothyBird: Poe, Edgar and Allen
334	* TrrrillingRrrs: Mr. Mummbles, Scaredy, Poe…even Skull Boy gets in on the act at one point.
335	* TropaholicsAnonymous: [[FauxHorrific Much to his horror]], Boo Boo gets sent to group therapy in "Shaken, Not Scared" in order to overcome his addiction to pranking. His fellow attendees include a troll who doesn't want to live under bridges, and a HeadlessHorseman who'd rather use his pumpkin cranium as a basketball.
336	* {{Troperiffic}}: Misery, as evidenced by this page.
337	* UncannyFamilyResemblance: All shown members of Misery's family are just her design with a few changes.
338	* {{Understatement}}: Skullboy in "Last Train To Gloomsville" Part 1:
339	-->'''Skullboy:''' [[JackOfAllTrades Yeah, I guess it's possible]] [[DesperatelyLookingForAPurposeInLife I may have]] [[GeneHunting misread my ancestry]] [[OnceAnEpisode the odd time.]]
340	* TheUnsmile: Misery, though she does occasionally smile and laugh sincerely.
341	* VagueAge: It is unclear how old Doom Kitty is.
342	* VineSwing: Misery's cavewoman relative Mayhem travels this way, complete with a Tarzan-like call.
343	* WalkingDisasterArea: Misery, obviously. And everyone on her mother's side of the family.
344	* WanderingMinstrel: In "Ruby Cubed" Frank and Len play this part, commenting on everything they're seeing in rhyme.
345	* WatchOutForThatTree: Edgar and Allen in "Poe-ranoia."
346	* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: In "Last Train to Gloomsville: Part 1" the engineer falls off the train. We never find out what became of him.
347	** In "Yam Ween" we see Iris got Misery's name in the draw, but we don't see what she got her.
348	* WithCatlikeTread: Iris in "Yam Ween" when attempting to peek at the presents and seeing the chime she thought she broke was still broken.
349	-->"'''AHH!''' I mean... ''Ahh...'' '''IT'S STILL BROKEN!'''"
350	* WraparoundBackground:
351	** Parodically lampshaded during the episode "Name that Toon". As Skull Boy leads Scaredy Bat past the backdrop sheets of his cartoon, he says he'll try to avoid Repeat Pans, another name for this trope, and Scaredy Bat agrees that they invariably look cheesy. This entire sequence is shot in front of a Wraparound Background, made particularly obvious as the same two distinctive backdrop sheets are repeated over and over.
352	** Lampshaded again in "Last Train to Gloomsville" when Frank and Len admire the scenery outside the train. "Cool house! Nice boulder! Cool rickshaw! Cool house! Nice boulder!...Rickshaw..."
353	--->'''Frank:''' Does anything about this seem strange to you?\
354	'''Len:''' No.\
355	'''Frank:''' Me neither.
356	* WriteWhoYouKnow: Occurs in-universe in "Name That Toon", where Skull Boy makes all the characters in his animated film blatant stand-ins for everyone in the mansion, including himself as an AuthorAvatar. He also wants everybody to voice their animated counterparts, but ends up with awkward situations like ''Misery'' wanting to voice the CaptainErsatz of ''Iris'' and vice-versa.
357	* YouMeanXmas: Instead of Christmas (or Halloween) they celebrate Yam Ween.
358	* YourMakeupIsRunning: Just as every member of Misery's family has tears permanently running down their face, Mildew and Morose's makeup is permanently running.
359	* YourMindMakesItReal: In one episode Misery thinks she got a cold from a sick bunny and starts experiencing very real symptoms. Once she learns the bunny never had a cold her symptoms immediately vanish.

Context WesternAnimation / RubyGloom