Line #75 YMMV/TheSmurfs


1	!! For the [[Franchise/TheSmurfs franchise]]:
2	* AdaptationDisplacement:
3	** A lot of people know the Smurfs. The original comic book series, ''Johan and Peewit''? Not so much.
4	** The 1980s AnimatedAdaptation is probably more well-known for American audiences than the Smurfs comic books.
5	** No one will blame you if you didn't know that there was a 1961 Smurf cartoon. Even in Europe, it's overshadowed by the 1981-90 cartoon and has never seen so much as a VHS or DVD release. For 15 years, the 60s era shorts would only be seen at a permanent Smurfs exhibit at the Belgian Comic Strip Center in Brussels, Belgium. Eventually, the French Youtube channel begun uploading episodes of the 1960s series on October 28, 2023 beginning with the episode [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJp03a2mcU0&t=630s "The Smurfnapper"]] in restored format.
6	* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: Smurfs, with how their society works, their lookalike costumes, and leader with a red hat could be seen as a symbol of Communism. In turn Gargamel could be seen as a symbol of Capitalism (especially considering initially he wanted to capture a Smurf for a potion to make some gold). See also [[WMG/TheSmurfs Wild Mass Guessing]].
7	* CantUnhearIt: For many fans, the Hanna-Barbera iterations of the characters are the voices that are imagined when reading printed content. This is particularly the case for Creator/DonMessick as Papa Smurf, Lucille Bliss as Smurfette, Creator/PaulWinchell as Gargamel, and Danny Goldman as Brainy.
8	* CommonKnowledge: The Smurf's use of {{Smurfing}} is used as a way to replace swears with a family friendly version of them, like how 'barnacles' and 'fish paste' is a swear substitute on ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants''. Expect this is decidedly ''not'' the case. The comic and animated series made a concerted effort to ''not'' have the {{Smurfing}} work as a substitute for swearing. In the original comic, when the Smurfs actually ''did'' swear, it was [[SymbolSwearing censored using symbols]] rather than using some form of 'Smurf'. Most people who think this applies to the series is because of [[ShallowParody how many parodies use it that way.]]
9	%%* EpilepticTrees: A disturbing amount of them contradict the show's continuity (just look at the conspiracy theories surrounding Smurfette).
10	* GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff:
11	** The Smurfs were very popular in the US and Canada during their heyday in the 80's. To the point that [[Film/TheSmurfs three]] [[Film/TheSmurfs2 feature]] [[WesternAnimation/SmurfsTheLostVillage films]] based on the franchise was created in the United States during Main/TheNewTens by Creator/SonyPicturesAnimation. Since the film rights were moved to Creator/{{Paramount}} and Creator/{{Nickelodeon}}, multiple Smurf animated films were announced in early 2022. Contrast to Belgium (the franchise's native country), where they only created three animated Smurf projects. Even the second season of CGI series premiered first in United States one month before Belgium did.
12	** The Smurfs are also very popular in Germany, with multiple German exclusive Smurfs albums released since the 90's. Vader Abraham popularizing the series during the 70's might have played a big role in this.
13	** Similar to Germany, the Smurfs are also popular in Greece, with Smurfette being the lead singer in various Greek Smurf albums.
14	* JerkassWoobie:
15	** Gargamel is all too happy to call himself "evil," but he's got plenty of reason to be unhappy. First, it is strongly implied that he had a seriously abusive childhood from every time we meet one of his relatives on-screen, said relative is either trying to mooch off Gargamel, browbeat and berate him, or both, even the wealthy ones like Balthazar. Second, to near CosmicPlaything levels, every time he tries to do ''anything'' it cosmically backfires on him due to some bit of information or event he had no way of knowing, even if his labors are good, honest work. In addition to the entry in HardWorkHardlyWorks, there's been other episodes where Gargamel did try his hand at honest work only to be thwarted either directly or indirectly by the Smurfs. The most prominent of these is when Gargamel actually won at an audition to become the royal court mage, honestly (his spell ingredients were a bit jumbled by transport to the castle, and his spell malfunctioned, but the fact that he summoned a tornado indoors, rode the tornado without injury, and nobody else in attendance was hurt convinced the judges that his power and control were more than sufficient for the job). Unfortunately, his first task, finding out why the chickens were not laying eggs was solved by Papa Smurf outside his knowledge. Perhaps Gargamel could have kept the job even then, but the Smurfs that were delivering the message to the king just had to stop and intrude on Gargamel's lab, without permission which ANY mage or alchemist would have good reason to be angry about. When Johan caught Gargamel threatening the Smurfs, only then did Gargamel learn that the Smurfs were good friends of the king and was real lucky not to wind up in the dungeon. Makes his obsession with making the Smurfs suffer seem a bit more reasonable, doesn't it? Gargamel was also compelled by force of arms to take Scruple in, as an apprentice, something which everyone can agree he is ill suited to do, and Gargamel doesn't even receive compensation of any kind, not even for the kid's living expenses. Thank evilness, or whatever that The Smurfs is a SugarBowl or somebody at Gargamel's castle would be seriously under-nourished if not starving to death. As a bonus, one episode had Gargamel plan and nearly succeed at carrying out his genocidal vengeance against the Smurfs with a powerful artifact or spell of evil, and he's stopped by Sassette when she says "I love you, pappi Gargamel!". Gargamel just... stops and breaks down crying because '''nobody ever said that to him before,''' not even his own mother. There are times that the audience may ''really'' want to give Gargamel a hug.
16	** Azrael gets a bit of this too. Remember, Gargamel's the best owner he's ever had. Azrael has had other owners. That hole in his ear was an injury one of his previous owners did when he was a ''kitten,'' deliberately.
17	** Chlorhydris stole an attractive male sorcerer away from a competing sorceress, but having to live the rest of her life thinking the man she loved and wanted to marry [[RunawayGroom just didn't show up on their wedding day]] was understandable enough to make anyone with her powers want to make the world suffer with her for the unhappiness that she had to live through. Unfortunately, she had to choose the Smurfs as the target for her making the world as miserable as she was, but when they found out that her witch rival had [[TakenForGranite turned her husband-to-be into stone]] and kept him in that state for twenty years, they did everything they can to help bring that happiness back into her life and at least give her the hope of a happy ending...until her husband-to-be accidentally sat on Chlorhydris' black heart arrows which she carelessly left on a seat that he sat on and caused his heart to be filled with nothing but hate. That just broke her heart all over again, and she's back to being her old bitter self again, desiring to ruin everybody's happiness.
18	** Brainy Smurf at times. While he's insufferable and considered TheScrappy both in-universe and out, the other Smurfs ''never'' give him a chance or at least try to tolerate him. He gets literally ''beaten up'' pretty much every time he talks, even though the Smurfs are supposed to be kindhearted and forgiving, especially with each other. Sometimes, the reader may have the impression that he's the village's punching bag even when he doesn't do anything wrong. For instance, in ''Le Schtroumpf Reporter'', Hefty Smurf and another Smurf get annoyed because the aforementioned reporter has started writing very intellectual and hard-to-understand articles in his newspaper. They come across Brainy, who tell them that the new articles are very interesting and ask them if they agree. They beat him up for that. In ''La Gourmandise chez les Schtroumpfs'', when Greedy Smurf gets indigestion (because he didn't listen to Brainy), and Brainy (''after helping him to return to his home'') starts to annoyingly list the medicine that he will give to him, he gets a kick in the ass.
19	* MemeticMolester: Papa Smurf in one of his poses has a really creepy smug look on his face. It doesn't help that in one of the stories he was going after Smurfette.
20	* MemeticMutation: Smurf Cat.[[labelnote:Explanation]]A bizarre, realistic image of a Smurf with a cat-like face went viral in 2023, often paired with the lyrics to Music/AlanWalker's "Spectre," and often pitted against the "strawberry elephant." It become an AscendedMeme later when The Smurfs' official Instagram account posted a picture of a blue Azrael, dressed like a Smurf, walking while a Smurf laughs at him. The blue Azrael looks similar to Blue Smurf Cat.[[/labelnote]]
21	* {{Moe}}: The franchise in general, since Smurfs are small and cute, so many characters qualify. The most obvious examples are:
22	** Smurfette. In a cast of male characters, she stands out as the adorable, wholesome, blond, and sweet GirlyGirl.
23	** Baby Smurf is TheBabyOfTheBunch, and so cute that even Grouchy Smurf has a soft spot for him.
24	** The four Smurflings, a group of playful children who also serve as KidAppealCharacter, possibly the reason why they have a major role in later seasons.
25	** Clumsy, a sweet-natured, naive KindheartedSimpleton who is accident-prone but means well, occasionally falling into TheWoobie. The fact that late actor Creator/AntonYelchin provided the voice of Clumsy in the live-action Sony movies only further increased it's moe appeal.
26	* RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap: Brainy Smurf in the later comics, live-action movies and ''WesternAnimation/SmurfsTheLostVillage'' (all of which were made after the death of creator Peyo). He no longer makes long speeches as much to annoy Smurfs, his maturity increased, becomes more knowledgeable, has more sympathy for others and is no longer self-centered. His insufferable tendencies have also been downplayed (he retains a level of pretentiousness to keep him comical, though can at least back up his bragging by being useful more often).
27	* TheScrappy: Weepy Smurf. He does nothing but constantly weep over bad things and good things. His voice is far more annoying than Brainy when he's upset, making him unpopular with fans.
28	* StrawmanHasAPoint: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DdnOlIJOcI The Greek version of]] the song "The Smurf School" portrays the teacher figure as a SadistTeacher, but he's rightfully strict, because the Smurfs are essentially being disrespectful, boorish {{Jerkass}}es to him.
29	* UnintentionallySympathetic: Some fans find Brainy Smurf sympathetic because (at least in the comics) despite his constant nagging, [[StrawmanHasAPoint he often has a point]] and is victim to ''brutal physical violence'' when the other Smurfs are annoyed, without them getting any chastisement for this, even though the Smurfs are [[{{Hypocrite}} supposed to take pride into being]] more peaceful than humans.
30	* WhatDoYouMeanItsNotPolitical: The Smurfs (whose society can somehow be described as an "utopia") have been mistaken (to Peyo's great amusement when he was alive) for a metaphor:
31	** [[TheComplainerIsAlwaysWrong Of the occasionally creepy "groupthink" vibe]] common in cartoons during TheEighties.
32	** Of a Communist society. Never do you see one "Consumer Smurf" buying from a "Shopkeeper Smurf" (in fact, one story explicitly states that the Smurfs don't use money and every Smurf with a job seems to do it for free), and the fruits of the community's labor is divided evenly amongst the community. Each Smurf has their own job, and any attempt at trying a different job typically ends in disaster. Gargamel comes off as a metaphor for capitalism, wanting to make money no matter the cost or what he destroys in the process. And topping it off, their leader wears red.
33	** Of the KKK. A hundred critters in pointy white hats living in what amounts to a secluded commune led by a wizard with a pointy ''red'' hat. It should of course be noted that it was made by a ''Belgian,'' and the KKK esoteric imagery is mostly unknown in Europe.
34	** The Smurfs are actually a patriarchal [[StatusQuoIsGod conservative]] utopia. They live in a [[MedievalStasis static]] and autarchic rural agrarian system, away from evil technological and social progress. They are ruled by a wise, benevolent, kind but stern patriarch who lays down the law and without whom anarchy and chaos engulf the village.
35	** Certain real-world societies have also high-jacked the meaning of on paper communism. On paper, the Smurfs would be an ideal socialistic society or the above mentioned patriarchal society. Papa Smurf is essentially the government role that helps inform and "control" what jobs the Smurfs do for the society. In real life such a system would wholly depend on having all the right pieces in all the right places; in reality what most westerners call "communism" is more like socialism with a corrupt Papa Smurf turning it into a flat out dictatorship.
36	** There have been two explicitly political issues. One is "''King Smurf''" (The Dutch translation even called him the Smurführer). The other one, "''Smurf versus Smurf''," is a satire of Belgium's linguistic division.
37	** Some can see Gargamel as the stereotypical image of Jews in the Middle ages (despite having a normal nose, no beard, and no accent) and later on: short (Gargamel actually isn't short, he seems to be because he's slouchy) with back-hair and big curved nose. He is chasing after the innocent Smurfs and he wants to either [[GreedyJew make gold]] out of them, or [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_libel eat]] them (''cartoon only'' for this one). In addition, the story of Smurfette: She was initially an evil creation of Gargamel and was black-haired with a big nose. After her transformation into Smurfette, she has blond hair and blue eyes, and she is a kind and good-hearted woman. In one episode Gargamel kidnapped her and put a spell on her so she turned evil again, and she resumed her black-haired appearance. When she turned good again, she also resumed her blond hair again. All of of this can be explained by very very older literary tropes like [[BeautyEqualsGoodness Uglyness Equals Villainy]] and DarkIsEvil, among others. Gargamel is just your usual sorcerer and it requires much effort to see him as a Jew.
38	** Fundies put the "fun" in fundies by claiming that the principal Smurfs represent the seven cardinal sins while Papa Smurf represents the devil and that Gargamel is a Catholic priest; thing is, his clothes do look like those of a priest...
39
40	!! For the [[ComicBook/TheSmurfs Belgian comic book series]]:
41	* AccidentalAesop: In ''Doctor Smurf'', the big aesop is that you shouldn't improvise yourself as a doctor because it takes years of studies and practices. However, the comic also show what happens when the Smurfs are over reliant on Papa Smurf as he is the only doctor of the village: he can't treat everyone by himself and can't do his other tasks because of this. When Papa Smurf becomes sick, the Smurfs has no one to turn to except for a human friend. The other aesop would have been: Papa Smurf should train another Smurf as a backup, but the comic doesn't delve into this.
42	* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: Specific story examples:
43	** Brainy in "The Olympic Smurfs." Was he being a fair judge in giving Smurfette a pink card that legally takes her away from Weakling just after he wins the Olympics and a possible SmoochOfVictory from her, or was he being just a complete opportunistic {{Jerkass}}?
44	* AudienceAlienatingEra: from ''The Baby Smurf'' to ''The Strange Awakening of Lazy Smurf'', the slapstick and social parody were toned down (in fact, it begins earlier, with the secondary stories of the album ''The Smurfic Games''). ''The Finance Smurf'', the last album made before Peyo's death, and those that follow it, recover these parts that made the book successful.
45	* CreatorBreakdown: Peyo himself, initially hated women, and created Smurfette as a dainty damsel-in-distress with an emphasis on negative traits, which was considered sexist at the time. But when Hanna-Barbera adapted the series to television and changed Smurfette to be a strong female heroine, Peyo was forced to follow suit and gave her more of a major role in the comics.
46	* MorePopularSpinoff: To ''ComicBook/JohanAndPeewit''.
47	* RecycledScript:
48	** ''The Smurf Menace'' (comic book) begins with the Smurfs being in conflict and fighting each other, so Papa Smurf decides to use his magic to bring an enemy towards them, so that they unite each other and become peaceful again. Just like in ''Smurf VS. Smurf''.
49	** If you count stories between the comic book continuity and the cartoon show continuity, ''The Finance Smurf'' recycles the plot of "The Smurfs and the Money Tree", even to how it ends (Greedy and Finance both suffer a case of PyrrhicVictory in that they gain possessions at the cost of losing friends).
50	* TheScrappy: The Smurflings are considered this, which is why they are hardly ever shown in the comic book stories, along with the CanonForeigner characters like Grandpa Smurf and Nanny.
51	* UnfortunateCharacterDesign: The phallic-looking Old Tower in the comic book story ''The Smurfs and the Book That Tells Everything''.
52
53	!! For {{WesternAnimation/The Smurfs and the Magic Flute}}:
54	* Go [[YMMV/TheSmurfsAndTheMagicFlute here]]
55
56	!! For the [[WesternAnimation/TheSmurfs1981 Hanna-Barbera animated adaptation]]:
57	* Go [[YMMV/TheSmurfs1981 here]]
58
59	!!For the [[VideoGame/TheSmurfs1994 1994 video game]]:
60	* Go [[YMMV/TheSmurfs1994 here]]
61
62	!!For the 2011 movie:
63	* AssPull: Clumsy tripping all over a keyboard, causing the picture Patrick made for his company to switch to another picture that Patrick sends without anyone realising. That’s not clumsy, that’s just painfully forced.
64	* BigLippedAlligatorMoment: The scene where the Smurfs play guitar comes out of nowhere and is not relevant to the plot.
65	* CargoShip: Grouchy with a green M&M plushie.
66	* ClicheStorm: Of the "live action cartoon adaptation" genre. It has [[UnintentionalUncannyValley hyper-realistic]] CGI, is a HumanFocusedAdaptation, has ProductPlacement out the wazoo and TotallyRadical attitude... There were even people who ''genuinely believed that [[PoesLaw trailer for it was fake]]'' [[PoesLaw because of how cliched it was]] (which makes the second trailer's use of [[Music/TheHives "Hate To Say I Told You So"]] feel like a hilariously meta NotMakingThisUpDisclaimer).
67	* CriticProof: Many critics lambasted the film, but it was a hit in theaters.
68	* HamAndCheese: Creator/HankAzaria {{chewing the scenery}} as Gargamel is arguably the best part of this movie.
69	* TookTheBadFilmSeriously: Jonathan Winters' weather-worn voice for wise old Papa Smurf is often praised as the best thing in the movie.
70	* QuestionableCasting:
71	%%** Music/KatyPerry as Smurfette.
72	%%** Not to mention Creator/NeilPatrickHarris, Creator/AntonYelchin and [[Film/X2XMenUnited Nightcrawler]].
73	** Joel [=McCrary=] makes [[VocalDissonance Farmer Smurf]] sound like a big fat guy.
74	** George Lopez as Grouchy Smurf. His voice does NOT fit a teeny-tiny Smurf, nor does he sound anything like Grouchy did in the original cartoon.
75
76	!!For Smurfs 2:
77	* Go [[YMMV/TheSmurfs2 here]].
78
79	!!For the [[WesternAnimation/TheSmurfs2021 2021 series]]:

Context YMMV / TheSmurfs