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[[folder: General ]]

* AdaptationDisplacement: The live-action series, the [=DiC=] cartoons (especially the 1986 series) and the 1993 film have far more recognition than the comic strip.
* CantUnHearIt: Depending on the era, Dennis' definitive portrayal is done by either Jay North (live-action series), Brennan Thicke (1986 animated series) or Mason Gamble (1993 film).
* DesignatedHero: Dennis is the hero, but is ''very'' oblivious of the chaos and misery he causes to [[ButtMonkey George]] [[CrankyNeighbor Wilson]] and we're supposed to root for him because Mr. Wilson's mean to him (or at the very least laugh at Wilson's misery).
* DesignatedVillain: George Wilson may seem like a grouch, but it's very hard to not root for him since he suffers all the [[ButtMonkey misery]] and [[TheChewToy abuse]] inflicted by Dennis, ''who remains oblivious to his actions''.
* MemeticMutation: '''"HEY MR. WILSON!!"'''
* TheWoobie: It's easy to sympathize with Mr. Wilson for what he has to put up with from Dennis.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: [=Di C=] cartoon ]]

* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLdAVXOeNHk The theme song for the 80s series]]. A very upbeat theme with some slight jazz, especially big ups to the saxophone playing.
* BizarroEpisode: The episode "Trembly Assembly" in the 1986 series.
* HilariousInHindsight:
** The 1986 cartoon episode "Going to the Dogs" has Dennis, Joey and Ruff visiting a dimension called Dog City, which is populated by anthropomorphic dogs. Three years later, ''Series/TheJimHensonHour'' would feature a one-off special with a similar name and concept, which would inspire [[WesternAnimation/DogCity an animated series]] three more years later.
** The ''All-New Dennis the Menace'' episode "Dennis the Genius" features [[WesternAnimation/{{Recess}} a teacher named Miss Finster who has the same voice actor as Miss Grotke]], Creator/AllyceBeasley.
* RetroactiveRecognition: Wait, ''Creator/PhilHartman'' voiced Mr. Wilson and Mr. Mitchell?
* TearJerker: In "Ruff Come Home", on their way back from riding a riverboat on the local river, the Mitchells accidentally leave Ruff behind, and Ruff struggles to catch up with their car. When they come home, they discover that Ruff is missing, and Dennis worries that something bad has happened to him. He has a nightmare where several bad outcomes happen to Ruff, such as being sold to a man in Siberia, being used as a desert bloodhound, where the man who bought him tells the man he sold him to that he'll go for weeks without water, and being sold to a circus, where he is made to do such tricks as walking a tightrope and leaping through a flaming hoop.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Live-action series ]]

* HarsherInHindsight: The last episode shown before Joseph Kearns's death was about Mr. Wilson's will.
* HilariousInHindsight: In the first episode, Dennis eludes his babysitter to go to the movie that his parents are seeing. 33 years later, Dennis gets his feature film adaptation.
* OvershadowedByControversy: The live-action series is now most well known for how Jay North was suffering horrific physical abuse from his aunt and uncle during its entire run, constantly accusing him of playing scenes wrong.
* RetroactiveRecognition: A young Creator/KurtRussell can be seen in the episode "Wilson's Second Childhood".

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Live-action movie ]]

* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: The score by the unconquerable Music/JerryGoldsmith—particularly the main theme—still remains an exceptional and undeniable gem to this day.
* FairForItsDay: Alice being a working mom and going back into the workplace would have been seen as a ''much'' bigger deal in 1993 [[note]]Even in the film itself, Alice states that "a lot of moms work."[[/note]], and while obstacles for working parents still exist in many U.S. companies and state labor/workplace laws (like her uncooperative co-worker), the worsening economy, as well as the passage of time, would now [[ValuesResonance make Alice's decision the norm rather than the exception.]]
* MemeticMutation: [[https://9gag.com/gag/a1eRyPR/that-moment-when-you-realize-mr-wilson-looks-like-saddam-hussein More]] [[https://cheezburger.com/2639649024/saddam-hussein-totally-looks-like-walter-matthau than]] a few people have noted the resemblance between Walter Matthau's Mr. Wilson and UsefulNotes/SaddamHussein. [[https://www.reddit.com/r/gamegrumps/comments/1jxjx6/dennis_the_menace_side_by_side_comparison_of_mr/ Doubly]] [[https://cheezburger.com/7749613312/mr-wilson-totally-looks-like-saddam-hussein so]] for [[VideoGame/DennisTheMenace the video game adaptation]].
* MoralEventHorizon: Switchblade Sam crosses it by trying to stab Dennis with his knife.
* NightmareFuel:
** Dennis riding his bike through the woods at night, followed by Switchblade Sam emerging from the darkness in front of Dennis.
** Switchblade Sam fits the VileVillainSaccharineShow trope in general; he's a dark, dirty, and crooked thief who throughout the film steals money and jewelry from people's houses, Margaret's antique baby doll, and even Gunther's apple. He also threatens little kids with his knife, which is proven when he takes Dennis hostage near the end of the film. Even though he becomes a goofy ButtMonkey by then, his sinister motive and actions still contrast the film's whimsical and comedic elements. It was for this reason that Series/SiskelAndEbert were unable to recommend the film despite enjoying the aforementioned comedic elements (and, as they point out in their televised review, why Sam's scenes were not approved for it).
* TheProblemWithLicensedGames: Yep, there was [[VideoGame/DennisTheMenace a video game for the Super Nintendo]], based on the 1993 film. Everything about it was messed up, from the controls to the graphics (Mr. Wilson especially looks ''horrible'').
* TearJerker:
** The "Wynken, Blynken, and Nod" scene. As Mrs. Wilson recites the titular poem to Dennis to help him fall asleep, we get a shot of Henry and Alice in separate places, missing each other and Dennis due to having to attend separate business trips.
** Mr. Wilson's speech to Dennis is a particularly cruel KickTheDog moment. Yes, Dennis is something of TheScrappy, but he never meant any malice toward Mr. Wilson, and just before the speech was actually trying to warn him. It's pretty heartwrenching to watch this five-year-old boy being told how horrible he is by a man he looks up to and doesn't know exactly why. It's almost immediately followed by Mr. Wilson realizing [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone how cruel he was]], Dennis running away, and the entire neighborhood looking for him while Margaret cries.
* UnintentionallySympathetic: It's hard not to feel bad for Mr. Wilson, [[LifesWorkRuined especially just after the bloom scene]].
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