Characters from Ginger Orphan Playhouse
Ginger Orphans
Cooper
The main character of the show. He is a ginger orphan who's trapped in a basement with a bunch of parrots.
- Berserk Button: Nicknames. Unfortunately, this happens to him a lot, mostly from The Salesman, so he has no choice but to accept it.
- Butt-Monkey: Poor Cooper has to undergo an extreme amount of either pain or stress or both in every episode, usually without getting any redemption at the end.
- Character Development: Cooper starts off as just a regular, if meek, little boy, but after being trapped in the basement for so long, he becomes much more assertive. In the finale, he really showed off what kind of a guy he was in the final musical number with The Salesman.
- Do Not Call Me "Paul": Does not appreciate being referring to as anything but "Cooper." Which makes being around The Salesman all the more irritating for him.
- Heartwarming Orphan: Cooper is a sympathetic and lovable protagonist with no parents.
- Only Sane Man: He is the only person in the basement who doesn't act like a complete psycho.
- Perpetual Frowner: Rarely ever smiles. Justified, given how depressing his life has been.
- Rage Breaking Point: He gets progressively angrier the more he has to deal with The Salesman's actions, culminating in the finale with him cussing out The Salesman while going red in the face and even adopting The Salesman's red eyes for a few seconds.
- Verbal Tic: Um, ... He ... Always ... Likes to um ... Break ... Down ... His ... Sentences? ... Like this? Saying, Um, ... "Um" ... A lot? And being ... Super Quiet?
- This was even joked about in "Living Life Underground", when his former orphanage buddy mimicked him.
- Vocal Dissonance: In "Circle", he did a perfect vocal impression of his own mother, the beautiful performance of Dying Alone being directly pointed out by Vanessa and The Salesman.The Salesman: Wow, Dumb-Dumb, what a voice!
- Youthful Freckles: Wouldn't be a ginger without them.
The Salesman
A former vacuum salesman who serves as the leader of the imprisoned orphans, on account of being the only adult.
- Ax-Crazy: Always expressed hints of this throughout the series, but went full-on psycho in the finale.
- Berserk Button: Interruptions.
- A Day in the Limelight: "The Roots of Coincidence" details the origins of how he met Madame Trinkett and got trapped in her basement.
- Faux Affably Evil: A core facet of his character, to the point where a decent amount of the humor in the series comes from his peppy, can-do attitude's contrast with the utter disregard he has for the orphans and their safety.
- The Gadfly: Loves to push Cooper's buttons. However, he does this so often that Cooper eventually becomes much more assertive by the finale.
- Hates Being Alone: The finale reveals why he wants everyone to stay in the basement with him. He is afraid of being alone and does not like the thought of everyone abandoning him they escape because he believes that no one will like him in the real world.
- Heel–Face Turn: Even after everything he did and everything that happened to him, The Salesman manages to be redeemed after Cooper offers him genuine companionship.
- Laser-Guided Karma: In the past, he was a scamming serial killer. However when he tried to seduce Madame Trinkett 23 years ago, he ended up the first of many kidnapped gingers in her basement.
- Mirror Character: To Cooper. They both have had a crappy childhood, suffered from Parental Abandonment of some kind, and Cooper eventually sports his ominous glowing red eyes when he reaches his Rage Breaking Point. The finale even implies that the reason why The Salesman focuses much of his attention on Cooper is because he reminds him of his younger innocent self and wants Cooper to grow up just like him.
- No Name Given: Despite his prominence throughout the entire series, his name is never revealed. It's even Lampshaded by Cooper during the finale.
- Not-So-Harmless Villain: When the series begins, he's primarily portrayed as a goofy, if occasionally off-kilter obstacle for Cooper to bounce off of comedically. Then Circle happens, in which he murders Clayton in cold blood, and it becomes clear to the audience and Cooper just how threatening he is.
- Sanity Slippage: Was already a little insane before, but being left in a basement full of screeching birds for two decades has made him even more manic and crazy.
Vanessa
A ginger girl, who was adopted by Madame Trinkett in "Lost Love". She quickly became the love interest of Cooper.
- Bloody Horror: Aside from the obligatory fact that she sees this every day down in the basement, she sees a hell of a lot more of it, when she works as a cleaning maid at the suicide motel.
- Damsel in Distress: Naturally, Vanessa had to pass initiation, when she first got locked in the basement. This meant that the Parrot King started to attack her and Cooper had to save her life by straight up killing the King Parrot with a vacuum.
- Did Not Get the Girl: Cooper asks Vanessa out in the finale, but she immediately responds with:Vanessa: Oh, well see, you're not really my type. I already have plans tonight. I gotta go. I gotta leave solo. That means alone.
- That being said, after witnessing Cooper stand up for himself and managing to save the Salesman, she actually smiles at him and joins him in song at the end. The Distant Prologue has her a grown women, where she thoughtfully stares at a photo of Cooper — implying that something may have happened between them.
- Establishing Character Moment: Before she's introduced, a different, non-ginger orphan enthusiastically decrees she'd love Madame Trinkett forever if she was adopted. When Vanessa is introduced proper, she sounds utterly bored when stating her name, and only says the similar decree at the insistence of the Orphanage Director.
- French Maid: She works as this in the future.
- Hidden Depths: The Season 1 finale gives us a lot of insight to her character. For once, she starts to react to the terrible things around her and she makes it very clear that she's unhappy with the life she lives and the job she works, when she looks in the mirror and refers to herself as "the punchline".
- Love Interest: To Cooper, though it's pretty one-sided.
- The Smurfette Principle: Save for a few background characters, she is the only female ginger in the basement.
- Spirited Young Lady: Instead of swooning and falling into the arms of Cooper, when he asked her out, Vanessa turned him down and claimed that she'd be escaping the basement alone, which is apparently exactly what she did as the flash forward to 20 years later, shows her outside of the basement, working as a cleaning maid at a suicide motel. She's not happy about it, ... but she's still alone.
- Stealth Insult: When rejecting Cooper, she tells him that she already has plans that night. I'm sorry, but you've been trapped in a basement for days, probably even months and you're just now getting out. What "plans" do you have, currently scheduled to happen later that day?
- The Stoic: She's fairly calm throughout the majority of the series, often reacting to the situations around her with simple, non-emotive statements, assuming she verbally reacts at all.
- A Wizard Did It: It's learned that 20 years in the future, Vanessa will have escaped the basement. However, the finale ends with her getting locked in the basement forever. So how the heck did she get out 20 years later? As far as we're concered for now, a wizard did it.
- You're Not My Type: Vanessa's feelings about Cooper.
Saltrot Joe
A salty seadog archetype who dressed as a sailor for Halloween and went trick-or-treating at Madame Trinkett's house, which is when he got captured.
- Abusive Parents: A surprising subtle example. In Joe's flashback, we see him going trick-or-treating at Madame Trinkett's house, which is when he gets kidnapped. Since then, he's been trapped in the basement for 3 years. Now, if you pay attention, you can see his mother with him. So, if that was the moment he was kidnapped and he's been there for 3 years, that meant his mother just let this happen and didn't bother to try and get him back. It's not like she didn't know where he was.
- Backstory: Saltrot Joe's backstory is that one Halloween, he was trick-or-treating in costume as a sailor. He went to Madame Trinkett's house and the rest is history.
- A Day in the Limelight: Saltrot's Shanty, where he sings his sailor song about the fall of Sir Trinkett.
- Early-Bird Cameo: Saltrot Joe makes a cameo in Like Father, Like Son, when The Salesman tells Cooper about the various other characters he'll be meeting along the way.
- Every Scar Has a Story: Or in his case, a rash. He has a big red rash on his face and the reason for that is because he's allergic to his hat.
- Father Neptune: His basic archetype. Although technically, he isn't actually a seadog. It was just a costume he was wearing the night he got kidnapped. Still, this doesn't stop him from committing to the character and taking on the personality.
- Talk Like a Pirate: Noticing a pattern?
- The Storyteller: In Starlot's Shanty, he tells the story of the disappearance of Sir Trinkett in the most sea captain-y way possible. Apparently, this is a monthly occurrence down in the basement.
- Too Dumb to Live: Downplayed, but this kid still willingly wears a costume he's actively allergic too.
Bully
The bully of the orphanage.
- The Big Guy: He's slightly larger-framed than the other kids.
- The Bully: Bully bullies people.
- Dare to Be Badass: In the episode "Like Father, Like Son", Bully antagonized Cooper, by daring him to go along with climbing up on the rafters and steal the egg from King Parrot.
- Demoted to Extra: After the second episode he appears mostly in the background for the rest of the show.
- Flat Character: He's really nothing more than just "The Bully".
- Idiot Hair: His hair sticks up on his head.
- Karma Houdini: Aside from obviously being trapped in a basement his entire life against his will, Bully never really seems to get any punishment for being an asshole.
Clayton and Clinton
Twin brothers.
- Always Identical Twins: There's no discernable physical difference between the two characters.
- Cain and Abel: Clinton is the Cain to Clayton's Abel. This metaphor was followed all to down to the letter when Clinton actually followed through with sacrificing Clayton's life to the Parrot King.
- Character Development: At the beginning of the series, they had no personality at all, being known as nothing other than "the twins". However, "The Roots of Coincidence" did give us a little information about their characters. Clinton's voluntary sacrifice to the Parrot King lets us know that he's been completely brainwashed by the cult, to the point where he's become suicidal and at peace with killing himself just to please some false god. Also, the fact that Clinton didn't even shed a single tear over the fact that his brother died just goes to show how cold and heartless he is.
- Creepy Twins: Considering their willingness to participate in The Salesman's "Circle",where orphans are sacrificed to finish the "circle,", they definitely qualify.
- Killed Off for Real: Clayton was sacrificed.
- One Twin Must Die: Someone had to be sacrificed, and Clayton was more than ready for his final adoption.
- Sacrificial Lamb: Clayton's death is what signifies both the viewer and Cooper on who the real main threat of the show is.
- Theme Twin Naming: Clayton and Clinton both have similar-sounding names.
- Those Two Guys: Clayton and Clinton aren't really much beyond being "the twins".
Couper
A ginger boy in the orphanage.
- One-Steve Limit: When Cooper came to the orphanage, The Salesman thought it would be a problem with there being two "Coopers". However, the first "Cooper" spelled his name with a "U", so it was perfectly fine.
- Spell My Name With An S: Be sure you spell his name with a "U" instead of two "O"s like the main character.
Black Ginger
The black guy in the group, who sings rap songs.
- Back for the Finale: He makes an appearance in "Living Life Underground" and doesn't appear again until the finale, where takes part in the final song.
- The Casanova: The Black Ginger is usually surrounded by a bunch of adoring redheaded sluts, that as he mentioned, he isn't even trying to nail.
- No Name Given: His name was never mentioned.
- Oxymoronic Being: A black dude with red hair.
- Token Minority: The black guy.
- Where da White Women At?: He is usually accompanied by a pair of redheaded sluts.
Redheaded Sluts
Two redheaded girls who usually accompany the black ginger.
- Ascended Extra: Originally appearing as nothing more than non-speaking background characters, the redheaded sluts made another appearance in "The Trial of Cooper", where they had a bigger role, shunning Cooper for killing the Parrot King.
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Big-Lipped Alligator Moment: Their entire existence could be considered this, considering that they only appeared as essential imagery for the Black Ginger's section of Living Live Underground and were never shown in any other frame, even when it was a shot of the entire basement.- However, they did make another appearance in the final episode, during Cooper's trial and this time, they not only had dialogue but also served a purpose in the story.
- Fangirl: To the Black Ginger.
- Heart Symbol: The freckles on their cheeks are shaped like hearts.
- Inexplicably Identical Individuals: They all look exactly the same.
- Living Prop: The sluts really have no roles or idividual personalities and are really only used as props to accentuate how much of a casanova the Black Ginger is.
Dummy Cooper
A ventriloquist dummy modeled after Cooper, made by The Salesman.
- Companion Cube: Dummy Cooper is somewhat of this to The Salesman.
- Killed Off for Real: In "The Trial of Cooper", The Salesman tore him in half.
- Ventriloquism: He is a ventriloquist dummy.
The Trinketts
Madame Trinkett
- Affably Evil: She's kidnapped who-knows how many orphans and is clearly deranged, but she's still a polite old woman who gives the people in her basement three steaks a day.
- Big Bad: Subverted. She appears to be the main antagonist for the majority of the series by default, considering she's the one kidnapping the orphans, but upon the events of "Circle", it's clear that The Salesman is a significantly more pressing threat.
- Cool Old Lady: At her age, she's incredibly calm, collected, and polite, even considering the string of kidnappings.
- A Day in the Limelight: She's the main focus of "Lost Love" and "Roots of Coincidence".
- Hidden Depths: We learn that she's mourning over the loss of her dead husband.
- Sanity Slippage: Losing her only husband and being alone for several years with only her birds for company has made her quite a peculiar person.
Sir Trinkett
- Going Down with the Ship: He most certainly did.
- The Lost Lenore: The effect his death had on his wife pretty much caused the entire series to occur.
Parrots
Parrots
Thousands and thousands of parrots who resign in the cages in the walls of the basement.
- Ambiguously Evil: These are not normal parrots. Many scenes suggest that they are much more on the ball than one may think and have sinister motives in mind.
- Team Pet: They're all the collective team pet of the ginger orphan team.
Parrot King
A giant parrot that sleeps in the rafters of the basement.
- Big Bad: Unless you consider Madame Trinkett or The Salesman to be the big bad, The Parrot King serves this purpose.
- Dire Beast: He's a violent and dangerously sized parrot, who's even bigger than a full-grown adult man.
- Don't Wake the Sleeper: Don't even think of waking him. A big mistake. When he's awoken from his nap, he'll beat the living shit out of you and maybe even kill you.
- The Emperor: The king of all the parrots and the ruler of the ginger orphan playhouse.
- Giant Animal Worship: The King Parrot is a colossal sized parrot, who the parrots, and to a lesser extent the ginger orphans, worship and, primarily, fear.
- Killed Off for Real: Smacked to death by Cooper's vaccuum in "Lil' Mitts Come Home".
Prince Parrot
The son of the Parrot King.
- Avenging the Villain: Implied, considering he waited just before the orphans were about to obtain their freedom to bash the door close, and Cooper killing The Parrot King not too long before this definitely implies it was an act of spite.
- Like Father, Like Son: Both the Parrot King and Prince Parrot both are prone to letting out screeches, even if Prince Parrot's is much more subdued.
Messenger Parrot
A parrot who served as Sir Trinkett's messenger to his wife, just before he died.
- Catchphrase: "Don't miss me, Madame. Time may have claimed the battle, but our hears are the cavalry and in the end, 'tis love that conquers all."
- Instant Messenger Pigeon: A variation on this. Given that he's a parrot, Sir Trinkett didn't need to attach a message to him, as he could just verbally repeat his message.
Recurring Characters
Orphanage Director
- Back for the Finale: In the Grand Finale, he returns briefly in a flashback where he first opens up the orphanage.
- Lack of Empathy: His response to Cooper going missing with no explanation?Orphanage Director: Look, we can't hold a funeral every time one of you doesn't come back!
Hank and Carole
- The Ditz: Dear Lord, yes.
- Eye Twitch: Carole's eyes tend to twitch a lot, especially during the couple's more crazy outbursts.
- Good Is Not Nice: One of the few adults in the show that actually care about the safety of kids, but are still grade A Jerkasses.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: They're manic, impulsive, and mean to almost everyone they meet, but they are clearly a happy couple and will go to the ends of the earth to find Cooper/Lil' Mitts.
- Running Gag: Every time they appear, one of them will probably end up breaking an object by throwing another object at it, whether it be a window, a car, or an entire airplane.
- Shared Unusual Trait: Both of them appear to have unusual eyes, with Hank's facing wrong directions and being too far apart, and Carole's being pointed inward and often twitching. Presumably, this is to make their...let's just say unimpressive intellect immediately clear.
- Sickeningly Sweethearts: They make their attraction to one another very clear.
- Uncertain Doom: The series ends with them stranded on the island with Madame Trinkett and The Salesman's father, with no hope of ever escaping. They don't seem to mind, as the latter's jokes lift their spirits.
Officer Sandy Socks
- Alliterative Name: Sandy Socks.
- Cool Shades: Always wears them and only takes them off briefly in the finale.
- Given Name Reveal: Although it was never mentioned in the series,
Word of God says that her first name is "Sandy". - Good Is Dumb: She's more or less the only adult in the entire series trying to help the orphans in any way whatsoever that isn't for utterly selfish reasons. Too bad she's apparently so incompetent she can't see what the kidnapped orphans might have in common. Emphasis on "apparently", as it's revealed in The Trial of Cooper that her Cool Shades blocked out any shade of color. The moment she takes them off, she immediately notices that they're all ginger.
Spoiler Characters. The majority of spoilers are unmarked.
Cooper's Birth Mom
Cooper's biological mother, who had to sell Cooper to an orphanage as she was incapable of handling him on her own.
- Beautiful Singing Voice: Has the voice of an angel and her defining musical number "Stay With Me", is arguably the best song in the series.
- Continuity Drift: In the first episode, Cooper told Madame Trinkett that he didn't know what happened to his parents. However, in "Circle", Cooper proved that he remembered very, very vividly that his mom killed herself.
- To be fair, Cooper probably just said he didn't know what happened to his parents because he didn't want to get into such a sore subject with a stranger, who he'd just met.
- Deceased Parents Are the Best: Cooper's mom killed herself, shortly after parting with him.
- Disappeared Dad: We know just about everything about her but we've yet to hear any information about who Cooper's biological father is/was or why he wasn't present in the flashback to Cooper's mom.
- Driven to Suicide: She couldn't handle the miserable life she was forced through, on top of her crappy apartment, lack of any money, constant sexual harassment at work, the straw that broke the camel's back was having to part ways with her son, the only shining light in her life. Right after this, she jumped off a building and ended it all ... right in front of her baby son, who still remembers it vividly.
- Invisible Parents: She was this for the beginning of the series before she and her story were revealed in "Circle".
- No Name Given: We never learned her name.
- Parents as People: Cooper's mom didn't sell her son because she was evil, greedy, selfish, etc. She truly loved her son and wanted to raise him but she knew that because of the horrible and inescapable conditions of her life, there was no way she'd be able to support him and knew he'd be much safer if he was in an orphanage.
- Walking Spoiler: Cooper's mom makes many appearances in future episodes, which spoil her big reveal in "Circle".
The Stranded Man
- Abusive Parents: Is all but stated to be this. Although we do not see him be physically abusive towards his son, he did sell him to an orphanage.
- Early-Bird Cameo: Can be seen in "Saltrot's Shanty".
- It Runs in the Family: It's clear where The Salesman gets his eccentric behavior from.
- Laser-Guided Karma: He sold his son for cheap money — and ended up stranded on an island alone for almost two decades.
- Small Role, Big Impact: He only appears in the final episode, and doesn't get a significant amount of screen time. Not only did him holding on to the radio send Madame Trinkett off, giving the orphans a chance at freedom, but his abandoning of his son either left The Salesman's murderous tendencies unchecked, or directly caused them. If this didn't occur, the orphans probably could've found their way out sooner, and a lot less people would be dead.
- Strong Family Resemblance: Directly pointed out by his son in the finale.
