Basic Trope: Smart people are mean, dumb people are nice.
- Straight: The intelligent Smith is an Insufferable Genius who is quick to anger and has a permanent scowl on his face; Dunsworth is slow-witted but is a very nice and gentle person.
- Exaggerated:
- Downplayed: Both characters aren't outright good or evil. Smith just wears Jade-Colored Glasses while Dunsworth is a bit of a Wide-Eyed Idealist.
- Justified:
- Smith is unhappy because his intelligence allows him to perceive the half-empty reality. Dunsworth, being ignorant, has no reason to be anything but blissfully happy.
- Smith and Dunsworth are in a Crapsack World, where being neutral or downright evil are expected. Dunsworth simply wasn't smart enough to understand said norm.
- Inverted: Dunsworth is dumb but is incredibly rude; Smith is intelligent and incredibly nice to people.
- Subverted: Smith seems to be a far better person than Dunsworth.
- Double Subverted: ...But Smith is really a an Evil Genius and a Villain with Good Publicity, whereas Dunsworth is the hero who is trying to stop him, and has gained some undeserved bad publicity in the process, making him seem meaner.
- Parodied: The two men are literally only defined by their intelligences.
- Zig Zagged: Smith seems better than Dunsworth - but that's just because he's a Villain with Good Publicity. At least, that's the excuse that Dunsworth makes up...
- Averted: Intelligence is not a determinant of kindness.
- Enforced: "We need a comedy duo! The smart angry guy will smack around the dumb guy."
- Lampshaded:
- Invoked: Dunsworth hates Smith's guts, so he incites his bar buddies against Smith by saying how smart people keep normal Joe's down.
- Exploited: ???
- Defied: Smith decides to become a nicer person; or Dunsworth decides to become smarter.
- Discussed: "Despite what the rumors may imply, intelligence has little to do with happiness and character."
- Conversed: "I'd ask if the writers have self-esteem issues for hating on smart people, but that would imply they're smart."
- Deconstructed: We get to see an inside look at both men; Smith is incredibly unhappy because everyone hates him for his intelligence; Dunsworth isn't particularly happy himself, because he'd much rather be smart like Smith.
- Reconstructed: Both men realize that they've got to utilize their gifts. Dunsworth realizes that while he's not too bright, he enjoys being liked by people around him; and Smith realizes that while he's not the most popular guy on the face of the earth, he is incredibly intelligent and should value that.
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Dumb Is Good
