Bullying in cartoons

In many 1990s and early 2000s cartoons, the subject of bullying was projected as part of everyday life for a kid, with the usual "surf into lockers" and "shake down for lunch money" stuff, as well as bullies dressing up in punk/goth attire.

Today, now that bullying is one of the hottest buttons in American society, i feel it's even hotter when depicted in animation today. I tend to stay away from Family Guy depictions of bullying, such as "The Tan Aquatic with Steve Zissou," "A Fistful of Meg" and anything with Connie DiMicco. American Dad episodes depicting the issue I hate also, including "Bully for Steve" (which also contains hints of Domestic Abuse) and "The Full Cognitive Redaction of Avery Bullock by the Coward Stan Smith". Even the South Park take on it in "Butterballs" wasn't meant to garner any giggles.

What do you think?

edited 7th Dec '13 2:06:52 PM by HellKillUsAll

NB 4 PWNIZ

Anyway, Bullys have been a stock character since at least the 90's, if not earlier. I don't think there's anything wrong with the archetype, but now that people are becoming sensitive it's considered an even worse one than before. And most bullies in kids shows have a soft side to them.

Now if only that meant they would develop into better characters as well.... It'd be an actual step in the right direction...

Sometimes bullies like Harold or Binky end up becoming friends with the protagonist, does that count?

Hell yes.

Shall I bring up Sarah, Kevin, and the Kankers from Ed, Edd n Eddy?

This is a show I grew up with and while the Kankers bothered me with their bullying, Kevin and Sarah really took the cake. Sarah always acted like a total bitch and a bully to her brother Ed and his friends, while Kevin would torment the Eds (usually Eddy) when they aren't messing with him.

What do you guys think?

edited 7th Dec '13 7:39:26 PM by MsCC93

On the other hand, the Eds were little scammers and robbed the kids every chance they got, so...

It's not bullying, it's just how kids are. We were all cruel little bastards at one point.

The three Eds usually deserve what they get, though.

Also, I'll add that Kevin was Another bully that became friends with the protagonist

edited 7th Dec '13 7:58:49 PM by Smasher

,

Good points. I agree that the Eds weren't 100 percent innocent either and the kids would beat Eddy up when he was acting like a jerk and when he really deserved it.

I should have included Eddy as a bully because of the episode "If It Smells Like An Ed" when he bullied Jimmy by giving the guy a wedgie, thus provoking Jimmy into doing his Evil Plan.

edited 7th Dec '13 8:15:21 PM by MsCC93

Eddy wasn't always a bully, but he was a weasel, and that's just as bad.

I only saw Jimmy as annoying in the newer seasons. While I don't like Jimmy that much, I think Jimmy should have only framed Eddy because Eddy only deserved it, not Ed and Edd.

Also, may I include those spoiled brats Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon from My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic?

edited 7th Dec '13 8:25:34 PM by MsCC93

When the three of them are seen together so often they might as well be fused at the hip, it's not unreasonable for a little kid like Jimmy to assume all three Eds were in on it.

That makes a lot of sense. Not to mention, Jimmy is pretty naive.

Plus, although I won't add Jonny on the list, even he became a jerkass in the episode "X Marks The Ed" when he bullied Eddy because of his pimple.

That's not bullying either, that's just how kids are.

Too many shows during while this show was around & popular at the time, however, took this too far and ended up sucking for a lack of charm and wit this show actually possessed and pulled off well, IMHO - I hope I don't need to list examples...

Rather than coming off as a proper representation of how kids are sometimes, they just... came off as worthless or reprehensible in overall variation.

edited 8th Dec '13 2:55:31 AM by TheShopSoldier

Edd Edd N Eddy is not one of those, because EVERYONE on that show is an ass.

I think people resent the cases in Ed, Edd N' Eddy more for the double standard that the Eds Can't Get Away with Nuthin' while the other cul de sac kids usually get away scot free (admitedly not as often as some make out, there are several episodes Kevin and Sarah are the Butt-Monkey to some degree, but still they get their comeuppance a lot less than Eds and sometimes even get away with attacking them unprovoked).

Resented episodes like 'Your Ed Here' kinda fit into a realistic concept towards bullying in having a 'sometimes karma won't hit and life isn't always fair' type Aesop, it's just such in-your-face cases were kinda irrelevant in a show where bullies usually get away with crap on a regular basis anyway/

edited 8th Dec '13 9:53:09 AM by Psi001

THIS. Then some people wonder why Kevin and Sarah are The Scrappy.

I think the reason why they always win is because they are Designated Heroes and the audience is supposed to root for them, but it's obviously not working for good reasons.

Anyway, as far as bullies, Mertle from Lilo And Stitch needs to be included because she is a realistic portrayal of one. She shows how bullies try to get people to shun you to make sure you have no friends and how bullies won't always get punished. Bonus points for the fact that her purpose for the show is to be obnoxious and unlikable as possible.

edited 8th Dec '13 12:54:50 PM by MsCC93

I'm curious to know how many cartoons have done a Very Special Episode about bullying. It appears to be the hot topic to do these days. I know Ultimate Spider-Man had one as well as My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, but that's all I know.

edited 8th Dec '13 12:07:31 PM by sparkykandy

As I have said before, Arlene Klasky had a problem with Angelica during the first run of Rugrats. She hated Angelica's bullying so much that she fired Paul Germain (Though he says that he didn't know the show was returning at that point according to "SLIMED", so I'm confused about that) and the writing staff of the first 3 seasons and hired a new writing team.

I don't have much of a problem with bullying in cartoons as it gives conflict to the story, as long as it's not Character Derailment,

edited 8th Dec '13 12:40:25 PM by anonymous1224

A lot of time it didn't really come off like you were supposed to root for them, especially in Your Ed Here. There were times their treatment of the Eds was treated as karmic, but I think it was intended to be a grey vs grey scenario, just as stated, since the Eds were Cosmic Playthings, the other kids were far more liable to getting away with things than they were.

Paul Germain actually intended for Angelica to be a similar case of a Karma Houdini bully, who managed to harass the babies to deliver a 'life isn't always fair' Aesop. They heavily downplayed this aspect after a few episodes, with Angelica usually being the Butt-Monkey to her own pranks. This didn't stop an endless amount of other Nick shows using the concept in full throttle however, especially with the same 'evil little girl' archetype.

I think how far people can stand this type of Aesop depends on the level of cynicism the audience can stand, and also how far the show takes it. Having a realistic Aesop about accepting the crueler aspects of life can work but in the end a lot of people watch cartoons to escape the cruelty of reality, and there's usually only so long a character can get away with being a repulsive little shit before making the show extremely mean spirited.

edited 8th Dec '13 12:56:37 PM by Psi001

Even in her original concept, Angelica was still more likable than Mr Krabs (Post Revival). The Arlene Klasky letting Paul Germain go reminds me of when Butch Hartman did a similar thing to Steve Marmel on Danny Phantom.

Anyway, I think Sponge Bob and Family Guy since uncancellation for both shows have a huge case of bullying, particularly against Meg and Squidward.

At least when Hartman did that to Marmel, I can take solace in knowing that the Hartman season got Danny Phantom canceled, probably not what he was going for there.

Ultimate Spider-Man uses a tried concept that every bully is a woobie with a sucky childhood and they just need a hug and they'll magically develop ethics.

Does there exist a show that handles the subject... umm... better?

I think one thing most shows in general, not just cartoons, forget is that bullies aren't completely two-dimensional in real life. On TV, bullies exist solely to make the protagonist's life a living hell, and any extraneous details are either put there for comic relief (e.g. an embarrassing hobby) or to attempt forced sympathy for a quick resolution (e.g. Parental Abuse as a Freudian Excuse^note this specific example can potentially work, though, considering there is real life psychological basis for this...it's just not even NEARLY as simplistic as most TV writers think it is). In real life, they have a life, a family, friends, things they like and dislike, a nice side...you get the picture.

Hell, someone in real life can totally even be a bully without even realizing it. Bizarrely enough, the only time I've ever seen that side of the issue covered on TV was in a Full House episode. And when Full House covers an issue better than you, that's when you know you've failed.