History Main / RoadRunnerVsCoyote

** ''[[ScrewballSquirrel Screwy Squirrel]]. Unlike in most examples, though, Screwy, the roadrunner in this case, is caught and killed at the end of his final short. Who does the deed? A dog version of Lennie Small from ''Literature/OfMiceAndMen''.
** George and Junior

** ''WesternAnimation/ScrewySquirrel''. Unlike in most examples, though, Screwy, the roadrunner in this case, is caught and killed at the end of his final short. Who does the deed? A dog version of Lennie Small from ''Literature/OfMiceAndMen''.

* [[spoiler:Enzo]] from ''Machinima/Supermarioglitchy4sSuperMario64Bloopers'', PERIOD. [[spoiler:He wants to kill Mario, [[DisproportionateRetribution all for the latter ruining his birthday party]].]]

** The HighSchoolAU version of the Looney Tunes, ''WesternAnimation/TinyToons'', had many teen versions of the original Looney Tunes and some original characters. Among them: Calamity Coyote and Little Beeper (teen versions of the Coyote and the Roadrunner) and Furrball and Sweetipie (Silvester and Tweety). There was also a little baby mouse Li'l Sneezer that was sometimes chased by Furrball and, in a curious continuation of the food chain, a nerd worm named Bookworm chased by Sweetipie, in all cases with bad consequences for the predator. But the writers soon left this formula and focused more on other kind of plots.

* Some of Creator/TexAvery's Creator/{{MGM}} shorts:

** ''WesternAnimation/DaffyDuck'': Duffy Duck was the road runner at first, then he became the coyote after he was changed into a near-ButtMonkey.

** Played with in the ''WesternAnimation/RalphWolfAndSamSheepdog'' shorts, the protagonist was in fact the bodyguard, thwarting the antagonist from pursuing its prey (in this case a field of sheep). Amusingly, this was [[PunchClockVillain just a routine day job]] [[PunchClockHero for the two]]; they're good buddies off the clock.

* Some WesternAnimation/ClassicDisneyShorts, particularly the ones involving Donald Duck of ''WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck'' used this trope, but not quite to the degree of the Warner shorts.
* ''[[WesternAnimation/TomAndJerry Tom and Jerry]]'': Tom the tom-cat and Jerry the mouse are a classic example, but these cartoons belong among the rare ones which sometimes PlayedWith this trope. Jerry was very antagonistic in some cartoons, to the point where Tom was the likeable character of the two and viewers rooted for him, hoping he would catch the bloody vermin. In some episodes, Tom had at least some vindication by the end, such as the episode in which he forced Jerry to learn how to "hunt cats" from his nephew. Sometimes Tom and Jerry even [[EnemyMine collaborated against a common enemy]], like a new evil tom-cat in their house.

** ''WesternAnimation/ScrewySquirrel''. Unlike in most examples, though, Screwy, the roadrunner in this case, was caught and killed at the end of his final short. Who did the deed? A dog version of Lennie Small from ''Literature/OfMiceAndMen''.

-->-- '''The BigBad Wolf''', Creator/RichardScarry's version of ''The Literature/ThreeLittlePigs''

If it is any recurring, the antagonist will try several times to capture, kill, or otherwise defeat the protagonist, and keeps failing spectacularly, either because the target is too smart, or because the antagonist is just [[ButtMonkey really unlucky]]. Often this plot will climax with a plan that looks actually serious, but will fail just as surely as the others.

* The old, old movie ''Film/TheGreatRace'' was live-action Road Runner cartoon from start to finish. It was itself an inspiration for ''WesternAnimation/WackyRaces''.

%%* Creator/DePatieFrelengEnterprises had ''WesternAnimation/TheAntAndTheAardvark'' series.

** An episode in which Dexter got a bicycle turned into a direct homage to the Road Runner cartoons. Dexter tried to get even with a roller-blading Dee Dee.
** Episode "Mom and Jerry" was a ''WesternAnimation/TomAndJerry'' pastiche in which Dexter got trapped in the body of a mouse and his mom mistook him for a regular mouse. HilarityEnsues.

** Played with in the ''WesternAnimation/RalphWolfAndSamSheepdog'' shorts, the protagonist was in fact the bodyguard, thwarting the antagonist from pursuing it's prey (in this case a field of sheep). Amusingly, this was [[PunchClockVillain just a routine day job]] [[PunchClockHero for the two]]; they're good buddies off the clock.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/maxresdefault_825.jpg]]

A plot, frequently animated, which involve natural enemies chasing or hunting each other.

[[folder: Advertising]]

[[folder: Anime & Manga]]

A plot where the antagonist tries several times to capture, kill, or otherwise defeat the protagonist, and keeps failing spectacularly, either because the target is too smart, or because the antagonist is just [[ButtMonkey really unlucky]]. Often this plot will climax with a plan that looks actually serious, but will fail just as surely as the others.

A SubTrope of FailureIsTheOnlyOption, except this specifically focuses on repeated failures in succession. Frequently linked to HarmlessVillain and AmusingInjuries, and may induce RootingForTheEmpire if the antagonist is pathetic enough.

Compare CatchThatPigeon, SternChase, VillainDecay (just here the villain decays immediately by design).

[[folder: Anime and Manga]]
* ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'': Team Rocket. They ''must'' capture the super-Pikachu!

[[folder: Comic Books]]

* Comicbook/GhostRider vs Water Wizard worked like this, mainly due to Ghost Rider being seemingly unstoppable. Water Wizard eventually made a {{deal with the devil}}, specifically the EvilSorcerer Moon Dark, and looked like he would finally be able to defeat Ghost Rider, but did not.

[[folder: Eastern European Animation]]

[[folder: Fan Fic]]
* A ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'' Fanfic titled [[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3844604/1/Ryouga_vs_the_Road_Runner "Ryouga vs. the Road Runner"]] had Ryouga deciding he needed training in speed if he was to ever beat Ranma. In true TrainingFromHell fashion, his training consists of catching the Road Runner. [[HilarityEnsues Hilarity does in fact ensue.]]

[[folder: Film -- Animated]]

[[folder: Film -- Live-Action]]

* The full premise of ''Film/MouseHunt''.

* ''Film/TheBluesBrothers'' puts the titular brothers in the position of 'Road Runner' being chased by no less than ''four'' 'Coyotes'; a neo-Nazi organization they antagonize by driving them off a bridge, an increasing large representative sample of Illinois' law-enforcement community, a country-and-western band called "The Good Ole' Boys" who they steal a gig from, and a mysterious woman tooled up with a lot of advanced weaponry [[spoiler: who turns out to be a woman Jake left at the altar]]. The Blues Brothers manage to evade, survive or outrun all of their pursuers [[spoiler: right up until the very end, where they are arrested immediately after completing their goal.]] It helps that they're on a mission from God.

[[folder: Franchise]]
* ''Franchise/TheSmurfs'': In all incarnations of ''The Smurfs'', Gargamel is an impoverished {{evil sorcerer}} who plots to catch the Smurfs so he could create gold, eat them, or use them for magic potions. His cat Azrael tries to help him, too.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Live Action TV]]

[[folder: Machinima]]
* Spriggs and Willy in ''Machinima/SpriggsAHalo3Machinima''.
* [[spoiler:Enzo]] from ''Machinima/Supermarioglitchy4sSuperMario64Bloopers'', PERIOD. [[spoiler:He wants to kill Mario, [[DisproportionateRetribution all for the latter ruining his birthday party]].]]

[[folder: Webcomics]]
* Bun-Bun's repeated attempts to kill Santa Claus in ''Webcomic/SluggyFreelance''. He finally succeeds during the "[[http://www.sluggy.com/daily.php?date=031013 Holiday]] [[http://ads.sluggy.com/daily.php?date=031124 Wars]]" [[http://beta.sluggy.com/daily.php?date=031214 trilogy]], but Santa Got Better.
* Ralph in ''Webcomic/KevinAndKell'' used to try to eat Kevin almost every time we saw him. He hasn't tried in years, arguably due to a HeelFaceTurn.

[[folder: Web Original]]
* The climactic chase between Roy and Simon in ''[[WebVideo/TheCartoonMan Return of the Cartoon Man]]'' is an homage to this type of cartoon, and uses many of the requisite gags.

* Black Kitty vs White Kitty in ''WebAnimation/GoodbyeKitty''.

[[folder: Western Animation]]

* Creator/DePatieFrelengEnterprises had ''WesternAnimation/TheAntAndTheAardvark'' series.

* The ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries'' episode where [[GreatGazoo Mxyzptlk]] first appeared.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddparents'' homaged the Road Runner cartoons in "Back to Norm" where Crocker, in possession of a genie, wishes for elaborate traps to capture Timmy Turner, [[WhyDontYaJustShootHim rather than wishing him to Mars.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/ZigAndSharko'', created by the creators of ''Oggy And The Cockroaches'' above. This one plays out more like a traditional Road Runner Vs. Coyote, though, with the added addition of Marina (the Road Runner of the series) having extra help to defeat Zig through Sharko, who uses brute force while Marina stays unaware of Zig's plans.

* A similar case of a recurring fox villain in the Comicstrip/UsAcres segment of ''WesternAnimation/GarfieldAndFriends'' tries to eat several bird characters and the two chicks Sheldon and Booker. Although the one predator who fails the most is the weasel who tries to steal the farm's chicken.

* In the ''Westernanimation/{{Animaniacs}}'' comics, there's the HotterAndSexier version of this: just like Minerva Mink's first short was a twist on the "hunt" Looney Tunes cartoons by having the huntsman foiled by the hunted's [[DistractedByTheSexy sex appeal]] instead of [[ScrewySquirrel resourcefulness]], many of her stories have the dog Newt trying to catch Minerva (whether to make pelts out of her or just date her) and failing in painful, amusing ways.

** ''ScrewySquirrel''. Unlike in most examples, though, Screwy, the roadrunner in this case, was caught and killed at the end of his final short. Who did the deed? A dog version of Lennie Small from ''Literature/OfMiceAndMen''.

* Oddly enough, ''WesternAnimation/TheItchyAndScratchyShow'' in ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' almost never actually use this trope, despite being a parody of ''WesternAnimation/TomAndJerry'', the premise being more an ultra violent ScrewySquirrel cartoon. In almost every episode, Itchy the mouse actually seeks to ''murder his best friend'', the cat Scratchy, ''for no reason'', and always succeeds... [[TheDogBitesBack except for one occasion]], which we never got to see.

* This pretty much defines Count Dracula and Abraham Van Helsing's (and by extension, his entire family line) relationship in ''WesternAnimation/HotelTransylvania3SummerVacation''. Abraham and his ancestors are all MonsterHunter[=s=] who have dedicated themselves to eradicate monsters everywhere, with Dracula himself being their #1 target. In the case of Abe himself, Dracula evades and thwarts all of his attempts on his life to an almost absurd degree. Subverted with Drac and Abraham's great, great granddaughter Ericka as he had absolutely no idea that they were trying to kill him and just happened to waltz around the traps incidentally.

* ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooAndTheReluctantWerewolf'': Just think of ''Wacky Races'', only with ScoobyDoo and monsters, and the role of Dick Dastardly (basically the Coyote) replaced alternately by Count Dracula and the Hunch Bunch. [[DickDastardlyStopsToCheat Except their main target is only Shaggy's car, in hopes he loses the race so he will remain a werewolf forever.]]

* From 1993 to 1995, Energizer ran a series of commercials where the ficitional Supervolt battery company hired several famous villains ([[Franchise/StarWars Darth Vader]], Film/KingKong, [[{{Dracula}} Count Dracula]], etc.) to destroy the Energizer Bunny, with either the batteries in their weapons running out of power, or other circumstances allowing the Bunny's escape. A few of these commercials even had [[WesternAnimation/WileECoyoteAndTheRoadRunner Wile E. Coyote himself]] as one of the Bunny's assassins.

[[folder: Film]]

* A similar case of a recurring fox villain in the Orson Acres segment of ''WesternAnimation/GarfieldAndFriends'' tries to eat several bird characters and the two chicks Sheldon and Booker.

* ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}''
** Team Rocket. They ''must'' capture the super-Pikachu!

** ''ScrewySquirrel''. Unlike in most examples, though, Screwy, the roadrunner in this case, was caught and killed at the end of his final short. Who did the deed? A dog version of Lenny from ''Literature/OfMiceAndMen''.

** ''ScrewySquirrel''

* The wolves Huff and Puff try to eat the eponymous ''WesternAnimation/PiggsburgPigs'' always failing While E. Coyote-style.

* ''Series/TheDukesOfHazzard''. Kind of the whole point of the show -- a live-action version of the classic cartoon series, with Boss Hogg and Rosco coming up with scheme after scheme to destroy the Duke family, but the Dukes always coming out ahead in the end.

* ''WesternAnimation/TazMania'': This trope sums up the attempts of bot Francis X. Bushlad, and Bull Gator and Axl, to capture Taz, and Taz's attempts to capture the Kee-Wee.

* ''Film/AFishCalledWanda'' has Michael Palin trying to kill an old woman before she can testify about his boss. Each attempt succeeds in killing, not her, but one of her dogs. Palin's character is an animal lover, and this impacts him greatly until, with the killing of the third and last dog, the old woman has a heart attack and snuffs it.
* ''Film/SmokeyAndTheBandit'' has the Bandit manage to elude the law as it pursues him across the south. [[CorruptHick Sheriff Buford T. Justice]] especially keeps failing spectacularly to capture him.

* ''Franchise/TheSmurfs'': In all incarnations of ''The Smurfs'', Gargamel an impoverished evil sorcerer plots to catch the Smurfs so he could create gold, eat them or use them for magic potions. His cat Azrael tries to help him, too.

* ''Series/TheDukesOfHazzard''. Kind of the whole point of the show -- a live-action version of the classic cartoon series, with Boss Hogg and Rosco coming up with scheme after scheme to destroy the Duke family but the Dukes always coming out ahead in the end.

* [[spoiler:Enzo]] from ''Machinima/Supermarioglitchy4sSuperMario64Bloopers'' PERIOD. [[spoiler:He wants to kill Mario all for the latter ruining his birthday party]].

** ''WesternAnimation/BugsBunny'': Many characters have attempted to catch and/or kill this RascallyRabbit, including WesternAnimation/ElmerFudd, WesternAnimation/YosemiteSam, Marvin the Martian, and the Tasmanian Devil, as well as numerous one-time villains, but Bugs is always cunning enough to outsmart them.
** ''WesternAnimation/DaffyDuck'': Duffy Duck was the road runner at first, then he became the coyote after he was changed into a near ButtMonkey.

** ''WesternAnimation/WileECoyoteAndTheRoadRunner'': These two are the {{Trope Namer}}s. Interestingly, they were originally intended as a ''parody'' of Tom and Jerry (or indeed, Bugs Bunny) type cartoons, where instead of the pursued outwitting the pursuer, the coyote was his own worst enemy due to his increasingly convoluted ploys. (The initial plan had been for the pursuer and pursued to not even make sense, like "an aardvark chasing a wildebeest"). Instead, they were successful enough that subsequent chase cartoons chose to FollowTheLeader.
** Played with in the ''WesternAnimation/RalphWolfAndSamSheepdog'' shorts, the protagonist was in fact the bodyguard, thwarting the antagonist from pursuing it's prey (in this case a field of sheep). Amusingly, this was [[PunchClockVillain just a routine day job]] [[PunchClockHero for the two]], they're good buddies off the clock.
** The HighSchoolAU version of the Looney Tunes, the ''WesternAnimation/TinyToons'' had many teen versions of the original Looney Tunes and some original characters, among them: Calamity Coyote and Little Beeper (teen versions of the Coyote and the Roadrunner) and Furrball and Sweetipie (Silvester and Tweety). There was also a little baby mouse Li'l Sneezer that was sometimes chased by Furrball and, in a curious continuation of the food chain, a nerd worm name Bookworm chased by Sweetipie, in all cases with bad consequences for the predator. But the writers soon left this formula and focus more on other kind of plots.

* ''[[WesternAnimation/TomAndJerry Tom and Jerry]]'': Tom the tom-cat and Jerry the mouse are a classic example, but these cartoons belong among the rare ones which sometimes PlayedWith this trope. Jerry was very antagonistic in some cartoons to the point where Tom was the likeable character of the two and viewers rooted for him, hoping he would catch the bloody vermin. In some episodes, Tom had at least some vindication by the end, such as the episode in which he forced Jerry to learn how to "hunt cats" from his nephew. Sometimes Tom and Jerry even collaborated against a common enemy, like a new evil tom-cat in their house.

* Creator/DePatieFrelengEnterprises' had ''WesternAnimation/TheAntAndTheAardvark'' series.

* ''WesternAnimation/WackyRaces'': Dick Dastardly's plans to stop the other which often use the ''same visual gags'' as the Road Runner cartoons. One of the writers for both shows was Michael Maltese, who had collaborated with Creator/ChuckJones on the Road Runner shorts.
* ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooAndTheReluctantWerewolf'': Just think of ''Wacky Races'', only with ScoobyDoo and monsters, and the role of Dick Dastardly (basically the Coyote) replaced alternately by Count Dracula and the Hunch Bunch. [[DickDastardlyStopsToCheat Except their main target is only Shaggy's car, in hopes he loses the race so he will remain a werewolf forever]].

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Animaniacs}}'', about half of Slappy Squirrels plots revolve around old villains trying to get Slappy, and [[EpicFail failing badly]].

* Some of Creator/TexAvery's {{MGM}} shorts: