History Main / TheUnSmile

[[caption-width:350:"...we're here to see Koothrappali, not ''[[TheJoker kill Batman]]''." ]]

[[caption-width:350:"...we're here to congratulate Koothrappali, not ''[[TheJoker kill The Batman]]''." ]]

* The DoctorWho EighthDoctorAdventures novel ''Camera Obscura'' implies this, when the Doctor and Sabbath, his [[EnemyMine sometimes-antagonist]], are [[CrockerTeaBreak interrupted]] during an argument that's getting a little violent. Knowing [[DeadpanSnarker the kind of]] [[NobleDemon character that]] [[StoutStrength Sabbath is]], and the fact [[TheStoic he probably hasn't beamed sincerely in decades]], and the fact the Doctor, [[WaifFu possibly half his size,]] [[MusclesAreMeaningless was just shoving him around]], will allow you to appreciate the futility of their forcing smiles.

** There's also Robin forcing a smile on his "date" with [[Yandere Kitten]]. This would be the one that made a noise like bones cracking.

* The DoctorWho EighthDoctorAdventures novel ''Camera Obscura'' implies this, when the Doctor and Sabbath, his [[EnemyMine sometimes-antagonist]], are interrupted during an argument that's getting a little violent. Knowing [[DeadpanSnarker the kind of]] [[NobleDemon character that]] [[StoutStrength Sabbath is]], and the fact [[TheStoic he probably hasn't beamed sincerely in decades]], and the fact the Doctor, [[WaifFu possibly half his size,]] [[MusclesAreMeaningless was just shoving him around]], will allow you to appreciate the futility of their forcing smiles.

* The DoctorWho EighthDoctorAdventures implies this, when the Doctor and Sabbath, his [[EnemyMine sometimes-antagonist]] are interrupted during an argument that's getting a little violent. Knowing [[DeadpanSnarker the kind of]] [[NobleDemon character that]] [[StoutStrength Sabbath is]], and the fact [[TheStoic he probably hasn't beamed sincerely in decades]], and the fact the Doctor, [[WaifFu possibly half his size,]] [[MusclesAreMeaningless was just shoving him around]], will allow you to appreciate the futility of their forcing smiles.

[[caption-width:350:"...we're here to congratulate Koothrappali, not ''[[TheJoker kill Batman]]''." ]]

[[quoteright:350:[[TheBigBangTheory http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/vlcsnap9424242.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:[-"...we're here to congratulate Koothrappali, not ''[[TheJoker kill Batman]]''."-] ]]

Those characters that [[TheStoic never show any emotion]]? Or, if they do show emotion, it's always [[PerpetualFrowner anger and/or despondency]]? Yeah, every single one of them was at one point told to "cheer up a little". The result? [[TechnicallyASmile Horrible.]] It can range from merely discomforting to downright {{Squick}}, as they just don't get it. Expect more or less horrified reaction from their friends.

* Whenever Data tries to smile on ''StarTrekTheNextGeneration'', he really shouldn't.

'''Natalie:''' You don't look like you're in love. You look like the victim of an industrial accident.\\

[[TheBigBangTheory http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/vlcsnap9424242.jpg]]
[[caption-width:354:"...we're here to congratulate Koothrappali, not ''[[TheJoker kill Batman]]''."]]

-- ''{{Monk}}''

!!Examples

* Ichi's "smile" from ''IchiTheKiller''. Is it pathetic? Or creepy? [[http://www.mangafox.com/manga/ichi_the_killer/c005/15.html You decide]].

* A ''{{Calvin and Hobbes}}'' strip had Calvin's mom ordering him to smile for a photograph. He made a hideous face that was technically a smile, since his mouth was upturned.

* During KurtBusiek's run on Comicbook/TheAvengers, they become a UN organization, and have to get new photo [=IDs=] to go with the change of status. [[TheStoic Vision's]] attempt to smile for his photo at Wasp's urging is ''priceless''.
* How could we not mention [[{{Transmetropolitan}} The Smiler]]? He spends most of the series showing his teeth, but the Unsmile really comes to a point of fracture in the finale where at one point his face is split in two separate panels, one showing a perfect smile and one a pair of eyes clearly set on murder.

* Fun was had at the end of the Pegasus arc in ''YuGiOhTheAbridgedSeries'' where Kaiba is genuinely smiling when his MoralityPet little brother is freed and they go home. The parody has everyone stating that this is creepy as hell.

* [[http://x-losfic.livejournal.com/6762.html#cutid1 The Master quickly dusted off his black suit and concentrated on perfecting the ‘charmingly smarmy’ to ‘death-by-cyanide-rictus’ ratio of his smile.]]

* ''[[TheTerminator Terminator 2: Judgment Day]]'': the titular killer robot does this in a deleted scene (if not the TropeCodifier then at least a perfect textbook example): John tries to get him to smile, and so the T-800 scans the mouth of a grinning man talking on the telephone to see how it's done. Since he didn't scan the muscles above the mouth, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ANUP5-aW4E it leads to a bizarrely creepy smile that has Arnie still affecting a scowl from the cheekbones up]]. When John suggests that he stop, the "smile" instantly leaves his face. Either a CrowningMomentOfFunny ([[UnFunny the character helps]]) or a {{Narm}}, depending on who you ask.

** In the original series, Lurch's attempts at smiling were only out-creepied by his attempts at flirtation.
** Sort of crosses into BreakTheCutie territory, not only because Wednesday doesn't smile and we ''like'' her that way, but because it's brutally obvious how it pains her to do so. [[spoiler: Thank God the brainwashing didn't take.]]

** He is trained to chuckle several millennia later in ''Forward the Foundation''.
*** And it took what appears to be weeks of coaching to actually make it seem genuine.
* In ''{{The Wheel of Time}}'' they mention that Mazrim Taim never smiles... Although he has a kind of half-smile that is ALMOST but not-quite one.

* ''{{Discworld}}'': Otto Chriek tries to photograph Nobby Nobbs:

-->He had put a lot of thought into that grin. It was the sort of grin people use when they stare at your left ear and tell you in an urgent tone of voice that they are being spied on by secret agents from the next galaxy. It was not a grin to inspire confidence. More horrible grins had probably been seen, but only on the sort of grinner that is orange with black stripes, has a long tail and hangs around in jungles looking for victims to grin at.

* On {{Friends}}, Chandler has a nice smile, but [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kq706lRh39M whenever he gets his picture taken]] it turns into a grimace.

** Same goes for [[StarTrekVoyager Seven of Nine]].

* Bull on NightCourt

-->Jove, I thank thee: I will smile; I will do everything that thou wilt have me.

* ''LackadaisyCats''' [[http://lackadaisy.foxprints.com/exhibit.php?exhibitid=29 Mordecai]],, when trying to do a 'smouldering' look.
--->'''Mordecai:'''Am I doing it now?
--->'''Viktor:''' No.
--->'''Mordecai:''' Is this it?
--->'''Viktor:''' Maybe happier, little bit.
--->'''Mordecai:'''How is-
--->'''Viktor:'''NO. Vorse. Dark look like Valentino is different from dark look like, ehh, I vill like to murder your family . . . vith ice pick, probably.

* SomethingPositive: You know how Davan [[TheEeyore never looks happy]]? [[http://www.somethingpositive.net/sp10312006.shtml Maybe it's better that way...]]

** There's also Robin forcing a smile on his "date" with [[DereTsun Kitten]].
*** This would be the one that made a noise like bones cracking?
* Has happened at least twice with Mr. Burns on TheSimpsons. First was when he was running for mayor, and he's being shown an artists rendition of his political ad where he's standing tall on a mountain top. He asks "Why are my teeth showing like that?!" to which his advisor responds "Because you're ''smiling''!" Mr. Burns commends him for producing the sort of trickery they were being paid for. Later he actually smiles, and it causes him physical pain to do so.
* Happens in TimeSquad when the characters have to get Leonardo Da Vinci to paint Mona Lisa's portrait. He encourages her to smile, but it turns out she has really bad teeth.

* Yzma from ''[[{{Disney/ptitle3if599v0}} The Emperor's New Groove]]'' does one in the beginning of the film that's part this, part SlasherSmile as she [[FalseReasurrance reassures]] Kuzco that she has no hard feelings about being fired. [[BlatantLies None whatsoever]].

* Fun fact: You can subliminally tell if someone is faking by their ''eyes'', not their mouth. In a real smile, the eyebrows lower and the cheeks will rise, narrowing the edge of the eye - some people (especially people with wrinkles) get "crow's feet" at their eyes if it's real. In a fake smile, the lips will widen, but the cheeks won't rise and the eyebrows don't lower; thus, no crow's feet.

* GordonBrown. Good god, GordonBrown... he had a perfectly respectable "dour Scot" thing going on, but then his PR people must have decided he wasn't warm enough, because he suddenly started doing [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYPqAo3UasA&feature=related THIS all the time.]] *Shudder*
* RichardNixon. Whatever his mouth was doing, those two beady little ferret-eyes were always lurking right above it..

<<|SmileTropes|>>

* Yzma from TheEmperorsNewGroove does one in the beginning of the film that's part this, part SlasherSmile as she [[FalseReasurrance reassures]] Kuzco that she has no hard feelings about being fired. [[BlatantLies None whatsoever]].

* GordonBrown. Good god, GordonBrown...
** [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIXY-xrrsv0 For your delectation.]]

*** [[NiceJobBreakingHero And help from certain people in the internet]]

This trope is always played for laughs. And no, no amount of [[GenreSavvy Genre Savviness]] will protect you from it. Compare SlasherSmile, for when the smile goes from merely creepy to NightmareFuel.

[[caption-width:624:"...we're here to congratulate Koothrappali, not ''[[TheJoker kill Batman]]''."]]

* ''LackadaisyCats''' [[http://lackadaisy.foxprints.com/exhibit.php?exhibitid=29 Mordecai]].
--->'''Viktor:''' Dark look like Valentino is different from dark look like, ehh, I vill like to murder your family . . . vith ice pick, probably.