History UnkemptBeauty / LiveActionTV

* Fans of ''{{Series/Survivor}}'' call that "Island Hot". Several girls like Parvarti Shallow, Kelley Wentworth, and guys like Spencer Bledshoe look gorgeous even after enduring everything the competition throws at them.

* ''Series/InterviewWithTheVampire2022'': In Lestat de Lioncourt's eyes, his boyfriend Louis de Pointe du Lac is so [[PrettyBoy gorgeous]] and irresistible that even when the latter isn't looking his best (such as when he's [[WeakenedByTheLight partly charred by the sun]] in episode 2, when he's lounging around all day in his pyjamas with MessyHair in episode 5, and when he's drenched from head to toe in dirty water after swimming the Mississippi River -- which is ''extremely'' polluted -- in episode 6), Lestat is still very eager to have sex with him.

* ''Series/InterviewWithTheVampire2022'': In Lestat de Lioncourt's eyes, his boyfriend Louis de Pointe du Lac is so [[PrettyBoy gorgeous]] and irresistible that even when the latter isn't looking his best (such as when he's [[WeakenedByTheLight partly charred by the sun]] in episode 2, when he's lounging around all day in his pyjamas with MessyHair in episode 5, and when he's drenched in dirty water after swimming the Mississippi River -- which is ''extremely'' polluted -- in episode 6), Lestat is still very eager to have sex with him.

* ''Series/InterviewWithTheVampire2022'': In Lestat de Lioncourt's eyes, his boyfriend Louis de Pointe du Lac is so [[PrettyBoy pretty]] and irresistible that even when the latter isn't looking his best, such as when he's [[WeakenedByTheLight partly charred by the sun]] in episode 2 and when he's lounging around all day in his pyjamas with MessyHair in episode 5, Lestat is still very eager to have sex with him.

* In ''Series/ShamelessUS'', Fiona skips the makeup, hairstyling, and even neglects to wear a bra on occasion: she still attracts at least half a dozen men over two seasons, even [[EvenTheGirlsWantHer one woman]]. Emmy Rossum has said that she spends five minutes in the make-up trailer, just long enough to rub mascara around her eyes. She still manages to look like [[http://img.poptower.com/pic-39432/emmy-rossum.jpg?d=600 this]]
* In ''{{Series/Firefly}}'', River Tam has long tangly hair, pale, unhealthy skin, bags under her eyes, and minimal makeup; this does not stop the fandom from adoring her, and several characters in-series remark upon her attractiveness. It helps that she's played by Creator/SummerGlau, see below.
** On the same note, ''Series/{{Firefly}}'' usually had Jewel Staite in homey overalls and occasionally [[WrenchWench covered in grease]]. As [[TheMedic Simon]] says, Kaylee looks good ''especially'' covered in engine grease.
* ''Series/{{House}}'': Dr. Gregory House has big bags underneath his eyes, PermaStubble, and bed hair. His rugged, unkempt look is actually ''more'' attractive than the one and only time we see him clean-shaven and smartly dressed. Too bad his [[JerkAss personality flaws]] take away from it. [[AllGirlsWantBadBoys Or not.]] Specifically a patient once said that Ashton Kutcher and House have the "same bedroom eyes."

** SheCleansUpNicely too, but is staggeringly gorgeous in her natural state.
* John Glover as [[Series/{{Smallville}} Lionel Luthor]].
* Misha Collins as the angel Castiel in ''Series/{{Supernatural}}''. You'd think an angel with stubble, perpetual bedhead, rumpled tie, and hobo trenchcoat wouldn't be that attractive, but he ''is''. In fact, some people have turned every aspect of his ruffled appearance into outright fetish fuel.
* Summer from ''Series/PowerRangersRPM''. In flashbacks to her old life as a RichBitch she looks alright, all dolled up in a party dress and loads of make-up, but many will agree she's much hotter in her biker gear, with her hair loose and a little bit of dirt.
* Most will agree that Kate (Evangeline Lily) from ''Series/{{Lost}}'' looked far, FAR more attractive with scruffy clothes, messy hair, and minimal makeup on the island than she did all done up on the mainland.
** Claire in Season 6 can be considered as this trope after having lived on the Island for 3 years. Brought up In-Universe by Miles as he says she's "still hot" after seeing her unkempt appearance.
* There were four women on ''Series/RobinHood'' and at least three of them looked much nicer when they were "roughed up" a bit. Marian (Creator/LucyGriffiths) looked gorgeous when her hair was loose and her clothes unkempt, Djaq (Anjali Jay) made her SweetPollyOliver a true {{Bifauxnen}} and had [[EvenTheGirlsWantHer many straight females questioning their preferences]], and Isabella (Lara Pulver) was infinitely more beautiful with her hair wild and her GorgeousPeriodDress all askew. The {{aversion}} was Joanna Froggat as Kate, who was given two rather dreadful hairstyles, but who looked her best during the only scene in which she had to tie her hair up off her face, showing off her high cheekbones.
* ''Series/HowIMetYourMother'': Robin qualifies. When trying to convince her not to move in with Ted, Barney asks her how she's going to feel when Ted sees her without makeup. She informs him that she's not wearing makeup right now. His response? "Holy crap, you're beautiful!"
* In an episode of ''Series/TheFreshPrinceOfBelAir'', Hilary's boyfriend Trevor comes over, finding her wearing baggy clothes, not wearing makeup, and wearing her hair down. She's horrified that he's seeing her like this, but he's genuinely blown away by how attractive she looks. Then Jazz comes over and tells Hilary she could stand to fix herself up. Fortunately, we are meant to disagree with Jazz.
* Shane from ''Series/TheLWord''. Her hair was always a mess (this despite her being a hairdresser), she never wore makeup and dressed casually at best. And yet she never lacked for [[EvenTheGirlsWantHer appreciation.]]
* In the ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000'' short [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCcJJfhdf_o "Body Care and Grooming"]], we are presented with two versions of the same woman--first with her hair messy, her blouse wrinkled, her socks mismatched, etc.--and then cleaned up, prim and proper, [[TheFifties Fifties]]-style. Although the makers of the short clearly mean the "clean" woman to be more attractive, Joel and the bots (Crow especially) prefer the "sloppy" woman, feeling that the clean version is bland-looking and generic while the sloppy woman has an appealing quirkiness about her. Regardless, the message is lost when it's clear that the actress was incredibly attractive either way.
** The first host segment has the 'bots debating on whether the woman looks better messy (Crow) or clean(Servo). Joel admits they both made good points, but "Crow's right.".
* Jeremy Brett's morning hair is cute in a dorky way in ''[[Series/TheAdventuresOfSherlockHolmes The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle]]''.
* The ''Series/DoctorWho'' episode ''The Doctor's Wife'' features Idris, a beautiful woman who is a mess due to having fallen through a hole in space-time. [[spoiler: She dies at the beginning of the episode and her body becomes host to the soul of the TARDIS.]]
* In ''Series/GilmoreGirls'' Lorelai and Paris have each said that they envy Rory for being able to wake up in the morning and look great.

* ''Series/{{Angel}}''. Creator/JossWhedon going for the double: Fred is the UnkemptBeauty to Cordelia's well-groomed look. Eventually, Fred discovers civilization and stops being this though.
* Morgana and Guinevere play this out as part of their HourglassPlot in ''Series/{{Merlin|2008}}''. Guinevere starts out as very plain and gradually becomes ProgressivelyPrettier, whilst Morgana is a perfectly groomed lady who eventually ends up living in a hovel with dirty hair and dark makeup. Fan reaction varies wildly.
* In the Canal + series "Borgia"(no, not the ShowTime series ''Series/TheBorgias''), the characters Lucrezia Borgia, Giulia Farnese, and Sancia Squillace(d'Aragona) are played by German/Russian actress Isolda Dychauk, Italian actress Marta Gastini, and Czech actress Eliska Krenkova respectively. Since the series has actresses in costume with either little or no makeup at all, the actresses for these three characters are naturally quite pretty.
* ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'' has Penny as perfectly willing to chill at home in an oversized college football t-shirt and her hair messily pulled up. It's become a recurring joke that she KNOWS how to dress up and knock it out of the park when she wants to, she just chooses not to. This is more evident in later seasons, as the first few seasons had her mostly in {{fanservice}} heavy tank tops and short shorts. Although it was averted in an episode with [[JustOneMoreLevel her getting addicted to an MMORPG]], as her hair got greasy and frayed and her skin blotchy.
* In one episode of ''Series/{{Scrubs}}'' Elliot runs to the hospital on her day off to get some advice from Turk without J.D. knowing she was there. Turk comments that she looks different and she remarks offhand she didn't bother putting any make-up on. It is subtle but a theme of the episode was that CharacterDevelopment doesn't eliminate ALL of your issues, as while Elliot proved to still be neurotic there were previous episodes that had her obsessing over her appearance despite the fact she obviously didn't have to try so hard.
* Dr Patrick Turner, from ''Series/CallTheMidwife''. The more rumpled and bedheaded he is, the more the fangirls seem to like him. It ''really'' doesn't hurt that Stephen [=McGann=] (yes, [[Creator/PaulMcGann Paul's]] brother) carries off the "world-weary and careworn older gent" look like nobody's business.

** In Season 5, the normally well-dressed and elaborately coiffed Margaery Tyrell [[spoiler: is arrested by the Faith and placed in a dank dark cell and therefore]] is shown dirty, disheveled, and in rags. It's still Creator/NatalieDormer, though, and she still looks gorgeous!

* Claireparker in ''Series/{{Pixelface}}'' is usually dressed in grungy clothes with messy hair and dirt on her face, as she is the player character in the survival horror game ''Return to Zombie City''. She still holds her own against the aristocratic Alexia and GirlyGirl Kiki.
* Oswald Cobblepot from ''Series/{{Gotham}}''. [[EeriePaleSkinnedBrunette Pasty-pale complexion]], SinisterSchnoz, hair that usually looks like a bird nested in it, and scraggly yellow teeth...and yet almost {{Bishonen}} in a weird way, with his wide green eyes and oddly winsome smile. It helps that he's small, kind of a {{Woobie}}, and has an almost musically soft voice. And of course, beneath the unflattering makeup, Robin Lord Taylor is ''very'' pretty in real life. In later seasons, as Penguin becomes more and more powerful, [[SheCleansUpNicely he also cleans himself up]]...and ''heck'' does he clean up nicely.

* ''Series/ControlZ'': Sofia rarely seems to comb her hair nor otherwise care about her appearance. Nonetheless, she's very beautiful.
* ''Series/TheDarkCrystalAgeOfResistance'': Deet wears her hair in loose, messy braids and is implied not to bathe much (if ever), but she's still very pretty and charming. Hup and Rian, at least, always think she's beautiful.

* ''Series/Charmed1998'' gave us the cupid Coop trying to get Phoebe to stop sitting around and try to find her true love, though the point was to show how much Coop already liked her.
-->'''Coop''': Look at you! You're lounging around in a track suit with a pencil in your hair and glasses and... You're so beautiful.

* ''Series/Charmed1998'' gave us the cupid Coop trying to get Phoebe to stop sitting around and try to her true love, though the point was to show how much Coop already liked her.

-->'''Coop''': Look at you! Hair loosely tied, glasses, wearing a sweat suit... And you've never looked more beautiful.

* There were four women on ''Series/RobinHood'' and at least three of them looked much nicer when they were "roughed up" a bit. Marian (Creator/LucyGriffiths) looked gorgeous when her hair was loose and her clothes unkempt, Djaq (Anjali Jay) made her SweetPollyOliver a true {{Bifauxnen}} and had [[EvenTheGirlsWantHer many straight females questioning their preferences]], and Isabella (Lara Pulver) was infinitely more beautiful with her hair wild and her GorgeousPeriodDress all askew. The {{aversion}} was Joanna Froggat as Kate, who was given two rather dreadful hairstyles (one which was known as [[FanNickname "the forehead braid"]]), but who looked her best during the only scene in which she had to tie her hair up off her face, showing off her high cheekbones.

* Fans of ''Series/Survivor'' call that "Island Hot". Several girls like Parvarti Shallow, Kelley Wentworth, and guys like Spencer Bledshoe look gorgeous even after enduring everything the competition throws at them.