History WesternAnimation / TheTrapDoor

-->''"Somewhere in the dark and nasty regions -- where nobody goes -- stands an ancient castle. Deep within this dank and uninviting place lives Berk'' ('ullo!), ''overworked servant of The Thing Upstairs.'' ('''''BEEEERK!'' FEED ME!''') ''But that's nothing compared to the horrors that lurk... beneath the '''Trap Door'''. For there is always something down there, in the dark, waiting to come out..."''

* YourTomcatIsPregnant / MisterSeahorse: Drutt has babies. They still refer to them with male pronouns.

The titular trapdoor is a big wooden trap door in the castle's lower floors leading to a massive underground cave system full of monsters. At least once an episode the trap door would open up and release a monster for Berk and his friends to deal with as it causes chaos around the castle. Typically they manage to get rid of the monster by the end of the episode, but they have befriended one, a big dim-witted red monster named Rogg, who regularly pops out of the trap door to visit. All the characters were voiced by comedian Creator/WillieRushton.

* FauxAffablyEvil: The Splund. He cheerfully threatens to eat Boni and Drut and laughing maniacally.

* GiantSpider: One of the recurring monsters from the trap door. Drut also morphed into one in "Nasty Stuff".

* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler: Rogg, in the final episode. [[DisneyDeath He gets better]].]]

* {{Jerkass}}: Bubo, one of the few recurring monsters in the series, is this; revelling in causing chaos and taunting everyone when they try to stop him.
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Berk, for as much as he complains and snarks at them, he does care about Boni and Drut.

* RecurringCharacter: Rogg, Bubo, the Big Red Thing
* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: [[spoiler: Berk, in the Season 1 Finale. Until the credits finish.]]

* ThatMakesMeFeelAngry: Rogg.
* TheDitz: Rogg
* TheSmurfettePrinciple: Drutt.

* TheVoice: 'Im Upstairs

* YourTomcatIsPregnant / MisterSeahorse: Drutt has babies. They still refer to him/her with male pronouns.

* ShoutOut: The Thing, after eating his breakfast in "Breakfast Time", declares "Parts of that were excellent!" This is a reference to the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curate%27s_egg Curate's Egg]] cartoon.

* ScrewySquirrel: A fair few of the monsters from the trap door are more trouble makers or pranksters than outright menaces. Bubo is perhaps the most notable.

* BewareTheNiceOnes: Although Rogg is generally considered to be one of the nicest and most easygoing characters, he can descend into this if pushed far enough, as seen in ''Junk Food'' --

** Amusingly in this case though, it was also subverted in a way -- given that immediately afterwards, Rogg went over and cheerily waved to Berk from the window, and then spoke to the audience about how much he liked him.

-->'''Berk:''' Don't you "yoo hoo" ''me'', you overgrown puce pea-brain! Look at the state of me...! (''cut off by Rog speaking, but he can still be faintly heard ranting in the background'')

-->'''Berk:''' -- I HATE YOU!

* ChewToy: Boni. "I think I feel a headache coming on". Berk gets it pretty bad at times as well.

* CordonBleughChef: Berk often cooks with such ingredients as live worms, bugs, eyeballs and other gross things. Justified, since he's cooking for a monster. Taken to extremes in the first episode when a yellow monster emerges from the trap door and eats Berk's carefully prepared dinner. Berk improvises and serves Yellow Monster Surprise[[note]]as in, shoving the bloated, still-living monster into the dumbwaiter and sending it up[[/note]] instead. The thing congratulated him on the texture.

* ByTheLightsOfTheirEyes: This was often used for when the characters were in a dark place -- like Berk hiding in the room with the mirror to get away from the Big Red Angry Thing in ''Breakfast Time''. It also features heavily in the credits, where it's all we can see of the trap door denizens (and one of them [[Extra Eyes has three]]). In fact the title animation is actually called "Eyes in the Dark" in the closing credits.

* BewareTheNiceOnes: Although Rog is generally considered to be one of the nicest and most easygoing characters, he can descend into this if pushed far enough, as seen in ''Junk Food'' --

-->'''Rog:''' Hello!

-->'''Rog:''' [[ThatMakesMeFeelAngry That... hurt.]]
-->(''Rog turns and gives a DeathGlare to Berk, before backhanding him with enough force to [[DestinationDefenestration send him flying out of a nearby open window]]'')
** Amusingly in this case though, it was also subverted in a way -- given that immediately afterwards, Rog went over and cheerily waved to Berk from the window, and then spoke to the audience about how much he liked him.
-->'''Rog:''' Hmmm... (''walks over to the window and waves down to Berk'') yoo hoo!

-->'''Rog:''' (''turns to the camera'') I like Berk. He's my friend!

** Played more straight when Rog helps deal with any of the monsters from the trap door. Especially so in "Scunge", where he uses the same trick on Bubo after he starts heckling them:
-->'''Rog:''' Berk doesn't like you... (''nonchalantly smacks Bubo into the open trap door'') ...That was fun.

* ByTheLightsOfTheirEyes: This was often used for when the characters were in a dark place -- like Berk hiding in the room with the mirror to get away from the Big Red Angry Thing in ''Breakfast Time''.

--->''[The Trap Door opens and a green monster slithers out.]''
--->'''Boni:''' ''[smugly]'' [[IWarnedYou What did I say?]]

-->'''Berk:''' ...landed me right in the Worm Stew! You and me are going back downstairs. (''starts pushing Rog, as he looks on confusedly without budging'') Come on! Back down the Trap... (''slaps his stomach'') ...DOOR!

-->(''Rog turns and gives a DeathGlare to Berk, before backhanding him with enough force to [[DestinationDefenestration send him flying out of the window]]'')

* CordonBleughChef: Berk often cooks with such ingredients as live worms, bugs, eyeballs and other gross things. Justified, since he's cooking for a monster. Taken to extremes in the first episode when a yellow monster emerges from the trap door and eats Berk's carefully prepared dinner. Berk improvises and serves Yellow Monster Surprise[[note]]as in, shoving the still living monster into the dumbwaiter and sending it up[[/note]] instead. The thing congratulated him on the texture.

-->'''Berk:''' [''[[NoFourthWall addressing the audience]]''] The sad thing is, that you've just heard the brightest idea Rogg's ever had. Ever.

* DidYouJustFlipOffCthulhu: In "Junk Food" Rogg gets into the Thing Upstairs' room. 'Im Upstairs was already upset about it ("IT'S NOT EVEN COOKED PROPERLY!"), but Rogg's unthinking comments made the situation worse.

'''Thing Upstairs:''' GET OUT! GET OUT! ''(Chucks Rogg from his room.)''

* TheDreaded: Berk's master, the Thing Upstairs. While the opening narration claims he's nothing compared to what's lurking under the Trap Door, the end of "Don't You Open That Trap Door" shows the things fleeing when 'Im Upstairs bellows about the noise.

* JerkAss: Bubo.

* DidYouFlipOffCthulhu: In "Junk Food" Rogg gets into the Thing Upstairs' room. 'Im Upstairs was already upset about it ("IT'S NOT EVEN COOKED PROPERLY!"), but Rogg's unthinking comments made the situation worse.

* DoNotTauntCthulhu: In "Junk Food" Rogg gets into the Thing Upstairs' room. 'Im Upstairs was already upset about it ("IT'S NOT EVEN COOKED PROPERLY!"), but Rogg's unthinking comments made the situation worse.

'''Thing Upstairs:''' GET OUT! GET OUT! ''(Chucks Rogg from his room.

* DoNotTauntCthulu: In "Junk Food" Rogg gets into the Thing Upstairs' room. 'Im Upstairs was already upset about it ("IT'S NOT EVEN COOKED PROPERLY!"), but Rogg's unthinking comments made the situation worse.

-->''"Somewhere in the dark and nasty regions- where nobody goes- stands an ancient castle. Deep within this dank and uninviting place lives Berk'' ('ullo!), ''overworked servant of The Thing Upstairs.'' ('''''BEEEERK!'' FEED ME!''') ''But that's nothing, compared to the horrors that lurk... beneath the '''Trap Door'''. For there is always something down there, in the dark, waiting to come out..."''

[[caption-width-right:350:From left to right: Boni, Berk, and Drutt]]

-->''"Somewhere in the dark and nasty regions- where nobody goes- stands an ancient castle. Deep within this dank and uninviting place lives Berk'' ('ullo!), ''overworked servant of The Thing Upstairs.'' ('''''BEEEERK!'' FEED ME!''') ''But that's nothing, compared to the horrors that lurk beneath the Trap Door. For there is always something down there, waiting to come out..."''

-->''Don't you open that Trap Door, you're a fool if you dare! Stay away from that Trap Door, 'cause there's something down there!''

* BewareTheNiceOnes: Although Rog is generally considered to be one of the nicest and most easygoing characters, he can descend into this if pushed far enough, as seen in ''Junk Food''-
-->'''Berk:''' As for you, Turnip Bonce-

-->'''Berk:''' -landed me right in the Worm Stew! You and me are going back downstairs. ''[Starts pushing Rog]'' Come on! Back down the Trap... ''[Slaps his stomach]'' ...DOOR!
-->'''Rog:''' That...hurt.
-->''[Rog turns and gives a DeathGlare to Berk, before backhanding him with enough force to [[DestinationDefenestration send him flying out of the window]]]''
** Amusingly in this case though, it was also subverted in a way- given that immediately afterwards, Rog went over and cheerily waved to Berk from the window, and then spoke to the audience about how much he liked him-
-->'''Rog:''' Hmmm...''[Walks over to the window and waves to Berk]'' yoo hoo!
-->'''Berk:''' Don't you "yoo hoo" ME, you overgrown puce pea-brain! Look at the state of me...! ''[Cut off by Rog speaking, but can still be faintly heard ranting in the background]''
-->'''Rog:''' ''[Turns to the camera]'' I like Berk. He's my friend!
-->'''Berk:''' -I HATE YOU!

-->'''Rog:''' Berk doesn't like you... ''*nonchalantly smacks Bubo into the trap door*'' ...That was fun.
* BolivianArmyEnding: [[spoiler: The last episode of the series has the Big Red Thing, one of the nastiest creatures to come through the trap door, jump out and attack Berk and his friends only for the show to cut out.]]
* BottleEpisode: Almost every episode takes place fully in the castle of The Thing Upstairs, mostly within Berk's kitchen, where the trap door resides (ironically only a couple actually show inside the trap door).

* ByTheLightsOfTheirEyes

--->'''Rogg:''' ''[To the audience]'' I like Berk. He's my friend.

** [[NotWhatItSoundsLike "It's bonking time!"]]

** "It's bonking time!"

* CordonBleughChef: Berk often cooks with such ingredients as live worms, bugs, eyeballs and other gross things. Justified, since he's cooking for a monster. Taken to extremes in the first episode when a yellow monster emerges from the trap door and eats Berk's carefully prepared dinner. Berk improvises and serves Yellow Monster Surprise instead. The thing congratulated him on the texture.

* BolivianArmyEnding: [[spoiler: The last episode of the series has the Big Red Thing, one of the nastiest creatures to come through the trap door, jump out and attack Berk and his friends only for the show to cut out]]

** In the episode "The Midnight Snack" he actually won a 4-on-1 fight. Pretty impressive