| 1 | Characters from the musical series ''Series/{{Schmigadoon}}''. |
| 2 | ---- |
| 3 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 4 | !!Our Heroes |
| 5 | [[folder:Melissa Gimble]] |
| 6 | !!Melissa Gimble |
| 7 | !!!Played by: Creator/CecilyStrong |
| 8 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/melissa_6.png]] |
| 9 | |
| 10 | ->''"Romance in musicals isn't always logical. That's why they usually let the songs do the heavy lifting."'' |
| 11 | |
| 12 | One of two protagonists. Melissa is an OB-GYN from New York, Josh's longtime girlfriend, and a lifelong fan of musicals. |
| 13 | ---- |
| 14 | * AppearanceAngst: Feels self-concious about her looks next to the other dancers auditioning for the Kratt club. This despite having three men over two seasons try to steal her away from Josh. |
| 15 | * AudienceSurrogate: A regular person who winds up in Schmigadoon and learns about it along with the audience. She's also a musical theater fan, enjoying the environment and able to point out the references. |
| 16 | * FatalFlaw: Perfectionism. While she wallows when things go great, she tends to blow certain things that don't seem perfect to her, like her relationship with Josh, out of proportion. This can lead to her [[NeverMyFault denying her part in those flaws]], making her come across as [[SecretlySelfish selfish]]. |
| 17 | * GenreSavvy: |
| 18 | ** Melissa is a musical theater fan -- she's seen watching ''Film/SinginInTheRain'' in the beginning (while Josh tries to sleep through it). As a result, she's more receptive to being stuck in a musical theater world than Josh is, even participating in the songs early on. When [[spoiler:Josh tries to get out of his ShotgunWedding]] she reassures him that nobody dies in musicals, and then promptly takes it back after remembering various tragic theater deaths. [[spoiler: Subverted when it comes to her interactions with the Countess, however. Melissa expects her to be a GracefulLoser in the style of Baroness Schrader in ''Theatre/TheSoundOfMusic'' but is proven '''very''' wrong.]] |
| 19 | ** Less so in season 2, as she admits that she's less familiar with musicals of the '60s and '70s. She pointedly didn't finish ''Theatre/SweeneyTodd'' and thus mistakes Codwell and Blight's cheery singing about [[spoiler:killing orphan children for their meat]] for a happy ending. |
| 20 | * InSeriesNickname: "Mel". |
| 21 | * ManicPixieDreamGirl: She inadvertently fills this role in her relationship with Doc Lopez, her progressive "city-ways" coming across as an affront to his authority at first, only for him to fall in love with her for it. It is when she discovers that she is this to him does she realize that she doesn't love Lopez. |
| 22 | * MusicalNumberAnnoyance: Melissa is more receptive than Josh to their musical environment. She still doesn't like {{dream ballet}}s, however. |
| 23 | -->'''Melissa:''' They're annoying and stupid. They slow everything down. Nobody likes a dream ballet. Nobody! |
| 24 | * ProfessionalMaidenName: She marries Josh in the second season premiere, but continues to introduce herself as "Melissa Gimble" afterwards. |
| 25 | [[/folder]] |
| 26 | |
| 27 | [[folder:Josh Skinner]] |
| 28 | !!Josh Skinner |
| 29 | !!!Played by: Creator/KeeganMichaelKey |
| 30 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/josh_29.png]] |
| 31 | |
| 32 | ->''"I didn't become a surgeon for fellowships. I did it because I wanted to help people without having to talk to them."'' |
| 33 | |
| 34 | One of two protagonists. Josh is a surgeon, Melissa's longtime boyfriend, and someone who staunchly dislikes musicals. |
| 35 | ---- |
| 36 | * AudienceSurrogate: Like Melissa, he's a real person who winds up in Schmigadoon and learns its quirks. He's the surrogate for audience members who dislike musicals, since he makes no secret of how he dislikes them. |
| 37 | * CharacterDevelopment: He grows from someone who'll give up at an inconvenience to someone willing to step up and work on his relationship. |
| 38 | * FatalFlaw: Laziness. While he isn't above grand romantic gestures, he mainly tries to take the road less-travelled. He tries to ignore certain problems, give up when things look hard and avoids social-situations when he can. This is one of the reasons why [[MusicalNumberAnnoyance being in a literal musical comes across as torture to him]]: musical numbers are big, hammy productions that speak directly from the heart, and he is a man of few words who keeps his feelings to himself. |
| 39 | * MusicalNumberAnnoyance: While trapped in a musical land, Josh scoffs at all the singing and dancing going on around them. [[spoiler:So it's a big deal that he willingly sings to Melissa in the finale.]] |
| 40 | * NotSoAboveItAll: Despite his general dislike of musicals, in the second season premiere he agrees to join Melissa on her attempts to revisit Schmigadoon. When they find Schmicago instead, he actually grooves along to the first song. |
| 41 | * VocalEvolution: His singing voice noticeably improves across the first two seasons, as demonstrated if one compares "You Make Me Wanna Sing" to the first verse of "Talk to Daddy". |
| 42 | |
| 43 | [[/folder]] |
| 44 | |
| 45 | !!Residents of Schmigadoon |
| 46 | |
| 47 | [[folder:Aloysius Menlove]] |
| 48 | !!Aloysius Menlove |
| 49 | !!!Played by: Creator/AlanCumming |
| 50 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mayor_9.png]] |
| 51 | |
| 52 | ->''"Somewhere love is waiting for you\ |
| 53 | Someday it will come right on cue\ |
| 54 | Just as every morning, the sun comes into view\ |
| 55 | Somewhere love is waiting for you..."'' |
| 56 | |
| 57 | Schmigadoon's kindly mayor of many years. |
| 58 | ---- |
| 59 | * HideYourLesbians: Parodied with Mayor Menlove, who was deliberately patterned after queer-coded characters in old musicals; the fact that he's gay is hinted at through lyrics. When he [[spoiler:comes out in front of the congregation]] he sings: |
| 60 | -->''I'm a homosexuaaaal\ |
| 61 | It's no longer subtextuaaaal'' |
| 62 | * LateComingOut: [[spoiler:Aloysius doesn't come out until middle age.]] |
| 63 | * MeaningfulName: Mayor ''Menlove'' is into men, and his reassurance of Melissa in "Somewhere Love Is Waiting for You" turns into an operetta about how love is forbidden for him as well. |
| 64 | * NiceGuy: Aloysius is a sweet and gentle guy who has the town's wellbeing in mind. Florence even sings that his kindness separates him from the other men in town. |
| 65 | * PermanentElectedOfficial: He mentions having repeatedly run for mayor unopposed. [[spoiler:He finally faces competition when Mildred decides to run against him, but is re-elected when Mildred has a VillainousBreakdown right before the vote begins.]] |
| 66 | * ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Mayor Menlove is presented as a genuinely NiceGuy plagued with hiding his [[HideYourLesbians secret passions]], his motto being that he strives that everyone achieves peace and happiness. |
| 67 | |
| 68 | [[/folder]] |
| 69 | |
| 70 | [[folder:Florence Menlove]] |
| 71 | !!Florence Menlove |
| 72 | !!!Played by: Creator/AnnHarada |
| 73 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/florence_0.png]] |
| 74 | |
| 75 | ->''"But my man is gentle\ |
| 76 | As soft 'n' sentimental\ |
| 77 | As any lace adorn'd a valentine\ |
| 78 | He's a queer one\ |
| 79 | That man o' mine."'' |
| 80 | |
| 81 | Aloysius's sweet wife. |
| 82 | ---- |
| 83 | * TheBeard: Married to the obviously gay Aloysius. |
| 84 | * ComicallyMissingThePoint: Gets a whole song about how much her husband is not like other men: he's instead gentle, kind, sensitive, and has feminine hobbies. However, she feels like he's hiding something from her... Melissa is quicker on the uptake that Aloysius is gay. |
| 85 | * JustFriends: While at first shocked and upset when her husband comes out, by the last episode she comes to her husband's defense when Mildred tries attacking his character, confessing that while he might not be attracted to her sexually (even admitting that it seemed obvious in hindsight), they do still care for each other. |
| 86 | * NiceGirl: Florence is a sweetheart, and while she's understandably upset [[spoiler: when Aloysius comes out as gay]], she discourages the townsfolk from shunning him and they end the season as good friends. |
| 87 | [[/folder]] |
| 88 | |
| 89 | [[folder:Mildred Layton]] |
| 90 | !!Mildred Layton |
| 91 | !!!Played by: Creator/KristinChenoweth |
| 92 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mildred.png]] |
| 93 | ->''"All thanks to these two out-of-towners\ |
| 94 | Doctor Skinner and Miss Gimble\ |
| 95 | Better hold on to your husband\ |
| 96 | Best keep an eye on your wife\ |
| 97 | 'Cause there's gonna be some tribulation and strife!"'' |
| 98 | |
| 99 | The reverend's imperious wife and the leader of the Mothers Against the Future, women who oppose social progress in Schmigadoon. |
| 100 | ---- |
| 101 | * ActorAllusion: One of the townspeople refers to the Mothers Against the Future, led by Creator/KristinChenoweth's character, as witches. [[Theatre/{{Wicked}} Chenoweth's most famous Broadway role]] was as a witch. She even gets to wave a broom around in "Tribulation". |
| 102 | * TheBeard: [[spoiler:For Howard, who is secretly gay and in love with Aloysius.]] |
| 103 | * BookBurning: It's mentioned that she's burned a number of books from the local library (in fact, the picnic basket auction from the second episode is a fundraiser to replace them). |
| 104 | * CastingGag: Kristin Chenoweth starred as Marian in an ABC production of ''Theatre/TheMusicMan'', one of the musicals being homaged. |
| 105 | * ColdHam: Despite being a stiff {{Moral Guardian|s}}, she manages to make every ounce of her displease known through imperious gestures and one-liners. |
| 106 | * DarkIsEvil: She wears nothing but [[PurpleIsTheNewBlack dark purple]] in contrast to everyone else's bright pastel colors and is a HateSink, having her boot on the town's collective neck as a fear-monger who takes every opportunity to exorcise her non-judicial authority. |
| 107 | * MoralGuardians: The leader of a group of women who act against anything they think will tarnish the purity of Schmigadoon. |
| 108 | * PoliticallyIncorrectVillain: In keeping with her other negative traits and antagonism towards Melissa and Josh, she is explicitly against interracial relationships [[{{Irony}} despite Schmigadoon being fairly racially diverse.]] |
| 109 | * VillainousBreakdown: After the townspeople rally around Aloysius, Josh, and Emma in the finale, with the final straws being [[spoiler:her husband Howard coming out as gay and Nancy (the girl who had an out-of-wedlock baby) coming forward as Mildred's daughter, Mildred snaps and raves against the town, who are all too happy to vote Aloysius in as mayor once more.]] |
| 110 | |
| 111 | [[/folder]] |
| 112 | |
| 113 | [[folder:Rev. Howard Layton]] |
| 114 | !!Reverend Howard Layton |
| 115 | !!!Played by: Creator/FredArmisen |
| 116 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/howard_1.png]] |
| 117 | ->''"True love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. In other words, it's a lot of work. So, it's probably not something you find. It's probably something you make."'' |
| 118 | |
| 119 | The town reverend. |
| 120 | ---- |
| 121 | * GoodShepherd: Offers shelter to Josh after his wife drives him from the inn and gives Josh encouragement and advice about love. |
| 122 | * HenpeckedHusband: Clearly a doormat to his domineering wife, [[spoiler: to the point that he allowed her to send their daughter away when she got pregnant out of wedlock.]] When Josh spies Emma outside the church, Howard comments that he wishes he had Emma's strength to refuse marriage. |
| 123 | * LateComingOut: [[spoiler:He comes out after many years of marriage to Mildred, professing his love for Aloysius.]] |
| 124 | |
| 125 | [[/folder]] |
| 126 | |
| 127 | [[folder:Betsy [=McDonough=]]] |
| 128 | !!Betsy [=McDonough=] |
| 129 | !!!Played by: Creator/DoveCameron |
| 130 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/betsy_8.png]] |
| 131 | |
| 132 | ->''"All the girls flirt and talk romance\ |
| 133 | Soon as they see a pair of pants\ |
| 134 | When the sun goes down they let their morals slide\ |
| 135 | But I'm gonna wait 'til I'm a bride."'' |
| 136 | |
| 137 | Farmer [=McDonough=]'s eldest and loveliest daughter. |
| 138 | ---- |
| 139 | * DawsonCasting: [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] with Betsy, who is a teen girl very obviously played by an actress in her twenties. Melissa converses this trend when Josh complains that Betsy is YoungerThanSheLooks:[[invoked]] |
| 140 | -->'''Melissa:''' Yeah, have you not seen ''Film/TheSoundOfMusic''? Liesl was sixteen going on twenty-nine. |
| 141 | * EroticEating: In "Enjoy the Ride (Part II)" Betsy packs a picnic basket full of suggestive food. Josh pulls out two melons, and she sticks her finger into a cream pie and licks it. |
| 142 | * FarmersDaughter: Her father, the local farmer, is overprotective. Nevertheless, Betsy flirts with Josh despite her innocent appearance. |
| 143 | * GirlishPigtails: To emphasize her youthfulness, Betsy wears her hair in two curled blonde pigtails. |
| 144 | * HiddenDepths: In "How We Change", she admits to being a socialist. |
| 145 | * LadyInRed: An innocently seductive young woman who is clad in a red gingham dress (she's a FarmersDaughter after all) and wears bright red lipstick. Gets an additional meaning in the finale when [[spoiler:she reveals herself to be a socialist]]. |
| 146 | * MassiveNumberedSiblings: She's the oldest of seven sisters... to the dismay of Farmer [=McDonough=], who wanted a son. |
| 147 | * ShoutOut: The character was inspired by [[Theatre/{{Oklahoma}} Ado Annie]], an innocent-looking young woman whose flirtatiousness causes problems. |
| 148 | * ASideOrderOfRomance: Josh first becomes attracted to Betsy while she waitresses for him at the diner. Their flirtation goes awry, however. |
| 149 | * VagueAge: {{Lampshaded}}. Betsy is YoungerThanSheLooks and definitely much younger than Josh, but her exact age is purposefully left vague, with Josh even noting he might never know exactly how old she is. |
| 150 | |
| 151 | [[/folder]] |
| 152 | |
| 153 | [[folder:Danny Bailey]] |
| 154 | !!Danny Bailey |
| 155 | !!!Played by: Creator/AaronTveit |
| 156 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/danny_5.png]] |
| 157 | |
| 158 | ->''"I'm like an animal in the wild\ |
| 159 | So here's a truth to which you must be reconciled\ |
| 160 | You can't tame me!"'' |
| 161 | |
| 162 | The handsome rapscallion who operates the local carnival. |
| 163 | ---- |
| 164 | * ConfirmedBachelor: In "You Can't Tame Me" he declares that he'll never settle down with a woman and describes previous ladies who have tried and failed. He does, however, fall hard and fast for Melissa, even reprising the song that she ''has'' tamed him. |
| 165 | * {{Expy}}: Of [[Theatre/{{Carousel}} Billy Bigelow]]. Like Billy, he's a socially unacceptable carnival barker. His solos riff on Billy's as well: he gets a number about reluctantly falling for the heroine and reenacts ''Carousel'''s famous "bench scene". |
| 166 | * HandsOnApproach: Danny teaches Melissa to fire a gun by wrapping his arms around her. |
| 167 | * LadykillerInLove: Despite proclaiming himself a man who can't and won't settle down despite the efforts of many women, he quickly falls for Melissa. |
| 168 | |
| 169 | [[/folder]] |
| 170 | |
| 171 | [[folder:Emma Tate]] |
| 172 | !!Emma Tate |
| 173 | !!!Played by: Creator/ArianaDeBose |
| 174 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/emma_22.png]] |
| 175 | |
| 176 | ->''"When you've got a job to do\ |
| 177 | You must try with all your heart\ |
| 178 | Life's profoundest joys\ |
| 179 | Go to girls and boys\ |
| 180 | Who finish what they start."'' |
| 181 | |
| 182 | The sensible {{schoolmarm}}, who is hiding a secret. |
| 183 | |
| 184 | ---- |
| 185 | * AmbiguouslyBi: It's not explicit, but she didn't cross the bridge with Josh like every other available woman in town, and refuses to get married, something [[spoiler:the married, closeted gay Howard Layton]] says he admires her for. Though she does [[spoiler:fall in love with Josh,]] she also brazenly checked out Melissa, contrasting with Florence's song in the same episode about how Aloysius ''doesn't'' look at women like that. When [[spoiler: Aloysius publicly comes out of the closet, she looks happy for him while the rest of the townsfolk appear put off.]] |
| 186 | * CoolTeacher: Emma is a progressive-minded and strong-willed woman who never hesitates to speak her mind, despite living in a rather backwards town. She is also brave enough disarm and then talk down Farmer [=McDonough=] when he threatens Josh at gunpoint to marry his daughter. |
| 187 | * {{Expy}}: Of [[Theatre/TheMusicMan Marian Paroo]], an intelligent, forward-thinking small-town woman who works in a "smart" job (Marian is a librarian, Emma is a schoolmarm). Like Marian, she has a much-younger brother with a lisp who acts as the town crier. She even cites the same "dirty" authors expunged in ''The Music Man'': Creator/GeoffreyChaucer, Francois Rabelais, and Creator/HonoreDeBalzac. Lampshaded by Melissa, who recognizes her character as being right out of ''The Music Man'' (and ''Theatre/TheKingAndI'', another musical with a forward-thinking schoolteacher heroine) and tells Josh how to progress Marian's story. |
| 188 | * LukeIAmYourFather: [[spoiler:It's revealed that her "brother" Carson is actually her illegitimate son, having kept it a secret from everyone, including Carson himself.]] |
| 189 | * OldMaid: The village women gossip in the introductory song that Emma is unmarried at 28. |
| 190 | * {{Schoolmarm}}: The local teacher who teaches a schoolhouse's worth of kids. |
| 191 | |
| 192 | [[/folder]] |
| 193 | |
| 194 | [[folder:Carson Tate]] |
| 195 | !!Carson Tate |
| 196 | !!!Played by: Liam Quiring-Nkindi |
| 197 | |
| 198 | The schoolmarm's "little brother" who announces the news. |
| 199 | ---- |
| 200 | * CannotKeepASecret: Emma admits that this is a flaw of Carson's: every time he learns something he runs off and announces it to the town. |
| 201 | * {{Expy}}: Of [[Theatre/TheMusicMan Winthrop Paroo]]. He's introduced as the [[PracticallyDifferentGenerations much younger brother]] to the town's "smart girl" who acts as the town crier. Melissa recognizes his similarity to Winthrop and advises Josh -- who intends to romance Emma -- to help Carson open up with music the way Harold did for Winthrop in ''The Music Man''. It works. |
| 202 | * SpeechImpediment: He was born with an abnormally large tongue, giving him a precocious lisp. Emma admits to having had a lisp herself at his age. |
| 203 | |
| 204 | [[/folder]] |
| 205 | |
| 206 | [[folder:Doc Lopez]] |
| 207 | !!Dr. Jorge Lopez |
| 208 | !!!Played by: Creator/JaimeCamil |
| 209 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lopez_8.png]] |
| 210 | ->''"Suddenly I find myself forgetting\ |
| 211 | All the things that bounce around my brain\ |
| 212 | Suddenly I want to plan a wedding\ |
| 213 | Although I know that's perfectly insane."'' |
| 214 | |
| 215 | The younger town doctor, who hires Melissa after she seeks lodging. |
| 216 | ---- |
| 217 | * ClosestThingWeGot: He works as the town doctor, [[spoiler:especially after his father dies, but the finale reveals his training was actually in veterinary medicine.]] |
| 218 | * DefrostingIceKing: Starts out cold and unwelcoming to Melissa but later warms up and appreciates what she brings to the table. |
| 219 | * MeaningfulName: His name is ''Jorge'', the Spanish equivalent of the Germanic ''Georg''. He is based on [[Theatre/TheSoundOfMusic Captain Georg Von Trapp]]. |
| 220 | * ShoutOut: He's different enough from [[Theatre/TheSoundOfMusic Captain Georg Von Trapp]] to not be an {{expy}}, but he parallels the good captain in personality enough that Melissa lampshades it. |
| 221 | ** He's a perfectionist, professional widower with a blonde fiancee. |
| 222 | ** His and Melissa's DanceOfRomance incorporates the Ländler, an Austrian folk dance performed by Maria and Georg in the show. |
| 223 | * SilverFox: He's middle-aged with greying hair, and is noted to be very attractive in-universe. |
| 224 | [[/folder]] |
| 225 | |
| 226 | [[folder:Gabrielle "Blerky" Von Blerkom]] |
| 227 | !!Countess Gabrielle Von Blerkom |
| 228 | !!!Played by: Creator/JaneKrakowski |
| 229 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/countess_8.png]] |
| 230 | ->''"So I hope you had your fun\ |
| 231 | But the fact is, girl 'ya done\ |
| 232 | 'Cause this time, hon\ |
| 233 | Oh, this time hon\ |
| 234 | Yeah, this time hon\ |
| 235 | I am gonna, gonna get my man!"'' |
| 236 | |
| 237 | Jorge's wife-to-be. |
| 238 | ---- |
| 239 | * DisposableFiance: ZigZagged. After a big love number with Doc Lopez, Melissa easily identifies his fiancée Countess Von Blerkom as the [[Theatre/TheSoundOfMusic Baroness]] character who will graciously step aside for Melissa and Jorge's romance. However, "Blerky" [[spoiler:has no intention of rolling over. She drives Melissa out to the wilderness and, at gunpoint, rages at her for ruining her engagement.]] Despite this, however, [[spoiler:Jorge chooses Melissa...and then Melissa realizes she doesn't really want to be with Jorge.]] |
| 240 | * {{Expy}}: Of [[Theatre/TheSoundOfMusic Baroness Elsa Schraeder]]. Like the Baroness, she is a beautiful, rich blonde of noble descent who is supposed to marry the cold, perfectionist widow love interest (Jorge). She even shows up in a similar outfit to the Baroness in the film (coiffed hair, dangling earrings, gold dress, white gloves). Lampshaded by Melissa, who recognizes their situation as being right out of ''Theatre/TheSoundOfMusic'', and expects her to be a GracefulLoser. Melissa even mentions that the original Baroness may or may not have been a Nazi; "Blerky" [[spoiler:says ''of course'' she's a Nazi.]] |
| 241 | * RomanticRunnerUp: In her solo, she recounts that she has a history of being dumped for her boyfriend's employees. |
| 242 | * VanityLicensePlate: Her license plate reads "BLERKY", her InUniverseNickname. |
| 243 | * TheVonTropeFamily: A comedic example. She's an antagonistic Germanic aristocrat named Countess Gabriele Von Blerkom. |
| 244 | [[/folder]] |
| 245 | |
| 246 | !!Residents of Schmicago |
| 247 | |
| 248 | [[folder:Jenny Banks]] |
| 249 | !!Jenny Banks |
| 250 | !!!Played by: Creator/DoveCameron |
| 251 | %% |
| 252 | %% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=16822931900.05923400 |
| 253 | %% Please don't change or remove without starting a new thread. |
| 254 | %% |
| 255 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/schmig_dove.png]] |
| 256 | |
| 257 | ->''"Now we're kaput\ |
| 258 | Once our desire burnt like a fire\ |
| 259 | But now there's nothing left but soot..."'' |
| 260 | |
| 261 | A performer at the Kratt Club. |
| 262 | ---- |
| 263 | * TwentiesBobHaircut: Jenny wears her hair in a sleek black bob. She's a cabaret singer based on Sally from ''Theatre/{{Cabaret}}'', a show set in 1920s Berlin. |
| 264 | * ComicallyMissingThePoint: She's on the receiving end of a group song number about how she should reconcile with her dad, and though she's bopping along to the music, her takeaway from it is that she should go talk to Topher. |
| 265 | * ContrastingSequelMainCharacter: Unlike Creator/DoveCameron's season 1 Betsy, a sweet FarmersDaughter, season 2's Jenny is a MsFanservice dancer. Melissa is taken aback by the difference between them. |
| 266 | * ExpositoryHairstyleChange: Jenny begins to grow out her hair when she [[spoiler: joins the hippies and starts seeing Topher, though she resumes her normal style by the end of the season.]] |
| 267 | * GenkiGirl: Very cheerful, upbeat, and energetic. Introduced cheerily rolling into Josh and Melissa's room and poking around. |
| 268 | * LongLostRelative: [[spoiler: Is this to her father Dooley, who she was taken from at a young age.]] |
| 269 | * RavenHairIvorySkin: The naturally pale Dove Cameron puts on a raven-black wig as the beautiful Jenny, a specific homage to ''Theatre/{{Cabaret}}''. |
| 270 | * ShoutOut: |
| 271 | ** Her physical appearance, manner, and profession pay homage to [[{{Theatre/Cabaret}} Sally Bowles]]. |
| 272 | ** As revealed in episode 3, her backstory [[spoiler: of being separated by her parents and taken in by a lecherous older man]] is very similar to [[spoiler:[[Theatre/SweeneyToddTheDemonBarberOfFleetStreet Johanna Barker]].]] |
| 273 | [[/folder]] |
| 274 | |
| 275 | [[folder:Sergeant Rivera]] |
| 276 | !!Sergeant Rivera |
| 277 | !!!Played by: Creator/JaimeCamil |
| 278 | %% |
| 279 | %% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=16822931900.05923400 |
| 280 | %% Please don't change or remove without starting a new thread. |
| 281 | %% |
| 282 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/schmig_jaime.png]] |
| 283 | |
| 284 | ->''"There's always a twist."'' |
| 285 | |
| 286 | Schmicago's chief of police, who is the nephew of Octavius Kratt. |
| 287 | ---- |
| 288 | * BadLiar: He tries to hide that he'd just gotten a call from Octavius Kratt despite beginning it with "Uncle Octavius". |
| 289 | * DirtyCop: He's the chief of police but does his sinister uncle's bidding. |
| 290 | * GrewASpine: He finally gets the gall to stand up for his uncle after almost three decades of following his orders. |
| 291 | * HookedUpAfterwards: [[spoiler:He and the Narrator announce after the happy ending that they'll start dating.]] |
| 292 | * RepressionNeverEndsWell: Keeping a tight lid on his ambitions causes him to take out his frustrations on undeserving targets. |
| 293 | * UnmanlySecret: Despite presenting as the manly police officer, Rivera [[spoiler:secretly wants to perform at the Kratt Club. After his uncle dies, we see him perform an act evocative of ''Theatre/TheRockyHorrorPictureShow'''s "Sweet Transvestite" Frank-N-Furter.]] |
| 294 | [[/folder]] |
| 295 | |
| 296 | [[folder:Miss Codwell]] |
| 297 | !!Miss Codwell |
| 298 | !!!Played by: Creator/KristinChenoweth |
| 299 | %% |
| 300 | %% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=16822931900.05923400 |
| 301 | %% Please don't change or remove without starting a new thread. |
| 302 | %% |
| 303 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/schmig_cheno.png]] |
| 304 | |
| 305 | ->''"I'm just a woman with needs of me own\ |
| 306 | Who'd like to do some misdeeds of me own\ |
| 307 | With a certain someone\ |
| 308 | But though I am a woman who's never enjoyed\ |
| 309 | That thing what as a mother gets you employed\ |
| 310 | Somehow I seem to have become one"'' |
| 311 | |
| 312 | A woman who cares for and sells the orphans of Schmicago. She's infatuated with Dooley Blight. |
| 313 | ---- |
| 314 | * AffablyEvil: Downplayed, in that she's certainly quite cold and cruel to the orphans she cares for, but she is quite jovial with everyone else and romantically hits it off with Dooley despite the initial awkwardness. |
| 315 | * BadGuysDoTheDirtyWork: Codwell was willing to [[spoiler:harvest meat from children]] a couple of episodes prior, so her [[spoiler:eventually killing Kratt]] doesn't reflect too badly on the two protagonists. |
| 316 | * EvilOrphanageLady: She manages an orphanage, apparently abusively: there are lines about not feeding them, keeping them in cages, and training them to tend bar. And that's not even getting into [[spoiler:being willing to grind them up for meat]]. |
| 317 | * HeelFaceTurn: [[spoiler: She comes up with the idea for Dooley to turn the orphans into meat, but, by the last episode, she's dissuading him from going through with it and turns his aggression back to Kratt instead.]] |
| 318 | * JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Her abusive nature starts to peel away once she's shown some genuine affection from her charges. |
| 319 | * ShoutOut: To two notable musical theatre characters. |
| 320 | ** The fact that she runs an OrphanageOfFear (and has an entire song complaining about it) brings to mind [[{{Theatre/Annie}} Miss Hannigan]]. |
| 321 | ** Her physical appearance, introductory song (which borrows heavily from "The Worst Pies in London") and connection to Dooley (himself an {{Expy}} for Sweeney Todd) bring to mind [[{{Theatre/SweeneyTodd}} Mrs. Lovett.]] |
| 322 | |
| 323 | [[/folder]] |
| 324 | |
| 325 | [[folder:Dooley Blight]] |
| 326 | !!Dooley Blight |
| 327 | !!!Played by: Creator/AlanCumming |
| 328 | %% |
| 329 | %% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=16822931900.05923400 |
| 330 | %% Please don't change or remove without starting a new thread. |
| 331 | %% |
| 332 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/schmig_alancumming.png]] |
| 333 | |
| 334 | ->''"And this time Dooley\ |
| 335 | Will be the one who wins\ |
| 336 | For there's a debt\ |
| 337 | That has yet to be repaid\ |
| 338 | So my course is set\ |
| 339 | For the blood and the blade"'' |
| 340 | |
| 341 | A murderous butcher who mourns his lost family. |
| 342 | ---- |
| 343 | * AffablyEvil: Played more straight than Codwell, as, while he certainly is quite weird and more than a bit creepy, he's certainly polite to Melissa and Josh, gets along quite well with Codwell, and also points out that [[spoiler: their murderous scheme technically isn't illegal as orphans are not considered people in whatever state they are in.]] |
| 344 | * ContrastingSequelMainCharacter: An unhinged and disgraced butcher is a far cry from Creator/AlanCumming's previous character on the show, the gentle and poised Mayor Menlove. Melissa encourages him despite his unsettling demeanor because he reminds her of "an old friend" -- she had befriended Menlove before departing Schmigadoon. |
| 345 | * {{Expy}}: His physical appearance, backstory, and desire for revenge make him one for [[{{Theatre/SweeneyTodd}} Sweeney Todd.]] To bring the comparison further, his introductory song borrows heavily from "The Barber and His Wife." His occupation as the owner of a down-on-its'-luck food business bemoaning the poor quality of his meat who later schemes to [[spoiler: get better meat by killing people]] is also ironically reminiscent of Mrs. Lovett. |
| 346 | * PsychoKnifeNut: He carries his [[WeaponsOfTheirTrade butcher's knife]] everywhere he goes and is obviously off his rocker. Josh and Melissa are creeped out by how nonchalantly he swings it about. |
| 347 | * LongLostRelative: [[spoiler: To Jenny, his daughter who was taken from his custody by Kratt and who has no idea that he's alive.]] |
| 348 | * WeaponsOfTheirTrade: He's a butcher and brings his big butcher's knife everywhere, including [[spoiler:when going to confront his nemesis Kratt]]. |
| 349 | [[/folder]] |
| 350 | |
| 351 | [[folder:Emcee]] |
| 352 | !!Emcee |
| 353 | !!!Played by: Creator/ArianaDeBose |
| 354 | |
| 355 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_2023_03_07_at_20725_pm.png]] |
| 356 | The hostess of the Kratt Club. |
| 357 | ---- |
| 358 | * DemotedToExtra: After having a major role in season 1, Creator/ArianaDeBose's season 2 character has no role in the plot and only appears for a handful of songs. |
| 359 | * {{Expy}}: In name, role, and androgynous dress she is based on the Emcee from ''Theatre/{{Cabaret}}''. |
| 360 | |
| 361 | [[/folder]] |
| 362 | |
| 363 | [[folder:Madam Frau]] |
| 364 | !!Madam Frau |
| 365 | !!!Played by: Creator/AnnHarada |
| 366 | %% |
| 367 | %% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=16822931900.05923400 |
| 368 | %% Please don't change or remove without starting a new thread. |
| 369 | %% |
| 370 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/schmig_annharada.png]] |
| 371 | One of Octavius Kratt's underlings. She runs the Hotel Schmicago, a house of prostitution. |
| 372 | ---- |
| 373 | * GermanicDepressives: Harada puts on a German accent to play the dour and stern Madam Frau. |
| 374 | * MissKitty: A terse and stern German woman who manages both Octavius Kratt's dancers in the Kratt Club and a number of prostitutes out of the Hotel Schmicago. How much overlap there is between these two groups is unclear. |
| 375 | * RepetitiveName: When translated into English, her name is literally "Mrs. Mrs.". |
| 376 | |
| 377 | [[/folder]] |
| 378 | |
| 379 | [[folder:Bobby Flanagan]] |
| 380 | !!Bobby Flanagan |
| 381 | !!!Played by: Creator/JaneKrakowski |
| 382 | %% |
| 383 | %% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=16822931900.05923400 |
| 384 | %% Please don't change or remove without starting a new thread. |
| 385 | %% |
| 386 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/schmig_janek.png]] |
| 387 | |
| 388 | ->''"Bells and whistles\ |
| 389 | Are all you need\ |
| 390 | Plus a comprehensive knowledge of the law!"'' |
| 391 | |
| 392 | The lawyer Melissa hires to defend Josh. |
| 393 | ---- |
| 394 | * AmoralAttorney: She'll take the cases of whoever pays her, regardless of morality. She's defending Josh one episode and then [[spoiler:forcing Melissa to marry Kratt]] later. |
| 395 | * BunnyEarsLawyer: Sung about in her focus number, "Bells and Whistles". She's a little out there, and isn't above sexing it up to sway the men in the courtroom into siding with her, but she also makes sure to back it up with "a comprehensive knowledge of the law". For the first 2/3 of the song she's entertaining the courtroom, but then launches into {{patter|song}}-y legalese defending Josh near the end. |
| 396 | * GenderFlip: Of [[{{Theatre/Chicago}} Chicago's own]] Billy Flynn, being a sleazy lawyer who chases after high-profile cases. |
| 397 | * HighPoweredCareerWoman: Parodied. She's smooth, confident, the most expensive lawyer in Schmicago and is aware of how the patriarchy got in the way of her career, but given that she's played by comedic actress Creator/JaneKrakowski in a musical parody she comes off as more of a caricature. |
| 398 | * HelloAttorney: Parodied: swaying the court with sex appeal, dance, and trapeze is apparently a common tactic for her. |
| 399 | -->'''Judge:''' Does the jury need time to deliberate?\ |
| 400 | '''Juror:''' Absolutely not, your honor. We, the jury, unanimously find Bobby Flanagan to be absolutely stunning, and Josh Skinner innocent of all charges. |
| 401 | * LegFocus: She tells Melissa in her introduction that she got her L-E-G-S from G-O-D, and "Bells and Whistles" involves a lot of leg choreography as she dazzles the judge and jury with her dance. |
| 402 | [[/folder]] |
| 403 | |
| 404 | [[folder:Topher]] |
| 405 | !!Topher |
| 406 | !!!Played by: Creator/AaronTveit |
| 407 | %% |
| 408 | %% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=16822931900.05923400 |
| 409 | %% Please don't change or remove without starting a new thread. |
| 410 | %% |
| 411 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/schmig_tveit.png]] |
| 412 | |
| 413 | ->''"What am I supposed to be?\ |
| 414 | Who is this guy called me?\ |
| 415 | When will I see\ |
| 416 | My doorway to where?"'' |
| 417 | |
| 418 | A freewheeling hippie who believes in freedom and love. |
| 419 | ---- |
| 420 | |
| 421 | * ItsAllAboutMe: He likes to launch into reprises of his song about his personal search for meaning when other people are talking. He's also prone to tantrums when other people steal his attention. |
| 422 | * ManChild: He's very immature and purposeless despite being 30. His interactions with Jenny, Melissa and Josh help him grow up a bit, and in the end he finds the perfect outlet for his childishness [[spoiler:by taking over the town orphanage]]. |
| 423 | * MeaningfulName: He is in part based on the character of Jesus from ''Theatre/{{Godspell}}'' and ''Theatre/JesusChristSuperstar'', and appropriately his name is a nickname for '''Christ'''opher. |
| 424 | * MilestoneBirthdayAngst: In "My Doorway to Where" he mourns being 30 and purposeless. |
| 425 | * NewAgeRetroHippie: He is the leader of a '60s-ish tribe of sunny, peace-loving hippies who want to stick it to wealthy businessman Octavius Kratt. |
| 426 | * QuirkyCurls: Tveit puts on a large, almost afro-like wig of messy curls to play the not-very-down-to-earth hippie Topher. |
| 427 | [[/folder]] |
| 428 | |
| 429 | [[folder:The Narrator]] |
| 430 | !!The Narrator |
| 431 | !!!Played by: Creator/TitussBurgess |
| 432 | %% |
| 433 | %% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=16822931900.05923400 |
| 434 | %% Please don't change or remove without starting a new thread. |
| 435 | %% |
| 436 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/schmig_tituss.png]] |
| 437 | |
| 438 | ->''"Welcome to Schmicago\ |
| 439 | Where the breakers of the law go\ |
| 440 | Sinister and sleazy\ |
| 441 | Leaving's never easy..."''\ |
| 442 | |
| 443 | Schmicago's LemonyNarrator, who speak-sings directly to the audience as the plot moves along. |
| 444 | ---- |
| 445 | * EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep: Thus far has only been referred to as "The Narrator." |
| 446 | * {{Expy}}: His physical appearance and role as InteractiveNarrator calls to mind [[{{Theatre/Pippin}} The Leading Player]], especially as played by Creator/BenVereen. |
| 447 | * HookedUpAfterwards: [[spoiler:He and Sgt. Rivera announce after the happy ending that they'll start dating.]] |
| 448 | * LemonyNarrator: Often adds his own sarcastic commentary to the story's proceedings. Josh immediately lampshades him as "peppery". |
| 449 | |
| 450 | [[/folder]] |
| 451 | |
| 452 | [[folder:Octavius Kratt]] |
| 453 | !!Octavius Kratt |
| 454 | !!!Played by: Creator/PatrickPage |
| 455 | %% |
| 456 | %% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=16822931900.05923400 |
| 457 | %% Please don't change or remove without starting a new thread. |
| 458 | %% |
| 459 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/schmig_patrikcpage.png]] |
| 460 | %% |
| 461 | ->''"Why am I flanked by fools?\ |
| 462 | Idiots and women\ |
| 463 | Who won't play by my rules"'' |
| 464 | |
| 465 | The owner of the Kratt Klubb and Schmicago's electricity utility company. |
| 466 | ---- |
| 467 | * AndNowYouMustMarryMe: He holds Melissa captive and forces her to marry him in the finale. |
| 468 | * BigBad: He's got a hand in nearly all the conflicts experienced by the characters in season 2. [[spoiler:As soon as he's disposed of, everyone sorts themselves into happy endings]]. |
| 469 | * ContrastingSequelAntagonist: Compared to Mildred Leyton of season one. Both are dour and puritanical [[{{ControlFreak}} control freaks]] with sordid secrets. Where Mildred was a busybody trying to gain influence and soft power, Kratt is an outright oligarch who uses financial monopolies to control the entire city, including the police. Whereas the citizens of Schmigadoon were naieve and easy to manipulate, the viceful Schmicagoans are completely aware of Kratt's corruption and are either complicit or ineffectual at stopping it. |
| 470 | * DirtyOldMan: Pursues Jenny, a woman young enough to be his daughter, [[spoiler: and is mentioned to have done the same to the deceased Elsie Vale.]] |
| 471 | * EvilSoundsDeep: The most antagonistic character in Schmicago is fittingly the only one to sing in the bass range, giving him a stoic and intimidating air. |
| 472 | * IJustWantToBeLoved: His solo song "Two Birds With One Stone" reveals that he just wants to find a wife. Too bad all his attempts involve coercion and murder. |
| 473 | * ShoutOut: He's different enough to not be a straightforward {{Expy}}, but Kratt's character pays homage to two notable musical characters. |
| 474 | ** His backstory ([[spoiler:and connection to Dooley and Jenny]]) and his flagellating himself in "Two Birds with One Stone" brings to mind [[Theatre/SweeneyToddTheDemonBarberOfFleetStreet Judge Turpin]]. |
| 475 | *** The song also has noticeable similarities to [[{{Music/JesusChristSuperstar}} This Jesus Must Die]] giving him a neat nod to [[{{Characters/JesusChristSuperstar}} Caiaphas]]. |
| 476 | ** His business monopoly within Schmicago brings to mind [[{{Theatre/Hadestown}} Hades]], especially considering that Kratt, like Hades, owns an electric company. |
| 477 | ** He owns the eponymous night club in town and uses his power to date the leading ladies, like Max from ''{{Theatre/Cabaret}}''. |
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