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Craig's Family
Duane and Nicole Williams
Click here to see Nicole's new look
Duane voiced by: Terry Crews
Nicole voiced by: Kimberly Hebert Gregory
Nicole voiced by: Kimberly Hebert Gregory
Craig's parents.
Tropes that apply to both of them
- Adults Are Useless: Averted. They're very attentive towards their children and open-minded about Craig's adventures at the creek.
- Good Parents: Two of the best examples in modern cartoons. They openly bond with their children, are patient, full of affection, and are willing to learn more about them and their needs.
- Happily Married: They genuinely love each other and aren't afraid to flirt and joke around when given the opportunity.
- One of the Kids: Downplayed with Duane and Nicole; they like to engage in fun activities (video games with Duane and fort building with Nicole) as a way of bonding with their kids.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: They're not easy to upset, in fact, they're very rarely angry with their kids.
Tropes that apply to Duane
- Affectionate Nickname: Duane proudly refers to Bernard, Craig, and Jessica as "My Man", "My Guy", and "My Girl", respectively.
- Hidden Depths: Duane wanted to be a stand-up comedian.
- Large Ham: Duane. But what would you expect from Terry Crews?
- Leeroy Jenkins: Duane is one according to Jojo, a trait shared by both his father Earl and son Craig.
- Momma's Boy: Duane has a closer relationship with his mother.
- Pungeon Master: Duane loves dad jokes, with puns being his go-to.
- Real Men Eat Meat: Grilling steaks is a big deal to Duane.
Tropes that apply to Nicole
- Deadpan Snarker: Nicole has her moments when it comes to Craig's antics.
- Hidden Depths: In her younger years, she loved skateboarding.
- Important Haircut: From "Jessica's Trail" onwards, Nicole changes her afro into braids.
- Not So Above It All: After she chastises an electronics store manager for having a child (J.P.) work as an employee, Nicole tries to take advantage of his employee discount.
- Women Are Wiser: Nicole is often closer to Earth than her husband.
Bernard Williams
Voiced by: Phil LaMarr
Craig's older brother.
- Affectionate Nickname: In "Locked Out Cold," Alexis calls him "Nar-Nar." Craig and Jessica start calling him that for the rest of the episode.
- Aloof Big Brother: He doesn't often reach out to Craig, seeing him as nothing but an Annoying Younger Sibling. He's not particularly fond of Jessica either to a lesser extent, but he does teach her how to play Power Punchers.
- Big Brother Bully: Downplayed. While not at all enthused by Craig's antics and love for the creek, Bernard doesn't go out of his way to antagonize him, instead mostly just openly expressing how annoying he finds Craig when they interact. He also tells on Jessica when she annoys him by standing up for Craig.
- Black and Nerdy: At least, he tries to be intellectual.
- Butt-Monkey: He's always caught in the middle of Craig's hijinks.
- Disappointing Older Sibling: Subverted; for all the displeasure Craig voices for Bernard, he does look up to him deep down.
- Even Bad Men Love Their Mamas: He is noticeably respectful to his grandmother, who is the only person in their entire show (including his mother and girlfriend) that he hasn't treated with outright contempt.
- Insufferable Genius: Is constantly studying and acting like an intellectual, but hasn't made any egregious errors to qualify as a Know-Nothing Know-It-All.
- Jerkass: Craig's (biased) Enemy Scan lists the PG version of this trope in its analysis.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Is revealed to be one in "Bring Out Your Beast".
- Perpetual Frowner: He's always frowning 85% of his screen time.
- Pet the Dog: Bonds with Craig over the titular card game in "Bring Out Your Beast". He also teaches Jessica how to play Power Punchers.
- Phoneaholic Teenager: When he's not being a sour lemon, he's always on his phone.
- Shown Their Work: All of Craig's other family members have large eyes, but Bernard's are small behind his glasses, implying they're prescriptions for his farsightedness.
Jessica Williams
Voiced by: Dharma Brown (pilot), Lucia Cunningham (main series)
Craig's little sister.
- Adorably Precocious Child: The level of understanding she has about economics is well beyond most kids her age, and she always boasts about her achievements, even if it's mundane.
- Affectionate Nickname: Often referred to as "Miss Jessica" by the adults.
- Annoying Younger Sibling: She has her moments of being bratty towards Craig and Bernard, most prominent in "Jessica Goes to the Creek" where she pesters the former for her favorite stuff instead of having fun at the creek, and "Body Swap" where she dominantly beats the latter with a pillow over a videogame.
- Ascended Extra: She's set to be the protagonist of her own spin-off called "Jessica's Big Little World".
- Beyond the Impossible: After getting fed up with the rules of the "PAY UP!" board game, she decided to start claiming things around the house as her own by placing the plastic house pieces on them. Nicole comments that she managed to claim a bottle of orange juice by putting a house piece inside without breaking the freshness seal.
- Character Tics: Jessica is a creature of routine. The disruption of the routine upsets her.
- Crocodile Tears: Is prone to doing this on adults in order to get her way.
- Elmuh Fudd Syndwome: Her young age has given her a minor form of this. One example was saying "sticker" when she meant "stickler".
- She's also aware of this pronunciation issue and occasionally exploits it for fun. She intentionally said "constipatients" knowing full well her grandmother meant "constituents".
- Friend to All Children: Despite being in kindergarten, she knows how to bond with younger kids and get them to comply with her requests as shown in "Creek Daycare".
- Girls Love Stuffed Animals: She owns a variety of plush toys in her room. But her favorite appears to be a light green yam creature called "Small Uncle".
- Innocent Prodigy: Spends most of her time watching news about investments, yet she also displays childlike behavior from time to time.
- Not Now, Kiddo: While she is mature and articulate for her age, Jessica has a hard time getting respect from her older siblings because of how young she is compared to them.
- Pintsized Powerhouse: Bernard describes her as being "unusually strong" for a 5-year-old girl, and other episodes in season 3 showcase her willingness to carry heavy objects with little difficulty. In season 4, she also displays some skill in wrestling with her use of Steve Austen's Stone Cold Stunner.
- Quality over Quantity: Does tasks slowly and meticulously rather than quickly.
- Tagalong Kid: She frequently joins Craig and his friends when they go on Creek adventures.
Earl and Jojo Williams
Craig's paternal grandparents.
Tropes that apply to both of them
- Doting Grandparent: They all love their grandchildren, but Earl is a lot closer to Craig.
- Happily Married: It's obvious that they've been married for at least 40+ years given Jojo's participation in the Civil Rights movement and the age of their son. But it's equally obvious they care about each other a lot.
- Earl still flirts with Jojo and looks at her with romantic love.Earl:... Hey, good lookin'.
Jojo: (blushing) Earl, you fresh. - Jojo distracts Earl when his back goes out, so he won't dwell on how much less active his age has made him and becoming depressed.
- Earl still flirts with Jojo and looks at her with romantic love.
Tropes that apply to Earl
- The Bore: According to Craig, Earl would tell long stories after Thanksgiving dinner that would put his family in a sleepy mood.
- Cool Old Guy: Earl is outgoing, imaginative, and great at building and fixing stuff.
- *Crack!* "Oh, My Back!": Earl has a back that goes out if he is too energetic in pursuing his activities.
- Farm Man: Downplayed with Earl who manages his own garden as a hobby.
- Leeroy Jenkins: Craig is one according to Jojo. So is her husband Earl. She declares it a trait of "the Williams men".
- Mr. Fixit: Earl does lots of yard work and handyman jobs.
Tropes that apply to Jojo
- Cool Old Lady: Jojo is an active member of the community, has a unique fashion sense, and was a Civil Rights demonstrator back in the day.
- Fun T-Shirt: Jojo's sweaters always feature a fun or clever word print/message.
- Hidden Depths: Jojo is revealed to have participated in the Civil Rights movement. It's implied that she's aware that the fight for equality is far from over.
- Serious Business: Her sons treat her annual Thanksgiving pies as this. Anyone who tries and fails to recreate her sweet potato pie will be met with absolute shame. She later admits that her pies were all store bought.
Bryson Williams
Voiced by: Terrence Hardy Jr.
Craig, Bernard, and Jessica's cousin.
- Foil: To Craig. Craig is portrayed as bolder, more expressive, and has a more cartoonish design while Bryson is shown to be more sensible, quiet, and calmer and has a design that's more realistic for an African American boy.
- He's All Grown Up: Downplayed. Craig is stunned by how much Bryson has changed since the last time they met and believes him to be more mature now. It's subverted when the cousins bond again and get to play together like children.
- The Nose Knows: In the Camping Episode, Bryson trains himself to improve his ability to smell. It takes him a few tries before it works.
- Shrinking Violet: His mom states that Bryson has a hard time opening up to new people. Taking him along on adventures in the Creek has shown a remarkable improvement in his sociabilities.
Jasmine Williams
Voiced by: Tawny Newsome
Bryson's older sister currently attending college.
- Ambiguously Gay: She nonchalantly tells Bernard that she was texting her girlfriend in response to him saying he was texting his girlfriend. Whether Jasmine was referring to her girlfriend in a platonic or romantic sense has yet to be determined.
- Catchphrase: "Mind your business."
- Cool Big Sis: She's a pretty chill and friendly person who often looks out for Bryson and her younger cousins.
- Cool Shades: Is always shown wearing a pair of yellow-orange glasses.
- Hard-Drinking Party Girl: Averted. In the Thanksgiving special, her reason for attending the family dinner was that a college party was canceled thus giving her nothing to do for the night. But considering that this is a kid's show, there's no mention of Jasmine having an interest in alcohol.
- Hypocritical Humor: A lot of her scenes feature the use of this trope.
- In "Cousin of the Creek", she reprimands Bernard for texting his girlfriend while barely interacting with his visiting family members. Bernard then finds out that she's doing the same thing with her girlfriend.
- In "Craig and the Kid's Table", Jasmine tells her family that Thanksgiving should be canceled because of its controversial roots but she still celebrates it because of the free food.
- Phoneaholic Teenager: Played With: She's technically a college girl, but otherwise fits the trope.
- Rough Overalls: Worn with one strap, giving her an urban-style
- Sassy Black Woman: She has the vibe of one, due to her laidback attitude.
Darnell and Kimmy Williams
Kim voiced by: Tisha Campbell-Martin
Darnell voiced by: Lil Rel Howry
Darnell voiced by: Lil Rel Howry
Craig's paternal uncle and aunt.
Tropes that apply to both of them
- Fat and Skinny: Darnell has a heavyset figure while Kimmy is more lean figure.
Tropes that apply to Darnell
- Competition Freak: Darnell enjoys competing against his brother Duane with just about any trivial thing imaginable just to one-up him.
- Motor Mouth: He tends to talk pretty fast and ramble on.
- Sibling Rivalry: Darnell with his brother. Though it's mostly Played for Laughs.
Tropes that apply to Kimmy
- Cool Aunt: Has the vibe of one, due to her rich looking clothes.
- Nobody Touches the Hair: Considering that Kimmy's haircut was said to be expensive, she'd prefer it if nothing disturbed her hairstyle.
- Once Done, Never Forgotten: Kimmy brought cheap paper plates for a past Thanksgiving and has been ridiculed by the family for it years afterward.
- Sassy Black Woman: She occasionally acts like this.
- Uniformity Exception: She's the only female member of Williams family with straightened hair.
Kelsey's Family
Neil Pokoly
Voiced by: Ian Roberts
Kelsey's father and only parental figure.
- Big Ol' Eyebrows: Kelsey clearly gets her thick eyebrows from him.
- Early Installment Character-Design Difference: When he was first introduced in the family portrait he had brown hair. Appearances from then on gave him red hair like his daughter.
- Handy Man: He's very savvy when it comes to home repairs.
- Invisible Parents: We see a picture of him in "You're It", but he didn't make his physical debut until "Kelsey Quest". In "The Takeout Mission", it's revealed he's usually never seen because he is always at work.
- Noodle Implements: When Kelsey asks if she and her friends can go out to get takeout, he tells her to bring her a Taser and pepper spray. She doesn't own these things but it's surprising that he would trust his child with such weapons.
- Not So Stoic: Has a rather serious personality but occasionally slips up, such as when spicy food is involved or finding something deserving of a little chuckle but he quickly snaps back into place.
- Open-Minded Parent: He's fine with her daughter wearing her cape all the time, even in their family portrait. He also plays along with his daughter's fantasies.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: Zigzagged. He's just as serious about Kelsey's sword as she is and takes it from her after she damages Craig's house with it. He also trusts her with pepper spray and a Taser.
- When He Smiles: Zigzagged. He's shown smiling on separate occasions but in "The Takeout Mission", he gives a smile to Craig and J.P. that emits literal sunshine.
J.P.'s Family
Paula Mercer
Voiced by: Kari Wahlgren
J.P.'s mother and only parental figure.
- Ace Pilot: She's a professional pilot and makes trips all around the United States.
- Amicable Exes: "The New Jersey" reveals she and her husband are divorced and he already met someone. But despite that, they're still on good terms, even with his new wife.
- Glamorous Single Mother: She seems to support her family just fine.
- Invisible Parents: J.P. mentions his mom several times, but Craig and Kelsey don't meet her until Season Two. She makes her physical debut in "Sleepover at JP's" where we learn the reason why she's usually absent is that she's an airline pilot and her job takes her out-of-state and J.P. only sees her when she comes home at night.
- Strong Family Resemblance: She shares multiple physical similarities with her children.
Laura Mercer
Voiced by: Fortune Feimster
J.P.'s older sister.
- Cool Big Sis: She is often loving and encouraging to J.P., even though he annoys her with his irresponsible behavior.
- Dressed to Heal: Subverted. She wears actual nurse scrubs instead of the stock outfit.
- Fat and Proud: Describes all body types as being beautiful.
- Foolish Sibling, Responsible Sibling: The responsible sibling to J.P.'s foolish.
- Lipstick Lesbian: In "Jextra Perrestrial", she's revealed to be in a relationship with another woman. Both Laura and her girlfriend Kat are presented as feminine.
- Mama Bear: In "Sunday Clothes", when J.P. comes home in his birthday suit and muddy while showing her how he kept his clothes clean when the Mercer's neighbor Carol tells J.P. to put some clothes on, Laura tells Carol to back off because his body is beautiful.
John Mercer
The father of J.P. and Laura and the ex-husband of Paula.
- Amicable Exes: They may be divorced and he lives in Canada with his new wife, but he and Paula are on good terms and she's telling him to tell his wife she said hi.
- Disappeared Dad: We never see or hear about J.P.'s father until it's revealed in "The New Jersey" that he and Paula are divorced and he moved to Montreal, Canada and has a new wife named Amanda.
