Ambiguous Name: Screwy Squirrel

This trope is about comedy characters who mess around with others for no good reason. I think the trope could do with a better name, because of Trope-Namer Syndrome (it is the name of a specific Tex Avery character) and because it can be confused for an Animal Stereotype about actual squirrels (although the Wick Check suggests this is not very common).

I propose The Screwy as a new name. Alternatively, since we already have The Prankster, which is a very similar trope, we can just combine the two.

Wick Check (20 wicks):

Edited by Snicka on Jan 15th 2020 at 9:14:24 PM

Opening as it is indeed too similar to The Prankster. I wonder if we have a duplicate on our hands?

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I sincerely thought this was about actual squirrels. Never occurred to me to actually check the trope, heh...

I think it's a duplicate.

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Delete as duplicate with an unclear name. Maybe retool the name to a trope about actual squirrels, but that's if the Trope Launch Pad wants it.

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Cut since it's a duplicate of The Prankster, especially since The Prankster doesn't have a Trope-Namer Syndrome problem.

There used to be Nutty Squirrel, but it was cut for being Chairs.

Edit: I noticed that Merciless Prankster exists as a redirect for Screwy Squirrel. It has no wicks, but having "Prankster" in the name further leads me to believe that Screwy Squirrel is a duplicate of The Prankster.

Also, The Prankster is healthier in terms of wicks (1,193 wicks, compared to 477), though inbound counts are pretty close. I suppose we could redirect Screwy Squirrel to The Prankster if we need to keep the inbounds.

Edited by GastonRabbit on Jan 17th 2020 at 5:34:31 AM

Patiently awaiting the release of Paper Luigi and the Marvelous Compass.

I'm in favor of cutting Screwy Squirrel and merging the examples into The Prankster.

There is an existing Animal Stereotype about squirrels (and their close relatives, chipmunks) being pranksters (Tex Avery's Screwy Squirrel, Slappy from Animaniacs, Chip'n'Dale, the squirrels from Big Buck Bunny, to name a few), which might be tropable, but naming it "Screwy Squirrel" would probably lead to confusion with the current meaning of Screwy Squirrel. Nutty Squirrel was most likely cut because it was degrading into Everythings Better With Squirrels.

Edited by Snicka on Jan 17th 2020 at 10:48:32 AM

If someone wants to launch a trope for prankster squirrels, I think it would be better if that happened independently of this thread, and preferably with a new name.

Edited by GastonRabbit on Jan 17th 2020 at 5:38:23 AM

Patiently awaiting the release of Paper Luigi and the Marvelous Compass.

My thoughts too, except I was thinking of other cases of screwiness, such as eccentricity or craziness.

It doesn't seem any less tropable than Cats Are Lazy or Wicked Weasel.

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I don't disagree that it's tropeworthy. I just don't want a TLP draft to be tied to this thread, since TLP drafts spun off TRS threads sometimes get abandoned, which results in both the TRS thread and the TLP draft staying in the backlog.

Edited by GastonRabbit on Jan 17th 2020 at 7:21:41 AM

Patiently awaiting the release of Paper Luigi and the Marvelous Compass.

Five people agree here that it should be merged into The Prankster, with nobody disagreeing. How many votes do we need to call it a consensus?

I would argue against a merge with The Prankster; that trope, to my reading, is about someone who focuses on practical jokes while Screwy Squirrel is about generalized pranks, mischief, and mayhem. The Manic Trickster, The Screwball Imp, or something along those lines seems like it would be more appropriate.

Edited by Willbyr on Jan 17th 2020 at 9:57:22 AM

I'm good with The Manic Trickster.

In the meantime, why don't we start up a crowner?

she/her | TRS needs your help! | Contributor of Trope Report

As mentioned elsewhere, The Gadfly and Troll are also pretty close to this trope - the former covers the less malicious examples whereas the latter covers the ones that intentionally want to do harm.

If we make this The Manic Trickster, what would set it apart from the other tropes?

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• The Prankster: A person who enjoys playing Practical Jokes on others.
• The Gadfly: A person who makes fun of or provokes people because it amuses them.
• Troll: A person who provokes people (on the internet? or in any situation?) because they find anger and suffering entertaining.
• Screwy Squirrel: A person who plays pranks on others for their own amusement.

All four of these play malicious tricks on others for their own amusement, with the differences being very nuanced between them. The Prankster and Screwy Squirrel are more physical whereas Troll and The Gadfly are more verbal; Troll and Screwy Squirrel are more sadistic than The Gadfly or The Prankster. Still, it's hard to see where the line is between each.

Edited by Snicka on Jan 17th 2020 at 8:33:08 PM

I thought this trope was about the screwball animal characters in older cartoons like the trope namer. At least that looks like what the description is describing at first.

Macron's notes

Only the second paragraph mentions cartoons. The first one just says it's a character who mercilessly pranks others for their own amusement. Even the picture is from a live-action TV series rather than a cartoon.

That clarification leaves me inclined to think the trope is just "Prankster, but more". What Pranksters don't target people for amusement? That's the entire point of pranks!

Currently Working On: Incorruptible Pure Pureness

There's the Karmic Trickster who plays pranks on other characters to teach them a lesson (while, usually, still getting amusement out of it).

Edited by Snicka on Jan 17th 2020 at 9:47:08 PM

I started a TLP named "Nutty Squirrel" for the Animal Stereotype about squirrels being crazy and pranksters.

Screwy Squirrel seems to be The Prankster + Jerkass. Not sure if that's a difference worth splitting, but it is a distinction.

"It's just a show; I should really just relax"

Since Berrenta suggested a crowner, here it is:

https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/crowner.php/PageAction/ScrewySquirrel?open=all

Patiently awaiting the release of Paper Luigi and the Marvelous Compass.

Being a prankster already requires a certain level of mean-spiritedness, although indeed, some pranksters won't cross a certain line with their pranks and/or wouldn't harm certain people.

Keyword being "some"; I don't think the distinction between "Jerkass Prankster" and "Non-Jerkass Prankster" is necessary; even if not every prankster would cross a line...

I think the only necessary split is with Karmic Trickster, who has different motives.

Edited by WarJay77 on Jan 17th 2020 at 2:45:17 PM

Currently Working On: Incorruptible Pure Pureness