Grouchy Smurf (original French name Schtroumpf Grognon) is one of the main characters of the Smurfs comic books, the 1980s Smurfs cartoon show, and the 2021 Smurfs cartoon show.
Character
Long ago — so long ago that nobody can remember — Grouchy was a more-or less normal Smurf. But he never got over the incident when a Bzz fly attacked the Smurfs. Maybe he was allergic to the sting. In any case, every single day since then, Grouchy wakes up on the wrong side of the bed.
He goes around with a scowl on his face, always part of the gang yet slightly apart, his arms hanging at his side as he mutters to himself about all the things he hates: windmills, dancing, jokes, dragons, picnics, meows, kaboom, olive pit, etc. That pretty much sums up everything he says — who knows what else goes on in his mind? Because every once in a while, when nobody is looking, he exhibits a secret love for something, like flowers. And he finds it impossible to hide his love for Baby Smurf, who reaches right past Grouchy’s wall of grumpiness and puts a little glow into his heart.
His catchphrase throughout the Papercutz-published English comics and the 2021 series is "Me, I don't like (insert whatever the last person said/did)". (The Random House-published English comics have him say "I hate (insert whatever the last person said/did).") However, at occasions, he is perfectly capable of carrying on a normal conversation.
In the 1980s television series, his catchphrase in English was "I hate (insert whatever the last person said/did)", which was adopted from the Random House-published English comics. Most of the time, it's all he says throughout the entire 1980s series, and had barely said anything except what he hates than his original comic book and 2021 series counterparts. Also, his backstory was changed to Grouchy just being born grouchy, causing his status of being the first Smurf infected by the Bzz Fly to be passed on to Lazy.
Personality
Comic Book/2021 TV Series Version
Grouchy is usually considered a sourpuss since he expresses what he dislikes all of the time. Occasionally, this will anger some of the Smurfs, as shown in "Okey-Dokey!" and "An Unsmurfy Friendship".
Grouchy is very stoic. In "I'm Off To The Circus!", when Gargamel and Azrael attack the Smurfs, Grouchy does not scream and instead shoots Azrael into a cannonball.
Grouchy often shows no sense of humor. However, he does have a mischievous side to himself that is only seen on a few occasions, such as tricking Jokey into taking the potion that makes him go "okey-dokey" in the 2021 cartoon show episode "Okey-Dokey!".
Beneath his grumpy looks, he can be wise sometimes. He has given advice to the Smurfs: in "Doctor Smurf", he comments "Me, I don't like Smurfs who take potions to heal themselves when they're not sick".
He does show a braver side of himself in regard to protecting Baby Smurf from a dangerous robotic caretaker called Diaper Daddy. In stories where he plays major roles, he will usually show other expressions, including smiling in "Unsmurfable Smile" which is rare in the series and worrying in "Okey-Dokey!".
"Unsmurfable Smile" implies that he hides his feelings, as he is briefly shown smirking when next to Smurfette and Blossom and in "Okey-Dokey!", he is said to consider the Smurfs "friends". Grouchy's implication of hiding his feelings is further shown in "An Unsmurfy Friendship", when he is forced to sit out of playing smurfball due to his grouching, he is upset and befriends Bigmouth, who had also been abandoned by Egghead. However, when they befriended each other again, Grouchy is sad and reveals why he is upset. The Smurfs comfort him and allow him to play.
Despite his flaws, Grouchy is occasionally good-hearted and caring, particularly having a soft spot for Baby Smurf, Puppy, Papa Smurf, Smurfette, the Smurflings, Grandpa Smurf, Clumsy (at times), and flowers. Grouchy also occasionally pulls off acts of courage or selflessness to save the ones he loves.
1981 TV Series Version
In the 1980s television series, he was more-or-less the same as his comic book counterpart, with the exception that his catchphrase in English was "I hate (insert whatever the last person said/did)", which was adopted from the Random House-published English comics. Most of the time, it's all he says throughout the entire 1980s series, and had barely said anything except what he hates compared to his original comic book and 2021 series counterparts.
Other Versions
Grouchy in the live-action film and its sequel is very outspoken and opinionated and can at times be a bit snarky. Here, he is very pessimistic as well, being skeptical of the entirety of New York City in The Smurfs.
Grouchy is also mischievous like his comic book/2021 TV series counterpart, such as tricking Brainy into being launched into the air by a toaster lever in the first live-action Smurfs movie.
Role In The Village
Grouchy is rarely seen working, as all he does is stay in the background and say how much he dislikes or hates whatever is going on.
Occasionally, he is seen looking after Baby Smurf.
During events where the Smurfs have to retrieve something, Grouchy does offer some help and he doesn't seem to get as scared as the others do.
Backstory
In the original comic story "The Black Smurfs", Grouchy started out as being just an ordinary Smurf who was merely working until he was stung by the Purple Fly (In the 1981 TV series, it was Lazy who was stung first, whilst Grouchy's behavior was natural from the start of the television series).
Around the end, when everyone was back to normal, Papa Smurf took note that there was one Smurf who still had the bitter attitude and cruel face that a Purple Smurf and concluded that this was an allergic effect of being stung by the purple fly (or more so never getting over the incident). This one Smurf became known as Grouchy.
In the comics, it's actually his fellow Smurfs who made that observation in "The Egg And The Smurfs", the Smurfs are hyped up about an upcoming party and are thinking about how to make it the best party ever.
- Unnamed Smurf: What if we smurfed some fireworks?
- Grouchy Smurf: Me, I don't like fireworks!
- Brainy Smurf: Or a big parade?
- Grouchy: Me, I don't like parades!
- Unnamed Smurf: A dance, then? We could smurf under the paper lanterns!
- Grouchy: Me, I don't like paper lanterns!
- Unnamed Smurf: (Angry) No fireworks! No parade! No dance! What do you want to smurf for the party then?
- Grouchy: Me, I don't like parties.
- Unnamed Smurf: He's in a foul smurf!
- Unnamed Smurf: Yes, he's been like that ever since he got smurfed by the Bzz fly! Some of it has stuck with him!
- See: The Egg And The Smurfs.
Even when he's genuinely happy, he still has that angry look going as the scene in "A Child Among The Smurfs" after Jeanty had demolished his house and had to rebuild it shows. Although his house looked really shambolic, Grouchy decided that Jeanty did such a good job that he couldn't be happier.
- Grouchy: I like my house!
- Jeanty: Really? You're not just saying that to please me?
- Grouchy: I HATE just saying things to please others!
Although he is mostly hateful, he loves many things.
Likes And Dislikes
See Grouchy Smurf/Likes and Dislikes for an incomplete list.
Relationships With Others
Due to being the angry outcast, Grouchy doesn't seem to have an actual "Best Smurf Friend" until Baby and Puppy come along. He does get along with the others, but he is usually seen leaning against a wall or a tree. Grouchy does show respect for the other Smurfs, but he did admit that he hates Brainy.
Smurfette
Grouchy does like Smurfette, as shown in her debut episode when he drew a heart on a house around the end saying:
- "I-I-I love the Smurfette too- BUT I HATE anyone to know about it!"
In The Smurfs: Mission Vileaf, Grouchy agrees to not tell anyone about her venturing into the swamp to save Papa Smurf. However, later, Handy tells Smurfette that Grouchy had told them about her disappearance since he is worried about her, causing him to grumble more than usual.
Smurfette is also one of few Smurfs who figured out that Grouchy's "I hate...!" statements do not always match what he really feels, as shown in an exchange she has with Greedy in "The Smurf Fire Brigade":
- Smurfette: (shocked after Greedy eats two puddings) What are you doing?! Now there won't be enough!
- Greedy: Oh, sure there will! Grouchy hates pudding.
- Smurfette: (irritated) Oh, he just says that!
Baby Smurf
When Gargamel turns himself into a baby Smurf to infiltrate the village in the "The Baby Smurf", Grouchy first expresses hatred for the new infant. However, after the others run off and Smurfette looks away, he tickles the baby's chin. Later in the episode, Grouchy attempts to tickle him again and becomes baffled and suspicious after Gargamel temporarily breaks his babbling baby charade to yell out "Don't touch me!".
During the debut episode of the real Baby Smurf, Grouchy had a hard time warming up to Baby, but when he snuck a peek at Baby, the infant happily imitated his usual scowl and crossed arms, which caused Grouchy's heart to melt and him to actually smile. Grouchy was too afraid to let these feelings show, so he pretended that he still hated Baby, but when Grouchy agreed to look after Baby for Papa Smurf, Papa Smurf saw through it. When the Stork came back with a note demanding Baby back, Grouchy fled with Baby, gladly risking his life to protect Baby in the flash flood and getting help from nearby animals. Grouchy eventually found his way back to the village because he couldn't protect Baby by himself, he broke down into tears knowing that Baby was going to be taken. The next day, Baby was brought back to stay because of Grouchy's demonstration of sincere devotion and a letter from Smurfette. Grouchy is almost always seen with Baby. Grouchy is the one holding Baby and he doesn't seem to mind at all.
In "Grouchy Makes A Splash", where Grouchy learned how to swim, he was too scared to step into the water at first, but when Baby's life was in danger, he swam all the way to save him from Gargamel and Azrael. Grouchy is fully devoted to the safety of Baby, Papa, Smurfette, and all of his fellow Smurfs, even if he doesn't show it. He even wept when Baby Smurf got sick in "Bookworm Smurf" and Papa Smurf was unable to cure him because Sassette made all books disappear by mistake.
- Papa Smurf: How is Baby?
- Grouchy: (tearfully) I hate how Baby is.
In the comic book adaption of Baby Smurf's origin story, Grouchy fled the village when the stork came to retrieve Baby remarking that he wouldn't let the stork take him because he loves Baby Smurf. Later, a duck helps him and Baby onto a small island and Grouchy smiles at Baby while admitting he likes ducks. When Grouchy later in the story is losing all hope, Baby cheers him on and realizing that he can't keep Baby exposed to the elements, Grouchy returns to the village and in tears admits that he simply loves Baby too much to just hand him over to the stork.
In "Diaper Daddy", Grouchy risks his life to save Baby Smurf from Diaper Daddy when it had gone berserk. It is shown that in "The Ultimate Prank" that Grouchy occasionally takes care of Baby, even letting him sleep in his house.
Brainy Smurf
His relationship with Brainy Smurf varies. In "The Smurfs And The Howlibird", he flat out says he does not like him. In "Pop Out!", Grouchy bites Brainy's hand and says he doesn’t like him, causing him to disappear with his newfound power of making things appear in Gargamel's hovel. When he gets stuck inside, he saves Brainy from Gargamel, implying that he cares for his fellow Smurfs.
Jokey Smurf
Grouchy seems to consider Jokey as his friend, as they're sometimes seen together outside the village, like in "The Last Laugh" and "The Tear Of A Smurf". However, Jokey can be sometimes get annoyed by Grouchy's grouchiness, like in "Okey-Dokey!", where Jokey uses a potion to make Grouchy say "okey-dokey!" to everything.
Clumsy Smurf
Clumsy and Grouchy don't have many interactions. However, Grouchy appears to like Clumsy, as in the 2011 Smurfs movie, when Clumsy hugs Papa Smurf, Grouchy struggles not to cry.
Normally, Grouchy is annoyed with Clumsy's clumsiness, as shown in "Handy's Kite".
In "An Unsmurfy Friendship", he saves him with the others from Egghead.
Bigmouth
In "An Unsmurfy Friendship", Grouchy befriends Bigmouth after finding out he has no friends, and the same for Grouchy.
Bigmouth appears to be one of the few Smurfs that he can regularly get along with because they were in the same situation as each other.
Snappy Smurfling
In the comic book adaption of "The Smurflings", he met his match in Snappy. Grouchy was looking very disapprovingly at Snappy but before he could say anything...
- Snappy: WELL, ME, I DON'T LIKE GROWN-UP SMURFS!
- Grouchy: But I didn't say anything!
- Snappy: No! But you thought it, Grouchy Smurf!
- Grouchy: How did he guess? (In thoughts) Me, I don't like Smurflings!
Smurfblossom
In "Unsmurfable Smile", Blossom, with Smurfette, try to make him smile, with no hope... at least until the end of the episode, where they both find him smiling at the sky. When they get back down safely, Blossom almost makes Grouchy smile again, though he denies it.
In "Smurf Racers", Blossom says "Grouchy's" (who is Azrael in disguise) costume of Azrael looks nice.
In "An Unsmurfy Friendship", Blossom found Grouchy to be annoying and bothersome on her team. When he comes back with Bigmouth, she leaves the game.
Smurflily
Grouchy and Lily were partners for the Pumpkin Race in "Smurf Racers". In the episode, Lily found Grouchy slightly annoying, as all he does is complain. However, both worked together and won the Pumpkin Race by the end of the episode.
Others
Grouchy developed a soft spot for The Purple Smelly Hatchling in "Born Rotten", despite disliking his smell as much as the others (as well as being chased). He was also the only Smurf the hatchling liked enough to be lead away from the village by. He shows this soft spot best by making his wish for the shooting star celebration that the "stinky little fellow" makes it home safely before smiling.
Overall, Grouchy does not exactly hate many people and respects others, even if he grouches a lot.
In The Movies
The Smurfs And The Magic Flute
In this movie, Grouchy appears during the "Just Like Their Names" song when Papa Smurf mentions him. He stands and grouches, saying "I don't like personalities" in the UK dub and "I don't act like my name" in the US dub.
The Smurfs (2011)
In the 2011 Smurfs movie, Grouchy is one of the few Smurfs that travels through time to present-day New York City. During their stay with Patrick and Grace Winslow, he tells Patrick that he finds the Smurf song truly annoying. In the FAO Schwarz toy store where they search for a "stargazer", Grouchy meets a plush toy of a green M&M and discloses his life and secrets to it, but he gets upset when it will not talk to him. He discloses to the plush toy that he uses his grouchiness to hide his true feelings. He makes it promise to remember the moment, as he was supposedly Grouchy for the rest of his life. At the end he is seen having a romantic cart ride with a Smurf-made green M&M plush toy.
The Smurfs: A Christmas Carol
In the accompanying special feature, The Smurfs: A Christmas Carol, Grouchy noticeably refuses to participate in the celebration of Christmas, so Papa Smurf whips up a formula that would help his little Smurf regain the Christmas spirit he had lost. While under the influence of the formula, Grouchy is visited by three of his fellow Smurfs appearing as Smurfs of Christmas Past, Present, and Future. Smurfette as the Smurf of Christmas Past showed Grouchy how happy he used to be about Christmas until he became disillusioned when all he ever got for a Christmas present was a Smurf hat instead of a hang glider. Brainy as the Smurf of Christmas Present showed Grouchy how his refusal to participate in Christmas will affect current events in the Smurf Village, and also how Papa Smurf made a special Smurf hat for Grouchy that he was sure his little Smurf is going to love. And Hefty as the Smurf of Christmas Future shows Grouchy what his refusal to participate in Christmas will cause on the day of Christmas. Upon awakening, Grouchy realized how selfish he was with what he wanted Christmas to be about and decided that he was going to make the final preparations for Christmas Day (and bake a fruitcake), which made Papa Smurf and the other Smurfs glad to see. Grouchy admitted that he was wrong, Christmas is not a time for hating, it's about having a family who loves and cares about him, even though he's "Grouchy". Papa Smurf, who's glad that Grouchy learned his lesson, gives him his present first, to which he opens heartily accepts and hugs Papa Smurf, much to to his surprise, and returns the hug.
The Smurfs 2
Grouchy Smurf appears in The Smurfs 2 as a main character, traveling to modern-day Paris with Papa Smurf, Clumsy, and Vanity to rescue Smurfette from Gargamel, who has kidnapped her so she can give him Papa Smurf's special formula that can turn his Naughties into Smurfs. He temporarily takes on the name Positive Smurf and tries to be more of an encourager, but by the end of the story he reverts to his original name and personality. He winds up falling in love with Vexy.
Smurfs: The Lost Village
Grouchy has a brief appearance in Smurfs: The Lost Village as he sits on a bench along with Smurfette, who tries to be as grouchy as he is, only to tell her that she is bad at being grouchy. He was later seen during Smurfette's death after she sacrificed herself, holding two Smurf Girls' hands angrily and then sighs. In the credits in a picture, he is seen bothered by Blossom's screaming at him.
Smurf Videogames
The Smurfs: The TeleTransport Smurf
Grouchy is one of the playable characters in the PC game The TeleTransport Smurf.
Smurfs' Village
In the app game Smurfs' Village, Grouchy is a wandering character in the main village with a storm cloud above his head you can tap on to earn 100 XP. His hut costs 30 smurfberries.
The Smurfs: Mission Vileaf
He appears as a supporting character in the game. He tells Chef and later Smurfette that Papa Smurf has not returned after trying to find the last cure for the Vileaf. In the case of Smurfette, he reluctantly tells her that he will not tell the other Smurfs about her disappearance, though later, offscreen, he tells the other Smurfs, as revealed by Handy.
The Smurfs 2: The Prisoner of the Green Stone
Grouchy is a supporting character in the game. He joins the group of Smurfs in Gargamel's hovel with Papa Smurf, Smurfette, and Poet and stays behind.
Later, Stolas goes to Gargamel's hovel and has commenced a ritual intended to secure his freedom. The hovel has thus been transformed into a mass of wreckage floating in the Astral Nothingness. Later, Handy takes it upon himself to fight Stolas, before gaining his trust and defeats Gargamel. Later, Grouchy and the other Smurfs celebrate a party with Stolas.
Appearances
See Grouchy Smurf/Appearances.
Trivia
- His character in the 1981 series was voiced by Michael Bell and is voiced by Joshua Rubin in the 2021 series, who also voices Handy Smurf.
- Grouchy, Lazy, Handy, and Sir Johan had the same voice actor in the 1981 series.
- Grouchy has had very few moments where he does smile, but he is still probably the meanest-looking Smurf in the entire village.
- Despite being one of the main characters of the 1980s series, his role slightly declines after Season 4 (due to the arrival of the Smurflings), though unlike the other Smurfs affected by this change, he appears the most out of all of them.
- Grouchy initially wasn't able to swim, but in the end, he ended up saving Baby Smurf showing how much he loves Baby, and in the end, he loves swimming ("Grouchy Makes A Splash").
- There is a day in the Smurf calendar where all the Smurfs must give each other hugs, and this happens to be Grouchy's most despised day ("A Hug For Grouchy").
- In the episode "Chlorhydris' Lost Love", where an evil spell was cast upon most of the Smurfs which made them hateful and violent, Grouchy was more hateful than usual.
- Grouchy is usually never happy, but when he is for a long period of time, he feels pain.
- Grouchy has also shown that he has a hard time giving into several things.
- Grouchy is voiced by George Lopez (The George Lopez Show, Beverly Hills Chihuahua, and Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2) in the live-action movies.
- Grouchy's "I hate..." statements are usually rendered as "Me, I hate..." or "Me, I don't like..." in the Papercutz English translations of the Smurf comic books, taking the original French text more literally.
- Grouchy showed to be immune against two of Chlorhydris' spells: he was immune against the sense of humor eraser in "He Who Smurfs Last" since he lacks one, and he was immune against the Raven of Unhappiness' song in "Smoogle Sings The Blues" since he is constantly unhappy.
- Grouchy is referred to as Grumpy Smurf in the United Kingdom English dub of The Smurfs And The Magic Flute.
- In the first two seasons of the 1981 TV series, Grouchy had a lower, quieter voice when saying "I hate...". Beginning with the third season, his voice transforms into its current voice.
- In "Bewitched, Bothered, And Be-Smurfed", because Grouchy's personality was changed by Hogatha's magic locket, he was a comedian who was also willing to kiss Hogatha, even though she was a frog at the time.
- When the episode "Once In A Blue Moon" was first broadcasted in Belgium in 1984 which was Baby Smurf's debut episode, the episode was given a brand song called "Berceuse du bebe Schtroumpf" (which replaces the song "Once In A Blue Moon") which is performed by The Smurfs alongside Papa Smurf expressing they're enjoyment on adopting Baby Smurf. The song is mainly performed by Grouchy expressing how much he loves Baby Smurf.
- In the English version of the 2021 series, Grouchy's catchphrase is "Me, I don't like" and "I do not like" is which is a direct translation of his original catchphrase "Moi, je n'aime pas" from the original French/Walloon version of the comics.
- He, Papa, Grandpa, Baby, Smurfette, Brainy, Clumsy, Hefty, Handy, Greedy, Lazy, Vanity, Jokey, Painter, Wild, Sassette, Snappy, and Smoogle are the only characters who timed travel during Season 9 with the Time Scrolls.
- He, Handy, Dreamy, Smurfette, Sassette, Papa, Clockwork, and Jokey are the only Smurfs to celebrate their birthdays in an episode of the 1980s series.
- He, Papa Smurf, Brainy, Hefty, and Lazy are the only characters to be in every incarnation of the franchise.
- He has a Pluff version called Grouchy Pluff. This Pluff is the same as him, but he uses "I kinda like..." instead of "I don't like...".
- Grouchy has his name in four episode titles which are "A Hug For Grouchy", "The Grouchiest Game In Town", "Grouchy Makes A Splash", and "The Monumental Grouch".