History Main / ReluctantRetiree

[[folder:Films -- Animated]]

* ''Series/NightCourt'' episode "Flo's Retirement". Ironically, Flo only appeared in one more episode because Florence Halop died of cancer.
* Richard's forced early retirement is a recurring theme in the British sitcom ''Series/KeepingUpAppearances'', although he's more worried about spending more time with his wife than about leaving his career behind.
** One of the jokes in the pilot is people congratulating Richard on his upcoming retirement... only to then immediately switch to condolences as they realize what this will mean for him.

* ''Series/TheOfficeUS'' did an episode about this, with Michael Scott and Creed rebelling against ageism and forcing their boss, Ryan, to back off.

%%* Victor Meldrew in ''Series/OneFootInTheGrave''.

* Finch in ''Series/PersonOfInterest'' season 4 meets a former school teacher made to retire due to budget cutbacks. At the end of the episode, she decides to find another teaching job.
* There's an episode of ''Series/{{Sliders}}'', where Creator/HowardStern's rhetoric has inspired the young to rise up and take the reins of control away from the "old", implementing a national mandatory retirement cut-off at 30 (also, presumably, amending the Constitution to allow people under 35 to be eligible for Presidency). This world is decidedly youth-centric, with the elderly (anyone over 30) being forced to live off what they have made before that since social security is virtually nonexistent (that was one of Stern's main arguments). The episode's villain, who is approaching 30, decides to flee to Canada, where the mandatory retirement age is 40.
* '' Series/SamuraiGourmet'' downplays this. Although the opening of the series features Kasumi forgetting that he's retired, the rest portrays him as embracing his well-earned free time with just a little wistfulness and difficulty adjusting. What really makes Kasumi a Reluctant Retiree is that it takes effort to embrace his new role within JapanesePoliteness: The old man is supposed to be one person in the room who can speak out of turn and make life easier for everyone, and he hasn't exactly trained for that. Fortunately, he's [[WhatWouldXDo read a lot of samurai stories]].
* ''Series/TheBoys2019'': Jonah Vogelbaum. Despite living in an opulent mansion, he'd go back to 80-hour work-weeks in a second.
* The first episode of ''Series/OneFootInTheGrave'' shows Victor on his last day as a security guard. In addition to not knowing what he's supposed to do now, he's bitter that, after all the hours he put in, the company has decided that his job could be done just as well by a recorded message.

* What starts the plot of ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooAndTheCurseOfThe13thGhost'' is Mystery Inc. being forced to retire after being suing for botching an investigation and getting an innocent man harassed. Fred especially isn't ready to give up just yet and is painfully saddened. Shaggy and Scooby, on the other hand, invert this trope and kick back with Hawaiian shirts and fruity drinks nearly from the get-go.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles'' is all about superheroes forced into retirement by the federal government. Some, like Elastigirl, are content to put away their costumes and live as ordinary citizens. Others, like Mr. Incredible and Frozone, continue fighting crime clandestinely.

* A tragic example can be seen in [[RealPersonFic Charles]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles,_Prince_of_Wales Prince of Wales]], in the 2014 play ''Theatre/KingCharlesIII''. Following the death of UsefulNotes/HMTheQueen, Charles moves to involve the monarchy more actively in the state of British politics with disastrous results. In an attempt to show his dedication to the democratic process and the importance of freedom of speech, he dissolves the current session of parliament and orders new elections -- a move that tanks his reputation so thoroughly that it threatens to destroy the institution of monarchy in Britain. His sons William and Harry [[spoiler: corner Charles and threaten to effectively disown him and leave (taking his grandchildren with them) if he does not abdicate to William, who argues that he and his wife are the only members of the royal family who can undo the damage Charles has caused]]. Charles reluctantly agrees, not wanting to be [[spoiler: cut off from his family for the remainder of his life]]. That doesn't mean he likes doing it though -- tears course down his face and his hand trembles as he [[spoiler: signs the abdication document. He had waited to be King for literally decades, and his reign had only just started when it was taken from him by the people he loved the most.]]

An even dirtier twist on the trope, which is not uncommon, is where the retirement is being forced, not because of a general policy, but directly for some political reason or another. Most frequently, it is because the retiree sitting on a position that is converted by an ambitious younger candidate who is not as skilled as him [[CoattailRidingRelative but has better personal connections]], or it is because he is a ReasonableAuthorityFigure whose belief in the GoodOldWays makes him an obstacle for [[TyrantTakesTheHelm the new tyrant in charge]].

** Sgt. Jackrum in ''Discworld/MonstrousRegiment'' was past retirement age, but for constant changes of birth year in the records (and superior officers happy to claim no such person was there to receive discharge papers).
** Captain Vimes in ''Discworld/MenAtArms'' is retiring to get married. Since even his wife feels that not being a copper takes away his Vimesness, he instead becomes ''Commander'' Vimes. Subverted a few books later, when he starts making a conscious effort to slow down a bit and spend more time at home after becoming a father.
** Parodied in ''Discworld/{{Snuff}}'', where it initially appears that Lady Sybil and the Patrician have decided Vimes really does need to retire, and he's reacting as though there's a conspiracy to have him fired. It turns out this is actually his reaction to being given ''a two-week vacation''.

An older character who is still perfectly capable is suddenly faced with mandatory retirement, is despondent at being forced to give up a career and income they enjoy, and is made to feel useless.

A even dirtier twist on the trope, which is not uncommon, is where the retirement is being forced, not because of a general policy, but directly for some political reason or another. Most frequently, it is because the retiree sitting on a position that is converted by an ambitious younger candidate, who is not as skilled him as him, [[CoattailRidingRelative but has better personal connections]], or it is because he is a ReasonableAuthorityFigure, who's belief in the GoodOldWays makes him an obstacle for [[TyrantTakesTheHelm the new tyrant in charge]].

* Subverted in ''ComicBook/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns''. Bruce Wayne retired from being Batman ten years earlier under pressure from the federal government, and claims that he's perfectly happy to be out of the superhero game. But if his dreams are any indication, his subconscious mind does not agree. Meanwhile, Police Commissioner Jim Gordon is facing mandatory retirement, and isn't shy about saying how much he resents it. As the crime and gangs in Gotham spin out of control, Bruce eventually stops deceiving himself and becomes Batman again.

* Part of the story in ''Film/PoliceAcademy5AssignmentMiamiBeach'' is that Commandant Lassard has reached retirement age and will have to leave the force after he returns from the conference in Miami. At the end his superiors decide that he can continue serving as head of the Metro City Police Academy as long as he wants.

* ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' devotes an episode to this ("Once More Unto The Breach"). Kor is now well over a century old, and the Klingon Defense Force denies his request to fight in the Dominion War. This is humiliating for Kor, because Klingon warriors are supposed to die in battle while they're still able to fight. Eventually, he achieves his goal by[[spoiler: incapacitating Worf and taking his place as commander of a Klingon ship that is embarking on a suicide mission]].

* Finch in ''Series/PersonOfInterest'' season 4 meets a former school teacher made to retire due to budget cutbacks. At the end of the episode she decides to find another teaching job.
* There's an episode of ''Series/{{Sliders}}'', where Creator/HowardStern's rhetoric has inspired the young to rise up and take the reigns of control away from the "old", implementing a national mandatory retirement cut-off at 30 (also, presumably, amending the Constitution to allow people under 35 to be eligible for Presidency). This world is decidedly youth-centric, with the elderly (anyone over 30) being forced to live off what they have made before that, since social security is virtually nonexistent (that was one of Stern's main arguments). The episode's villain, who is approaching 30, decides to flee to Canada, where the mandatory retirement age is 40.

* ''Series/TheBoys2019'': Jonah Vogelbaum. Despite living in an opulent mansion, he'd go back to 80 hour work-weeks in a second.

* A tragic example can be seen in [[RealPersonFic Charles]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles,_Prince_of_Wales Prince of Wales]], in the 2014 play ''Theatre/KingCharlesIII''. Following the death of UsefulNotes/HMTheQueen, Charles moves to involve the monarchy more actively in the state of British politics with disastrous results. In an attempt to show his dedication to the democratic process and the importance of freedom of speech, he dissolves current session of parliament and orders new elections -- a move that tanks his reputation so thoroughly that it threatens to destroy the institution of monarchy in Britain. His sons William and Harry [[spoiler: corner Charles and threaten to effectively disown him and leave (taking his grandchildren with them) if he does not abdicate to William, who argues that he and his wife are the oly members of the royal family who can undo the damage Charles has caused]]. Charles reluctantly agrees, not wanting to be [[spoiler: cut off from his family for the remainder of his life]]. That doesn't mean he likes doing it though -- tears course down his face and his hand trembles as he [[spoiler: signs the abdication document. He had waited to be King for literally decades, and his reign had only just started when it was taken from him by the people he loved the most.]]

* An episode of ''WesternAnimation/WordGirl'', "Granny's Book Club" had Granny May forced to retire, due to the by-laws of the supervillain union all the villains belong to. However, the rules stated she could stave off retirement if she captured Wordgirl and presented her to the rest of the villains, so she set up the titular book club to capture the word loving hero.

A even dirtier twist on the trope, which is not uncommon, is where the retirement is being forced, not because of a general policy, but directly for some political reason or another. Most frequently, it is because the retiree sitting on a position that is converted by an ambitious younger candidate, who is not as skill him as him, [[CoattailRidingRelative but has better personal connections]], or it is because he is a ReasonableAuthorityFigure, who's belief in the GoodOldWays makes him an obstacle for [[TyrantTakesTheHelm the new tyrant in charge]].

* ''Literature/Discworld'':

** Parodied in ''Discworld/{{Snuff}}'', where it initially appears that Lady Sybil and the Patrician have decided Vimes really does need to retire, and he's reacting as though there's a conspiracy to have him fired. It turns out this is actually his reaction to being given a two-week vacation.

* Sgt. Jackrum in ''Discworld/MonstrousRegiment'' was past retirement age, but for constant changes of birth year in the records (and superior officers happy to claim no such person was there to receive discharge papers).
* Captain Vimes in ''Discworld/MenAtArms'' is retiring to get married. Since even his wife feels that not being a copper takes away his Vimesness, he instead becomes ''Commander'' Vimes. Subverted a few books later, when he starts making a conscious effort to slow down a bit and spend more time at home after becoming a father.

* ''Series/TheBoys2019'': Despite living in an opulent mansion, he'd go back to 80 hour work-weeks in a second.

* Setting aside the workplace theme, this is what happens in ''Comicbook/{{Watchmen}}'' when all capes except the [[SociopathicHero Comedian]] and [[PhysicalGod Doctor Manhattan]] are forcibly retired by the Keene Act. Some are okay with it, some are not.

* ''VideoGame/{{Overwatch}}'': Reinhardt was one of the founding members of Overwatch and a dedicated soldier, often acting as TheHeart to the team until he was forced out of the force due to his advanced age. Firing him was a bit of a bad idea as [[TheConscience without his influence]] Overwatch quickly became oversaturated in corruption and was shut down in disgrace.

* An episode of ''Series/StarTrekTheAnimatedSeries'' features Robert April, who was the first captain of the ''Enterprise'' (NCC-1701), and his wife Sarah, who was the ship's first Chief Medical Officer. Commodore April, now a Federation ambassador, has reached the mandatory retirement age of 75, and is not happy about it. The Aprils are on board as passengers when ''Enterprise'' enters a parallel universe where people age backwards at an accelerated rate, and they save the ship by taking command after everyone else has regressed to childhood or infancy. In recognition of this, Federation officials agree to review his mandatory retirement and consider letting him continue to serve as ambassador.

--->-- ''Series/GameOfThrones''

* A tragic example can be seen in [[RealPersonFic Charles]], [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles,_Prince_of_Wales Prince of Wales]], in the 2014 play ''Theatre/KingCharlesIII''. Following the death of HMTheQueen, Charles moves to involve the monarchy more actively in the state of British politics with disastrous results. In an attempt to show his dedication to the democratic process and the importance of freedom of speech, he dissolves current session of parliament and orders new elections -- a move that tanks his reputation so thoroughly that it threatens to destroy the institution of monarchy in Britain. His sons William and Harry [[spoiler: corner Charles and threaten to effectively disown him and leave (taking his grandchildren with them) if he does not abdicate to William, who argues that he and his wife are the oly members of the royal family who can undo the damage Charles has caused]]. Charles reluctantly agrees, not wanting to be [[spoiler: cut off from his family for the remainder of his life]]. That doesn't mean he likes doing it though -- tears course down his face and his hand trembles as he [[spoiler: signs the abdication document. He had waited to be King for literally decades, and his reign had only just started when it was taken from him by the people he loved the most.]]