History WesternAnimation / TheCupheadShow

* MusicalNod: The episodes "Ribby and Croaks" and "Root Packed" feature show-specific versions of their respective antagonists' boss battle themes from the game.

** Cala Maria has her own song in "A High Seas Adventure" where she sings about how she is the most feared sea monster in the world. Funnily enough, it's sung in the style of an IWantSong.

* VillainSong: In the first episode, the Devil sings his song called "The Devil Song". He gleefully informs the audience about his vile reputation, getting "kicks playing tricks", and collecting souls.
** In the episode "Down and Out" King Dice performs a number called "Roll the Dice".

** In "The Devil's Revenge", while Cuphead is having a breakdown from [[spoiler:the Devil kidnapping Mugman]] and trying to deny it to Elder Kettle, he says he lost his pocketknife instead. Elder Kettle treats it as a small thing Cuphead's being overly emotional about, instead of concern that a child (much less one as prone to mischief as Cuphead) had a lethal weapon to begin with. It wasn't uncommon for a kid in those eras to have at least small knives as tools rather than weapons, in case a circumstance came up and as a right of passage to show your maturity (frequently with a painful lesson about responsible as well when they'd inevitable cut themselves on it).

The series follows Cuphead (Tru Valentino) and Mugman (Creator/FrankTodaro), the two youthful brothers under the care of Elder Kettle (Joe Hanna). Despite their elderly advice and best judgment, the duo gets themselves into various misadventures across Inkwell Isle to break up their monotonous lives. These events include getting themselves at a soul-sucking carnival managed by The Devil (Luke Millington Drake), babysitting a rambunctious child, or being on a game show hosted by King Dice (Creator/WayneBrady). Cuphead and Mugman are also occasionally joined by a new friend on their adventures, Ms. Chalice (Creator/GreyDeLisle).[[note]]Originally the Legendary Chalice in the game, set to debut as Ms. Chalice in the ''Cuphead'' DLC, ''The Delicious Last Course'' in 2022.[[/note]]

** In "The Devil's Revenge", while Cuphead is having a breakdown from [[spoiler:the Devil kidnapping Mugman]] and trying to deny it to Elder Kettle, he says he lost his pocketknife instead. Elder Kettle treats it as a small thing Cuphead's being overly emotional about, instead of concern that a child (much less one as prone to mischief as Cuphead) had a lethal weapon to begin with. It wasn't uncommon for a kid in those eras to have at least small knives just in case a circumstance came up to begin with (and often as a lesson about responsibility and caution when they would inevitably nick themselves with it).

** The Asbestos safety curtains in Sally Stageplay's theater are still hanging there, even proudly displaying what they're made of with "ASBESTOS" in large font, since when it was first discovered and used in everything people didn't know the long-term effects of exposure to it, thinking only of how fireproof it was.
** In "The Devil's Revenge" while Cuphead is having a breakdown from [[spoiler: the Devil kidnapping Mugman]] and trying to deny it to Elder Kettle, he says he lost his pocketknife instead. Elder Kettle treats it as a small thing Cuphead's being overemotional about, instead of concern that a child (much less one as prone to mischief as Cuphead) had a lethal weapon to begin with. It wasn't uncommon for a kid in those eras to have at least small knives just in case a circumstance came up to begin with (and often as a lesson about responsibility and caution when they would inevitably nick themselves with it).
** Cuphead and Mugman are pretty much [[FreeRangeChildren allowed to wander anywhere without adult supervision]] as long as they come home, since a child getting hurt or going missing wasn't a massive public concern that drastically changed until the 80s.

* TwoDVisualsThreeDEffects: Backgrounds occasionally are rendered in full stop-motion sets designed by Screen Novelties, as an {{Homage}} to Creator/FleischerStudios' use of the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiplane_camera stereoptical camera.]]

* SympatheticWince: After Mugman thrusts the invisible impenetrable sweater onto the Devil, the sweater electrocutes him, leaving the cup brothers and the rest of the crowd to wince at his pain (it doesn?t stop an elephant from eating his popcorn though).

* QuarterHourShort: Every episode is about 11-12 minutes long (except for "A High Seas Adventure!", which is over 25 minutes long, "Release the Demons!", which is about 20 minutes long, "A Very Devil Christmas", which is about 30 minutes long and "The Devil and Ms. Chalice", which is about 23 minutes long)

* RewatchBonus: In ''In Charm's Way'' Chalice telling the cups that getting involved with her will be nothing but trouble rings differently after the reveal that [[spoiler:she made a DealWithTheDevil and owes him a favour, with said favour ultimately putting their souls in danger]].

* BodyHorror: Mugman accidentally breaking off his handle is treated as such by most of the other characters, who [[ScreamingAtSquick scream in horror]] upon seeing his handleless head, including Elder Kettle. Porkrind even looks like he's [[VomitDiscretionShot about to throw up]]. Although that one was actually due to [[WayPastTheExpirationDate a rather disgusting sandwich]], and he couldn't care less about the missing handle.

** None of the Devil's demons were named in the game, here one of them is called "Henchman", and yes [[HisNameReallyIsBarkeep that's really his name]].
** A [[DownplayedTrope downplayed]] example with Ribby and Croaks: while they were always named, the shows makes it clear which one is which, Ribby is the short one and Croaks the tall one.

* NegativeContinuity: PlayedWith. While there's some StoryArc sprinkled here and there as well the characters remembered the events on the prior episodes, some episodes literally ends with the cup brothers put in [[BlackComedyBurst an inexplicably dying situation]] such as having their head shattered, being beaten the crud out of them [[spoiler:or attempted to be eaten when they become candy]] by Elder Kettle among other things and they come out perfectly fine in the next episode.

* NeverSaysDie: Unlike the VideoGame, the shows never calls the Devil's realm anything other than "the Underworld".

->''Well if you're lookin' for fun!\\
('''Cuphead and Mugman:''' "Yes, we're lookin' for fun!")\\

->''So, if you're lookin' for fun\\

And a dash of heebie-jeebies\\

The series follows Cuphead (Tru Valentino) and Mugman (Creator/FrankTodaro), the two youthful brothers under the care of Elder Kettle (Joe Hanna). Despite their elderly advice and best judgment, the duo gets themselves into various misadventures across Inkwell Isle to break up their monotonous lives. These events include getting themselves at a soul-sucking carnival managed by The Devil (Luke Millington Drake), babysitting a rambunctious child, or being on a game show hosted by King Dice (Creator/WayneBrady). Cuphead and Mugman are also occasionally joined by a new friend on their adventures, Ms. Chalice (Creator/GreyGriffin).[[note]]Originally the Legendary Chalice in the game, set to debut as Ms. Chalice in the ''Cuphead'' DLC, ''The Delicious Last Course'' in 2022.[[/note]]

* QuarterHourShort: Every episode is about 11-12 minutes long (except for "A High Seas Adventure!", which is over 25 minutes long, "Release the Demons!", which is about 20 minutes long, "A Very Devil Christmas which" is about 30 minutes long and "The Devil and Ms. Chalice" which is about 23 minutes long)

** The final episode [[spoiler:turns it more into a {{Prequel}}, with Cuphead discovering that the Devil's Casino just opened and running there to gamble. However, the circumstances of how the brothers met Chalice remain different.]]