Schemer

"Ed: Double-Dee's got a plan, Eddy! Eddy: But that's my shtick..."

- Ed, Edd 'n' Eddy, "In Like Ed"

""The mob has plans. The cops have plans. Gordon's got plans. You know... they're schemers. Schemers trying to control their little worlds.""

- The Joker (trying to pretend he isn't one himself), The Dark Knight

A main character who, although not an outright villain, constantly uses zany schemes to get money, become popular, etc., that always blow up at the end. He is often selfish, egotistical, bigoted and aggressive. The other main characters usually disdain him, but still hang out with him for some reason.

The schemer is often popular, despite the fact that any normal person would probably hate the schemer in real life. The audience likes the schemer, but not enough to mind watching his schemes come crashing down. In Animated Shows, the schemer usually gets the main plot, while in SitComs he usually gets the B-plot.

Frequently The Chew Toy. Compare with the more endearing and successful High School Hustler. This character is an integral part of a Comic Trio (along with a Dumb Muscle and Only Sane Man/"No Respect" Guy).

Literature

 * Wilford Wiggins from Encyclopedia Brown.
 * Count Olaf from A Series of Unfortunate Events starts off as this, but he's an outright villain through the rest of the series.

Live Action Television

 * Jamie Lawson on Small Wonder.
 * Kenan on Kenan and Kel. Frequently these involved Noodle Implements.
 * Edmund Blackadder.
 * Robbie Rotten on LazyTown.
 * Bobby's Cousin Skeeter.
 * Tony on NCIS frequently uses zany schemes to scare, annoy, or pry into the lives of his co-workers. In real life, if someone destroyed your keyboard, got the forensics specialist to look up your boyfriends, went through your desk, pretended to be you to defend himself to a hot chick, or came onto you using a fake online account, you would be very, very annoyed. However, Ziva and McGee just ignore him, or sometimes, gloriously, return the favour.

Manhwa

 * Yureka's Jijon Jang.

Newspaper Comics

 * Rat from Pearls Before Swine.

Video Games

 * Wario from the Super Mario Bros. and Wario Ware series.

Western Animation

 * Most famously, Wile E. Coyote.
 * Eric Cartman on South Park.
 * Eddy on Ed, Edd 'n' Eddy.
 * Bloo on Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends.
 * Riley Freeman on The Boondocks.
 * Shining Time Station, a Framing Device introduced when Thomas the Tank Engine was brought to America, actually named this character Schemer.
 * Fred Flintstone.
 * And his daughter Pebbles on The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show.
 * Lawrence Limburger on Biker Mice From Mars.
 * Mr. Burns on The Simpsons is a most "Excellent!" example.
 * Iago from Aladdin: the Series.