The Griplings are a rich high and mighty family. They display it in their actions as they are proud of being on top.
The Family History[]
The Griplings live the life of luxury for most of the series. They live in a prestigious house in a sophisticated neighborhood. The children, Courtney and Blake attend public school as opposed to private school. The family has a loyal butler named Winston who tends to whatever whim they need. There are also other maids and servants who assist them. Courtney and Blake's primary caregiver is their mother Claire Gripling. Claire has a tendency to spoil her kids and often lets them do what they please.
But as the series goes on we get to see the "perfect family" ain't so perfect after all. Both Mr and Mrs Gripling are always busy at work. Not giving any attention to their two children and trying to push perfections in their family and lifestyle but are also very overprotective of their kids, blocking the negativities; human anatomy; wilderness and street knowledge of the real world. There are some examples of this in some episodes like: "Ginger the juvy, Carl and Maude, Sleep on it, Blizzards Conditions, Gym Class confidential, TGIF, and Camp Caprice. where not only Courtney doesn't know the simple things like: "slurping, slumber parties, frontsies, camping, county fairs or what a vaccume cleaner looked like" but also can’t even make friends with normal none rich kids, none rich people can’t even stand her and find her annoying.
The father Prescott Gripling is absent for most of the series. He is occupied doing important business and providing for his family. As a result, he doesn't see them very often. As seen in TGIF, he calls his family to see how their doing. Winston fills his role as a father figure to Blake and Courtney. Winston was there to often intervene when Courtney and Blake got into a sibling fight. In The Wedding Frame, Prescott was arrested for insider trading. The Griplings had to move into the Foutley's old house. This meant they had to live the life of a middle class family. The family attended Lois and Dr. Dave's wedding. Prescott sat in the back row with his fellow inmates.
Residences[]
- The Gripling Mansion (formerly)
- The Foutley Home (Current)
Family Members[]
- Prescott Gripling
- Claire Gripling
- Courtney Gripling
- Blake Gripling
Family Friends []
- Miranda Killgallen
Vehicles[]
The family car is a Rolls-Royce, which is fitting for a family as wealthy as the Griplings. The model is never mentioned, and the car shown in the series seem to incorporate design elements from numerous models (1965-1980 Silver Shadow, 1977-1980 Silver Wraith II, and 1980-1999 Silver Spirit/Silver Spur). In some episodes, the car doesn't even really resemble a Rolls-Royce; In Piece of My Heart, Blake refers to it as "The Rolls", which confirms what the animators intended it to be. The car is referred to "our limousine" by Courtney in Blizzard Conditions, and it appears to be of a longer wheelbase, so Silver Spur is most likely. Since the Griplings always have the latest and best of everything, a 1996-1999 Silver Spur III seems the most likely because it is the newest version. This car is depicted as a black or dark blue color, with gold trim, and dark red/burgundy leather seats. The front end resembles a 1965-1980 Silver Shadow or 1977-1980 Silver Wraith (SY), while the rest of the body resembles a 1980-1999 Silver Spirit/Silver Spur (SZ)
In TGIF, the Griplings were shown to have a new limousine (though the original "Rolls" appears in later episodes, so they likely kept it too). Unlike the Rolls, this car was a true limousine with an extended body. The car is white with gold trim, and also unlike the Rolls, the specific make is never given. The front end resembles a Rolls-Royce, but the rest of the car incorporates design cues from various Cadillac and Lincoln models (Cadillac Fleetwood/Brougham, Lincoln Town Car, etc). The rear end (trunk) of the car resembles a 1981-1985 Cadillac Seville and/or a 1981-1983 Chrysler Imperial. The car features a built-in cappuccino machine, a TV/VCR, dual air-conditioning, and large rear sunroof, among other things. Like the Rolls, it is chauffeured by Winston. TGIF originally aired in April 2002, when the Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph was still in production; The new limousine is more than likely a bespoke 2001-2002 Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph.
The Griplings likely had a couple other vehicles that were not seen in the series, given their immense wealth.
Considering how wealthy the Griplings are (or were, following The Wedding Frame), they more than likely paid cash and owned both cars (and any other cars they had) outright, but were probably forced to sell them along most of their other material possessions to pay mounting legal bills when Prescott was charged with insider trading (if the government didn't seize them).
Trivia[]
- Mr. Gripling is the only one in the family that has a huge nose.
- Mr. Gripling is the only one in the family that is not a blonde.
- Courtney is the only one in the family with a friend.
- Out of the two children Courtney is the only one that has a strong resemblance of her mother Claire Gripling.
- Blake is the youngest of the Gripling Family.
- Though they were rich at the time none of the Gripling kids attended boarding school for the rich.