Has the Comedy genre gone too serious?

[Mystic Mock]

Yes this is a moaning thread so if you don't want to read it then you can proudly ignore the rant that is coming lol.

Anyway has anyone else noticed how unfunny a lot of the Comedy output has been lately? I mean with season 16 of Family Guy focusing on Brian's own personal dramas, the last 3 seasons of The Goldbergs just missing the mark and repeating the same life lessons over and over and over again, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine getting increasingly preachy and serious in season 6, on top of the fact that I hear a lot of drama has happened during the last few seasons of TBBT, and Amy and Jonah being like an episode of EastEnders on Superstore. It just makes me wonder has the Comedy genre over the last couple of years lost their way and have failed to understand that they're supposed to be making people laugh? I'm not complaining about the odd scene being serious btw as some of my all-time favourite Comedies such as early seasons Family Guy, Parks & Recreation, and Arrested Development all had serious moments in their programmes, but they still understood (or Family Guy used to understand) that primarily you're supposed to make people laugh as you're a Sitcom, not a Dramedy or a Comedy-Drama, or an out and out Drama.

Am I taking the genre too literal? And if there is any funny Comedies out there I'd love to know.

[Alf]

Yes it has

But don't fear, you can buy the boxsets of Till death us do part and In Sickness and in health, so you can watch Alf Garnett anytime you want. It's miles funnier than Family guy too, so it's win, win.

[DouglasS]

Yes.

Companies play it safe now to cater to the few that like to be insulted by everything/complain about everything (and this lot don’t even watch these comedy shows, or listen to these comedians, yet still complain, ruining it for everyone who actually does)

[Liam-]

Sitcoms have always had moments of being serious and dealing with actual issues that effect everyday people, but if a sitcom can’t do its job and make you still laugh in those moments that it’s probably just a bad one, I think you may be reading a bit too much into it.

I’ve just binge watched Friday Night Dinner and even though it dealt with real world things that effect people, it never failed to be hysterical even in the face of said issues, the same as Gavin and Stacey.

[Dogeatdog]

It is but I think it’s just adapting to the way society is changing in general. I mean I’ve watched episodes of numerous sitcoms from years ago which I always find funny but there is certain jokes that I’ve heard on them before which back then weren’t a big deal but if they would’ve been aired now, it would probably cause a lot of uproar. I think the networks that create these shows especially networks like CBS & Fox (where TBBT, Family Guy originally air) are extremely careful in the content that goes in them nowadays, which can end up resulting in poor creativity compared to earlier years of certain shows where they didn’t have to be as strict. It’s probably a reason why stuff on Netflix is so popular because they can provide more creative and edgier shows.

In terms of quality a lot of shows especially when they get to their later seasons start to miss the mark as you say Mock. I’ve watched many sitcoms where they just become unfunny and a bit unbearable to watch (TBBT being one of them).

[LaLaLand]

Mainstream definitely it has. It’s all watered down and pandering now too much.

However, after seeing Jimmy Carr the other night live in my town, I have to say that you’re better off going to small live shows for “old school”, very offensive and outrageous comedy. He was bloody brilliant, no holds barred!

[Mystic Mock]

Sitcoms have always had moments of being serious and dealing with actual issues that effect everyday people, but if a sitcom can’t do its job and make you still laugh in those moments that it’s probably just a bad one, I think you may be reading a bit too much into it.

I’ve just binge watched Friday Night Dinner and even though it dealt with real world things that effect people, it never failed to be hysterical even in the face of said issues, the same as Gavin and Stacey.

Yeah I agree with you on the fact that Sitcoms have always had the odd serious moment, but that's what it's meant to be is the odd moment (which is still more than I would like personally) but I am willing to meet the writers halfway on this subject.

I mean I was probably harsh listing Family Guy on this thread as it's so old now that it's having to do extreme experiments just to remain fresh, so I can understand where they're coming from more than shows such as Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The Goldbergs, or season 5 onwards of TBBT.

For me with Brooklyn Nine-Nine and The Goldbergs they're not unfunny shows imo (although season 6 of The Goldbergs is quite ropy) with Brooklyn Nine-Nine it's episodes like He Said She Said where the A plot of the episode had no humour in it at all which to me is strange in a Comedy to have most of your episode not being comedic. And an episode later on in the season where Amy wants a baby and Jake doesn't is like an episode out of Home & Away rather than a Comedy. Brooklyn Nine-Nine is at it's best with episodes like Circo De Mayo, Sicko, and the episode where Rosa has all different horrific hairstyles as it's ridiculous but it works for Brooklyn Nine-Nine imo.

And with The Goldbergs they can actually do the Drama more convincingly than Brooklyn Nine-Nine imo, but it's a shame that it's always the same lessons on repeat. Barry, Beverley, and Murray Goldberg are star characters though.

And I will definitely check out these shows that have been recommended at some point, thanks guys.

[Mystic Mock]

Yes.

Companies play it safe now to cater to the few that like to be insulted by everything/complain about everything (and this lot don’t even watch these comedy shows, or listen to these comedians, yet still complain, ruining it for everyone who actually does)

I don't get why companies would cater to a very loud minority of people though?

[Mystic Mock]

It is but I think it’s just adapting to the way society is changing in general. I mean I’ve watched episodes of numerous sitcoms from years ago which I always find funny but there is certain jokes that I’ve heard on them before which back then weren’t a big deal but if they would’ve been aired now, it would probably cause a lot of uproar. I think the networks that create these shows especially networks like CBS & Fox (where TBBT, Family Guy originally air) are extremely careful in the content that goes in them nowadays, which can end up resulting in poor creativity compared to earlier years of certain shows where they didn’t have to be as strict. It’s probably a reason why stuff on Netflix is so popular because they can provide more creative and edgier shows.

In terms of quality a lot of shows especially when they get to their later seasons start to miss the mark as you say Mock. I’ve watched many sitcoms where they just become unfunny and a bit unbearable to watch (TBBT being one of them).

TBBT became a mess imo, I hated what they did to Sheldon, Howard, and Penny the most as they were nothing like how they started imo.

And I get what you mean about certain jokes could be deemed offensive nowadays, but how I see it personally is these people shouldn't watch a Comedy if they can't handle offensive content as Comedy is supposed to shock the audience so much with what the character has just said or done that it makes you burst out laughing. That's how I see it personally anyway.

And I agree with you that later on seasons of shows can run out of steam, going away from Comedy for a second, GOT had to have one of the worst seasons to a TV Show that I've ever seen in my life in season 8, which is shocking to say for me when the show in the early days was trying to take on BSG in quality, and in many people's eyes was winning the battle.

And I've not watched many Netflix Comedies, but I have noticed that they do make better products than the Networks in practically every other genre of TV so they probably would out do CBS and Fox on Comedy nowadays.

[Dogeatdog]

TBBT became a mess imo, I hated what they did to Sheldon, Howard, and Penny the most as they were nothing like how they started imo.

And I get what you mean about certain jokes could be deemed offensive nowadays, but how I see it personally is these people shouldn't watch a Comedy if they can't handle offensive content as Comedy is supposed to shock the audience so much with what the character has just said or done that it makes you burst out laughing. That's how I see it personally anyway.

And I agree with you that later on seasons of shows can run out of steam, going away from Comedy for a second, GOT had to have one of the worst seasons to a TV Show that I've ever seen in my life in season 8, which is shocking to say for me when the show in the early days was trying to take on BSG in quality, and in many people's eyes was winning the battle.

And I've not watched many Netflix Comedies, but I have noticed that they do make better products than the Networks in practically every other genre of TV so they probably would out do CBS and Fox on Comedy nowadays.

I agree with pretty much everything you said there Mock :clap1:

Networks are always looking for ways to improve their ratings in which case they’ll just jump on the bandwagon on the next popular thing. Comedies have always had dramatic moments in them but I feel they are becoming more common since dramas seem to be pretty popular at the moment, so the creators of the comedy genre are using this idea a lot more to cater to a larger audience?

Plus there is possibly some pressure from network executives to do these things to boost ratings especially since ratings for shows struggle with competition like Netflix, Amazon etc.

[Crimson Dynamo]

Mainstream definitely it has. It’s all watered down and pandering now too much.

However, after seeing Jimmy Carr the other night live in my town, I have to say that you’re better off going to small live shows for “old school”, very offensive and outrageous comedy. He was bloody brilliant, no holds barred!

he is brilliant, agreed

[Mystic Mock]

I agree with pretty much everything you said there Mock :clap1:

Networks are always looking for ways to improve their ratings in which case they’ll just jump on the bandwagon on the next popular thing. Comedies have always had dramatic moments in them but I feel they are becoming more common since dramas seem to be pretty popular at the moment, so the creators of the comedy genre are using this idea a lot more to cater to a larger audience?

Plus there is possibly some pressure from network executives to do these things to boost ratings especially since ratings for shows struggle with competition like Netflix, Amazon etc.

I actually like Dramas when done well, I'm even watching an Anime called Violet Evergarden at the moment which does Drama quite well for the most part imo.

I agree with you that the Networks are trying to capitalise on the popularity of Dramas at the moment and are trying to add them into shows where it feels out of place imo. In particular Comedies that are more outlandish and not really grounded in reality shouldn't really have a large dosage of Drama put into them as it's very jarring with the rest of the programme in my view.

[Toy Soldier]

In particular Comedies that are more outlandish and not really grounded in reality shouldn't really have a large dosage of Drama put into them as it's very jarring with the rest of the programme in my view.

Rick's near suicide attempt at the end of the Rick & Morty episode "Auto Erotic Assimilation" begs to differ :suspect:.

If done right it can be great. If it's forced or over the top then it comes of as cheap.

[bots]

i miss satire so much

[Mystic Mock]

Rick's near suicide attempt at the end of the Rick & Morty episode "Auto Erotic Assimilation" begs to differ :suspect:.

If done right it can be great. If it's forced or over the top then it comes of as cheap.

Rick & Morty is a very good Comedy I'll give you that.

Also that is only one scene, not a large chunk of the episode. Plus Rick & Morty is the one Comedy I can't imagine being serious.:joker: