What Do You Like/Dislike About Comedies

[Avaitor]

There are two different types of animated comedies I have in mind- ones aimed for children/everyone, and animated sitcoms. I want to focus on the former now, and I'll make a thread about the latter later.

But when you watch one of Cartoon Network or Nick's comedies or whoever's, what do you expect, and what do you want or not want from them?

I'm going to put my nostalgia glasses on for a sec and go to some of my favorites as a kid- Rocko's Modern Life on Nick, Ed, Edd, n' Eddy on CN, the Warner and Disney shows. Some obvious choices from me, but most of these get down to the basics of what I like- likable characters, sharp dialogue, clever references that younger viewers wouldn't get (not just sexual, mind you), vibrant animation, and a good use of altering between the real and fictional worlds.

Some of these series do certain parts better than others, but that's okay. What really matters is that the show is funny. Humor should be reachable on all levels. Just because a show is aimed for children doesn't mean that an adult can't find it funny, and since these are made by adults, it's not unlikely to expect some kind of attempt to reach out to older viewers in a lot of these series. The ones I referenced to in particular do it better than some others, but I could have name-dropped a couple more.

Even though I'm not or wasn't in the right demographic when these aired, I enjoy what I've seen of Chowder, Flapjack, Adventure Time, and Regular Show. Each one of these shows have obvious attempts to aim for older viewers, but at the same time, I think they reach too much towards that and suffer in the process, more noticeably in Chowder and Regular Show. At the same time, some of them also seem a bit too juvenile at other times, mostly in Flapjack and Adventure Time.

There isn't as strong of a balance between aiming for both kids and adults in these series and they feel like they're more for mid-aged kids and college students than everyone. Meanwhile I could easily get people into some of the shows I mentioned above, even if it's their first time watching them, since those tended to be written more for everyone than not, with some exceptions at certain points.

I'm a little too old to find certain types of humor funny anymore, mostly with gross-out jokes and half-baked in particular. I'll tolerate some of those if the rest of the writing on shows like these are good enough aside, but more often than not, a fart joke doesn't get me to laugh.

I'm more for strong characterization or gags or lines that don't fit in with the regular balance of society than anything. That's the kind of stuff I look for in a show in particular, and what I hope to get in a basic comedy on CN or wherever.

So what do you enjoy about comedies? Do you prefer more traditional ones or the more surrealist ones? What did you enjoy as a kid, and what do you like now? And can older viewers enjoy cartoons like the ones on Cartoon Network or Nick?

[Spark Of Spirit]

Because of all the strong word of mouth, I checked out the new My Little Pony show (Friendship Is Magic) and I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised with it. It's pretty much what I look for in a comedy nowadays with jokes revolving around the characters and situations (all of which are developed quite well) and there's a level of polish and heart that went into making it that helps its charm shine through. Sure there are people that will never get passed the title (I can't blame them, it is My Little Pony, after all), but they'll be missing out on the exact thing we need more of in animation. Well written, well animated, strong characterization and humor, and totally fun.

All the shows I enjoy the most are always those where the people behind it put their all into what they do. Even if it isn't totally my thing, it's usually enough for me to enjoy simply because of the heart that shines through.

But yeah, gross out gags aren't really funny on their own to me anymore unless its part of some bigger idea and isn't just the joke itself (like 'lol he fell in a pool of poop!') because even as a kid that wasn't enough for me. For reference, the KOTH firefighting episode. That fart joke joke never fails to make me laugh because of how out of left field it is, but it wouldn't have worked at any other point in the episode. Its funny because of the situation, what happened moments ago, the news that just broke, and where Bill was at the time.

[Daxdiv]

Because of all the strong word of mouth, I checked out the new My Little Pony show (Friendship Is Magic) and I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised with it.

Does this mean I'm not the only guy on this board that likes this show anymore? Well other than Dalek since he is rocking a Twilight Sparkle avatar over at toonzone. All right, another victim to the power of Lauren Faust's ponies. I don't feel alone anymore.

But as for comedy shows. I do tend to look for humor that can appeal to me as if I were a 10 year old kid, or my 22 year old self. I really like humor like that. Also, I will admit that I do have a soft spot if the comedy material is something I enjoy, but as long as it's executed well enough. Darkwing Duck is a pretty good take on a satire of comic book superheroes, and since I'm older and more involved with checking comic books out, I can enjoy the humor in it a little more.

[Kiddington]

I think since it's easier for me to delve into what I don't like about comedies, I'll start there.

One of the biggest issues for me is that something isn't too childish. I understand that most cartoons and animated productions are aimed at kids, but still; a series shouldn't be something so watered down and so juvenile that anyone over the age of five couldn't enjoy.

Cartoon Network was doing this a lot in the mid-2000's, and it was frustrating as all hell to watch. Camp Lazlo had the kind of pedigree behind it that should have been able to make a good, all-ages cartoon, but they sure as heck didn't pull it off here. I don't know, maybe that's the main reason why I hated it so much. Joe Murray made Rocko, so when Lazlo came about, I was expecting more Rocko. Instead, I got... the Dung Beetles? Oh man, those goddamn things give me a migraine just thinking about them. I'd say Squirrel Boy is another shining example of this, when it comes to both pedigree factor, and juvenile nature. Would you believe the guy behind Duckman also made this steaming load? Oh sure, it kinda looks like Duckman... but this sure as hell ain't Duckman. This is... wow, I don't even know where to begin. I really don't think CN has ever put out a show I enjoyed so little as this. It was so childish and so inane, words cannot possibly convey how much I hate it.

In keeping with the negative, toilet humor is something I also cannot tolerate anymore. It's actually one of those things I liked quite a bit as a kid (Ren and Stimpy was one of my favorite shows when I was five), but absolutely loathe nowadays. If a show relies on a lot of toilet/gross-out humor, but is still smartly written enough to look past (like Flapjack), I can put up with it. Other stuff, in the vain of Games-era Ren and Stimpy or that new MAD series on CN, is flat-out horrible. Shows of this nature do nothing but rattle off gags about piss and shit, and it's unbearable for me to sit through. As a kid, my simple and feeble mind didn't care... but now that adult OCD tendencies have set in, it's just not the same.

I've pretty much went as in depth into the negative as I can. Basically, what I like in a comedy is the exact opposite of all the crap points I've listed above. I like smartly written cartoons that can "cross the aisle" and appeal to both sides with kids and adults. The kind that a kid will like with a good anvil drop or pratfall, while an adult can also enjoy with smart, clever writing. Pinky and the Brain is a perfect example; loved it as a kid, love it even more now as an adult. Rocko, EEnE, PPG, Tiny Toons... so many different names that I could sound off here. You know the kind of stuff that I'm getting at; take the kind of formula these shows were built off of, and that's what I like in an animated comedy.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Because of all the strong word of mouth, I checked out the new My Little Pony show (Friendship Is Magic) and I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised with it.

Does this mean I'm not the only guy on this board that likes this show anymore? Well other than Dalek since he is rocking a Twilight Sparkle avatar over at toonzone. All right, another victim to the power of Lauren Faust's ponies. I don't feel alone anymore.

I really do think if it was just called "Friendship Is Magic" without the MLP title it wouldn't have quite the fight ahead of it that it does. But yes, I like it. It's a well developed comedy with a great cast of characters.

I'm all about Rarity and Pinkie Pie.

But as for comedy shows. I do tend to look for humor that can appeal to me as if I were a 10 year old kid, or my 22 year old self. I really like humor like that. Also, I will admit that I do have a soft spot if the comedy material is something I enjoy, but as long as it's executed well enough. Darkwing Duck is a pretty good take on a satire of comic book superheroes, and since I'm older and more involved with checking comic books out, I can enjoy the humor in it a little more.

That's just it for me. No matter how old I get, part of me will always be that 8 year old kid that laughs at the coyote falling off the cliff for the 100th time in a row. As I've gotten older I just learned to accept it and I've managed to find myself enjoying and appreciating a lot more material now, but the very best stuff (for me) still feels like the material that doesn't try to aim for one specific audience as it appeals to more than one aspect of my personality... so to speak, anyway.

[Daxdiv]

Because of all the strong word of mouth, I checked out the new My Little Pony show (Friendship Is Magic) and I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised with it.

Does this mean I'm not the only guy on this board that likes this show anymore? Well other than Dalek since he is rocking a Twilight Sparkle avatar over at toonzone. All right, another victim to the power of Lauren Faust's ponies. I don't feel alone anymore.

I really do think if it was just called "Friendship Is Magic" without the MLP title it wouldn't have quite the fight ahead of it that it does. But yes, I like it. It's a well developed comedy with a great cast of characters.

I'm all about Rarity and Pinkie Pie.

Dude, those are my favorite characters as well. Fuck yeah! Best ponies in the show! It also helps that they do have pretty strong plots with one another in their respective episodes. Like that one episode where Rarity had to make all these dresses for her friends or that one where she tricked the diamond dogs.  For Pinkie, I liked that episode with the Griffin in it or that one with the Spidey-sense ability she has. For me, Pinkie's charm comes from how cartoony she is in every episode. To me, if she doesn't do anything wacky in any episode she is in, something is wrong with her character.

[Avaitor]

I've been given requests left and right to check out MLP. I probably would if it wasn't for the 4Chan following, and a couple of people who gave me said recommendations in particular. I don't have a problem with watching "girly" shows, being a PPG fan since day one and all, but certain sanctions of a fanbase can kill a series for me.

And I agree with the notion that I should be able to enjoy something I liked or would like at age 10 as I would now at 20. Finding something about something I loved back then to love even more now, like when I watch EEnE and view it as an example of childhood tragedy, see Quick Draw McGraw and the components of it's show as spoofs of the conventional primetime lineup on 1950's TV, or can understand half of the references in Freakazoid! now, then that's just dandy. If a show is just simple laughs like 2 Stupid Dogs that does them well and honestly, then that's good, too.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Yeah, Kiddington has a point on that kind of stuff. My Gym Partner Is A Monkey, Camp Lazlo, and Squirrel Boy were pretty much the poster child for CN at the time. Bland, safe, and boring humor that was toned down specifically to target younger audiences at the expense of any kind of longevity. The material that ages the best is the stuff that tries to get everyone watching it.

Because of all the strong word of mouth, I checked out the new My Little Pony show (Friendship Is Magic) and I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised with it.

Does this mean I'm not the only guy on this board that likes this show anymore? Well other than Dalek since he is rocking a Twilight Sparkle avatar over at toonzone. All right, another victim to the power of Lauren Faust's ponies. I don't feel alone anymore.

I really do think if it was just called "Friendship Is Magic" without the MLP title it wouldn't have quite the fight ahead of it that it does. But yes, I like it. It's a well developed comedy with a great cast of characters.

I'm all about Rarity and Pinkie Pie.

Dude, those are my favorite characters as well. Fuck yeah! Best ponies in the show! It also helps that they do have pretty strong plots with one another in their respective episodes. Like that one episode where Rarity had to make all these dresses for her friends or that one where she tricked the diamond dogs.  For Pinkie, I liked that episode with the Griffin in it or that one with the Spidey-sense ability she has. For me, Pinkie's charm comes from how cartoony she is in every episode. To me, if she doesn't do anything wacky in any episode she is in, something is wrong with her character.

It's part of the appeal for me that the characters personalities basically run the plot. If Pinkie is running the plot then things get crazy and trippy, and if its Rarity it's usually slower paced and she takes control of it with her charm (like the Diamond Dog episode). Its basically what makes character based shows for me when episodes change depending on the character.

I would say to just watch it, Avaitor. I kind of just put the 4Chan types out of my head when enjoying stuff. And at least this deserves the attention, unlike say, Gurren Lagan does.

[Kiddington]

or can understand half of the references in Freakazoid! now, then that's just dandy.

Another perfect example of what I'm getting at with the "all ages" thing.

I liked aspects of Freakazoid as a kid; it was zany, cartoony, and had a fair amount of slapstick and cartoon violence that kept me entertained. After re-visiting the series on DVD as an adult, I've really come to appreciate it now more than ever. It really is a great all-ages show; it's wacky enough to keep kids interested, but filled with the kinds of references and jokes that can appeal to an adult viewer as well. I'm honestly surprised it wasn't more popular out of the gate.

Yeah, Kiddington has a point on that kind of stuff. My Gym Partner Is A Monkey, Camp Lazlo, and Squirrel Boy were pretty much the poster child for CN at the time. Bland, safe, and boring humor that was toned down specifically to target younger audiences at the expense of any kind of longevity. The material that ages the best is the stuff that tries to get everyone watching it.

Heh, I actually forgot about Gym Partner. My thoughts on that are pretty much all the same though, minus the pedigree factor (the two people in charge of it, I had never heard of before it premiered, and apparently they aren't do anything after it ended, either).

That's pretty much the thing that irked me about Lazlo and Squirrel Boy so much; the names involved, and what they weren't doing. You've got established animation vets, churning out mindless sludge for the sake of a weekly paycheck. It was frustrating for me, investing (IE wasting) time into these shows that never got any better, all because of the name stamped on the title card.

[Avaitor]

There was a point in my life where I ended up watching a bit more of CN's middle period than I wanted to. I ended up seeing a lot more of Lazlo and Gym Partner than I wanted to, and while both had a little more good than most people give credit for, calling them mediocre by CN or anyone else's standards today would be too fair. Squirrel Boy, I couldn't even manage to sit through enough. It might have hurt me just a little too much to.

I'd consider those how to not do an animated comedy. Even as a kid, I know that I'd like Eds, Grim and Fosters more than those three, and there's no way I'd enjoy them now if CN was still making them. Very limited appeal that's hard to sit through for most anyone.

Also, I love how much attention this thread has been getting so far. My Disney one took a while to get some and my action one just died, but this already has more posts than either. I might make my sitcoms or anime one sooner than I was expecting.

[Spark Of Spirit]

I tried to get into those shows and I simply couldn't, they felt intentionally undercooked in execution. Made specifically because CN wanted some throwaway cartoons to fill slots and nothing more.

Its pretty much the same problem I had with Chalkzone and most of the KC era.

[Dr. Insomniac]

To me, a comedy's good if it can make good use of the characters and handle things with subtlety (which I just think has been a lost art for recent shows). If I'm able to rewatch something for the fifth time and still be able to find jokes I couldn't get during previous watches, than it's done its job.

[gunswordfist]

Regular Show reminds me how I hate when comedies have nasty shit out of nowhere. That slide scene still hurts my brain. That's the only shows flaw. I thought I might not be able to get into the show at first due after watching that disgusting coffee bean promo but the show does have episodes that are perfectly fine. Most of them are from what I see. I dont mind the show having the characters say "blows" a lot or pissed or anything. I actually like that because it shows that the creators get to do a lot of what the want with the show.

For what I actually like, well there's so many different forms of comedy that that's hard to say. But I will say that I like it when shows have a consistent kind of humor that I enjoy.

[Foggle]

(This applies to everything, not just animated comedies)

What I like:
Wit, and lots of it
Rapid-fire delivery
Deadpan delivery
Inventive wordplay
Banter/back-and-forth dialogue
Duos/trios with good chemistry
A conservative usage of slapstick (it can be absolutely hilarious when not used too much or too often)
Hyperbole as comedy
Sarcasm as comedy
Dark humor (unless it reaches existential levels of bleak)
Comedy that is character-based rather than situation-based (but both can be good)

What I don't like:
Disgusting shit (like Happy Tree Friends, Ren & Stimpy Adult Party Cartoon, etc.)
LOL XD SO RANDUMB garbage (unless done extremely well)
Overuse of callbacks (I don't hate this, but it can get kind of grating)
Unoriginal sexual humor (as opposed to original sexual humor, which can be damned hilarious)
Unoriginal toilet humor (as opposed to original toilet humor, which can be damned hilarious)
Unoriginal political humor (as opposed to original political humor, which can be damned hilarious)
Too many movie/book/music/game/etc. references (too many meaning if there are almost no original jokes at all)
Rape as comedy
Overly saccharine humor

[Spark Of Spirit]

My only problem with deadpan delivery recently is that it always seems to go hand in hand with 'random' humor.

It works best with off the cuff comments, I find. It's partially why I enjoy Home Movies so much, as well as Space Ghost.