[Loved Trope] The Comedy Suddenly Stops Joking Around

[u/MostInteraction3184]

There's nothing I love more than being in a comedy, and you get that one moment, usually a single look from a character, and all of the sudden we stop joking around. Whatever's going on from this point forward is played completely straight in stark contrast to everything that came before.

1). A moment from the comedy show Scrubs. Our man Dr. Cox is exchanging jokes with his best friend when he is asked "Where do you think we are?" Suddenly it is revealed Cox's best friend isn't actually there, and they are at his funeral.

2). An dark comedy called Haunted Hotel. The whole show specializes in dark humor with ghosts, demons, and plenty of death. But when near the end of season 1, it is revealed that always happy go lucky ghost Nathan died from suicide, everything slows way down. Suddenly the whole show gains this tiny bit of underlying seriousness they never joke about.

3). From an anime called Gintama. One two episode story arc involves an old alien dog that wants to conquer the earth now that his old owner is hospitalized. Near the end, suddenly all jokes are off as the two old timers struggle to avoid dying of old age as neither wants the other to feel lonely.

[u/Watchdog_the_God]

South Park: You're Getting Old's depiction of depression

On Stan's 10th birthday, he grows a cynical mindset where everything he used to enjoy, very literally, starts to feel like sh*t. When Kyle tries to help him, he acts abrasive and pushes him away. Eventually, Stan's parents get divorced, which only reinforces Stan's nihilistic worldview.

[u/MostInteraction3184 → u/Watchdog_the_God]

Oh! I completely forgot another one of my favorite examples of this trope. Besides this moment, there's also the "I don't remember what she looked like," moment from the cash for gold episode. Great example

[u/kevster2717 → u/Watchdog_the_God]

When Stan started drinking just to function through the day 💔

[u/rept_zannewete → u/kevster2717]

“You’re a piece of shit Kyle….Kyle I love you”

[u/Ranger-Vermilion → u/Watchdog_the_God]

This is the episode where they show he keeps a secret bottle of alcohol in his drawer isn’t it? Or was that a different one.

[u/GhostFran7983 → u/Ranger-Vermilion]

I think so, this is the first episode that made Stan become an alcoholic like his dad

[u/wolfire2475 → u/Ranger-Vermilion]

I hate how much I relate to this story

[u/PunishedTlacuache → u/Watchdog_the_God]

I remember this episode. It made me realize I had been living with depression my whole life. I saw it on a rerun, and had attempted suicide twice previously. After the second time I decided to get help.

I still have depression but I learned how to still enjoy life through others. It brings me joy to see others enjoying things. There is so much joy and worth in life, it's worth sticking around, I've found.

Tell you're friends "you know, I really want you to know how much joy you bring me. Even when I'm annoyed at you, I still appreciate you being here because my life is just so much better knowing you're around."

If anyone out there is having trouble, please know it can get better. I tried to end it when I was 17, then again when I was 23. I'm 37 now, have a wife and a child who mean so much to me. Life really is worth it

[u/kroxti → u/Watchdog_the_God]

I googled “was South Park cancelled” after I saw that one live cause if I remember correctly it was also a season finale.

[u/Ready_Implement3305 → u/kroxti]

I could be wrong, but it felt like some of the dialogue involving Kyle and Stan's argument along with the conversation later on where they address the argument was taking from an actual fight between Matt Stone and Trey Parker about the direction of the show.