[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/Iron_Erikku]

A couple episodes of Fresh Price of Bel Air come to mind.

[u/indigocoil → u/Iron_Erikku]

"How come he don't want me, man?"

[u/Iron_Erikku → u/indigocoil]

Yeah as someone who hasn’t seen my dad since I was like 9 this one stung lol. Although it did help validate those feelings seeing it as a kid.

[u/ACW1129 → u/indigocoil]

Fuck Lou. Uncle Phil was the father; Lou was just the sperm donor.

[u/western_drifter → u/indigocoil]

Ugh one of the most emotionally gutting scenes in television history. Gets me every time