User blog:Gumball2/Am I Taking the Show Too Seriously?

What got me into this show above all else is the plethora of interesting characters. For the most part, I believe the show has delivered on that element and has endowed us with numerous main characters. Sure there is no clear answer on which one is the most popular (since poll and discussions result vary tremendously depending on who participates and what forum you're using), but that's okay.

The reason I mention this is that while a lot of people I encountered on this wiki also appreciate the characters, another important element they frequently cite is the comedy. I've seen episode reviews where the effective comedy (or lack thereof) is a major pro (or con) in their assessment.

I'll be honest. For me, comedy is only an important when it's really good or really bad. There's actually very few works or people that can genuinely make me laugh, but I usually don't hold it against an episode when it doesn't because I know I don't laugh very much. I have, though, noticed an important distinction that should bear mention.

I am far more likely to laugh (and give an episode high marks) when an episode establishes "low stakes". What do I mean by that? In the case of the Loud House, an episode needs to do several things in order to do that.

Firstly, it cannot have one Loud knowingly pitted against the mob. A lot of times when this does happen, it's Lincoln against the "Sister" (all ten sisters coming together, disregarding their differences and personalities, and being like-minded even when it's obvious some of them wouldn't be like that if they were isolated). When this side-picking is done with the characters' knowledge, it creates tension (an environment of hard feelings among the characters). This places me on alert because I know that these characters aren't on good terms and are likely to engage in some sort of conflict. While some may laugh at jokes that come from that, I cannot. However, when all the Louds are on good terms and when they are acting like a loving family, I can relax and lower my guard. It creates an friendly, even fun environment that can make me laugh along with the characters because I know that it's in good fun. A great example of this is in "Pulp Friction". Now there's also the phrase "knowingly". Basically, this means that this can still work if it's a misunderstanding rather than a grievance held against a family member. An example of this is "Lock N Loud". It's fun watching all the children working together to catch the "burglar". But when it turns out it's really Lynn Sr, they immediately apologize for hurting him and even give him a hug. These two episodes I cited are the animated equivalent of hanging out with good friends, cracking jokes and having a light-hearted fun time.

And secondly, the episode cannot linger on the harm/misfortune that is inflicted upon a character. When an episode keeps reminding me that a character got hurt from something, it's harder for me to laugh (especially when it's a character I like. The tricky thing about this is that given how I don't like seeing others getting hurt, it's hard for an episode to NOT linger on it. It can be an injury/mess that sticks around for a few shots (or scenes). It can even be their mere absence. But an important thing to note is that I'm specifically referring to comedy. Such lingering is effective (and even expected) when the episode uses it for drama. When it does it in comedy, then it breaks up the easy-going environment and reminds me that this is not a good place to be in. This is a place where people get hurt and stay hurt, therefore I shouldn't be sitting still for it.

While I can see how other people can cite bad comedy for jokes that violate either one of these principles cited above, I think I am rather sensitive to them and it's really easy for a well-meaning joke to veer off in this territory. The reason I bring this up is from last week's episode "Fool's Paradise".

On this wiki, I have seen really glowing reviews of this episode. People have cited how psychotic Luan is "awesome", how everyone getting scared is "hilarious", how the different pranks are "wacky". I, however, found this episode hard to watch. To me, it wasn't funny, all the pranks were excessive, watching some of the characters succumb to them was painful, show that Luan clearly doesn't know the first rule of comedy (that your audience should have a good time as well as yourself), and all it did was reinforce the idea that Lynn Sr. is a cowardly, ineffective parent that doesn't know how to discipline his teenage daughter or keep his family out of harm's way.

It's from this split of opinion for this episode (as well as some other episodes) that I wonder if I'm taking the show too seriously. I may have come in for the characters, but should I also be treating the comedy with an equal level of importance?

I can imagine some people arguing that I should, that I went into "Fools Paradise" with the wrong mindset. Heck, I can even see some people saying I came to the wrong show for character development. But even with this knowledge, I can't help it. I get really attached to characters (sometimes a bit too easily). I come to feel their pain and wish that others would acknowledge it and try to help them out. And comedy more often than not takes a backseat to all that. And the show itself has shown itself capable of focusing on those elements. There are some fantastic episodes where certain characters are given the chance to shine and I really do find the overarching theme of family to be kind and reassuring. This show has gotten me to think more and more about my own family dynamic and how important those people are in my life. It's in these best moments where Luan is seen not as some deranged monster, but a sweet girl that just wants to make others laugh. And Lynn Sr. is not some enabling abusivd coward, but a caring man that loves his wife and children deeply. I know that it's that that makes the show as special as it is.

So it's when the comedy crosses the line that threatens to undermine all that, to make t seem like a hollow farce, to make the characters come across as deceitful hypocrites. It's that rationale that makes episodes like "Fools Paradise" so unattractive to me.

But that's just me in my own head. Now that I've shared my thoughts, I wanted to ask you if what I'm saying holds any sort of weight. Am I right to be critical of "awesome" humor, or am I just a stick in the mud that can't get a joke? Your honesty speaks volumes compared to my words.