Dramedy: why is this a thing? (TV shows)

[Avro Arrow]

In the medium of scripted television, why is dramedy a thing?

Because, believe it or not, not everyone has the same likes, dislikes, tastes and interests as one Admiral Jean-Luc Picard.

/thread

No shit, this much is obvious. I am asking what the appeal is.

Except that is not how you framed it at all. You framed it as "I don't like this thing, so why does it exist?".

My OP is genuine. I genuinely think dramedy is a horrible artform, granted with some exceptions.

As is your right. But as has been mentioned already by others, nothing that happens in this thread is going to change your mind, and you're just going to tell everyone who responds that they are wrong, so why is thread?

I don't get why it sells as a genre.

See my first sentence of this reply.

 

[Admiral Jean-Luc Picard]

Because, believe it or not, not everyone has the same likes, dislikes, tastes and interests as one Admiral Jean-Luc Picard.

I am aware. That's why I am asking. No need to be snippy.

Except that is not how you framed it at all. You framed it as "I don't like this thing, so why does it exist?".

Is that not a good jumping off point for a discussion?

As is your right. But as has been mentioned already by others, nothing that happens in this thread is going to change your mind, and you're just going to tell everyone who responds that they are wrong, so why is thread?

I try not to "pretend" I know what people are thinking.

 

[Owain Taggart]

I feel like a Dramedy can be more grounded in its material vs a sitcom. A good example of this would be Young Sheldon. I've found that show more closely resembled The Wonder Years in its approach to how it presented itself, both in its topics and its comedy and its serious moments, to the point that while it's classified as a sitcom, I feel it's more closely related to being a dramedy. I also think it's single-camera setup lends itself to that feeling as well.

 

[Avro Arrow]

Is that not a good jumping off point for a discussion?

In my personal opinion, no. There is an unfortunate tendency in fandom for people to think that things they don't like shouldn't exist. It comes across as arrogant ("if *I* don't like this, then it shouldn't even be here!"), and makes the person stating such a stance look like they don't realize that others are fully actualized human beings with their own likes and dislikes.

If you wanted to have an actual discussion instead of just raising hackles, you might have framed it something like "I don't generally like dramedies. Does anyone have any suggestions of ones I could try that might change my mind?" Or maybe even just "What are your thoughts on dramedies?". Starting with "Dramedies are terrible and should not even exist" sounds more like the intention is just to rile people up, and poisons the well from the start.

I'm not a sports fan, but I don't go into the Sports & Fitness forum and start a thread saying "sports are awful, why do they even exist?". That would be disrespectful, and would end up making people angry. Since I don't expect everyone to have the same opinions as me, I can understand and accept that other people may love sports, and that that's a perfectly valid opinion. And I certainly don't begrudge them for the existance of something they enjoy, and I would never wish sports didn't exist just because it's something I'm not personally fond of.

 

[fireproof78]

I like dramadies because real life is much that way. I don't like boxes or categories of my fiction beyond surface level. I don't like horror as a genre but certainly could name a couple I like.

My favorite show of all time is MASH, a show that threaded the comedy/drama line because it was dealing with often terrible subject matter that would drive the characters crazy.

Such is life: a mix of comedy, drama, boredom and parody.

 

[BillJ]

I don't like boxes or categories of my fiction beyond surface level.

Sometimes, things can be neatly be put in boxes. Other times, not so much.

MASH is one of those shows that defies any particular box.

 

[James Cole]

Dramedy is only really a product of premium cable channel Peak TV from the 2000s till COVID hit. WEEDS, CALIFORNICATION, ENTOURAGE, some FX stuff...

THE ORVILLE started off as a TNG parody but quickly becomes about as humorous than SG-1.

 

[Firebird]

Sometimes, things can be neatly be put in boxes. Other times, not so much.

MASH is one of those shows that defies any particular box.

That variance in genre and tone is part of the reason the show continues to stay in the zeitgeist. One week, you could have a zany "for want of a boot" plot, the next could be Alan Alda doing a one-man show, the next a courtroom drama, and so on.

 

[BillJ]

Dramedy is only really a product of premium cable channel Peak TV from the 2000s till COVID hit. WEEDS, CALIFORNICATION, ENTOURAGE, some FX stuff...

It really isn’t.

 

[Admiral Jean-Luc Picard]

I feel like a Dramedy can be more grounded in its material vs a sitcom. A good example of this would be Young Sheldon. I've found that show more closely resembled The Wonder Years in its approach to how it presented itself, both in its topics and its comedy and its serious moments, to the point that while it's classified as a sitcom, I feel it's more closely related to being a dramedy. I also think it's single-camera setup lends itself to that feeling as well.

I thought Young Sheldon was a straight sitcom minus the laugh track, like Malcolm in the Middle?

In my personal opinion, no. There is an unfortunate tendency in fandom for people to think that things they don't like shouldn't exist. It comes across as arrogant ("if *I* don't like this, then it shouldn't even be here!"), and makes the person stating such a stance look like they don't realize that others are fully actualized human beings with their own likes and dislikes.

I question why dramedy exists, I think it's dumb, but I am not suggesting it shouldn't exist. Please, do not lump me in with people I don't know, thanks.

If you wanted to have an actual discussion instead of just raising hackles, you might have framed it something like "I don't generally like dramedies. Does anyone have any suggestions of ones I could try that might change my mind?" Or maybe even just "What are your thoughts on dramedies?". Starting with "Dramedies are terrible and should not even exist" sounds more like the intention is just to rile people up, and poisons the well from the start.

I already watch a lot of TV as it is, I'm not looking for more. No thanks. I don't rile people up. I'm sorry you don't like how I communicate.

I'm not a sports fan, but I don't go into the Sports & Fitness forum and start a thread saying "sports are awful, why do they even exist?". That would be disrespectful, and would end up making people angry. Since I don't expect everyone to have the same opinions as me, I can understand and accept that other people may love sports, and that that's a perfectly valid opinion. And I certainly don't begrudge them for the existance of something they enjoy, and I would never wish sports didn't exist just because it's something I'm not personally fond of.

I don't think objecting to a niche TV genre is the same thing as the entirety of sports. That said, if people as me if I like sports (I don't), I'll tell them what I think, and I will not censor my words.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

The first time I heard the term "Dramady" was in the context of Ally McBeal. I've never seen it, and don't find it interesting. But I get the need for serious dramatic shows to have comic relief. If shows like Buffy or Lost were totally serious and had no comic relief they would never have been successful. Sometimes serious shows hit harder when they have a break in the seriousness.

 

[Admiral Jean-Luc Picard]

The first time I heard the term "Dramady" was in the context of Ally McBeal. I've never seen it, and don't find it interesting. But I get the need for serious dramatic shows to have comic relief. If shows like Buffy or Lost were totally serious and had no comic relief they would never have been successful. Sometimes serious shows hit harder when they have a break in the seriousness.

To me, dramedy is when a show is trying to be "sitcom" and "drama" at the same time all the time. It works in Monk. The main character is a former cop and police consultant who helps solve murders. He's a grieving widower. It's serious on those fronts. What makes it funny is he's OCD to the point of being insane. The main character are just used to it, but sometimes even they snap on Monk. When the guest star of the week looses it on Monk, I am dying.

 

[Owain Taggart]

I thought Young Sheldon was a straight sitcom minus the laugh track, like Malcolm in the Middle?

No, it doesn't play off like a sitcom at all. It's more of a coming-of-age dramedy. There's also more of a storyline through it from episode to episode than the typical sitcom. It's also in the delivery.

 

[Admiral Jean-Luc Picard]

No, it doesn't play off like a sitcom at all. It's more of a coming-of-age dramedy. There's also more of a storyline through it from episode to episode than the typical sitcom. It's also in the delivery.

How come it's only half-an-hour?

 

[Owain Taggart]

How come it's only half-an-hour?

I dunno. Ask the producers. Does it really matter?

 

[Admiral Jean-Luc Picard]

I dunno. Ask the producers. Does it really matter?

Yes. I am curious. I like evaluating TV shows from story and from production POV's.

 

[Phoenix219]

Orville

By halfway through the first season, it really finds its stride, and by the second season, the humor is almost non-existant. By the third it is completely gone. It is the spiritual successor to TNG in every way, and in some cases, in my contraversial opinion, actually improves on some things. The first few episodes are the outlier, in that they pitched Fox a Family Guy meets Star Trek show. They stop doing it as soon as humanly possible.

I just rewatched TNG S1-3, and am having trouble slogging through S4, let alone 5-7. (first time since i was a kid, as well, and ONLY because of the grace and forgiveness Picard S03 gave me for the show.)

I would absolutely rewatch the Orville and enjoy it more.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Orville is a show you have to stick with. I was turned off by the lamer sitcom elements at first.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

To me, dramedy is when a show is trying to be "sitcom" and "drama" at the same time all the time. It works in Monk. The main character is a former cop and police consultant who helps solve murders. He's a grieving widower. It's serious on those fronts. What makes it funny is he's OCD to the point of being insane. The main character are just used to it, but sometimes even they snap on Monk. When the guest star of the week looses it on Monk, I am dying.

Monk is one of the rare examples where it works. It kinda works with Psych.

 

[Phoenix219]

Monk is one of the rare examples where it works. It kinda works with Psych.

would you guys consider Buffy to be a dramedy?