History Main / LighterAndSofter

Contrast DarkerAndEdgier (where a work is changed to be darker and more serious in tone), BloodierAndGorier (where the work features more graphic violence than usual), CerebusSyndrome (where a work defaults to becoming darker in tone over time) and HotterAndSexier (where a work increases the amount of nudity and sexual content).

Compare {{Bowdlerise}} (where a work is edited to remove material that can be considered questionable), {{Disneyfication}} (making a story more suitable for children by toning down the darker elements), MenaceDecay (where a bratty child character becomes less of a troublemaker over time), BadassDecay (where audiences see a cool character as becoming not as impressive and formidable as they used to be), ReverseCerebusSyndrome (where an initially dark work becomes lighter in tone over time), SugarWiki/{{WAFF}} (when a work's whole purpose is to appeal to the audience by being cute and endearing) and TamerAndChaster (where a work reduces the amount of nudity and sexual content).

Often found alongside DenserAndWackier, YoungerAndHipper and KinderAndCleaner. Also often signaled by an increase in [[{{Slapstick}} wacky humor]].

Compare {{Bowdlerise}}, {{Disneyfication}}, MenaceDecay, BadassDecay, ReverseCerebusSyndrome, SugarWiki/{{WAFF}}, DenserAndWackier and TamerAndChaster.

Contrast DarkerAndEdgier, BloodierAndGorier, CerebusSyndrome and HotterAndSexier.

The light twin of DarkerAndEdgier, when something is {{Tone Shift}}ed to be more family friendly and frothy than the original source. This can either happen to a show over time, or it can be the result of deliberate {{Executive Meddling}}. It could be a deliberate throwback to a pre-{{Cerebus Syndrome}} incarnation. Thus, a Lighter And Softer reboot may often follow an incarnation which made a point of being Darker and Edgier. Finally, if an adult or more serious TV show or movie has a spin-off aimed at children, this can be the result. Just like its brother extreme, Lighter and Softer can leave just as [[TastesLikeDiabetes bad of a taste]] in longtime fans' mouths as Darker and Edgier if handled poorly.

** ''[[LighterAndSofter/StarWars Star Wars]]''

Often found alongside DenserAndWackier, and YoungerAndHipper. Also often signaled by an increase in [[{{Slapstick}} wacky humor]].

** ''[[LighterAndSofter/MarvelCinematicUniverse Marvel Cinematic Universe]]''

** ''[[LighterAndSofter/{{Arrowverse}} Arrowverse]]''

** ''[[LighterAndSofter/{{Whoniverse}} Whoniverse]]''

[[AC:RealLife]]
* Major League Baseball opened the 1998 season with two new teams, both named after incredibly deadly animals - the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. While the Diamondbacks are much less threatening than their name implies, the Devil Rays changed their name to the Rays in 2007, the name now describing rays of sunshine rather than dangerous marine life. Oddly, ever since then they've been extremely good. It was also changed due to MoralGuardians (and reportedly former Ray Josh Hamilton, who became a born-again Christian after kicking drug addiction) thinking that the name promoted Satanism.
* [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerogel Aerogel,]] if you want to take this trope literally. It's the lightest known solid and has the consistency of styrofoam.
* Some grandparents are accused of this by their children.
* A lot of people will describe college like this to high-school students, especially those who didn't care for high school and are afraid college will be more of the same. They mention that while the work will be more difficult, the environment will be a lot more pleasant, since everybody is there by choice, and there's a lot less bullying and teasing going on.
* [[UsefulNotes/TheEighties The '80s]] is this compared to [[UsefulNotes/TheSixties the '60s]] and [[UsefulNotes/TheSeventies '70s]], [[UsefulNotes/TheNineties the '90s]] would do the same thing to the '80s, and, to a degree, some aspects of [[UsefulNotes/TheNewTens The New Tens]] could be this compared to [[Main/TurnOfTheMillennium the 2000s]]

'''Roger Meyers Jr.:''' But then we remembered that this might be interpreted as violence which is "morally wrong" now, thanks to ''you''. So, what's your big idea? How do we end this?\\
'''Marge:''' Hrmmm. Let's see. Oh! Couldn't Itchy share his pie with Scratchy? Then they would ''both'' have pie!

Just like with DarkerAndEdgier, please keep in mind that Administrivia/TropesAreTools. When something is lighter and softer than its initial source material, it doesn't mean it's automatically worse. It usually depends on who creates/writes said material as well as how subtly they make the transition. ExecutiveMeddling may of course be at fault; "We gotta appeal to the kids!" But other reasons include trying to be more mainstream, to change an unpopular run, to appeal to another demographic, to recognize and dispel DarknessInducedAudienceApathy etc. The Lighter And Softer run can end up being positively remembered for years to come. It just depends on who's behind the product and how they execute it.

* LighterAndSofter/{{Other}}

* LighterAndSofter/{{Fanfiction}}

Compare {{Bowdlerise}}, {{Disneyfication}}, MenaceDecay, BadassDecay, ReverseCerebusSyndrome, SugarWiki/{{WAFF}}, DenserAndWackier and TamerAndChaster; contrast DarkerAndEdgier, BloodierAndGorier, CerebusSyndrome and HotterAndSexier.

Compare {{Bowdlerise}}, {{Disneyfication}}, MenaceDecay, BadassDecay, ReverseCerebusSyndrome, SugarWiki/{{WAFF}}, DenserAndWackier, TamerAndChaster.

Contrast DarkerAndEdgier, BloodierAndGorier, CerebusSyndrome, HotterAndSexier.

* [[LighterAndSofter/LighterAndSofter/LiveActionFilms Film - Live Action]]

* LighterAndSofter/{{Film}}

At its most extreme it can [[CharacterDerailment turn]] a previously vibrant cast into {{Flat Character}}s and remove a lot of the show's appeal or even cause fans to abandon the work entirely. If it shoehorns BlackAndWhiteMorality into the work and makes everyone clear heroes and {{villain}}s, then expect people to complain about the loss of subtlety in the setting, or feel like the writers are talking down to them.

Just like with DarkerAndEdgier, please keep in mind that Administrivia/TropesAreTools. When something is lighter and softer than its initial source material, it doesn't mean it's automatically worse. It usually depends on who creates/writes said material as well as how subtly they make the transition. ExecutiveMeddling may of course be at fault; "We gotta appeal to the kids!" But other reasons include trying to be more mainstream, to change an unpopular run, to appeal to another demographic, to recognize and dispel DarknessInducedAudienceApathy etc. The LighterAndSofter run can end up being positively remembered for years to come. It just depends on who's behind the product and how they execute it.

[[caption-width-right:260:Fans feared [[UltraSuperHappyCuteBabyFestFarmer3000 this]] would happen, but this was Creator/{{Blizzard|Entertainment}} {{trolling|Creator}} them. [[JokeLevel Mostly.]]]]

[[quoteright:257:[[Videogame/{{Diablo}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Diablo1-3_sm.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:257:Well, fans feared [[UltraSuperHappyCuteBabyFestFarmer3000 this]] would happen, and this was Creator/{{Blizzard|Entertainment}} {{trolling|Creator}} them. [[JokeLevel Mostly.]]]]

-->--''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS2E9ItchyAndScratchyAndMarge Itchy & Scratchy & Marge]]"

Just like with DarkerAndEdgier, please keep in mind that TropesAreTools. When something is lighter and softer than its initial source material, it doesn't mean it's automatically worse. It usually depends on who creates/writes said material as well as how subtly they make the transition. ExecutiveMeddling may of course be at fault; "We gotta appeal to the kids!" But other reasons include trying to be more mainstream, to change an unpopular run, to appeal to another demographic, to recognize and dispel DarknessInducedAudienceApathy etc. The LighterAndSofter run can end up being positively remembered for years to come. It just depends on who's behind the product and how they execute it.

Compare {{Bowdlerise}}, {{Disneyfication}}, MenaceDecay, BadassDecay, ReverseCerebusSyndrome, {{WAFF}}, DenserAndWackier, TamerAndChaster.

The light twin of DarkerAndEdgier, when something is {{Tone Shift}}ed to be more family friendly and frothy than the original source. It could be a deliberate throwback to a pre-{{Cerebus Syndrome}} incarnation. Thus, a Lighter And Softer reboot may often follow an incarnation which made a point of being Darker and Edgier. Finally, if an adult or more serious TV show or movie has a spin-off aimed at children, this can be the result. Just like its brother extreme, Lighter and Softer can leave just as [[TastesLikeDiabetes bad of a taste]] in longtime fans' mouths as Darker and Edgier if handled poorly.

The light twin of DarkerAndEdgier, when something is {{Tone Shift}}ed to be more family friendly and frothy than the original source. This can either happen to a show over time, or it can be the result of deliberate {{Executive Meddling}}. It could be a deliberate throwback to a pre-{{Cerebus Syndrome}} incarnation. Thus, a Lighter And Softer reboot may often follow an incarnation which made a point of being Darker and Edgier. Finally, if an adult or more serious TV show or movie has a spin-off aimed at children, this can be the result. Just like its brother extreme, Lighter and Softer can leave just as [[TastesLikeDiabetes bad of a taste]] in longtime fans' mouths as Darker and Edgier if handled poorly.