History PlayingWith / CerebusSyndrome

* '''Exaggerated''': ''Alice!'' which was originally a lighthearted, comedic, and has LighterAndSofter show, becomes a depressing and creepy drama where AnyoneCanDie and several important characters, including Alice, do.

* '''Straight''': As plot progresses, there are fewer and fewer jokes, while odds and tension escalate.
* '''Exaggerated''': A show which is lighthearted, comedic and has LighterAndSofter themes becomes a depressing and creepy drama where AnyoneCanDie and several important characters do.
* '''Downplayed''': Though the arcs get slightly more serious, the story never loses the humor and it alternates between more serious arcs and more comedic ones. No effort is made to push the edginess and the more comedic characters are still able to have their hi-jinks.
* '''Justified''': The creator planned a shift in tone from the very beginning.
* '''Inverted''': ReverseCerebusSyndrome
* '''Subverted''': The plot looks like it's going to become more serious. It becomes Crazy and Awesome instead.
* '''Double Subverted''': ...and then, it gets so much worse, and Crazy-Awesome methods lose their efficency.

** The more dramatic episode starts off with the writer of the show firing the personification of comedy and hiring drama.
** The Show started as a comedy and still is, [[BlackComedy in a subtle way]]...
* '''Zig Zagged''': CerebusRollerCoaster
* '''Averted''': The work never gets more dramatic, opting for SurrealHumor instead.

** Author is running out of good jokes, yet he has accumulated some good dramatic plotlines.
** Fandom wants work to be DarkerAndEdgier. '''Now.'''

** A villain who is a KnightOfCerebus comes in at the start of the second half and makes things darker.

* '''Defied''': "Oh no. No. No-no-no-no-no. Even if it's war, I'm not gonna stop joking, [[SublimeRhyme no sir]]."

** Author understands that comedic characters won't instantly turn into heroes or warriors. They have a hard time adapting to new conditions.
** The [[MediumAwareness medium-aware]] characters don't like the dark, angsty changes to their world and their characters, so they fight to return their world to bright and happy place it was.
** The characters fully aware of the direction their world is going, and feel like they would die if they stay any longer, [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere quietly get themselves as far away from the conflict as they can]] [[PutOnABus putting themselves on a bus, so to speak.]]
* '''Reconstructed''': [[BoisterousBruiser Some]] [[CrazySurvivalist of them]], however, waited for this moment their entire lives - and jump straight into action.
* '''Plotted A Good Waste''': The story was intended to be dark and edgy from the beginning, but opted for a [[GenreShift genre]] BaitAndSwitch, beginning with a LighterAndSofter atmosphere [[HopeSpot to make the horror all the more shocking]] while [[{{Foreshadowing}} sowing the seeds in places no one had thought to look]]. Administrivia/TropesAreTools ([[AwesomeButImpractical though this one requires a lot of skill to cultivate the]] IntendedAudienceReaction).

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%%* '''Played For Laughs''': ???
%%* '''Played For Drama''': ???

* '''Exaggerated''': A former GagSeries becomes a gritty, serious drama with few jokes.

* '''Subverted''': The plot looks like it's going to become more serious. It becomes CrazyAwesome instead.
* '''Double Subverted''': ...and then, it gets so much worse, and CrazyAwesome methods lose their efficency.

* '''Conversed''': "Didn't this show used to be silly?"

* '''Plotted A Good Waste''': The story was intended to be dark and edgy from the beginning, but opted for a [[GenreShift genre]] BaitAndSwitch, beginning with a LighterAndSofter atmosphere [[HopeSpot to make the horror all the more shocking]] while [[{{Foreshadowing}} sowing the seeds in places no one had thought to look]]. TropesAreTools ([[AwesomeButImpractical though this one requires a lot of skill to cultivate the]] IntendedAudienceReaction).

* '''Straight''': As plot progresses, there are less and less of jokes, while odds and tension escalate.

** The more dramatic episode starts off with the writer of the show firing the personification of comedy and hiring drama

** The Show started as a comedy and still is,[[BlackComedy in a subtle way]]...

* '''Exaggerated''': [[TastesLikeDiabetes The Happy Bunny Fluffy Show]] starts with the [[RidiculouslyCuteCritter titular animals]] punishing Mr. Evilguy in a SugarBowl. After a commercial break, he starts a genocide and launches nukes all over the world, starting WorldWarIII. The resulting nuclear holocaust and winter awake an EldritchAbomination who causes the sun to turn into a black hole, killing everyone by destroying the Earth.

* '''Lampshaded''': "Is it me, or did our universe became much more serious overnight?"

* '''Conversed''': "Didn't this webcomic use to be silly?"

'''Basic Trope''': A comedic work suddenly opts for more dramatic, DarkerAndEdgier route.

** Author understands that comedic characters won't instantly turn into {{Badass}}es. They have a hard time adapting to new conditions.

%%* '''Plotted A Good Waste''': ???

** The [[GenreSavvy characters fully aware of the direction their world is going]], and feel like they would die if they stay any longer, [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere quietly get themselves as far away from the conflict as they can]] [[PutOnABus putting themselves on a bus, so to speak.]]

** The more dramatic episode starts off with the writer of the show firing the personification on comedy and hiring drama

* '''Parodied''': Armed conflict erupts - but instead of drama, the tone switches to BlackComedy.

* '''Defied''': "Oh no. No. No-no-no-no-no. Even if it's war, i'm not gonna stop joking, [[SublimeRhyme no sir]]."

* '''Downplayed''': Though though the arcs get slightly more serious, it never loses the humor and the story alternates between more serious arcs and more comedic ones

* '''Downplayed''': ???

* '''Deconstructed''':
** Author understands that comedic characters won't instantly turn into {{Badass}}es. They have a hard time adapting to new conditions.
** The [[MediumAwareness medium-aware]] characters don't like the dark, angsty changes to their world and their characters, so they fight to return their world to bright and happy place it was.
* '''Reconstructed''': [[BoisterousBruiser Some]] [[CrazySurvivalist of them]], however, waited for this moment their entire lives - and jump straight into action.

----

* '''Double Subverted''': ...and then, [[ItGotWorse it gets so much worse]] CrazyAwesome methods lose their efficency.

* '''Deconstructed''': Author understands that comedic characters won't instantly turn into {{Badass}}es. They have a hard time adapting to new conditions.

* '''Enforced''': Author is running out of good jokes, yet he has accumulated some good dramatic plotlines.

* '''Invoked''': "Joking around is all well and good, but I like it more the way it is now. Adventure! Conflict! High drama!"

* '''Exaggerated''': ...[[PrivateEyeMonologue On Monday]], our life resembled SaturdayMorningCartoon. On Thursday, it was more like ''{{Warhammer 40k}}''.
** [[TastesLikeDiabetes The Happy Bunny Fluffy Show]] becomes so [[TastesLikeDirt gritty and gory]], that they change to title to [[UltraSuperDeathGoreFestChainsawer3000 The Genocidal Rabbits of Hell's Darkest Pits]]

** [[TastesLikeDiabetes The Happy Bunny Fluffy Show]] becomes so gritty and gory, that they change to title to [[UltraSuperDeathGoreFestChainsawer3000 The Genocidal Rabbits of Hell's Darkest Pits]]

* '''Zig Zagged''': [[LongRunners After ten years or so]], the tone of work is all over the place.

* '''Inverted''': Serious, dramatic work [[DroppedAWidgetOnHim grows more and more silly]].

'''Basic Trope''': A comedic work (oftentimes {{Webcomic}}) suddenly opts for more dramatic, DarkerAndEdgier route.