History SoYouWantTo / WriteABlackComedy

A common actors' saying is "Dying is easy: comedy is hard." And BlackComedy, which uses dark and serious matters and themes as its subject matter to invoke laughter is one of the hardest things to write well. That doesn't mean you should try though, anything can be made into a joke, despite what the [[PoliticalCorrectnessGoneMad PC crowd]] may try and say, so give it a go. Even if you don't get it right first, keep it at. You didn't learn to walk in a day so how would you learn comedy, let alone this type, in a day?

* [[FreudWasRight Freudian symbols]]

* Literature/CatchTwentyTwo - Allegedly the work the term "black comedy" was coined for. Combines increasingly hilarious running gags with an increasingly dark take on the horrors of war.
* DrStrangelove - It's a bona fide classic. With the power of nuclear war, Creator/StanleyKubrick crafted a satire like no other.
* {{Network}} - Despite its dramatic elements, this film is still hilarious at times.
* Film/RoboCop1987 - This is an odd example. It plays itself as an action film, but still satirizes the idea of [[MegaCorp large corporations]]. Watch it anyways.

* {{Blackadder}} - One of the crappiest crapsack worlds with one of the most evil heroic sociopath.

* How far will you go? When it comes to black comedy how balanced will you keep the black with the comedy? Will you be mostly tame, neatly balanced, or extremely cruel? How many things can you joke about and how often? Like death, suicide, genocide, rape, drug addiction, abortion, bestiality, religion, disease, parental abandonment/abuse, and so forth. as Creator/SethMacFarlane once said, "it all can't be in the same place." As in, joking about all of what was listen up there cannot be in the same episode. TropesAreTools, however, and what really matters is how you use it. Perhaps you ''can'' get away with that, but for the most part it's best to try and spread it out.

* In making a setting, the most common type of world for this breed of comedy is a CrapsackWorld or a CrapsaccharineWorld. The world doesn't have to be either of those, but it makes the {{Jerkass}} main character's attitude more relatable or the NiceGuy's unluckiness more understandable.

* ComedicSociopathy-- This is can make a BlackComedy become depressing or impossible to take seriously. Again, TropesAreTools and what counts is moderation. It's okay to be mean-spirited every so often, but using too mush is a make or break.

* DarknessInducedAudienceApathy: As said above, if the show's darkness is too much, it might just leave the audience bored and disinterested. If you have too much cruelty and not enough comedy, it's a deal breaker.

What is the main goal you hope to accomplish with this style of humor? Do you want to make a point with some political satire using comedy as a means to get your message across, do you want to offend as many people as possible just for the hell of it, or do you just want to try to be funny? Either way, there's many ways to accomplish any said goal.

* TheProtagonist: Where does their morality lie? In most BlackComedy's the protagonist is a [[UnsympatheticComedyProtagonist jerk]] or a really [[KafkaKomedy unlucky]] NiceGuy. The comedy of wither type is the jerk getting his comeuppances for his crimes where as the nice guy being mean the humor comes from how unlucky he is.

What is the main goal you hope to accomplish with this style of humor? Do you want to make a point with some political satire, do you want to offend as many people as possible just for the hell of it, or do you just want to try to be funny? Either way, there's many ways to accomplish any said goal.

* How far will you go? When it comes to black comedy how balanced will you keep the black with the comedy?

* ComedicSociopathy-- This is can make a BlackComedy become depressing or impossible to take seriously. Just don't use it too much and use irony instead of just apathy for humor.

A common actors' saying is "Dying is easy: comedy is hard." And BlackComedy, which uses dark and serious matters and themes as its subject matter to invoke laughter is one of the hardest things to write well.

* DrStrangelove - It's a bona fide classic. With the power of nuclear war, StanleyKubrick crafted a satire like no other.

* RefugeInAudacity-- This is another staple of Black Comedy, but try not to go overboard with it.

* {{Robocop}} - This is an odd example. It plays itself as an action film, but still satirizes the idea of [[MegaCorp large corporations]]. Watch it anyways.

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* {{Catch-22}} - Allegedly the work the term "black comedy" was coined for. Combines increasingly hilarious running gags with an increasingly dark take on the horrors of war.

* DudeNotFunny-- You want to make your audience laugh, not alienate them.

* RefugeInAudacity-- This is another staple of Black Comedy, but try not to go overboard with it..

* RefugeInAudacity-- This is another staple of Black Comedy, but once again, be careful to avoid the Dead Baby stuff.

* ComedicSociopathy-- This is what seperates DeadBabyComedy from BlackComedy. Just don't use it too much and use irony instead of just apathy for humor.
* DeadBabyComedy-- Overuse is bad.

A common actors' saying is "Dying is easy: comedy is hard." And BlackComedy, which uses dark and serious matters and themes-- yes, including death-- is one of the hardest forms to write.

Intro Pending:

* GallowsHumor - Self Explanatory.
* RefugeInAudacity - This is another staple of Black Comedy, but once again, be careful to avoid the Dead Baby stuff.

* ComedicSociopathy - This is what seperates DeadBabyComedy from BlackComedy. Just don't use it too much and use irony instead of just apathy for humor.
* DeadBabyComedy - I said it already. Overuse is bad.

* {{Robocop}} - This is an odd example. It plays itself as an action film, but still satirizes the idea of Large corporations. Watch it anyways.

Oh dear. Your sense of humor is almost as black as [[ABadDriver my]] heart. I hope you enjoy your writing... lest I hunt you down and [[MadeOfPlasticine tear you apart before using your intestines as a jump rope and your]] [[HeroicSociopath head as a bowling ball before]] [[CrossesTheLineTwice and drinking your]] [[ShoutOut bodily]] [[DrStrangelove fluids]] [[OverlyLongGag before finally]] [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking giving you]] [[ItWasHisSled SPOI]][[ThisIsUnforgivable LERS!!]]

* CrapsackWorld - This is a [[TwoWordsObviousTrope BLACK COMEDY]]
* CrossesTheLineTwice - This is the whole point of Black Comedy; take a serious topic and mock it, while still taking it seriously. For example: The Hobo Story on the original BlackComedy page.
* {{Deconstruction}} and {{Deconstructive Parody}} - This is very necessary, if it is more realistic. The more the topic will seem more "Close to Home", so to speak.

* HeroicSociopath - Funny. Very funny. It also brings about the next part...

* BlackAndGreyMorality - This is a [[TwoWordsObviousTrope BLACK COMEDY]]; the darker the subject matter, the less the audience will [[DarknessInducedAudienceApathy care enough for the protoganist to take offense to your direction.]]
* CompleteMonster - Not totally necessary, but a CompleteMonster can spice up a comic...but be careful to avoid making him bring about too much...
* DeadBabyComedy - This is the point where a comedy can stop being a satire and become a [[{{Gorn}} super-violent]] [[IdiotPlot ball of nonsense.]] You can use this, but not too much.

* AntiSue - Remember {{CtrlAltDel}}? Remember how [[PrecisionFStrike shitty]] [[TakeThat it was?]] This kind of character was part of the reason for that. Give your character [[BerserkButton FUCKING LAYERS!]] [[ThisIsSparta BE! DEEP! NOT! SHALLOW!]] [[{{Angrish}} FFFFFFFFFFF]] [[OverlyLongGag FFFFFFFFF]]

* MadeOfPlasticine - See above.
* RefugeInVulgarity - Remember {{Drawn Together}}? It could have been brilliant, but NO! THIS IS WHY!! IT TRIED TO TURN INTO {{SOUTH PARK}}!!

* AllPsychologyIsFreudian - This would be fun to mock.
* DisneyDeath - This could lead to a very Darkly Humorous moment
--> Alice: No! There's a chance that Bob's alive!
--> Cam: Maybe there is! [Runs to Bob's body.] Bob!
--> Alice: Wake up Bob! I love you! Please!
--> Cam: ...I told you he was dead.
* PetTheDog - See {{Kick The Dog}} and {{If Youre So Evil Eat This Kitten}}
* TearJerker

* HumansAreBastards
* JadeColoredGlasses

* Extreme Irony

Maybe the [[SliceOfLife adventures of a man in this crappy world]], or possibly a post-apocalyptic comedy. It's limited only by you.

It's your choice. It can be a CrapsaccharineWorld or a dark underworld. Your choice.

Whatever matches the above.

Same.

Deadpan, serious acting, and a genius script are all that is necessary. Just don't try to be too silly.

If you are using death a lot, this will get a workout. Stunts are only done to highlight the themes if necessary.

Like the others, watch the originals for inspiration.

Oh dear. Your sense of humor is almost as black as [[@{{ABadDriver}} my]] heart. I hope you enjoy your writing... lest I hunt you down and [[MadeOfPlasticine tear you apart before using your intestines as a jump rope and your]] [[HeroicSociopath head as a bowling ball before]] [[CrossesTheLineTwice and drinking your]] [[ShoutOut bodily]] [[DrStrangelove fluids]] [[OverlyLongGag before finally]] [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking giving you]] [[ItWasHisSled SPOI]][[ThisIsUnforgivable LERS!!]]

Oh dear. Your sense of humor is almost as black as [[@//{{ABadDriver}} my]] heart. I hope you enjoy your writing... lest I hunt you down and [[MadeOfPlasticine tear you apart before using your intestines as a jump rope and your]] [[HeroicSociopath head as a bowling ball before]] [[CrossesTheLineTwice and drinking your]] [[ShoutOut bodily]] [[DrStrangelove fluids]] [[OverlyLongGag before finally]] [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking giving you]] [[ItWasHisSled SPOI]][[ThisIsUnforgivable LERS!!]]

Oh dear. Your sense of humor is almost as black as [[ABadDriver my]] heart. I hope you enjoy your writing... lest I hunt you down and [[MadeOfPlasticine tear you apart before using your intestines as a jump rope and your]] [[HeroicSociopath head as a bowling ball before]] [[CrossesTheLineTwice and drinking your]] [[ShoutOut bodily]] [[DrStrangelove fluids]] [[OverlyLongGag before finally]] [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking giving you]] [[ItWasHisSled SPOI]][[ThisIsUnforgivable LERS!!]]

* {{Deconstruction}} and {{Deconstructive Parody}} - This is very necessary; if it is more realistic; the more the topic will seem more "Close to Home," So to speak.

* GallowsHumor - Self Explanitory.

Oh dear. Your sense of humor is almost as black as [[ABadDriver my]] heart. I hope you enjoy your writing... lest I hunt you down and [[MadeOfPlasticine tear you apart before using your intestines as a jump rope and your]] [[HeroicSociopath head as a bowling ball before]] [[CrossesTheLineTwice and drinking your]] [[ShoutOut bodily]] [[DrStrangelove fluids]] [[OverlyLongGag before finally]] [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking before giving you]] [[ItWasHisSled SPOI]] [[ThisIsUnforgivable LERS!!]]

* AntiSue - Remember {{CtrlAltDel}}? Remember how [[PrecisionFStrike shitty]] [[TakeThat it was?]] This kind of character was part of the reason for that. Give your character [[BerserkButton FUCKING LAYERS!]] [[ThisIsSparta BE! DEEP! NOT! SHALLOW!]] [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Angrish FFFFFFFFFFF]] [[OverlyLongGag FFFFFFFFF]]

* MadeOfPlasticine - See above

Maybe the [[SliceOfLife adventures of a man in this crappy world]], Or possibly a post-apocalyptic comedy. It's limited only by you.

* TearJerker - {{So Yeah}}...