Darker And Edgier vs Cerebus Syndrome

What is the difference between these tropes? Darker and Edgier is a tone shift towards darkness, Cerebus Syndrome is a shift to seriousness. The examples show a massive overlap, and darkness/seriousness aren't too different. The same can be said for Lighter and Softer versus Reverse Cerebus Syndrome.

So what is the difference?

Cerebus Syndrome is when a work that starts out lighthearted and/or without a serious effort at continuity takes a turn toward the serious and dramatic. Typical causes are that the author didn't really know what they wanted to do with their work when they first started creating it, or that they were putting out lighter material as a kind of pilot to ease readers in before heading into the serious stuff. If Power Man starts out irreverent and lighthearted, but then in Chapter 3 half the cast dies as Apokoseid the World Eater shows up, that's Cerebus Syndrome.

Darker and Edgier, by contrast, is intended to apply to adaptations, reboots, and revisions. If Power Man is irreverent and lighthearted, but Ultimate Power Man is gritty and serious, then Darker and Edgier has happened.

edited 29th Aug '16 6:44:57 PM by Fighteer

Can Darker and Edgier apply to sequels?

It seems to get used for that, but a strict reading of the definition says it shouldn't. The title is a problem there; it encourages misuse by being so broad.

I say D&E should apply to: Sequels, spinoffs, adaptations, and reboots. It can also be used if a particular episode of a series is darker, such as the MLP:FIM premieres and finales.

Cerebus Syndrome should ONLY apply to when an EPISODIC series starts out light, but gradually gets darker and darker.

I think i'll create a projects or TRS thread about this.

Cerebus Syndrome, by it's nature, should be a gradual thing and is best applied to a serial story. Darker and Edgier and its counterpart Lighter and Softer is more of a sudden thing, best applied to sequels, adaptations, reboots and remakes.