History LighterAndSofter / LiveActionTV

** ''Series/BakuageSentaiBoonboomger'' continues the trend of "Vehicle Sentai is LighterAndSofter" and is shaping up to be this compared to the {{Picaresque}} CosmicHorrorStory that is ''[[Series/OhsamaSentaiKingOhger King-Ohger]]'' due to its tongue-and-cheek nature, having tons of HilarityEnsues, a size-shifting alien RobotBuddy for an ally, and the (initial) villains being [[SkilledButInexperienced comically inexperienced]].

** ''Series/TensouSentaiGoseiger'' is nowhere near as dark as Kobayashi's magnum opus ''[[Series/SamuraiSentaiShinkenger Shinkenger]]'' nor as comedic as the above ''Go-onger'' due to having three sets of equally despicable villains and a BigBad who is also [[spoiler:the ''Sentai'' equivalent of {{Satan}}]], but it's still uplifting, as the heroes themselves are stranded angels-in-training and the story has several slice-of-life elements.

** After four seasons of being DarkerAndEdgier, ''Series/MashinSentaiKiramager'' goes back to being more humorous, even more than so ''Go-onger'' and ''Kyoryuger''. Many of its characters are downright silly and most of the episodes are comedic in nature, even after CerebusSyndrome kicks in.
** ''Series/KikaiSentaiZenkaiger'' takes Sentai humor to [[DenserAndWackier its logical conclusion]], with very outlandish characters (on both ends), absurd comedy, and very bizarre plots courtesy of the Walds. Even with some serious moments popping up, the show never stops being silly.
** ''Series/BakuageSentaiBoonboomger'' continues the trend of "Vehicle Sentai is LighterAndSofter" and is shaping up to be this compared to the {{Picaresque}} CosmicHorrorStory that is ''[[Series/OhsamaSentaiKingOhger King-Ohger]]'' due to its tongue-and-cheek nature, tons of HilarityEnsues, a size-shifting alien RobotBuddy for an ally, and the (initial) villains being [[PowerfulButIncompetent somewhat incompetent]].

** ''Series/GekisouSentaiCarranger'' is mix of this and DenserAndWackier: Imagine ''Turboranger'' as an AffectionateParody season with more {{Cool Car}}s, [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold hilariously mean-spirited, eccentric, or insensitive heroes]], and [[QuirkyMinibossSquad mostly incompetent villains]]. Even with the BigBad showing up and escalating things, the show ends with [[spoiler:none of the core Bowzock being killed off and [[HeelFaceTurn even made peace with the Carrangers and their allies]]]].

** ''Series/ShurikenSentaiNinninger'' takes the HighlyVisibleNinja meaning to a whole new level, as the majority of its episodes is way more whimsical and the Giant Robos themselves are the very definition of {{Ninja Pirate Zombie Robot}}s. The titular team themselves even proclaimed they're "the Shinobi who don't hide", which is [[HypocriticalHumor hilariously hypocritical]] and not very {{Ninja}}-like (though in Takaharu's defense, they don't hide because they don't have time to hide).

** ''Series/GekisouSentaiCarranger'' is mix of this and DenserAndWackier: Imagine ''Turboranger'' as an AffectionateParody Sseason with more {{Cool Car}}s, [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold hilariously mean-spirited, eccentric, or insensitive heroes]], and [[QuirkyMinibossSquad mostly incompetent villains]]. Even with the BigBad showing up and escalating things, the show ends with [[spoiler:none of the core Bowzock being killed off and [[HeelFaceTurn even made peace with the Carrangers and their allies]]]].

** ''Series/KikaiSentaiZenkaiger'' takes [[DenserAndWackier Sentai humor to its logical conclusion]], with very outlandish characters (on both ends), absurd comedy, and very bizarre plots courtesy of the Walds. Even with some serious moments popping up, the show never stops being silly.

** ''Series/ShurikenSentaiNinninger'' takes the HighlyVisibleNinja meaning to a whole new level, as the majority of its episodes is way more whimsical and the Giant Robos are the very definition of {{Ninja Pirate Zombie Robot}}s. The titular team themselves even proclaimed they're "the Shinobi who don't hide", which in not very {{Ninja}}-like (though in Takaharu's defense, they don't hide because they don't have time to hide).

** ''Series/BakuageSentaiBoonboomger'' continues the trend of "Vehicle Sentai is LighterAndSofter" and is shaping up to be this compared to the {{Picaresque}} ComsicHorrorStory that is ''[[Series/OhsamaSentaiKingOhger King-Ohger]]'' due to its tongue-and-cheek nature, tons of HilarityEnsues, a size-shifting alien RobotBuddy for an ally, and the (initial) villains being [[PowerfulButIncompetent somewhat incompetent]].

** ''Series/BakuageSentaiBoonboomger'' continues the trend of "Vehicle Sentai is LighterAndSofter" and is shaping up to be this compared to the {{Picaresque}} ComicHorrorStory that is ''[[Series/OhsamaSentaiKingOhger King-Ohger]]'' due to its tongue-and-cheek nature, tons of HilarityEnsues, and the (initial) villains being [[PowerfulButIncompetent somewhat incompetent]].

** ''Sereis/KikaiSentaiZenkaiger'' takes [[DenserAndWackier Sentai humor to its logical conclusion]], with very outlandish characters (on both ends), absurd comedy, and very bizarre plots courtesy of the Walds. Even with some serious moments popping up, the show never stops being silly.
** ''Series/BakugageSentaiBoonboomger'' continues the trend of "Vehicle Sentai is LighterAndSofter" and is shaping up to be this compared to the {{Picaresque}} ComicHorrorStory that is ''[[Series/OhsamaSentaiKingOhger King-Ohger]]'' due to its tongue-and-cheek nature, tons of HilarityEnsues, and the (initial) villains being [[PowerfulButIncompetent somewhat incompetent]].

** Continuing the trend of "Dino Sentai entries being LighterAndSofter", ''Series/ZyudenSentaiKyoryuger'' is another top contender for being one of the most upbeat entries in the franchise, with the majority of its characters being bright and colorful, [[LargeHam a very hammy narrator]], and heavier focus on comedy for the most part. It also helps that the show is written by none other than the same guy who wrote ''[[Series/KamenRiderW W]]'' and ''[[Series/KamenRiderFourze Fourze]]''.

** ''Sereis/KikaiSentaiZenkaiger'' takes Sentai humor to its logical conclusion, with very outlandish characters (on both ends), absurd comedy, and very bizarre plots courtesy of the Walds. And as with ''Kiramager'', the story doesn't take itself too seriously.

** ''Series/GekisouSentaiCarranger'' is mix of this and DenserAndWackier. Imagine ''Turboranger'' as an AffectionateParody Sseason with more {{Cool Car}}s, [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold hilariously mean-spirited, eccentric, or insensitive heroes]], and [[QuirkyMinibossSquad mostly incompetent villains]]. Even with the BigBad showing up and escalating things, the show ends with [[spoiler:none of the core Bowzock being killed off and [[HeelFaceTurn even made peace with the Carrangers and their allies]]]].

** Continuing the trend of "Dino Sentai entries being LighterAndSofter", ''Series/ZyudenSentaiKyoryuger'' is another top contender for being one of the most upbeat entries in the franchise, with the majority of its characters being bright and colorful, [[LargeHam a very hammy narrator]], and heavier focus on comedy for the most part. It also helps that the show is written by none other than the man who wrote ''[[Series/KamenRiderW W]]'' and ''[[Series/KamenRiderFourze Fourze]]''.

%%** ''Series/NinjaSentaiKakuranger''[[note]][[Main/CerebusSyndrome At least during its first half]][[/note]], ''Series/GekisouSentaiCarranger'', ''Series/SeijuuSentaiGingaman''.
%%** ''Series/MahouSentaiMagiranger'', ''Series/EngineSentaiGoOnger'', ''Series/TensouSentaiGoseiger'', ''Series/ZyudenSentaiKyoryuger'', ''Series/ResshaSentaiToQger''[[note]][[Main/CerebusSyndrome Although it became MUCH more serious as it progressed,]] though the fun was never truly lost[[/note]], ''Series/ShurikenSentaiNinninger'', and ''Series/MashinSentaiKiramager''.

** ''Series/TensouSentaiGoseiger'' is nowhere near as dark as Kobayashi's magnum opus ''[[Series/SamuraiSentaiShinkenger Shinkenger]]'' nor as comedic as the above ''Go-onger'' due to having three sets of equally despicable villains and a BigBad who is also [[spoiler:the ''Sentai'' equivalent of {{Satan}}]], but it's still uplifting, as the heroes themselves stranded angels-in-training and the story has several slice-of-life elements.

** ''Series/ResshaSentaiToQger'' downplays this, as the titular team is a group of literal {{Manchild}}ren trying to find their way home, [[spoiler:which is [[DownerBeginning already taken over by the villains]]]]. The villains themselves are much more sympathetic, including the BigBad, whose villainy is fueled by [[AntiVillain his desire to see "shiny" things]]. The show itself may a bit less comedic and more emotional than ''Kyoryuger'' but it does have some shades of {{Iyashikei}}.

* ''Newsround'' is a simplified version of ''[[Creator/TheBBC BBC News]]'', with more kid friendly language and some concepts adults would be familiar with more fully explained. It also tends to lack financial news and only goes into politics on rare occasions (around election time for example). It isn't afraid to report on death or depressing topics (it was the news broadcast that broke the story of the Challenger disaster in the UK) but is a bit more sensitive about it, they also might report something which seen as a story of high 'kid interest' that the adult news wouldn't bother with. It was the go-to source for Franchise/HarryPotter-related news in the UK, less so since Internet access became all but universal. It is also lighter on politics than it used to be. It was the first television programme that some kids saw Michael Howard MP, interviewed at the Rio Earth Summit by a Press Packer in 1992 as Environment Secretary.

* ''Series/{{Jeopardy}}'', to a degree. Until about the 1990s, the clues were often straightforward, and host Creator/AlexTrebek was rather stuffy and formal. Over time, the clues have become more whimsical and punny, with occasional pop culture references and {{double entendre}}s (arguably without dumbing the show down). Trebek has also loosened up especially in the 2000s, as he now smiles and laughs more, and gets in plenty of DeadpanSnarker moments.

** ''Series/JuukouBFighter'' starts out as light-hearted, but because it follows [[CerebusSyndrome the opposite trajectory]] of ''Blue SWAT'', it ended up being darker towards the end than its preceding show.

** ''Series/UltramanCosmos'' (2001) has our hero take GentleGiant UpToEleven as he would often spare and pacify the MonsterOfTheWeek instead of destroying them (likewise, the defense team of the series are actually a monster study and protection group). This is extremely jarring when compared to [[{{Deconstruction}} both the follow-up series]] ''Series/UltraQDarkFantasy'' and ''Series/UltramanNexus'', but was ultimately the result of ''Cosmos'''s controversial approach to the franchise formula resulting in Tsuburaya deciding to take a ''much'' darker path.

* ''Series/StarTrekDiscovery'' experienced this trope so markedly as a result of a change in showrunners and a SoftReboot that many fans joke that there are actually two series of the same name: one a gritty military SF drama that was cancelled after its second season and the other a SliceOfLife drama about gay nerds on a spaceship.

* ''Franchise/SuperSentai'' is generally more lighthearted than ''Franchise/KamenRider'', though varies when compared with ''Franchise/PowerRangers''. Sentai usually represents [[Main/TrueCompanions teamwork among Rangers]] and [[Main/ThePowerOfFriendship frienship]], where numerous episodes [[Main/AnAesop teach an important lesson]], and with many recent series, the endings tend to be [[Main/DancingTheme kid-friendly dancing]]. Granted, numerous of those seasons [[Main/CerebusSyndrome tend to become serious as the stories go on]], yet they never lose any sense of hope and determination.
** In terms of specific seasons, these include ''Series/DaiSentaiGoggleFive'', ''Series/KousokuSentaiTurboranger'', ''Series/ChikyuuSentaiFiveman'', ''Series/KyoryuSentaiZyuranger''[[note]]Main/MoodWhiplash notwithstanding[[/note]], ''Series/NinjaSentaiKakuranger''[[note]][[Main/CerebusSyndrome At least during its first half]][[/note]], ''Series/GekisouSentaiCarranger'', ''Series/SeijuuSentaiGingaman'', ''Series/HyakujuuSentaiGaoranger''[[note]]Episodes 30 and 31 notwithstanding[[/note]], ''Series/NinpuuSentaiHurricaneger'', ''Series/BakuryuuSentaiAbaranger''[[note]][[Main/MoodWhiplash Although it had its share of dark moments]][[/note]], ''Series/MahouSentaiMagiranger'', ''Series/EngineSentaiGoOnger'', ''Series/TensouSentaiGoseiger'', ''Series/ZyudenSentaiKyoryuger'', ''Series/ResshaSentaiToQger''[[note]][[Main/CerebusSyndrome Although it became MUCH more serious as it progressed,]] though the fun was never truly lost[[/note]], ''Series/ShurikenSentaiNinninger'', and ''Series/MashinSentaiKiramager''.

* ''Series/PrehistoricPlanet'' was a kid-aimed version of ''Series/WalkingWithDinosaurs'' that removed (some of) the more graphic content and had narration.

* The LiveActionAdaptation of ''Manga/{{Life}}'' focuses on the bullying caused by Manami. It completely scrapped Ayumu's SelfHarm habits which are a major part of her character and did away with certain other aspects.

* ''Series/{{Millennium}}'' beginning in season 2 and reduced to TV-PG in some episodes instead of mostly TV-14.