History Main / AdaptationalComicRelief

* In the ''Film/HarryPotter'' films, Ron suffered some CharacterExaggeration into outright comic relief. While Ron is a big source of comic relief in the books, it's usually thanks to his [[DeadpanSnaker snarky one-liners]]. The movies tended to make Ron the butt of jokes, specifically his incompetence and Rupert Grint's astonishing array of terrified faces.

* In Peter Jackson's ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'', Merry and Pippin are given funnier moments than the books, particularly in Pippin's case, such as getting into Gandalf's fireworks. After they are taken to Isengard, Gimli took over their comic relief role, still giving one-liners as in the first film but also providing physical comedy. His book counterpart is a much more dignified, well-respected character. Some of his funny moments in the films did come from the books, such as his Orc-slaying competition with Legolas, although even that one was altered to his detriment. WordOfGod confirms that Gimli, being a Dwarf (stereotyped as being crude), is given this role due to Merry and Pippin maturing.

* Many ''Film/HarryPotter'' fans feel that was done to Ron Weasley in the films. However, he still had some comical moments in the books and some serious moments in the films, so it's not a complete example.

* Parodied in a ShowWithinAShow on HomestarRunner when the band [[{{XtremeKoolLetterz}} Limozeen]] becomes the subject of a cartoon show featuring the musicians RecycledInSpace. Within the cartoon, [[{{GenderBlenderName}} Mary Palaroncini]] asks why he is drawn as a fat redhead when in real life he is neither of those things, only to be told, "You're the comic relief!"

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Ultimate Spider-Man}}'':

* [[Creator/JRRTolkien J. R. R. Tolkien]] described Radagast as a down-to-earth character, but never wrote very much about his personality. In Peter Jackson's ''Film/TheHobbit'', he is an eccentric CloudCuckoolander. Similarly, the dwarf Bofur was one of the least-described characters in the book and only had a few lines, but was given the role of a cheerful, wisecracking dwarf in the film.

* Both [[Film/BladeTrinity Hannibal King]] and [[Film/GreenLantern Hal Jordan]] in their respective film appearances end up like this, thanks to the writers of both trying to take advantage of Creator/RyanReynolds comedic talents. Despite Reynolds proving himself a capable serious actor and action star, both instead rewrote the characters to be goofy DeadpanSnarker types, with King almost resembling Deadpool, a character that Reynolds was, at the time, working with the developers of the Blade franchise to bring to film with him playing the role. {{YMMV}} on whether it made the former an [[SpotlightStealingSquad unbearable]] [[TheScrappy trainwreck]] and the latter a [[WhatTheHellCastingAgency horrible casting choice]] or if he was the [[EnsembleDarkhorse best part of the former]] and made an otherwise bland character actually interesting.
* {{Inverted}} with ''Film/TheLastAirbender''--Sokka hardly makes a single joke, despite being both PluckyComicRelief ''and'' TheSnarkKnight in [[AvatarTheLastAirbender the original show]].

** Baymax in the comics has built by Hiro to act as his bodyguard. Movie!Baymax is a gentle and naive {{acrofatic}} healthcare robot who was built as Hiro's CanonForeigner brother, Tadashi.

** Fred go from TheStoic to a FunPersonified, PluckyComicRelief character.

* Both [[Film/BladeTrinity Hannibal King]] and [[Film/GreenLantern Hal Jordan]] in their respective film appearances end up like this, thanks to the writers of both trying to take advantage of RyanReynolds comedic talents. Despite Reynolds proving himself a capable serious actor and action star, both instead rewrote the characters to be goofy DeadpanSnarker types, with King almost resembling Deadpool, a character that Reynolds was, at the time, working with the developers of the Blade franchise to bring to film with him playing the role. YMMV on whether it made the former an [[SpotlightStealingSquad unbearable]] [[TheScrappy trainwreck]] and the latter a [[WhatTheHellCastingAgency horrible casting choice]] or if he was the [[EnsembleDarkhorse best part of the former]] and made an otherwise bland character actually interesting.
* {{Inverted}} with ''TheLastAirbender''--Sokka hardly makes a single joke, despite being both PluckyComicRelief ''and'' TheSnarkKnight in [[AvatarTheLastAirbender the original show]].
* ''Disney/BigHero6'' sees Fred go from TheStoic to a FunPersonified, PluckyComicRelief character.

* ''Disney/BigHero6'' sees Fred go from TheStoic to FunPersonified, PluckyComicRelief character.

* In ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'', [[FatBestFriend Samwell Tarly]] is characterized by his extremely low self-esteem due to abusive treatment by his father and continual cruel mockery for his weight, and this never really improves, even after he makes some friendships. In the adaptation ''Series/GameOfThrones'', once he makes some friendships early on, Samwell plays the role of PluckyComicRelief and even responds in kind to (good natured) mockery by his friends. However, after some of said friends abandon him during the second season's BolivianArmyCliffhanger, he is more like his book counterpart during the third season.

* {{Inverted}} with ''TheLastAirbender''--Sokka hardly makes a single joke, despite being both PluckyComicRelief ''and'' TheSnarkKnight in [[AvatarTheLastAirbender the original show]]. This is one of many problems fans have with the film.

* ''Shrek the Musical'' makes BigBad Lord Farquaad a much more [[LargeHam over-the-top and comical character]], to the point where he has a big, show stopping musical number about how great he and his kingdom are (which replaces the tournament in the film).

* "WesternAnimation/TeenTitansGo

* In Peter Jackson's ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'', Merry and Pippin are given funnier moments than the books, particularly in Pippin's case, such as getting into Gandalf's fireworks. After they are taken to Isengard, Gimli over their comic relief role, still giving one-liners as in the first film but also providing physical comedy. His book counterpart is a much more dignified, well-respected character. Some of his funny moments in the films did come from the books, such as his Orc-slaying competition with Legolas, although even that one was altered to his detriment. WordOfGod confirms that Gimli, being a Dwarf (stereotyped as being crude), is given this role due to Merry and Pippin maturing.

* In the ''FruitsBasket'' manga, although Shigure was often a comic relief character in the beginning, he has a dark side that's evident even in the first volume, and eventually he becomes pretty menacing. In the anime, he's pure comic relief.
* Grelle Sutcliffe of BlackButler is a truly menacing villain in the manga, and also has only appeared twice over the course of eighty chapters. In the anime, her [[TermsOfEndangerment flirtation]] and [[DepravedBisexual flamboyance]] are PlayedForLaughs and she's a much more major character, resulting in both an AscendedExtra ''and'' severe VillainDecay.

* Whatney Smith in ''[[Recap/MysteryScienceTheater3000S05E19Outlaw Outlaw of Gor]]'' is roughly equivalent to Harrison Smith in the book of the same name, but Harrison doesn't go to Gor and isn't a comic relief character. Whatney is ''supposed'' to be funny - YMMV as to whether he is or not.

* Nigel Bruce as Watson in the ''Franchise/SherlockHolmes'' films, who is a bumbling oaf compared to the original books where he was dignified and professional.
** And reversed by Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes, who was very witty and showy in the stories but became increasingly a straightlaced hero-type throughout the films (although he did have some moments of hilarity, like impersonating a music hall performer singing "I Do Like To Be Beside the Seaside.")

* Nigel Bruce as Watson in the ''Franchise/SherlockHolmes'' films, who is a bumbling oaf compared to the original books where he was intelligent.

* Scotty in the recent ''StarTrek'' reboot movies.

* In Peter Jackson's ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'', Merry and Pippin are given funnier moments than the books, particularly in Pippin's case, such as getting into Gandalf's fireworks. After they are taken to Isengard, Gimli takes on more of a comic relief role, still giving one-liners as in the first film but also providing physical comedy. His book counterpart is a much more dignified, well-respected character, although some of his funny moments in the films came from the books (such as his Orc-slaying competition with Legolas, though even that one was altered to his detriment).

* Ian Malcolm in ''Film/JurassicPark'' and its sequel ''Film/TheLostWorldJurassicPark'' is a DeadpanSnarker who provides most of the laughs. In the novel, he mainly serves the role of explaining chaos theory and is a relatively serious character, although he still has some funny moments. He has an especially prominent one in the second book, which was written to hold some similarities with the original film.
* Nigel Bruce as Watson in the ''SherlockHolmes'' films.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSecretOfNIMH'', Jeremy was a comical character whose clumsiness provided comic relief while his counterpart in the [[Literature/MrsFrisbyAndTheRatsOfNIMH original book]] had more of a 'young and inexperienced' role. The film made several characters darker, which may have influenced this change. Jeremy is also an example of RetCanon since his more whimsical characterization was adapted into the book's sequels.

* Ian Malcolm in the novel ''Franchise/JurassicPark'' mainly serves the role of explaining chaos theory and is a relatively serious character, although he still has some funny moments. His counterpart in the film plays up his DeadpanSnarker role and provides most of the laughs.

* In ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooWhereAreYou'', there was nothing remotely interesting about [[TheGenericGuy Fred]] [[TheLeader Jones]]. Various derivative works remedy this in various ways, where he is generally less intelligent and more of a CloudCuckoolander. Some give him more specific quirks, such as ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooMysteryIncorporated'' in particular giving him an [[{{Otaku}} obsession over traps]], and ''WesternAnimation/APupNamedScoobyDoo'' having him always randomly blame [[TheBully Red]] [[RedHerring Herring]] for every mystery. Velma also becomes more of a DeadpanSnarker in recent incarnations.

* In ''TheSecretOfNIMH'', Jeremy was a comical character whose clumsiness provided comic relief while his counterpart in the [[MrsFrisbyAndTheRatsOfNIMH original book]] had more of a 'young and inexperienced' role. The film made several characters darker, which may have influenced this change. Jeremy is also an example of CanonImmigrant since his more whimsical characterization was adapted into the book's sequels.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSuperHeroSquadShow'' does this for most of the Marvel Universe (mostly as a result of being both LighterAndSofter and DenserAndWackier than the comics). Of the bunch, the Silver Surfer probably gets it the worst. He goes from a reflective, serious intergalactic figure to a TotallyRadical stereotype of a California SurferDude.

* In Peter Jackson's ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'', Merry and Pippin are given funnier moments than the books, particularly in Pippin's case, such as getting into Gandalf's fireworks. After they are taken to Isengard, Gimli takes on more of a comic relief role, still giving one-liners as in the first film but also providing physical comedy. His book counterpart is a much more dignified, well-respected character, although some of his funny moments in the films came from the books (such as his Orc-slaying competition with Legolas).