History Main / IndecisiveParody

* ''{{A Series of Unfortunate Events}}'' varies between AffectionateParody, DeconstructiveParody, and just being extremely [[SlidingScaleOfSillinessVersusSeriousness silly]].

* Nobody seemed to get that ''SheSpies'' was an action-comedy series bordering on parody, mainly because to the untrained eye, it looked like just another trashy syndicated action show. Which is probably why it got [[ReTool retooled]] into a straight action show for its second (and last) season.
* Part of the reason ''The 7pm Project'' is struggling in the ratings is because of this. Is the show a news satire, a news parody which looks at amusing stories, or an ordinary news show that happens to be hosted by comedians?
* ''{{Glee}}'' seems to be sliding in here. Is it a quirky teen drama with dark comedy elements and {{Crowning Music of Awesome}}? Or is it a dark comedy parodying teen dramas with intentional SoundtrackDissonance? Nobody seems to really know.
* When it premiered, ''DesperateHousewives'' straddled the line between parody & nighttime soap before landing on the side of soap (albeit with a good dose of comedy).
* In a definite case of TropesAreNotBad, ''PowerRangersRPM'' manages to be one of the most depressing parodies of ''PowerRangers'' ever. The show constantly varies between lampshading PR tropes ("Sometimes when I morph, a giant fireball appears behind me for no apparent reason..."), and dark storylines (Dr. K's past). Of course, for some, {{Your Mileage May Vary}}.

* The BlackEyedPeas' "My Humps" is ''supposedly'' a parody of misogynistic mainstream rap.
** AlanisMorissette's cover does it much better.
*** But at that point it's the GenreShift that makes it funny.

* Religious(?) example: Discordianism. In this case it's largely the point.
* Also, the Church of the [=SubGenius=]. One Church text openly taunts the reader with this: "A joke disguised as a religion? Or an actual, secretive religion, ''disguised'' as a joke disguised as a religion? Or an incredibly complex joke, disguised as an ''extremely ambiguous'' religion, disguised as a joke disguised as a religion?"

* A lot of people didn't understand that the "{{rockumentary}}" film ''ThisIsSpinalTap'' was a parody of the burgeoning heavy metal scene of the time. [[StealthParody People thought it was a documentary of a real band]]. Much of this was probably because of how much TruthInTelevision it had (Eddie VanHalen is quoted as not finding it funny because "everything in that movie had happened to me"... Which just goes to show how [[SeriousBusiness serious Eddie Van Halen takes himself]]).
** I thought that was Ozzy Osbourne, not Eddie Van Halen...
** Confusing things further, [[{{Defictionalisation}} Spinal Tap actually toured]]. After opening act [[AMightyWind The Folksmen.]]
* The "unofficial" JamesBond film ''NeverSayNeverAgain'' can't quite seem to decide if it's a harsh satire of the Eon series or if it's a regular James Bond film. Plainly satirical scenes (such as Bond's discussion with M at the beginning) are side by side with normal Bond-style scenes.
* The survival horror film {{Feast}} starts as an obvious parody of such films, wherein the characters are simply named after their archetypes. However, despite the occasional sex joke, it creates some truly frightening monsters, and some of the most horrific death scenes this troper has ever seen. By the end of the movie, no-one's laughing.

* ''{{Scream}}'' was marketed as a {{Deconstruction}} of the [[SlasherMovies Slasher]] genre, but for all it did to point out as many traits as it could, it just ended up being a straight entry of the genre with [[DeathByGenreSavviness genre savvy characters that still fall into all the same traps]].
* The first ''{{Gremlins}}'' film didn't seem to know if it was supposed to be a parody of monster films or just a particularly weird monster film itself. While it had the highly goofy scenes with the gremlins themselves, it otherwise portrayed them as a very real threat. Action sequences were a bit hard to pin down. For example, is the violent kitchen fight supposed to be just a simple horror action sequence or a parody of it? The sequel was a more clear cut case of being a spoof.
* ''VanHelsing'' couldn't decide if it was an AffectionateParody of old fashioned horror movies, a straight parody, or a MassiveMultiplayerCrossover of the genre. Although it might be considered "[[TwoFistedTales pulp]]" like TheMummyTrilogy.
** Interestingly, whether or not a person likes ''Van Helsing'' seems to be determined a great deal by whether they thought it was a parody or not.
*** Or whether they think it's a ripoff of ''{{Castlevania}}'' or not.
* Your enjoyment of [[TheFilmOfTheBook the film version]] of ''StarshipTroopers'' may depend on whether you think it's a parody or AdaptationDecay. The ''Starship Troopers'' movie started simply as a movie about a war with alien bugs until someone pointed out vague similarities with the book, and [[ExecutiveMeddling meddlesome executives]] insisted they [[InNameOnly buy the rights to the name to avoid a lawsuit.]]
** The director claimed that he found the book too slow and depressing to get through, so he decided to make the whole thing a StealthParody of fascist propaganda, which he felt the book was leaning towards. Whether it's successful or not is [[TakeItToTheForums a matter for the forums]].

* ''Film/ShootEmUp'' is arguably at least partly a metahumor-touched AffectionateParody of the more over-the-top entries in the genre from which it takes its name (for goodness sake, the eagle-eyed hero's even a carrot-chomper!), and thus includes ridiculously over-the-top gunplay action ''and'' ridiculously over-the-top scenes involving sex and/or nudity on top of that. It's pretty entertaining... ''if'' you noticed the parody elements for what they were, which a ''hell'' of a lot of people (including a good two-thirds of the people this troper went to see the film with) apparently didn't, thus leading quite quickly to the film being dismissed as "another dumb, pointless action movie with unrealistic plot and characters" instead of being recognized as the fourth-wall-flirting action-comedy it really is at heart.

* ''{{Enchanted}}'' has elements of both, thus this trope. While it mocks a lot of the tropes of fairy tales and shows how ridiculous they would be in real life, it also has a happy fairy-tale ending and suggests that life would be better if people did live more by fairy tale ideals of kindness and trust. The only way that a relationship between Giselle and Robert can work is for her to become less of a fairy-tale true-believer (and give up the perfect prince) and him to become more of one (allow himself to love someone again).
* The film ''SpiceWorld'' can't seem to decide if it's a self-spoof, a harsh satire of the Spice Girls themselves, or just a vapid ripoff of ''A Hard Day's Night''. A big case of BoredOnBoard overwhelming the production itself.
* The recent ''GetSmart'' remake movie was criticised by some reviewers for attempting to both parody spy action movies whilst at the same time attempting to be a straight spy action movie.
** That happens to most spy movies aimed at children and teenagers. ''Spy Kids'', ''Agent Cody Banks'', ''Stormbreaker'', ''Los Superagentes'' and even ''Cats and Dogs'' suffered from it.
* The film ''Pumpkin'' has been mistaken for straight {{Glurge}} instead of realizing that it was supposed to be a parody of {{Glurge}}y melodramas. Unfortunately, it wasn't funny, either.
* ''{{Big Trouble in Little China}}'' can easily be seen as a straight action movie, rather than the parody it's intended to be, especially if one isn't familiar with the {{Wuxia}} tropes it mocks throughout. To be honest, it's not much more over-the-top than many straightforward action flicks.
* ''{{Army of Darkness}}'', as above.
* Or ''TheGoldenChild'', which can't seem to decide if it's an AffectionateParody of TheChosenOne or a straight use -- and incidentally also stars Daniel Wong as a TricksterMentor.
** Interesting case, the movie originally was going to be a straight action movie staring Mel Gibson, then the part was recast as Eddie Murphey so they took out a lot of the dialogue and just let Murphey improvise stuff.
* The movie ''MysteryMen'' cannot decide whether it is a ruthless {{Deconstruction}} of the SuperHero genre, or an AffectionateParody. At first, the "heroes" are made to look like some deluded loons [[strike:in a world without superpowers]]... until an old mentor and a new member with actual superpowers appear, and then the bunch of losers finally save the day against all odds.
** Ultimately, it ends up firmly on the side of AffectionateParody. ''MysteryMen'' may [[LampshadeHanging hang a few lampshades here and there]], but it's rooted firmly in comic book logic. The only subversion is that the film focuses on superhero {{Fanboy}}s who end up inheriting the real job.
* ''PineappleExpress'' starts out as mushing a stoner movie into an action movie, showing how poorly this type of thing would go in real life. But then Seth Rogen [[TookALevelInBadass takes an offscreen level in badass]], and is jumping ontop of people and shooting everything.
* ''Film/LakePlacid'' took a lot of heat from critics who didn't realize it was ''supposed'' to be funny. As though a ClusterFBomb from BettyWhite could be anything else.
* ''ThePrincessBride'' is this trope done more or less to artistic perfection.
** More obviously a parody in the book (if only because of Goldman's "analyses" of "S. Morgenstern's" work. See the whole idea is Goldman is pretending it's someone else's... it's a weird setup). Would you believe it ends with a [[spoiler:BolivianArmyEnding]]?
* ''Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives'' was part self-parody, part serious slasher.
* ''{{Robin Hood Prince of Thieves}}'' is never really sure whether or not it's serious.

* ''{{A Series of Unfortunate Events}}'' varies between AffectionateParody, DeconstructiveParody, and just being extremely [[SlidingScaleOfSillinessVersusSeriousness silly]].

* People forget that ''DragonBall'' was originally a parody of earlier martial arts manga, and for good reason considering that once it became ''DragonBallZ'', it got so cliched it actually became the basis for every cliché in martial arts manga since.

* ''TengenToppaGurrenLagann'' is an arguable example; it could be interpreted as an AffectionateParody of the SuperRobot genre just because it's so gosh darn over-the-top, but the trouble is most SuperRobot anime are already so over-the-top it ends up being seen mainly as... a SuperRobot anime.
** The beginning of it feels like AffectionateParody. It loses pretty much all semblance of parody after the TimeSkip. The base is broken over which period is the best.

* ''BusouRenkin'' is also somewhere in between, but often seems closer to a very self-aware {{shounen}} entry, especially in the second part when the CerebusSyndrome sneaks in.
* It is at times hard to tell whether ''BlackLagoon'' is an over-the-top parody of the Hollywood action film genre or a straight example with a tendency to occasionally take RefugeInAudacity. The series seems to swing a bit back and forth depending on the arc in question.
** Would a satirical parody be considered an option?
* It's said that this happened with ''SuperDimensionFortressMacross'' -- but that the parody elements didn't last much beyond the first few episodes, then it became a partial deconstruction and partial homage of the genre.
** A [[RealRobot genre]] that was [[MobileSuitGundam practically brand-new]], in fact.

* LoveHina starts mocking the harem genre hard, inserting audience surrogate Keitaro ina female dorm inhabitated by character prototypes from diverse dating games, in an onsen (making every early episode an onsen episode). It goes so far into comedy land that one wonders if the romantic plot will ever resolve or is it going to go for a TenchiSolution. But when it wants to get serious it gets serious.

** There's a scene were he shoots up an entire room full of badguys WHILE having sex, and another were he shoots out the umbylacle cord of a newborn baby. People took this movie seriously?

* ''{{UHF}}'': Kitchen Spatchula's, straight from a fictional superstore called Spatchula City.

However, the line for what defines a parody can often get murky. Besides [[ParodyRetcon flat out labeling something as a parody]] (which is rarely a good sign due to the lack of subtlety involved), the criteria for what defines a parody changes from person to person. Some works of fiction straddle the line, unsure of whether it's a parody or just a quirky entry in the genre it's supposed to be a parody of. This can often lead to MisaimedFandom when people take a parody dead seriously (or, perhaps due to the WeirdAlEffect, are unaware that it even is a parody).

* ''HotFuzz'': On one hand, it has SimonPegg [[LampshadeHanging hanging lampshades]] all over the place in pointing out how real life isn't like the films, but on the other the whole premise of the film is that his character is a movie SuperCop in the real world. Scenes like running away from the bomb and being surprised it doesn't explode at the exact moment they jump are at odds with other scenes where he is pointing out how much paperwork movie cops would have to fill out.
** It kinda works in this case because you realize that he knows from experience what the movie cops would have to do. It really makes the scenes of total mundanity that much more funny. Kind of an in-between the cases that shows and movies never actually show.

** Interesting case, the movie originally was going to be a straight action movie staring Mel Gibson, then the part was recast as Eddie Murphey so they took out a lot of the dialouge and just let Murphey improvise stuff.

* Part of the reason ''The 7pm Project'' is struggling in the ratings is because of this. Is the show a news satire, a news parody which looks at amusing stories, or an ordinary news show that happens to be hosted by comedians? [[{{randomfanboy}} This troper]] has asked one of the actual producers this question, and she admitted that even they weren't quite sure yet.

* Your enjoyment of [[TheFilmOfTheBook the film version]] of ''StarshipTroopers'' may depend on whether you think it's a parody or AdaptationDecay. [[OrSoIHeard Supposedly]] the ''Starship Troopers'' movie started simply as a movie about a war with alien bugs until someone pointed out vague similarities with the book, and [[ExecutiveMeddling meddlesome executives]] insisted they [[InNameOnly buy the rights to the name to avoid a lawsuit.]]

* ''{{Sailor Moon}}'' went from being a parody of the {{Magical Girl}} genre to the defining example of the Magical Girl genre. Some of the early episodes are notably more comedic in tone. The later ones?

[[{{Cerebus Syndrome}} Not so much.]]

* ''{{Sailor Moon}}'' went from being a parody of the {{Magical Girl}} genre to the defining example of the Magical Girl genre. Some of the early episodes are notably more comedic in tone. The later ones? [[{{Cerebus Syndrome}} Not so much.]]

* The Broadway version of ''TanzDerVampire'', retitled ''Dance of the Vampires''. ''Tanz'' is a serious rock musical, albeit not without humor. ''Dance'' tried to make the show into a straight-up musical comedy, since the producer thought this would go over better with an American audience. Unfortunately, due to an incredibly dysfunctional creative process, many of the songs didn't fit in with the new approach, so the show wound up swinging between {{Camp}} and seriousness, leaving no one satisfied. To quote the [[http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117919518.html?categoryid=33&cs=1&query=dance+ of+ the+ vampires Variety review]]: "It's not an outright comedy [...] but as a serious musical -- well, it's pretty damn funny."

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** That happens to most spy movies aimed at childrens and teenagers. ''Spy Kids'', ''Agent Cody Banks'', ''Stormbreaker'', ''Los Superagentes'' and even ''Cats and Dogs'' suffered from it.

* I know people who think ''{{Big Trouble in Little China}}'' is a serious action movie, and not the parody of such that it obviously is. Probably because it's only slightly more over-the-top than some "serious" action movies. This would be more understandable if these people had first seen it ''since'' {{wuxia}} films started making it to North American theatres (from which it borrows elements, and which are way more over the top than ''Big Trouble''), but they held this opinion even when the movie was fairly new.
* On that respect, ''{{Army of Darkness}}''.

* ''Film/LakePlacid'' took a lot of heat from critics who didn't realize it was ''supposed'' to be funny. As though a ClusterFBomb from Betty White could be anything else.

** It kinda works in this case because you realize that he knows from experience what the movie cops would have to do. It really makes the scenes of total mundanity that much more funny. Kind of an inbetween the cases that shows and movies never actually show.

* When it premiered, ''DesperateHousewives'' straddled the line between parody & nightime soap before landing on the side of soap (albeit with a good dose of comedy).

* ''AllegroNonTroppo'' seems to be imitating ''{{Fantasia}}'' about as much as parodying it.

* The "unofficial" JamesBond film ''NeverSayNeverAgain'' can't quite seem to decide if it's a harsh satire of the Eon series or if it's a regular James Bond film. Plainly satirical scenes (such as the Bond's discussion with M at the beginning) are side by side with normal Bond-style scenes.

* ''{{Robin Hood Prince of Thieves}}'' is never really sure whether it's serious.

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* ''PineappleExpress'' starts out as mushing a stoner movie into an action movie, showing how poorly this type of thing would go in real life. But then Seth Rogen [[TookALevelInBadass takes an offscreen level in badass]], and is jumping ontop of people and shooting everything. SoYeah.

** More obviously a parody in the book (if only because of Goldman's "analyses" of "S. Morgenstern's" work. See the whole idea is Goldman is pretending it's someone else's... yeah it's a weird setup). Would you believe it ends with a [[spoiler:BolivianArmyEnding]]?