Line #84 LighterAndSofter/LiveActionTV


1	!!Shows with their own page:
2	[[index]]
3	* ''[[LighterAndSofter/{{Arrowverse}} Arrowverse]]''
4	* ''[[LighterAndSofter/KamenRider Kamen Rider]]''
5	* ''[[LighterAndSofter/MarvelCinematicUniverse Marvel Cinematic Universe]]''
6	* ''[[LighterAndSofter/{{Whoniverse}} Whoniverse]]''
7	[[/index]]
8	----
9	* ''Series/Akumaizer3'' started off [[DarkerAndEdgier darker and more dramatic]] than the other {{Toku}} shows of the time, but midway through it shifted to being much lighter in tone, with an increase in comedy, the [[MonsterOfTheWeek captains]] sent out by the [[OurDemonsAreDifferent Akuma Clan]] being much more LaughablyEvil as opposed to serious, and [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking Gabra gaining the ability to turn into an ostrich]].
10	* ''Series/AmberBrown2022'': Amber's parents have a less bitter relationship than in the books. They also both are more attuned to her needs here.
11	* The ''Series/BehindTheMusic'' episode featuring Music/WeirdAlYankovic is this when compared to the majority of episodes, thanks mainly to Weird Al's relatively drama-free life.
12	* ''Series/BlackMirror'': In a show known for being ''incredibly'' dark, Recap/BlackMirrorRachelJackAndAshleyToo is by far the lightest episode so far (besides possibly Recap/BlackMirrorSanJunipero), with its more comedic and satirical tone. The premise of the episode is essentially a Black Mirror {{Parody}} of ''Series/HannahMontana'' and [[ParodyAssistance also features Miley Cyrus herself]].
13	* ''The E! True Hollywood Story'' used to be an [[TearJerker incredibly depressing]] show that documented a certain celebrity's fall from grace or detailed their grisly murder or suicide. However, in recent years the show has shifted its focus to the latest hit reality show or celebrities who are at their current peak of popularity.
14	* ''Series/TheFollowing'' Due to media watchdog groups and parents complaining about the violence the show was toned down and made more family friendly.
15	* ''Series/GameOfThrones'':
16	** Arya witnesses far more carnage in the Riverlands, suffers more personal degradation, and kills more people in combat as well as in cold blood in the books.
17	** The young characters are all aged up in part so that all this sex and violence isn't happening to even younger characters.
18	** Bodily mutilations are less pronounced for practical reasons. For example, the Hound's scars are less grotesque, and Tyrion and Rorge both keep their noses in the series. This is Lampshaded in "Valar Dohaeris," where there were rumors that Tyrion had lost his nose during the Battle of Blackwater.
19	** Some of the murders committed or ordered by characters the showrunners wish to keep more sympathetic are omitted or at least given a veneer of self-defense.
20	** While certain villains such as Ramsay are not given anything resembling a AdaptationalHeroism treatment, their actions and traits are somewhat scaled down. Ramsay's HuntingTheMostDangerousGame for example, while extremely disturbing on the show, is still particularly more gruesome in the novels. The other changes is that Ramsay has AdaptationalAttractiveness and engages in consensual relationships with women, some of whom become MonsterFangirl and he sends them on hunts when he gets bored of them, whereas in the books, all his victims were innocent women. Likewise, almost all of Euron Greyjoy's most heinous crimes are omitted from the show, thanks to many of the victims in the books being his own family, most of whom are given next to no focus or AdaptedOut. His hinted-at [[OmnicidalManiac apocalyptic ambitions]] also get no mention or hinting in the series.
21	** A number of characters receive AdaptationalHeroism, removing some of their more villainous characteristics or actions and making them more sympathetic. Examples include Tywin, Tyrion, Renly and Sandor.
22
23	* ''Franchise/{{Buffyverse}}'':
24	** ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'': Season 7 starts out with a much lighter mood than the dark, dark, ''{{dark\|erAndEdgier}}'' Season 6 -- a deliberate move from the writers to give the audience a break from the doom and gloom. The season did take a noticeably grimmer tone as it progressed.
25	** ''{{Series/Angel}}'''s fourth season was incredibly dark and grim, with a pretty gloomy tone. The fifth season saw a switch to more standalone episodes rather than an arc. While it did feature its share of TearJerker moments - notably "You're Welcome" and "A Hole In The World", it was still lighter than Season 4.
26	* ''Series/{{Charmed\|1998}}'':
27	** Season 1 was rather dark and bleak. Season 2 lessened the focus on magic, almost turning the show into a SliceOfLife where there happened to be demons. More emphasis was placed on the sisters' personal lives, with no BigBad and the only recurring arc was a LoveTriangle between Piper, Leo and Dan.
28	** Season 5 was a big contrast to the fourth - which was the darkest season (featuring the deaths of two major characters). Put it in comparison - Season 4 opens with Piper and Phoebe mourning Prue and trying to avenge her death. Season 5 opens with a mermaid trying to find love. Season 5 also introduced more conventional fantasy and fairy tale elements - such as unicorns, wood nymphs etc.
29	* ''Series/HomicideLifeOnTheStreet'''s fourth season is notably less dark than the preceding seasons. While still tackling dark and controversial subjects, this season's increased focus on [[PluckyComicRelief Lewis and Kellerman]] and lack of serialized story arcs made it comparatively lighter and more comedic. To compensate, the following season was one of the darkest in the show.
30	* Season Four of ''Series/{{House}}'' is much lighter than the depressingly dark third season. And then it immediately went back to dark and depressing when it was time for the finale.
31	* Gordon Ramsay:
32	** In ''Series/TheFWord'', he's not as much of a bastard as he is in ''Series/HellsKitchen'' and ''Series/KitchenNightmares''. In fact, he is much more pleasant and enjoys cooking in this one rather than what happens in his other shows. The British version of KN also paints Ramsey in this light instead of the scream hound in the bombastic American adaptation. Even in the instances that he does lose his cool, it's easy to see that it comes from genuine frustration instead of exaggerated ranting.
33	** In FOX's summer series of ''Master Chef'', Ramsey was even more considerably friendly; in fact, he was the encouraging judge of the three. While he did show flashes of his usual temper and frustrated mannerisms, he oft-encouraged contestants, even sending one who screwed up on her audition to go home and bring back items from home to make a dish as her own (she went on to compete on the show). Justified in that unlike ''Hell's Kitchen'', these are people not in the dining business to begin with, but normal Joes looking to broaden their love of cooking by becoming a chef.
34	** Likewise, Gordon is [[PetTheDog practically cuddly]] in the spin-off ''Masterchef Junior'', where the contestants are small children. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDmaEIaxmQk Here's a comparison video.]]
35	* There was an interesting back-and-forth with ''Series/TheAddamsFamily'' across different media. The original single-panel cartoons depicted the characters as genuinely misanthropic monsters who killed random people for the lulz. The TV show, by contrast, depicted them as nice, arty bohemians whose square neighbours were frightened of them because of their weird lifestyle. [[Film/TheAddamsFamily The cinema films]] swung the pendulum back towards actual violence and death (though unlike in the cartoons their victims typically deserved it), but the animated kids-TV show spun off from the films went fluffier again.
36	* ''Series/ThePractice'' was a serious legal drama. [[{{Dramedy}} The same]] [[LargeHam cannot]] [[BunnyEarsLawyer be said]] [[NoFourthWall about]] its SpinOff, ''Series/BostonLegal''.
37	* ''Series/TheAdventuresOfSuperman'' was actually a hard-hitting and violent crime drama in its first season, and featured Phyllis Coates as an especially tough and strong-willed Comicbook/LoisLane. For the second season, [[TheOtherDarrin Noel Neill replaced Coates]], and played a much softer and more traditionally feminine Lois. The show itself became less violent and more kid-oriented. By the third season, the show had become much more lighthearted and whimsical, with more science-fiction and fantasy elements and less violence.
38	* When the Argentinian SoapOpera "Floricienta" was adapted for Chilean viewers as "Floribella", some aspects of the show became this. In example, the original EvilMatriarch was portrayed as very malevolent, but in the Chilean version she's portrayed somewhat more comically. It doesn't help that the Chilean actress is actually known for comical villain roles, which isn't the case with the Argentinean counterpart. The ending was also modified. In the original, Flor's "prince" dies...[[spoiler: he gets better in the remake and they get married in the finale]]. This was also repeated in the Mexican remake of the show, LolaEraseUnaVez.
39	%%* ''Series/TheDukesOfHazzard'', after the first season.
40	* ''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 also loosened up, especially in the 21st century; for the last 20 years or so before his 2020 death, he smiled and laughed more, and got in plenty of DeadpanSnarker moments.
41	* ''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, if only because of timing) 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.
42	* ''Series/{{Sherlock}}'': During the first and second seasons, Holmes battles a severe tobacco smoking habit; in the original Conan Doyle stories Holmes battles a cocaine and morphine habit.
43	* ''Series/StargateSG1'' has gradually taken this course over its ten seasons, getting closer and closer to self-parody in the process.
44	* ''Franchise/StarTrek'':
45	** ''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.
46	** The mixed reaction to the DarkerAndEdgier swing of early ''Discovery'' and ''[[Series/StarTrekPicard Picard]]'', and the incredibly positive response to Creator/AnsonMount's turn as a pre-CareerEndingInjury [[Recap/StarTrekS1E11TheMenageriePartI Christopher Pike]], led to Pike getting his own SpinOff, ''Series/StarTrekStrangeNewWorlds'', which is very much a classically styled ''Star Trek'' episodic action-adventure that isn't afraid to be aggressively silly at times while still having plenty of character drama.
47	* Many game show fans have noticed that Alex Trebek was a lot more laid-back on ''Classic Series/{{Concentration}}'' (1987-91) when compared to his still-formal hosting style on ''Jeopardy!'' at the time. As the show progressed, he also began to wear sweaters instead of suits, further emphasizing his increased casualness.
48	* This, along with {{Reconstruction}}, may explain the success behind ''Series/OnceUponATime''.
49	** After years of sexed-up comedy shows, reality TV, DarkerAndEdgier dramas with BlackAndGrayMorality conflicts, and grisly police/medical/lawyer procedural shows, a straight up battle between good and evil with an intriguing mystery at the core feels so refreshing to audiences in comparison.
50	** ''Once Upon A Time'' itself experienced this. Seasons 1 and 2 have a notably darker tone than the others - there are far more character deaths, actual sex scenes and some dark subject matter. Later seasons made things much more family friendly.
51	* ''Series/LegendOfTheSeeker'' compared to [[Literature/SwordOfTruth its source material]]. When your source material includes (among other things) The BigBad brainwashing a kid then killing him by pouring molten metal down his throat, his [[TheDragon Dragon]] being a serial child molester and murderer, institutionalized gang-rape by the enemy army, and a SerialKiller severing a woman's spinal cord onscreen and then killing her in a manner which made [[VomitingCop a combat hardened general throw up]], a lighter and softer PragmaticAdaptation is the ''best'' you're going to get.
52	* ''Series/Millennium1996'' beginning in season 2 and reduced to TV-PG in some episodes instead of mostly TV-14.
53	* ''Series/TheOfficeUS'' basically changed from a CringeComedy to [[{{Soaperizing}} a comedic]] SoapOpera in its later seasons. This was even reflected in the content ratings, as it went from TV-14 to TV-PG. In general Series/TheOfficeUS asa much more silly series with more upbeatness and extravagant nonsense humour than the original Series/TheOfficeUK that inspired it.
54	* ''Series/OnceUponATimeInWonderland'': Generally has a brighter, cartoonier feel than ''Series/OnceUponATime''. [[spoiler:At least, at first...]]
55	* ''Series/RizzoliAndIsles'' is much "lighter and softer" than the books it is based on--a more comedic tone, everyone much better looker than their book counterpart, etc.
56	* ''Series/RedDwarf''. Its latest series (Red Dwarf X) is much more easy going, episodic, and not as self serious as the DarkerAndEdgier adventure-com direction Red Dwarf VII tried to go, nor is it story arc driven, and prison orientated as Red Dwarf VIII was either. It's gone back to its simple, light hearted sit-com roots.
57	* ''Hunter'' beginning in season 2 when the late Roy Huggins took over as executive producer and toned down the violence.
58	* In the 90's, John Larroquette had his own show called, well, ''The John Larroquette Show''. The protagonist was a recovering alcoholic working as the night shift manager of a run down bus station in East St. Louis, and he lived in a one room flop house. Some of the other main characters included a prostitute, a homeless man, and a janitor who took laziness to new extremes. Plots included finding a brick of cocaine in a locker and using it to set up a drug dealer who was trying to extort them. Then the next season came on. John moved to a spacious apartment, started working days, the bum now worked at a newsstand, and the prostitute straightened up, and now owns and runs the local bar. They managed to kill the dark and edgy humor that was the attraction of the original, and the show was summarily canceled.
59	* Series/RoboCopTheSeries is definitely this trope applied to the franchise. Suddenly things were more cartoony and slapstick, violence is toned down a few notches (as in, [=RoboCop=] is not allowed to kill humans), and merchandising has suddenly became MoralGuardians-friendly (you know this trope has struck when the series resulted in a talking [=RoboCop=] action figure that tells kids to stay in school and don't do drugs). However, they did keep the parody commercials, so the main draw of the movies are still there, somewhat.
60	* ''Series/RobotWars'': After Season 1, the [[DeadpanSnarker snarky]] and [[{{Jerkass}} often downright rude]] Jeremy Clarkson was replaced by LargeHam Craig Charles, health and safety rules were beefed up, and contestants were barred from swearing on camera. Also, the show's aesthetic was originally a dark futuristic apocalypse, but that eventually gave way to an aesthetic more like an official boxing or martial arts tournament.
61	* The LiveActionAdaptation of ''Manga/Life2002'' 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.
62	* ''Franchise/UltraSeries''
63	** The first was ''Series/UltramanTaro'' (1973), which was more of a wacky comedy with the defense team and Taro using absurd methods to fight the MonsterOfTheWeek from sneezing powder to giant floss, plenty of goofy {{Kaiju}} like the drunken Veron and the jovial Live King, silly slapstick battles, and strong inspiration from Japanese fairy tales. While the series proved popular with kids, older fans were alienated, resulting in the DarkerAndEdgier ''Series/UltramanLeo'' succeeding it.
64	** 1980's ''Series/UltramanEighty'' becomes this after ''Leo'' lost majority of viewers, and due to moral reformation in Japan at that time, the show was toned down to be less serious and violent.
65	** 1997's ''Series/UltramanDyna'' was the SequelSeries to the preceeding ''Series/UltramanTiga'', but took on a more comical tone. It was generally humorous and light-hearted with the defense team having comedic personalities, a RidiculouslyCuteCritter mascot character, and Dyna's host being the team's PluckyComicRelief.
66	** ''Series/UltramanCosmos'' (2001) has our hero take GentleGiant up to eleven 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.
67	** 2005's ''Series/UltramanMax'' was created by Tsuburaya when their {{Deconstruction}} reboot ''Series/UltramanNexus'' [[ScrewedByTheNetwork went nowhere]]. ''Max'' was a GenreThrowback to the original ''Series/{{Ultraman}}'' with a more family-friendly tone than ''Nexus'' and more humorous moments. That's not to say ''Max'' wasn't without its {{Wham Episode}}s and DarkerAndEdgier moments though, but it would set the tone for successor series ''Series/UltramanMebius''.
68	** ''Series/NeoUltraQ'' (2013) downplayed this trope somehow. Although it retains SciFiHorror atmosphere like [[Series/UltraQ its two]] [[Series/UltraQDarkFantasy predecessors]], ''Neo Ultra Q'' adds more comedy bits into its Kaiju horror blender.
69	* ''Series/TheWubbulousWorldOfDrSeuss'': The first season had some dark and sinister elements, but there are none in the second.
70	* ''Prehistoric Planet'' was a kid-aimed version of ''Series/WalkingWithDinosaurs'' that removed (some of) the more graphic content and had narration.
71
72	* ''Franchise/PowerRangers'' does this due to having breather ''seasons'' instead of {{Breather Episode}}s. ''RPM's'' setting was a PostApocalyptic Terminator-meets-Mad-Max fusion, ''Samurai'' had monsters that were basically living torture devices, ''Megaforce'' featured villains trying to destroy the entire universe with the SixthRanger being the LastOfHisKind, and the former two series proved that so long as you [[NeverSayDie mostly skip the word]] you can have good people stay dead in a kids' show. So while we don't go all the way into comedy or skimp on CharacterDevelopment, Dino Charge pulled some RevisitingTheRoots, with dino-powered teenagers with attitudes making being a superhero look as awesome and fun as possible. (Also, the hilarious tongue-in-cheek ''Ninja Storm'' followed the serious ''In Space'' thru ''Wild Force.'')
73	* ''Series/OnceUponATime'''s first season was a DarkerAndEdgier take on fairy tales, giving a lot of characters a FamilyUnfriendlyDeath and featuring a lot of dark themes (Regina sacrifices her own father to cast the Dark Curse, a werewolf accidentally eats their own lover, the Huntsman became the Queen's sex slave). In the Storybrooke portions the tone was closer to a procedural, with things like a murder frame up and sex scenes between Regina and Graham. While Seasons 2 and 3 did have some of those dark themes, the show took a much more family-friendly direction by Season 4. Main characters [[AnyoneCanDie rarely died]], there was no brutal violence, villains were much hammier and references to sex vanished overnight.
74	* ''Series/SchittsCreek'' was so similar on the surface to another edgy sitcom about rich jerks going broke critics often called it Canadian ''Series/ArrestedDevelopment''. However, after the first few episodes, it becomes clear that the main characters on ''Schitt's Creek'' are far kinder and the show's humor, while sharp, isn't nearly so cynical.
75	* ''Franchise/SuperSentai'' is generally more lighthearted than ''Franchise/KamenRider''. 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.
76	** ''Series/DaiSentaiGoggleFive'' is a downplayed example. Neither ''Series/DenshiSentaiDenziman'' nor ''Series/TaiyouSentaiSunVulcan'' were the grittiest of seasons, but whereas they had enough serious moments to balance out the comedy, ''Goggle Five'' saw a tilt towards lighter plotlines and more focus on children.
77	** ''Series/KousokuSentaiTurboranger'' was definitely this to the season that preceded it, ''Series/ChoujuuSentaiLiveman'', which featured a darker and more realistic plotline, along with one of the franchise's bleakest and most melancholy endings. ''Turboranger'' by contrast featured a much more fantastical story regarding fairies, much more comedy and fewer dark and dramatic moments than ''Liveman''. The season after it, ''Series/ChikyuuSentaiFiveman'', was more varied however. It definitely never got to be as dark as ''Liveman'', but it has [[DownerBeginning one of the grimmest first episodes in the franchise]] yet at the same time lots of comedy and yet again more plots involving children (though it makes more sense this time since the main characters are schoolteachers).
78	** Main/MoodWhiplash notwithstanding, ''Series/KyoryuSentaiZyuranger'' was much lighter than its dark and serious predecessor ''Series/ChoujinSentaiJetman''. While ''Jetman'' ranks with ''Liveman'' as a contender for darkest season in the franchise, ''Zyuranger'' had your standardized team of do-gooders in the lead, more comedic and less-threatening villains ([[NotSoHarmlessVillain most of the time anyway]]) and plotlines that generally revolved around children.
79	** ''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:the core Bowzock surviving all the way through and [[HeelFaceTurn even making peace with the Carrangers and their allies]]]].
80	** The three seasons that followed ''Series/MiraiSentaiTimeranger'' (''Series/HyakujuuSentaiGaoranger'', ''Series/NinpuuSentaiHurricaneger'' and ''Series/BakuryuuSentaiAbaranger''), even if they did have their fair share of dark moments. In addition to having an increase in comedy, all of them were much more light-hearted and optimistic, never reaching ''Timeranger'''s level of grittiness.
81	** ''Series/EngineSentaiGoOnger'' is much more lighthearted than the action-packed, drama-heavy ''[[Series/JukenSentaiGekiranger Gekiranger]]'', since it has talking cars, a group of silly villains who are not above pulling an EnemyMine with the heroes at some point (the Ministers), and lots of comedy. That said, it does have some dark moments, such as the final confrontation against Yogostein, the Christmas two-parter, and the final arc.
82	** ''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 titular Rangers themselves are stranded angels-in-training and the story has several slice-of-life elements.
83	** ''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]]''.
84	** ''Series/ResshaSentaiToQger'' downplays this, as the titular team is a group of [[{{Manchild}} adorable children in bodies of teenagers]] trying to find their way home. The villains themselves are also 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}}.
85	** ''Series/ShurikenSentaiNinninger'' takes the HighlyVisibleNinja meaning to a whole new level, as the majority of its episodes are way more whimsical and the Giant Robos themselves are [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot the very definition of Sentai Mecha ridiculousness]]. The titular team 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 bother hiding like typical ninjas do because they don't ''even'' have time to hide).
86	** 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. The ''Yodonna'' spin-offs, while definitely darker, more mature, and [[BloodierAndGorier visceral]] than the original series, heavily leans closer towards BlackComedy.
87	** ''Series/KikaiSentaiZenkaiger'' takes the franchise's SurrealHumor 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, such as Stacy getting an upgrade or [[spoiler:Hakaizer being Kaito's missing dad]], the show never stops being silly.
88	** ''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 [[WellTrainedButInexperienced comically inexperienced]].
89	** In general, ''Franchise/PowerRangers'' adaptations of ''Sentai'' seasons tend to be much less serious and intricate compared to their overseas counterparts, mostly due to differences in broadcast standards between Japan and the west (where NeverSayDie is in full effect). ''Zyuranger'' is definitely one of the most lighthearted ''Sentai'' seasons, but compare its BigBad (a witch who sold her soul to {{Satan}} and committed genocide on the dinosaurs to avenge her son) to ''Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers''[='=]s (a witch who just wants to TakeOverTheWorld, who eventually devolves into being a comic relief nagging wife).
90	* ''Series/MetalHeroes'' was generally darker in tone than its sister series ''Franchise/SuperSentai'' when the two aired together, though that didn’t mean it didn’t get lighter on occasion.
91	** ''Series/SpaceSheriffShaider'' zig-zags this. While it has bigger stakes and more threatening villains than the two previous seasons, it was also made to be more kid friendly in an effort to appeal to a wider audience. As a result, episodes plots shifted between being serious and being goofy (and often times both). The villains, while competent, could also be quite silly at times, such as the episode that had the BigBad getting a “space flu”.
92	** ''Series/SekaiNinjaSenJiraiya'' was a lot lighter than its predecessor, the dark and serious ''Series/ChoujinkiMetalder''. Following on ''Metalder''’s BittersweetEnding were ''Jiraiya''‘s light-hearted plots where [[McNinja colorful ninjas from around the world]] would come to Japan to challenge Jiraiya, episodes frequently ended with Jiraiya [[DefeatMeansFriendship befriending his opponents]], and a lot of episode storylines focused on the hijinks of Jiraiya’s family. It’s also one of the few seasons to be darker than its concurrent ''Sentai'' series, though that’s more to do with ''Series/ChoujuuSentaiLiveman'' being [[DarkerAndEdgier much, much darker]].
93	** The shows in the “{{Rescue}} Police” trilogy (''Series/TokkeiWinspector'', ''Series/TokkyuuShireiSolbrain'' and ''Series/TokusouExceedraft'') were all much lighter and more optimistic than the season which preceded them, the dreary and extremely violent ''Series/KidouKeijiJiban''. The Rescue Police were a lot more restrained than the CowboyCop Jiban was, refused to kill and often times went out of their way to [[SaveTheVillain save the criminal of each episode]], and had plenty of goofy [[RobotBuddy robot buddies]] in their ranks.
94	** ''Series/BlueSWAT'' began as a DarkerAndEdgier show until a {{retool}} midway through [[ReverseCerebusSyndrome rapidly reversed its trajectory]]. The gritty SecretWar against aliens story of the first quarter was phased out in favor of more conventional HenshinHero stories, episode plots became increasingly goofier and the [[VillainDecay threat level of the villains decayed]] until they became some of the least competent in the franchise.
95	** ''Series/JuukouBFighter'' starts out as light-hearted, is a lot lighter than most of the previous seasons and really ''should'' be this, but because it follows [[CerebusSyndrome the opposite trajectory]] of ''Blue SWAT'', it ended up being darker towards the end than its preceding show.
96	** The final two seasons of ''Metal Heroes'', ''Series/BRoboKabutack'' and ''Series/TetsuwanTanteiRobotack'', were both outright light-hearted comedy series aimed at little kids where the plots were the protagonists playing games against a GoldfishPoopGang for possession of a set of {{Mineral Macguffin}}s.
97	* ''Series/TheBoys2019'': Definitely, in comparison to the comics. Whilst the show still features brutal, graphic violence, and still shows the depravity of the supes, it doesn't go anywhere ''near'' as extreme as the source material. Part of the reason for this is the many changes that were made to the storyline, and the fact that the number of superheroes that appear has been dramatically reduced (with The Seven being the only ones getting any real screen-time), which in turn eliminates much of the sexual depravity that was present in the comic, as well as cutting out the many graphically-violent confrontations that The Boys have with the supe community.
98	* ''Series/KatyKeene'' : Unlike ''Series/{{Riverdale}}'' and ''Series/ChillingAdventuresOfSabrina'', which are DarkerAndEdgier takes on ComicBook/ArchieComics, this one goes the other way and has a lighter tone closer to the original comics (but still slightly more serious in a drama show sense).
99	* ''[[Series/DestinationFear2019 Destination Fear]]'': Compared to Series/GhostAdventures, where they primarily look to help people that are being affected extremely negatively, Dakota and the DF try to actively avoid dark/demonic locations due to not wanting to take on a personal risk when they separate at night, and are genuinely shocked if a location turns out to be more sinister than anticipated.
100	* The first season of ''Series/RuPaulsDragRace [[ForeignRemake UK]]'' was noted by many fans to have a much less tense atmosphere than the original American series. This is because the UK show airs on Creator/TheBBC, which forbids game shows from giving cash prizes. The winner's only prize is a trip to Los Angeles to film a spin-off webseries similar to ''Alyssa's Secret''. Since not as much was on stake, the queens were able to just enjoy each other's company and showcase their talent on TV rather the fights and cutthroat attitudes that have come to define the US version.
101	* ''Series/ChicagoPD'' started out as what could be seen as ''somewhat'' light take on what ''Series/TheShield'' had been, with Hank and Olinsky being doing all sort of [[ALighterShadeOfGrey ethically questionable things]] (including a literal cage for "enhanced interrogation techniques") and being implied to having been full on DirtyCops back in the day. As time went on (and more focus came upon police brutality in RealLife), the writing tamed and made the Intelligence Team much less prone to illegal tactics.

Context LighterAndSofter / LiveActionTV