Line #147 Main/AdaptationalComicRelief


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11	[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/fredzilla_comic_vs_movie.png]]
12	[[caption-width-right:250:Fred in [[ComicBook/SunfireAndBigHero6 the comic]] and in [[WesternAnimation/BigHero6 the movie]].]]
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14	This is when a character is turned into FunPersonified or a PluckyComicRelief in an adaptation. May be a sign of {{Flanderization}} or CharacterExaggeration.
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16	This trope is often found in DerivativeWorks that are LighterAndSofter or DenserAndWackier than their source. This may also come from an AdaptationalAngstDowngrade (if the character's more broodier traits are downplayed or outright extracted for comedy's sake), AdaptationalHeroism and AdaptationalNiceGuy, in which a character's more light-hearted personality removes any seriousness they originally had, though [[AdaptationalVillainy the]] [[AdaptationalJerkass opposite]] can apply for more [[BlackComedy darkly humorous works]] in which the character is portrayed as a HeroicComedicSociopath, made LaughablyEvil, or both, often with a [[EvilHasABadSenseOfHumor bad sense of humor]].
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18	Sometimes this new characterization becomes more popular and is later adapted into the original work.
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20	SubTrope of AdaptationPersonalityChange. Contrast AdaptationalAngstUpgrade and AdaptationalSeriousness. Compare DemotedToComicRelief and AdaptationalDumbass.
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23	!!Examples:
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25	[[foldercontrol]]
26
27	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
28	* ''Manga/{{AKIRA}}'': In the manga, Kaisuke is a somewhat major player in the journey. Meanwhile in the anime, his role is significantly diminished and half of it becomes being the comic relief of the Capsules.
29	* Grelle Sutcliffe of ''Manga/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 more major character, resulting in both an AscendedExtra ''and'' severe VillainDecay.
30	** Much the same thing happened to the Viscount of Druitt. He was a menacing villain in his first anime appearance, but was reduced to comic relief in all subsequent appearances, even though he, ya know, sold girls on the black market. While he doesn't appear much in the manga, he's consistently portrayed as menacing.
31	* In the ''Manga/FruitsBasket'' manga and 2019 anime, Shigure often provides comic relief in the beginning, but he also has a darker side that's evident even early on and it's eventually made clear that he's actually very [[ManipulativeBastard manipulative]]. In the 2001 anime, the darker aspects of his personality are left out and he's pure comic relief.
32	* ''Manga/TheLegendOfZeldaAkiraHimekawa'':
33	** In ''Manga/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime1999'', Link is often the subject of exaggerated facial expressions and slapstick.
34	** In ''Manga/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess2016'', Shad is portrayed as an awkward and bumbling HopelessSuitor towards Ilia instead of a down-to-earth gentleman.
35	* ''Anime/PokemonTheSeries'':
36	** Bianca is portrayed as a less competent trainer in the anime and is more of a PluckyGirl, while her game counterpart from ''VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite'' is more subdued and shy.
37	** While Ash received AdaptationalIntelligence, Team Rocket received this in the AlternateUniverse film ''Anime/PokemonIChooseYou''. They're not as serious or competent as their Kanto incarnations and are not even on par with the then-airing ''Sun and Moon'' arc versions of them. They're more akin to their ''Diamond and Pearl'' incarnations, and then some. They don't talk to Ash at all and instead exist in the background, stalking him and making goofy quips.
38	** Downplayed example with Olivia: while still quite powerful as the Island Kahuna of Akala Island, her anime counterpart has many humorous eccentricities and emotional comedic moments that weren't present [[VideoGame/PokemonSunAndMoon in the]] [[VideoGame/PokemonUltraSunAndUltraMoon games]].
39	* ''Anime/SailorMoon'': Everybody had their comic relief moments in the anime due to it being LighterAndSofter and DenserAndWackier than the manga, which was more of a dramedy with a noticeable dash of {{horror}}. Some notable mentions:
40	** In the manga, while Chibiusa/Sailor Chibimoon does become a source of a few humorous moments, she is a legitimate semi-powerful Guardian with an attack capable of destroying low-level enemies which can also be combined with Sailor Moon's or Tuxedo Mask's powers for more damage. In the first anime, especially the third season, she is turned into a borderline JokeCharacter with powers that are only strong enough to annoy monsters and are prone to failing altogether. Part of the reason for this was the anime deliberately sticking to a certain episode structure, so Chibimoon's antics quickly became a regular occurrence. This led to her ongoing CharacterDevelopment from the manga barely happening in that version, so when the next season abruptly promoted her to protagonist status due to her being a KidAppealCharacter, the results weren't pretty.
41	** All the villains from seasons 2-5, barring the {{Big Bad}}s like Death Phantom, Nehellenia, and Sailor Galaxia, get this alongside AdaptationalHeroism. While their manga counterparts had their moments of comic, they were still pretty threatening and competent, whereas their anime counterparts are ([[NotSoHarmlessVillain for the most part]]) LaughablyEvil, [[VileVillainLaughableLackey especially the henchmen]]. By contrast, the Dark Kingdom was PlayedForDrama, though there were still silly moments, particularly Zoisite in the Rainbow Crystals mini-arc.
42	* Rhi'a becomes incredibly childish and silly in the manga adaptation of ''Manga/SandsOfDestruction''. In the game and anime, she was more serious. While she did show a sense of humor in the game at times, it wasn't a constant thing and she never seemed particularly naive.
43	* ''Manga/SchoolLive'':
44	** The dog Taromaru in the anime is presented this way. Taromaru was a OneshotCharacter in the manga who didn't do much besides look [[PreciousPuppy cute]] for a few panels before [[spoiler:becoming [[RaisingTheSteaks a zombie.]]]] In the anime, he is the frequent source of comic relief.
45	** Yuki's competence as a character was toned down to add more moments where she acts either [[GenkiGirl adorably peppy]] or [[TheOphelia adorably oblivious]].
46	* ''Anime/YuGiOh'':
47	** While Jonouchi was used for comedy in the manga, he nevertheless was pretty damn competent as well being a damn good fighter. While Jonouchi's anime counterpart still has much of this behavior, he's also made butt of many more jokes, with his friends even making some about him at his expense.
48	** Bobassa, a serious and intelligent character in the manga who guides Yugi and his friends through the Pharaoh's memories in the Millennium World arc, becomes a goofy, simple-minded character who spends most of his time thinking of his appetite. This is due to him being a DecompositeCharacter in the anime.
49	[[/folder]]
50
51	[[folder:Fan Works]]
52	* ''Fanfic/TheDragonAndTheButterfly'': While Mirabel is nearly the same as her [[WesternAnimation/{{Encanto}} canon]]-counterpart, a lot of her ideas involved complicated hijinks meant to help those around her with Hiccup reluctantly going along with it, Mirabel saying a lot of ridiculous and hilarious things alongside them.
53	* Due to ''Fanfic/FireEmblemThreeHousesFifthPath's'' (mostly) lighter tone, characters who weren't comic relief before tend to become funnier. Most notably, Byleth and Hilda. Byleth makes way more jokes while Hilda has become a ButtMonkey.
54	* ''WebVideo/GoblinSlayerAbridged'' turns the eponymous character from a normally [[TheStoic stoic]] man of [[TheQuietOne few words]] into a [[AxCrazy borderline psychotic]] and [[NoIndoorVoice obnoxious]] MotorMouth. The most canon!Slayer got in the form of comedy was being TheComicallySerious. Abriged!Slayer is a HeroicComedicSociopath to boot and acts like ComicBook/{{Deadpool}} on crack without the MediumAwareness. His obsession with killing goblins is PlayedForLaughs a hundred percent of the time.
55	* Oobleck, while goofy and eccentric in canon, still had many serious moments in [[WebAnimation/{{RWBY}} canon]]. Not so much in ''Fanfic/RubyAndNora'', where he is pure comic relief with zero serious scenes.
56	[[/folder]]
57
58	[[folder:Film -- Animation]]
59	* Genie in ''WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}}'' is a standout example; in the original, the lamp and ring genies were helpful to Aladdin, but not funny or interesting (and the lamp genie is so frightful in appearance that Aladdin's mother faints upon seeing him). In the Disney version, Genie is a friendly, zany character who [[TheGenieKnowsJackNicholson makes pop culture gags]]. Though he's not all comic; his own wish, to be free, is played seriously.
60	* ''WesternAnimation/AngryBirdsMovie'': Even though Red had some comedic moments in ''[[WesternAnimation/AngryBirdsToons Toons]]'', from the very beginning of the movie he goes through a lot of physical comedy.
61	* ''WesternAnimation/BigHero6'' has three examples:
62	** Baymax in the comics was built by Hiro to act as his bodyguard. Movie Baymax is a gentle and naive {{acrofatic}} healthcare robot who was built by Hiro's CanonForeigner brother, Tadashi.
63	** Wasabi No Ginger goes from a quiet, disciplined warrior to a neurotic plasma engineer who is ObsessivelyOrganized.
64	** Fred goes from TheStoic who can transform into a giant monster to a FunPersonified, PluckyComicRelief character who wears PoweredArmor that looks like a very goofy, cartoonish version of a kaiju.
65	* Matau from ''Toys/{{Bionicle}} 2: Legends of Metru Nui''. Though already a comical character, his funny moments mainly involved having a giant ego and a sarcastic wit to match. The movie [[CharacterExaggeration exaggerated him]] to a childish thrill seeker with numerous over-the-top {{slapstick}} moments, slamming into things in cartoony fashion and getting "tamed" by and slobbered over by an animal companion. The following film, ''Web of Shadows'' gave him a more dramatic role and reduced the physical comedy, but in exchange cranked up his verbal antics and cynical over-reactions.
66	** ''Metru Nui'' also has bounty hunters Nidhiki and Krekka. The latter was already an oaf with some comical moments in other media, but they were still threatening killers, and Nidhiki had a tragic backstory that the film keeps hinting at but never explains. Their movie introduction stays true to this, but many of their later scenes are played for laughs with any serious moment undercut by Krekka's fumbling. Books released after the movie would go on to reverse this, exploring Nidhiki's past in depth [[spoiler:and making a big deal out of their deaths.]]
67	* Digger from ''Literature/GuardiansofGaHoole'' in the books was portrayed as TheSmartGuy of the FiveManBand that is... The Band, being described in the latter books as somewhat of a "philosopher"; and was the first to notice important plot details. In ''WesternAnimation/LegendOfTheGuardiansTheOwlsOfGaHoole'', he's a straight comic relief that's prone to going on long tangents and cracking jokes at inopportune times.
68	* ''WesternAnimation/TheJungleBook1967'' is intentionally LighterAndSofter than the book it was based on, so this happens to a number of characters who are as much InNameOnly similar to the book's as the script is.
69	** Baloo in the books is a serious law teacher. In the Disney film he became the exact opposite, a lazy, fun-loving character who loves to sing silly songs, including a {{scatting}} duel with an orangutan.
70	** Kaa combines this with AdaptationalVillainy. Whereas in the book he's an old, wise snake who is respected and feared by everyone in the jungle, in the film he's a sniveling literal SmugSnake who attempts to eat Mowgli multiple times, but always ends up suffering AmusingInjuries.
71	** Hathi in the books is a mighty elephant respected by every animal in the jungle. In the Disney film he's a bumbling, absent-minded military commander.
72	** Downplayed with Bagheera, who remains a serious character but often ends up becoming TheComicallySerious and the StraightMan to Baloo.
73	** Zigzagged with Shere Khan, who becomes [[AdaptationalBadass much more menacing]] than his book counterpart, but also gains some FauxAffablyEvil mannerisms.
74	* Creator/RalphBakshi's animated film of ''WesternAnimation/TheLordOfTheRings'' turned Samwise into a goofy, incompetent oddball of a hobbit, but in the books, he is brave and loyal. He was meant to become more serious in the second film, which was never made.
75	* Both Captain Hook and the Crocodile that chases him in ''WesternAnimation/PeterPan'', with Mr. Smee also made into an even more comedic character than he already was in the original play and book.
76	* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSecretOfNIMH'', Jeremy was a comical, clumsy character 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.
77	* Stonecrumbler in ''Animation/SonOfTheWhiteHorse'' is a lazy, bumbling, easily frightened oaf. While he was not much better in the original folk tales, which variably depicted him as either a villain or a hero, he was still a serious character.
78	* The Grand Prince of Kiev Vladimir the Great and his ballad counterpart Vladimir Little Sun are portrayed in ''Animation/ThreeBogatyrs'' by the Duke of Kyiv, who can be described as an overgrown child who periodically puts his kingdom in grave danger because of his several {{Fatal Flaw}}s, such as [[TheGamblingAddict betting it on a variant of the cup and balls trick]] or paying off a humangous debt by arranging a marriage between his niece Zabava and the greedy merchant he owes the money to. He's also inept and unable to use a sword properly ([[PragmaticHero though he comes up with some pragmatic solutions when his life is at stake]]). Even his servants usually don't take him seriously (despite being aware he still is their monarch). This usually leads to him receiving a HumiliationConga by his enemies ([[StatusQuoIsGod but he always manages to get back his throne thanks to the help of his three bogatyrs]]). To put things into perspective, his historical counterpart was a man who lived by the sword: Vladimir the Great waged war against his brother Yaropolk and crushed revolts inside and outside his kingdom with remarkable efficiency. His time as ruler is also considered the first part of the Golden Age of Kievian Rus (with the second part beginning with the coronation of Vladimr's son Yaroslav).
79	[[/folder]]
80
81	[[folder:Film -- Live-Action]]
82	* ''Film/BatmanForever'': [[Characters/BatmanTwoFace Two-Face]] in [[ComicBook/{{Batman}} the comics]] is a TragicVillain and one of Batman's darker and more menacing antagonists while in this movie, Creator/TommyLeeJones portrays him as a goofy, LaughablyEvil villain to rival Creator/JimCarrey's performance as [[Characters/BatmanTheRiddler the Riddler]].
83	* ''Film/{{Cats}}'':
84	** In the original theatrical version of ''Theatre/{{Cats}}'', the emphasis of Jennyanydots is that she's a CoolOldLady and a snooty MaidenAunt. In the 2019 film, she's {{age lift}}ed to middle-aged at most. She's more energetic, being BigFun and prone to comedic antics.
85	** The film puts [[CharacterExaggeration more emphasis]] on Mr. Mistoffelees being a dorky ShrinkingViolet.
86	** The film version of Bustopher Jones has more slapstick scenes and SelfDeprecation about his weight than his more regal counterpart in the play.
87	* The film version of ''Film/DiamondsAreForever'' is known for having a ''definite'' campier, more comical tone overall than the source material, and is sometimes seen a turning point in the Film/JamesBond film franchise. Two or three distinct characters are worth noting:
88	** The novel version of "Shady Tree", a middleman in the diamond-smuggling ring, is a hunchback who Bond feels the need to think to himself was, whatever he may be, "not funny". In the movie, he's literally a ''stand-up comic'' as his daylight job.
89	** The film version of Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd go from a comparatively straightforward pair of hired killers to a now-iconic pair of assassins who drop one-liners (and sometimes finish the other's sentences) in a CreepyMonotone.
90	* In the ''Literature/DiaryOfAWimpyKid'' books, Greg’s father Frank was a very stoic character, rarely displaying emotions and was pretty serious in trying to toughen up Greg. In the [[Film/DiaryOfAWimpyKid films]], however, he gets way more comedic lines and Creator/SteveZahn can rarely goes a scene without being a LargeHam.
91	* While in the ''Film/{{Fantomas}}'' film series of TheSixties all the named characters from the [[Literature/{{Fantomas}} original 1910s novels]] are InNameOnly to begin with, Commissioner Juve was never buffoonish in them, unlike how Creator/LouisDeFunes portrays him.
92	* ''Film/HarryPotter'' :
93	** In the 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 [[DeadpanSnarker 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.
94	** Caretaker Filch in the first few movies is as menacing as his book counterpart, but later movies would turn him into a comic relief character.
95	** A minor case with Severus Snape, whose more sinister actions as a SadistTeacher are heavingly downplayed and sometimes outright PlayedForLaughs in the movies while Creator/AlanRickman's performance in general makes Snape often look like TheComicallySerious in some situations (like in a hilarious conversation with Umbridge in ''Film/HarryPotterAndTheOrderOfThePhoenix''), while in the book Snape is portrayed as more serious and outright scary thanks to the books being told from Harry's POV.
96	** Inverted with Harry. His DeadpanSnarker tendencies from the books are toned down in the films.
97	* Creator/JRRTolkien 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.
98	* 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. An especially prominent one is found in the second book, which was written to hold some similarities with the original film.
99	* Creator/PeterJackson's ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'':
100	** Merry and Pippin are given funnier moments than the books, particularly in Pippin's case, such as getting into Gandalf's fireworks. After the Fellowship splits up, one character breaks out into comic relief for each group. For instance, Gimli provides physical comedy and gruff one-liners in contrast to [[StraightMan Straight Man and Elf]] Aragorn and Legolas. Some of his funny moments in the films did come from the books, such as his Orc-slaying competition with Legolas (which in the book, Gimli ''uncontestedly won''). WordOfGod confirms that they heightened this role for Gimli, a Dwarf (stereotyped as being crude), to accommodate Merry and Pippin's ComingOfAge.
101	** Of all the characters, ''Gollum'' becomes quite funny compared to his book counterpart (only his Smeagol personality, however). See his over-the-top misery and occasional moments of UglyCute.
102	* ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'':
103	** While he's the main character in most of the movies he appears in, the film version of ''ComicBook/IronMan'' is much funnier than the comic version who tended to be a little more grim (although after the movies, writers have been giving him a little snark lately).
104	** [[ComicBook/TheMightyThor Thor]] is presented a lot more comedically than he usually is in the comics, especially after ''Film/ThorRagnarok''.
105	%% * 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.
106	* In the ''Film/SherlockHolmes'' films:
107	** Nigel Bruce as John Watson, who is a bumbling oaf compared to the original books where he was dignified and professional.
108	** Averted with Watson but played straight with Holmes in the Robert Downey Jr./Jude Law films: Law's Watson is very serious and professional, and the films often emphasize that he's a war veteran and a medical doctor[[note]]According to WordOfGod, they wanted to undo Watson's popular perception as the quintessential bumbling sidekick, and return him to his roots of being Holmes' equal[[/note]] who often acts as the StraightMan to Downey's Holmes, who, while very competent, is much goofier and irreverent than he's normally portrayed as.
109	* Scotty in the recent ''Film/StarTrek2009'' reboot movies.
110	* ''Literature/{{Winnetou}}'': In Creator/KarlMay's novels ''Old Surhehand I'' and ''III'', Old Wabble is a tragic figure and one of May's most three-dimensional characters: a former ally of Old Shatterhand and Literature/{{Winnetou}} who became evil and eventually dies at age 90. In the movies ''Unter Geiern'', ''Der Ölprinz'' and ''Old Surehand'' he is given an AgeLift and is merely Old Surehand's BumblingSidekick.
111	[[/folder]]
112
113	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
114	* The Zsasz of ''Series/Batwoman2019'' takes after ''Gotham''[='=]s Zsasz in being more quippy and sassy.
115	* ''Series/TheChroniclesOfNarniaBBC'': The Professor in ''The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe''. When he meets the children at the very beginning, he plays at being military, ordering the children to form a straight line, while he asks their names. He also has touches of comedy when Susan and Peter speak to him later.
116	* ''Series/GameOfThrones'':
117	** 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 show, 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 them abandon him during the second season's BolivianArmyCliffhanger, he is more like his book counterpart during the third season.
118	** While Olenna's sharp tongue can be amusing in the novels, Creator/DianaRigg tinges it all with a mischievous amusement where the novels portray her as genuinely caustic and spiteful. Instances where this is not possible, such as unprovokedly calling Ellaria Sand "the serpent's whore", are adapted out and the show crafts new entirely-comedic scenes for her such as her "You can smell the shit from here!" arrival in Season 5.
119	** Mace Tyrell is a bit of an oaf in the books as well, but in the form of a haughty and tactless lord rather than the show's complete buffoon.
120	* While the Victor Zsasz of ''Series/{{Gotham}}'' is a case of AdaptationalBadass, he's also this as unlike the fairly humorless character of the comics, this Zsasz is prone to being sassy and making quips.
121	* Gasha Dokuro of ''Series/NinjaSentaiKakuranger'' was a [[{{Sadist}} sadistic]] OmnicidalManiac who enjoys the [[ChainsawGood chainsaw]] way too much and even [[HeroKiller murders the Kakaranger's mentor]]. His ''Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers'' counterpart Rito Repulso, on the other hand, is an AffablyEvil ButtMonkey who at one point loses his memories and ends up working for ''[[ThoseTwoGuys Bulk and Skull]]''.
122	* While the Alex Murphy of the original ''Franchise/RoboCop'' trilogy had only a few moments of sarcasm, his counterpart in ''Series/RoboCopTheSeries'' could be a DeadpanSnarker to both enemies and even allies.
123	* In the live-action drama based on ''Manga/YamadaKunAndTheSevenWitches'', Rika has few of the nuances and emotional issues of her manga counterpart and is really mostly there to be that silly girl who doesn't wear underwear.
124	[[/folder]]
125
126	[[folder:Theatre]]
127	* In the opera ''Theatre/BorisGodunov'', the second act (as revised) has several lighthearted songs for Feodor and the Nurse to sing, adding comic relief to an otherwise almost entirely serious dramatic work based off real life.
128	* An adaptation of ''Literature/HisDarkMaterials'' turned the [[LilliputianWarriors Gallivespian]] Lord Roke into this. In the books, Lord Roke (like all his kind) was a completely serious character; his tiny size was played for drama in terms of the dangers to him, but also the danger his venomous stingers posed to humans, and was a proud, competent and courageous man afforded all the respect that would be given to a human of similar personality and skills. In the play he becomes a comedic buffoon who exhausts himself at an inconvenient time running across a room at a snail's pace and is implied to be something of a peeping tom.
129	* The deadly, cold-blooded Hisoka is portrayed as a hammier, more comical villain in the ''Anime/HunterXHunter'' stage musicals. He still acts as a threat, but in a more mischievous sense rather than a serious one.
130	* The Thénardiers in ''Theatre/LesMiserables'', while still villains, were made into the main comic relief because the play was already very dramatic.
131	* ''Theatre/ShrekTheMusical'' makes BigBad Lord Farquaad a much more [[EvilIsHammy 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). He even uses the "Welcome to Duloc" dolls as backup dancers!
132	* In the National Theatre's 2014 production of ''Theatre/{{Treasure Island\|2014}}'', all the pirates are made hammy and somewhat comic figures, though they do have their menacing moments as well. Israel Hands is an extreme case; a significant antagonist in the novel, in the stage version he's an entirely comic figure (played by a professional clown) whose most notable achievement is blowing himself up in a gunpowder accident.
133	[[/folder]]
134
135	[[folder:Web Animation]]
136	* ''WebAnimation/DarkSecretsOfGarrysMod'': [[Videogame/HalfLife2 Isaac Kleiner]] only exists to be the punchline of a common RunningGag in the series.
137	-->'''Isaac Kleiner''': This is madness!
138	-->'''Franchise/{{Sonic\|TheHedgehog}}''': [[Film/ThreeHundred Madness? THIS. IS. SPARTA!]] [[[GroinAttack kicks Isaac Kleiner in the nuts]]]
139	** ZigZagged with the headcrab species. They are still {{puppeteer parasite}}s that [[NonMaliciousMonster act out on basic instincts]] but [[MySpeciesDothProtestTooMuch one exception]] is [[https://www.youtube.com/szpgamer SzpGamer]] who is an obsessed fan of ''{{Videogame/Crysis}}''.
140	* Parodied in a ShowWithinAShow on ''WebAnimation/HomestarRunner'' when the band [[XtremeKoolLetterz Limozeen]] becomes the subject of a cartoon show featuring the musicians JustForFun/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!"
141	* ''WebAnimation/RWBYChibi'': The show is designed to be a cute, light-hearted SliceOfLife comic. As a result, all of the characters in the show are much more frivolous, quirky and silly than they are in the [[WebAnimation/{{RWBY}} main series]]. The characters who are serious and practical in the main show are especially light-hearted and comedically petty.
142	** The normally quiet, stoic Ren has become TheComicallySerious. A lot of humor involving him is derived from his calm, serious, and focused demeanor being applied to such silly things as playing tag, pillow-fighting, or playing the role of a harsh-tempered dance instructor.
143	** In the main show, Ozpin is a calm, empathetic, and enigmatic headmaster who commands respect. His chibi form is a laid-back analog of a school director who is cheerfully oblivious to genuine danger and happily self-absorbed about sending the kids on 'training quests' that are nothing more than personal errands, such as retrieving his missing possessions after some kind of embarrassing work party.
144	** Taiyang's caring, serious paternal instincts in the main show are downplayed to over-emphasise his terrible pun-based "dad jokes", making him an [[BumblingDad embarrassing, goof-prone]] father. He's also got an inferiority complex about Qrow's edgy coolness factor, and therefore is obsessed with trying to prove he's worthy and cool.
145	** On the villains' side, Cinder's quiet, calculating menace and competence have been changed to grandiose, evil plotting that is conducted out in the open complete with cartoon lists and diagrams, lame excuses when caught engaging in suspicious behaviour, and melodramatic self-inflicted errors of judgement. Likewise, Roman's scheming persistently failing due to over-cleverness or comedic stupidity (and in one case, being actively sabotaged by [[TeamPet Zwei]]). Emerald and Neo are likewise reduced to making sarcastic commentary from the sidelines about their respective bosses' idiocy, while Mercury has become a bit of a ManChild who's been shown laughing at Cinder falling down a flight of stairs and has a rocket launcher specifically for killing kittens.
146	** The threat of the Grimm has been reduced to comedy fodder. Ruby drags around a beowolf that is clinging to her cape by its teeth and Nora terrifies a few while using them in hare-brained schemes to get Ren to rescue her; when successful, she hugs one so hard its arm breaks. Cinder walks puppy beowolves and Zwei can intimidate beowolves, which submit like dogs. A skit in Season 2 has two particular Beowolves, Mike and Marty, feel that they're doomed by Cinder's [[CardCarryingVillain melodramatic evil plans]], spending one of her planning sessions discussing over coffee the death of their mate, Larry, and being harassed by an effeminate, lisping Geist called Floyd. They decide to cheer themselves up by killing innocent humans... and once they go to town a season later, they fail miserably. In a third appearance, they're just used to demonstrate the Grimm are too savage and dumb to become pets, no matter how Penny wants it.
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148
149	[[folder:Webcomics]]
150	* InUniverse example in ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'', where the ''Heterodyne Boys'' books portray Punch as TheKlutz and DumbMuscle and Klaus Wulfenbach as a CowardlySidekick and TheComicallySerious. ("Klaus keeps his dignity, or tries to. ''That's'' what makes him funny!") The real GeniusBruiser Punch doesn't like the stories much; the real AntiVillain Baron Wulfenbach sometimes seems to feel the same way, although he's also been known to say they're ActuallyPrettyFunny. (The general public don't really seem to make much of a connection between the comedy character they laugh at in the stories and the Baron who rules the continent with an iron fist, although it's implied to be a bit of catharsis on their part.)
151	[[/folder]]
152
153	[[folder:Web Video]]
154	* ''WebVideo/SearchForSandvich'': While the Administrator is typically portrayed as the OnlySaneMan in ''Team Fortress 2'', she's a CloudCuckoolander in these videos who keeps spewing random dialogue that's rarely relevant to the situation.
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156
157	[[folder:Western Animation]]
158	* In the Lego projects for ''WebAnimation/DCSuperHeroGirls'' , Supergirl is hit with this. Through her kind side is still intact, she's less intelligent and more prone to cracking jokes.
159	* In the ''ComicBook/DisneyDucksComicUniverse'' and the original ''WesternAnimation/{{DuckTales\|1987}}''-cartoon Flintheart Glomgold is Scrooge [=McDuck=]'s EvilCounterpart and one of his most scrupulous enemies. ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales2017'' reimagines him as a LaughablyEvil BigBadWannabe instead of a serious thread who often provides the most humor in episodes he appears in.
160	* ''Franchise/MyLittlePony'': In its [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyTheMovie1986 original incarnation]], The Smooze is a giant juggernaut of a BlobMonster that exists only to smother and destroy all in its path. The [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS5E7MakeNewFriendsButKeepDiscord G4 version]] is a NonMaliciousMonster more interested in eating shiny objects and generally having a good time, and the [[CoveredInGunge slime]] is PlayedForLaughs.
161	* Everyone in ''WesternAnimation/RiseOfTheTeenageMutantNinjaTurtles'', especially the turtles themselves; all are prone to comedic mishaps, wisecracking dialogue, and slapstick all across the board. [[BunnyEarsLawyer Note that this does not make any of them less competent than they are in more serious stories]], and it's [[AvertedTrope averted outright]] for [[KnightOfCerebus the Shredder]].
162	* In ''Franchise/RoboCop: Alpha Commando'', the titular Alex Murphy could be even snarkier than in ''Series/RoboCopTheSeries'', snarking not only with enemies, but also willing to joke with Miner, Reed, and Neumeier.
163	* In the original ''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; in ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooMysteryIncorporated'' he's obsessed with traps, in ''WesternAnimation/WhatsNewScoobyDoo'' he constantly fanboys over celebrities, and in ''WesternAnimation/APupNamedScoobyDoo'' he's quick to blame the latest mystery either on RedHerring or something ridiculous he read in the ''[[LuridTalesOfDoom National Exaggerator]]''. Often zigzagged since these variations of Fred also tend to be more proactive to the story.
164	* ''WesternAnimation/UltimateSpiderMan2012''
165	** Peter Parker/Spider-Man is usually funny to begin with as a DeadpanSnarker, but the cartoon makes him a ComicBook/{{Deadpool}}-style fourth-wall breaker and foregoes some darker elements, like how he is usually constantly haunted by the death of his uncle, as well as his massive guilt complex/martyr syndrome, in favor of jokes.
166	** Another figure of note is Deadpool himself. Though he was always considered a comic relief, this adaptation makes him a great deal DenserAndWackier than his grimmer and occasionally more homicidal self, even though this version is no stranger to killing. In fact, his defeat practically comes about in the {{Chibi}} imaginary sequences when Spidey forces Deadpool to face some degree of [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatResponsibility responsibility]] for his actions as opposed to avoiding it with humor (which was mentioned in a way in his newer, S.H.I.E.L.D.-related backstory).
167	* ''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.
168	* In ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitansGo'' just about every character from the original ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans2003'' cartoon is turned into a more comedic version of themselves.
169	* Due to it's more sitcom-ish nature, ''WesternAnimation/SonicBoom'' makes a lot of the ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' cast more comical, though some exceptional cases include:
170	** While Knuckles the Echidna often tends to drift into comedic territory in the games series, he is often first and foremost the powerful guardian of the Master Emerald and a competent ally of Sonic. The show turns Knuckles into a completely buffoonish DumbMuscle as pivotal to the show's humor as its action scenes.
171	** There's rarely a version of Dr Eggman that ''isn't'' LaughablyEvil, and the games version is certainly no exception. ''Boom'' however makes Eggman more primarily a bungling, insecure SitcomArchNemesis for Sonic than a real threat for the large part, similarly providing a good chunk of the show's laughs.
172	* In the Creator/GoldenFilms adaptation of ''Literature/TheTaleOfPeterRabbit'' in 1994 (which was an unofficial sequel), Mopsy, Flopsy and Cottontail are portrayed as ditzy sisters while in the original Peter Rabbit stories they were more smart and serious.
173	* In ''Anime/{{Voltron}}'', Coran was a strict, elderly man who was very serious. To contrast, in ''WesternAnimation/VoltronLegendaryDefender'', his personality changed to become quirkier and goofier, making him more of an EccentricMentor.
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Context Main / AdaptationalComicRelief