Current State of Comedy Cartoons

[Silverstar]

@The Overlord: Fair enough, but I'm still not a fan of Lackadaisy. Something about it just rubs me the wrong way. Same deal with The Amazing Digital Circus, Hazbin Hotel, Helluva Boss and their ilk; they simply don't click with me. We'll just have to agree to disagree on that one.

 

[Goldstar!]

^Dramady does have it's place. No one is arguing that point. I don't care for dramadies myself, but I'm not forced to watch any of them. The only dramady that I cared for was Gravity Falls, and I only watched that for the jokes. To me, Gravity Falls was a comedy with a few dramatic moments sprinkled in. I'm not saying "don't make any more dramadies!". I just wish that there was something else out there for viewers like me.

The problem is that lately, dramadies are the ONLY types of animated shows besides action cartoons that anyone seems to be interested in producing. For some reason, contemporary audiences seem thoroughly uninterested, even visually turned off by the idea of an animated series that just fun or funny.

I get that networks and websites air what's popular, but catering to one genre and only one genre stifles creativity. Ideally, there should be a variety. I don't like being told "Well, if you don't like drama or action, you're plum out of luck, 'casue that's all we've got to offer." I've always preferred comedy over drama, and the fact that the comedy cartoon well is nearly empty just frustrates me.

I believe that the original question that was being asked here was: Why are contemporary audiences no longer interested in comedy cartoons? What turned them against dumb fun?

 

[Marble]

The epiphany I had on the subject was while watching Cuphead.

I was enjoying it a lot, but was also at the same time struggling to get through it. I came to the conclusion that comedy cartoons like this just don't fit this new "streaming" TV landscape.

Netflix and its contemporaries are designed in such a way that binge-watching shows one after another is the norm, mostly due to choice paralysis where it's already hard enough to pick something in the first place (so when you do find something, you tend to stick with it until you're totally done), however, comedy cartoons, which typically don't have much of an ongoing plot from one episode to the next, seem to be more enjoyable when mixed in between other shows. It gets tiring to watch the same show back to back.

 

[PicardMan]

I was enjoying it a lot, but was also at the same time struggling to get through it. I came to the conclusion that comedy cartoons like this just don't fit this new "streaming" TV landscape.

Maybe streaming can create playlists of episodes of multiple cartoons mixed together. Like a playlist that would play an episode of Rugrats, then Catdog, then Spongebob, etc instead of the Pluto model of marathoning a show. Essentially recreate what cable used to be in the 90s and 00s only without the cable price. Streaming seems to be failing comedy because they don't seem to get comedy cartoons and how they work. When I was a kid, I loved the variety of different types of comedy cartoons. When Nickelodeon had a marathon, I switched channels to Cartoon Network to avoid the repetitiveness.

 

[Marble]

Maybe streaming can create playlists of episodes of multiple cartoons mixed together. Like a playlist that would play an episode of Rugrats, then Catdog, then Spongebob, etc instead of the Pluto model of marathoning a show. Essentially recreate what cable used to be in the 90s and 00s only without the cable price. Streaming seems to be failing comedy because they don't seem to get comedy cartoons and how they work. When I was a kid, I loved the variety of different types of comedy cartoons. When Nickelodeon had a marathon, I switched channels to Cartoon Network to avoid the repetitiveness.

I would love a feature like that. When faced with a never ending wall of things to watch, I just can't do it. I need something to dictate what I'm watching tonight! (and maybe have a "dislike" button so if I'm not into it, it won't come up again on the playlist)

 

[Chris Wood]

Maybe streaming can create playlists of episodes of multiple cartoons mixed together. Like a playlist that would play an episode of Rugrats, then Catdog, then Spongebob, etc instead of the Pluto model of marathoning a show. Essentially recreate what cable used to be in the 90s and 00s only without the cable price. Streaming seems to be failing comedy because they don't seem to get comedy cartoons and how they work. When I was a kid, I loved the variety of different types of comedy cartoons. When Nickelodeon had a marathon, I switched channels to Cartoon Network to avoid the repetitiveness.

I already do this on my own really. Just list up a diverse range of maybe 10 shows (different genres, decades, nationalities, etc.) on various streaming services and then continually cycle through that list (watching one episode of each show). When one of the series ends, I add a new one to the list. That way I rarely watch more than one or two episodes per show per week, and it keeps things frssh

There's no need to consume content in the manner that Netflix or any other company would like us to.

 

[Surreal Kangaroo]

The epiphany I had on the subject was while watching Cuphead.

I was enjoying it a lot, but was also at the same time struggling to get through it. I came to the conclusion that comedy cartoons like this just don't fit this new "streaming" TV landscape.

Netflix and its contemporaries are designed in such a way that binge-watching shows one after another is the norm, mostly due to choice paralysis where it's already hard enough to pick something in the first place (so when you do find something, you tend to stick with it until you're totally done), however, comedy cartoons, which typically don't have much of an ongoing plot from one episode to the next, seem to be more enjoyable when mixed in between other shows. It gets tiring to watch the same show back to back.

I think you are onto something. A few months ago I decided to watch Phineas and Ferb. I saw it a handful of times when it first came out, and even though I liked it, I missed a lot of it. Anyways, I found that I can’t get through more than an episode or two at a time even though I find it an enjoyable show.

I also love your idea of streaming services having playlists. I always had the idea that if Disney + had such a feature I try to recreate an old Toon Disney schedule for example.

 

[PicardMan]

Also, it's notable that cable has pretty much emulated the binge model of streaming. Today 4.5 hours of Gumball on Cartoon Network and 3 hours of Spongebob on Nickelodeon. Two hours of Big City Greens on Disney Channel (okay, Disney Channel seems to have more variety than the other two. Also, wow, this doesn't look like my generation's Disney Channel that played 90% live action). Nick's Pluto channels do all day marathons, today it's Fairly Oddparents. The 90s kids channel has been all Rugrats today and yesterday. The Totally Turtles channel has been 24/7 Avatar despite not being a TMNT show. Cable and linear streaming channels love this binge model even if it seems counterintuitive for comedy cartoons.

 

[Ace]

I don't see any reason why comedy is slowing down even on streaming.

Smiling Friends is on top of the charts on MAX. South Park is still insanely popular on streaming. Big Mouth got 8 seasons. For animation especially comedy has stood out more than other genres.

From the oldest Mickey Mouse and Looney Tunes shorts to the Simpsons bringing animation to a more adult audience. I think comedy has the broadest appeal of any genre in animation. Adults have South Park and the Simpsons. Kids have Spongebob, Teen Titans Go! and Big City Greens. People love comedic animations on YouTube.

I don't think if there's any problem with streaming in particular when it comes to comedy is the whole dump ten episodes at once then wait a whole year release strategy. That works for some serialized shows but comedic shows are usually more episodic need people talking about them on an episode by episode basis.

 

[PicardMan]

Smiling Friends is on top of the charts on MAX. South Park is still insanely popular on streaming. Big Mouth got 8 seasons. For animation especially comedy has stood out more than other genres.

That's the adult animation. Aside from The Cuphead Show and revivals of nostalgic properties, family-friendly comedy made for streaming cartoons are rare as can be.

 

[LinusFan303]

I might be a little confused is this about streaming only or about channels too?
Disney Channel has actually more shifted away from linear adventure shows to have more comedic based shows thanks to Big City Greens success. Kiff is a comedy series and has been doing pretty well, Hamster and Gretel too. They do both well on Disney Plus too.

I think the problem that can be found about streaming over all is that a) linear TV had the advantage of real discovery. I found Gravity Falls by tuning in and watching it. Streaming doesn't have that , they try with algorithms and junk but it doesn't help for discovery. The other part is alot of people on streaming tend to skew towards watching reruns of stuff versus new stuff because it's easier to remember that it's on there. Newer shows have a harder chance at times. That's with almost anything even cartoons.

 

[Vuxovich]

I am glad the comedy cartoons aren't popular as of late.

 

[PicardMan]

I might be a little confused is this about streaming only or about channels too?
Disney Channel has actually more shifted away from linear adventure shows to have more comedic based shows thanks to Big City Greens success. Kiff is a comedy series and has been doing pretty well, Hamster and Gretel too. They do both well on Disney Plus too.

I guess my observation was mainly about streaming, but Nickelodeon and Disney seem to be doing okay with comedy. Cartoon Network isn't doing well on the action, dramedy, or comedy front currently as 2024 seems like their worst year in a very long time. Looked at the Streamtopia board and found that Angry Birds is getting a (presumably) comedy cartoon. I guess streaming is going to mainly focus on video game-based comedy cartoons?

 

[SweetShop209]

I guess my observation was mainly about streaming, but Nickelodeon and Disney seem to be doing okay with comedy. Cartoon Network isn't doing well on the action, dramedy, or comedy front currently as 2024 seems like their worst year in a very long time. Looked at the Streamtopia board and found that Angry Birds is getting a (presumably) comedy cartoon. I guess streaming is going to mainly focus on video game-based comedy cartoons?

I'm not really sure if video game based comedy cartoons could get much longevity or recognition on streaming. I mean, Angry Birds: Mystery Island has 12 minute stories for its episodes. They say that the FIRST season has 24 episodes, but I'm pretty sure that's the only season. It seems like this will take the route that the Netflix show Angry Birds: Summer Madness did, where it was probably only greenlit for a finite amount of episodes that will be split up into seasons. The Netflix show has 20 half hour episodes that are split into 32 12 minute stories and 4 specials that came out over the course of 7 months. I'd assume that the Amazon show will have a similar release schedule, and burn through all the episodes (presumably only greenlit for 10-14 half hour episodes) in batches in less than a year. Not to derail the topic further, but Amazon has been pushing adult animation over kids animation. You can see this in how, not counting Lego Monkie Kid (which aired on TV in other countries a year before coming to the US on Amazon), this Angry Birds Mystery Island series is the first non-preschool kids cartoon to come out on Amazon Prime Video since the 2019 series Costume Quest. That was also a video game adaptation, and also burned through episodes quickly, dropping all 14 episodes in 2019.

 

[TheGuy]

For me personally, I want variety. I feel it should be possible for comedy and action or story-driven shows to succeed simultaneously. Just cause one show was successful doesn't mean every other show needs to copy its formula. Variety is the spice of life (or that's what people say)

 

[Chris Wood]

I think the problem that can be found about streaming over all is that a) linear TV had the advantage of real discovery. I found Gravity Falls by tuning in and watching it. Streaming doesn't have that , they try with algorithms and junk but it doesn't help for discovery. The other part is alot of people on streaming tend to skew towards watching reruns of stuff versus new stuff because it's easier to remember that it's on there. Newer shows have a harder chance at times. That's with almost anything even cartoons.

I'm not sure about that. If I flip on the channel guide on my TV, I can see maybe the next 4-5 shows on the schedule. And often they repeat the same show a few times in a row.

But if I check a streaming site, I can scroll through dozens of show options. So I think discovery is actually easier that way.

 

[Silverstar]

I am glad the comedy cartoons aren't popular as of late.

I know I'm asking for trouble, but care to explain why?

 

[Vuxovich]

I know I'm asking for trouble, but care to explain why?

Because My Adventures with Superman and Unicorn: Warriors Eternal did well.

 

[PicardMan]

Woah. Comedy and action can coexist. Don't know why the tribalistic rivalry between action and comedy cartoons is a thing. Samurai Jack and DBZ coexisted with Dexter's Laboratory and Johnny Bravo. Good cartoons are good cartoons.

 

[Silverstar]

@Vuxovich: Why does it have to be one over the other? Why can't we want both action and comedy to do well? In order for one genre to succeed, the other doesn't need to fail. There's enough room in fandom to accommodate both comedy and action. Like @PicardMan, I really don't get the tribalism and partisan divide. You can be a fan of more than one thing. Comedy's my fave, but I can still enjoy a good action cartoon when I see one. A good cartoon is a good cartoon.