Comedy drama

Genre of theatre, film, and television

Not to be confused with Comedy (drama).

"Dramedy" redirects here. For the TV episode, see Dramedy (Entourage).

Comedy drama (also known by the portmanteau dramedy)[1][2] is a hybrid genre of works that combine elements of comedy and drama.[3] In film, as well as scripted television series, serious dramatic subjects (such as death, illness, betrayal, grief, etc.) are handled with realism and subtlety, while preserving a humorous tenor.[4][5]

The term "dramedy" began to be used in the television industry in the 1980s.[6][7][8] Modern television comedy dramas tend to have more humour integrated into the story than the comic relief common in drama series, but usually contain a lower joke rate than sitcoms.[citation needed][not verified in body]

## History

[edit]

In Greek theatre, plays were considered comedies or tragedies (i.e. drama): the former being light stories with a happy ending, and the latter serious stories with a sad ending.[8] This concept even influenced Roman theatre and theatre of the Hellenistic period. Theatre of that era is thought to have long-lasting influence, even in modern narrative works.[9]

Even today, works are often classified into two broad categories: dramas and comedies. For instance, many awards that recognize achievements in film and television, such as the Primetime Emmy Awards and the Golden Globe Awards,[10][11] segregate several awards into these two classifications.

The 20th century saw a rise in film and television works that could be described as comedy-dramas. In American cinema, The Kid (1921) by Charlie Chaplin is acknowledged as the first feature length film to blend comedy and drama.[12][13][14]

## Characteristics

[edit]

In January 2022, Rafael Abreu, writing for the StudioBinder filmmaking blog, defined this genre as follows:[15]

> A dramedy is a movie or program that balances the elements of a drama and a comedy. Also known as a comedy drama, this hybrid genre often deals with real life situations, grounded characters, and believable situations. The ratio between the drama and comedy can vary, but most of the time there is an equal measure of both, with neither side dominating.

Abreu also adds that dramedies often deal with relatable and serious topics such as divorce, illness, hardship, and heartache.[15]

## Notable examples

[edit]

The examples and perspective in this section deal primarily with United States and do not represent a worldwide view of the subject. You may improve this section, discuss the issue on the talk page, or create a new section, as appropriate. (November 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

### Film

[edit]

Examples of comedy dramas in film include:

Name  | Year  | Country  | Notes  | Refs.

|
|
|
|

3 Idiots | 2009  | India  |  |
8½ | 1963  | Italy  |  |
Asteroid City | 2023  | United States  |  |
Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths | 2022  | Mexico  |  |
The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros | 2005  | Philippines  |  |
The Celebration | 1998  | Denmark  |  |
Eighth Grade | 2018  | United States  |  |
Fallen Angels | 1995  | Hong Kong  |  |
Goodbye, Dragon Inn | 2003  | Taiwan  |  |
Forrest Gump | 1994  | United States  |  |
The Grand Budapest Hotel | 2014  | United States, Germany  |  |
The Illusionist | 2010  | United Kingdom
France  |  |
Inside Llewyn Davis | 2013  | United Kingdom
United States
France  |  |
It's Such a Beautiful Day | 2012  | United States  |  |
The Kid | 1921  | United States  |  |
Little Miss Sunshine | 2006  | United States  | also considered a tragicomedy | [16]
Love Exposure | 2008  | Japan  |  | [17]
The Man Without a Past | 2002  | Finland  |  |
Manhattan | 1979  | United States  |  |
Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood | 2019  | United Kingdom
United States
China  |  |
The Royal Tenenbaums | 2001  | United States  |  | [16]
The Rules of the Game | 1939  | France  |  |
That Obscure Object of Desire | 1977  | France, Spain  |  |
Trainspotting | 1996  | United Kingdom  |  |
You, the Living | 2007  | Sweden  |  |

### Television

[edit]

Examples of television comedy dramas include:

Name  | Year  | Country  | Notes  | Refs.

|
|
|
|

Ally McBeal | 1997–2002  | United States  |  |
Desperate Housewives | 2004–12  | United States  |  | [18]
Doogie Howser, M.D. | 1989–93  | United States  |  |
Due South | 1994–99  | Canada  |  |
Eight Is Enough | 1977–81  | United States  |  |
Fleabag | 2016–19  | United Kingdom  |  |
Hazbin Hotel | 2024–present  | United States  |  |
Hooperman | 1987–89  | United States  |  | [6]
The Love Boat | 1977–86  | United States  |  |
Ludwig | 2024  | United Kingdom  |  |
M*A*S*H | 1972–83  | United States  |  |
Moonlighting | 1985–89  | United States  |  |
Northern Exposure | 1990–95  | United States  |  |
Scrubs | 2001–10  | United States  |  |
Sex and the City | 1998–2004  | United States  |  |
The Wonder Years | 1988–93  | United States  |  |
You’re the Worst | 2014–19  | United States  |  |

## See also

[edit]

* Film portal
* Television portal

* List of comedy drama television series
* Black comedy
* Seriousness
* Melodrama
* Story structure
* List of genres

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "dramedy". Lexico. Oxford University Press. 2021. Archived from the original on 8 December 2021.
2. ^ "dramedy". Oxford Learner's Dictionaries. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
3. ^ "dramedy". Cambridge Dictionary. Cambridge University Press. Retrieved 30 May 2018. "a TV show or movie that is a mixture of drama (= telling serious stories) and comedy (= jokes and situations intended to make you laugh)"
4. ^ Del Greco, Fabio (2023). "Dramatic Comedy Films to Watch". Indiecinema. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
5. ^ Thorpe, Vanessa (11 May 2019). "Seriously funny: why we fell in love with dramedies". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
6. ^ a b Kelley, Bill (23 September 1987). "The Best And The Brightest Abc's Hooperman — The Hands-down Winner Of The Best New Show Of The Year — Introduces A New Format, "dramedy," While Slap Maxwell Reintroduces Dabney Coleman". Sun Sentinel. Archived from the original on 24 September 2017. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
7. ^ Press, Joy (5 March 2018). "Meet the dramedy queens: the women who built TV's new golden age". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
8. ^ a b Cathcart, Olivia (1 July 2021). "Rethinking the Dramedy: What Is It, Anyway?". Paste. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
9. ^ Cartwright, Mark (14 July 2016). "Ancient Greek Theatre". World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
10. ^ "2022–2023 Emmy Awards: Category List" (PDF). Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. 4 January 2023. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
11. ^ "The Golden Globe Award Categories". Awardsandshows.com. 2022. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
12. ^ Vance, Jeffrey (2003). "The Kid (1921)". Chaplin:Genius of the Cinema (PDF) (1st ed.). New York: Harry N. Abrams. p. 109\. ISBN 978-0810945326 – via Library of Congress.
13. ^ McCarrick, Michael (16 June 2021). "How Charlie Chaplin's The Kid Changed Cinema History". CBR. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
14. ^ Travers, James (2009). "The Kid (1921)". FrenchFilms.org. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
15. ^ a b Abreu, Rafael (9 January 2022). "Dramedy Explained — A Study of the Comedy Drama Genre". StudioBinder. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
16. ^ a b Caballero, David (12 May 2023). "10 Best Dramedies of the 21st Century, Ranked". Collider. Retrieved 14 April 2025.
17. ^ Love Exposure (2008) | MUBI. Retrieved 14 April 2025 – via mubi.com.
18. ^ Weiner, Allison Hope (20 December 2004). "Is 'Desperate Housewives' a comedy?". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 20 November 2021.

## Further reading

[edit]

* "Dramedy Defined: Understanding the Comedy-Drama Genre". Daisie. 21 June 2023. (platform co-founded by actress Maisie Williams and producer Dom Santry)
* Havas, Julia; Sulimma, Maria (2020). "Through the Gaps of My Fingers: Genre, Femininity, and Cringe Aesthetics in Dramedy Television". Television & New Media. 21 (1): 75–94\. doi:10.1177/1527476418777838. hdl:2086/16957. ISSN 1527-4764.
* Mather, Nigel (2006). Tears of laughter: Comedy-drama in 1990s British Cinema (1st ed.). Manchester, England: Manchester University Press. ISBN 978-0719070761.
* Ortega, Oscar (10 April 2024). "Drama Or Dramedy: Defining The Voice Of Socially Relevant Comedy". A Hot Set. A.N. Publishing.
* Taylor, Robin (27 May 2021). "What is Comedy Drama?". BBC Writers. BBC.

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Comedy

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|

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| Country|

| Europe|

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|

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