Dramedy

The term Dramedy ( suitcase word from the terms Dra ma and Co medy ) or Dramatic Comedy or Germanized Dramödie is mainly used for television series whose content is characterized by a balanced proportion of humor and seriousness. The format often deals with socially critical topics or deals with fringe groups or the socialization of individual characters. The hybrid or fusion genre, which emerged in the mid-1980s, contains elements of both thematically serious television drama and humorous aspects of television comedy ( sitcom ). A TV series typical of the genre was the very successful dramedy series Ally McBeal (USA 1997-2002).

In the typification of the sitcom, the dramedy is the third subgroup next to the action-oriented sitcom ( action comedy , rarely also: actcom ) and the family comedy ( domestic comedy , rarely also: domcom ). Topics are war, death, unemployment, sexism or racism. The humorous presentation is often an expression of satire . Examples are All in the Family (USA 1971-79) and M * A * S * H (USA 1972-83). Another characteristic feature is the lack of a so-called “ canned laugh ”, which typically indicates in sitcoms that something funny was said.

See also

• tragicomedy

Web links

• Dramedy - The Museum of Broadcast Communications. (English)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b} Ludger Kaczmarek: Dramedy . In: Hans. J. Wulff, Theo Bender (ed.): Lexicon of film terms.
2. ↑ Ludger Kaczmarek: Dramedy . In: Hans. J. Wulff, Theo Bender (ed.): Lexicon of film terms.
3. ↑ ^{a b} Caroline Amann: Sitcom: Subgroups . In: Hans. J. Wulff, Theo Bender (ed.): Lexicon of film terms.