Comedy drama, also known by the portmanteau dramedy,[1][2][3] is a genre of dramatic works that combines elements of comedy and drama. In television, modern scripted 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.
In the very influential Greek theatre, plays were considered comedies or tragedies. 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.[4] Even today, works are often classified into two broad buckets, dramas and comedies. For instance, many awards that recognize achievements in film and television today, such as the Primetime Emmy Awards and the Golden Globe Awards segregate several award categories into these two classifications.
The 20th century saw a rise in film and television works that could be described as comedy-dramas. The term is a translation from the French "comédie dramatique". The portmanteau "dramedy" came to be in the 1980s.[3][5]
In January 2022, Rafael Abreu, writing for the StudioBinder Blog defined this genre as follows:[6]
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.
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Examples of American television comedy dramas include: M*A*S*H, The Love Boat, Moonlighting, The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd,[7] Northern Exposure, Ally McBeal, Sex and the City, Desperate Housewives,[8] Scrubs and Bojack Horseman. The term "dramedy" was coined to describe the late 1980s wave of shows, including The Wonder Years, Hooperman,[5] Doogie Howser, M.D., and Frank's Place.[9]
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