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Message: <blockquote data-quote="IdiomaticLynx" data-source="post: 594288" data-attributes="member: 4169">More often than not, I think it makes perfect sense for a comedy focused story to shift to a more serious tone later on. The thing that makes or breaks it, is simply the execution. If you ask me, the change shouldn't be abrupt or jarring. Some developments in earlier episode should already point/hint at it. The resolution should have some lasting significance. And where possible there should still be a balance between drama / comedy throughout, instead of no comedy at all.I think you highlight a situation in which the above is hard to pull off. A one-cour show adapted from a manga likely won't reach any more serious/drama arcs in the source material. So either they skip ahead, omitting most build-up, or they craft their own, again missing most of the build-up. And let's not forget that there are also plenty of works out there that simply don't have the best writing and might include an abrupt drama arc just for the sake of it.Despite that, I would generally prefer shows going for it. The alternative is to remain episodic, which for me doesn't work as a resolution (so unless it's a given that it would get a second and third season, I'd rather have some resolution over nothing). One alternative I do generally like, although I'm drawing a blank for examples, is ending with an arc that is played up in seriousness. For example a sports festival or some other competition, as it allows the show to comfortably remain a comedy while having a narrative that works as a resolution (there's conflict, progression and the stakes can be "high").But if we would shift the focus to longer shows, there's almost no way around it IMO. Which isn't a bad thing, as it's a true and tested method. I'd even argue that comedy shows are in the unique position of pulling this off better than most shows that start off serious. Due to the comedy you tend to be less critical of the character traits and interactions, but as soon as the story gets serious, you do take past interactions between characters into account. Instead of thinking "why would X help Y?", it's "X and Y have been through so much together" (even if those interactions wouldn't make sense outside of a comedic context).The above turned formulaic is something you can clearly see in most Key/Visual Arts works. Although in most cases I would no longer describe those works as just "comedy" as one goes into the show expecting more besides the comedy.</blockquote>

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