Comedy Protagonists

[extrapenguin]

In my opinion, the perfect comedy protagonist is someone who's unsympathetic enough that you don't feel too bad laughing at them, but sympathetic enough that a happy/okay ending is satisfying. If you make someone too sympathetic, you won't get the "lol" reaction from the audience when shit happens to them; if you make them too unsympathetic, your audience will be left :/ by a regular comedy arc with a happy ending. (Black comedy or other more toothy subgenres can have less sympathetic protagonists. In general, the more bad stuff you expect people to laugh at, the less sympathetic/heroic your protagonist must be.)

On average, this rounds to a sympathetic villain, with bonus points if there's something larger than life about the characterization. In Star Wars land, this is Maul – he's done enough bad stuff of his own volition you don't feel too bad laughing at him, yet he's enough of a victim of circumstance that a happy ending is satisfying (unlike for, say, Palpatine). TCW-era and beyond Anakin also works.

Comments

[jennaria]

I feel like this explains so much of my taste in comedy.

[extrapenguin]

Glad to hear it made sense!

[china_shop]

In general, the more bad stuff you expect people to laugh at, the less sympathetic/heroic your protagonist must be.

Ahhh, this makes so much sense!

[extrapenguin]

There's probably also a thread about when people can find someone's misfortune entertaining – the worse the person (esp in comparison to the other characters), the worse the suffering they can enjoy.

[linnen]

wonderfully put. exhibit a: kuzco.

[extrapenguin]

Glad you agree!