A wonderful piece of writing inspired nonsense. This is the Monty Python of ravaging, pillaging and angst. If you take a group of LA creatives suffering anxiety disorders in dire need of therapy and made them Vikings, you will get this show.
Jon Iver Helgaker and Jonas Torgersen created an instant classic the likes of Buckaroo Banzai and Time Bandits. *Note, I watch these two films every year and I am no way biased.
I think comedy like this is more difficult to write than drama. Drama is straightforward, but humor has to create a reference for the viewer to find hilarious. That takes work.
So is comedy harder to write?
1 person likes this
I find that comedy - good/strong/worthy comedy - is one of if not the most difficult genre to write successfully.
Comedy that appeals to a wide audience is especially difficult. Getting the audience to accept absurdity without tuning out is a fine line. There are so many distinct beats in one conversation leading to a punchline. Making the ridiculous funny takes talent.
1 person likes this
I love comedy, but I have been told I write great drama with "hints" of comedy! What I find most interesting both as a writer and a script reader/editor is how comedy can be very personal and that translates differently wherever you are. To me it's the little things I find funny, that usually get missed for the bigger laughs which, personally I think are too obvious. Dialect and language are great comedic traits and not just the words. I tend to write plays for the
local area's and I know someone who doesn't understand that area well would not find it funny.
I have done stand-up (once) as a testing ground for my character's dialogue, It was well received, people actually laughed, but when some people read those exact same words it isn't funny.
Like everything, you can't make everyone laugh all the time, you just have to do your best.
I watched a rehearsal day on the set of “Saturday Night Live.” They were constantly rewriting jokes, lots of collaboration.
You can go more crazy with comedy, so I say drama is harder.