The Need for Laughter
Most people find Friends funny. It is one of those shows that have been around forever but it is also one of those shows that you can watch multiple times and laugh just as hard as you did the first time you heard the joke. I completely agree with all of Alex's points on the basis that the three theories thoroughly encompasses the humor behind the show, however, the one that hit close to home was how integrated the relief theory was and how the characters use humor to handle some emotional setback in their life.
First off, I believe that the relief theory can be understood in two different ways. One, watching a hilarious show like Friends can be therapeutic in a way and can be emotional for those who are watching it. Secondly, the relief theory can be incorporated into the show and how the characters use humor to distract themselves from their own problems and issues. In Alex's post, she says "making people laugh gives one a complete turn around of emotion, which is key in the sense of helping people cope in stressful situations." This directly correlates to the relief theory because based on a certain situation, humor can be used to release pent-up energy from certain difficult situations which are often shown in Friends.
Most people find Friends funny. It is one of those shows that have been around forever but it is also one of those shows that you can watch multiple times and laugh just as hard as you did the first time you heard the joke. I completely agree with all of Alex's points on the basis that the three theories thoroughly encompasses the humor behind the show, however, the one that hit close to home was how integrated the relief theory was and how the characters use humor to handle some emotional setback in their life.
First off, I believe that the relief theory can be understood in two different ways. One, watching a hilarious show like Friends can be therapeutic in a way and can be emotional for those who are watching it. Secondly, the relief theory can be incorporated into the show and how the characters use humor to distract themselves from their own problems and issues. In Alex's post, she says "making people laugh gives one a complete turn around of emotion, which is key in the sense of helping people cope in stressful situations." This directly correlates to the relief theory because based on a certain situation, humor can be used to release pent-up energy from certain difficult situations which are often shown in Friends.
Is this why the show is so beloved, do you think? It turns so much on personal struggles and problems and fights and conflicts. I wonder if shows that deal with these issues tend to be more beloved than others.
ReplyDeleteI also love this about the show Friends that they use comedy and laughter to get through hard times with the relief theory. This was evident in a Friends episode I just watched where Monica and Chandler just heard bad news and used jokes to cope with this instead of being negative.
ReplyDeleteThis is such an insightful post! I especially liked how you connected the relief theory used to create humor within the show to how it's therapeutic to the viewers. Perhaps this shows the underlying human condition that we genuinely want to respond to difficult situations with positivity and humor, even though we aren't always able to successfully do that.
ReplyDeleteI fully agree that out of everything in Alex's post, the Relief Theory, by far, was what hit closest to home. I had not realized how obviously used the Relief Theory in Friends really was. Alex's post did a great job of bringing to light this phenomena. She presented such a solid argument for the Relief Theory that its presence has not yet been argued against in these posts. I also fully agree that the show as a whole offers us, the audience, a form of relief from the daily struggles and tribulations we face. Like the characters, we may face the same ordeals, but we see Rachel, Ross, Chandler, Joey, and Phoebe manage to handle their struggles with good laughs and jokes. This truly is a relief and in a way, gives us the encouragement to face the world with new optimism!
ReplyDeleteWhat do you think this says in general about the personality type of people who prefer drama to comedy? I tend to lean towards genres such as horror, psychological thriller, and mystery to comedy, but I would consider myself a pretty comical individual. Is there a relationship between the two? If so, what do you think it is?
ReplyDelete