Pro tip: Binge a drama before a comedy if you're splitting a weekend

Used to bounce between genres all the time, but last month I watched all of Severance in two days then started The Bear right after. That dark comedy hit way harder because I was still in that intense headspace. Anyone else notice their mood affects how much they enjoy a show?

2 comments

Log in to join the discussion

Log In

2 Comments

ryanhayes2mo ago

Did you ever see that study about how your brain processes comedy better when it's not already stressed or wound up? I read somewhere that your prefrontal cortex kinda needs to be in a relaxed state to really appreciate humor and clever writing. So yeah, pairing a heavy drama with a comedy actually makes sense for getting the most out of both.

5

parkerl332mo ago

Wait isn't it the opposite for some people though? Like I tried watching The Office after a heavy episode of The Wire and the jokes just felt flat and forced because my brain was still stuck on the gritty street stuff. But if I do it the other way around a comedy first actually loosens me up for the drama. You ever notice how something like Bojack Horseman works better when you've already had a laugh beforehand cause then the sad parts actually punch harder since you weren't bracing for them the whole time? I think it depends on the specific shows too like throw something like Atlanta in there where it mixes both tones and suddenly you don't know what mood to be in at all.

1