I think 1 of the factors is that the writers weren't overtly cruel to Ed. Sure he might have a rock for a brain, but he's doing his best to be a good person and doesn't have *too* harsh consequences for his dumb antics. We can laugh at the nonsense without feeling cruel.
Trope 1 is like your Patrick Star, Ed (ed, edd, & eddy), or Billy (billy & mandy) while trope 2 is more like Mac and Charlie (it's always sunny), Eddy (ed, edd, & eddy), or Spencer (iCarly).
While unfounded I feel older depictions of "stupid characters" were based on hate towards the mentally handicapped, because it always depicted them with speech impediments, learning dissabilities etc. Most real "stupid people" I met were perfectly able, they just had learned things strangely.
Yes, I am fairly sure the term "duh" to indicate blatant obviousness has its roots from speech impediments of the verbally challenged, which would make it inappropriate.
On the other hand, such an interjection is ingrained so universally and colloquially with no meaningful replacement.
Bonus points to the Stupid character who's also somehow, never addressed in the show mind you, able to actually DO The stupid things without a problem.
This is honestly a pretty good example and falls in line with what I think makes a funny "Stupid character." If you think back on the funniest moments with Patrick, him being stupid is a vehicle that makes the joke happen!
This.
Take the stupid, the absurd, the nonsensical seriously and logically, and keep treating the characters like real people — that's how it works best.
My favorite example of this is the Metalocalypse episode where all the boys are drinking bleach under the logic that bleach is mostly water like we are, therefore we're part bleach and bleach is good for you.
In reality, it really depends on the tone of the show, it’s not blanket. The first one can be built upon and used to bounce off of, while the second one is more independent, like a gag in an episode of adventure time. One needs support, while the other is in itself a well written joke.
Salt 3 3D was a massive flop because the market for 3D technology was poorly received, the franchise was then sold to megacorporate media company "Besnop" who later made a reboot of the series called Salt which flopped harder than Salt 3 3D did, leading to them laying off all of their employees.
Salt 4: Reborn would have released this year, but was shelved after post-production due to the failure of Salt 3 3D and will be destroyed so that Besnop can write it off on their taxes.
Besnop is also currently looking into generative AI.
in the early seasons, Patrick was more of a misguided mentor to Spongebob. A friend the titular character looked up to even though he probably shouldn't.
If you actually read further instead of the first paragraph, you'd know that the show was picked up for season 3 on September 20, 2000 and halted production of episodes in 2002 to focus effort on the upcoming movie which released in 2004
The movie came out a week before season 3 finished airing.
Idk what trope this is, but I like to call it the "logical dumbass". I think Gumball from TAWOG is a good example cus he literally did this in one episode where he says "rocks has atoms, and food has atoms, therefore rocks is food" and bites into it.
So true, there has to be a method to the madness, where you understand the line of thinking but common sense or experience counteracts it in most people.
I have a character that no longer eats people. Not that he shouldn't eat people cuz they're, you know, people, but because "his wife told him that they were too high in cholesterol and it would make him fat" and he believed it.
A person who has somehow gotten away with functioning on their own personal stupid in greater society, where not enough people are challenging them on it; that IS way more believable than the lazier way, which is merely a caricature of a non-functioning person.
You're smart for this one.
I feel this lol, watching Redshell play smarter than a 5th grader and watching him get the answers to questions right meanwhile his logic is "so this happened in an anime I watched" 😂
Also more accurate. Stupid people tend to be too stupid to know they’re stupid.
The famous Dunning-Kruger paper begins with the story of a criminal who rubbed lemon juice on his face, thinking it would blur his image on security cameras.
Comments
"Well, if you say so."
"The chili dog, not the baby!"
A Con Man who is convinced that he's a criminal genius when he's really a complete idiot coasting by on dumb luck, emphasis on dumb.
The second is more realistic, offers deeper character depth, exercises better writing, and provides more room for social satire.
That's not to say slapstick idiocy gags can't be effective (Amelia Bedelia, Mr. Bean, Mr. Noodle).
Case in point:
But yea fully agree, let the stupid be a smidge more subtle and more of over confidence than just in your face obvious
On the other hand, such an interjection is ingrained so universally and colloquially with no meaningful replacement.
I missed this dearly
Bottom: Classic (Season 1-3, Movie) Patrick
Season 6 onwards is just dumb to be dumb.
Take the stupid, the absurd, the nonsensical seriously and logically, and keep treating the characters like real people — that's how it works best.
Besnop is also currently looking into generative AI.
"We cant make good Salt anymore because we don't have any good Salt" says Greedy Mcmoneyson, CEO of Besnop who was later arrested for insider trading.
that’s why the dumb are dumb
I've heard he's swung back and gotten some of his "smart dumb" back though.
Season 3 - Episode 16b Patrick eating "the yellow sand" from what's considered "The Golden Era"
Season 3 is when Hillenburg left. You can clock the decline of quality in the middle of it.
The movie came out a week before season 3 finished airing.
Didn't look at a writing credits, or that spongebob seasons after season 2 were really sporadically released and had a ton of bombs?
Season 3 spongebob was stretched from 1999 to 2003 because the core team was on the movie.
/j
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Unaware but aiming to be helpful.
You're smart for this one.
Bet it's doing that to you 😎
The famous Dunning-Kruger paper begins with the story of a criminal who rubbed lemon juice on his face, thinking it would blur his image on security cameras.
-INT
“What?”
“Too much bacon. So I brought you this medicine.”
“Is it grape-flavored? Because I don’t like grape.”
“Then it’s bacon-flavored.”
“Yaaaaaaayyyyyy!”
- DBZ Abridged