Tension-Cutting Laughter: Difference between revisions

Laughter is a reaction normally associated with good humor, shared insight, and merriment being had. Other times, it signals that your are not going to get shivved in the back. [['''Tension-Cutting Laughter]]''' is that second kind, the kind that says "Ah, so the Don ''doesn't'' think [[The Informant|I'm a rat selling him out to the Feds]]" or "So Bob ''isn't'' going to [[Overprotective Dad|kick my ass for insulting his daughter]]" or even simply "Mary ''does'' get I was kidding about [[Tropey Come Home|selling her cat on]] [[EBay (Website)|eBay]]." It is akin to an exhale of relief after a particularly tense bit of drama has been wound up, the source of which is usually a misunderstanding.

[['''Tension-Cutting Laughter]]''' is an efficient way for writers to build and release tension rhythmically throughout a narrative, and as such should be viewed as a [[Plot Device]] unrelated to whatever it is the characters are laughing about. The laughter could be in response to anything, whether it be the ridiculousness of the situation, something new and unrelated entering the scene, or even a joke. It could even simply be just laughter on its own, apropos of nothing. The point is it cuts the tension, allowing the audience to relax a little.

Can be a source of [[Mood Whiplash]], doubly so if the [['''Tension-Cutting Laughter]]''' is followed by the revelation that the one laughing ''actually'' '''is''' taking everything seriously.

This will often be found in stories employing [[Gallows Humor]]. May be the key ingredient in an [["Everybody Laughs" Ending]]. Sometimes doubles as a [[Laugh Withwith Me]] moment.

* In ''[[JtJohnny HMthe Homicidal Maniac]]'', there's a scene where Devi and Nny are on a date. Devi jokes about killing Nny and leaving his dead body. Both fall silent, but after a moment they both laugh.

* ''[[Turnabout Storm (Fanfic)|Turnabout Storm]]'': The massive laughter coming from the courtroom after [[My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic (Animation)|Dash's]] [[Embarrassing Old Photo]] is shown almost makes forget the fact that she was going to be declared guilty just a few seconds ago. Of course, this being ''[[Ace Attorney (Visual Novel)|Ace Attorney]]'', [[Mood Whiplash]] strikes again quickly.

* Found at the beginning of ''[[Batman Returns (Film)|Batman Returns]]''. [[Corrupt Corporate Executive|Max Shreck]], a villain, and [[Catwoman (Comic Bookcomics)|Selina Kyle]], his secretary, break out in this after Max makes like he's going to choke her to death. After the laughter subsides, he [[Destination Defenestration|pushes her out of the 45th floor window]].

* There are several occasions in ''[[Discworld]]'' novels when the narrator notes that characters are laughing at not-very-funny lines, because people who thought they were about to die will laugh at ''anything''. In ''[[Discworld (Literature)/The Truth|The Truth]]'', Sacharissa's [[Tension-Cutting Laughter]] lasts too long, and William realises the tension isn't cut at all, and this is "[[Die Laughing|the kind of laughter you die from]]".

== [[Live -Action TV]] ==

* On ''[[Farscape (TV)|Farscape]]'' D'argo and John Crichton frequently did this.

* [[Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV)/Recap/S6 /E22 Grave|Buffy ]] lists all the ways the Scoobies have stuffed up since he left, ending with "And I'm sleeping with Spike." She then looks nervous as she waits for Giles to tear strips off her...only for Giles to burst into laughter. After a moment Buffy can't help but join him.