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{{trope}}
[[File:
The [[Tone Shift]] that a show goes through when its plots become increasingly convoluted. Most often happens with shows whose initial premise is mundane, and ostensibly could take place in the real world, begin to gradually take in tropes from more elaborate genre fiction until the show is at a point where it no longer resembles its pilot episode at all. This is similar to [[Cerebus Syndrome]], except that instead of working on tone this trope increases the density and zaniness of literal plot elements, often requiring a greater [[Willing Suspension of Disbelief]] and viewer concentration level in order to succeed.
This trope is typically used as a ratings grab. For a show that's losing appeal, it's much easier to instantly come up with wacky plot elements than it is to invest time in more complex character nuance. As with much [[Executive Meddling]], this motivation doesn't exactly have much basis in
Shows up fairly often in adaptation, particularly [[Animated Adaptation
If the author takes advantage of established series elements that have gathered over time, then it's [[Continuity Creep]].
Often a reason for [[Jumping the Shark]]. Compare [[Cerebus Syndrome]], [[Kudzu Plot]].
{{examples}}
== Anime and Manga ==
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* [[Lupin III]] has had many wackier episodes, but the cream of the "how does that work?" is the art and tone shift for the third series and for the ''Legend of the Gold of Babylon'' movie. It says something when a character who is known for being ''just'' this side of possible evokes an "are they smoking something?" feel.
==
* An in-universe example in the comic series ''[[Supreme]]''. A comic book writer has acquired powers based on one's personality. Supreme points out that he's a ''British'' comic book writer, and he'll just grow more and more complex until he becomes a convoluted mess. This was likely a [[Take That]] directed at the trend of British comic book writers who tried to create complex story lines that just didn't stop. ([[Self-Deprecation|Such as]] [[Alan Moore]].)
== Film ==
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== Live Action Television ==
* ''[[Happy Days]]'': The actual shark-jumping episode is a good example. Picture the premise of the
* ''[[Family Matters]]'' starts out as a mundane sitcom, but succumbed to this trope as a result of Steve Urkel, who got initially got into plots with his suave, handsome, scientifically induced alter ego Stefan until the end of the series featured him traveling into [[Recycled in Space|space]]. Steve Urkel being the harbinger of these changes was likely incidental, since an [[
* ''[[
* ''[[The Office]]'' in the USA rolls with this, though not quite as badly as some other shows. The first two seasons (really the first season, but what was technically the first season was stunted), portrayed a fairly realistic day-to-day workplace with a [[Pointy-Haired Boss]], who, while on the extreme of what should be firing offenses, was fairly realistic in his incompetence, but later seasons saw a more ironclad [[Contractual Immortality]] take place for many characters, especially Ryan, Michael, Dwight, and (in one case) Meredith.
* The TV adaptation of ''[[Honey I Shrunk the Kids (TV series)|Honey I Shrunk the Kids]]'' is much denser and wackier than [[Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
* ''[[30 Rock
* ''[[Boy Meets World]]'' got like this in season 7, especially when you compare it to [[Cerebus Syndrome|the more serious]] season 6. While it had several serious episodes and some realistic plotlines, it also had a lot of convoluted and wacky plotlines, especially the Jack and Eric ones. For example one plotline involved Eric gaining the ability to see into the future whenever he sneezes and Jack trying to use this power to win the lottery. Luckily, this was the show's final season.
* ''[[Super Sentai]]'' had two: ''[[Gekisou Sentai Carranger]]'' and ''[[Engine Sentai
* ''[[Frasier]]'' did this right — after a first season that was very well-written, but quiet, sensible, slow-moving, and rather ''[[Cheers]]''-ish in style, the second season amped the show up into a full-blown theatrical [[Farce]] and perfected its trademark blend of ludicrously overblown plots, highbrow wit, and slapstick, which it marinated in (and scooped many, many Emmys for) until it started losing momentum in season nine.
* ''[[Downton Abbey]]''. While the first series is a rather understated comedy of manners with subtle observations on the class structure of Edwardian England. The second veers at several times into full blown soap opera, complete with plot lines invoking {{spoiler|amnesia and mistaken identity, a suicide-murder frame-up, a miraculous medical recovery, and a rather superfluous affair}}.
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* ''[[FoxTrot]]'' went this route. The drawing style was always cartoonish, but in the early years the characters and storylines were well-grounded in reality. Starting in the '90s, the style of humor became increasingly cartoonish and all traces of realism vanished.
* ''[[Candorville]]'': This is probably better than [[Cerebus Syndrome]] as a description of what's happened. Formerly a slow-paced ''[[Doonesbury]]'' clone with a bit of [[Magical Realism]] thrown in, it's introduced vampires, soul-eating demons, and at least two factions competing to rule the
* Round about the 1960s ''[[Dick Tracy]]'' started introducing a ton of sci-fi elements including "Moon People". Once original author Chester Gould left the strip, they were quickly written out. The only remnant of the era Honeymoon Tracy, the daughter of the Moon Queen and Dick's adopted son, Junior Tracy, is still around, but [[Broad Strokes|we don't talk about who mom was]].
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* [[Kingdom Hearts]] started doing this as soon as the second game came out. The games are spread across different consoles as a [[Jigsaw Puzzle Plot]], making it [[Kudzu Plot|very confusing]] for anyone who isn't really into the series.
* Though the first ''[[Serious Sam]]'' wasn't exactly serious to begin it with, it still had a ''relatively'' realistic art-style and cartoonish but not that out-there [[Standard FPS Guns]]. Then came ''Serious Sam II'', which had things like a world based on fairy tales, a kamikaze parrot as a weapon and [[You Don't Look Like You|redesigned]] the hero to make him more cartoonish. However, the third game is apparently going to be [[Darker and Edgier]].
* The creators of ''[[
* The original ''[[Earthworm Jim (
* ''[[
** ''[[
* ''[[Dead Rising 2]] : Off The Record'' promises to be this. The original installments had heavy goofy elements but a fairly serious main storyline. ''Off The Record'''s trailer shows Frank having fun in an amusement park full of zombies, basically just screwing around, while wacky music plays.
* ''[[Saints Row]]'' started off as just a slightly wackier ''[[Grand Theft Auto]]'' clone about gang warfare, but its second installment began introducing outlandish minigames like streaking naked, driving a sewage truck spraying gunk everywhere to devalue property, riding a quad while on fire, and so on. The third game goes ''completely'' nuts, with a cyberspace level, futuristic VTOL jets and hoverbikes, a vehicle that sucks people up and shoots them out of a cannon, zombies, and so on.
* ''[[Metal Gear]]'' started out as a relatively subdued action movie with some sci-fi elements. ''[[Metal Gear Solid]]'' added supernatural elements, like nanomachines, psychics and ghosts, that are just accepted as part of the universe of the games. By ''[[Metal Gear Solid]] 2'', outrageously complicated conspiracy antics and vampires become involved, and every boss in ''[[Metal Gear Solid]] 3'' has some kind of supernatural power (and explodes after being killed). ''Peace Walker'' has Turing Test-passing AI, magic, singing tanks, dinosaur-like monsters [[Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking|and mp3 players]] in 1974.
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== Western Animation ==
* ''[[The Simpsons (
* The ''[[
* ''[[
* ''[[
* ''[[
* Disney cartoon adaptations are often this. ''[[Timon and Pumbaa]]'' is a noticeable example, being random slapstick and goofy compared to the more realistic film.
** Same goes for ''[[101 Dalmatians
* Arguably happens in compressed form [[Once an Episode]] of ''[[
* ''[[The Boondocks]]'' became this way starting with season 2 onwards. The show started out as an animated series with fairly realistic settings and events(much like ''[[
{{reflist}}
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[[Category:Creativity Leash]]
[[Category:Tone Shift]]
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