Dork Age: Difference between revisions

Line 5:

'''Beast:''' We [[Canon Discontinuity|just pretend that never happened]]... for the Professor's sake.|''[[X-Men (Comic Book)|X-Men]]: [http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/257930 Revisiting Profit]''}}

There's a very strange relationship between character/plot development and maintaining the status quo. Changing said status, if done poorly, may result in a Dork Age. A Dork Age is a period in a franchise, especially [[Long Runner~~|Long Runners~~]], where there was a dramatic change of concept or execution, usually [[We're Still Relevant, Dammit!|to stay current]], and it simply did ''not'' work.

There's a very strange relationship between character/plot development and maintaining the status quo. Changing said status, if done poorly, may result in a Dork Age. A Dork Age is a period in a franchise, especially [[Long Runner]]s, where there was a dramatic change of concept or execution, usually [[We're Still Relevant, Dammit!|to stay current]], and it simply did ''not'' work.

It could be an ill-advised "new direction". Or a costume change that was dated the instant it premiered. Maybe it's [[Fad Super|a timely gimmick that was dated five months before it premiered]]. Perhaps the character lost their trademark powers and went through a run of very different ones. Or there was a [[Retcon]] that revealed something that didn't quite gel, or attached a completely new mythos that came off as completely at odds with a character's history and overall mood. Sudden [[Genre Shift~~|Genre Shifts~~]]. [[Cloning Blues|Clones]]. [[The Scrappy|Scrappies]]. Many and unsubtle are the forms of the [[Dork Age]].

It could be an ill-advised "new direction". Or a costume change that was dated the instant it premiered. Maybe it's [[Fad Super|a timely gimmick that was dated five months before it premiered]]. Perhaps the character lost their trademark powers and went through a run of very different ones. Or there was a [[Retcon]] that revealed something that didn't quite gel, or attached a completely new mythos that came off as completely at odds with a character's history and overall mood. Sudden [[Genre Shift]]s. [[Cloning Blues|Clones]]. [[The Scrappy|Scrappies]]. Many and unsubtle are the forms of the '''Dork Age'''.

While this trope is most readily associated with fictional characters, note that musicians and other performers can enter Dork Ages as well. Especially when they try (and fail) to form a new and radically different onstage persona, experiment with [[Genre Shift|a very different genre]], or attempt to dramatically alter their entire image ''permanently'', or a band [[The Band Minus the Face|loses a key member]]. You know a band is in its Dork Age if you, as a fan, are wholly unaware that they're still around and releasing albums.

Line 13:

This fundamental change is often an attempt to attract new fans. Unfortunately, that usually does not work. Worse, the change does ''not'' go over well with the established fans. Generally, the more dramatically something diverts from its basics, the more likely it's the beginning of a Dork Age.

Now a [[Dork Age]] isn't necessarily a ''bad'' idea - not in theory at least - but depending on how deep a legacy runs, it can make for a strange detour. It's much easier to spot in hindsight. The main clue that a [[Dork Age]] has happened is that it's mentioned [[Canon Discontinuity|as little as possible]] by newer writers. You can bet a series with [[Adaptation Distillation]] will never mention it.

Now a '''Dork Age''' isn't necessarily a ''bad'' idea - not in theory at least - but depending on how deep a legacy runs, it can make for a strange detour. It's much easier to spot in hindsight. The main clue that a '''Dork Age''' has happened is that it's mentioned [[Canon Discontinuity|as little as possible]] by newer writers. You can bet a series with [[Adaptation Distillation]] will never mention it.

That said, often there will be a group of fans who remember the [[Dork Age]] with affection, and every so often there may be a [[Continuity Nod]] about it. Once enough distance has been put between the readers and the offending material, it'll usually be considered "safe" and people will start referring to it again, often in a [[Snark Bait|self-deprecating jest]].

That said, often there will be a group of fans who remember the '''Dork Age''' with affection, and every so often there may be a [[Continuity Nod]] about it. Once enough distance has been put between the readers and the offending material, it'll usually be considered "safe" and people will start referring to it again, often in a [[Snark Bait|self-deprecating jest]].

And much like [[Jumping the Shark]], this is most evident and should be supported upon retrospect. A Dork Age can sometimes be a [[Franchise Killer]], and also a result of [[Seasonal Rot]], but quite often those involved learned their lesson and things will change upon recognizing the dork age. It's [[They Changed It, Now It Sucks]] when it really does suck.

This trope's name evolved from the ''Wiz Kid'' [[Time Skip]] of ''[[BattleTech]]'', which they called ''[[Mechwarrior]]: ~~[[Dork Age|~~Dark Age]]''. You can see what the fans did there.

This trope's name evolved from the ''Wiz Kid'' [[Time Skip]] of ''[[BattleTech]]'', which they called ''[[Mechwarrior]]: '''Dark Age'''''. You can see what the fans did there.

Not to be confused with [[The Dark Age of Comic Books]] or [[The Dark Age of Animation]], though anything that earns the label "Dark Age" is likely to overlap. Definitely not to be confused with [[Dilbert|Dogbert's condescending name for one of Dilbert's inventions]].

See also [[Fanon Discontinuity]], [[Canon Discontinuity]], [[Running the Asylum]]. If the causes of the [[Dork Age]] are visible in earlier, good installments (if to a much lesser degree), we can point to that as the [[Franchise Original Sin]]. Often happens because a [[Long Runner]] feels the need to say "[[We're Still Relevant, Dammit!]]!", or because the creator had a [[Tough Act to Follow]]. See [[Dead Horse Music Genre]] for the musical ''era'' equivalent. This can be a lucky case of [[Jumping the Shark]] and surviving later. Speaking of sharks, see [[Voodoo Shark]] for a similar trope applied specifically to plot devices. For the network equivalent (though it is somewhat more akin to [[Jumping the Shark]] or [[Seasonal Rot]]) see [[Network Decay]].

See also [[Fanon Discontinuity]], [[Canon Discontinuity]], [[Running the Asylum]]. If the causes of the '''Dork Age''' are visible in earlier, good installments (if to a much lesser degree), we can point to that as the [[Franchise Original Sin]]. Often happens because a [[Long Runner]] feels the need to say "[[We're Still Relevant, Dammit!]]!", or because the creator had a [[Tough Act to Follow]]. See [[Dead Horse Music Genre]] for the musical ''era'' equivalent. This can be a lucky case of [[Jumping the Shark]] and surviving later. Speaking of sharks, see [[Voodoo Shark]] for a similar trope applied specifically to plot devices. For the network equivalent (though it is somewhat more akin to [[Jumping the Shark]] or [[Seasonal Rot]]) see [[Network Decay]].

Line 49:

[[Category:Just for Pun]]

[[Category:Audience Reactions]]

[[Category:~~index~~]]

[[Category:Index]]

[[Category:Dork Age]]

[[Category:Character Derailment Tropes]]