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{{tropeUseful Notes}}
[[File:melodrama_7456melodrama 7456.gif|frame|<small>"Bob, darling, how will I ever live without you!?"<br />"Alice, alas, I [[TV Tropes Will Ruin Your Life|cannot divorce myself]] from [[TVAll The Tropes]]!"</small> ]]▼
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▲[[File:melodrama_7456.gif|frame|<small>"Bob, darling, how will I ever live without you!?"<br />"Alice, alas, I [[TV Tropes Will Ruin Your Life|cannot divorce myself]] from [[TV Tropes]]!"</small> ]]
 
A type of theater, film, and television that focuses on heightening the emotions of the audience. The word "melodrama" derives from "melody [in] drama" (like opera); '''melodrama''' at its finest aspires to have the tone and the repetitive, building emotion of an opera or a symphony.▼
 
It's usually associated with [[World of Ham|everyone acting like a]] [[Large Ham]], but it's actually about specific emphasis on any dramatic situation. This is done by amping up the perceived scale and emotional response on everything. Basically, every little hurdle becomes a mountain, every setback a [[Tragedy]] of Greek proportions, and the official couple will be [[Star -Crossed Lovers]] over the tiniest things, usually thanks to outside interference and [[Poor Communication Kills]].▼
▲A type of theater, film, and television that focuses on heightening the emotions of the audience. The word "melodrama" derives from "melody [in] drama" (like opera); melodrama at its finest aspires to have the tone and the repetitive, building emotion of an opera or a symphony.
 
▲It's usually associated with [[World of Ham|everyone acting like a]] [[Large Ham]], but it's actually about specific emphasis on any dramatic situation. This is done by amping up the perceived scale and emotional response on everything. Basically, every little hurdle becomes a mountain, every setback a [[Tragedy]] of Greek proportions, and the official couple will be [[Star Crossed Lovers]] over the tiniest things, usually thanks to outside interference and [[Poor Communication Kills]].
 
Note that this isn't the same as stage actors [[No Indoor Voice|speaking loudly]] and [[Milking the Giant Cow|making broad movements]]. That's just a necessity of stage acting. This is when the actors portray the characters (or the characters are written as) being akin to teenager with a very small, [[Soap Opera]] scale world. Every success, kiss, and snub will carry the sting of a legendary story. Essentially, what to us would be a pinprick gains the pathos of a rending wound.
 
Also note that [[Tropes Are Not Bad|this can be done right]]. Melodrama can quite easily hook viewers into becoming emotionally invested in the characters, something every story needs to survive. It helps if the stories are such as would produce large emotions -- andemotions—and if the characters are depicted with proper motivations. Only occasionally does it fall into the [[Anvilicious]] [[Narm]]-fests we associate with them. Which is why nowadays it's more of a pejorative term for gratuitous drama, and something writing books today urge people to steer clear of.
 
A [[Sub -Trope]] of [[Rule of Drama]].
 
A [[Super -Trope]] to [[GASP]], [[Melodramatic Pause]], [[Drama Queen]].
 
Compare [[Chewing the Scenery]], [[Large Ham]], [[Milking the Giant Cow]], [[Narm]] and [[Mundane Made Awesome]].
 
Contrast [[Dull Surprise]].
{{examples|Examples:}}▼
 
▲{{examples|Examples:}}
== [[Anime]] and [[Manga]] ==
* Basically AnyMany Anime/Anime Characters and Manga/Manga Characters hashave lots of [[Melodrama]] elements/behavior. inToo it.many for this list{{context}}
** We have plenty of room. Go ahead and list them.
* The anime version of ''Heidi'' fall easily into this.
* A lot of [[Shojo]] series, from the 70's to today, have these in spades. In fact, it would be easier to list those [[Shojo]] anime/manga titles in which melodrama ''isn't'' a central element of it. Some examples:
** ''[[Rose of Versailles]]'' is loaded with this. In one scene based on historical events, [[Marie Antoinette]] just had to say a few words to Madame DuBarry, and [http://www.flickr.com/photos/9530120@N08/3040810570/sizes/o/ Marie then runs away in tears], and even tosses her [[Pretty in Mink|Ermine]] [[Pimped -Out Cape|Cape]] behind her [[Rule of Symbolism|to show the princess is beaten]]. Episode 03 of ''[[Rose of Versailles Abridged]]'' discusses the importance of this and [[Rule of Drama]].
** ''[[Aim for Thethe Ace (Manga)!|Aim for The Ace]]'', which is even ''more'' noticeably overblown in the live-action adaptation. It's an early shoujo series, so it's only natural.
** ''[[Candy Candy]]''.
** ''[[Kaze to Ki no Uta (Manga)|Kaze to Ki no Uta]]''.
** ''[[Hot Gimmick (Manga)|Hot Gimmick]]''.
** ''[[Peach Girl]]''.
** ''[[Oniisama Ee...]]'', which not so coincidentally is by the same author of ''[[Rose of Versailles]]'', and inspired lots of [[Yuri Genre]] (mentioned below) series to come.
* ''[[Saint Seiya]]'', considering the action-to-drama ratio.
* ''[[Code Geass]]''. It wouldn't be half as awesome if it weren't.
* The works of [[Leiji Matsumoto]] have melodrama written all over it.
* Melodrama plays a vital role in most [[Yuri Genre]] anime. As with most shojo anime and manga, it would be easier and shorter to list those Yuri Genre shows which ''aren't'' all about melodrama.
* ''[[Death Note (Manga)|Death Note]]'', especially the dub. Major plot twists are accompanied by mundane actions and hammy dialogue - see the famous "I'll take a potato chip... AND EAT IT!" scene.
 
 
== [[Comic Books]] ==
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* Any big-screen adaptation of a stage play (or in the case of ''[[The Producers]]'', film adaptation of a play adaptation of a movie).
* ''[[Titanic]]'', especially the second half.
* Speaking of, ''[[The Legend of the Titanic]]'' (not to be confused with [[Titanic: theThe Legend Goes On|the one with the rapping dog]]) is heavy on this in the second half.
* The ''[[Star Wars]]'' movies are adventure melodramas.
* Pick a [[Bollywood]] film. ANY Bollywood film. The recent ones are slightly better about handling this, though.
* [[The Room|Johnny]] would like you to know that "[[Memetic Mutation|you are TEARING me APART, Lisa]]!" It's amazing how much drama Wiseau attempts to put into the minimal amount of things that actually happen.
* ''[[The Wizard of Oz (Filmfilm)|The Wizard of Oz]]''. Everyone puts intense effort in showing their emotions (worried, happy, frightened, angry...).
* Douglas Sirk did other films, but his most well known are his 1950s Hollywood melodramas, featuring titles such as ''All That Heaven Allows, Written on the Wind,'' and ''Imitation of Life.''
* ''[[Only Angels Have Wings]]'' is "[c]onsidered the 'quintessential' Howard Hawks male melodrama by many", according to the [[National Film Registry]].
 
 
== [[Literature]] ==
* Gothic and Romantic literature -- ''[[The Castle of Otranto (Literature)|The Castle of Otranto]]'' and ''[[Wuthering Heights (Literaturenovel)|Wuthering Heights]]'' certainly count as melodrama, which doesn't mean they're bad.
** The standard [[Romance Novel]] is purely and unabashedly melodrama by design.
* ''[[Twilight (Literaturenovel)|Twilight]]''. When you think about it, there aren't that many obstacles keeping Edward and Bella apart. They just like to ''think'' that there are.
* Hwang Sun-won's 1959 short story ''Sonagi'' (''Rain Shower'' in English) is an enduringly popular melodrama in Korea that is often referenced in contemporary Korean culture, which is a culture that is very fond of melodrama.
* One of the complaints of [[George Eliot (Creator)|George Eliot]]'s ''[[Silly Novels Byby Lady Novelists]]'':
{{quote| ''In the same way very ordinary events of civilized life are exalted into the most awful crises, and ladies in full skirts and manches à la Chinoise, conduct themselves not unlike the heroines of sanguinary melodramas.''}}
* ''Sisterhood'' series by [[Fern Michaels]]: Used quite a lot. For the most part, it's done right. On occasion, it does fall into [[Narm]].
* More than a few plot lines in ''[[Stationery Voyagers]]'' could have been avoided for heroes and villains alike, if they'd stopped to think of a rational solution instead of acting on seething hatred. If Astrabolo weren't in such a mad rush to [[Kick the Dog]] [[Villain Ball|every chance he gets]], his plans could have been ''even more'' successful. Same goes for Liquidon's incessant [[Heroic Self -Deprecation]] over how his killing Astriliad doomed the Whiteout race. Astrabolo probably would've developed his genocidal plans happened anyway, and for a lesser reason, had Liquidon simply done nothing at all. Katrina's [[Pre -Mortem One -Liner]] and [[Bond One -Liner]] moments show that she enjoys her [[Roaring Rampage of Revenge]] ''[[Anti -Hero|a bit too much]]''.
 
 
== [[Live Action TV]] ==
* [[Soap Opera|Soap Operas]]s, of course.
* [[Lifetime Movie of the Week|Lifetime Movies of the Week]] are these in spades.
** There was one, called ''Her Married Lover'', which is actually a [[Deconstruction]] of those melodramatic movies.
* There was a ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' sketch from the early 1990s, "Those Proud Pattersons", where everybody was an overdramatic actor.
* ''[[The Colbert Report]]'' is already [[Gut Feeling|very emotional]] [[Large Ham|about everything]], but occasionally it [http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/217061/january-27-2009/omar-returns ramps it up to eleven]. Even ''[[The Daily Show]]'' [http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=127296&title=Another-World did it once].
* Even though it's a reality show, ''[[Extreme Makeover: Home Edition]]'' seems to be chock full of melodrama.
** Reality shows in general are a gold mine for this trope. For example, ''My Kitchen Rules'' makes putting on a dinner party look like an epic tale of love, hate, war and [[Buffy -Speak|other things.]]
** New-formula ''[[Master Chef (TV)|Master ChefMasterChef]]'': "''Cooking'' doesn't get ''tougher'' than ''this!''"
* ''[[Scrubs]]'' exists to invert and subvert this trope. The show is about low-ranking, everyday doctors who realistically acknowledge that one third of their patients are old farts about to die and most of their day is spent disimpacting people's bowels. This is in direct contrast to medical dramas such as ''[[House (TV series)|House]], [[ER]]'' and ''[[GreysGrey's Anatomy]]'' where every single patient leads the cast on a roller-coaster of emotional torment and soul-searching. Although it should be noted that the doctors on ''[[Scrubs]]'' have, on occasion, been put on a rollercoaster of emotional torment and soul-searching (by their patients or otherwise) anyway.
* A commercial for mail-order eye contacts had an "overly-dramatic recreation" ("But Mary, our eyes are ''different!''").
* [[Korean Drama]]. Oh my god. The ones labelled [[Melodrama]] will get you but the the comedies and romantic comedies can sneak up from behind and hit you with a lead pipe while you are still laughing at that last comic bit.
 
 
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== [[Theater]] ==
* [[Ruddigore]] by [[Gilbert and Sullivan]] is a monumental parody of Transpontine melodrama (a melodramatic subgenre popular at the time of writing.)
* [[Takarazuka]] productions.
* ''[[The Phantom of the Opera]]'' and its sequel ''[[Love Never Dies]]''.
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== [[Video Games]] ==
* ''[[Final Fantasy]]'' Series, and many other [[JRPG|JRPGs]]s.
* One of ''[[Metal Gear]]'''s claims to fame/notoriety (along with the [[Quirky Miniboss Squad|weird bosses]], [[Painting the Fourth Wall|playing with]] [[No Fourth Wall|the fourth wall]], [[Estrogen Brigade Bait|beef]][[Even the Guys Want Him|cake]], [[Ho Yay|homoeroticism]], [[Mind Screw|the creator's desire to mess with players' heads]] and [[Exposition Break|lots of]] [[Final Speech|talking]]). The first ''[[Metal Gear Solid]]'' alone features several tragic death scenes, conversations about the nature of love, and a [[Big Bad]] who turns out to be a vengeful, hitherto unknown relative of the protagonist.
* A significant number of [[Visual Novel|visual novels]] appear to have no purpose other than to make the player (reader?) [[Tear Jerker|cry uncontrollably]]. See [[Utsuge]] for details.
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== [[Western Animation]] ==
* The original Terrytoons ''[[Mighty Mouse]]'' series. Not only did it feature an [[The Ace|Ace]] hero, a [[Distressed Damsel in Distress]] and a [[Card -Carrying Villain]], but all the dialogue was sung, [[Opera]]-style.
* ''[[Princess Sissi (Animation)|Princess Sissi]]'', the German [[Animated Adaptation]] of Elizabeth of Bavaria's life. This isn't suprising, as most historical drama isn't low-key.
* Later episodes of ''[[South Park (Animation)|South Park]]'' often go in that direction, thanks to [[Cerebus Syndrome]]. There are 3 ways that it's used: intentionally (i.e. "Raisins"), [[Played for Laughs]] (i.e. "Over-Logging"), or ''both'' (i.e. "The China Probrem").
* Rarity from [[My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic (Animation)|My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic]] has her moments, and [[Large Ham|out-hams]] everyone around her: "I VANT TO BE ALO-HO-HO-ON I WANT TO WALLOW IN... WHATEVER IT IS PONIES ARE SUPPOSED TO WALLOW IN! (aside to self) Do ponies wallow in pity? (back to the melodrama!) OH, LISTEN TO ME! I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT I'M SUPPOSED TO WALLOW IN! I'M SO PATHETI-I-I-IC"
 
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Index of Exact Trope Titles]]
[[Category:Bollywood Tropes]]
[[Category:Drama Tropes]]
[[Category:Rule of Drama]]
[[Category:Message in A Bottle (Film){{PAGENAME}}]]
[[Category:MelodramaHam Index]]
[[Category:Trope]]
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