TV’s Current Craze Is The Comedic Weepie
The Hollywood ReporterStory by Daniel Fienberg
scrn logline
Hit comedies blend gut-busting laughs with heartfelt tears, redefining the 'comedic weepie' for a new generation of TV viewers
beat sheet
- Ted McGinley, the so-called 'show killer,' has emerged as a scene-stealing supporting actor on Apple TV+'s 'Shrinking,' showcasing a newfound depth and vulnerability in his performances
- Netflix's 'A Man on the Inside' and HBO's 'Somebody Somewhere' similarly blend humor and pathos, elevated by impeccable ensemble casts that breathe life into characters facing grief, loneliness, and economic insecurity
call sheet
Ted McGinley, Candice Bergen, Allison Janney, Jason Segel, Brett Goldstein, Bill Lawrence, Judd Apatow, Ted Danson, Sally Struthers, Margaret Avery, John Getz, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Bridget Everett, Jeff Hiller, Tim Bagley, Apple TV+, Netflix, HBO, Shrinking, A Man on the Inside, Somebody Somewhere, M*A*S*H, Murphy Brown, Mom, The Wonder Years, Scrubs, Ted Lasso, Parks and Recreation, The Good Place, Only Murders in the Building, Reservation Dogs