In “Chuckle, Chortle, Cackle: A Phenomenology of Cinematic Laughter” Julian Hanich discusses all of the different causes and types of laughter an audience can experience. One mode of laughter he describes is laughing “down” at something; he suggests that arrogant viewers may take pleasure and amusement in something on account of its poor quality. It is a bold claim to suggest that all who partake in this are arrogant, but it is true that this act is difficult not to come across as patronising.
A show that strikes me as a victim of this, is the children’s television show The Next Step. Following a troupe of dancers in Canada, the show uses a mockumentary style to add a level of engagement between the dancers and the audience. However, it does not mock its counterpart (i.e. shows like Dance Moms) as so many mockumentaries do, the comedy is supposed to come from the dialogue and acting. While it does work on this level, children can enjoy it as it is supposed to be enjoyed, it also can be accidentally enjoyed by adults via this laughing “down” concept that Hanich discusses.
When an adult audience watches a children’s television show, it is difficult not to adopt at least a subconscious level of condescension. It is, after all, made for people with less mental development. If an adult audience is able to lean into this feeling, The Next Step suddenly becomes hilariously entertaining. Instead of cringing at corny dialogue and awkwardly inserted dance numbers, we can laugh at them. It is difficult to say who exactly is being laughed at in this instance; it may be the writers, the actors, the intended audience, or even our younger selves that found it sincerely and unironically gripping.
This concept of ‘so bad that it’s good’ also exemplifies another concept that Hanich talks about – the idea that the mode of watching can be completely altered via the mode of viewing. “Think of private DVD evenings in which alcohol, marihuana, or sweet food can contribute to humorous evaluations of a deadly serious film.” (197) It is not to say that an adult could not laugh at The Next Step if watching alone, but that a shared viewing experience simply elevates the comedy. Use the show as a drinking game and it becomes even funnier.
@.multitns The james one crazy they picked the worst time to put that voiceover💀💀 #thenextstep #tns #fyp
@.multitns Replying to @Madz (Taylor’s version) #tns #thenextstep #fyp
@.multitns Replying to @Katie 🧚♀️🦋 nationals might be right around the corner idk not too sure x #tns #thenextstep #fyp
@.multitns Replying to @jack🪩 riley again with the quotes! “this changes everything” and most of these didnt change a thing #thenextstep #tns #fyp
@lucyoutram2.0 true heartbreak @sophiebutterworth25 @bailey knight #foryoupage #thenextstep #fyp #fypage #girls #dancer
Julian Hanich, “Chuckle, Chortle, Cackle: A Phenomenology of Cinematic Laughter,” The Audience Effect: On the Collective Cinema Experience (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2017), 189-216.
I’ve only seen this show while stuck in an airport hotel for a night– a sort of delirious altered mode of viewing in a way– and was unable to switch off. It really is so bad. To put some theory to it, the melodrama finds so much dramatic tension and stakes from social situations that (with any more time in the proverbial oven of age) are just not that deep, so it comes off as comical and almost an inadvertently self-parody.
I think your inclusion of the tiktok edits is really interesting (they are hilarious). I loved the show when I was younger and it’s interesting how these specific and quite unknown shows are able to come back due to their demographic. The kids who grew up watching are now very active on social media platforms like tiktok so through reengagement these shows can have a resurgence and their comedy can be enjoyed in a brand new way.
This is an interesting point on how it is not only watching something collectively that can impact laughter but also the circumstance itself, especially when older viewers watch content meant for younger audiences!