although it was funny, the classic literary rule is that the ending determines the genre, and as this film has a tragic end, it is a tragedy. a comic tragedy, but a tragedy nonetheless.

It's actually a tragicomedy. ;)

Yes, that's a real genre. I should know, I write it often. Promise I didn't make that up. ;o)

I'll find you a link which explains it.

EDIT: Aha, link.

From the link above:

"[A Tragicomedy is a] dramatic work incorporating both tragic and comic elements. When coined by the Roman dramatist Plautus in the 2nd century bc, the word denoted a play in which gods and men, masters and slaves reverse the roles traditionally assigned to them, gods and heroes acting in comic burlesque and slaves adopting tragic dignity. This startling innovation may be seen in Plautus’ Amphitryon."

"Modern tragicomedy is sometimes used synonymously with Absurdist drama, which suggest that laughter is the only response left to man when he is faced with the tragic emptiness and meaninglessness of existence. Examples of this modern type of tragicomedy are Samuel Beckett’s Endgame (1958) and Harold Pinter’s The Dumb-Waiter (1960)."

i know that's a genre. i don't feel like the name for that genre fits dr. horrible's sing-along blog. tragicomedy makes tragic come first and be the adjective, meaning that by nature it's a comedy. i feel just the opposite is true about this film. also, if you read the description of the modern tragicomedy, it's much more existential and out-there than dr. horrible was. but i dunno, that's just my opinion.

Actually, while it's true that classical and renaissance tragicomedy was more about a seeming tragedy having a happy ending, modern dramatists take the opposite (more morbid) view, as the second paragraph states. Friedrich Durenmatt's "The Visit" is also a tragicomedy (We studied it in my modern theater history class), because it leads the audience to believe that the good in people will triumph, when inevitably there is that horrible reversal, and the protagonist is killed due to the greediness of humankind. I read modern tragicomedies, and yes there are existential elements to them, but I assure you an existenialist could look at Dr. Horrible and have a lot to say about it.

Also, the reversals inherent to a tragicomedy (servants become masters, heroes become villains) is also present in Dr Horrible.

Hmmm. I still feel it wasn't as post-modern as most modern tragicomedies, but you have a some good points. I agree to somewhat agree haha.

It's a comedic tragedy.

It's like....it's Joss Whedon! What do you ever call his work? And it's sorta like Little Shop of Horrors- as in- it's funny, goofy, scary, and sad at the same time! (well not really SCARY...)

The way I like to describe Whedon's works: He makes you laugh, feel all comfortable and happy, and then when you least expect it he rips out your beating heart from it's chest and noms on it right in front of you. Then he puts it back, places a Band Aid on the hole, and you go, "Please sir, may I have some more?" Yes...that's Whedon. He noms and stomps on our innocent hearts, but makes us beg for more :)

I didnt really find it that sad

hum...I don't really know actually
but I was kinda feeling sad for him so....There was (really ! )funny quotes

both