Abstract
This chapter explores how narratives and images of death—both real and fictional—permeate contemporary media and reflect a society in which death is simultaneously concealed and exploited. In particular, it examines how the end of life is highly medicalized, secularized and mediatized, creating a unique set of social conditions that facilitate the creation and appreciation of humour about death. Through the analysis of scenes from a wide range of series, including Six Feet Under, The Big C, Grey’s Anatomy, Nurse Jackie and Last Man on Earth, this chapter reveals the imbrication of levity and bereavement in twenty-first century American TV. Despite its caustic and disruptive nature, dark comedy is a collective, provocative endeavor through which we attempt to articulate grief and ameliorate its impact.
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Murray, K.A. (2016). The Last Laugh: Dark Comedy on US Television. In: Bucaria, C., Barra, L. (eds) Taboo Comedy. Palgrave Studies in Comedy. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-59338-2_3
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