Reference: Dark Whimsy Line
Rick Retro’s Reference Rundown #8: Opinion Block, Dark Whimsy Line
Retro Reviews Reference
The third line of the Opinion Block is the Dark Whimsy Line, where I reveal the Dark Whimsy score of the reviewed work. The Dark Whimsy score is based on the readings of the Dark Scale and the Whimsy Scale.
The Dark Scale and Whimsy Scale readings are integer values from zero to thirteen.
The Dark Whimsy score is the integer value of the lower of the two Dark and Whimsy readings on the respective scales. In addition, if one of the two scales reads higher than the other, a decimal value from 0.1 to 0.9 is added. This value is scaled to give about twice as much weight to the Whimsy reading as the Dark reading. If both readings are identical, no decimal value is added.
A work must have a Dark Whimsy score of 7.0 or higher to be officially considered part of the Dark Whimsy genre. Works appropriate for adults only are considered to be Dark Whimzy instead. This would be works with an Overall Content rating of -1 or lower. (See Reference: Overall Content Line.) Works with a Dark Whimsy score of 10.0 are considered “Pure Dark Whimsy” or “Pure Dark Whimzy”. Works with Dark Whimsy scores below 7.0 are labeled “Not Dark Whimsy”.
The emojis standing in for the genres and scales are:
😎😎 Pure Dark Whimsy
🕶️🕶️ Pure Dark Whimzy
😎 Dark Whimsy
🕶️ Dark Whimzy
🚫 Not Dark Whimsy
🌚 Dark Scale
🌝 Whimsy Scale
Examples of typical DW lines include:
DW 😎😎13.0 | 🌚13 🌝13
DW 🕶️8.5 | 🌚12 🌝8
DW 🚫5.7 | 🌚5 🌝9
Dark Scale
Let’s take a closer look at the Dark Scale 🌚. It’s actually a composite of points earned on three subordinate scales. 25 points total can be earned, 15 from the Mayhem Scale, 5 from the Monsters Scale and 5 from the Mood Scale (Dark). The total points earned convert to the Dark Scale reading as follows:
Dark Scale
0 to 6 points = Dark 0 to 6
7 to 8 points = Dark 7
9 to 10 points = Dark 8
11 to 13 points = Dark 9
14 to 16 points = Dark 10
17 to 19 points = Dark 11
20 to 22 points = Dark 12
23 to 25 points = Dark 13
The subordinate scales are scored as follows:
Mayhem Scale
Assign points according to highest applicable reading, including modifications applied to the reading. For example a film with peril of injury happening ten times to children (4+4 pts.) and peril of death to an adult just once (6+0 pts.) is assigned 8 points.
+0 safe space, no problems or conflict
+1 minor problems faced by a character
+2 moderate problems faced
+3 serious problems faced
+4 peril of injury happens
+5 injury happens
+6 peril of death happens
+7 death happens
Character Modification (all cases, except safe spaces)
-1 if it happens to non-sentient animal or non-human character
+1 if happens to child or to sentient animal or non-human character
Frequency Modification (all cases, except safe spaces)
+1 if happens two to four times
+2 if five to nine times
+3 if ten plus times
+4 mass disaster event
Intent Modification (all cases, except safe spaces)
+1 if death, injuries and problems are caused by evil intent to innocent victims, as opposed to righteous intent against evildoers, accidents or natural causes
Circumstance Modification (death or injury only)
-2 if it happens off screen (is merely referenced)
-1 if it is inferred on screen (for example a populated building blows up, but no dead bodies are shown)
+0 if dead or injured are seen in aftermath of their death or injury
+1 if moment of death or injury is portrayed, with character shown dying or suffering injury
+1 if dead or injured are seen with blood, but not graphic injuries or gore
+2 if dead or injured are seen with graphic injuries, blood and gore
Monsters Scale
Assign points based on the percentage of the length of the work that is taken up by scenes that include monsters.
+0 | 0% to 10%
+1 | 11% to 28%
+2 | 29% to 46%
+3 | 47% to 64%
+4 | 65% to 82%
+5 | 83% to 100%
Monsters include all types of non-human potentially frightening creatures.
Monsters can include good characters perceived as monsters and human villains who are monsters at heart.
Mood Scale (Dark)
Assign points based on the percentage of the length of the work that is taken up by scenes that include dark mood settings.
+0 | 0% to 10%
+1 | 11% to 28%
+2 | 29% to 46%
+3 | 47% to 64%
+4 | 65% to 82%
+5 | 83% to 100%
Dark mood settings would include nighttime scenes (excluding happy scenes and celebrations not interrupted by frightening moments), crime scenes (including locations where crime is planned), places associated with death (such as graveyards, battlefields, disaster sites), scenes with occult elements, scenes of suspense and horror.
Whimsy Scale
Now let’s take a deeper look at the Whimsy Scale 🌝. It’s a composite of points earned on four subordinate scales. 25 points total can be earned, 10 from the Mirth Scale, 5 from the Munchkins Scale, 5 from the Magic Scale, and 5 from the Mood Scale (Whimsy). Minuses can also remove up to 18 points of Whimsy. The total points earned convert to the Whimsy Scale reading as follows:
Whimsy Scale
-18 to -1 points = Whimsy 0
0 to 6 points = Whimsy 0 to 6
7 to 8 points = Whimsy 7
9 to 10 points = Whimsy 8
11 to 13 points = Whimsy 9
14 to 16 points = Whimsy 10
17 to 19 points = Whimsy 11
20 to 22 points = Whimsy 12
23 to 25 points = Whimsy 13
The subordinate scales are scored as follows:
Mirth Scale
Assign points based on how funny the work is:
+0 never funny
+1 sometimes, but rarely funny
+2 occasionally funny
+3 funny
+4 very funny
+5 non-stop laughs
Up to five bonus points can be earned for the percentage of the humor in the work that is childish/childlike humor, such as potty humor, insult humor, child observation humor, outrageously random humor, slapstick, physical humor and sight gags or that is playful adult humor such as parody, satire, wordplay and tongue-in-cheek humor. (Not included: typical situation comedy, typical romantic comedy, screwball comedy, adult observation humor, anecdotal humor, cringe humor, racial humor, adult language humor, sexual humor.)
Multiply the percentage times Mirth points already earned, and round off to determine bonus points awarded.
Munchkins Scale
Assign points based on the percentage of the length of the work that is taken up by scenes that include munchkins.
+0 | 0% to 10%
+1 | 11% to 28%
+2 | 29% to 46%
+3 | 47% to 64%
+4 | 65% to 82%
+5 | 83% to 100%
Munchkins include children, talking animals, inanimate objects, or cute creatures, or adults behaving as children, including playing games or sports or generally fulfilling childhood fantasies.
Magic Scale
Assign points based on the percentage of the length of the work that is taken up by scenes that include magical or fantasy elements.
+0 | 0% to 10%
+1 | 11% to 28%
+2 | 29% to 46%
+3 | 47% to 64%
+4 | 65% to 82%
+5 | 83% to 100%
Besides the obvious, scenes with magical or fantasy elements would include scenes with supernatural elements, scenes with superhero elements, scenes with dream or daydream sequences, and scenes with characters spontaneously breaking into song, or even whimsical music in the soundtrack.
Mood Scale (Whimsy)
Assign points based on the percentage of the length of the work that is taken up by scenes that include whimsical mood presentations.
+0 | 0% to 10%
+1 | 11% to 28%
+2 | 29% to 46%
+3 | 47% to 64%
+4 | 65% to 82%
+5 | 83% to 100%
Whimsical mood presentations include scenes with animation or puppets and scenes with unrealistic or caricatured costumes or settings (similar to those found in a stage play). Also included are scenes in which an actor (or character) plays multiple roles, and scenes of storytelling, whether one character to another, or a narrator speaking to the audience.
Minuses
For each of the content ratings on language, sex and nudity, and the viewpoint ratings on Christian values, Biblical values and political values, deduct points as follows:
(content) -12 possible
-1 to -4 equal to value of each negative rating
(values) -3 possible
-1 per rating from -2 to -4
Whimsy reading cannot go below zero.
Originally posted to text group in three parts, 2025-01-08, 2025-01-09 and 2025-01-10
Last updated 2025-03-29
Retro Reviews Reference Pages:
Reference Overview
Header Block:
Primary Information Line
Version Line
Secondary Information Line
Franchise/Series Lines
Opinion Block:
Grade Line
Entertainment Quality Line
Dark Whimsy Line
POPCAP Line
Left-Right Line
Footer Block:
Review Lines
Genre Line
Content Block:
Overall Content Line
Content Detail Line
Viewpoint Block:
My View Line
Christian Values Line
Biblical Values Line
Political Values Line
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