Calm before the storm episodes

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Tell me what are your thoughts on comic relief episodes that preceeds major drama in a series, also know as calm before the storm episodes.

I like them, of course it depends what type of series it is. If it has comedic elements they are fine, but if it is a strictly 100% drama, than it would seem OOC. For example, any of the Gundam series, they never had any comic relief episodes, at least the ones I have seen.

For example, Avatar: The Last Airbender Tales Of Ba Sing Se, Nightmares and Daydreams, and The Ember Island Players, pretty much comedy relief episode that are followed by epic battles or arc.

Code Geass: Lelouch Of The Rebellion had those as well, the Ashford festival episodes, though they would always end on a dramatic cliffhanger.

Did Gargoyles have these types of episodes, I think they did, maybe I am wrong. I remember it had its funny moments as well.
 
I personally love these kind of episodes. I usually don't like a show if it's 100% serious. (There are a few exceptions)

I have a list, but I'll just name my favorite.

The Ember Island Players- It was a great, funny episode that came before the epic finale! It still managed to add a little drama, but it was a good relieving episode.
 
Geass never really used these too well, swinging too wildly from one direction to the other. Probably their best use was the
school festival in season one. Beyond that was really the point of no return in my mind, so it was well scheduled. It even starts building to the eventual sadness by ending with Euphemia announcing the special residential zone for native Japanese citizens.
. Other than that though, Geass was bi-polar for this stuff.

As to if I like it in general- when it's handled well, yes. Transformers Animated had 'This Is Why I Hate Machines', an episode starring Fanzone and Ratchet which many assumed would be throwaway comedy filler. In fact, whilst it did have some comedy, it actually did alot to set up the 2 part finale that followed straight after. Even live action shows do it- the revived Doctor Who has developed a habit of season long arc words, with the story before last usually being a 'Enjoy the status quo whilst it lasts, bad stuff is about to happen'.
 
Forgot to mention, though they follow more of a statous quo stand alone episodes format oppose to the long journey format, Teen Titans did those as well right before the season finales.

The Bunny Raven episode right before the Brother Blood storyline finale, and Mother Mae Eye episode right before the episode three part very dark season 4 finale.
 
I suppose I is for Illusion from WITCH would be considered one. The girls go to the beach to relax and start off their summer vacation. The next episode, J is for Jewel, the stuff hits the fan then involves the villain pulling off their master plan they were planning for the entire series.
 
I'm personally a fan of these kinds of episodes. Something silly and light hearted before it gets dark can be good for a show.

I remember, the 2003 Ninja Turtles had an episode involving a flashback to the turtles' childhood before the end of the action filled Ninja Tribunal arc. It helped give a bit of a breather before a very awesome finale.
 
These episodes are necessary, full-stop. If you think about it, some of the best series are series that use breather episodes well, such as Full Metal Alchemist. Another example is in Codename: Kids Next Door, wherein you'd get a fun, jovial episode like Operation HOSPITAL between darker episodes like Operation GROW-UP or Operation END.

Tomato
 
It is one of those occations in manga to anime adaption, I don't mind a filler episode that does this purpose. If the anime producers create their own comic episodes that proceeds something epic about to happen in canon, why not? I know a lot of people hate anything that differs from the manga, but if the series was exactly like the manga, what is the point?
 
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