screwball humor

Screwball humor is a style of comedy built on absurd situations, rapid-fire dialogue, and eccentric characters behaving unpredictably.

The term comes from the screwball pitch in baseball—one that breaks unexpectedly.

Screwball comedies of the 1930s and 40s often featured battle-of-the-sexes plots with witty, fast-talking leads: Their relationship had real screwball humor—constant bickering that somehow meant they were perfect for each other.