improvisational dialogue in comedies these days

You think Caddyshack was 100% scripted?

Or Stripes?

Or Fletch?

It's always been this way.

Mumblecore has allowed probably more ad-lib to go into the final product because people seemed to like rambling incoherent self-deprecating nonsense these past 10 years.

I was on set of The Campaign a couple weeks... Every take Will & Zach did was different... Ferrell is king of Improv.

They literally have no clue what Charlie Day is going to do half of the time on It's Always Sunny.

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Donald Glover was the king when he was on Community

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The script would often have lines for all of the characters and then "Troy says something funny" and it would move on to the next scripted line.

I really wanted to watch that but my phone says it's unplayable?

i know what the OP is saying. the fact that there's always been a bit of improv room in comedies is true but probably since the turn of the century you see movies (anchorman is probably an extreme example) where they set up shots and takes strictly for improv and will film multiple takes and take the best one.

basically i think it used to be more spontaneous and if it happned and was organic the director would leave it in. now it's more like a set up riff fest. which is fine, i'm not saying either way is better especially when you've got people that are really good at it.

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You think Caddyshack was 100% scripted? Or Stripes? Or Fletch? It's always been this way.

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I have read that there very very few, if any, scripted lines for Jackie Gleason in Smokey and the Bandit. Buford T. Justice was all improv.

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i know what the OP is saying. the fact that there's always been a bit of improv room in comedies is true but probably since the turn of the century you see movies (anchorman is probably an extreme example) where they set up shots and takes strictly for improv and will film multiple takes and take the best one.

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There are TV shows set up specifically for this. The head writers have a basic idea of where the plot is going and they give direction so that the actors know sort of how it should play out, but the actors have free rein otherwise to say and do what they want. Quick Draw on Hulu is one of these shows. I'm sure there are plenty more. I think the idea is that allowing a talented set of improv artists to have a goal in mind while simultaneously flexing their improv skills leads to more hilarity than a full scripted show.

Chris Pratt has a similar set up on Parks and Rec, especially with physical comedy. It'll literally say "Andy does something physical."

One of the best examples is when they go to eagleton to get Leslie's birth certificate and he tries to jump over a counter and ends up like breaking a computer and shite.

I think most of his bert maclin stuff is improvised as well