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Sitcom

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Not to be confused with Sitcom (film).
"Situation comedy" redirects here. Not to be confused with Situation Comedy (album).

A sitcom (short for situation comedy, or situational comedy) is a genre of comedy that focuses on a recurring cast of characters navigating humorous situations in a consistent setting, such as a home, workplace, or community. Unlike sketch comedy, where different characters and settings are introduced in each skit, sitcoms typically maintain plot continuity between episodes, often building storylines and developing characters over time.

History

Main articles: History of radio, Radio comedy, History of television, and Television comedy

The structure and concept of sitcoms have roots in earlier forms of comedic theatre, such as farces and comedies of manners. This relied on recurring situations to generate humor, but "sitcom" as a formal term emerged as radio and TV adapted these principles into a new medium. The term sitcom was not commonly used until the 1950s.[1]

The first known sitcom was a 15-minute daily program called Sam 'n' Henry, broadcast by WGN radio in Chicago, Illinois in 1926. The show's creators, Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll, moved the program to the Chicago Daily News station, WMAQ in 1928. The show and the main characters were renamed Amos 'n' Andy, to avoid legal issues with WGN, which owned the rights to Sam 'n' Henry. Amos 'n' Andy, became one of the most successful sitcoms of the period, and one of the earliest examples of radio syndication.

The first known television sitcom was Pinwright's Progress, broadcast by the BBC in the United Kingdom between 1946 and 1947.[2][3] William Asher, a director of sitcoms in the United States, directed over two dozen sitcoms, including I Love Lucy, which was originally broadcast from 1951 to 1957. Reruns of I Love Lucy were often rebroadcast, making it one of the most watched shows in the U.S. While Asher was not the first sitcom writer, he is often described as the "man who invented the sitcom."[4]

Early television sitcoms were often filmed in front of a live studio audience in a multiple-camera setup, a practice that continues in some modern productions such as The Big Bang Theory and Fuller House.[5][6] Other formats make use of a laugh track or "canned laughter."

Since the 1990s, sitcoms have expanded to animated sitcoms, with successful shows of the genre including The Simpsons, King of the Hill, and Family Guy.

Critics have debated the exact definition of a sitcom, especially regarding productions created at the turn of the 21st century. Many contemporary American sitcoms use a single-camera setup and do not feature a laugh track, instead more resembling documentaries or the dromedaries of the 1980s and 1990s.[7]

By country

Australia

See also: Television in Australia and Television ratings in Australia

Although there have been few long-running Australian-made sitcoms, many US and UK sitcoms have been successful in Australia. Sitcoms are a staple of the government broadcaster Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). In the 1970s and 1980s many UK sitcoms also screened on the Seven Network. By 1986, UK comedies Bless This House and Are You Being Served? have been re-screened several times by ABC Television, and were then acquired and screened, in prime time, by the Seven Network.[8]

In 1981, Daily at Dawn was the first Australian comedy series to feature a regular gay character (Terry Bader as journalist Leslie).[9]

In 1987, Mother and Son was the winner of the Television Drama Award, presented by the Australian Human Rights Commission.[10][11]

In 2007, Kath & Kim's first episode of Series 4 attracted an Australian audience of 2.521 million nationally.[12] This was the highest rating for a first episode in the history of Australian television,[12] until the series premiere of Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities in 2009, which garnered 2.58 million viewers.[13]

In 2013, Please Like Me received an invitation to screen at the Series Mania Television Festival in Paris,[14] was praised by critics, [15] and garnered numerous awards and nominations.[16]

Also in 2013, At Home With Julia was criticized by several social commentators as inappropriately disrespectful to the office of the Prime Minister.[17] The show nevertheless proved very popular with both television audiences and critics—becoming the most-watched Australian scripted comedy series of 2011.[18][19] It was nominated at the 2012 Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards for Best Television Comedy Series.[20]

Canada

See also: Canadian humour and Television in Canada

Although there have been several notable exceptions, Canadian television networks have generally not done well with their sitcom offerings. Relatively few Canadian sitcoms attained notable success in Canada or internationally.[21] Canadian television has had much greater success with sketch comedy and dramedy series.[21]

The popular show King of Kensington aired from 1975 to 1980, drawing, at its peak, an average of 1.5 to 1.8 million viewers weekly.[22]

The 1999 movie Trailer Park Boys was followed up by a television series of the same name that ran from 2001 to 2018, airing in Canada, the U.S., and the U.K.

Corner Gas, which ran for six seasons from 2004 to 2009 became an instant hit, averaging one million viewers per episode.[23] It has been the recipient of six Gemini Awards and has been nominated almost 70 times for various awards.[24]

Other noteworthy recent sitcoms have included: Call Me Fitz, Schitt's Creek,[25] Letterkenny, and Kim's Convenience,[26] all of which have been winners of the Canadian Screen Award for Best Comedy Series.

India

See also: Television in India

Sitcoms started appearing on Indian television in the 1980s, with serials like Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi (1984), Nukkad (1986), and Wagle Ki Duniya (1988) on the state-run Doordarshan channel. Gradually, as private channels were permitted to operate, many more sitcoms followed. In the 1990s these included: Dekh Bhai Dekh (1993), Zabaan Sambhalke (1993), Shrimaan Shrimati (1995), Office Office (2001), Ramani Vs Ramani (Tamil 2001), Amrutham (Telugu 2001–2007), Khichdi (2002), Sarabhai vs Sarabhai (2005) F.I.R. (2006–2015), Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah (2008–present), Uppum Mulakum (Malayalam 2015–2024), and Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain (2015–present).[27] SAB TV is one of the leading channels of India, dedicated entirely to Sitcoms.

Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah is the longest-running sitcom of Indian television and is known as the flagship show of SAB TV.[28]

Iran

See also: Television in Iran

On Tiptoes and Shabhaye Barareh were among the first and most important sitcoms that led to the growth of this type of comedy in Iran — the idea of making On Tiptoes was borrowed from the hit American television series Friends.

Mexico

See also: Television in Mexico

El Chavo del Ocho, which ran from 1971 to 1980, was the most-watched show on Mexican television and had a Latin-American audience of 350 million viewers per episode at its popularity peak during the mid-1970s.[29] The show continues to be popular in Central America as well as in Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Spain, the United States, and other countries, with syndicated episodes averaging 91 million daily viewers in all its American markets. Since it ceased production in 1992, in the Americas,[30][31] the show has earned an estimated billion (currency) in syndication fees alone for Televisa.[31]

New Zealand

See also: Television in New Zealand and List of New Zealand television series

Gliding On, a popular sitcom in New Zealand in the early 1980s, won multiple awards during its run including Best Comedy, Best Drama and Best Direction at the Feltex Awards.[32]

Russia

See also: Television in Russia and Media of Russia

The first Russian sitcom series was "Strawberry", which resembled "Duty Pharmacy" in a Spanish format. It was aired from 1996–1997 on the RTR channel. The "boom" of Russian sitcoms began only in the 2000s—when in 2004, the STS started the highly successful sitcom "My Fair Nanny" (an adaptation of the American sitcom "The Nanny"). Since that time, sitcoms in Russia have been produced by the two largest entertainment channels in the country — STS and TNT. In 2007, the STS released the first original domestic sitcom — "Daddy's Daughters" (there were only adaptations before), and in 2010 TNT released "Interns" — the first sitcom, filmed as a comedy (unlike dominated "conveyor" sitcoms).

South Korea

See also: Television in South Korea and Korean humor

In South Korea, sitcoms are called "시트콤". In the 1990s, sitcoms, family sitcoms, and youth sitcoms became popular terms due to rising popularity in shows such as Dr. Oh's People (오박사네 사람들, Obacksane Saramdeul), SBS's LA Arirang (LA 아리랑), and MBC's Men and Women (남자 셋 여자 셋, Namja set Yeoja set)[citation needed].

Although not widely used at the start of the 1990s, computer graphics began to be actively used in sitcoms in the latter part of the decade as the amount of CG broadcasters began to increase.[citation needed]

Sitcoms became less popular in South Korea in the 2010s as viewer preferences shifted toward dramas and thrillers. In 2021, Netflix released its first Korean sitcom So Not Worth It, which featured many creators of earlier popular South Korean sitcoms.[33]

Popular South Korean sitcoms today include High Kick! (거침없이 하이킥, Guchim-eoupsi Highkik), and a spinoff, "High Kick Through the Roof" (지붕뚫고 하이킥, "Jiboong-Dulko Highkik").[34]

United Kingdom

Main article: British sitcom
See also: Television in the United Kingdom

Although styles of sitcoms have changed over the years, they tend to be based on a family, workplace, or other institution, in which the same group of contrasting characters are brought together in each episode. British sitcoms are typically produced in one or more series of six episodes. Most such series are conceived and developed by one or two writers. The majority of British sitcoms are 30 minutes long and are recorded on studio sets in a multiple-camera setup. A subset of British comedy consciously avoids traditional situation comedy themes and storylines to branch out into more unusual topics or narrative methods. Blackadder (1983 – 1989) and Yes Minister/Yes Prime Minister (1980 – 1988, 2013) moved what is often a domestic or workplace genre into the corridors of power. A later development of the sitcom genre was mockumentary, such as The Office (2001 – 2003, 2013), Coming of Age (2007 – 2011), The Inbetweeners (2008 – 2010), and People Just Do Nothing (2014 – 2018).

United States

Main article: Sitcoms in the United States

Sitcoms were introduced to the United States in 1926 with the initial broadcast of Sam 'n' Henry on WGN radio in Chicago, Illinois. In 1928 the show's creators moved on to create Amos 'n' Andy on a different station, which became one of the most successful sitcoms of the period.[35] Both series were created and performed by Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll and revolved around two African Americans during the Great Migration.

In 1947, the first American television sitcom, Mary Kay and Johnny, debuted.[36]

American sitcoms are generally written to run a total of 22 minutes in length, which leaves approximately eight minutes for advertisements in a 30-minute time slot.[37]

Some popular British shows have been successfully adapted for the United States.[38] Some of the most successful American sitcoms of the 1970s, including All in the Family, Three's Company, and Sanford and Son, were adapted from British productions. The Office, which aired from March 24, 2005, to May 16, 2013, was also based on a popular British show of the same name. Many TV networks in the United States air sitcoms, for example, CBS, TBS, Nickelodeon, and Disney Channel.

See also

References

  1. ^ Dalton, Mary M.; Linder, Laura R., eds. (2012). Sitcom Reader, The: America Viewed and Skewed. SUNY Press. p. 15. ISBN 978-0-7914-8263-6.
  2. ^ "Pinwright's Progress". comedy.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2010-03-08. Retrieved 2010-03-08.
  3. ^ Lewisohn, Mark (2003). "Radio Times Guide to TV Comedy". BBC Worldwide Ltd.
  4. ^ "William Asher – The Man Who Invented the Sitcom" Archived 2016-04-09 at the Wayback Machine, Palm Springs Life Dec. 1999
  5. ^ "The Big Bang Theory Tickets". archive.ph. 2013-02-16. Retrieved 2024-09-16.
  6. ^ "Free TV Studio Audience Tickets | tvtickets.com". 2017-06-06. Archived from the original on 2017-06-06. Retrieved 2024-09-16.
  7. ^ "The Evolution Of The Sitcom: The Age of the Single Camera" Archived 2016-10-09 at the Wayback Machine. New York Film Academy, September 24, 2014.
  8. ^ Collier, Shayne. Again and again and again. The Sydney Morning Herald – The Guide: 2 June 1986, p.1, 6. [1] Archived 2015-11-21 at the Wayback Machine
  9. ^ Howes, Keith. (1998, February). "Gays of Our Lives". Outrage, Number 177, 38-49.
  10. ^ "1987 Human Rights Medal and awards winners". Human Rights Medal and Awards. Australian Human Rights Commission. 1987. Archived from the original on 2017-12-01. Retrieved 2017-11-28.
  11. ^ Tynan, Jacinta (2008-09-13). "Weird how my rello won his fame". Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 2012-11-02. Retrieved 2010-11-05.
  12. ^ a b Seven Network (20 August 2007). "Seven – Daily Ratings Report". ebroadcast.com.au. Archived from the original on 20 May 2009. Retrieved 20 August 2007.
  13. ^ Knox, David (2009-02-10). "2.58m: Underbelly sets new record". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 2009-05-20. Retrieved 2015-10-02.
  14. ^ Knox, David (22 February 2013). "Please Like Me, Puberty Blues selected for French TV festival". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 14 April 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2013.
  15. ^ "Please Like Me". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on 6 May 2019. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
  16. ^ "Please Like Me - Awards". IMDb. Archived from the original on 8 September 2019. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
  17. ^ Craven, Peter (8 Sep 2011). "At Home With Julia: inane drivel of the most idiotic kind". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 2014-01-12. Retrieved 6 July 2015.
  18. ^ "Packed to the Rafters and Underbelly are 2011's top local dramas – Mumbrella". Mumbrella. 2011-11-28. Archived from the original on 2017-09-03. Retrieved 2017-02-01.
  19. ^ Knox, David (Dec 1, 2011). "Critics' Choice: The Best of 2011". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 6 July 2015. Retrieved 6 July 2015.
  20. ^ "Inaugural Samsung AACTA Awards Nominees" (PDF). Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-10-31.
  21. ^ a b "Why do Canadian sitcoms suck?" Archived 2017-01-16 at the Wayback Machine. canada.com, March 21, 2014.
  22. ^ "King to be bachelor". Ottawa Citizen. 1978-01-25. Archived from the original on 2022-03-19. Retrieved 9 April 2011.
  23. ^ "Strong numbers mean replay of Corner Gas debut" (Press release). CTV Inc. 2004-01-23. Archived from the original on 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2007-01-08.
  24. ^ "'Corner Gas' gives thanks with premiere on Monday, Oct. 13". CTV Globemedia. 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-09-30. Retrieved 2008-09-30.
  25. ^ "The success of Schitt's Creek marks a turning point for the CBC" Archived 2017-04-07 at the Wayback Machine. The Globe and Mail, January 9, 2017.
  26. ^ "CBC orders more Kim's Convenience" Archived 2017-01-13 at the Wayback Machine. Media in Canada, December 21, 2016.
  27. ^ Patel, Nidhin (2011-10-13). "'Taarak Mehta' completes 700 episodes". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 2013-12-31.
  28. ^ Panjari, Swagata (October 1, 2018). "TMKOC: The journey of India's longest running TV show". Television Post. Archived from the original on June 22, 2020. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
  29. ^ "Adiós al Chavo del 8: murió Roberto Gómez Bolaños". Forbes Mexico. 2014-11-29. Archived from the original on 2014-12-05. Retrieved November 29, 2014.
  30. ^ "El Chavo del 8 – Historia". Chespirito (in Spanish). Archived from the original on February 2, 2011. Retrieved January 31, 2011.
  31. ^ a b "Meet El Chavo, The World's Most Famous (And Richest) Orphan". Forbes. Archived from the original on February 9, 2021. Retrieved November 29, 2014.
  32. ^ "Roger Hall Piece about Gliding On". NZ On Screen. Archived from the original on 12 August 2014. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  33. ^ Boram, Kim (June 24, 2021). "Sitcoms return to small screen as streaming giants set out on new projects". Yonhap News Agency. Seoul.
  34. ^ "Actor Choi Daniel revealed the behind-the-scenes story of "High Kick Through the Roof."MBC's "Radio .. - MK". 매일경제. 2024-06-20. Retrieved 2024-09-18.
  35. ^ "Amos 'n' Andy", Wikipedia, 2024-09-13, retrieved 2024-09-19
  36. ^ Morreale, Joanne (2002-12-01). Critiquing the Sitcom: A Reader. Syracuse University Press. p. 1. ISBN 978-0-8156-2983-2.
  37. ^ How Sitcoms Work, page 3 Archived 2012-06-29 at the Wayback Machine.
  38. ^ When British TV flies across the pond Archived 2015-10-04 at the Wayback Machine. CNN.com, April 6, 2012. Retrieved October 15, 2013.

Further reading

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