965 3P
Sitcoms
Sitcoms
(1951-1957)
Sitcoms
(1951-1957)
Innovations
Style of Humor
Sitcoms
(1951-1957)
Innovations
Three-Camera Sitcom
Sitcoms
(1951-1957)
Innovations
Three-Camera Sitcom
Unique Lighting
Sitcoms
(1951-1957)
Innovations
Three-Camera Sitcom
Unique Lighting
Shot on Film (vs. Kinescope)
Sitcoms
(1951-1957)
Innovations
Three-Camera Sitcom
Unique Lighting
Shot on Film (vs. Kinescope)
Live Studio Audience
Sitcoms
(1951-1957)
Innovations
Three-Camera Sitcom
Unique Lighting
Shot on Film (vs. Kinescope)
Live Studio Audience
Moved production to Hollywood
Sitcoms
(1951-1957)
Innovations
Three-Camera Sitcom
Unique Lighting
Shot on Film (vs. Kinescope)
Live Studio Audience
Moved production to Hollywood
Stars as producers: Desilu Productions
Sitcoms
(1951-1957)
Innovations
Three-Camera Sitcom
Unique Lighting
Shot on Film (vs. Kinescope)
Live Studio Audience
Moved production to Hollywood
Stars as producers: Desilu Productions
Multiethnic couple
Sitcoms
(1951-1957)
Innovations
Three-Camera Sitcom
Unique Lighting
Shot on Film (vs. Kinescope)
Live Studio Audience
Moved production to Hollywood
Stars as producers: Desilu Productions
Multiethnic couple
Re-runs
Sitcoms
(1951-1957)
Innovations
Three-Camera Sitcom
Unique Lighting
Shot on Film (vs. Kinescope)
Live Studio Audience
Moved production to Hollywood
Stars as producers: Desilu Productions
Multiethnic couple
Re-runs
Many sitcom tropes
Sitcoms
(1951-1957)
Innovations
Style of Humor
Sitcoms
(1951-1957)
Style of Humor
Basic Plot: Lucy’s wacky schemes usually backfire, causing hilarity
Silly
Physical comedy thru Lucy’s reaction to the Vitameatavegamin
Ricky’s accent
Musical number gives it almost a vaudeville style
Marriage humor
Other episodes: Lucy is treated as a child by Ricky
Sitcoms
(1951-1957)
“Whatever battles the Ricardos may wage, whatever disasters may afflict their home and friends, they are made all right by Ricky’s love for Lucy – not by Lucy’s love for Ricky, nor even by their mutual affection, but by Ricky’s paternal, lordly conferring of forgiveness and acceptance.”
– Gerard Jones, Honey, I’m Home! Sitcoms: Selling the American Dream (1992), p. 71
Sitcoms
(1970-1977)
Innovations
Style of Humor
Sitcoms
VS.
Sitcoms
(1970-1977)
Innovations
Focus on single professional woman w/o a serious boyfriend
Addressing contemporary issues w/o being heavy-handed
First character taking “the Pill”
MTM Productions & Grant Tinker
Spinoffs: Rhoda, Phyllis, Lou Grant
Surrogate family in workplace
Sitcoms
Characters:
Lou
Ted
Murray
Mary
Georgette
Sue Ann
Sitcoms
(1970-1977)
Style of Humor
Sitcoms
(1970-1977)
Style of Humor
Focus on relationships, characterization
Witty repartee
Dialogue; verbal vs. physical
Actual jokes
Making fun of the “talent”: Ted, Sue Ann
Everything gets wrapped up
“Good” message
Kind of nice
Sitcoms
(1982-1993)
Sitcoms
(1982-1993)
Innovations
Style of Humor
Sitcoms
(1982-1993)
Innovations
Classic style
Will they/Won’t they? plot
Comedy w/tenderness
Bar as home: characters and audience
Characters as Comedy Archetypes
Crossovers
Spinoff: Frasier (1993-2004)
Sitcoms
(1982-1993)
Style of Humor
Sitcoms
(1982-1993)
Style of Humor
Sarcasm
Witty Banter and One-Liners
Deliberate Misunderstandings
Running Jokes (“Norm!”)
Mismatched Couple w/Sexual Tension
Relationships
Sitcoms
(1982-1993)
Style of Humor
Sarcasm
Witty Banter and One-Liners
Deliberate Misunderstandings
Running Jokes
Mismatched Couple
Relationships
Sam vs./+ Diane
Diane vs. Carla
Norm + Cliff
Carla vs. Cliff
Frasier vs./+ Lilith
Frasier + Diane vs. Working Class
Sitcoms
(1989-1998)
Innovations
Style of Humor
Sitcoms
(1989-1998)
Innovations
Focus on creators’ vision: Larry David/Jerry Seinfeld
Selfish, conniving characters (vs. likable)
Complicated narrative structure w/ intertwined plots
“Bridge” characters
Coincidence
Character act on whims
Goals aren’t achieved or backfire
Not workplace or family; it’s about hanging out
More scenes (26 vs. 7)
Mixing single and multi-camera
No lessons
A show about nothing: self-reflexive
Sitcoms
I Love Lucy
Physical Comedy; Lucy’s reactions
Single plot
3 camera sitcom
Mary Tyler Moore Show
Conversational/Relationships
“A” Story and “B” Story come together
Co-Workers as family
Cheers
Will they/Won’t they? plot
Sarcasm and insults
Comedy archetypes
Sitcoms
(1989-1998)
Style of Humor
Sitcoms
(1989-1998)
Style of Humor
Catchphrases: Yadda yadda yadda, shrinkage, sponge-worthy, no soup for you, etc.
Taking mundane events to their extremes
Seeing how characters will try to gain upper hand over others
Jerry, George, Elaine, & Kramer vs. the world
Misanthropic
Seeing how it all comes together
The Seinfeld Universe
Sitcoms
(2009-2015)
Innovations
Style of Humor
Sitcoms
(2009-2015)
Innovations
Cinematic Style
Single camera
No laugh track
Willingness to break out of sitcom realism
Large regular cast
Postmodern/ “meta”
Acknowledging the artificiality of TV
Aware of sitcom rules (& willing to break them)
Knowledgeable characters (Abed)
Ironic criticism; cyncial
Mocking tone
Not really a sitcom
Sitcoms
(2009-2015)
Innovations
Cinematic Style
Single camera
No laugh track
Willingness to break out of sitcom realism
Large regular cast
Postmodern/ “meta”
Jeff: “Abed, stop being meta. Why do you always have to take whatever happens to us and shove it up its own ass.”
Sitcoms
(2009-2015)
Innovations
Cinematic Style
No multicamera
No laugh track
Willingness to break out of sitcom realism
Large regular cast
Postmodern/ “meta”
Acknowledging the artificiality of TV
Aware of sitcom rules (& willing to break them)
Knowledgeable characters (Abed)
Ironic criticism; cyncial
Mocking tone
Not really a sitcom
Sitcoms
(2009-2015)
Style of Humor
Sitcoms
(2009-2015)
Style of Humor
Getting the references
Relationships
How types, clichés get twisted
Playing to our sitcom expertise
Fast-paced
Cruel & ironic, but ultimately sincere
Fan service
Kind of silly, absurd
Again, postmodernism