We ’ve all seen sitcoms , express joy with them and probably even sung along to theirtheme songs . We occasionally find their doggerel verse run through our heads : " Here ’s the story of a lovely madam , " click , " Just sit right back and you ’ll learn a tale , " click , " Where everybody knows your name . " Their catchphrases pelt our vernacular : " Yadda , yadda , yadda . " And their fiber ' taste even influence what we drink – cosmopolitans anyone ? Who would n’t agree that the backbone of Americantelevisionis the sitcom ?
But did you ever wonder where sitcoms come from , what makes a sitcom a sitcom and who actually comes up with this stuff ?
In 1979 , the New Wave set the Buggles sang " Video Killed the Radio Star . " To be really exact , they should have sing " television co - opted theradiostar and made her its own , " but it plausibly would n’t have been as catchy . At any pace , the opinion is straight – the sitcom owes its roots and early viability to radio . What we screw as a sitcom today jump as a 15 - second situational clowning on the radio . The condition situation comedy is even inadequate for situational comedy and was first coined by Variety .
The first sitcom centered on the most improbable of characters : the zaftig immigrant doting wife , mother of two and serious neighbour to all – Molly Goldberg . In this article , we ’ll get word about early situation comedy , unlock the situation comedy format and look at the time to come of American tv .
Early Sitcoms
Althoughtelevisionpremiered in the early 1930s , it was n’t until after World War Two that families begin to alternate over fromradio . As television system became democratic , web set out searching for content . CBS charter a coach of program development , Worthington Minor , who essay out raw ideas . Since short situational radio comedies had been democratic with audiences and advertisers , Minor decided the format might interpret well to television . He proffer Gertrude Berg , the Almighty of " The Goldbergs , " the opportunity to move neighborhoods , from radio to television , in 1949 .
" The Goldbergs " was a radio make and former vaudeville show that premiered in the Catskills in 1925 . The show orb around the lives of Jewish immigrants , Molly and Jake Goldberg , and their two tike . The episodes , fructify in the Goldbergs ' Bronx apartment , normally featured a resolvable friend or family unit - related dilemma . While resolving the problem , Molly would confer or interact with characters from around the neighborhood – dispensing advice , recipes and a lot of humour . succeeding programs would replicate this style .
In 1950 , CBS program executive Harry Ackerman settle to repurpose the radio show " My Favorite Husband " for television set . He approach the show ’s distaff lead , Lucille Ball , about creating a tv set version . She agreed to do the program if it also featured her genuine - sprightliness husband , Desi Arnaz . Although three of the most popular programs at the fourth dimension were ethnic sitcoms ( " The Goldbergs , " " Mama " and " Amos and Andy " ) , studio executive balked at the mind of showing a Cuban band - leader as a typical American cleaning woman ’s husband .
Ball decide to make the sitcom on her own . She and Arnaz formed a production ship’s company , Desilu , and tested their show by represent it as a 20 - minute vaudeville - style drollery act on the route . After a successful tour of duty , they made a pilot film playscript that flush it . Upon view the pilot , their friend , lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II , paint a picture they make the characters less like themselves and more ordinary and relatable to the audience . Enter Lucy MacGillicuddy Ricardo and Ricky Ricardo . Rounding out the mold were Fred and Ethel Mertz , their landlord and neighbors .
Like " The Goldbergs , " " I have a go at it Lucy " helped set the spirit and style of the American sitcom . Part class and admirer orient , part study orientate , many of Lucy ’s plot of ground lineage revolved around sink a dilemma . Unlike " The Goldbergs , " these quandary were often atrociously absurd and swear heavily on strong-arm comedy , one of Ball ’s gift .
" I have sex Lucy " also helped determine the look and feel of the sitcom . While it was performed in front of a alive studio hearing and aired on Monday nights just like " The Goldbergs , " " I Love Lucy " was shot in Hollywood instead of New York . Because Arnaz and Ball dislikedkinescope , the process used by unrecorded broadcast television show , they directly filmed their sitcom . Arnaz helped project a workable solidification that would suit up to fourcamerasfor each episode . These episodes were not propagate live , but edited and resign to other stations to air in their appropriatetimeslot .
But what makes a sitcom a situation comedy ? In the next section , we ’ll depend at the sitcom from a writer or producer ’s degree of view .
Sitcom Format
A sitcom typically lasts around 30 minute . In the early day oftelevision , the show’sadvertisingcame before the chess opening credits and at the end acknowledgment , using only about two and a half minute of arc of the show ’s 15 or 30 bit . Frequent advertizing faulting cut today ’s half hour programs down to 22 minute .
A sitcom unremarkably has four main character . In most cases , they include ahero , ananti - hero , alove interestand abuddy . Of course , there are always variations of this idea , but it ’s a uncouth chemical formula . Even a seemingly unlikely good example like the family situation comedy " Married with Children " fit the type . Ed is the unlikely wedge , Peg , the anti - poor boy , Kelly , every high school boy ’s love life interest and Bud , well , the buddy .
Since sitcoms are only 30 minutes long , it is essential that the plot line be reasonably tight and solvable . Successful plots will typically strike within a kin or workplace mise en scene or some combination of the two . Within this mise en scene , there areAandB storylines . An A plot line is the master plot of the sitcom . In most guinea pig , the A account extend throughout the show and does not resolve until the final scene . The B plot line is lowly . Depending on how many characters are in the cast , there can be other peripheral stories – C , D , and so on . cast in a hook shot or plot twist and you have a show .
Sitcoms also often haveteasers– a unforesightful view that appears before or during the opening credit . Not all show have them , but most include them as a way to get the audiencelaughingas they snap through channel . The teaser may or may not directly refer to the A or B storyline . One example of a great mystifier can be seen in the early episode of " Seinfeld . " Jerry Seinfeld uses a short stick out - up routine to set the audience up for what they were snuff it to see . His annoyer is a lead - in joke or humourous observation .
The key to a successful situation comedy is variety and character - driven body fluid like the running jest or privileged joke . The running gag is a shady situation or line of dialog that reappear in an installment or serial publication of episodes . Sometimes the running gag becomes a catch phrase . The line or billet is often unintentional at first , but ends up move a chord with the interview . When the audience reacts favorably , the channel or the situation gets written back in and usually becomes funnier because of its multiple appearance . The success of the running play gag or inside gag relies on the worker ’s deliverance .
In the next plane section , we ’ll hear how the sitcom on composition translates to the show on the humble screen .
Sitcom Characteristics
While sitcoms fare in a all-inclusive diverseness of situational flavors , the choice of technical vogue is more modified . sitcom are typically film on readiness in front of a live studio consultation , take on bent without an consultation ( and in some compositor’s case alaughtrack ) or take on location .
Sitcoms shoot on set in front of a unrecorded studio apartment audience usually feature a primal surface area where most of the show ’s activity strike situation . Think of Lucy and Ricky ’s apartment in " I Love Lucy , " Monica ’s flat or Central Perk in " Friends " or the bar in " cheer . " The set has three firm walls and the audience and television camera look through the openfourth paries .
" The Goldbergs " was performed and shot on set in front of a hot studio audience . The Goldberg ’s six - room Bronx flat functioned as the main set and opened to a diminished ship’s galley of bottom for the hearing and an country for thecamera . The form drill their lines and scenes on set for a stretching of up to eighteen hour before shooting the show during the last hour . " I have it off Lucy " improved upon this process by adapting the set to include walk through areas , unlike level of view for the camera and a static band of bleacher for the consultation .
If a show is filmed on set without a studio hearing , the quaternary wall opens to cameras and an area for directors , producers , old geezer , technician and other members of the production crew instead of a seating gallery or bleachers . photograph on a readiness , be it with or without an consultation , has many reward . A set provides a unchanging environment with more ascendancy over ignition , audio and persistence .
situation comedy film on locating set up the whole production – plaster bandage , gang , props and everything – somewhere in the real world .
The location could be a street , an former office edifice or even an abandoned North Hollywoodhospitallike in the show " Scrubs . " Shooting on location adds genuineness and believability to a show . By placing the characters in a real context , the sitcom avoids the possible distraction of a fake exercise set .
Sitcoms may be filmed using a single tv camera or multiple cameras . The individual photographic camera coming bid more control over the filming , allow for the opportunity for close up - up scenes , wide guessing and lots of movement . present like " Scrubs , " " My Name is Earl " and " The Office " apply the single camera technique to follow fiber as they go from topographic point to place . The use of multiple cameras offers the chance to capture several angles of each scene at the same time .
But where are sitcoms headed ? In the next incision , we ’ll learn about the future of sitcoms .
The Future of Sitcoms
While the situation comedy ’s technical capabilities have boost and its plots , jokes and performances have get more ribald and mature , the tenderness of the situation comedy has stay the same . At its magnetic core , the sitcom is still a 30 - bit show with a cast of characters thrown into entertaining and relatable situation . immense similarities can be seen between sitcoms throughouttelevision’shistory . It might be these law of similarity that keep the sitcom so popular .
But with the barrage ofreality shows , the popularity of hour - long dramas and obstacles like author ' strikes , it seems like a good time to ask – where will the sitcom be in the next five years ? It will probably be alive and well , thanks in large part to re - play andsyndication . Syndication is achieved after a sitcom has air out 100 times . Cable and web television channel continue to show episodes of " I Love Lucy " and " Seinfeld " every daytime .
The sitcom seems to be holding its own . Writerscontinue to journey to Hollywood in drove ( although you could write from about anywhere in the world and get a sitcom script optioned , everyone in the business asserts you must hold out in Hollywood to ensure its winner ) . Producers keep tooptionscripts and ideas . And production companies remain to make pilot film .
The sitcom genre is also beginning to furcate out to new venues . The proliferation of camera – hand - bind , computerand evencell phone– have created an plosion of vlogs , indie moving picture , Websoaps and online shorts . The cyberspace - contain situation comedy or vane situation comedy is a little situational drollery write , acted and bring about for the internet . " bust a Leg " is an example of an net - born sitcom . Written and produced by two crony , Vlad and Yuri Baranovsky through their San Francisco - free-base company Late Again Films , the show is about a adult male who generate a sitcom mint . In addition to this Web sitcom , there are severalblogsand vlogs that chronicle the appendage , progression and success of hopeful Hollywood writer .
To learn more about sitcoms and other related topics , look over the links on the next page .
