The ‘sit’ and the ‘com’ of sitcom
• Most sitcoms feature a group of characters
trapped in a particular situation or in a
dysfunctional relationship. The situation could
include being part of a family; being married to
a grumpy old man; or working with annoying
people. This is the situation.
• Sitcoms are also supposed to be funny. We
laugh at, or along with the characters,
recognising and understanding their situation.
This is the comedy.
Audience popularity – why do audiences like sitcoms?
Sitcom
Audience popularity
Cathartic:
make
us
feel better
Only half an hour
Themes reflect
current society - relevant
Funny
Can relate to
characters
Sitcom
Light, easy
to watch
Recogniseable situations
Follow conventions
- safe + familiar
What are the ‘conventions’ of a sitcom? What do you expect to
see?
Sitcom
Audience expectations of sitcom
Plots focus on
everyday events
Studio audience/
Canned laughter
UK or USA
Stereotype or archetype
characters
Studio sets and
confined locations
Same group of
characters
each week
Ordinary settings –
office, the home etc
Same each week
Sitcom
30 mins long
Humour – should
make you laugh
Regular TV slot
Different storyline
each week
Identifying common character
stereotypes
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Person trapped in the ’situation’ of the situation
comedy
Person doing the trapping
The idiot/fool/jester The reliable matriarch/patriarch
The moral authority
The dependable partner
Over and over again
• Part of the situation in sitcom is that the characters never really
escape their situation – the family stays together in My Family,
Delboy and Rodney never get rich in Only Fools and Horses,
The workers stay in their dull jobs in The Office.
• Occasionally, in long running series or to end a series, things
will change – Nana dies in The Royle Family, Chandler and
Monica get married, Dawn and Tim get together in The Office.
• But, on the whole, characters end each episode in more or less
the same place or situation they started in.
• These circular narratives keep characters in their amusing
situation; this helps producers sell series for repeats as they
can be watched in almost any order; it also helps the audience
know what to expect each time they watch.
Summary
• Sitcoms have a restricted location
• Characters tend to stay in same situation, episode after
episode.
• There is a limited number of main characters.
• Plots are based around everyday events.
• Humour is based around personalities and the smaller
problems in life.
• The characters usually reflect the target audience.
• Sitcoms are relatively cheap and easy to make.
• They can appeal to a wide range of different
audiences.
Creating your own sitcom
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You will be allocated one of the following
plots:
Celebrating Christmas with the in-laws.
A blind date goes wrong.
A crazy friend is in town.
One character is promoted at work, the
other is not.
Character brings odd girlfriend/boyfriend
home
Now choose a location
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A family home
An office
A spaceship
A hotel
A zoo
A flat in Peckham
A front room
A prison
A New York apartment
Now choose your character
grouping and your situation
• Individual (with supporting characters)
• Group
• Odd couple
What is the situation your characters are in?
They should be trapped in some way – in a
particular situation or in a dysfunctional
relationship (ie being part of a family; being
married to a grumpy old man; or working with
annoying people.)
Now choose your character types
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Person trapped in the ’situation’ of the situation comedy
Person doing the trapping
The idiot/fool/jester
The reliable matriarch/patriarch
The moral authority
The dependable partner
The controlling wife
The useless husband
The grumpy old man
The geek
The ditzy blonde
The rogue
Sweet natured/Dutiful wife or mother
The snob
Dopey mate
Absent-minded eccentric
Overbearing boss
Nosey/meddling Neighbour
The interfering mother-in-law
The over protective parents
Choose your characteristics
• Identify the differences between your main
characters
• Name them
• Design their character traits
• You will need to identify their likeable qualities
• You will also need to identify their personality
flaws
• How will you represent these? (Dress, hair and
makeup, mise-en-scene, dialogue and actions,
catchphrase, visual motifs)
Devise an episode
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Using the standard narrative structure of equilibrium, disruption, resolution,
equilibrium decide what happens
Questions to resolve:
• What kind of camera style, style of title sequence would you go for
• Who is the target audience and what would be the ideal TV slot for your
sitcom?
• What makes it funny? Identify the main sources and types of humour you
could expect
• What is familiar/ expected/conventional about your sitcom?
• What is unfamiliar/ unexpected/ unconventional about your sitcom?
Remember: TV programmes that strike the right balance are the most
successful!
Extension:
• Break your episode down into scenes (12 x 2 mins each)
• Write a dialogue extract
Year 10 sitcom groups
10B
10C