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The concepts in this lecture reflect the writings of Horace Newcomb in his first book, Television: The Most Popular Art.  The book is no longer in publication, but it was one of the best discussions of television genre I have ever seen.  In the book, Newcomb addresses all of the major genres and he make some interesting distinctions when it comes to television comedy.  He classifies television comedies into two key classifications.  The outline below with characterize those classes.

Situation Comedy: 

The situation comedy is unique because of some key characteristics of the genre.

•     It creates it's own special world, and it is not very well connected to any specific city or location..  

  • It is economical, feasible

  • No changes can be made in the format or location because that changes the formula of the show

  • The situation comedy is dependent upon one key set

    • There is usually one or two additional sets (they may include a kitchen, living room, bedroom, den, etc.)

    • We never see a concrete representation of the world outside those sets

    • Movement between them happens with cuts or dissolves, but never seen anyone walking down a hallway, driving in their car to work, or walking next door

    • The socio-economic group the characters are in is usually middle or upper class

    • The sets always tell us about the characters.  (They are iconographic.)

      • socio-economic status

      • neatness

      • hobbies, attitudes are shown in furniture and various props around the set

• The situation is the focus of the program.

  • Def. -- A broad outline of events which are the "special" funny thing that happens to the characters this week.

    • approach 1:  some scenes establish the situation; some round it out; the last ones resolve it

    • approach 2:  built-in situation (like I Dream of Jeannie or Alf or Mr. Ed) 

  • Two elements are necessary to build the sitcom story:

    • complication

      • human error is usually the cause

      • succeeding scenes see the error just get bigger and bigger

    • confusion

      • result of the complication

      • may be in several layers involving several characters

    • focus of the humor is on 

      • facial expressions

      • body language

      • reaction

      • slapstick

  • Characters are at the center of the situation, complication and confusion

    • the formula allows for little character development; we don't really get to know them very well

      • there is little opportunity to explore motivation because the focus was on the situation

      • we expect the characters to behave in a certain way, and we draw out delight from that expectation and its fulfillment

    • physically, the characters look a lot alike (especially in the '50s and '60s)

      • relatively young 

      • physically healthy

      • fairly attractive and consistently well-groomed

    • financially stable: money is not usually an issue at all (maybe for "wants" but never for "needs")

    • emotionally stable as well; these characters don't have "real" problems because if they did, it would make the concern they have over the situation look trivial -- why would they care?

  • Supporting characters exist in the programs for specific reasons:

    • they serve as foils for the stars

    • they have no sense of "probability" -- that is they get drug along with the characters on the same kinds of escapades over and over (you'd think they'd learn!)

    • they are very forgiving, never seeming to hold a grudge for the trouble the stars get them into

    • they exist somewhere between world of central characters and the world of the audience

    • usually caught in the middle of the situation

    • they stand closer to the value structure of the audience and that allows the audience to better identify with the show and the situation

     

• Organization of the Plot:

  • Each episode is structured essentially the same way.

    • A solution will be needed to an inane, apparently hopeless situation 

    • In the sitcom, the solution will not be natural, because if it were, the stories wouldn't be interested (after all, we solve our problems in a natural way....)

  • Action will fall into four basic parts of the plot

    • The situation will be established

    • The complication is defined 

    • Confusion is the result of that and it only gets worse

    • Finally all of the above are resolved

      • Things return "to normal"

      • "Normal" may not be normal for us

        • but that doesn't matter because 

        • we don't expect it to be normal for us

      • This return to normal makes the audience feel better

        • The audience takes pleasure in the fact that the mistake has been corrected

        • ..and also in the fact that order has been restored.

ASSIGNMENT:  

Select a current situation comedy or one which runs on TV LAND or NICK AT NIGHT and outline the plot according to the above outline.  You'll see that you can "plug" in the show to these characteristics fairly easily.

Domestic Comedy:

• The domestic comedy is less tightly structured or controlled than the sitcom

  • More expansive  (more characters, sets, types of plots, etc.)

  • More dependent upon the group or family who are the key characters in the comedy

  • Comedy focuses less on slapstick than on warmth, humanity, and essential character traits of the characters

  • Whereas situation comedy is defined by characters who aren't very realistic, domestic comedy depends on upon the reality of the characters for the comedy.

• The domestic comedy depends on a strong sense of place

  • There is an established city, neighborhood, etc.  

  [Where did the following shows take place?

  • Roseanne

  • Mary Tyler Moore

  • The Cosby Show

  • Cheers

  • Frazier

  • Spin City

  • WKRP

  • Murphy Brown  

  You probably find you didn't have much trouble identifying the "place" identified in those shows.]

  • Internal Space: 

    • defined by function, personality of the characters who occupy it

      • Kitchen:  mother's domain (especially in the 60s); problems are solved her in a softer more femine way

      • Living Room: usually the father's domain (or maybe the den) where problems are solved in a more authoritarian, masculine, direct way.  Note the furnishing are going to be more "lived in" than in the sitcom

      • Bedrooms: these are highly personal places which are highly iconographic

        • here is where personal problems are discussed or solved

        • where important discussions take place  ( How many important discussions did Ward and June have with the Beav in his room?  )

      • Office or work place: again these are defined by the people who use them.  Note the difference between the "bull pen" type office and the  private spaces of Lou Grant or Murphy Brown

    • More movement between the spaces

      • We actually see hallways, doors

      • We see Beaver walk to school or Frazier go into the kitchen

    • There are also more sets outside the home or office.  Pick a domestic comedy like Frazier or Bernie Mac and count the number of sets we see outside the home.  (Much different from I Love Lucy)

      • These sets provide the impression that these places are "lived in" rather than "acted in."

    • The sets generally reflect financial stability, although in the 70s and 80s there were domestic comedies which concerned people who weren't that "well off" like Sanford and Son  or Good Times.  Still those characters weren't starving.

      • There is the feeling that needs are met

      • That kids need to work for the "wants"

• Greater Emphasis on Persons over situations:

  • There are just more people everywhere in the domestic comedy

    • we see their homes

    • what they own

    • degree and tone are important

  • Stability grows out of the family (whether a nuclear family or a working family)

    • characters know their position in the family structure

    • father figure is at the center (usually)

      • strong definition / authority

      • he knows best

      • center of authority at home because we sense that he also has authority at work

      • Note that the father as authority does not still hold true; in many domestic comedies, the fathers are little more than over-grown adolescents, and the mothers have the real sense and authority

    • mothers in domestic comedies formerly kept with cultural stereotypes, but that has changed quite a bit

      • provided physical comfort

      • behind the scenes wisdom

      • let the father think he made all the decisions

      • That has changed and in many domestic comedies, the mother is sarcastic, brutally honest and denigrates the husband on a regular basis; she may be the only one in the family who has any common sense or sense of responsibility

    • Teenagers:

      • Offer almost-adult type conflicts and complications

      • Allow parents to be wise

    • Smaller children:

      • Are more often there to be cute

      • sometimes offer a different perspective

      • may motivate action

      • may provide solution -- "out of the mouths of babes"

    • Family may be a group that is united by other ties...work, common experience, etc.

      • Mary Tyler Moor Show

      • M*A*S*H*

      • Cheers

      • You list some: 

    • Plot

      • Not dependent upon mistakes as much as the sitcom

      • more dependent upon emotional problems

      • because each cast member is defined, each can become the focus of a particular episode

      • that changes the way the problems are solved:

        • tension will be released

        • child will grow up

        • adult leader will also gain insight

        • audience learns on both levels

        • the plot is essentially a mini-morality play
          

  • Peace, love and laughter are central virtues in the domestic comedy

    • Grounded in the belief that the family is a good supportive group

      • shelter

      • dependable

    • There is mutual respect for individuals (even though they may snipe at each other verbally)

      • problems may focus on privacy or conflict (often a "secret")

      • individual is the unit upon which the family is built and everyone has a responsibility to that

    • Some grounding in "traditional values" though not as much as in the past

    • Problems will be solved by the end of the program; though in modern domestic comedy, there may be larger story arcs which carry over from episode to episode, like Ross and Rachel's relationship/baby in Friends.

    Assignment:

    Do the same thing with a domestic comedy as you did the situation comedy.  

  You may also note that there are some shows which seem to "overlap" between the two sub-genres.  Explain why that is and what characteristics the show has from each.

 Copyright, 2002 Janet McMullen

Email Dr. Mc: jmcmulle@unanov.una.edu 

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