Well, the word comes from "situation comedy", i.e. the same characters and their stories appear regularly as in a soap, but to basically comic effect.
One of the failings of U.S. television is the oft-repeated failure to distinguish between the two. Sitcoms often become about what happens next, when the essence should really be in the interactions between the basically unchanging characters. Seinfeld got it right about "nothing happens". Niles and Daphne should never have got it togehter, not should the various characters in Friends, Roseanne and Dan shouldn't have won the lottery - the essence of the com is in how they deal with the sit. In a classic sitcom, you should be able to watch the episodes in any order and it makes almost no difference (obviously characters age, children grow up, if its not animated).
Oh, and Malcolm in the Middle.
BTW, a few posts have referred to I Love Lucy _ I barely remember this and it's not endlessly repeated in the UK so I can't comment - but one comedy of I think about the same era which is much-loved and much-repeated in the Uk is Bilko/ the Phil Silvers show.
The Andy Griffith Show?
If you don't find the lack of "color" frustrating....
No Happy Days or Laverne and Shirly?
jonesthecurl wrote:Well, the word comes from "situation comedy", i.e. the same characters and their stories appear regularly as in a soap, but to basically comic effect.
Three's Company is a good one. That and All in the Family are probably my favorite two "old" sitcoms. I'm assuming we're no counting animated shows like The Simpsons or Southpark..
..Best newer (80's and later) sitcoms I would have to say are Married With Children and Seinfeld. The Cosby Show gets an honorable mention.
I think The Honeymooners deserves mentioning. It's my favorite old sitcom. The first 10 years of my life was just like an episode of The Andy Griffith Show. My favorite all-time would have to be The Simpsons. My favorite traditional (or non-animated) show is Seinfeld. Cheers is a close second.
"Zungguzungguguzungguzeng"
-Yellowman
pancakemix wrote:Quirk, you are a bastard. That is all.
People are mentioning some old classics like I Love Lucy and The Honeymooners. I think The Dick Van Dyke Show should also be mentioned.
A few years later, The Odd Couple was a good one.
The how about Taxi and WKRP In Cincinnatti?
I'm just naming a few good ones that haven't been mentioned.
Oh, and in the cartoon category, I'm not sure if The Flintstones was mentioned. It's not as "edgy" as some of the newer cartoons, but it is funny for both kids and adults.
For the most number of really good laughs, it is hard to beat Friends and Seinfeld.
The two that I really got into the ongoing plot and cared about the characters the most would be Friends and Cheers (in the Diane Chambers era).
El Capitan X wrote:The people in flame wars just seem to get dimmer and dimmer. Seriously though, I love your style, always a good read.
M*A*S*H
Seinfeld
Hogan's Heroes
Barney Miller
All In The Family
+1 for Gilligan's Isle (thanks andre)
Actually, I think that's a good order, but while I think Hogan's Heroes is oddly brilliant it may not rate with the rest. How about replacing it with Taxi?
Special premature-cancellation nod to Arrested Development.
oaktown wrote:Special premature-cancellation nod to Arrested Development.
Probably the 2nd best show on Fox... The best one, of course, was Firefly.
Both were canceled. TV execs are flamin' ij-its!
To achieve balance, first you must grow.
To grow, first you must learn.
To learn, first you must listen.
To listen, first you must shut the hell up.
-Buddhist saying
jonesthecurl wrote: Roseanne and Dan shouldn't have won the lottery -
I'm pretty sure they made it worse by ending the season (actually, the whole show) with 'the-whole-season-was-a-dream-and-they-never-won-the-lotto-and-Dan-actually-died-at-the-end-of-the-previous-season-from-a-heart-attack-at-Becky's-wedding'
Anyway, Luns, in answer to your question, the answer is 'no such thing'
SNL? check this out: http://www.evtv1.com/player.aspx?itemnum=6234
, but The Jetsons rocked too
