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A sitcom (short for situation comedy or situational comedy) is a genre of comedy produced for radio and television, that centers on a recurring cast of characters as they navigate humorous situations within a consistent setting, such as a home, workplace, or community. Unlike sketch comedy, which features different characters and settings in each skit, sitcoms typically maintain plot continuity across episodes. This continuity allows for the development of storylines and characters over time, fostering audience engagement and investment in the characters' lives and relationships.

History

The structure and concept of a sitcom have roots in earlier forms of comedic theater, such as farces and comedy of manners. These forms relied on running gags to generate humor, but the term "sitcom" emerged as radio and TV adapted these principles into a new medium. The word was not commonly used until the 1950s.

Early television sitcoms were often filmed in front of a live studio audience using a multiple-camera setup, the latter of which continues in some modern productions such as The Big Bang Theory and Fuller House. Other formats make use of a laugh track or "canned laughter".

Since the 1990s, sitcoms have since expanded to animated sitcoms, with successful shows of the genre including The Simpsons, King of the Hill, and Family Guy.

Critics have debated the exact definition of a sitcom, mostly regarding productions created at the turn of the 21st century. Many contemporary American sitcoms use a single-camera setup and do not feature a laugh track, instead more resembling documentaries or the comedy-dramas of the 1980s and 1990s.

By country

Australia

Although there have been few long-running Australian-made sitcoms, many American and British sitcoms have been successful in Australia, since sitcoms are considered a staple of the government broadcaster Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). In the 1970s and 1980s many British sitcoms also screened on the Seven Network. By 1986, UK comedies Bless This House and Are You Being Served? had been re-screened several times by ABC Television; they were then acquired and screened by the Seven Network.

In 1981, Daily at Dawn was the first Australian comedy series to feature a regular gay character (Terry Bader as journalist Leslie).

In 1987, Mother and Son won the Television Drama Award for portraying a woman suffering from senile dementia and her interaction with her family, presented by the Australian Human Rights Commission.

In 2007, Kath & Kim's first episode of series 4 attracted an Australian audience of 2.521 million nationally. This was the highest rating for a first episode in the history of Australian television, until the series premiere of Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities in 2009, which garnered 2.58 million viewers.

In 2013, Please Like Me received an invitation to screen at the Series Mania Television Festival in Paris, was praised by critics, and earned numerous awards and nominations.

Also in 2013, At Home with Julia was criticized by several social commentators as inappropriately disrespectful to the office of the Prime Minister. The show nevertheless proved very popular with both television audiences and critics, becoming the most-watched Australian scripted comedy series of 2011. It was nominated at the 2012 Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards for Best Television Comedy Series.

Canada

Although there have been several notable exceptions, relatively few Canadian sitcoms attained notable success in Canada or internationally. Canadian television has had much greater success with sketch comedy and dramedy series.

The popular show King of Kensington aired from 1975 to 1980, at its peak garnering an average of 1.5 to 1.8 million viewers weekly.

The 1999 movie Trailer Park Boys was followed up by a television series of the same name that ran from 2001 to 2018, airing in Canada, the U.S., and the U.K.

Corner Gas, which ran for six seasons from 2004 to 2009, became an instant hit, averaging one million viewers per episode. It has been the recipient of six Gemini Awards and has been nominated almost 70 times for various awards.

Other noteworthy recent sitcoms have included: Call Me Fitz, Schitt's Creek, Letterkenny, and Kim's Convenience, all of which have been winners of the Canadian Screen Award for Best Comedy Series.

In 2020, the sixth and final season of Schitt's Creek was nominated for 15 Primetime Emmy Awards. This broke the record for the most Emmy nominations given to a comedy series in its final season. During the 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards, the show became the first ever comedy or drama series to sweep the four acting categories (Outstanding Lead Actor, Outstanding Lead Actress, Outstanding Supporting Actor, Outstanding Supporting Actress for Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Dan Levy, and Annie Murphy respectively) and one of only four live action shows, along with All in the Family, The Golden Girls, and Will & Grace where all the principal actors have won at least one Emmy Award.

India

Sitcoms started appearing on Indian television in the 1980s, with serials like Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi (1984), Nukkad (1986), and Wagle Ki Duniya (1988) on the state-run Doordarshan channel. Gradually, as private channels were permitted to operate, many more sitcoms followed. In the 1990s these included: Dekh Bhai Dekh (1993), Zabaan Sambhalke (1993), Shrimaan Shrimati (1995), Office Office (2001), Ramani Vs Ramani (Tamil 2001), Amrutham (Telugu 2001–2007), Khichdi (2002), Sarabhai vs Sarabhai (2005) F.I.R. (2006–2015), Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah (2008–present), Uppum Mulakum (Malayalam 2015–present), and Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain (2015–present). SAB TV is one of the leading channels in India, dedicated entirely to Sitcoms.

Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah is the longest-running sitcom of Indian television and is also known as the flagship show of SAB TV.

Iran

On Tiptoes and Shabhaye Barareh were among the first and most important sitcoms that led to the growth of this type of comedy in Iran, both receiving wide critical and audience acclaim.

Mexico

El Chavo del Ocho, which ran from 1971 to 1980, was the most-watched show on Mexican television and had a Latin-American audience of 350 million viewers per episode at its popularity peak during the mid-1970s. The show continues to be popular in Central America as well as in Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Spain, the United States, and other countries. Syndicated episodes average 91 million daily viewers in all its American markets. Since it ceased production in 1992, the show has earned an estimated $1 billion in syndication fees alone for Televisa.

New Zealand

Gliding On, a popular sitcom in New Zealand in the early 1980s, won multiple awards during its run including Best Comedy, Best Drama and Best Direction at the Feltex Awards.

Russia

The first Russian sitcom series was "Strawberry", which resembled "Duty Pharmacy" in a Spanish format. It was aired from 1996 to 1997 on the RTR channel. The "boom" of Russian sitcoms began only in the 2000s, when in 2004, the STS started the highly successful sitcom "My Fair Nanny" (an adaptation of the American sitcom "The Nanny"). Since that time, sitcoms in Russia have been produced by the two largest entertainment channels in the country — STS and TNT. In 2007, the STS released the first original domestic sitcom — "Daddy's Daughters" (there were only adaptations before), and in 2010, TNT released "Interns" — the first sitcom, filmed as a comedy (unlike dominated "conveyor" sitcoms).

South Korea

Sitcoms, or "시트콤" in Korean, gained significant popularity in South Korea during the 1990s. This popularity was fueled by the success of shows like Dr. Oh's People, LA Arirang, and Men and Women.

The use of computer graphics (CG) in sitcoms began to increase in the late 1990s as more broadcasters adopted CG technology. This led to more visually dynamic and creative sitcoms.

However, viewer preferences shifted towards dramas and thrillers in the 2010s, resulting in a decline in sitcom popularity. Nevertheless, there have been recent efforts to revive the sitcom genre. For instance, Netflix released So Not Worth It in 2021, featuring many creators from popular South Korean sitcoms.

Popular South Korean sitcoms include the High Kick series, which has spawned several spin-offs.

United Kingdom

British sitcoms, like their American counterparts, often revolve around a core group of characters who interact in a recurring setting, such as a family, workplace, or institution. However, British sitcoms typically consist of shorter series, often six episodes, and are frequently developed by a smaller writing team.

The majority of British sitcoms are half-hour comedies recorded in studio settings using a multiple-camera setup. While many adhere to traditional sitcom conventions, some have ventured into more unconventional territory. For example, Blackadder and Yes Minister/Yes Prime Minister shifted the focus from domestic or workplace settings to the world of politics.

A more recent development in British comedy is the mockumentary, a style that blends documentary and comedic elements. Shows like The Office, Come Fly with Me, W1A, People Just Do Nothing, and This Country have successfully employed this format to explore a variety of topics and characters.

United States

Sitcoms, or situation comedies, made their debut in the United States in 1926 with the radio show Sam 'n' Henry. The subsequent success of Amos 'n' Andy, also created by Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll, solidified the sitcom's place in American radio programming.

The transition to television brought about significant changes in the sitcom format. Mary Kay and Johnny, which premiered in 1947, became the first American television sitcom. Today, American sitcoms typically run for 22 minutes, allowing for approximately eight minutes of advertising within a 30-minute time slot.

Throughout their history, American sitcoms have often drawn inspiration from British counterparts. Popular shows like All in the Family, Three's Company, and Sanford and Son were adapted from successful British series. More recently, The Office achieved significant popularity in the United States, following the success of its British counterpart.

Numerous television networks in the United States feature sitcoms in their programming. CBS, TBS, Nickelodeon, and Disney Channel are just a few examples of networks that air sitcoms.

See also

• Animated sitcom
• Black sitcom
• List of sitcoms
• Sitcoms in the United States

References

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Further reading

• Asplin, Richard (2004). Gagged (A Thriller with Jokes). Arrow books. ISBN 0-09-941685-9. A contemporary comic thriller set in London and Los Angeles that covers the financing, production, creation, ratings, and marketing of a modern American network half-hour situation comedy.
• Mary M. Dalton (1 February 2012). Sitcom Reader, The: America Viewed and Skewed. SUNY Press. ISBN 978-0-7914-8263-6.
• Lewisohn, Mark (2003) Radio Times' Guide to TV Comedy. 2nd Ed. Revised – BBC Consumer Publishing. ISBN 0-563-48755-0, Provides details of every comedy show ever seen on British television, including imports.
• Brett Mills (12 January 2006). Television Sitcom. British Film Institute. ISBN 978-1-84457-087-4.
• Brett Mills (2009). The Sitcom. Edinburgh University Press. ISBN 978-0-7486-3752-2.
• Joanne Morreale (2003). Critiquing the Sitcom: A Reader. Syracuse University Press. ISBN 978-0-8156-2983-2.
• Padva, Gilad (2005). "Desired Bodies and Queer Masculinities in Three Popular TV Sitcoms". In Lorek-Jezinska, Edyta and Wieckowska, Katarzyna (Eds.), Corporeal Inscriptions: Representations of the Body in Cultural and Homosexual Literature (pp. 127–138). Torun, Poland: Nicholas Copernicus University Press. ISBN 83-231-1812-4.
• Antonio Savorelli (13 April 2010). Beyond Sitcom: New Directions in American Television Comedy. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-5992-6.
• Starman, Ray (2014). The Sitcom Class Wars: 20th Century. Troy, NY: The Troy Bookmakers. History and analysis of 60 classic American sitcoms. Also includes a glossary for easy access. Photos for every program.

External links

• Situation Comedy Bibliography (via UC Berkeley)—mostly US programs
• Sitcoms Online
• British Comedy Guide (archived 4 April 2005)

• Sitcoms
• Entertainment
• Television genres
• Television terminology