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?

Audience popularity Sitcom Funny Cathartic: make Can relate to us feel better Can relate to characters Sitcom Only half an hour Recogniseable situations Themes reflect current society - relevant Follow conventions - safe + familiar Light, easy to watch

What are the ‘conventions’ of a sitcom? What do you expect to see?

Audience expectations of sitcom Plots focus on everyday events UK or USA Studio audience/ Canned laughter Stereotype or archetype characters Studio sets and confined locations Humour – should make you laugh Sitcom Regular TV slot Same group of characters each week Different storyline each week 30 mins long Ordinary settings – office, the home etc Same each week

Identifying common character stereotypes 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 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 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 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 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