1. Situation Comedies
Unit 3

2. TV Buzz
Sitcoms typically begin with the introduction of dramatic tension.
One or two characters find themselves in a predicament, often the result of the characters’ own shortcomings.
The remainder of the show is then devoted to resolving this tension.
A common ingredient of comedy is having unexpected things happen.

3. TV Buzz Setting Characters
Tend to be relatively low-budget programs in terms of sets
Probably a home, an office, or a bar/restaurant
Characters
Older situation comedies featured the “nuclear family” (dad, mom, and children)
Most today focus on a group of people who are roughly the same age

4. The Formulas of Situation Comedies
A formula is a way of assembling something by adding different elements to achieve a fairly standard result.
What would you say is the formula for a good sit-com?

5. That Person Is Crazy
A large part of the humor in a situation comedy comes from a character responding in a uncommon way to a common situation.
Some situation comedies feature characters who do this all the time.
These characters are typically called “crazy” or “weird” or “zany”.

6. Sit-coms as Stories
As do literature and plays, most sit-coms have a narrative structure-they’re organized to tell a story
The narrative structure of most sit-coms is usually linear (beginning, middle, and end)

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