The Longevity of the Sitcom

Why do well-made, loveable sitcoms transcend cultural barriers and stand the test of time?

The cast of 'That 70's Show' (CREDIT: Fox Television)

by Jack Linsdell

Comedy is one of the purest and immersive forms of entertainment around, and when done right can not only allow us to laugh at characters who act as constructs of our own lives, but also provide us with light, easily-immiscible entertainment through the form of laughter. The situational comedy, or as more widely know, the sit-com, has become the hallmark of comedy for TV and of recent streaming services like Netflix. Every generation grows up with at least one beloved sitcom, with many ranging in content (be it for children, adults or achieving a middle-ground/family rating) and scenario (family/friends etc. or high school/home/workplace etc.). However, the best ones are those that not only stand the test of time, but also transcend cultural/international barriers too. 

British sitcoms beloved around the world (but mainly in America) include Only Fools and Horses, Absolutely Fabulous and The Office, whilst mainstream American sitcoms loved over this side of the Atlantic include Friends, Fraser and How I Met Your Mother. Why have these transcended cultural boundaries and remain popular despite their "dated" look/feel? The truth is, that for many who grew up watching them as children, re-watching them as adults/senior citizens evokes a sense of nostalgia and thus reminds them of childhood. Normally, the younger generation are subjected to episodes of these along their own path through adolescence and occasionally they too become engrossed in the characters and charmed by the humour that these 'popular' sitcoms continue to be watched and loved years after they've been aired. Indeed, with the world becoming increasingly depressing and people's lives busier and more chaotic, the chance of escaping through the lives of characters that mirror their own but in a comedic/light format is an appealing concept. Added to this, the usual 20-30 minute runtime of a sitcom episode makes it easy for those with busy working/family lives to absorb a quick episode in between tasks/jobs, allowing a quick dose of escapism before emerging back into their depressing lives. Sound familiar? Well, of course it is. That's why we love sitcoms. 

However, I wanted to use several sitcoms I've recently/always highly rated to explore why, if well-crafted, these can remain enjoyable bouts of escapism to those of different backgrounds/generations. Firstly, lets start in Britain with Lee Mack's BBC sitcom Not Going Out, in which from the pilot episode to season 7 saw Lee try to win over his flatmate (Megan Dodd's Kate in season one and Sally Bretton's Lucy there after) with his romantic motivations, although his hapless and insular personality always prevented from succeeding. Then, after Lee and Lucy's marriage, season eight onwards (season ten just finished airing on the BBC and season 11 has just been commissioned) we follow them as a family five years later, having had three children. It's immensely funny, with Lee Mack co-writing every script, and as a master comedic mind/talent anyway, he brings his quick wit, intelligent and adult humour into every line of each script, and it's rapid-fire dialogue has become a staple of the series. But, Not Going Out doesn't continue to be renewed just on it's tremendously funny jokes, but because it remains immensely relatable for a working/middle class British family. Mack bases each episode on his own family life (he has three kids with his wife too, as does his co-star Sally Bretton), so it's no wonder why every episode touches upon everyday social issues/family dynamics that I (and most British people) can relate too. This makes it timeless but also deepens it's entertainment value as the audience continues to watch it season after season because it is making fun of their own lives in a way. 

Continuing with the British theme, I recently endowered The Office and Extras, both written, directed and starring two of Britain's greatest comedic talents (both in writing and performance) of Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. Many know Gervais far more (especially in America) than they do Merchant, due to him being the front man while Merchant was more behind the scenes. Both these adored British sitcoms show how another key ingredient for timeless sitcoms is investment in loveable characters. In The Office, David Brent, despite his sexist/racist/homophobic/prejudiced attitudes, continues to chase his dream of becoming a popular person in his position as team management, whilst Extras follows Andy Millman's quest to become an actor, not just an extra. These are both popular British sitcoms for a reason - they are contagious, extremely funny and their adult humour/content allows for some true 'late night' comedy viewing.

Gervais and Merchant "unofficially" parted ways in order to pursue successful careers independently, and both have continued with some of their best work since. Gervais recently created the comedy-drama After Life on Netflix, while Merchant has been involved in the wresting, sports drama Fighting with My Family film. However, Merchant has also since created another one of my favourite sitcoms, which has flown under many people's radar. I'm talking about his HBO 2014 sitcom Hello Ladies. This, much like Not Going Out, is formed from Merchant's own life/dating experiences, helping to give it a sincerity, heart and relatability, and becomes a truly entertaining show. It's humour is born from well-crafted, loveable character's personalities, and the influence of physical comedy allows this one to be universally funny because so much of the humour is delivered through the body language. Following Stuart's (Merchant) dating experiences in Los Angeles and his flatmate/friend/romantic interest's (Jessica) in becoming an established actor, it explores the notion of being yourself and appreciating what you've got. Although, only running for one season of eight episodes, it does conclude with a feature-length epilogue Hello Ladies - The Movie, which is a potent, funny and emotionally-deep, fitting conclusion to Stuart and Jessica's character arcs. If you haven't seen this one folks, then do try and get a copy - it's as entertaining as hell.

This brings me over to America, and my recent discovery/binge watch of the teenage-led sitcom That 70's Show, which aired from 1998-2006 for eight seasons. This one has gone on to produce some of Hollywood's newest/greatest upcoming actors, the most notable is Mila Kunis (Friends with Benefits, Ted, The Spy Who Dumped Me and Bad Moms to name a few) and Ashton Kutcher (Mila's husband now) and Danny Masterston - the two latter ones having reunited together on Netflix's acclaimed series The Ranch (another sitcom). But, I digress. This show follow six teenage kids (Eric, Donna, Fez, Jackie, Kelso and Hyde) and their endeavours during high-school years, dealing on the experience of sex, drugs, friendship, relationship, family, education amongst other things. As they often hang out in Eric's home/basement, we also get large roles from his Mum (Kitty Forman) and Dad (Red Forman) and their neighbours (his girlfriend Donna's parents - she lives next door) Bob and Midge. This is so funny - and I mean, it really is contagious in it's ability to keep a smile plastered on your face, making you easily say "Oh right, just one more" until you find yourself at one in the morning. But, especially when Red's mean, strict character is involved (his disappointment in his son (or anyone really) ends with either calling them a "dumbass" or some variation of putting something up their ass) or when Hyde/Kelso get into trouble. Each character represents a different stereotype (we have a popular/arrogant one, a rebellious one, a nerdy one, etc.) but it's not just about the humour here. Indeed, the crafting of such compelling characters shows that the final key to creating ever-lasting sitcoms is ensuring the audience are invested in the central characters enough. And, That 70's Show definitely does that. As a British audience, with British values/sensitivities, I'm ashamed to say that the biggie in American sitcoms (Friends for example) don't work with me, even on a comedic level. So it was fascinating how a true-blue American sitcom (set in the 70's long before my time) could be so relatable, funny and addictive. Well, it shows that if you invest an audience in your characters, it doesn't matter what culture or generation they come from because it'll stick around.

So, what have we all learned? Well, it's clear the ingredients of a timeless sitcom classic therefore are obviously a unique and infectious sense of humour, relatability for a particular demographic/culture to their lives/everyday issues and investment in loveable characters and their journey's/arcs. If you haven't seen any of the following Hello Ladies, Not Going Out, The Office, Extras and That 70's Show, then do treat yourself. Like me, you'll hopefully discover little comedic gems that will help make those breaks between the toils of life that little bit more enjoyable.