Despite drawing from the same old bag of tricks, sitcoms remain favourites
New York — The television industry is in the midst of a sea change but one format has not varied in 70 years — and yet remains a favourite among American viewers. The sitcom still brings the same bag of tricks: recurring characters and sets, with humorous storylines often punctuated by laughter. Television dramas have become ever-more sophisticated in recent years, from the zombie apocalypse of The Walking Dead to medieval power struggles in Game of Thrones. Yet the most-watched television show in the US last season (not including sports programming) was The Big Bang Theory — a sitcom in its 10th season on air. Other sitcoms such as Modern Family, The Goldbergs and Black-ish are renewed season after season by US broadcasters, while newcomers this year included Kevin Can Wait and Man With a Plan. "The genre is still alive and well and I expect it to be for quite some time," said Martie Cook, a screenwriter and professor at Emerson College. She attributes the sitcom’s longevity to two...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.