# Are Sitcoms Dead? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 22, 2005, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sitcoms-dead/286065 "2005-01-22T10:09:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2005, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sitcoms-dead/286065/1 "2005-01-22T10:09:38Z")
Much as I try, JOEY isn’t doing it, EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND is on its last legs and will be ending this year, WILL AND GRACE has lost it’s WILL to be good and who cares about GRACE, and the only “new” sitcom semi-worth watching is TWO AND A HALF MEN. Is the sitcom dead, or is it just going through a phase? ---
**Author:** ![Freejooky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ba8739/32.png) [@Freejooky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freejooky)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2005, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sitcoms-dead/286065/2 "2005-01-22T10:12:37Z")
I was wondering this the other day. The current crop are _terrible_. I think perhaps networks have switched focus to reality shows, but the sitcom should bounce back. ---
**Author:** ![Khan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3ab097/32.png) [@Khan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khan)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2005, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sitcoms-dead/286065/3 "2005-01-22T10:37:49Z")
It occurs to me that what exists now is a vacuum left by flagship shows like Frasier and Friends. NBC, at least, could let those carry its lineup while the rest of their offerings weren’t all that good. I can’t speak for ABC or CBS, though. I can’t even remember the last time I watched either of those channels. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2005, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sitcoms-dead/286065/4 "2005-01-22T10:42:33Z")
Nah, it’s not dead. Maybe it’s having a down period, but as a format it’s too basic and familiar to really go away. And I guess it’s an untraditional sitcom, but Arrested Development is as good a series as there’s been in years. ---
**Author:** ![Tracy\_Lord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@Tracy\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tracy_Lord)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2005, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sitcoms-dead/286065/5 "2005-01-22T10:42:36Z")
_sticks head into thread_ _Arrested Development!_ Smart, politically savvy, and FUNNY, but it sort of takes the sitcom “formula” and locks it out of the penthouse. No laugh track, not even a pause after jokes for laughter, a lot of very subtle humor, and it’s not unusual for the setup to come after the punchline. Lots more people should be watching this than are. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2005, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sitcoms-dead/286065/6 "2005-01-22T12:53:22Z")
I like Scrubs and I’m kinda enjoying the new Committed. It is a fun quirky little show. Not great, but it usually gets a smile or two from me. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2005, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sitcoms-dead/286065/7 "2005-01-22T13:03:47Z")
We should only be so lucky. Sitcoms might well be the worst thing western culture has cranked out. Unfunny jokes, laugh tracks in case you don’t laugh at unfunny jokes, short-attention span format, etc. Really, while they might have had their day, the pressure to produce 26 of them per year for a zillion shows for each and every year places out the concept pretty damn fast. Ugh. I hate television. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2005, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sitcoms-dead/286065/8 "2005-01-22T13:05:50Z")
> [@Jonathan Chance](#): > > We should only be so lucky. Sitcoms might well be the worst thing western culture has cranked out. > > \. I can only assume you haven’t seen Reality TV… ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2005, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sitcoms-dead/286065/9 "2005-01-22T13:09:48Z")
🙂 Cheerfully, I haven’t. I am, sadly, hopelessly addicted to the printed word. But I can’t imagine people debasing themselves for fame and wealth is worse than the vapidity of sitcoms. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2005, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sitcoms-dead/286065/10 "2005-01-22T13:12:31Z")
> [@Jonathan Chance](#): > > But I can’t imagine people debasing themselves for fame and wealth is worse than the vapidity of sitcoms. You’re wrong. 😉 You’re also incorrect about laugh tracks (they don’t all use them). ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2005, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sitcoms-dead/286065/11 "2005-01-22T13:14:37Z")
Yeah, _Arrested Develpment_ is good. \*Malcom in the Middle \* is pretty good, or least it was (haven’t watched in a while). A good rule of thumb is “90% of everything is crap”. I’m still hoping against hope that Aaron Sorkin will resurect _Sports Night_. ---
**Author:** ![scotandrsn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@scotandrsn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scotandrsn)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2005, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sitcoms-dead/286065/12 "2005-01-22T13:58:04Z")
> [@Jonathan Chance](#): > > We should only be so lucky. Sitcoms might well be the worst thing western culture has cranked out. Actually, I’av always seen the sitcom as a modern on the Commedia Dell’Arte. The characters, once familiar, always act in predictable ways and have consistent reactions to certain types of situations. ---
**Author:** ![scotandrsn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@scotandrsn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scotandrsn)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2005, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sitcoms-dead/286065/13 "2005-01-22T13:59:50Z")
> [@spooje](#): > > Yeah, _Arrested Develpment_ is good. \*Malcom in the Middle \* is pretty good, or least it was (haven’t watched in a while). > > A good rule of thumb is “90% of everything is crap”. > > I’m still hoping against hope that Aaron Sorkin will resurect _Sports Night_. I don’t think Felicity Huffman is walking off the _Desperate Housewives_ set anytime soon. Don’t hold your breath. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2005, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sitcoms-dead/286065/14 "2005-01-22T14:20:55Z")
I’ll second the “90% of everything is crap” comment. A lot of sitcoms are awful, but there’s no denying that there have been some pretty clever and innovative examples out there. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2005, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sitcoms-dead/286065/15 "2005-01-22T16:22:52Z")
I keep hoping against hope that all the other execs and writers will look at _Scrubs_ and _Arrested Development_, simultaneously smack their heads, and immediately start making _good_ shows, instead of the dreck that fills up most of the week. Sadly, I don’t think it’s gonna happen. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2005, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sitcoms-dead/286065/16 "2005-01-22T16:48:02Z")
It’s a phase. There was a time in the early 80’s when the “experts” declared the death of the sitcom. Then Cosby, Cheers, Night Court, etc, came along. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2005, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sitcoms-dead/286065/17 "2005-01-22T17:28:29Z")
It ain’t over till the fat lady sings. _Arrested Development, Committed, Scrubs, Corner Gas, Monk_… there’s lots of great stuff out there. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2005, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sitcoms-dead/286065/18 "2005-01-22T17:30:58Z")
> [@Lightnin'](#): > > I keep hoping against hope that all the other execs and writers will look at _Scrubs_ and _Arrested Development_, simultaneously smack their heads, and immediately start making _good_ shows, instead of the dreck that fills up most of the week. > > Sadly, I don’t think it’s gonna happen. Nah, instead they’ll start trying to copy those shows. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2005, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sitcoms-dead/286065/19 "2005-01-22T17:36:43Z")
> [@ultrafilter](#): > > Nah, instead they’ll start trying to copy those shows. Eh. It might lead to something good, and it’s unlikely to lead less than average overall. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2005, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sitcoms-dead/286065/20 "2005-01-22T17:45:25Z")
When I saw this thread I stopped to think, and I realized the only sitcom I watch now is _Scrubs_. I also watch _Desperate Housewives_, and I don’t care what People’s Choice says, it’s _not_ a comedy. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sitcoms-dead/286065.md?page=2)