# 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:** 9\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2005, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sitcoms-dead/286065/41 "2005-01-23T17:49:17Z")
Has anyone seen _Trailer Park Boys_? Also a “mocumentary” style show. Available in the US on BBCAmerica and on DVD. It has it’s moments. I like how it manages to stay good natured despite all the swearing. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2005, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sitcoms-dead/286065/42 "2005-01-23T19:18:02Z")
I notice I forgot to add The King Of Queens to my watch list, which makes sense because it has been barely watchable to me since Leah got pregnant. Apparently, the “hot wife” was a required element of that show to keep me tuning in. I still try to catch it when I can, but even when nothing else is on I often find myself saying “meh, whatever” and skipping it. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2005, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sitcoms-dead/286065/43 "2005-01-23T19:48:43Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > Agree 100%…but sadly, this too will be the last season. Has this been announced already? About this being the last season? If so, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! > [@](#): > > Speaking of which, any word on when it will start up again? Haven’t heard anything. Just checked [hbo.com](http://hbo.com), and they don’t say anything, but I did find out that Season 3 was released on DVD. So I know what I’m doing tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sitcoms-dead/286065/44 "2005-01-24T19:09:41Z")
> [@Happy Lendervedder](#): > > Has this been announced already? About this being the last season? If so, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I was all over the news back when the last season ended…unless Larry David has changed his mind. I believe he was quoted as saying something to the effect “after the next season, I am out of ideas and it is a good time to end the show”. And the few articles I have read since then all mention “the upcoming final season of Curb Your Ethusiasm”. Hope it is not true that it is almost over…though oddly, this was a show I hated when I first watched it, and had to actually force myself to give it another try. Now I can’t believe I was too stupid to see how great it is on my first viewing. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2005, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sitcoms-dead/286065/45 "2005-01-30T04:28:08Z")
Mr. Rilch asked the OP’s question about a week ago. To be precise, he said, “Are there **any** good sitcoms on TV any more?” Me: “Bernie Mac?” Him: “Okay, that’s one. Any others?” Me: “…” Him: “Yeah.” ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2005, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sitcoms-dead/286065/46 "2005-01-30T05:04:28Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > What is it you think is un-sitcom about them? My guess is that they feel less “sitcom” because they deviate from the three camera model. Unlike say, Cheers where almost everything happened in the bar, or Night Court where evertyhing happened in the court room, sitcoms are branching out and actually looking more “true to life” filming on location, more steadycam use etc. No more scenes with everyone congregating in the living room of the Huxtables, the Connors, the Cunninghams, the Keatons… That’s probably why people get confused. They are still “situation comedies” but they don’t have that studio/limited set and stage lighting feel anymore. ---
**Author:** ![kingpengvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9dc877/32.png) [@kingpengvin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kingpengvin)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2005, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sitcoms-dead/286065/47 "2005-01-30T07:10:11Z")
The sitcom is as dead a comedy convention as slapstick. It will always be there, in one form or another, just morphed a little. I can never see any form of entertainment without a comedy subgenre in it. Also put in my vote for Arrested Development being something everyone should see Sunday nights 8:30 on Fox. (PS it seems the pin heads at Fox are particularly moved by DVD sales to revive or keep shows on the air so go out and buy season one if you haven’t already) ---
**Author:** ![butter\_pie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aca169/32.png) [@butter\_pie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butter_pie)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2005, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sitcoms-dead/286065/48 "2005-01-30T07:50:15Z")
There’s nothing I watch with any regularity on TV any more. I guess the Simpsons is the closest, but I forget half the time that it’s even on. I used to watch _King of Queens_ if it was on (usually before Simpsons) just because I liked the old man, but I’m glad I haven’t been watching it if they’re changed the show by trying to add a cute kid. One of the reasons I liked the show was because it didn’t have some kid in it trying to be painfully cute like so many sitcoms do. One other show I will watch once in a while, if I catch it on, is _Spin City_. I really liked _Frasier_ while it was on. Lately the boyfriend and I have been watching old episodes of _NewsRadio_ (95-99). I never realized just how funny that show was while it was on. Maybe I just didn’t get the more subtle bits and references back then. But the writing on it was really witty and surprisingly consistent. I would totally recommend getting the DVDs when they come out in March. It only survived one season after Phil Hartman died, though. I used to like _Everyone Loves Raymond_ because I liked his parents’ characters in that. Haven’t watched it in a long time though. It got to where all the episodes seemed to revolve around Ray being a dumbass and his wife being a bitch and that was about the extent of it. I have checked out _Arrested Development_, but the one episode I saw didn’t really make any sense, and I tend to not get into shows that I pretty much have to watch every week. Even if I like it, I’m forgetful. ---
**Author:** ![Odinoneeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/97f17d/32.png) [@Odinoneeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odinoneeye)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2005, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sitcoms-dead/286065/49 "2005-01-30T21:33:02Z")
I’m gonna put in a nod for one of the few shows I try to never miss, but never gets mentioned at the SDMB Less Than Perfect I’m not sure what it is about this show, but I always find it funny. It added a couple charactrers which changed the dynamic of the show. Usually this is a sign of doom, but it really worked well for this show. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-sitcoms-dead/286065.md?page=2)