# sitcom

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitcom/88429
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [October 19, 2001, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitcom/88429 "2001-10-19T14:32:32Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)
#### Post date: [October 19, 2001, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitcom/88429/1 "2001-10-19T14:32:32Z")

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What was the first ever sitcom?

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### Author: ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)
#### Post date: [October 19, 2001, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitcom/88429/2 "2001-10-19T14:59:50Z")

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[Mary Kay and Johnny.](http://www.snopes2.com/radiotv/tv/marykay.htm)

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### Author: ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)
#### Post date: [October 19, 2001, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitcom/88429/3 "2001-10-19T15:59:42Z")

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“Merry Wives of Windsor”, by William Shakespeare. 🙂

I saw a production of this in DC years ago. Through the Elizabethan English, I could easily see an “I Love Lucy” or “Three’s Company” episode, full of misunderstandings, innuendo, and mistaken identities.

If I were Bill, I’d sue. Oh, wait, he’s dead. Nevermind.

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### Author: ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)
#### Post date: [October 19, 2001, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitcom/88429/4 "2001-10-19T19:43:41Z")

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Didn’t _A Comedy of Errors_ come before _Merry Wives of Windsor_?

Almost every sitcom in the Universe has had an episode or two that can be traced back to the ol’ mistaken-identity gag in _A Comedy of Errors_.

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### Author: ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)
#### Post date: [October 20, 2001, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitcom/88429/5 "2001-10-20T05:42:56Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by friedo \*  
> **Didn’t _A Comedy of Errors_ come before _Merry Wives of Windsor_?**

Probably; MWOW is the only Shakespearean comedy I’ve seen.

_Othello_ had its funny moments, but was definately a drama.

(I’d see more Shakespeare, but at $50+ a ticket it’s not a impulse thing to do on a Saturday night.)

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### Author: ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)
#### Post date: [October 20, 2001, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitcom/88429/6 "2001-10-20T11:43:29Z")

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I think this can go in Cafe Society.

bibliophage  
moderator GQ