Sitcoms

Post by **TheCatt** » Tue Oct 20, 2009 8:29 pm

I think the thing I hate about sitcoms is this idea that something has to happen, reach a crescendo, and be resolved, all within 20 minutes.

Why can't things linger on? Why do people have to have lifetime realizations in 10 minutes, and then solve them within 10 minutes and suddenly go from being an ass to a great guy or whatever? And if they became a great guy last episode, why are they being a jerk, and then becoming a great guy again all over in this episode?

This is what killed Scrubs. Too many JD realizations, despite the fact that the character barely ever grew.

Post by **TPRJones** » Tue Oct 20, 2009 8:44 pm

Some sitcoms do have character development. There's only two I watch these days, both of which have ongoing plot arcs:

How I Met Your Mother
The Big Bang Theory

Generally I don't like the short format, but these two seem to pull it off well. The recently cancelled Samatha Who? also did a good job at it. Shame that that one was killed.

Post by **thibodeaux** » Tue Oct 20, 2009 9:34 pm

There's always the "very special" episodes, or the two-parters.

Post by **thibodeaux** » Tue Oct 20, 2009 9:35 pm

TheCatt wrote:I think the thing I hate about sitcoms is this idea that something has to happen, reach a crescendo, and be resolved, all within 20 minutes.

I bet you hate music.

"The thing I hate about songs is the idea that something has to happen, reach a crescendo, and be resolved, all within 3:05"

Post by **TheCatt** » Tue Oct 20, 2009 10:27 pm

thibodeaux wrote:
TheCatt wrote:I think the thing I hate about sitcoms is this idea that something has to happen, reach a crescendo, and be resolved, all within 20 minutes.
I bet you hate music.

"The thing I hate about songs is the idea that something has to happen, reach a crescendo, and be resolved, all within 3:05"

That could explain why Sam's Town is my favorite album of this decade, and why I like Sgt. Pepper's so much.

Songs aren't so formulaic though. There are so many different takes and progressions and ways of telling a story, even in 2 to 5 minutes.

The thing that really gets me is the fact that characters are established a certain way, then immediately go against their grain. That doesn't really happen in songs.

Community is a prime, new example of this. And Modern Family.

Malcolm · Post by **Malcolm** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 1:29 am

thibodeaux wrote:"The thing I hate about songs is the idea that something has to happen, reach a crescendo, and be resolved, all within 3:05"

If you want to have a hit, you've got to make it fit, so they cut it down.

Post by **TheCatt** » Wed Oct 21, 2009 8:03 am

Thanks, entertainer.