sitcoms

Sitcom, short for situation comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who occupy a common environment, such as a home or workplace. Each episode presents a humorous situation, often arising from character relationships, social norms, or everyday life, with resolutions by the end of the half-hour. Sitcoms traditionally use a recurring cast and setting, and most episodes follow a familiar rhythm of setup, complication, and payoff.

Format: Most traditional sitcoms run about 20 to 30 minutes and are designed for half-hour slots. They often use a multi-camera setup filmed in front of a live studio audience or with a laugh track; some modern examples use single-camera production without a studio audience.

History: Sitcoms originated in radio and became a dominant TV genre in the United States during the 1950s and 1960s, with early programs such as I Love Lucy shaping the format. The genre expanded in the following decades to include workplace and ensemble comedies, producing long-running shows like The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Cheers, Seinfeld, Friends, and The Office. In the late 1990s and 2000s, serialized elements and mockumentary formats gained prominence, and streaming platforms have further diversified the form.

Characteristics: Core features include a regular cast, a consistent setting, humor driven by character interactions, running gags or catchphrases, and a self-contained episode structure that typically resolves conflicts by its end. Sitcoms often explore family, friendship, and workplace dynamics.

Impact and variation: Sitcoms remain a staple of television, spanning family, workplace, and ensemble formats, and continue to evolve in pacing, tone, and narrative approach, including single-camera and mockumentary styles.