Hi Guys, newly joined to share my love of sitcoms!
I'm doing a social history degree and am writing about the sitcom formula and how it has changed. I'm interested in how it has developed and how it is being re-invented. Seinfeld with the numerous storyline dovetails and latterly (although I'm not the biggest fan) by shows like How Not To Live Your Life (breaks in the story for stand alone jokes).
Can the collective memory of the forum point me in the direction of any original formatting/ideas from past sitcom, or new ones in case I've over-looked them? There is a show on Paramount called The Winner by Seth MacFarlane which has an interesting angle: introduces the guy as a millionaire and then switches back to his old life to re-tell the journey.
A wasted youth has left me with a pretty extensive knowledge but it's not complete!
I'd love to know how other people have played with the format.
Oh and here's my top 5 by the way, although it changes hourly:
1. Seinfeld - so many ideas over nearly 200 episodes
2. I'm Alan Partridge - beautiful characterisation without forgetting the lines
3. The Office - a bit obvious but it's no good trying to be smart. It was funny.
4. Frasier - I think you respect it rather than love it
5. Any one of Peep Show, Nathan Barley, Rising Damp, CYE, Porridge, Cheers, Yes, Prime Minister, The Phil Silvers Show... Depending on my mood!
Edited by Aaron.