Quote: Griff @ March 27 2011, 10:58 PM BSTWhy are mockumentary and sitcom mutually exclusive?
The Office was a sitcom and a mockumentary. A mockumentary is just a style within a category. Spinal Tap was a mockumentary but still a film.
Twenty Twelve is definitely a sitcom done in the style of a mockumentary, but the BBC don't seem to like that traditional word and have tried to come up with a description that sounds newer and original. In the process they've called it a Comedy Drama, Comedy Series and, best of all, Comic Documentary. It's almost like Perfect Curve have been in charge of its PR. And I sympathise with Aaron here.
The general and very basic definition of a sitcom is 30 mins of a narrative comedy. This is what most producers, writers, commissioners tell us all the time. Comedy drama is defined as the same but anything longer than 30 mins. There are more smaller differences but this is the basic convention.
Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ March 28 2011, 9:19 AM BSTI haven't seen this yet, possibly because I don't look for sitcoms on BBC4. I thought BBC Three was the place for new sitcoms they didn't have much confidence in now, so why are they sticking this on BBC Four? I thought that was for documentaries and repeats of The Old Grey Whistle Test, and stuff.
BBC Three tends to be sitcoms for a young audience. And there are usually more made for them than an older audience. BBC Four test out the Lead Balloons and Twenty Twelves.
Good one.
