Good piece from Sharon Horgan in today's Guardian.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/2011/jun/25/sharon-horgan-lesser-watched-sitcoms
Sharon Horgan On The Merits Of The Cult Sitcom
Interesting read. Although aren't pretty much all sitcoms minority affairs nowadays, struggling to survive? The age of the popular mainstream sitcom is long gone.
Quote: chipolata @ June 25 2011, 10:42 AM BSTInteresting read. Although aren't pretty much all sitcoms minority affairs nowadays, struggling to survive? The age of the popular mainstream sitcom is long gone.
To be replaced with Dave.
Quote: chipolata @ June 25 2011, 10:42 AM BSTInteresting read. Although aren't pretty much all sitcoms minority affairs nowadays, struggling to survive? The age of the popular mainstream sitcom is long gone.
I think we're talking relative, rather than precise figures. 15 Storeys High and My Family existed during the same time-period, for example. One's clearly a mainstream comedy and the other a cult hit.
Quote: Aaron @ June 25 2011, 2:12 PM BSTI think we're talking relative, rather than precise figures. 15 Storeys High and My Family existed during the same time-period, for example. One's clearly a mainstream comedy and the other a cult hit.
Granted. But take My Family out of the equation and you struggle to think of any other recent broadly succesful mainstream shows on the major channels.
Miranda, The IT Crowd, Green Wing, The Green Green Grass, After You've Gone - even Life Of Riley.
There's a slightly kind of muddling distinction in this subject area though, between a mainstream sitcom that fails and gets no viewers (umm ... struggling to think of any of late), a mainstream sitcom that's successful (the above), and a more niche-appeal sitcom (Peep Show) that would never get massive figures because of their content, subject, tone, style or whatever.
Life Of Riley is the strongest indicator yet that the BBC has finally lost all touch with comedic reality!
It is my belief that if pushed into a corner the people who commissioned this middle class trifle, would also be happy to reintroduce Holiday On Ice and Billy Smart's Circus on Bank Holidays.
I am not advocating sitcoms set in high rise slums with a white single mother who has three half caste kids and a heroin addicted pit bull. (Although a separate competition to name such a show would be a good idea.)
But there should be an immediate bar on the Vicars & Volvo sitcoms, they are dire and Life of Riley makes Ballamory look like Bangkok.
Who is running the show? I think a Star Chamber has been created within the BBC and I suspect the following people MUST holding sway over its comedy output, there can be no other explanation.
Derek Nimmo
Hinge & Bracket
Ian Carmichael's Aunt
Mick Macmanus
Jackie Palo
Stuart Hall
Ed 'Stewpot' Stewart
The Wurzels
Phil Redmond.
There will be others I'm sure, but something must be done before My Family starts to look gritty.
There undoubtedly is a problem with mainstream sitcoms in this country but making them more "gritty" isn't the answer. In fact I would imagine the grittier something is, the less likely it is to appeal to a broad audience.
Not the case, by grit I mean adding situations people can relate too, things that reflect modern life, these would increase figures.
Comedy that reflects the times can often ease them temporarily and that's the name of the game.
Look at Rigsby, Bilko, Groucho, Laurel & Hardy, Steptoe, even early Del Boy; having no luck and no money was the launch pad for caper after caper. But inside the comedy was a dose of the reality.
My main argument being, there are hundreds and hundreds of sketches and ideas floating all round the web and being posted directly to them via their own conduit the 'Writers Room'.
Yet it would appear that trifle trash like 'Life Of Riley' is deemed the best on offer, but as a person who looks on the internet I know different and so does everybody else bar them!
I'm not going to pretend for a moment that it isn't a pretty limp, lacklustre attempt at sitcom, but with an ever-expanding 'middle class' in this country, Life Of Riley's probably closer to many peoples' experiences - even if not first hand then reasonably close friends - than Steptoe & Son or Only Fools And Horses. Arguably, the dullness of Life Of Riley could be put down to its reality and failure to show anything different from the side of life many Britons experience on a daily basis.
Having said that, it nears 4 million viewers on a weekly basis in a fairly inspiring timeslot, so it must be doing something right.
I have my doubts, I am left wondering why you offer such a staunch defence. Because I know it's not funny, I am certain that there are at least 1,000 unknown writers who could do better and I don't think it gets four million viewers.
Millions
1EASTENDERS (MON 2000)9.32
2EASTENDERS (TUE 1929)9.05
3THE APPRENTICE (WED 2059)8.62
4EASTENDERS (THU 1928)8.45
5EASTENDERS (FRI 1959)7.96
6FORMULA ONE: THE CANADIAN GRAND PRIX (SUN 1659)6.27
7WATERLOO ROAD (WED 1928)6.20
8CASUALTY (SAT 2113)5.65
9CASE HISTORIES (MON 2101)5.56
10THE DUKE AT 90 (THU 2100)5.46
11HOLBY CITY (TUE 2001)5.46
12CASE HISTORIES (SUN 2104)4.91
13TEN O'CLOCK NEWS (THU 2200)4.81
14THE NATIONAL LOTTERY: WHO DARES WINS (SAT 2022)4.75
15HAVE I GOT NEWS FOR YOU (FRI 2100)4.57
16TEN O'CLOCK NEWS (MON 2200)4.51
17TEN O'CLOCK NEWS (WED 2200)4.24
18IN WITH THE FLYNNS (WED 2031)4.15
19TEN O'CLOCK NEWS (TUE 2200)4.12
20THE ONE SHOW (TUE 1858)4.02
21BBC NEWS (SUN 2204)3.88
22SIX O'CLOCK NEWS (TUE 1800)3.84
23SIX O'CLOCK NEWS (MON 1800)3.83
24THE ONE SHOW (MON 1858)3.82
25THE ONE SHOW (WED 1858)3.80
26FORMULA ONE: THE CANADIAN GRAND PRIX (SAT 1715)3.77
27THE GRAHAM NORTON SHOW (FRI 2239)3.77
28SIX O'CLOCK NEWS (THU 1800)3.76
29THE ONE SHOW (FRI 1858)3.68
30SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE: THE FINAL RE (SAT 22013.65
BBC2
How is 'limp, lacklustre attempt at sitcom' a staunch defence? 
Well done. You selected ratings from after the series had finished.
However, you may note that the replacement show in the same timeslot is in at number 18 for 4.15 milllion, In With The Flynns.
You call it a defence, I call it a reality check.
Quote: zooo @ June 26 2011, 2:47 PM BSTHow is 'limp, lacklustre attempt at sitcom' a staunch defence?
It's a paunch defence.
I don't need to check my reality I just need to hold my tongue as it's your site ergo your reality.
I'm not trying to draw you into a in depth debate regarding the virtues of expanding into existentialism as a quasi replacement for subjectivity either.
I just know how the game's played when another kid owns the ball.
In my world, 'Life of Riley' is a pathetic pastiche of all that has gone before it and is played to an audience who watch TV regardless, so we will have to differ in our opinions.