HI, im new to the site and discovered it whilst revising for GCSE Media which is on british sitocms part of this is "The Death of The Sitocm". I wanted to know what your thoughts on this topic were.
Thanks
Death of the sitcom
There seem to be a lot of sitcoms about if its a supposedly dead genre. IT Crowd, Not Going Out, Lead Ballon, 30 Rock, Peep Show, Big Bang Theory, Scrubs . . . . Lots of good stuff. Its more to do with the lack of recent audience sitcoms, though even that has seen an upturn in recent years. So there we go, sitcom isnt dead, they just dont get the truly massive audiences that they used too, because nothing does.
The sitcom never had died and never will die. Admittedly a few years back it went through a very rough patch and studio-based sitcoms became so deeply un-fashionable they all but disappeared.
However both studio and single-camera sitcoms are back in fine health again. Studio sitcoms like Not Going Out, My Family and The IT Crowd have all been pleasing audiences, whilst stuff like Lead Balloon, The Thick of It and Outnumbered have been building sizeable followings and pleasing the critics.
Dare I say it - with stuff like Peep Show currently on air, and ITV entering the market with Benidorm & Mumbai Calling, sitcom is in the best shape it's been in for years!
Sketch shows, now there's a genre that's currently in trouble!
Quote: Mark @ May 11 2008, 11:36 AM BSTSketch shows, now there's a genre that's currently in trouble!
Agreed, sitcons are doing pretty well at the moment, its sketch shows that need a kick up the arse. Too many of them and none of them that good. You would have thought, just down to the sheer amount of them, that one would turn out to be a real winner, but even the best of them at the moment are only Ok.
Bring back clowns, and dramedy their day has come round at last. These rough beasts dragging themselves to Bethlehem waiting to be born.
GCSE Media question.
"Critics keep announcing the ‘death of sitcom’. We believe the genre is doing fine. Give us your views on the current state of the situation comedy and tell us how you think it might develop."
Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to cheat, but can anyone give my some pointers how to go about tackling this question.
anything would be helpful, thanks.
Quote: Jonathan Smith @ May 11 2008, 8:39 PM BSTGCSE Media question.
"Critics keep announcing the ‘death of sitcom’. We believe the genre is doing fine. Give us your views on the current state of the situation comedy and tell us how you think it might develop."
Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to cheat, but can anyone give my some pointers how to go about tackling this question.
anything would be helpful, thanks.
I really can't help. I have no idea what your views on the subject are.
Ok, i wasn't asking for anyones opinions, just really about how to strucure it and including some examples.
let me rephrase it.
How do members on this board think sitcoms might develop in the future?
Well Jonathan,
I'm new to this forum but not to British Sitcoms. Britcoms peaked in the 70's when ITV and BBC would show at least a dozen a week between them. It sounds pretty amazing compared to today when you are lucky to get a dozen in 3 months. Alas, the themes have all been done to death and originality is now so rare that the same level of production could not be sustained. Audiences are now force-fed a mix of reality shows, talent shows and game shows at peak-time and the poor old sitcom has to take a back seat. I sincerely hope that the recent vote-rigging and over-charging of callers to these shows gives them a much-needed kick up the backside and that viewers become more discriminating.
I am also doing GCSE Media, and i am finding this particular question very difficult. Please can you help me.
How do you think it will develop?
Thank You
Quote: Matthew Stott @ May 11 2008, 11:34 AM BSTThere seem to be a lot of sitcoms about if its a supposedly dead genre. IT Crowd, Not Going Out, Lead Ballon, 30 Rock, Peep Show, Big Bang Theory, Scrubs . . . . Lots of good stuff. Its more to do with the lack of recent audience sitcoms, though even that has seen an upturn in recent years. So there we go, sitcom isnt dead, they just dont get the truly massive audiences that they used too, because nothing does.
It's true what Matthew says.
There are several good ones and there probably always were rubbish (on ITV generally).
They fall into several caegoties as far as I'm concerned.
Silly - IT Crowd, Father Ted
Real (almost) - Led Balloon, the Office
Traditional - Gavin & Stacey, Benidorm
Am I the only one not doing GCSE media?
Are directions to this site in the text books now or what?
I had to pick between doing drama or media for GCSE, i choose media. i won't be carrying on at collage, don't really like it.
Teachers aren't allowed to give any help, and the internet is the new text book. 
Aw. Gawd bless the internet.
My school wouldn't do Media GCSE. Bloody toffs. 
Quote: Jonathan Smith @ May 11 2008, 9:28 PM BSTI had to pick between doing drama or media for GCSE, i choose media. i won't be carrying on at collage, don't really like it.
Should bloody hope not with spelling like that.