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LOL, we may be using two different definitions of "adult". Some people use "adult" to mean naughty or R-rated material. Imo, that sort of humor is usually pretty juvenile.
I use "adult" to mean the sort of humor that arises in the real life of people who are over the age of 30. The real life humor that arises as we try to juggle workplace schedules, pay mortgages, deal with traffic, develop healthy marriages, decide who to vote for, become involved with volunteer causes, deal with health issues, etc. Sit coms like "Mad About You" and "Roseanne" used to deal with real life humor that happens when people act like adults--I miss that in most of the shows being done these days. And I haven't see that sort of humor in "Two Broke Girls" (although to be fair I only watched it once--maybe I hit a dud of an episode). The girls in Two Broke Girls don't seem very adult to me at all, they seem like overgrown teenagers.
The point was simply that they dont cater "to the masses" and are criticized for "not catering to the masses" which contradicts your earlier point.
[font=Arial] A lot of people who were major players in previously successful sitcoms, are failing on subsequent tries
The star of a show has very little to do with its success. A big name star might get people to watch an episode or two, but if the writing is horrible, they won't stick around. But a well written show can attract an audience.
Who had heard of anyone on The Big Bang Theory before it started? Yes, I know Jared Gadelecki (or however you spell his name) was on Roseanne, but I couldn't have picked the guy out of a lineup if Dirty Harry told me to. He was hardly a big name star.
Who had heard of Ray Romano before Everybody's Love Raymond? Not me.
Most of the cast of Modern Family had other roles in the past, but none of them were big name stars.
The success of a show isn't about the star. It's all about the writing. The best direction and most talented actors in the world can't save bad writing. But good writing can turn a nobody into a star.
But that's because it's a well written show. Lots of people probably tuned in because of Robin Williams. The nerds tuned in for Sarah Michelle Geller. But without good writing, they wouldn't keep watching.
There was something called The Seinfeld jinx. Julia Louise Dryefus broke it having 2 hit comedies. I didn't care for the second one, but it was popular and won awards. Some shows are developed specifically for the stars like the Michael J Fox and Robin Williams ones, but if the writing is bad, they will still fail.
There was something called The Seinfeld jinx. Julia Louise Dryefus broke it having 2 hit comedies. I didn't care for the second one, but it was popular and won awards. Some shows are developed specifically for the stars like the Michael J Fox and Robin Williams ones, but if the writing is bad, they will still fail.
Yep.
Look at Frasier. One of the most successful sitcoms in TV history. But every sitcom Kelsey Grammer has tried since then has tanked. Why? It wasn't because Kelsey Grammer suddenly lost all his talent. It's because the shows were not well written.
In 1992-93 TV season, the top 10 shows consisted of 7 sitcoms, 2 light dramas, and 1 news show 60 Minutes
Roseanne
Murphy Brown
Cheers
Home Improvement
Designing Women
Coach
Full House
Murder, She Wrote
Unsolved Mysteries
In 2012-13 TV season, the top 10 shows consisted of 1 sitcom, 3 dramas, and 2 football programs and 4 competition (3 singing and 1 dancing) shows.
NBC NFL SUNDAY NT FOOTBALL
NCIS
Big Bang Theory
NCIS: LA
Person Of Interest
NBC NFL SUNDAY NT PRE-KICK
American Idol-WED
Dancing with the Stars
American Idol-THU
The Voice
Something fundamental has changed. It is well known that Lucille Ball never had the same success on subsequent shows as she did on her first show. At the end (1986) her last show only made 13 episodes.
Mark Harmon played his first lead role on a dramatic television role in 24 May 1977. He had had the lead in 8 TV series in a career that is in it's fourth decade. One person does not make a rule, but it seems as if you can play dramatic leads on TV for longer.
In 1992-93 a total of 7 of the top 10 shows were sitcoms. Last year 8 of the top 50 shows were sitcoms. Has our taste for comedy gone, or do we find it in other forms of media.
Last edited by PacoMartin; 12-14-2013 at 08:49 PM..
The mindless masses prefer reality TV, and reality TV is a cash cow. Costs little to make, they don't have to pay their "stars" much, and they can rake in the ratings off of a simple formula. Just look at how long stupid Survivor has been on the air.
OTOH, more discerning viewers prefer comedy that is more sophisticated than a lot of the corny sitcoms produce.
You also have to remember that there are more channels than ever before. When I was young we didn't have much of a choice; looking back now, I highly doubt that most of the sitcoms we watched in the 80s and early 90s would survive now past a season or two. Networks are quick to cancel shows, and a show that doesn't get an immediate toe hold doesn't have much of a chance of gaining ground.
You're good at looking up stats, Paco, so I'll have you look at the ratings of top shows like Golden Girls, etc. when they first debuted. Even Cheers, I believe, didn't debut to good ratings (I may be wrong). Yet these shows became iconic because they were able to gain ground. That hardly ever happens these days on network TV.
Personally I couldn't care less. I think sitcoms are corny and my boyfriend watches waaaay too many I prefer grit, and I like my comedies to be quirky. Let them all go the way of the dodo.
There are so many channels today that these Top 10 have to be, in reality, a small percentage of those watching TV. I know a lot of my watching is on cable channels such as TNT, USA, Scify, and others.
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Is the Sitcom dead?
As long as the networks can get people to watch cheaper to produce 'reality' shows and get sponsors to pay for commercial time the sitcom is most definitely on borrowed time.
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I prefer grit, and I like my comedies to be quirky. Let them all go the way of the dodo.
