After a long day at work, there's no better way to relax than to watch a comedy on TV. A good laugh, after all, helps you to forget about the stresses of the day. Some classic TV sitcoms have even helped to change the way people look at certain issues but did it by using humor, so that people didn't even realize that their perspective changed.
A sitcom, or situation comedy, basically involves a cast of characters whose interactions provide the humor. The television version of this genre has been around since the Forties and some shows have become so ingrained in popular culture that even people who've never watched them will know some of the famous lines from those shows. One example is the line 'Don't mention the war', which originated in the hit British comedy of the Seventies, 'Fawlty Towers'.
A recurring theme in the history of sitcoms is that of family life. Often that family consists of a man and woman as the parents to several children. This type of set-up was very popular in the Eighties, when the Reagan administration focused on family values such as those shown by the Keatons in 'Family Ties' and the Huxtables in 'The Cosby Show'.
The reality of today is that more and more families consist of single parents. Even in the Eighties there were already shows that featured this type of family, such as 'Kate and Allie' and 'Full House'. More people also look after their elderly parents and a great example of a show that explored relationships in a family where all the members were adults was 'Frasier'.
With many young adults moving to the big city, they often find themselves substitute families to act as support system. These new 'families' usually consist of several close friends and have featured in hugely popular shows such as 'Seinfeld', 'How I Met Your Mother' and 'Friends'. 'Will and Grace' added another dimension by featuring openly gay characters.
With migration across borders, people are increasingly exposed to different cultures. The Seventies British show 'Mind Your Language' explored the theme of culture, with its mishmash of characters from different countries trying to learn English while adapting to life in England. In the USA, one way of dispelling fears of Muslims and Islam was through 'Aliens in America', where one of the lead characters was a teenage Muslim boy from Pakistan.
The most unexpected settings can provide hit comedies. For example, nobody would have thought that war could provide as many laughs as it did in 'MASH'. The interesting thing about this show set against the backdrop of a Korean War field hospital was that it's actually very common for doctors and nurses in a war situation to try and alleviate the stress through madcap antics.
These days it's incredibly easy to watch almost any classic sitcom you can think of. Sometimes you may find reruns on TV. Many shows are available on DVD as well and with a good internet connection, you also have the option of simply streaming the episodes you want to see.
A sitcom, or situation comedy, basically involves a cast of characters whose interactions provide the humor. The television version of this genre has been around since the Forties and some shows have become so ingrained in popular culture that even people who've never watched them will know some of the famous lines from those shows. One example is the line 'Don't mention the war', which originated in the hit British comedy of the Seventies, 'Fawlty Towers'.
A recurring theme in the history of sitcoms is that of family life. Often that family consists of a man and woman as the parents to several children. This type of set-up was very popular in the Eighties, when the Reagan administration focused on family values such as those shown by the Keatons in 'Family Ties' and the Huxtables in 'The Cosby Show'.
The reality of today is that more and more families consist of single parents. Even in the Eighties there were already shows that featured this type of family, such as 'Kate and Allie' and 'Full House'. More people also look after their elderly parents and a great example of a show that explored relationships in a family where all the members were adults was 'Frasier'.
With many young adults moving to the big city, they often find themselves substitute families to act as support system. These new 'families' usually consist of several close friends and have featured in hugely popular shows such as 'Seinfeld', 'How I Met Your Mother' and 'Friends'. 'Will and Grace' added another dimension by featuring openly gay characters.
With migration across borders, people are increasingly exposed to different cultures. The Seventies British show 'Mind Your Language' explored the theme of culture, with its mishmash of characters from different countries trying to learn English while adapting to life in England. In the USA, one way of dispelling fears of Muslims and Islam was through 'Aliens in America', where one of the lead characters was a teenage Muslim boy from Pakistan.
The most unexpected settings can provide hit comedies. For example, nobody would have thought that war could provide as many laughs as it did in 'MASH'. The interesting thing about this show set against the backdrop of a Korean War field hospital was that it's actually very common for doctors and nurses in a war situation to try and alleviate the stress through madcap antics.
These days it's incredibly easy to watch almost any classic sitcom you can think of. Sometimes you may find reruns on TV. Many shows are available on DVD as well and with a good internet connection, you also have the option of simply streaming the episodes you want to see.
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