What is a sitcom?

Some comedy series have been so successful that they have marked a generation and also a way of doing humor. They are called sitcoms, a term that comes from the English language and means situation comedy. This expression refers to productions that use facts that happen in everyday life to make a joke.

In general, the narrative focuses on ordinary situations such as love relationships, problems at work, conflicts between friends, among other issues that can happen to anyone. Good examples of successful sitcoms are those from the United States, produced in the 1990s, such as Friends, That 70's Show, among others.

What characterizes a sitcom?

Besides being series that talk about daily life, sitcoms have other remarkable characteristics, such as the fact that they have short episodes-about half an hour long each-, fixed scenarios, and audience participation. By participation I mean the laughter and clapping that contribute to the rhythm of the episodes.

It is also important to remember that sitcoms first appeared in the UK around the 1940s, with a production called Pinwright's Progress, which lasted only one season, but was important to dictate the rules that would be attributed to this style of comedy.

In Brazil we also have examples of famous sitcoms, among them Sai de Baixo, which aired between 1996 and 2002, and was recorded in a theater in Rio de Janeiro, and A Grande Família that aired between 2001 and 2004.

Which are the most famous sitcoms?

Both the United States and other countries have produced several successful sitcoms. We have listed the main ones for you to marathon.

How I Met Your Mother

Launched in 2005, How I Met Your Mother attracted public attention because it has been compared to Friends, although the two have different plots. In the series, architect Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor) tells his children how he met their mother.

From this account we are led through his memory, and get to know a little more about his love affairs, and the relationship with his friends Marshall Eriksen (Jason Segel), Lily Aldrin (Alyson Hannigan), Robin Scherbatsky (Cobie Smulders), and Barney Stinson (Neil Patrick Harris).

Created by Craig Thomas and Carter Bays, the series won a legion of fans and its ninth (and final) season aired in March 2014. In 2022, however, How I Met Your Father, a spin off produced by Hilary Duff and Stewart Halpern, premiered and can be watched on Star+.

The Office

One of the most acclaimed sitcoms of the last decade is The Office, a series that portrays the daily life of an office in Scranton, Pennsylvania. With acid humor, the plot shows the daily life of each of the employees, and how they relate to each other and to the manager Michael Scott (Steve Carell).

With a sharp cast, the production also features John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, Rainn Wilson, and others.

Modern Family

With 11 seasons in total, Modern Family started in 2009 and soon became a great success, being nominated for several Emmys and other awards.

Created by Steven Levitan and Christopher Lloyd, the plot follows three family units that are part of the same family. On one side we have Jay Pritchett (Ed O'Neill), the patriarch who is married to the Latina Gloria (Sofía Vergara), and lives with her son Manny (Rico Rodriguez).

On the other are Jay's daughter Claire (Julie Bowen), her husband Phil Dunphy (Ty Burrell), and their children Haley (Sarah Hyland), Alex (Ariel Winter), and Luke (Nolan Gould), three children who soon turn into troubled teenagers.

Finally, there is also Mitchell (Jesse Tyler Ferguson), Jay's youngest son, who lives with his husband Cameron Tucker (Eric Stonestreet) and their adopted daughter Lily (Aubrey Anderson-Emmons).

Abusing absurd situations, Modern Family has become one of the most praised sitcoms of recent times.

Workin Moms

Another sitcom certainly worth giving a try is the Canadian sitcom Workin Moms, or Supermoms as it is also known. Set in Toronto, the plot tells the story of four mothers and friends who try to reconcile their personal and professional lives with the challenges of caring for their children.

Created and starring Catherine Reitman, the series is a clever satire of the challenges mothers face in balancing career and motherhood.

In addition to Reitman, the cast includes Dani Kind, Jessalyn Wanlim, and Juno Rinaldi.

Friends

It is impossible to talk about sitcoms without mentioning Friends, a series launched in 1994 that left its mark on several generations and is still a hit with the public. Originally aired by NBC, the plot follows the lives of six friends; Rachel, Ross, Monica, Phoebe, Chandler, and Joey.

With totally different life stories and ways of life, the group became inseparable even though they had to deal with fights and intrigues. As the seasons go by, we see the friends maturing and learning to relate to each other lovingly, as well as fighting for what they believe in.