The "Situation Comedy" (Sitcom) is one of the most enduring formats in entertainment history. The premise is simple: take a fixed set of characters, put them in a fixed location (home or workplace), and reset the status quo by the end of 22 minutes.
But while the basic rules remain, the sitcom has evolved drastically.
The Golden Age (1950s): I Love Lucy
I Love Lucy didn't just define the genre; it invented the technology. Desi Arnaz pioneered the three-camera setup filmed before a live studio audience, creating the high-energy, theatrical feel that dominated for decades. The humor was broad, physical, and centered on domestic life.
The socially Conscious 70s: All in the Family
In the 1970s, Norman Lear changed the game. Shows like All in the Family and MASH* stopped playing just for safe laughs and started tackling war, racism, sexism, and politics. The sitcom became a mirror for a changing society.
The "Show About Nothing" (90s): Seinfeld
Seinfeld broke the "hugging and learning" rule. The characters were selfish, they didn't learn lessons, and the plots were about minutiae (waiting for a table, finding a parking spot). It proved that audiences didn't need to like characters to laugh at them.
The Mockumentary (2000s): The Office
The Office (UK and US) ditched the laugh track. Using a single-camera "documentary" style, it introduced cringe comedy. The silence became a punchline. The characters looked at the camera, breaking the fourth wall and inviting the audience into the awkardness.
The Streaming Era (Today): Ted Lasso & The Good Place
today, sitcoms are hybridizing. The Good Place was a philosophy lecture wrapped in a comedy. Ted Lasso brought back radical kindness (the "nicecore" movement) as a reaction to the cynicism of the 2000s.
Streaming also allows for serialized storytelling. Sitcoms are no longer just 22-minute resets; they are long-form novels with jokes.
The sitcom survives because it adapts. As long as humans have awkward social situations, we'll need a way to laugh at them.