At the heart of these shows is a character or characters who are miserable. We’re supposed to find their struggles, most of them futile, amusing. The various ways they fail or fuck themselves over is the path to comedy.
I acknowledge it may be a generational thing, but I tend to find those shows depressing. Yes, there needs to be conflict, yes your protagonist needs to struggle, but as I writer I’ve always felt it was my job to love my characters. They could be horribly flawed, but like a proud father, I had to love them.
I don’t get the sense that the writers of “sad coms” love their characters. They’re all too delighted to humiliate them for our entertainment. So there’s a certain mean-spirited quality that goes into the writing.
All too often characters are so self-destructive that you lose empathy for them.
I do think this is one of the reasons why TED LASSO was such a hit. To center the show around a hugely positive character was brilliant. Netflix and other platforms are seeing that there is a limited appeal for “sad coms” while brighter, life-affirming shows are attracting viewers.
We’re all engulfed in such dark times. Why must all our comedy be dark as well? Again, I’m admittedly from a different era, but I miss sitcoms with characters I care about, grounded in humanity, that make me genuinely laugh. Just for fun, how about developing a few of those?
How often do the comments here make you laugh? People add their own insight, or ask a question, or sometimes provide an answer. But from the other comments on your blog, how often are there simple remarks that make you laugh?
ReplyDeleteThough a cartoon, perhaps Johnny Bravo could be considered a sad com. The blond, Elvis-sounding beefcake (Jeff Bennett) was "a big, stupid loser" (his words) that came on too strong to women (who comically beat him up) and he still lived with his "Mama" (Brenda Vaccaro). Despite that, I loved the show's middle seasons with Pops (Larry Drake from L.A. Law) and Carl (Tom Kenny in a voice similar to SpongeBob). I quote lines from those middle seasons episodes all the time. "I like pie!"
ReplyDeleteIt may be a zeitgeist thing that I am craving more shows that have a positive outlook. With Covid and political fighting everywhere I prefer a show that shows me a way out. I'm done with cynical content that just points out what's wrong without pointing out how it can be done right. It's probably a (too) tall order to expect that from a sitcom. Ted Lasso is somewhat an exception because this character is almost instructional on how to be a better person. The Good Life is probably another suitable example for forceful promotion of positive outlook on life.
ReplyDeleteMaybe it's just me, but all the legacy sitcoms that have staying power in syndication or streaming seem to foster the positive outlook on life. I'm certainly ready for more of that.
Would you have defined "Mom" as a "sad com" during its eight-year run? The principal characters (Christy and Bonnie) faced all sorts of challenges with substance abuse and the like, though I never sensed Chuck Lorre mocked them or the supporting cast; we were supposed to empathize with their struggles.
ReplyDelete"...humiliate them for our entertainment. So there’s a certain mean-spirited quality that goes into the writing."
ReplyDeleteThat's been the working tenet for "comedies" during the last couple of decades. Especially the single-cam "mockumentary" style shows. As you suggest, when Fraiser Crane (for one example) is left with pie (often literally) on his face, we laugh because we know Fraiser and his pompous attitudes earn him some comeuppance. Too many shows invite us to laugh at a person's humiliation and awkward misery simply because "they are people work in an office", "they live in a midwestern state", or "they're older than the target demographic".
From your description, Frasier & Cheers were the all-time "sad-coms". As was Faulty Towers.
ReplyDeleteThat's why I love BOB'S BURGERS. It's warm, loving and hilarious but gets short shrift here. I'd like to see Ken submit a script to BB. He's done it before with great success.
ReplyDeleteI meant "Saturdays of Thunder" and the baseball one, not BB.
ReplyDelete'At the heart of these shows is a character or characters who are miserable. We’re supposed to find their struggles, most of them futile, amusing. The various ways they fail or fuck themselves over is the path to comedy.'
ReplyDeleteDoesn't that cover Fawlty Towers? And the various Black Adders? And a high proportion successful UK sitcoms? A lot of UK sitcoms are about the plight of a sane man in a world ruled by idiots (and who wouldn't be miserable!). FT's twist was that it's about the idiot who thinks he's the sane man in a world ruled by idiots.
It reminds me of how both Greg Daniels shows, THE OFFICE and PARKS AND RECREATION, complimented each other (right down to airing alongside on the same day). The Office was clearly the more dreary show of the two, with deeply problematic human beings with never-ending social struggles and dead-end jobs while Parks was always the uplifting one. While it still had flawed protagonists, they always strived for the better thanks to ray of sunshine that was Leslie Knope.
ReplyDeleteThat's what I love about "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and "The Bob Newhart Show," among other classic sitcoms. They're not mean-spirited or depressing. They depict characters who are flawed, but who are nevertheless people you wish you knew in real life. Simple as that.
ReplyDeleteWhat's an example of a Netflix sad com? Is this just a half-hour dramedy?
ReplyDeleteI can think of two possibilities off the top of my head and I loved both series: Atypical and Feel Good
Mainly because the characters were well rounded and I cared about them. These shows weren't laugh out loud funny, but I don't think they were meant to be.
How about nolonger making shows where the main characters are absolutely awful as a human beings? I know the vast majority love Breaking Bad. I do not. (I was stuck binge watching it with my wife after she had major surgery.) There is not one single likeable character in that show. They are all awful people doing awful things. I have no idea why anyone wants to watch people/characters like that. So many shows are like that right now. Ted Lasso is okay, although he turned into a sad sack and the Third Coach (name?) has gone in a completely unbelievable direction turning cruel and hateful. I just gave up on Hacks as again, all awful characters doing awful things. My opinion, anyway.
ReplyDeleteFriday question: do you and your writing partner still work on creating new shows/pilots (or write episodes on existing shows)? That would be terrific— you’ve done such great work on some iconic shows, it would be wonderful to see more.
ReplyDeleteThanks.
I never understood why MONK was always Emmy-nominated in the comedy category. I guess it was the first sad com before we had a term for it. Adrian Monk was certainly lovable (Tony Shalhoub had a lot to do with it) despite his OCD, germophobia and inability to get over his wife's death, and he solved murders, too.
ReplyDeleteI'm old enough to recall so-called "dramedies".
ReplyDeleteIs there really that much of a difference between "Ted Lasso" and sad coms? Yes, Ted is eternally optimistic, but also secretly suffers from anxiety and panic attacks. He lives a lonely life far from his child and wife, who divorced him. His best friend is in an abusive relationship. The assistant he generously mentored has become his enemy. His team mostly loses. I think it's Ted's -- and the show's -- "always look on the bright side of life" philosophy that makes it enjoyable to watch. But if you went by the story lines alone, this could be one of the most depressing shows ever aired.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Buttermilk Sky. Monk was a good show, but dramedies like it, Desperate Housewives, and Nurse Jackie (at least that was 30 minutes) robbed many a traditional sitcom of awards (not just Emmys).
ReplyDeleteLemuel, the baseball episode of The Simpsons you're thinking of was "Dancin' Homer."
Been saying this for a while, sitcoms have forgotten all about the "com". The Connors is the most depressing, dark series that calling it a sitcom isn't even valid anymore.
ReplyDeleteI don't think Frasier or Black Adder are sad coms because the main characters remain optimistic no matter what happens to them. Much like Ralph Kramden in The Honeymooners is an awful person and has all his schemes fail but remains a lovable character.
ReplyDeleteFleabag and maybe Hacks might be sad com examples (I don't remember Hacks that well).
Great piece and I couldn’t agree more. Every joke is not funny to everyone. But who cares, it’s a joke, a pun, an attempt at levity! I admire writers who take risks with their humor.
ReplyDeleteThis has been touched on above, but I'll ask it as a Friday Question - I entirely agree with you that THE HONEYMOONERS is an all-time classic, but its circumstances were utterly miserable (As a suburban kid I simply didn't believe people lived in apartments that dismal) and Ralph is definitely not a happy guy - at least, not happy with his lot in life. (I read somewhere that the funniest joke on THE HONEYMOONERS was actually the mental image of Ralph Kramden piloting a bus through midtown Manhattan). Anyway, what do you think keeps it out of the realm of the "sad-com" (ugh, that term)? Was it just that the jokes came fast and furious? Ralph and Alice's genuine affection?
ReplyDeleteMaybe this is a different Friday question: the "adoption" episode (one of the live Honeymooners sketches that were part of the Gleason show) may be the saddest thing I've ever seen on television, with the possible exception of Henry Blake's death. Leaves me in tears every time. Gleason and Meadows are heartbreaking. What do you think of it?