What is a Sitcom — Definition, Examples and History Explained

While unfortunately you’ll have to cross Game of Thrones off your list of top sitcoms, there’s a variety of choices in the genre left to choose from. It’s helpful to look at the many forms the situational comedy can take.

Sitcom Meaning

Types of Sitcoms

While sitcoms all follow a similar structure (more on that later), you might be feeling overwhelmed with the seeming open-endedness of the genre. Now that we have the sitcom definition, let’s narrow down specific subcategories.

THE MULTICAM

The multicam is probably the most instantly recognizable form these shows take, because it has the laugh track. To get these laughs, multicams are shot in front of a live studio audience (though the laughs are almost always augmented in post-production).

Thus, these shows are filmed with multiple cameras, so that the audience doesn’t need to sit through repeated coverage of every scene.

The live-recorded nature of the multicam gives it a very specific feel. There’s often less subtlety in multicams, since the actors are playing not just to the camera but to the audience.

It’s a unique blend of theater and film. The stage setup also means the locations are limited; at most, you can probably fit four or five settings in a soundstage.

It should also be noted that the multicam can also fall into any of the following categories (save for the animated comedy). The multicam definition refers to form rather than substance.

Examples of the multicam: The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, The Big Bang Theory, Everybody Loves Raymond, The Dick Van Dyke Show, All in the Family.

THE WORKPLACE COMEDY

Probably the most popular form of sitcom, the workplace comedy has been a go-to for producers since the advent of the medium. By definition, the workplace comedy revolves around — brace yourself — the workplace, and so there’s not many locations needed.

Often, the pitch for a workplace comedy is just the job – “Think of how many jokes we could find in a [paper supply company/bar/parks and rec department/hospital/Korean War hospital]”.

Examples of the workplace comedy: The Office, Parks and Recreation, M*A*S*H, 30 Rock, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Children’s Hospital, The IT Crowd, The Larry Sanders Show, Taxi.

THE DRAMEDY

The dramedy is probably the least likely to be recognized as a sitcom. When we think of sitcoms, we think of light, silly TV. But there are plenty of dramedies which still count as sitcoms, adhering to all of the genre’s rules.

The main difficulty for dramedy sitcoms is the unchanging aspect of the characters. In situational comedies, we expect each character to be their typical selves at the beginning of each episode. But in drama, we expect to see our characters go through change. 

It can be a difficult line to walk without feeling like you’re cheating your audience (“Wait, I thought they already learned that lesson. Why are they doing it again?”), but when it’s done right, the result can be powerful.

Examples of the dramedy: Atlanta, Freaks and Geeks, Bojack Horseman, Fleabag, Louie, Better Things, Insecure.

THE DOMESTIC COMEDY

Almost as popular as the workplace comedy, the domestic comedy is the best medium for relatable, observational comedy. In the domestic comedy, the audience is a fly-on-the-wall as beloved characters go about their day, navigating friends, family, and romance.

The domestic comedy can provide comfort food: what’s more relaxing than seeing Monica and Rachel’s apartment? But it can also be just as cutting as the dramedy (e.g. All in the Family). 

Examples of the domestic comedy: Modern Family, How I Met Your Mother, New Girl, Friends, Seinfeld, Sanford and Son, Catastrophe, The Odd Couple, The Jeffersons.

THE ANIMATED COMEDY

Pretty self-explanatory here. The beauty of the animated sitcom is that it can buck the creative limitations of live-action counterparts. Think of Rick and Morty’s countless intergalactic odysseys, or a gag as small Homer wringing Bart’s neck. That said: for all their experimentation, they abide by the basic rules of the sitcom. Yes, even Rick and Morty.

Examples of the animated comedy: Futurama, Family Guy, South Park, Rick and Morty, Tuca and Bertie, Bob’s Burgers.

Note that the video is using a clock that only goes until the thirty minute mark. That’s the first rule of a sitcom: it shouldn’t be over thirty minutes long. For lots of American TV, this holds true with advertising included, which means that lots of US shows aren’t more than 25 minutes.

The second takeaway of this video is that the plot points it describes are essentially reworded Save the Cat beats. Most sitcoms follow that iconic Hollywood movie structure, just sped up. 

There are two crucial differences. First, unlike a film, a sitcom doesn’t need to waste much time setting up its characters since they’re recurring. Second, the characters and their circumstances cannot be significantly altered by the end of the episode. To do so would blow up the repetitive rhythm of the genre. 

There are rare occasions where this rule is ignored (e.g. Jim and Pam getting married). But they’re rare for a reason — it can be dangerous for a show to permanently alter its chemistry. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

So, with that in mind, let’s do a Save the Cat breakdown of an episode from It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, the longest running single-cam sitcom in history. We’ll use “The Gang Dines Out,” which contains one of the funniest two shots ever put to tape: