Funny You Should Mention It: TV Sitcoms in the 21st Century

ID : 3165

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Jennifer Keishin Armstrong described the evolution of the half-hour comedy as “arguably the great artistic advancement seen on television in the last decade.” In this course, we will explore how that advancement continues. From “I Love Lucy” in the 1950s to “All in the Family” and “Soap” in the 1970s, “The Cosby Show” in the 1980s, and “Seinfeld” in the 1990s, we will examine how the sitcom changed as American culture changed and as broadcast television evolved. We will then consider how the early 2000s recalibrated the form through changes in writing, structure, pacing, characters, rules and especially expectations. Along the way, we will discuss meta humor, mockumentaries, cringe comedy, sad comedies, and series such as “BoJack Horseman,” “Atlanta,” “Ghosts,” “Abbott Elementary,” “Hacks,” and “Shrinking.” Tune in for a look at all things funny in TV. Together, we will consider why today’s funniest half-hour comedies do not always have to be funny.

Jim McKairnes is a former CBS Television executive who writes and teaches about the history of television. He has served on the faculties of DePaul University, Temple University, and Middle Tennessee State University. He published All in the Decade: 70 Things About 70s TV That Turned Ten Years Into a Revolution. Drawing on decades of experience in the industry and the classroom, McKairnes offers perspectives on how television has shaped and reflected American culture.
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