History of the Sitcom (2021)

Genre

documentary

Country

United States

Length

1 season, 8 episodes

Rated

16

Rating

6.9 of 10 from 8 voters

Elsewhere

IMDb

How it feels

This documentary series traces the history of the American sitcom from the 1950s to today. It covers both classic multi-camera shows like I Love Lucy and modern single-camera hits like Fleabag through interviews with creators, actors, and directors.

informativelivelyfast-pacednostalgicwarmbehind-the-scenescelebratorychronological

What happens

History of the Sitcom is an eight-part CNN documentary television series that traces the development of the American situation comedy show from the 1950s to the 21st century era. The show features 184 interviews with creatives, actors and directors including Norman Lear, Mel Brooks, Yvette Lee Bowser, Marta Kauffman, and Carl Reiner (in his last recorded interview after death). The series follows a similar format of the CNN Original Series The History of Comedy. The series takes an expansive view of what can be considered a sitcom; it includes traditional programs shot with multiple cameras in front of a live audience such as I Love Lucy as well as modern single camera programs like Fleabag. The decision about which programs to include, according to series producer Bill Carter, came down to: "If the overarching purpose of the show is to make you laugh, it can be considered a sitcom. And in almost all cases, the shows are half-hours rather than hours." (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

Trailer

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