Comedy drama/sitcom
On Monday 17th December 2007 GMT at 5:17 PM GMT, jdubya said:
What, would you say, is the difference between a comedy drama and a sitcom?
thanks for any suggestions
JW
On Monday 17th December 2007 GMT at 6:06 PM GMT, James Williams said:
Can you not use Google...?!
http://www.screenplayproductions.ltd.uk/Sitcom%20vs%20Comedy%20Drama.htm
On Monday 17th December 2007 GMT at 6:15 PM GMT, jdubya said:
Yes, of course I can. But that article doesn't really say much does it? Other than one should be more comedy and the other more drama. Which is a bit blummin obvious.
When does something stop being sitcom and start being comedy drama?
Is Funland comedy drama? Is Nighty Night?
I was hoping the good people of BSG might be able to shed a little more light on it.
What do YOU understand the main difference to be?
Thanks for any help.
On Monday 17th December 2007 GMT at 6:20 PM GMT, SlagA said:
The definition of sitcom was once "Pre-1995, BBC2 at 9:00 pm". A comedy drama by contrast can be found on every bloody channel since then.
I know that's no help but will have a think of what it means to me. But in some ways comedy drama is a safer bet for broadcasters and therefore explains the sudden creation / profusion of this genre.
On Monday 17th December 2007 GMT at 6:38 PM GMT, Frankie Rage said:
A rose by any other name!?
Just out of interest JDubya - why is it important to you? I ask because I was trying to write a sitcom and I think I've ended up wriitng a comedy drama...
On Monday 17th December 2007 GMT at 6:44 PM GMT, Dave M said:
The best example, that I've heard, of the difference between a comedy drama and a sitcom is that the characters in sitcom never change because they never learn from experience unlike those in a comedy drama.
On Monday 17th December 2007 GMT at 7:16 PM GMT, jdubya said:
Quote: Frankie Rage @ December 17, 2007, 1:38 PMA rose by any other name!?
Just out of interest JDubya - why is it important to you? I ask because I was trying to write a sitcom and I think I've ended up wriitng a comedy drama...
Similar sort of thing. I've got an idea for a sitcom that just won't work as a sitcom so I thought maybe it'll work as a comedy drama.
then I realised I didn't know what a comedy drama was and did a little reading about and wasn't really any the clearer. So I thought i'd ask on here.
I like Dave M's description.
On Monday 17th December 2007 GMT at 7:42 PM GMT, James Williams said:
Quote: jdubya @ December 17, 2007, 1:15 PMYes, of course I can. But that article doesn't really say much does it? Other than one should be more comedy and the other more drama. Which is a bit blummin obvious.
Well, I didn't mean use just that one article. The distinction does seem a bit obvious to me, anyway. It also said that a comedy drama can deal with darker themes, which I would say is true; I would also say that, overall, there is more scope for the scenario to develop, including both characters, location, setting, etc., which encompasses what Dave said. Sitcoms are essentially static affairs. Basically, comedy dramas can unsettle the viewer more. Sitcoms cannot; the status quo has to be resolved in order that the audience not be unsettled or disturbed in any way. Generally, and broadly.
On Monday 17th December 2007 GMT at 7:55 PM GMT, jdubya said:
Quote: James Williams @ December 17, 2007, 2:42 PMSitcoms cannot; the status quo has to be resolved in order that the audience not be unsettled or disturbed in any way. Generally, and broadly.
I was with you up until there.
On Monday 17th December 2007 GMT at 8:03 PM GMT, swerytd said:
I guess if the jokes are incidental to the plot, rather than integral, you have a comedy drama.
Sitcom is based around the laughs, drama isn't. If your story stands up without making anyone laugh, you've written a drama.
Dan
On Monday 17th December 2007 GMT at 8:05 PM GMT, James Williams said:
Quote: jdubya @ December 17, 2007, 2:55 PMI was with you up until there.
And yet you like Dave M's description, which says much the same...?
As I said, it's only broadly the case. But in sitcoms, either the status quo is firmly and categorically reset (as in The Simpsons, and many others) or the characters orbit each other in such a way that no meaningful change or development is made (e.g. Friends).
This is because when people sit down to watch a sitcom they don't want to be surprised; they don't want to be challenged; they want to laugh. However, the viewer expects a little more from a comedy-drama, and is more willing to forgo the fuzzy feeling of the sitcom for a more challenging watch.
As I say, there are some exceptions, I'm sure, but that what I'm saying is broadly true.
On Monday 17th December 2007 GMT at 8:17 PM GMT, bushbaby said:
It is said that a sitcom should have six laughs per page.
Comedy drama doesn't need that, just a laughline here and there.
On Monday 17th December 2007 GMT at 10:10 PM GMT, jdubya said:
Quote: James Williams @ December 17, 2007, 3:05 PMAnd yet you like Dave M's description, which says much the same...?
Sorry James,
It's a problem with my understanding not your explaining.
thanks all. that's helped a lot.
On Monday 17th December 2007 GMT at 10:52 PM GMT, johnny roulette said:
sitcoms last for half an hour. comedy dramas last for an hour. that is the only difference.
On Monday 17th December 2007 GMT at 10:54 PM GMT, Leevil said:
Yo momma!
On Monday 17th December 2007 GMT at 11:59 PM GMT, ContainsNuts said:
Quote: Dave M @ December 17, 2007, 1:44 PMThe best example, that I've heard, of the difference between a comedy drama and a sitcom is that the characters in sitcom never change because they never learn from experience unlike those in a comedy drama.
I wouldn't say that was the best example I've heard. Nighty Night, Gavin & Stacey, Extras and even the later parts of the Office show the characters changing as they learn more about each other and their experiences.
The generic definition is that a sitcom is half an hour and a comedy drama is anything more. Although Viv Vyle bucked that trend as that was as near to a 30 minute comedy drama as you can get. Basically a comedy drama usually has a balance between gags and drama (that's why its usually an hour) while a sitcom is gag-heavy with less drama (squeezed into 30 minutes).
Oh and a sitcom doesn't become a comedy drama if you don't think the gags are funny. That's just a bad sitcom.
On Tuesday 18th December 2007 GMT at 12:29 AM GMT, Chappers said:
Quote: swerytd @ December 17, 2007, 3:03 PMI guess if the jokes are incidental to the plot, rather than integral, you have a comedy drama.
Sitcom is based around the laughs, drama isn't. If your story stands up without making anyone laugh, you've written a drama.
Dan
I was going to say something similar.
Sitcom is a comedy with a story whereas comedy drama is a story with amusing believable incidents rather than hilarious ones.
My definition ofcomedy drama is Auf Wiedersehn Pet, Minder etc.
On Tuesday 18th December 2007 GMT at 1:56 AM GMT, Mark said:
Some cynical bastards would say that a comedy drama is something that doesn't manage to excel at being either comedy or a drama 
Quote: johnny roulette @ December 17, 2007, 5:52 PMsitcoms last for half an hour. comedy dramas last for an hour. that is the only difference.
Believe it or not, this is actually the official definition! It's as simple as that.
In real life of course it's actually far more complex... this year's My Family Xmas Special is an hour long - but it's definitely still a sitcom; the new series of Love Soup is going to be half-an-hour, yet it's still very much a comedy drama I'd say.
I guess the way I'd differentiate between the genres is whether the programme is all-out to make you laugh, or whether it's trying to pull at your heart-strings and bring a bit of realism to the table.
I think in 99% of cases it's very obvious what's what - Teachers is clearly a drama first, comedy second (but a fine one at that), whilst OFAH is a comedy first, drama second (i.e. a sitcom).
On Tuesday 18th December 2007 GMT at 2:32 AM GMT, Chappers said:
Quote: Mark @ December 17, 2007, 8:56 PMSome cynical bastards would say that a comedy drama is something that doesn't manage to excel at being either comedy or a drama
Believe it or not, this is actually the official definition! It's as simple as that.
Really? That's what I said ages ago. You didn't get that from Wikepedia by any chance did you?
On Tuesday 18th December 2007 GMT at 2:42 AM GMT, Leevil said:
Quote: David Chapman @ December 17, 2007, 9:32 PMReally? That's what I said ages ago. You didn't get that from Wikepedia by any chance did you?
He owns his own bloody encyclopedia of comedy, duh!
On Tuesday 18th December 2007 GMT at 4:28 AM GMT, Badge said:
Quote: jdubya @ December 17, 2007, 2:16 PMI've got an idea for a sitcom that just won't work as a sitcom so I thought maybe it'll work as a comedy drama.
then I realised I didn't know what a comedy drama was and did a little reading about and wasn't really any the clearer. So I thought i'd ask on here.
I'd say just write it, and whatever it comes out as is what it is.
I am a subscriber to the view that the longer form doesn't work for sitcom though (hence very few successful transitions from sitcom to big screen) - so I'd say if it ends up 40 mins or more you've got comedy drama by default. As a result I am very worried about the Xmas Extras (90 mins?) from a comedic point of view but I hope it will deliver on the dramatic side.