Quote: Matthew Stott @ September 7 2010, 10:13 PM BSTWhy?
Have you? And if so have you tried to get it accepted?
Quote: zooo @ September 7 2010, 10:14 PM BSTThis is is the show's thread though, not the Writing forum! You don't have to have written a sitcom to be able to have an opinion on what one is.
Exactly but it is sooooooooooo annoying when one can write wittier stuff and the Beeb won't have it.
Quote: bushbaby @ September 7 2010, 10:14 PM BSTThat maybe because you are not a northerner (although I don't know that). It is hilarious to northerners as they recognise themselves.
Yep, not Northern. But I did enjoy watching RF, I just didn't laugh out loud very often.
ANYWAY, so Bushbaby, you base whether something is a sitcom or not on whether it makes you laugh enough, I think some of us are making the point that that is not the only factor.
Quote: Matthew Stott @ September 7 2010, 10:13 PM BSTWhy?
Well nothing sinister Matthew, just trying to place your take on things is all. I like your sketch stuff immensely just wondered if you had grappled with the longer form and was trying to place that in the context of your thoughts there.
Quote: bushbaby @ September 7 2010, 10:15 PM BSTExactly but it is sooooooooooo annoying when one can write wittier stuff and the beeb won't have it
Well we all sometimes think we've written better stuff then gets onto our TV sets, if we didn't I don't suppose we'd bother writing.
Quote: bushbaby @ September 7 2010, 10:15 PM BSTExactly but it is sooooooooooo annoying when one can write wittier stuff and the beeb won't have it
Well that's understandable!
But still.
I'm surprised that a person who classes The Royle Family as a sitcom would be unable to see Grandma's House as one.
Quote: Matthew Stott @ September 7 2010, 10:17 PM BSTWell we all sometimes think we've written better stuff then gets onto our TV sets, if we didn't I don't suppose we'd bother writing.
I think I was motivated by the opposite.
Quote: zooo @ September 7 2010, 10:16 PM BSTYep, not Northern. But I did enjoy watching RF, I just didn't laugh out loud very often.
ANYWAY, so Bushbaby, you base whether something is a sitcom or not on whether it makes you laugh enough, I think some of us are making the point that that is not the only factor.
But Zooo the whole point about sitcoms is that they make you laugh, every other line when written to the 'rules. I didn't want to say this but to emphasise my point, I have a famous relative and I do know that if she submitted a script it would be accepted no problem. I won't use her for contacts as I would never know if I was talented or not and I think Grandma's House is on because Simon is a 'celebrity'
Quote: bushbaby @ September 7 2010, 10:14 PM BSTThat maybe because you are not a northerner (although I don't know that). It is hilarious to northerners as they recognise themselves.
That's a pretty broad generalisation! I think The Royle Family is very funny but I don't recognise a single person I know in the characters.
Quote: Marc P @ September 7 2010, 10:17 PM BSTWell nothing sinister Matthew, just trying to place your take on things is all. I like your sketch stuff immensely just wondered if you had grappled with the longer form and was trying to place that in the context of your thoughts there.
I write sitcom scripts, yeah. They're probably, generally anyway, more along the lines of what you and BB are saying makes a sitcom than this sort of show.
Quote: Nat Wicks @ September 7 2010, 10:20 PM BSTThat's a pretty broad generalisation! I think The Royle Family is very funny but I don't recognise a single person I know in the characters.
Nat, you haven't lived then, hahaha. There are thousands of families like that up here. I think GH is a more typical one for the south.
Quote: bushbaby @ September 7 2010, 10:20 PM BSTBut Zooo the whole point about sitcoms is that they make you laugh, every other line when written to the 'rules. I didn't want to say this but to emphasise my point, I have a famous daughter and I do know that if she submitted a script it would be accepted no problem. I won't use her for contacts as I would never know if I was talented or not but trust me Grandma's House is on because Simon is a 'celebrity'
No, I meant the fact that it makes YOU laugh is not the only factor! 
There are countless sitcoms that I think are complete crap, but I still class them as sitcoms!
It's like people who don't like abstract stuff, so say 'oh that Kandinsky, he's not real art'.
'Sitcom' is not a quantitative term.
Quote: Matthew Stott @ September 7 2010, 10:21 PM BSTI write sitcom scripts, yeah. They're probably, generally anyway, more along the lines of what you and BB are saying makes a sitcom than this sort of show.
I guess for me it is just that slightly little bit out of tune that would make it the kind of genius that would make it Woody Allen... sub VW not AB.
Quote: zooo @ September 7 2010, 10:25 PM BSTNo, I meant the fact that it makes YOU laugh is not the only factor!
There are countless sitcoms that I think are complete crap, but I still class them as sitcoms!
It's like people who don't like abstract stuff, so say 'oh that Kandinsky, he's not real art'.
'Sitcom' is not a quantitative term.
You truly can't say that GH is a laugh every other line???
Quote: zooo @ September 7 2010, 10:25 PM BSTNot a quantitative term.
Shame on you Zooo using such a word on a forum like this!
Quote: Marc P @ September 7 2010, 10:25 PM BSTI guess for me it is just that slightly little bit out of tune that would make it the kind of genius that would make it Woody Allen... sub VW not AB.
Yes Woody Allen totally does it for me
