Sitcom Geeks
A podcast series for those interested in the mechanics of situation comedy. James Cary and Dave Cohen discuss the art of sitcom writing for TV and Radio.
Episode 177 - Hat Trick Sitcom Script Competition
Published: 21st October 2021. Length: 44 mins. Size: 61.4mb
Exciting news - today Sitcom Geeks launch our Sitcom Script Competition in association with the mighty Hat Trick and BCG Pro - with £1000 for the winning script. What we're looking for, what we're not looking for, why it's free to enter and what to do next, all discussed in breathless excited detail by James and Dave. Competition website
Previous episodes
Episode 176 - The Comedians' Comedian Comedian Speaks
7th October 2021. 56 minutes.
Stuart Goldsmith is a great stand-up and host of the superb long-running podcast examining what makes people funny. Great advice for freeing yourself up, going to Edinburgh "every show this...
Episode 175 - Rules Of Life - And Comedy Writing
23rd September 2021. 52 minutes.
Dave and James go deep into smelling the flowers, keeping perspective and learning to love Bill Gates - all of which can help you to become better comedy writers. Also...
Episode 174 - Can You Teach Comedy Writing - Yes You Can!
9th September 2021. 59 minutes.
Top comedy writing teachers Chris Head and Kay Stonham join Dave and James with great tips for how to develop your career. A big shout out for the solo comedy...
Episode 173 - Knowing Me, Knowing You
26th August 2021. 38 minutes.
You've created a great character - congratulations! Now all you need to do is create another, and another, and build your stories around them. This episode Dave and James delve...
Episode 172 - Listen To The Man Who Knows Everything About Sitcom
12th August 2021. 54 minutes.
Writer John Vorhaus has been teaching us how to do comedy for decades - his 1994 Comic Toolbox is one of the oldest and best guides for sitcom writers and...
Episode 171 - Writing Is Rewriting Is Rewriting Is Rewriting Is
29th July 2021. 47 minutes.
You can find a million books, blogs and vids about how to make that first draft sparkle - but hardly a word about the next step. This episode James and...
Episode 170 - Tell Don't Show
15th July 2021. 48 minutes.
James and Dave explain what's needed in the final steps before you write the first draft of your script. Plus comedy news - the backlash against the government's Channel 4...
Episode 169 - Plenty of Pozzitives
1st July 2021. 66 minutes.
Last year David Tyler of Pozzitive Productions asked for your radio sitcom scripts. 600 competition entries later he joins Dave and James, armed with masses of encouraging help and advice...
Episode 168 - James Has Written A Book, And Why Comedy Writing Is Child's Play
17th June 2021. 48 minutes.
If you thought the Bible was a proper serious tome, prepare to have your viewpoint challenged by James's new book The Gospel According To A Sitcom Writer. Also in this...
Episode 167 - Dave Has Made A Novel, James Is Telling A Story
3rd June 2021. 51 minutes.
Dave talks about his debut novel Stand Up, Barry Goldman ("funny and fascinating, a lovely tale" Jo Brand) out on 8 June, and he and James discuss sitcom story arcs...
Episode 166 - Revenge of the Two Minute Movie
20th May 2021. 65 minutes.
Sketches are BACK! Charlie Dinkin and Ben Sutton talk about comedy quickies and Daddy's Super Yacht TV, a production company focused on making online and TV sketches. They're joined by...
Episode 165 - He Did It Himself
6th May 2021. 50 minutes.
Sitcom Geeks/BCG Pro Script Challenge winner Peter C Hayward took our advice, went out there and made a pilot of his radio sitcom. Yes, it can be done! He tells...
Episode 164 - Where Do You Start?
22nd April 2021. 46 minutes.
As viewing habits change, we have to find new ways to hook our viewers. Dave and James talk about big entrances, life changing starts, tough choices and when you should...
Episode 163 - The State of Things
8th April 2021. 42 minutes.
What will the comedy writing landscape look like as we come out of covid? James and Dave are surprisingly upbeat about the future for comedy writing despite the demise of...
Episode 162 - Fun With Father Ted - Lissa Evans
24th March 2021. 56 minutes.
Writer, producer and acclaimed comic novelist Lissa Evans tells us what it was like directing and producing Father Ted - and what makes a funny script.
Episode 161 - Funny Business
11th March 2021. 49 minutes.
James and Dave discuss the importance, if you want to get on in comedy, of having A Plan. Plus we announce the winner of Dave's Making A Scene Of It...
Episode 160 - We've Scene The Results
25th February 2021. 46 minutes.
Dave announces the shortlist for the Making A Scene Of It competition, James reports back from his sitcom webinar about character - plus some surprising conclusions are drawn from the...
Episode 159 - The Lost Voice Guy Tells All
11th February 2021. 55 minutes.
Top stand-up and BGT winner Lee Ridley aka Lost Voice Guy shares his amazing story of comedy success, the influence of heroes The League Of Gentlemen and Lee Evans, the...
Episode 158 - Why Tuesdays Are Funny, And Jessica Too
28th January 2021. 51 minutes.
In today's episode James explores creating new characters using Jessica the fictional celebrity chef. And Dave launches #TuesdaysAreFunny the weekly 8:30pm Twitter Sitcom Geekery Watchalong.
Episode 157 - Rejection And Waste And Other Jolly News
14th January 2021. 46 minutes.
Welcome to a new year of comedy writing, as Dave talks about writing topical comedy (hence the rejection and waste), James tries to enforce good habits for writers (other jolly...
Contact Us
Email questions to sitcomgeeks@gmail.com
Biographies
James Cary is a comedy writer for BBC TV and Radio. His latest series is Bluestone 42 for BBC Three, which he co-created and wrote with Richard Hurst. He met Richard working on Series 1 & 2 of BBC's award-winning sitcom, Miranda. James has also written episodes of My Hero and My Family for BBC One. His radio credits include three series of Hut 33, four series of Think the Unthinkable, and sketch show, Concrete Cow. He has also written four series of Another Case Of Milton Jones with, er, Milton Jones for BBC Radio 4. sitcomgeek.blogspot.co.uk @sitcomgeek
Dave Cohen, a Perrier nominee in a previous century, was a founder member of the Comedy Store Players. In recent years he has become more known as a comedy writer, having written for Have I Got News For You and Not Going Out, and as a comic songwriter, co-creating the Radio 4 hit 15 Minute Musical and writing loads of songs for the hit BBC Childrens' Show Horrible Histories and ITV's Newzoids. His book How to be Averagely Successful at Comedy was published in 2013. davecohen.org.uk @cohendave
Theme music: Jane Watkins