British Comedy Guide

Visual jokes

Only Fools And Horses. Image shows from L to R: Rodney (Nicholas Lyndhurst), Del (David Jason)

Television is a visual medium (radio is, too, to a certain extent: you can persuade the listener to picture worlds that would be unrealisable on TV).

It's very important, as you write your television script, that you consider the visual aspects of it. Of course, when performed, the actors will bring a lot of visual interest to your piece, but you should also try, if you can, to utilise visual jokes.

Visual humour, if done well, can add a rich extra dimension to your show. Indeed, some sitcoms trade almost entirely on visuals - think Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em,...

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Published: Saturday 10th September 2022

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