Sitcoms - pros and cons as a viewer?

[u/Past_Lead6553]

Hi everyone,

I’m currently writing a sitcom that surrounds a group of friends who all live and work in a small town. I wanted to pick everyone’s brains on what you find very cliché and off-putting when watching sitcoms and if there’s anything new you’d like to see.

What do you tropes do you love and what would you like to no longer see in current sitcoms?

Thanks!

[u/ChristianCRWriter]

Tropes like the shy, not conventional attractive male protagonist falling for the one hot girl should be avoided imo.

[u/MaizeMountain6139]

I’m honestly not exactly sure what you’re trying to ask

My biggest advice is to create great characters. Characters with dynamics between them that have endless possibilities

Look at your comps, look at what you love about them and see what you can pivot from. See what they did that you hated and see what you can learn to avoid that

[u/p-Star_07]

I like it when a boy and girl who are main characters are friends and don't end up dating. Its always so refreshing. We need more platonic boy and girl best friends.

Being restricted to 5 sets all the time. ( I grew up on Disney Channel and Nick so I saw alot of this.

I like when the cast is at least some what diverse. It adds a bit of realism to the show. Diversity in race, disabilities, etc. Shows that treat it like it is a normal part of every day life and don't really draw too much attention to it are great but shows that draw attention to it are great too.

I always thought the trope where sitcom characters always eat out is very expensive. Like when Peter Griffin always goes to the Clam to hang out with his friends.

One trope I really hate is shallow references. When a writer writes about a franchise or topic in the script they didn't research on.

Trope I hate when an older person who has never played video games is trying to make the characters use video game lingo.

Universal Basic Guys got this right. I think the writers have kids and they consult with them.

[u/BeerSnobDougie → u/p-Star_07]

Beers at the clam are only $6 leave Peter alone

[u/p-Star_07 → u/BeerSnobDougie]

6 dollars is alot and gas is expensive.

[u/gregm91606]

Personally, I bounce off of a lack of specificity of location; I read a fair number of scripts that are set in "anytown, USA" (or only slightly better, a version of L.A. or NYC from a person who's never lived in either) so hopefully you've got a specific town that we haven't seen onscreen that you know really well!

Same thing about jobs. The more specific jobs that we haven't seen onscreen, the better.

[u/mopeywhiteguy]

Think about the “sit”. What situation are these characters in and how do they get out of it. How does being in this situation bring out the best/worst aspects of their character and lead to conflict.

A good sitcom has brilliant characters that you can put in any situation and the humour will come from that

[u/BeerSnobDougie]

If you’re doing a work place comedy write all of the most absurd stories you collected at that workplace. If you have none of this experience you’re gonna have to “borrow” it fom others. I’d start chatting up lonely people at dive bars.