Comedy’s
TV Comeback WRITTEN BY
NICK POYNER
O
ver the last few years, sitcoms have had a major resurgence. While the days of reality television and CSI are not gone, comedy is pushing its way back into the family portrait. Why are these scripted halfhour shows finally making a return? Easy answer: quality. Sitcoms have always been a great way to gauge the social climate. That means we, as a generation, are familyoriented, strange and new, and getting raunchier by the day. Sound about right? Let’s look at what’s changed to bring us back to another glorious age of the 30-minute laugh fest.
Family First
Modern Family has not singlehandedly brought back the sitcom. I want to clear that up. However, it sure has helped. It’s a show made for family about families created by guys with families. There are a million cancelled shows a year about twentysomethings looking for love. But, Modern Family is funnier. Don’t believe it? Look at the facts. Long-running sitcoms well rooted in the social critique of the modernday family have made people laugh for years. The Cosby Show. All in the Family. The Brady Bunch. Sure, they may not be our families, but there are too many similarities to discount. Everyone in your family says, “There should be a show about how crazy we are.” That show is Modern Family. Continued on pg. 12