One of the best stress relievers in the world is laughter. This is why it's so relaxing to watch a really funny comedy when you need to wind down after a day at work. There are many comedy shows on television and while they keep the laughs coming, classic TV sitcoms have also helped to change society's attitudes.
Unlike many other genres of comedy, the sitcom creates the laughs through several characters who find themselves in a certain situation. In fact, the word 'sitcom' is derived from 'situation comedy'. TV sitcoms started after World War 2 and there have been some truly great shows, such as 'I Love Lucy' and 'Fawlty Towers'. Sometimes lines from these shows were even taken up by popular culture.
The focus of many popular sitcoms has been the family. This was especially the case in the USA in the Seventies and Eighties, with shows like 'The Brady Bunch', 'Eight Is Enough', 'Family Ties' and 'The Cosby Show'. These families were usually the traditional idea of what a family should be, with a mom, a dad and several children, and fit in with the 'family values' spirit of the time.
Some shows provided a different perspective on the idea of a family. They would feature non-traditional families, such as single-parent households. 'Kate and Allie' was about two single moms, for instance, while 'Full House' involved a widower who raised his daughters with the help of a male friend and a brother-in-law. Other shows focused on familial relationships between adults, such as the brothers and father Crane in 'Frasier'.
With many young adults moving to the big city, they often find themselves substitute families to act as support system. These new 'families' usually consist of several close friends and have featured in hugely popular shows such as 'Seinfeld', 'How I Met Your Mother' and 'Friends'. 'Will and Grace' added another dimension by featuring openly gay characters.
With migration across borders, people are increasingly exposed to different cultures. The Seventies British show 'Mind Your Language' explored the theme of culture, with its mishmash of characters from different countries trying to learn English while adapting to life in England. In the USA, one way of dispelling fears of Muslims and Islam was through 'Aliens in America', where one of the lead characters was a teenage Muslim boy from Pakistan.
Some situations, such as war, may not seem like a laughing matter. However, one of the most popular sitcoms in television history was 'MASH', about a group of army surgeons during the Korean War. Those who were medical personnel during the real war would tell you that the situations in 'MASH' were quite realistic in the way that doctors would get up to crazy antics to help them deal with the horrors they saw every day. After all, the book that inspired the series was written by an army surgeon about his own Korean War experiences.
These days it's incredibly easy to watch almost any classic sitcom you can think of. Sometimes you may find reruns on TV. Many shows are available on DVD as well and with a good internet connection, you also have the option of simply streaming the episodes you want to see.
Unlike many other genres of comedy, the sitcom creates the laughs through several characters who find themselves in a certain situation. In fact, the word 'sitcom' is derived from 'situation comedy'. TV sitcoms started after World War 2 and there have been some truly great shows, such as 'I Love Lucy' and 'Fawlty Towers'. Sometimes lines from these shows were even taken up by popular culture.
The focus of many popular sitcoms has been the family. This was especially the case in the USA in the Seventies and Eighties, with shows like 'The Brady Bunch', 'Eight Is Enough', 'Family Ties' and 'The Cosby Show'. These families were usually the traditional idea of what a family should be, with a mom, a dad and several children, and fit in with the 'family values' spirit of the time.
Some shows provided a different perspective on the idea of a family. They would feature non-traditional families, such as single-parent households. 'Kate and Allie' was about two single moms, for instance, while 'Full House' involved a widower who raised his daughters with the help of a male friend and a brother-in-law. Other shows focused on familial relationships between adults, such as the brothers and father Crane in 'Frasier'.
With many young adults moving to the big city, they often find themselves substitute families to act as support system. These new 'families' usually consist of several close friends and have featured in hugely popular shows such as 'Seinfeld', 'How I Met Your Mother' and 'Friends'. 'Will and Grace' added another dimension by featuring openly gay characters.
With migration across borders, people are increasingly exposed to different cultures. The Seventies British show 'Mind Your Language' explored the theme of culture, with its mishmash of characters from different countries trying to learn English while adapting to life in England. In the USA, one way of dispelling fears of Muslims and Islam was through 'Aliens in America', where one of the lead characters was a teenage Muslim boy from Pakistan.
Some situations, such as war, may not seem like a laughing matter. However, one of the most popular sitcoms in television history was 'MASH', about a group of army surgeons during the Korean War. Those who were medical personnel during the real war would tell you that the situations in 'MASH' were quite realistic in the way that doctors would get up to crazy antics to help them deal with the horrors they saw every day. After all, the book that inspired the series was written by an army surgeon about his own Korean War experiences.
These days it's incredibly easy to watch almost any classic sitcom you can think of. Sometimes you may find reruns on TV. Many shows are available on DVD as well and with a good internet connection, you also have the option of simply streaming the episodes you want to see.
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