RETURN OF THE SITCOM?

Last week ABC announced that it is leaving no stone unturned in finding the next Roseanne or Home Improvement.  The theory in television, which is largely being played out weekly at the multiplex, is that in economically depressed times, American's seek more laughter and escapism.  This trend started at the end of 2008 when FOUR CHRISTMASES was #1 at the box office for 2 weeks in a row.  And then repeated when Jim Carrey's YES MAN was #1 on its' opening weekend.  And again this weekend with that Mall Cop movie.  The American public was sending a clear message to Hollywood.  We're miserable, a $10 movie ticket is cheap entertainment, give us something to laugh at.  Give us comedy, make us forget our troubles for 2 hours please. (Hollywood is largely a recession proof business, although as part of larger corporate America, even Hollywood is not immune in this downturn).

The U.S. television sitcom has not dominated popular culture since FRIENDS went off the air in 2004.  Before FRIENDS there was Seinfeld.  Although the great U.S. TV sitcom is not dead, it has been in hibernation.  However, I have discovered 2 great sitcoms already on the air.  I say this with no hesitation, THE BIG BANG THEORY is the funniest show on TV.  It is the television sitcom at it's finest.  The writing is great and the cast is even better.  As a special treat, pause your DVR at the end of every episode for Chuck Lorre's vanity cards:  http://www.chucklorre.com/index.php

There's is one more sitcom gem hiding among the TV rubble.  THE NEW ADVENTURES OF OLD CHRISTINE with Julia Louis Dreyfus is another funny sitcom just waiting to be discovered.  Now in its fourth season, JLD is true standout talent in the world of sitcoms.  Again, great chemisty and timing among the cast and very funny.

I will be curious to see if network TV development can revive the sitcom to it's monster cultural status in these depressed economic times.  TV needs the genre to return as strong as before, and the audience is there waiting for it. In the meantime, I'm going to watch every episode of BBT that I can.