Sitcoms

Media Language:

Characters

Types of character

There are three main types of characters in

a TV sitcom:

1. The main characters

2. The supporting characters

3. Transients who appear for maybe one or two episodes Write down the names of the main and (some

of the) supporting characters in:

a) Friends

b) The Simpsons

Relationships

If you have too many characters in a sitcom theaudience may lose the closeness and rapport that develops between characters. The relationships between the characterscreate ideal narrative strands:• Father and son/daughter• Husband/wife or boyfriend/girlfriend• Friends, work colleagues

Narrative Strands

• Father and son/daughter

• Husband/wife or boyfriend/girlfriend

• Friends, work colleagues

Explain the narrative strands in one American and one British sitcom. You should explain the relationships the characters have with one another and how they are made interesting enough to make the show enjoyable.

For example, the main narrative strands in Malcolm in the Middle are the father and mother/ sons relationship and the husband/wife relationship. I could go on to explain how these relationships create the storylines for the show.

Transient Characters

Think of the last sitcom you saw – what

transient characters were involved?

How did they help or hinder the main

characters in the context of their narrative

strands?