Situation Comedy Essay, Research Paper
Situation Comedy
Before writing this essay, I watched a old re-run of ?The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air?, and I read the chapter in the television textbook where a episode of ?Leave It to Beaver? was broken down into Act One, Act Two, Act Three and Act Four. It was there that I realized that since 1951, with the premiere of ?I Love Lucy?, that most sitcoms follow a very basic, but successful pattern. I will demonstrate how this is accomplished in the sitcom week in and week out. The first act must establish the situation in the show. The second act must show the complication involved in the particular episode. The third act must show the confusion the actors or actresses go through, and the fourth must have the solution for the complication and the confusion.
In the first few minutes of a sitcom, the viewer will be shown something that catches their eyes. In most cases, that will establish the situation for which the episode will be based on. For example, in ?Fresh Prince of Bel-Air? we see that the shows main character, Will, gets slapped in the face by a beautiful woman, who at first hugged him. The show then cuts to a commercial having established the situation and knowing that the audience is putting down the remote control and waiting to find out why Will got slapped. In the television textbook, Wally and the Beav agree to take care of a neighbor valuable cat against the advice of their father, Ward, who thinks about what will happen while the cat is under their care. That sets up the situation where the audience knows something is going to happen to the cat but doesn?t know what. So the audience will remain glued to that episode of ?Leave It to Beaver? until they find out what going to happen.
After the commercial break, the audience will see the complication in that episode. In the ?Fresh Prince of Bel-Air?, Will finds out that Jackie (the female character) slapped him because he never called her after he left Philadelphia. Adding to that conflict, Will and Carlton are evicted from their apartment because of a party that was thrown by Will?s friend Jazz. In the television textbook, a friend talks Wally into going to the carnival and leaving the cat with the Beav. On his way out, Wally leaves the yard gate open and the cat disappears. After the Beav and Wally?s search ends up fruitless, the boys try to figure out a plan to disguise the real reason the cat is gone for their parents sense something is not right.
After yet another commercial break, act four will begin. As I stated earlier, act three is confusion. In ?Fresh Prince of Bel-Air?, Jackie is confused and upset when she finds out that Will had kept up with all his old friends from Philadelphia except for her. Carlton also adds to Will?s problems when he decides to move back home and not to another apartment. Will does not want to move back and is in a bind because he can not afford a apartment by himself. In the television textbook the example that is given for confusion is that Ward and June (the parents) realize that the cat is missing and they confront the boys about it. Having no other options, the boys confess. Then the Beav hears a cat?s meow, and he rushes to the sound, where he finds the cat in the back yard.
The fourth and final act in most cases solves the dilemma that was addressed in that episode. In ?Fresh Prince of Bel-Air?, for example, Jackie and Will talk out their problems and become friends again and even become co-workers. Carlton and Will decide to compromise and move back into Carlton parent?s pool house. In the television textbook, the neighbor comes back to get his cat and is happy to see it is all right. The neighbor gives them a dollar for their efforts. After the neighbor leaves, Ward confronts the kids and makes them feel guilty about taking the money. Overcome with guilt, the boys give the dollar to their father.
In this essay, I have demonstrated how almost all sitcom are cut from the same cloth, even though one was made in the 1950?s (Leave It to Beaver) and the other in the 1990?s (Fresh Prince of Bel-Air). By that I do not mean that all sitcoms are the same when it comes to social, economic and political issues. But almost all of them including the ?Fresh Prince of Bel-Air? follow the four-act formula.
Другие работы по теме:
Downhill Skiing Essay Research Paper Style Exercise
Downhill Skiing Essay, Research Paper Style Exercise 1 I can still remember the first time I went downhill skiing; it was a cold and dry November day with little snowfall. Most of the snow on the hills was that polished, jet blown, artificial-ice/pseudo-snow; not the best situation for a first timer.
Phobia Essay Research Paper PhobiaWhat is phobia
Phobia Essay, Research Paper Phobia What is phobia? Phobia is described as an extreme, irrational fear of a specific object or situation. It is also classified as a type of anxiety disorder, since anxiety is the chief symptom experienced by the sufferer. Phobias are thought to be learned emotional responses.
My Buddy Essay Research Paper My Buddy
My Buddy Essay, Research Paper My Buddy is about a boy who has muscular dystrophy. The boy is in a wheelchair and he relies on others to help him because his muscles are too weak. The boy gets a service dog named Buddy. He is a golden retriever, who assists the boy with everyday tasks. Buddy and the boy go through training with one another.
Great Expectatons Essay Research Paper The statement
Great Expectatons Essay, Research Paper The statement “Children should be seen and not heard,” is an extreme. The statement itself, targets young children as being lesser human being than their elders and having thoughts irrelevant to society. In Dicken’s “Great Expectations” it is evident that the adults of that era do not wish to hear anything Pip has to say and become very indignant if he dares to venture a thought on any matter, ask a question or speak out of turn.
Greek Tragedy Essay Research Paper The Greek
Greek Tragedy Essay, Research Paper The Greek Tragedy The tragedy was a large part of people’s lives in ancient Greece. Tragedies became prominent long before Christ was born. A tragedy, or goat-song, usually were seen during festivals in ancient Greek times. Tragedies gradually increased in seriousness until they were given utmost importance.
Playwrights Aeschylus Sophocles And Euripides Essay Research
Paper The starting point when discussing comedy and tragedy would be to define the main terms. Comedy is the dramatic genre that focuses on human weakness through humor. Comedy celebrates the regeneration of life through love and reconciliation. Tragedy is the dramatic genre initiated by ancient Greek playwrights such as Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides.
Awakening Essay Research Paper When Edna swam
Awakening Essay, Research Paper When Edna swam out into the ocean at the end of The Awakening, I think it was because she realized her situation. She was madly in love with Robert and she was married. Her husband, Leonce, was much too proper and business-like to please her childish spirit. However, in the end, she understood she could not be with Robert.
Problem Of Genre Essay Research Paper Problem
Problem Of Genre Essay, Research Paper Problem of Genre in Drama When a reader thinks of a play that has been labeled a comedy he thinks of light-hearted and happy plots. The reader would not think of family tension, arguments or even perversion. The genre of comedy takes on the responsibility of making the audience laugh and walk away from the production with a satisfied feeling.
Truth Or Lie Essay Research Paper January
Truth Or Lie? Essay, Research Paper January 31, 2000 Truth or Lie ….??? The truth should be told most of the time. I do not think however that lying should be put out of our mind because sometimes lying is the only option we have. Lying can be a good thing and a bad thing. Depending on the situation we should analyze it and find out if telling the truth would inflict more harm or lying would.
Servqual Essay Research Paper PS1 What is
Servqual Essay, Research Paper PS.1 What is the ServQual model ? PS.2 What are the advantages and disadvantages of the model? PS.3 In what situation can it be used?
Native Son Essay Research Paper The title
Native Son Essay, Research Paper The title of the novel begins to explain Bigger’s situation; he is more a child of the city itself than of human parentage. His soul is as stunted as an undernourished plant whose blooms are destroyed before they can come to fruition. When he says, upon reading the paper “No! Jan didn’t help me! He didn’t have a damned thing to do with it! I — I did it!” (p.283) he is clinging to the act of violence he performed as an affirmation of self.
Case Study Of A Market Town Monmouth
SW Wales Essay, Research Paper Situation: it is situated at the confluence of the rivers Wye, Monnow and Trothy. In the county of Monmouthshire, Gwent South West Wales.Site:
Mid Summer Night
’s Dream Essay, Research Paper In Shakespeare’s, MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, he wrote about a tragedy that he turned into a comedy. He did this to show his audience how stupid humans can act upon their emotions. There are three plots that tie together with one main situation. There is Hermia and Lysander, two star crossed lovers that can’t be together.
Starting Again Essay Research Paper Start AgainStarting
Starting Again Essay, Research Paper Start Again Starting a new life in another country can be extremely stressful. To adapt to a different culture, to lack of financial support and absence of the family can be a very threatening situation.
Shakesphere Essay Research Paper When a play
Shakesphere Essay, Research Paper When a play that was written by William Shakespeare is presented to an audience, the audience automatically assumes that the play will have tragic or dramatic connotation. But is there a such thing as a Shakespearean comedy? This question is answered when Shakespeare s The Comedy of Errors is read.
Shakespearean Comedy Essay Research Paper Suzanne KirbyCOMEDY
Shakespearean Comedy Essay, Research Paper Suzanne Kirby COMEDY IN SHAKESPEARE Shakespeare s comedies can be recognised in terms of plot, structure and characters. We can see that Shakespearean comedies follow the same structural pattern, a basic plot on which the play is based. For example, a key feature of all comedies is that they depend upon the resolution of their plots.
The Brady Bunch Essay Research Paper THE
The Brady Bunch Essay, Research Paper THE BRADY BUNCH The word sitcom is short for Situation Comedy. A good sitcom story idea places the star (or supporting character) into a situation in need of a resolution, which will cause the character to respond in unexpected, exaggerated, and hugely sidesplitting ways (Rannow, pg. 13).
Pride And Prejudice Essay Research Paper Beneath
Pride And Prejudice Essay, Research Paper Beneath the surface of the romantic comedy Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen presents an underlying theme of the economic situation faced by women in the early nineteenth century. The best representations of this in the story is how two of the women in the novel approach marriage, and what they hope to achieve or gain through it.
Comdey Essay Research Paper Ryan Zimmerman21600Some may
Comdey Essay, Research Paper Ryan Zimmerman 2/16/00 Some may say that comedy is a philosophy of life, and that it is an always changing art form. People also say comedy can sometimes even be considered to be a personal expression of a person?s world around them, a way to communicate thoughts and feelings in a very non-serious way.
Poetics Essay Research Paper The subject of
Poetics Essay, Research Paper The subject of the Poetics is poetry, including epic poetry, tragedy and comedy. Unlike Plato, Aristotle regards poetry as a techne. The practice of poetry is governed by rules; these rules can be formulated and taught. Poetry is rationally comprehensible.
Personal Mission Statement Essay Research Paper I
Personal Mission Statement Essay, Research Paper I believe that the following statements are very true for my personal mission statement. Hear both sides before judging. This statement most people should remember. So often people judge and say what they are thinking at the spur of the moment before really thinking the situation over and hear other sides before speaking.
George Meredith
– Comedy Essay, Research Paper ?The true test of Comedy is that it shall awaken thoughtful laughter.? George Meredith Comedy has been a very popular form of entertainment in our society since hundreds of years. It lets us separate out minds form the hectic world and brings happiness to our lives. Comedy can be expressed in many different ways such as satire, slapstick, jokes, parodies, observational comedy, and sarcasm.
Ethan Frome Essay Research Paper In the
Ethan Frome Essay, Research Paper In the novel Ethan Frome, the reader is presented with the character of Ethan, who seems to commit wrong and immoral acts throughout the book. From lust to lies, we see Ethan seemingly jump from one sin to the next. But one can only say these things about Ethan if they have a severe case of tunnel vision.
What Is Wisdom Essay Research Paper What
What Is Wisdom Essay, Research Paper What Is Wisdom? Is it knowledge, science or just common sense? I think it is a mixture of all these things and more. If you
Use Of Force Essay Research Paper The
Use Of Force Essay, Research Paper The Use of Force illustrates very well the feelings and emotions of a normally rational person, who, for any reason, is subjected to a situation that causes
Human Comedy Essay Research Paper One Day
Human Comedy Essay, Research Paper One Day Homer Macauley signs up for a telegram delivery job and gets it. While he delivers these letters he discovers the truth about love, hope, and pain
Night On Earth Essay Research Paper The
Night On Earth Essay, Research Paper The film “Night on Earth” portrays taxi drivers in different cities around the world. Our focus will be the story of the taxi driver in Rome, Italy. In this section the film centers on a taxi driver and a priest, two unlikely people in an unlikely situation at 4:00 in the morning.
Fear Essay Research Paper Fear is an
Fear Essay, Research Paper Fear is an emotion produced by the brain to avoid a potentially bad situation or anxiety caused by the presence of danger. Fear caused by a threatening object or situation will typically result in increased body tension, heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing rate. These symptoms tend to produce different behavioral patterns in people.
A Personal Situation Essay Research Paper A
A Personal Situation Essay, Research Paper A PERSONAL SITUATION The situation I would like to explain happened approximately over a year ago. I accepted a position with a company as one of their e-mail server. An acquaintance of mine (John) told me about the job and took my resume to his supervisor. I did not refer to him as a friend because at the time we did not do any activities together outside of work, nor did our spouses.
Something About Mary Essay Research Paper Something
Something About Mary Essay, Research Paper Something about Mary Its a comedy film, that came to Spain in November of the 1998. It was directed by the Farinelli brothers. And his main stars are: Cameron Diaz (Mary), Matt Dylon (a strange detective) and Ben Stiller (Ted).
As You Like It By William Shakespeare
(1564 – 1616) Essay, Research Paper One of Shakespeare’s most famous works, As You Like It possesses many classic elements of comedy. The personal divisions at the outset (two Duke-brothers at war, two other brothers filled
My Dog Essay Research Paper My dog
My Dog Essay, Research Paper My dog has a hat, and the hat has a shoe and that show is you. How many dogs is there in a mile to get to the other side of the siterate substance. It is known that is Shakespear’es tragedies main chatcaters die in the end,a nd in his comedy people marry. SInce Romeo and juliet is a tragedy, romeo and juliet are going to die in the end.