I'm so incredibly freaking tired of people bashing reality shows and say they're taking over TV. Is there a single second of the day that a sitcom isn't airing and almost all of them suck. IMO, most reality shows are more innovative, emotionally affecting, and entertaining than the cliche-riddled, boring, mediocre sitcoms that litter the airwaves.

Now I will say I'm really just talking about multi-camera shows here. In the last decade, TV has gotten much better IMO and there has been some amazing single-camera shows.

Besides the multi-camera aspect, I think something else that defines sitcoms is that they don't ever totally commit to either comedy or drama. You'll never see over the top comedy in a sitcom like you would in something like Family Guy or Mr. Show. Also if a sitcom does a serious storyline, it's like a special episode. A sitcom may have a sad moment a couple times a season whereas something like Scrubs often has several sad moments in one episode.

I've grown such a hatred for sitcoms that I actually want to call the comedies I like something other than sitcoms. Sure the actual term, situational comedy, can be applied to just about anything, but to me sitcoms have become something else. For instance, Scrubs does drama so well, I'd rather call it a dramedy. A show like Curb Your Enthusiasm never aspires to do a serious storyline, so I'd call it just a comedy.

So, sitcoms and reality shows will never disappear, but will the reality show bashing ever stop?

2 words:

Arrested Development

That's single-camera with no desire to do drama, thereby making it a comedy by my definitions.

I know this might just be ridiculous semantics, but the only show I consider a sitcom that I like is Friends. I'm amazed that they've taken all of the most overused sitcom plots and been able to make them funny time and time again.

I agree. When I was a kid I was a sitcom junkie. Now? Well, I still keep up with Friends and will finish that out. And I'll profess to watching That 70s Show. But other than that, the only half hour comedies I watch are things like Arrested Development and Simpsons. Not exactly *true* sitcoms. The traditional sitcom formula is just too boring for me nowadays.

It is definitely a Dark Ages for comedies - with S&TC going away, there are only 4 that I like: 8 Simple Rules, That 70s Show, King of Queens, and Arrested Development.

Not a sitcom per se, but are you watching Monk on USA? Brilliant comedy, drama, action, mystery -- all packed into an hour long show.

Actually I wouldn't say it's a dark age for comedies at all. They're just evolving. I want to see less sitcoms because they seem to just be regurgitating the exact same stuff that was being shown 30 years ago.

I didn't say what I want instead of sitcoms. Even though I like reality shows, I don't really want more of them. What I want to see is more dramas, pure comedies, and dramedies.

People that criticize reality shows always say that they're everywhere because they're so cheap to make, but they're not really that much cheaper than a sitcom. That's one of the reasons sitcoms will always be around. I also know that sitcoms are potentially really good for families and that is something that I tend to ignore.

I will admit that there is a place for sitcoms. I just find it funny that there are so many of them and nobody ever complains about the sheer amount of them.

I have never gotten into sitcoms. Even when there have been sitcoms I've liked, like Seinfeld, I was rarely ever compelled to watch every episode every week. To me, most sitcoms just seem so disposable.

I always get a blank stare on my face when people ask me if I saw "Will & Grace" or something, because I just do not find that type of show to be something I would bother watching regularly. I watch so much TV already, but I choose to invest my time in shows that have plots and characters that develop over time and not are just wrapped up in 22 mintues.

More midget dating shows.

I remember growing up we had things like...

'The Cobsy Show'
'Married with Children'
'Roseanne'
'Fullhouse'
'Married with Children' (did I mention that one?)

I understand your defferentiating the terms 'sit-com' and 'comedy' show. For me it's very easy to make the distinction. A 'sit-com' has a laugh track. A 'comedy' is confident in it's quality that it dosen't need to 'fake laughs'. My feeling about sit-coms is summed up so well in that scene in Annie Hall where Alvie visits his friend in the edit suite, shocked and disgusted as the laugh track is edited into his friends sit-com.

I don't really follow any sitcoms (i.e. watch them every week), but I've enjoyed quite a few over the last couple of years:

Just Shoot Me
Everybody Loves Raymond
King of Queens
That 70s Show

I don't know that I necessarily dislike any genre or type of tv show outright. They all have their good and bad shows. There ARE some good reality shows. There ARE some good sitcoms. There ARE some good dramas, some good game shows, etc. etc.

So, Seinfeld, Cosby Show, and Cheers weren't quality tv?

I could list laugh-track shows that I consider quality TV, but it wouldn't prove anything as such things are a matter of personal taste. I won't say there aren't any sit-coms I like. But I'm of the opinon the overwhelming majority of them are garbage.

Chappelle's Show, sketch comedy at it's finest.

Reality? more like non-reality shows. I grow tired of them. they are cheap, have an air play life span of two months and have little, to no syndication worth.

give me a sitcom any day.

So, you haven't heard what the cast of 'Friends' makes?

Actually It's All Relative and The Tracy Morgan Show are both entertaining enough that I continue to tune in.

I think what should be done is anti-CRAP movement...

Yes, I love sitcoms but 99% of em today suck.

What are you basing that on?!?

Reality shows are INCREDIBLY cheap to make compared to any scripted entertainment. You get to skip paying writers and actors. That (and all of the union regulations that accompany) is HUGE.

I think you and I are the only ones watching and enjoying the Tracy Morgan Show. Ratings have been in the crapper since it was moved to Saturday. I think the cancellation clock is winding down.

Sitcoms don't suck...



... you're just on the wrong continent.

Oh man....

Name me a reality show (other than "Survivor" or "The Amazing Race" that is "innovative, emotionally affecting and entertaining."

Let's look at some recent ones:

The Simple Life: Rich girls on a farm...hi-larious.

American Idol: Let's find some no-talent people and give them a record contract.

My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiance (or whatever it's called): And people say gays are ruining marriage.

Fear Factor: Cause eating bugs is cool.

The Littlest Groom: Wow. Stupid AND creepy.

Average Joe: Cause it's funny when geeks get shot down by hotties.

I could go on and on. 99% of "reality" television depends on one thing: People enjoy watching the pain and embrassment of others. This is not innovative. This is not emotionally affecting. This is not entertaining. It's just sad.

I don't know...I find it kind of amusing and entertaining