Sitcom is a highly distinctive genre. Unlike many other forms of comedy, or drama in general, it can be defined by some alarmingly rigid, specific rules.
Yes, I know: we don't like rules. We want to write fresh, groundbreaking work that defies convention. And you can certainly do that with sitcom - but only within the rules. Here are three of them. If you want to break them, knock yourself out. You may write something amazing. But it won't be a sitcom.
1. NOBODY LEARNS
Character
development is important, right? Absolutely. It's important to keep it out of a sitcom. In a feature film we may want to see a
character learning how to overcome their flaws, how to live and love again, how to laugh, to cry, blah, blah. Phooey. If a character learns anything about themselves in a sitcom, it's game over. They may be very good at seeing the flaws in other people. But not themselves.
2. NOBODY LEAVES
The central axis of a sitcom is usually a love-hate relationship, even if there's only
one person in it. (Self-loathing is a rich and rewarding source of comedy.) But whoever is in the relationship, they can't leave. The love-hate bond is the emotional glue, but try to trap them in other ways, too, whether it's in a prison or a marriage. It's vital that the characters can't just walk away from each other - or themselves.
3. EVERYBODY LOSES
Comedy is about losers. That may be a sweeping generalisation, but how many classic sitcom characters can you think of who are well-adjusted, happy, and successful? Even the characters who appear to be
successful - the tyrannical boss, the prison snout baron, the fearsome editor - aren't happy. And even the ones who appear to be happy are deluded. In comedy, happiness is boring, misery is funny.
There you are: three golden rules. If you'd like to find out more about them, and the other secrets of sitcom writing, you can come to my sitcom weekend workshop in London on May 30-31. If, on the other hand, you'd like to argue about them, then you can also come to the workshop. I can't say fairer than that, can I?
