View Full Version : Shows You Feel Should Be Called "Dramedies"...


Adamantium
11-11-2007, 04:35 PM
rather than Sitcom or Drama.

The Wonder Years - The perfect combination of comedy and drama. It doesn't have the sitcom feel to it, yet it is a funny show. So... Dramedy!

Doogie Howser, M.D. - Exactly what I said for TWY applies to this series.

Family Affair - Johnny Whitaker himself called it a "Dramedy" on the DVD interview. I believe Kathy Garver did too.

M*A*S*H - More towards the later years, but you can't watch the show and get straight sitcom out of it. It's really a dramedy in my book.

Monk - This gets lumped in with the comedies for the EMMY awards, and it is hilarious. But it's also very dramatic. So I think this is an hour long dramedy.

There are more, but I'll leave my list short so others can add theirs.

Ireneparalegal
11-11-2007, 04:36 PM
Eight is Enough

Adamantium
11-11-2007, 04:38 PM
Eight is Enough

Agreed. :)

Mikado
11-11-2007, 04:50 PM
I agree with you on Family Affair and Wonder Years , but not on M*A*S*H...yes it had dramatic moments, but, it was mostly a sitcom in all ways, incl the laughtrack. (of course, some sitcoms like corner Gas have no laughtrack, and are deffinately not dramas)

Mr. Television
11-11-2007, 04:55 PM
Family Affair and Eight Is Enough both had laugh tracks.

I always considered the Wonder Years a sitcom. It was more comedy than drama and it was always paired up with other sitcoms.

Adamantium
11-11-2007, 04:59 PM
I agree with you on Family Affair and Wonder Years , but not on M*A*S*H...yes it had dramatic moments, but, it was mostly a sitcom in all ways, incl the laughtrack. (of course, some sitcoms like corner Gas have no laughtrack, and are deffinately not dramas)

On the subject of M*A*S*H, on the 30th anniversary reunion special, the cast says that they don't feel that "M*A*S*H" was a sitcom.

With the exception of the first three seasons, I've never tuned into M*A*S*H thinking I'm gonna laugh and get great comedy. I tune into it, thinking I'm going to get a wonderful show that will be funny and dramatic. Okay, I don't think that every single time lol, but in general that's my opinion of M*A*S*H.

I believe the early years can definately be considered a "Sitcom" but as the show goes on it gets more and more dramatic, that I can't see it as a sitcom anymore. But that's just me, of course.

I guess we see different sides of this show which means it should stay a Sitcom, since that's what it's already considered.

Mikado
11-11-2007, 05:07 PM
ill agree with that :lol:

JulieSomoski
11-11-2007, 05:07 PM
Of course The Wonder Years, mainly because it was one of those few ABC halfhour shows without a laughtrack. But, there wasn't exactly drama in it. It had it's sad, growing up moments, but I wouldn't call those exactly dramatic.

clj2
11-11-2007, 05:19 PM
The Wonder Years - DEFINATELY a dramedy or even a drama. To me, almost a lighthearted drama.

OH Nuts!
11-11-2007, 06:13 PM
rather than Sitcom or Drama.

The Wonder Years - The perfect combination of comedy and drama. It doesn't have the sitcom feel to it, yet it is a funny show. So... Dramedy!

Doogie Howser, M.D. - Exactly what I said for TWY applies to this series.

Family Affair - Johnny Whitaker himself called it a "Dramedy" on the DVD interview. I believe Kathy Garver did too.

M*A*S*H - More towards the later years, but you can't watch the show and get straight sitcom out of it. It's really a dramedy in my book.

Monk - This gets lumped in with the comedies for the EMMY awards, and it is hilarious. But it's also very dramatic. So I think this is an hour long dramedy.

There are more, but I'll leave my list short so others can add theirs.

Yes, agreed. Although all of these have a comedic quality, they have clear dramatic elements as well. EIE too, as Irene pointed out.

Tubehead
11-11-2007, 07:15 PM
i would say some Family ties epsidoes had dramer in them. even Quatam Leap had dreamer in them. my two favortie shows.

Adamantium
11-11-2007, 07:26 PM
i would say some Family ties epsidoes had dramer in them. even Quatam Leap had dreamer in them. my two favortie shows.

The difference there is that "Family Ties" is a sitcom with some dramatic moments in it. A Very Special Episode here and there. However, the other "Dramedies" are more evenly balanced among comedy and drama. Any show with a studio audience, in my book is a situation comedy. Laugh tracks don't count (again "in my book") because these shows are in the sitcom genre, so the producers put laughter in the episodes. Even though it's not really necessary. Heck, even some sixties cartoons have a laugh track, lol.

As for "Quantum Leap" (one of my favorites as well), it's in the Sci-Fi genre. It can be very funny as well as very dramatic. But it's a Sci-Fi show.

Ireneparalegal
11-11-2007, 07:30 PM
As for Eight is Enough, it was definitely more a dramatic show than a sitcom. It didn't rely on funny moments to move the storylines along, but only added them in for some humorous moments or to take us away for a moment from the seriousness of a storyline.

tv star collector
11-11-2007, 08:20 PM
ROOM 222
ALLY McBEAL

JT
11-11-2007, 11:44 PM
"The Love Boat" will always be a comedy-drama to me. I like that there were different writers for each of the storylines in the episodes; that way, there was always a good mix of drama and comedy. It was a perfect blend for the show because you could get a some deep family drama and then segue into light romantic comedy. It's part of what made the show so great.

Buffyboy323
11-11-2007, 11:47 PM
ALLY McBEAL

Definitely! I remember times when I LOL at the things they would do on that show.

And though mostly comedy, Gilmore Girls is certainly in the drama category as well.

Pavan
11-12-2007, 12:33 AM
Hooperman
Desperate Housewives
Ugly Betty
Chuck

catlover79
11-12-2007, 12:39 AM
House - while it is a medical drama the character of House himself is a sitcom!! :lol:

Chocoholic
11-12-2007, 01:29 PM
I think Scrubs and MASH are more dramedy than true sitcoms.

Buffyboy323
11-12-2007, 02:51 PM
Freaks and Geeks
Las Vegas
Life As We Know It
Nip/Tuck
The OC
Popular
Undeclared

JulieSomoski
11-12-2007, 04:53 PM
I think Scrubs and MASH are more dramedy than true sitcoms.

I don't think I'd call Scrubs a comedy. It's definitely the funniest single-camera sitcom on television today, but it relies a lot on funny moments, with only more serious moments thown in from time to time.

Dean Winchester
11-12-2007, 05:52 PM
I think most comedies have moments of drama, Seinfeld being one of the sole exceptions. That show even made death funny.

Ireneparalegal
11-12-2007, 06:45 PM
"The Love Boat" will always be a comedy-drama to me. I like that there were different writers for each of the storylines in the episodes; that way, there was always a good mix of drama and comedy. It was a perfect blend for the show because you could get a some deep family drama and then segue into light romantic comedy. It's part of what made the show so great.
Yes!!! That is another. I loved that show. You are right, a good mix of comedy and drama.

dawsongirl
11-12-2007, 10:14 PM
As for "Quantum Leap" (one of my favorites as well), it's in the Sci-Fi genre. It can be very funny as well as very dramatic. But it's a Sci-Fi show.

So Sci-Fi shows can't be lumped with "normal" shows?

Cactus Jack
11-12-2007, 10:20 PM
I think most comedies have moments of drama, Seinfeld being one of the sole exceptions. That show even made death funny.
Like The Pony Remark episode

freshprinceofLA
11-12-2007, 10:48 PM
Who's the boss? there were some really moving epp's about dealing with death and other issues. Not to mention the "love" story of tony and angela.

Adamantium
11-13-2007, 12:20 AM
So Sci-Fi shows can't be lumped with "normal" shows?

I just meant that it already has a genre, Sci-Fi. Whereas this topic is about a sitcom or a drama that could be considered a "Dramedy."

So to answer your question, no they can't. ;)

Classicshowsgurl15
11-14-2007, 02:52 AM
Good Times
All In the Family

comedyfreak
11-14-2007, 06:40 AM
Good Times
All In The Family
Ugly Betty
Chuck
Reaper

Classicshowsgurl15
11-15-2007, 03:23 AM
Also, The Facts of Life could kind of be considered a dramedy. It has alot of serious episodes in it.