I was wondering I have heard some shows being called smart and I was wondering what makes a smart show smart?

In my opinion it would be the writing!

I can't think of one sitcom that requires a high IQ to enjoy. There are some that have very clever writing that require an attention span, and superficial knowledge of pop culture ( e.g. Arrested Development). There are some that weave beltway political humor into their jokes ( e.g. Newsradio), but mostly the humor in sitcoms isn't high brow.

I have to laugh at all those folks that think their favorite sitcom is 'too smart' for the average viewer. A lot of 30 Rock, AD, and Community fans notoriously fall into that category. I assure you rapid fire, disposable, pop culture jokes are not that 'smart'. If you read the AV Club, Gawker, TMZ, and consume a lot of tv series and movies, the jokes will not fly over your head in shows like that.

The real creative and smart writing is usually found in dramas, more than in comedies. Sitcoms can be extremely clever, though.

I was wondering I have heard some shows being called smart and I was wondering what makes a smart show smart?

I think some shows have a type of humor that is a little more cerebral - perhaps the verbal interaction consists of a lot of puns or allusions to high culture, as opposed to humor based more on physical slapstick (think Gilliigan's Island) or on misunderstandings among the characters (as in Three's Company). Perhaps Frazier or The Big Bang Theory could fit into that "smart" category under this definition.

Oscar Wilde, William Congreve, and of course Shakespeare, wrote very sophisticated comedies, so intelligence and comedy are not mutually exclusive!

Anything Sherwood Schwartz did was written for morons. MTM produced shows were smart. Murphy Brown was smart. There's a big difference between The Bob Newhart Show and Its About Time or Camp Runamuck.

I was wondering I have heard some shows being called smart and I was wondering what makes a smart show smart?

It typically refers to the writing on a show. It may mean that the series tackles a serious or topical issue in a way other shows wouldn't, or tackles a topic other shows would avoid. It may mean it sometimes takes a political or social issue on or that it has a unique point of view.

Shows like "30 Rock" or "Parks & Recreation" often get this said about them because they have a one of a kind approach to storytelling. Sometimes when people call a show "smart" that means that they offer some sort of innovation in terms of the way they write characters, plot their show or create the main comedic or dramatic frame or the series.

Basically it's any show that offers something unique or unusual; something that strays from the norm and presents a totally new or innovative way to present material.

On the drama side "Homeland" has recently been touted as a very "smart" show; it has a reputation for tackling the very sensitive subject of war and terrorism within an unusual context; in this case the mind-frame of a potentially unstable former FBI agent.

A lot of times when people say that a show is "smart" they may just be referring to the fact that it appeals to a smaller, niche audience instead of a wide mainstream audience.


I hope this helps.

I'd say The West Wing. Political topics seem to be more complex and with the rapid pace of the show, it may not be easy for someone with a lower IQ. I just got done watching season one and there were some points where I was just thinking, what happened? :lol:

At the end of the day, I'd say the "smart" comes from the writing.

I think some shows have a type of humor that is a little more cerebral - perhaps the verbal interaction consists of a lot of puns or allusions to high culture, as opposed to humor based more on physical slapstick (think Gilliigan's Island) or on misunderstandings among the characters (as in Three's Company). Perhaps Frazier or The Big Bang Theory could fit into that "smart" category under this definition.


I disagree with this. The humor in Frasier is classical farce, with a heavy dose of slapstick, very much in the vein of Three's Company - the only difference between them is the allusions to high culture. The average viewer may need a thesaurus to decipher the string of adjectives that came from Frasier and Niles, and may not have gotten the litany of operatic, literary and philosophical references throughout it, but they certainly would have no trouble understanding the comedy in it. Nearly all the Frasier episodes were based on misunderstandings and slapstick comedy (mostly coming from David Hyde Pierce).

Moreover, if you would take out the scientific and 'geeky' references in The Big Bang Theory - you would get nothing but low-brow sexual jokes. Jim Parsons brilliant portrayal of Sheldon Cooper carries that show. The average viewer doesn't need to 'get' the references to enjoy it. Just look at the demographics of the people who watch it.

Sitcoms like Community mostly rely on self-referential humor and pop culture references which only appeal to a niche audience. However, the humor doesn't really require all that much intelligence to comprehend.

Any show that successfully exploits the sensibilities of the masses would have to be considered a 'smart' show, to answer the original post.

I see it as a show that's well-written, witty, and requires a bit more attention than other shows. Good quality overall. But mostly in writing.

The Smart show is a show live with audience and well entertaining for viewers.

Anything Sherwood Schwartz did was written for morons. MTM produced shows were smart. Murphy Brown was smart. There's a big difference between The Bob Newhart Show and Its About Time or Camp Runamuck.

Regarding Sherwood Schwartz, Gilligan's Island is low comedy but The Brady Bunch rises a little above that, it's a decent family sitcom.

I wouldn't say MTM produced shows were smart, I would describe them as mature shows designed for an adult audience.

Regarding Sherwood Schwartz, Gilligan's Island is low comedy but The Brady Bunch rises a little above that, it's a decent family sitcom.

I wouldn't say MTM produced shows were smart, I would describe them as mature shows designed for an adult audience.
I agree 100%

I don't care if a sitcom is smart or dumb, as long as it's funny. Some sitcoms are too smart for their own good.

I don't care if a sitcom is smart or dumb, as long as it's funny. Some sitcoms are too smart for their own good.

THIS. ^^^

A sitcom doesn't have to be multi-cam or single-cam to be funny. It just has to be funny. The format doesn't matter to me as long as it's good. CBS does multi-cam best, and at the moment, NBC, FOX, and ABC do single-camera the best.