FANTASTIC NEWS!!!

[RapunzeL]

USA Today reports the return of the family sitcom, which has been M.I.A. ever since "Everybody Loves Raymond" left the air. And better yet, due to economical issues, they are returning to the old 3-camera format with a live audience for sitcoms. Woohoo!! If nothing else, the downturn in the economy, has given back the comedy stylings we learned to love.

They are bringing back comedies with live audiences once again. Kelsey Grammer is slated to return to TV as a fired Wall Street exec, who must reconnect with his folksy family. Patricia Heaton will make a comeback in a sitcom, as well.

Oh, Happy Day! I hate the non-laugh-track comedies that have been developed of late. Bring back the humor, and let us enjoy the laughs with the audience!

Big stars are taking pay cuts, so they will be able to be employed by the studios. We need a family comedy in a line-up somewhere. The biggest sitcom hits were family comedies - The Cosby Show, Everybody Loves Raymond, etc. I am so ready to enjoy the family sitcom again. The family dynamic has been long overlooked, and the studios are missing out on a large viewing audience. We need a few characters, who are past the age of 25.

Can't wait for the new Fall Season to begin!

[Scoobiedoo30]

This is Fantasic News!!!

[dakert]

I hope you get what you are looking for.

[Mr. Television]

That is great. I sure hope the sitcom makes a comeback. At one time it was the most dominating genre on all of tv.

[*Pleasant Tomorrow*]

Family sitcom or not, I'm just looking forward to sitcoms making a comeback and for reality to die. Unfortunately the excuse is that reality is cheaper to produce and for some reason people watch the crap they come up with.

[RapunzeL]

I finally found the USA Today article. Here's a short quote, and the link at the end is the whole article:

But all the big networks are seeking to reignite the family sitcom, hugely popular in the 1980s with The Cosby Show but largely absent since Everybody Loves Raymond called it quits in 2005.

Overall, there are fewer foreboding, convoluted dramas.

"Most of our pilots in general have a lighter tone. They're a little more escapist conceptually," says Fox entertainment chief Kevin Reilly. "The times can't help but influence your choices."http://www.usatoday.com/life/televis...-squeeze_N.htm

[ekkostar]

Good, maybe it will force people to enjoy sitcoms again. I'm sick of the pretentious bunch that think that 30 Rock, Office and Scrubs are the best things ever because they rely on "random" humor and contain no laugh tracks.
As for dramas, I'm sick of courtroom shows, lawyers and forensics. I wish they'd bring back buddy cops and mysteries instead of letting that genre fester on Hallmark.
"Reality" hasn't been reality in about 7 years, now it's all scripted, so basically another isolated shaky cam drama fest masquerading as a documentary.

[RapunzeL]

Originally Posted by ekkostar

Good, maybe it will force people to enjoy sitcoms again. I'm sick of the pretentious bunch that think that 30 Rock, Office and Scrubs are the best things ever because they rely on "random" humor and contain no laugh tracks.
As for dramas, I'm sick of courtroom shows, lawyers and forensics. I wish they'd bring back buddy cops and mysteries instead of letting that genre fester on Hallmark.
"Reality" hasn't been reality in about 7 years, now it's all scripted, so basically another isolated shaky cam drama fest masquerading as a documentary.

You certainly hit the nail on the head! I've grown to love "Monk" on USA channel, just in time for it's last season this summer. He solves cases the old fashioned way, and makes us laugh at the same time.

I'm not a big fan of Scrubs, The Office or 30 Rock either.

[*Pleasant Tomorrow*]

Originally Posted by ekkostar

Good, maybe it will force people to enjoy sitcoms again. I'm sick of the pretentious bunch that think that 30 Rock, Office and Scrubs are the best things ever because they rely on "random" humor and contain no laugh tracks.

That's a bit insulting to me. I really enjoy 30 Rock and Scrubs, and I don't consider myself "pretentious." If I find something funny, I find something funny. I don't need a laughtrack for that to happen. I enjoy both types of sitcoms because I'm a big fan of humor, comedy, laughing. I also like all of those other 3 camera, laughtrack sitcoms. Most of my favorite sitcoms come from the 70's where those types of sitcoms were all there was. I don't understand why people are making out these no laugh track sitcoms to be the most evil thing ever. It's different, so I think people are being a bit hostile. I don't think either type of sitcom is any better than the other. It's about the quality of the show, not whether or not it has a laugh track or whatever.

Personally, I'm concerned about the sitcom in general making a comeback. Family sitcoms, young people sitcoms, laugh track sitcoms, single camera sitcoms...I really don't care. I want comedy to be appreciated again. I don't think people should be judged for enjoying different types of comedy.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go sip on some tea and enjoy some crumpets.

[RapunzeL]

I guess what I don't like about non-audience/non-laugh-track comedies, is that I hardly ever hear myself laugh out loud, while watching them. I might crack a smile or a make a "hunh" sound occasionally, but that's about it.

How funny would Letterman or Leno be without an audience? *crickets* A standup comedy routine would fall flat without audience reaction. And for me, the same goes for sitcoms. My whole family used to love watching sitcoms together. My father is now alone at home, because my mother developed early Alzheimer's, and she's in a nursing home. My Dad and she used to love watching Newhart, Everybody Loves Raymond & The King of Queens. But Seinfeld was their favorite. They'd sit & laugh through the reruns every day. Now, he sits alone at home, and he tells me that he doesn't enjoy watching sitcoms like he used to, when he and Mom would sit on the sofa laughing the night away together.

[JulieSomoski]

Family sitcoms are needed on TV today. Surviving Suburbia, which premieres this Monday, is definitely a start. Hopefully it does well. But don't forget, we do have Old Christine and Gary Unmarried, which are at heart family sitcoms, as well as The Middle and Kelsey's new sitcom premiering next season.

[Mr. Television]

I like the laughtrack sitcoms better. They just put me in a better mood. I love watching the BBT...I just got into that show. I'm slow , I know. lol I can't stand the Office and most of the single camera sitcoms. Their are some exceptions. I do like MNIE and 30 Rock is growing on me but by and large I like the type of sitcoms from my youth.

[Retro4Life]

This is, indeed, good news.

The trend toward more and more reality shows has been extremely depressing to me. Television works much better as a mirror on our lives (i.e. scripted dramas/comedies that point out our shared experience as a society) than as a peephole, where people's misery and personal dysfunction masquerade as "entertainment".

[RapunzeL]

Another disturbing trend, is marathon programming on almost all channels now. We used to be able to switch the channel every 30 minutes to choose a show. Now, we're treated to marathon programming of one show for most of, or all of one day. If you aren't a fan of that particular show or genre, you're outta luck. I don't bother going to those channels the rest of the day......and some times for many days in a row.

[comedyfreak]

Bob Sagat is also returning in a new sitcom. I seen the previews for it tonight, athough I forget when it's coming on.