Futurama

     Futurama is, in my opinion, one of the best animated sitcoms of all times. First aired on FOX between 1999 and 2003 then canceled to only have reruns on Adult Swim. In 2007, four really good movies came out until 2008 when Comedy Central started to air new episodes and now episodes are scheduled to air at least until 2012-13. 

Why do I like Futurama so much ? Because it gives an interesting point of view of our own society but with an imaginary perception from the future. Not only that, it's a pretty funny show with touching characters. 

Not too much touchy-feely, but a cute subtle twist at the end of most episodes like in "Where the Buggalo Roam" S03 E10, when Kif and Amy kiss and Kif writes in his diary with his particular voice "Dear Diary, I just made love for the second time". I like that little touch of cuteness because it isn't overbearing, yet keeps the show in the Sitcom tradition. 

     The songs and music are really good and I admire Christopher Tyng for bringing the series alive with such awesome tunes. 

Christmas Is Coming

     As the streets shine with that winter glow of Christmas decorations, as every morning I wake and rush to the window to see if it has snowed, as I watch TV and listen to the radio where people try to sell me presents for the holidays, I realize that every year it's the same thing.

We'll get the same Christmas Specials in Sitcoms, the same feel-good moment at the end where the whole family is together. And next year, it'll be the same thing, so will the year after that,... etc...

     All this makes me think about monotony and regularity. These shows I watch and then comment on are all pretty much the same. Sure, the structure, the characters and the jokes change to some extent, but in the end, they are all the same. Because that is how Sitcoms are defined as I said many times : 

The Two Voices - The Janus (Typical Characters n° 1)

     Some shows can be very deep, others very simplistic. But in most shows, there is one (sometimes more) character that I call the JANUS.

     The Janus is usually an extreme character who has two different voice tones. For example : One for the funny, one for the drama. Both voices are very opposite so that the audience knows exactly what is the mood of each scene.

Seinfeld - The Sitcom King

     It would be crazy to publish a blog about sitcoms with no mention of Seinfeld, the sitcom that changed the landscape of television comedy. You may like it or not, but Seinfeld and its characters became iconic in american pop culture. What makes Seinfeld so particular ?

     There are many factors that brought Seinfeld to be one of the most popular shows on television. Jerry Seinfeld's stand-up was already very popular by the time the show premiered in 1989, but the approximately 23 minute episodes that aired every week made him one of the most beloved comedians of his time. He still is very popular.

Let's take a closer look at the structure of the episodes.