Sitcom: What It Is, How It Works
Domcom: Character-Based Situation Comedies
Plot, Thought, Diction, Music, Spectacle
by
Richard F. Taflinger
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Character in a Domcom
The domestic comedy, or domcom,
is the second most numerous form of situation comedy on television, 11.5%,
lagging far behind the actcom's 87.5%. The first TV
situation comedy that could really be called a domcom
was FATHER KNOWS BEST, which premier ed
in 1954.
In the FATHER KNOWS BEST syndrome, the
pratfall laugh gave way to family warmth. The father had a sudden rise in I.Q.,
the mother had important things to do, and the children actually had a part to
play in the plot.
There are two major differences between the
type of comedy represented by FATHER KNOWS BEST and what had gone before.
First, there is an attempt to create an actual feeling of family among the
characters, rather than a simple conglomeration of come dic
actors playing characters with the same last name. This provides a sense of
family warmth out of which the humor can grow, with the problems being solved
by, at first, the father assisted by the mother, then in recent years, by the
parents acting in partnership.
Second, the situations in which the
characters become involved are more believable. Less emphasis is placed on
contrived misunderstandings to set off the plot and more on actual personal
problems that could plague the average American.
The domcom comes in
several varieties, each of which will be discussed separately. The types are:
1) standard; 2) single-parent; and 3) pseudo-domcom.
All three types use the same plot orientation and elements. It is in the
characters and setting s that they vary.
Plot
Orientation
The plots of all types of domcoms
are most often plots of character. The emphasis is on the characters, their
emotions and relationships with other people and society, rather than on action
or thought.
Exposition
The exposition of a domcom
is, like the actcom, the establishment of characters,
settings, and basic situations. It is shown in the opening segment, with the
credits, just before or after the teaser, and often consists of the protagonist
either arri ving home and greeting
his loved ones, or doing something lovingly paternal or maternal, all showing
the personal relationships of the characters. For examples, the opening of
FATHER KNOWS BEST shows the father entering the front door of his home, where
he is smiling greeted by his wife and children; Andy (THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW)
is walking along a dirt road, taking his son fishing; Tom (THE COURTSHIP OF
EDDIE'S FATHER) is playing with his son on the beach; Prof. Howard (THE JIMMY
STEWART SHOW) is riding his bicycle through the tree-lined streets to his home
where he is greeted by his loved ones; the family plays football on the lawn
(EIGHT IS ENOUGH); photographs of the individual characters are shown on the
mantle, followed by a family portrait (FAMILY TIES). In any case, the
impression to be gained from such expositions is one of place and character
rather than situation, a middle-class residential district and house inhabited
by a loving family.
Problem
The problems are those of character, in which
a character is presented with a moral and/or emotional dilemma which needs
solution. The problem is usually a child's: a problem in growing up, maturing,
learning to live in human society. Such problem s include sharing with others,
sibling rivalry, responsibility to work, home, family and self, sex, school,
drugs and alcohol, etc. Once the problem is introduced the entire family, but
in particular the parent or parents, become involved in discovering the full
extent of the problem and finding the solution. Problems can include: Mary (THE
DONNA REED SHOW) is called "wholesome" by her boyfriend, a
description she finds insulting; Opie (THE ANDY
GRIFFITH SHOW) wants some spending money; the Free Clinic (ONE DAY AT A TIME)
is going to be filmed for a documentary; the family (FATHER KNOWS BEST) is on a
trip at Christmas; Beaver (LEAVE IT TO BEAVER) wants to go to Eddie Haskell's
house.
Complications
The complications are new developments in the
problem that challenge the character's abilities and understanding, forcing the
character to grow and develop as a person. For example, in an episode of THE
ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW, Opie, Andy's son, wants a job to
earn his own money for toys. A job opens for a grocery delivery boy. The first
complication is the arrival of a competitor for the job. The grocer, wanting to
be fair, tells the boys that he will hire them both for a week and then hire
permanent ly the one that does the best job. The next
complication comes after Opie gets the job and finds
that the other boy needs the money for his family. However, Andy is so proud that Opie got the job
that he can't just quit, nor would the other boy accept w hat he would consider
charity.
Other examples: Mary wants to find out what
other people think of her; the director of the documentary is an egomaniac who
gets on Julie's nerves; the family's car breaks down and they're stuck for the
night; Beaver's mother insists that he do somet hing he promised to do.
Crisis
The crises are the turning points at which
events can go different ways. In the above example, the crisis is Opie learning that the other boy needs the job to help
support his family. If the grocer had picked the other boy there would have
been no crisis. In a domcom, crises will go in the
direction of forcing the character to the point of making a moral, ethical
and/or emotional decision. The crises in the other examples are: Mary wants to
change her image, to be vivacious and exciting instead of wholesome; Julie
finds that she's in love with the director; the family can't get home before
Christmas morning and Kathy, the youngest, is very upset; Beaver snubs his
mother and makes her upset.
Climax
The climax is the point at which the
character's moral, ethical or emotional decision bears fruit, when the
consequences of his decision culminate. Opie decides
to make it appear that he is not responsible enough for the job,
saving the other boy th e embarrassment of receiving
what he would perceive as charity, even though this strains his relationship
with his father. However, Opie goes ahead, bearing his
father's upset and disappointment, until the climax, at which point Andy learns
the consequen ces of Opie's actions, apologizes and supports Opie's
decision and actions. In the other examples, the climaxes are: Mary realizes
that she should be herself because, even if she is wholesome, she is unique and
wholesome is not bad; Julie, who has been fighting the relationship with the
director because she doesn't want to be hurt, decides to take a chance; Kathy
realizes that Christmas is not a place, but a feeling with the family, as they
put up a tree and give her presents that they made during the n ight while she was asleep.
Denouement
The denouement shows that equilibrium has
been reestablished. However, the characters are not the same as at the
beginning: the child has learned something important about himself and life,
and the parent has learned that his child is growing up.
The denouement is very often a short, funny
scene. There is a purpose to this. The climax can often be sickly sweet and
present a definite possibility of syrup poisoning. Thus arose what is called
"treacle-cutting". The lecture, soft words, tende
r loving care usually hit a peak at the end of Act II. We are thus hip-deep in
a morass of molasses during the commercial break. Therefore, rather than leave
the audience with a saccharin aftertaste at the end of the show there is a tag,
an ending about 45 seconds long, that, it is hoped, ends the show with a laugh.
This, again it is hoped, cuts the treacle and leaves the viewer with a good
taste that will carry over to the next time the show is on the air, removing
the stickiness and making it palatab le. For example:
Mary returns home from a date with the boy who "insulted" her and he
again says that he thinks she's wholesome. He also thinks she's exciting,
vivacious, scintillating, etc.; Julie and the director decide that the bathroom
is not the p lace to patch up their relationship and go out to the living room
to join the rest of the family.
It should be noted that domcom
plots resemble actcoms in many ways until the crises,
at which point the emphasis on action gives way to an emphasis on the effects
of the actions upon the characters. Opie's
competition for the job is pure action, muc h of it
slapstick, as are the reactions of the townspeople as they watch the contest.
Nonetheless, once the action setting up the complete exposition of factors
involved is complete (usually at the point of crisis), the plot then turns to
an examination of the effects on character. Opie
learns that the other boy needs the job; from there the only real physical
action is Opie not going to work but instead going to
play. However, this is done in a deliberate attempt to appear irresponsible so
that the ot her boy will get
the job, an act involving an examination of character, not simply physical
response to physical stimuli, as would be the case in an actcom.
In an actcom, the factor of the other boy needing the
job for his family would never have arisen; it would probably end up with both
boys competing for the job and losing it to a girl, the grocer's niece.
Discussion of Character in
a Domcom
Thought
In a domcom the
characters think in a rational manner, although their thinking is often clouded
by emotion or a desire to believe a theory in spite of facts. Nonetheless, they
do think and are motivated by a desire to learn and grow. Future consequ ences of their actions
are a major consideration, at least by those who stand outside the emotional
implications and attempt to solve the problem. When David Bradford (EIGHT IS
ENOUGH) goes on a hedonistic, dissipated binge in order to "live life to
the fullest", the rest of the family think carefully about what it could
do to his future and try to make him abandon his new lifestyle. When Julie (ONE
DAY AT A TIME) falls in love with the egotistical director, she wants to break
off the relationship becau se of fear of future
consequences.
Thought processes are, in general, cogent and
deep, with attempts at understanding the complexities of society and human
behavior.
Domcom plots often have a theme, but it is strictly related
to domestic crises; e.g., how to handle cheating at school, sibling rivalry,
premarital sex, alcohol and drug use, etc. Such themes almost invariably
reflect middle-class values and morals, and try to instill an attitude of
social responsibility and consciousness.
Settings
Settings in a domcom
are more carefully done than in an actcom, due to the
fact that the settings are more a part of the show and less a mere background
to the action.
Standard Domcom
The setting is almost always a house, a
single family dwelling.
The basic locations are the living room, the
kitchen, the den, and bedrooms. Most action takes place in one of these four
locations, or the peripheries thereof (foyer, dining room, hallway, driveway). The living room is neat, tidy, clean, and furni shed in keeping with the personality of the woman.
For example, in FATHER KNOWS BEST and EIGHT IS ENOUGH, it is solid, attractive,
not frilly but not plain, just like the women of those
homes. The living room is used for semi-formal or formal family gat herings and for entertaining guests.
The kitchen is the second most common
setting. It is the province of the woman. It is her space, and everyone else
who enters appears almost a visitor, including other members of the family. It
is used for discussions in which the mother is being consulted about problems.
It is neat, clean, and functional.
The father's province is stereotypically
male: the den, the garage, the workshop. From the behavior of the characters
when they enter to speak to the father, one is sometimes given the impression
that the character is entering the shrine of the ora cle wherein judgments will be handed down. It is used for
important discussions and decisions, and is usually the place of the final
judgment and disciplining. The area is always very masculine, decorated in wood
and leather and books, or power tools an d projects.
It is mainly the children's bedrooms, rather
than the parents', that are used, and then only for the most intimate
discussions. They are furnished in keeping with the personality of the
occupant: on FATHER KNOWS BEST, Betty's room is frilly and femi nine, while Bud's room is angular and little-boy
masculine, with pennants on the walls and models on the shelf. The bedrooms are
used for discussions of a personal nature, usually as one or the other of the
parents try to determine and explore the child' s problem
and help them find a solution.
Any other locations are those dictated by the
plot. In the FATHER KNOWS BEST example, above, there is a deserted shack on
Christmas Eve. The place of work of the father is shown if the problem is
related to the father and his business or dictated b y the format (such as HOME
IMPROVEMENT's workshop/studio), but this is rare. In
general, other locations are shown only if they are necessary to the telling of
the story of that particular episode.
Single-parent Domcom
The basic settings in a single-parent domcom are the living room and the child's bedroom in the
house or apartment of the family. Most scenes take place in these two locations
due to the fact that most plots are showing the personal relationships b etween parent and child. Therefore, the most personal space
for both is used: the living room for the parent, and
the bedroom for the child.
The placement of these locations is a
stylistic and/or format consideration, varying from show to show. For example,
ACCIDENTAL FAMILY and THE DORIS DAY SHOW are both set on ranches. MY THREE SONS
and THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW both have houses. JULIA and THE COURTSHIP OF EDDIE'S
FATHER are set in apartments.
Another location that is important to a
single-parent domcom is the parent's place of work.
This can be anything from Andy Taylor's sheriff's office (THE ANDY GRIFFITH
SHOW) to Tom Corbett's magazine editorial office (THE COURTSHIP OF EDDIE'S FATHER ). This location provides plot variations by allowing
the introduction of transients and transient plots and a location for
non-domestic scenes, including those relating to the parent's work. The place
of work is also an excellent location for the paren t
to reflect upon and discuss the problem, allowing him or her time and
assistance in discovering the solution.
For surrogate mothers, the primary location
is almost invariably the kitchen, where she can always be found by either child
or parent for her special insights into problems and solutions. Surrogate
fathers never seem to have a place of their own, bu t
can be found in the parent's areas, either the living room, or, more likely,
the place of work.
Other locations, such as other places of
work, other children's bedrooms, other adults' apartments or homes, and the
bathroom are very rarely shown as regular locations. They do appear, however,
as elements of an episode's plot.
Pseudo-domcom
The basic setting for a pseudo-domcom is the place of work. The rule is that everyone in
the pseudo-family work in the same place, as on THE
MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW, ROOM 222 and CHEERS. Thus, the place of work replaces
the home, taking the place of living room, kitchen, and den/workshop. The
characters' apartments or houses take the place of the children's bedrooms and
serve the same function as bedrooms on other forms of domcom.
THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW clearly illustrates this use of setting. The newsroom
took the place of the living room, where most action took place. Lou's office,
when he was being the father, was the den. Mary's apartment, which was
basically one room, served as kitchen when she was mother,
and bedroom when she was child. Rhoda's apartment, also one room, was her
bedroom. Ted's dressingroom when he was single and
apartment when he was married served as his bedroom. On CHEERS, the bar
represented the living room, and Sam's office and the pool room represented the
bedroo ms.
Other locations are very rarely used unless
specifically called for by a particular episode.
Diction
The language in domcoms
is often filled with what is called smalltalk,
conversation that does not necessarily further the plot, but creates an
atmosphere of homeliness and togetherness, and helps delineate character. For
example, in an episode of TH E COSBY SHOW, time was devoted not to any plot
development but to Rudy, the youngest child's, tea party, where the discussion
revolved around jokes about Rudy's missing front teeth, and her wonderful
"invisible tea". The feeling created was one of warmth and
togetherness in the family, not the solving of a problem.
Again, there is little use of wit, although
the characters, being human, occasionally say witty things.
Music
The delivery of the lines by the actors is
much more subdued than in the actcom, high volume
being saved for strong emotion rather than a standard way of communicating.
There is greater use of oral interpretation to supply emotion to the lines.
The domcom is also
the only type of the three situation comedies that uses mood music to any
degree to underscore the moments of greatest emotional impact.
The laugh track is still used, as in the actcom, but to a lesser degree: more appreciative laughter,
fewer belly laughs.
Summary
The domestic comedy, the second rank in
number of situation comedies over the years, broke with the action comedy
pattern by devoting itself, not to action, but to character. The plots, which
usually have children rather than adults as their central figures, revolve
around the character discovering what the real world is like, examining rher
own character and learning from each new problem and solution.
The characters are much more human than those
in actcoms, having real emotions and motivations, and
reacting to situations in a more rational rather than purely mechanical
fashion.
Settings are important in a domcom. They establish the atmosphere in which the family
lives, serving as more than a simple background to the action.
The domcom, since
it does devote itself to character and the growth as a person of the character,
is a more difficult but at the same time more satisfying form of situation
comedy for the audience. It is possible to get involved in the story and the
characters, and truly care what happens.
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