When you've had a long and stressful day, one of the best things you can do for yourself is have a hearty laugh. A great way to get the laughter you need is to watch television comedies. What any people don't realize is that while they watch classic TV sitcoms, they may be exposed to new ideas or to different perspectives on old issues and that in time their attitudes may change for the better.
A sitcom, or situation comedy, basically involves a cast of characters whose interactions provide the humor. The television version of this genre has been around since the Forties and some shows have become so ingrained in popular culture that even people who've never watched them will know some of the famous lines from those shows. One example is the line 'Don't mention the war', which originated in the hit British comedy of the Seventies, 'Fawlty Towers'.
The family has often been a major theme for sitcoms. Many shows have focused on traditional family values, especially during the Reagan era. These included 'The Cosby Show' and 'Family Ties' and most of these shows featured the ideal of a family consisting of a father, mother and children.
Today not many families resemble the traditional model. There are many households headed by a single parent, for instance. Some shows of the Eighties started touching on this idea, notably 'Full House', which showed men in all the parenting roles, and 'Kate and Allie' with its two single mothers. Some families today consist of adult relatives living in the same household, such as Frasier Crane and his father Marty in 'Frasier'.
With many young adults moving to the big city, they often find themselves substitute families to act as support system. These new 'families' usually consist of several close friends and have featured in hugely popular shows such as 'Seinfeld', 'How I Met Your Mother' and 'Friends'. 'Will and Grace' added another dimension by featuring openly gay characters.
Back in the Seventies, the British had a show called 'Mind Your Language'. It was about a hapless teacher trying to teach English to a class full of recent immigrants from countries as far afield as India, Pakistan, China and Spain. It helped expose audiences to different cultures and to be more understanding of immigrants. The USA has had some wonderful shows for creating cultural tolerance too, such as 'Aliens in America' with its Pakistani Muslim main character, which was aired when the fear of Islam was widespread.
A long-running sitcom of the Eighties had as its setting one of the most horrific situations possible. 'MASH' was set during the Korean War, specifically in an army field hospital. Heart-wrenching scenes of death and destruction were placed in between scenes of the wildest, funniest antics. Interestingly, this was very realistic, since humor was a way for medical personnel during that war, and in most others, to handle the daily horrors of armed conflict.
There are different ways in which to watch those old classics again. Some TV channels will air reruns and even show back-to-back episodes. You can also get many series on DVD. Another option is to stream the episodes live via the internet.
A sitcom, or situation comedy, basically involves a cast of characters whose interactions provide the humor. The television version of this genre has been around since the Forties and some shows have become so ingrained in popular culture that even people who've never watched them will know some of the famous lines from those shows. One example is the line 'Don't mention the war', which originated in the hit British comedy of the Seventies, 'Fawlty Towers'.
The family has often been a major theme for sitcoms. Many shows have focused on traditional family values, especially during the Reagan era. These included 'The Cosby Show' and 'Family Ties' and most of these shows featured the ideal of a family consisting of a father, mother and children.
Today not many families resemble the traditional model. There are many households headed by a single parent, for instance. Some shows of the Eighties started touching on this idea, notably 'Full House', which showed men in all the parenting roles, and 'Kate and Allie' with its two single mothers. Some families today consist of adult relatives living in the same household, such as Frasier Crane and his father Marty in 'Frasier'.
With many young adults moving to the big city, they often find themselves substitute families to act as support system. These new 'families' usually consist of several close friends and have featured in hugely popular shows such as 'Seinfeld', 'How I Met Your Mother' and 'Friends'. 'Will and Grace' added another dimension by featuring openly gay characters.
Back in the Seventies, the British had a show called 'Mind Your Language'. It was about a hapless teacher trying to teach English to a class full of recent immigrants from countries as far afield as India, Pakistan, China and Spain. It helped expose audiences to different cultures and to be more understanding of immigrants. The USA has had some wonderful shows for creating cultural tolerance too, such as 'Aliens in America' with its Pakistani Muslim main character, which was aired when the fear of Islam was widespread.
A long-running sitcom of the Eighties had as its setting one of the most horrific situations possible. 'MASH' was set during the Korean War, specifically in an army field hospital. Heart-wrenching scenes of death and destruction were placed in between scenes of the wildest, funniest antics. Interestingly, this was very realistic, since humor was a way for medical personnel during that war, and in most others, to handle the daily horrors of armed conflict.
There are different ways in which to watch those old classics again. Some TV channels will air reruns and even show back-to-back episodes. You can also get many series on DVD. Another option is to stream the episodes live via the internet.
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