Studies in Literature and Film (386-0-20)

Topic

Sitcom Style and Narrative Form

Instructors

Elizabeth Caitlin McCabe

Meeting Info

Parkes Hall 224: Mon, Wed 9:30AM - 10:50AM

Overview of class

Within the complex media landscape of 21st-century life, we have seen the resurgence of a classic 20th-century form: the sitcom. During the first two years of the pandemic, for instance, many of us binged sitcoms from before we were born. For at least 5 years prior, Netflix released new comedy series with old-style camera angles, and reboots of long-gone shows abounded. What is it about the sitcom-that formulaic mainstay of the small screen-that keeps us coming back? How have experimentations with the form variously met or fervently side-stepped the cultural and political issues of their times? How might studying the sitcom help us understand narrative forms as diverse as the 19th-century novel and a popular YouTube channel? In this class we will think seriously about sitcoms, taking up questions of seriality, comedy, and more along the way. Course readings will help us consider literary forebears and counterpoints as well as media history and theory, by authors such as Elizabeth Gaskell, Mateo Askariopour, Anne Washburn, Jason Mittell, Sianne Ngai, and Quinlan Miller. We will listen to a few radio shows and watch a wide array of sitcoms—from I Love Lucy to very recent experiments with the form.

Class Attributes

Advanced Expression
Literature and Arts Foundational Discipline
Literature & Fine Arts Distro Area