Communitas and Comfort Television
Through the glow of comfort television, we experience communitas – that feeling of “the lost heaven” of the collective – and, for a time, we are relieved of our existential alienation.
sitcoms
Top 10 Forgotten TV Sitcoms You Wish You Had Seen
You’ve heard about them, seen snippets from them, and wondered about them: The Top 10 Forgotten TV Sitcoms You Wish You Had Seen.
Burning Down the Patriarchy with Valerie Armstrong’s ‘Kevin Can F**k Himself’
Kevin James’ “average Joe” working-class sitcom characters play to a type well supported by the American patriarchy. Valerie James’ revenge comedy Kevin Can F**k Himself attempts to bury that dated format.
Not (Just) a Laughing Matter: Nuanced Representations of Depression in Three Netflix Sitcoms
One Day at a Time, Bojack Horseman, and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt each offer insight and understanding into mental illness quite unlike television shows we've seen before.
The Chemistry of Cluelessness in Michael Schur’s Comedies
Mediocrity and cluelessness prevail in Michael Schur’s comedies, but kindness and understanding can also be found in his skewering criticisms.
Why Isn’t American TV Comedy Funny (But British Comedy Is)?
Why isn’t American TV comedy funny? It’s as if Americans are afraid to find anything funny about their reality.
Why Do Sitcoms Fail (or Succeed)?
PopMatters shines a spotlight on some funny and not-so-funny sitcoms that have failed.
Male Bashing on TV
Welcome to the new comic image of men on TV: incompetence at its worst.