Abbott Elementary and the Comeback of the Network Sitcom

Sitcoms are one of the oldest genres of Television, with the first two shows of the genre airing in 1947: the British Pinwright’s Progress (BBC), a workplace sitcom about a storerunner, and the American Mary Kay and Johnny (Dumont, NBC, CBS), a slice of life sitcom focusing on a newlywed couple in NYC. Interestingly, these two situations have remained the two most popular sitcom plots to this day. What makes this tried and true formula so strong? Even when networks shy away from the genre, it remains popular for viewers. So, why are network sitcoms so successful today? Let’s explore what the formula is, why it’s worked for so long, and why they are the perfect shows to stream. 

What is the Network Sitcom Formula?

A sitcom is a situational comedy, typically defined by a recurring cast of characters who exist in the same settings. Major networks such as NBC, ABC, Fox, and CBS have been airing culturally relevant and wildly popular sitcoms for decades, from I Love Lucy (CBS) to Friends (NBC). Typically, network sitcoms are given 30 minute time slots with approximately 8 minutes reserved for commercials, giving them a runtime of about 22 minutes per episode with 3-4 commercial breaks. Unlike many shows produced today, which have a limited run of 6-10 episodes per season, sitcoms often had upwards of 14 episodes in a season and would air once a week from September to May. 

Now, there are two subgenres of sitcoms – workplace and slice of life. Workplace sitcoms, such as The Office (NBC), Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Fox, NBC), Two Broke Girls (CBS), and Ugly Betty (ABC), focus on a group of employees facing challenges in the workplace. Slice of life sitcoms, such as Seinfeld (NBC), Friends (NBC), How I Met Your Mother (CBS), and New Girl (Fox), focus more on a group of friends or community members, with less plot-focus and more of an emphasis on comedic character dynamics. The ensemble typically ends up fulfilling the found family trope in both subgenres, and there are some iconic plots that are a part of the formula as well. Holiday episodes, Wedding-Gone-Wrong, and high school reunions are all plotlines that you can find in almost every sitcom. 

Arguably, the most important element of a sitcom is its character dynamics. The characters will always be very different from each other, very flawed, and rarely grow or change in a visible way. Over the course of seasons, characters begin to experience more major growth, but episode to episode they remain the same. If a character is messy, their desk won’t just be a little cluttered: there will be mice living in the drawers. Every flaw is punched up, anything that would annoy or frustrate a character is emphasized in order to build up big reactions. Writers play off of the same flaws, with the same characters, in the same place. So, the question becomes – why did this formula work so well? Wasn’t it corny? Didn’t it get repetitive? 

What Makes Network Sitcoms So Successful?

Sitcoms have been especially influential on American culture and audiences, holding the title for the most in-demand subgenre of television. Sitcoms are relatable and comforting – and this is the cornerstone of their success. The combination of a basic, predictable plot, familiar characters, real life scenarios, and a sense of humor make sitcoms easy to watch over and over again. To put it simply: they put us in a good mood! The most unique thing about any one sitcom is the sense of humor – although character flaws or tropes might be reused, the sense of humor and tone in a writer’s room is what makes each show unique. This means that there’s a wide audience for the genre – It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (FX), for example, has a raunchier tone when compared to something like The Big Bang Theory (CBS), although they are both two of the most popular sitcoms. Sitcoms also have a super high rewatchability factor, which makes them a dream for reruns. It’s fun to turn on your TV and catch an episode of your favorite sitcom that you forgot about. Because the plotlines in each episode don’t necessarily relate to each other, they are easy to watch out of order. The formula of sitcoms also makes the plot easy to follow even when the show is just background noise, contributing to viewership. Additionally, the beats of each plot happen quickly. Episodes are paced quickly, making them especially easy to watch. 

Although the formula clearly works, there is a decline in new sitcoms being produced. Rather than sticking to the formula, streaming services are attempting to “evolve” the sitcom – Ted Lasso (Apple TV) is one of the few successful sitcoms that came directly from a streaming service, but viewers were left disappointed when the show ended after only 3 seasons, each with only 12 episodes. People wanted more! Additionally, shows like English Teacher (FX) aim to create a more “polished” sitcom, following the same plot elements but having a limited run of 8 episodes in the first season. In many ways, making sitcoms in the streaming age does a disservice to the genre because many of our new “norms” for television take away important elements of the sitcom. Pilot episodes, for example, were crucial for determining if you had an engaging idea. Afterwards, having a full 22-episode season allowed viewers to get to know your characters in a meaningful way, making them look forward to the next season and building a loyal following. 

Now, you might think that this means the success of sitcoms is dwindling, but they remain an extremely successful genre. Parrot Analytics cites that 15% of Hulu’s content is licensed use of network sitcoms. This creates an important distinction that shows how network sitcoms specifically are the ones in demand. Airing shows on a network, releasing weekly, and ordering full seasons is a formula that works. 

The Success of Abbott Elementary Should Tell Us Something

Abbott Elementary (ABC) is a clear example that this formula still works, with the premiere of season four reaching a record-high viewership during the first 35 days of it airing. However, around 80% of these viewers actually came from Hulu in the weeks after rather than ABC’s live premiere. Abbott is the perfect example of a show that follows the sitcom formula to a T – same location, same characters, and the same character flaws create the plot of each episode. But its success comes from more than that. It is telling of the evolving nature of sitcoms in the streaming age, and shows us how network sitcoms can be successful in this new era of television. It also advocates for different perspectives in sitcoms. Abbott has been praised for its ability to give respect to the profession it portrays while tackling real issues that underfunded school districts might face in a way that is both genuine and hilarious.When considering the uber-success of sitcoms such as Seinfeld, Friends, or The Office, Abbott shows us that the evolution sitcoms might really need is just more diversity and perspectives in the writer’s room.

There are lessons that every filmmaker can learn from the formulaic nature of sitcoms – no matter the genre you’re tackling, viewers like to be grounded in some sort of a reality or relatability. Concepts do not always need to be complicated in order to be interesting: sometimes, all you need are interesting character dynamics in order to keep an audience hooked. So, when you write your next screenplay, consider a smaller-scale production based in reality that allows you to focus on building strong characters that people can relate to. Building this skillset could be a crucial step towards an interesting and dynamic script. 

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