When you get five minutes, take a couple of those to read critic Neil Genzlinger's rant about the End of Comedy in the New York Times.
In the piece, Mr. Genzlinger takes new sitcoms from this fall to task, comparing their comedic styles, subjects and premises to those of the past to conclude that we've come to the "End of Comedy". To begin, comedy as art includes not only half-hour television slots, but plays, movies, stand-up, music, improvisation, sketches and commercials - not to mention written forms including comic strips, essays, columns, books and blog posts. And that's just a few of the easily described forms which leaves out things like the Onion, "The Daily Show", dramedy and other commentary-based or cross genre creations which defy category. I'm sure I'm forgetting or don't know about something, point being "End of Comedy" (yes, it's capitalized in the piece) is rather hyperbolic, especially if one focuses on just one form. Genzlinger's larger theme is that "television comedy has ceased evolving."
To make his case, Mr. Genzlinger cites four specific points of failure for the new fall sitcoms of 2011. Each features an episode of a new show paired against an episode of an old program. Below is a point by point rebuttal.
To make his case, Mr. Genzlinger cites four specific points of failure for the new fall sitcoms of 2011. Each features an episode of a new show paired against an episode of an old program. Below is a point by point rebuttal.
