Gem

Exploring a groundbreaking genre that’s kept us laughing since the dawn of television, History of the Sitcom reunites audiences with their favourite sitcom families, friends, and co-workers.

Every sitcom is, at its heart, a reflection of America’s core social situation—the family. This episode explores how sitcoms evolve to reflect the changing face of this most fundamental social unit.

This episode explores work families and how the endless array of wacky sitcom characters on the job offers hilarious insights into the state of the American workplace.

This episode explores the “hanging out with friends” sitcom and how it hilariously redefines the genre while also revealing television’s challenging quest for inclusivity and authentic representation.

This episode explores how pioneering creators and sitcom stars have helped open generations of American minds to the intractable problems of racial injustice and representation.

This episode explores the revolution of sex in sitcoms. Since America has long found it easier to laugh, sitcom humor has had a critical role ushering in a new era of openness.

This episode explores how aliens, geeks, monsters, immigrants, and witches allowed for a fresh perspective of fish-out-of-water sitcoms.

This episode explores sitcoms as the ultimate comedy comfort food. But what sitcoms offer escape from—and what they offer escape to—reveal a lot about the state of the American mind.

This episode explores “class” struggles and the upward mobility to achieve the American dream.