US-UK Sitcom Setting Comparison

Posted on April 7, 2012 by Christine

I saw a Twitter conversation unfold today between British TV writers Andrew Ellard and Richard Naylor about the comparative role of setting in US and UK sitcoms. Naylor wondered why so many US sitcoms have detailed, specified settings (i.e. Seinfeld in NYC, Frasier in Seattle), whereas UK sitcoms seem to be part of more generalized regions, like London or the north in general, rather than specific areas. The most revelatory tweet was this one, from Ellard: “It’s aspirational. Most US residents will never see LA or New York. Most UK can see something Liverpool-ish anytime!….UK sitcoms are broadly ‘I recognise my life in that’ while most US shows go ‘I’d like to live like that’.” Also this, from Naylor: “Also think Americans pride themselves a little more what part of US they’re from. We don’t care so much….Went to Miami, heard this girl say “I’m from NY so I know what’s up.” Cant imagine “I’m from Sheffield so I know what’s up”

About Christine

Christine Becker is an Associate Professor in the Department of Film, Television, and Theatre at the University of Notre Dame.
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3 Responses to US-UK Sitcom Setting Comparison

  1. Samuel says:
    April 10, 2012 at 12:21 am

    Until you mentioned it, I never would have picked up on this disparity between US and UK sitcoms, but now that you mention it, the whole “setting comparison” certainly reveals a lot about how we identify as citizens and maybe even where we derive our humor from. I thought “30 Rock” was especially funny for its first few seasons. While the show was certainly a critical darling early on, I think a large aspect of my enjoyment had to do with the fact that I live right next to New York City and understand a lot of the jokes/hijinks/commentary of the show that is setting-specific. This spills over to my real life even — many Chicago friends like to make fun of the fact I refer to New York as “the City” (something my mom warned me would happen), taking pride in their own region. Even when a region isn’t so glamorous, for instance, Scranton in “The Office,” setting seems to have a huge role in the humor and identity of the show — not only are most Americans supposed to relate to the the characters and find humor in their seemingly mundane lifestyles, but perhaps because the show is set in such an ordinary place, the characters and humor come to life that much stronger, and the show resonates that much more.

  2. Ronnie says:
    April 10, 2012 at 11:28 pm

    I agree, this was not something I had particularly thought about, but think Ellard and Naylor hit it right on the button by saying how US and UK residents differ in their viewing habits. I’m from the Detroit Area, and as most of us probably know, Detroit isn’t the top destination to live in the US any more. So when I heard that HBO was filming Hung in Detroit (actually ended up being mostly suburbs), I was interested in seeing the show. Now the show isn’t that great in my opinion, I think I only watched two full episodes, but the idea of setting having such a large role in US television comes across well in my decision to watch the program. Additionally, any time a movie is going to be set in Detroit or even Chicago, I find it more intriguing and am more likely to watch it. Nevertheless, it’s interesting how each city is portrayed, whether by TV or in film. Detroit is often portrayed as a problem city with lots of crime (which sadly is true). But on the other hand, NYC or LA are portrayed glamorously and not always with as much focus on crime, although there are many films with this focus as well. Still, Detroit never seems to be shown in the same light and I think that has a large part to do with what Ellard and Naylor talk about with US audiences wanting to “live like that.” It’s a testament to the diversity of the US, and I think helps to enhance our television series and movies.

    Also, just for fun, here is a list of films that were made in Detroit or in the suburbs of Detroit. I had trouble finding a list for tv shows: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_set_in_Detroit

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