Sit Coms and Immigration...
There have been some classics over the years...For those who aren't sure what they are:
A sitcom ("sit-com", "sit com") or, to give it it's full name, situation comedy is a genre of comedy performance in which recurring characters take part in humorous story lines centred on a common environment, such as a family home or workplace. Sitcoms were originally devised for the radio but today are typically found on television.
Who can forget "Fawlty Towers". Well, actually, most students have probably never seen it, as it was made before they were born, and how many of us watch TV programmes that were made before we were born ?
The 'golden age' of sit coms was probably about my youth: the late 70s, early 80s - unless you think otherwise of course. What would be the classics ?
"Terry and June" (perhaps not)
"Porridge"
"The Good Life"
"Only Fools and Horses"
"Rising Damp"
How do modern sit coms tackle modern "geographical" themes ?
Extended or changed family structures ?
Immigration ?
Would we see a modern remake of Mind your Language or Love they Neighbour, and a latter day Alf Garnett ?
It's possible with the modern trend for sharing to see clips of most of these programmes, and even entire episodes split into "YouTube friendly" 10 minute chunks...
My interest was started by an article in The Times - link to read it here....
It talked about a remake of the classic Rising Damp, which featured Don Warrington (interesting to see that he is now in this year's 'Strictly Come Dancing' line-up...)
It's set to be written by Simon Nye, who wrote "Men Behaving Badly".
The series coincides with “room for rent” websites recording a big rise in advertisements over the past year as homeowners seek to offset living costs and first-time buyers find themselves priced out of market. Rigsby’s unlucky tenants were often students. Today lodgers are more likely to be migrant workers or young professionals saving to get on the property ladder.
The “guests” at the rundown North London establishment, the setting for In My Country, reflect Britain’s changing migration patterns. There are Polish workers on 18-hour shifts who fall asleep in a pile, a Kosovan refugee and an ex-Thai bride. Their “leader” is Navid, an Iranian immigrant down on his luck, played by the stand-up comedian Omid Djalili, who also contributed material to the series.
In My Country stars the comic Stephen K. Amos, playing Johnny, a Nigerian immigrant newly arrived in Britain, who wants to get ahead.
The executive producer of the show said:
We want to recreate a classic sitcom format but crucially as a take on 21st-century Britain. We are speaking to the immigration authorities to get real stories into the comedy.
What other geographical themes / connections can you think of ?
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