History of the Sitcom

Synopsis

This docuseries reunites audiences with the television friends, families, and co-workers they grew up with while introducing cutting-edge comedies that are sure to be your next binge-watch. Featuring over 180 original interviews with sitcom icons the series breaks down how sitcoms have helped generations of Americans navigate an ever-shifting cultural landscape.

First Air Date: 2021-07-11

Last Air Date: 2021-08-22

Number of Seasons: 1

Number of Episodes: 8

Networks: CNN

View Technical Specifications on IMDb

Top Cast

Jason Alexander as Self - Actor
Tracy Morgan as Self - Actor
Robin Williams as Self (archive footage) - Actor
Pam Dawber as Self - Actress
Henry Winkler as Self - Actor
Michael Schneider as Self - Variety Sr. Editor

Seasons

Season 1 (2021)

No overview available for this season.

Episodes:

Ep. 1: A Family Matter (2021-07-11)

Moms, dads, husbands, wives, brothers, sisters — more than just a hilarious reflection of the people we grow up and old with, sitcoms have opened our hearts to a more inclusive visions of what “family” can mean.
Ep. 2: Sex & the Sitcom (2021-07-11)

Since America has long found it easier to laugh about sex than talk seriously about it, sitcom humor has had a critical role ushering in a new era of openness, not just towards sex, but toward women’s rights and gender identity.
Ep. 3: Just Friends (2021-07-18)

When Americans look beyond family or work for their identity, the “hanging out with friends” sitcom hilariously redefines the genre while also revealing television’s challenging quest for inclusivity and authentic representation.
Ep. 4: Working for Laughs (2021-07-25)

Work families can be even funnier than our biological ones, since the endless array of wacky sitcom characters on the job offers hilarious insights into the state of the American workplace.
Ep. 5: Facing Race (2021-08-01)

In many homes, difficult conversations about race and diversity have first happened on the sitcom screen, helping pave the way for progress with hilarity and laughter.
Ep. 6: Movin' On Up (2021-08-08)

Upward mobility, the American Dream, pulling yourself up by your bootstraps – sitcom laughs have helped generations of Americans come to grips with their place in a supposed “classless” society.
Ep. 7: Freaks, Geeks & Outsiders (2021-08-15)

Aliens, geeks, monsters, immigrants, witches… the fresh perspective of sitcom fish-out-of-water give us funny new insights into the ever-changing face of America.
Ep. 8: Escaping Reality (2021-08-22)

Sitcoms have long been 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, and the state of sitcom form itself.