Discussion – Creating Innovative Comedy

This is a rallying cry to all comedy creators to think innovatively.

So many TV comedies, particularly in the UK, fall into the category of the ‘stand-up written sitcom’ – a comedian with an established profile gets bored of the panel show scene and decides to spread their creative wings. Except they don’t. They simply perform the exact same exercise we all did in English Lit class – take a product in one genre and convert it to another – observational comedy to sitcom. So naturally they’re the main character, and seeing as most of their material is based around everyday observation or personal experience so is the script. The situations are real world and relatable. There are a few good gags in there and the main character feels authentic because its only a slightly exaggerated version of the comedian themselves. Its usually well crafted even if it’s clear when a stand-up line has been crowbarred in…

As creators, let’s think more creatively and explore the opportunities comedy affords. Here’s my thoughts on how:

1. Good comedy does not have to be ‘realistic’, it has to be authentic. There’s a big difference. The easiest way to engage an audience is by presenting situations that they relate to. However, the key to this working as comedy is not in the actual physical situation the characters find themselves in, but the behaviour and interaction of the characters. Observational comics use situations we all recognise, but what makes them funny is that we felt the same way about them, not simply that it happened to us. If your characters are authentic (i.e. they react logically within the rules you define, see 2.) you are free to experiment with human behaviours outside ‘real’ situations. Consider taking relatable characteristics outside of relatable arenas and you open up a lot more possibilities.

2. Define your rules and be disciplined. Fictional worlds or situations need rules, its just that they don’t have to be the same as here on planet Earth. You need to define what these are and be consistent to them. They might relate to the physical world, to a character, or to the format of the creation. In the video below (4.59) Chuck Jones talks about the way he applied these rules to the Looney Tunes cartoons.

If you decide your rules, and your characters act authentically within them, you are free to be creative with your setting. Red Dwarf is a great example of a show that created a fantasy world, but also had clearly defined restrictions for each character.

3. Play with format. We can get trapped into a linear way of thinking about situation comedy – try something different in structure or presentation. Play around with time – maybe even give your character the ability to rewind or fast forward. How about telling your story from a different perspective, like Peep Show, which broke the mould by using the inner dialogue of the characters.

Why not break away from the traditional narrative approach and create a new structure for the show, like Review, where the character presents a show in which he must review life experiences suggested by viewers.

These are some of our ideas on how to think differently. Often innovation is about taking a base idea and being willing to explore different ways of executing it for best effect.

What do you think?  Let us know by leaving a comment.