M-F, 8:55 AM-10:10 AM, SY 0009
Required Film Screenings: Tu, 7:00 PM-10:00 PM, BH 003

Instructor: David Coon
E-Mail: drcoon@indiana.edu

Since the introduction of television near the middle of the
Twentieth Century, one of the most popular and durable programming
genres in the United States has been the situation comedy, or
sitcom.  Although they are often regarded as lightweight, escapist
entertainment, sitcoms have the ability to reflect, reinforce, and
sometimes question the ideals, values, and social mores of the eras
during which they are produced and consumed.  Through jokes and
laughter, sitcoms point out the fears and anxieties that exist in
our culture while offering audiences lessons and social scripts that
can help them deal with difficult situations in their own lives.

This course will give students the opportunity to take an in-depth
look at a cultural form that is too often overlooked or dismissed.
Through a series of readings and screenings, students will trace the
historical evolution of situation comedies on American television,
while exploring themes and issues that have been common to many
sitcoms over the years, such as race, gender, work, and the family.

Students will write a series of short papers and essay exams, which
will allow them to offer their own critical analysis of the genre,
exemplary texts, and the function of sitcoms in our culture.