By Brad LaCour
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Sitcoms have changed drastically since the black-and-white days of I Love Lucy, with more realistic depictions of life (no more married couples in twin beds) and content that would make the 1950s network censors quit in outrage. But the more things change, the more they stay the same, and although sitcoms look and feel different now, they still share the same building blocks, or tropes, from the golden years of television to entertain audiences.
The comforting quality sitcoms have on viewers comes from a tried-and-true method of creating high volumes of comedy quickly and effectively to meet network programming demands. By using the following tropes, creators can go straight to the heart of what viewers respond to and create the next comedy hit. These are the most familiar tropes that every sitcom has, whether it's classics from the '90s or modern efforts in today's ever-changing landscape.
10 A Secret Crush
Example: ‘The Office’ (2005-2013)

One character having a secret crush on another is a common plot device to fall back on, as it adds an easily identifiable romance element to an environment that otherwise wouldn’t have one–typically best utilized in a workplace comedy. Viewers tune in to The Office to see if Jim (John Krasinski) is any closer to telling Pam (Jenna Fischer) about his feelings because, as the two are likable protagonists with chemistry, the audience has determined they would be a good match and will come back each week to see if sparks ever fly.
While The Office is a prime example of this device, an alternative version of this concept would be Cheers, in which Sam (Ted Danson) and Diane (Shelley Long) share a crush, but either ego or circumstance prevents the relationship from beginning. These will-they-won’t-they romances will normally be stretched out until audience frustration or a looming cancellation gives the couple the green light to act on their feelings.

The Office
TV-14
Comedy
Where to Watch
- stream
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*Availability in US
- Release Date
- March 24, 2005
- Creator(s)
- Greg Daniels
- Seasons
- 9
9 New to the City
Example: ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ (1990-1996)

Even outside of sitcoms, the fish-out-of-water story, or someone being introduced to an environment that’s foreign to them, is immediately accessible to audiences. It gives the protagonist a reason to have everything explained to them about their new home or job, putting the hero and the audience on equal footing as both learn about the setting and characters. The new environment will present the hero with unfamiliar challenges that cause them to grow as a character in a slow and satisfying arc that takes place over the season or series.
As with the case of Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Will Smith’s (Will Smith) arrival at his relatives' mansion creates comedy by presenting a culture clash between him and his refined, extended family. There will be diminishing returns on the jokes reflecting their differences, as the longer Will stays with his family, the more he assimilates into their way of life. By then, the characters will have had enough time to establish new dynamics or character flaws that will continue to carry the show. (Or they don’t, and the show gets canceled).

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
TV-PG
Comedy
Where to Watch
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- Release Date
- September 10, 1990
- Cast
- Will Smith, James Avery, Tatyana Ali, Joseph Marcell, alfonso ribeiro, Karyn Parsons, Daphne Reid
- Seasons
- 6
8 The Wacky Neighbor
Example: ‘Family Matters’ (1989-1998)

The wacky neighbor is a source of frustration for the main character, a benign nuisance that doesn’t cause great harm but is still irritating. For instance, they’ll often try to walk directly into the house without knocking, not respecting the personal space of others. A variation of this is a friendly version of the same concept, where the main character doesn’t mind the intrusion, but the neighbor’s presence or advice leads to the conflict of the episode.
Steve Urkel (Jaleel White) in Family Matters is the most extreme example of the trope, considering how much Urkel took over the show like a plague of locusts on a field of crops. Urkel’s presence was initially an agent of chaos that could introduce new plots without requiring longer exposition to get started. However, Urkel's uniqueness and the type of stories he could introduce caused a shift in focus that arguably kept the sitcom going longer than it would have without him.

Family Matters
Where to Watch
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*Availability in US
- Release Date
- September 22, 1989
- Cast
- Reginald VelJohnson, Jaleel White, Jo Marie Payton, Darius McCrary, Kellie Shanygne Williams, Rosetta LeNoire, Shawn Harrison, Valerie Jones, Joseph Wright, Julius Wright, Bryton McClure
- Seasons
- 9
7 Short-Lived Romances
Example: ‘Seinfeld’ (1989-1998)

Shows where the main character is single often rely on the trope of bad dates or short-lived romances with guest stars. There’s a wide variety of directions to take the plot device, with a common example being a date that’s so unbelievably bad to show how shallow the dating pool is. More effectively, a brief romance can be used to point out character flaws in the hero still left unresolved, a sign that their journey of self-transformation is still in progress.
The cast of Seinfeld frequently went on dates that were used as a source of new minutiae for the quartet to dissect. The audience understands that none of the dates are likely to materialize into long-term relationships because the show's structure doesn’t support them. Especially in the case of Seinfeld, the dates are introductory points for another theme being explored, and a quick scene at a restaurant with a date is a simple way to introduce the concept.

Seinfeld
Comedy
Where to Watch
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*Availability in US
- Release Date
- July 5, 1989
- Cast
- Jerry Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jason Alexander, Michael Richards
- Seasons
- 9
6 Elaborate Schemes
Example: ‘I Love Lucy’ (1951-1957)

Sitcoms love a good scheme, as it’s an easy way to introduce broad or physical comedy into a plot, with the hero of the story pursuing a convoluted solution to a simple problem. A character whose calling card is schemes isn’t necessarily a villain or underhanded by nature–it can be more of a sign that they’re stubborn and the scheme will help them acquire a prize that has previously been denied.
If I Love Lucy didn’t invent this trope, they definitely perfected it, as Lucy (Lucille Ball) goes to incredible lengths, using costumes and multi-layered subterfuge to accomplish anything from getting Ricky’s (Desi Arnaz) job back at the club to joining his act herself. Elaborate schemes are less likely in more grounded comedies, but How I Met Your Mother turned womanizer Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) into a man so reliant on schemes to meet women that he made a physical book of them to reference.

I Love Lucy
Sitcom
Where to Watch
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*Availability in US
- Release Date
- October 15, 1951
- Cast
- Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, William Frawley
- Seasons
- 6
5 The Fool
Example: ‘The Simpsons’ (1989-Present)

The fool doesn’t necessarily speak to the character in question’s intelligence but more to their capacity to learn lessons in each episode—and forget it by next week. The fool will make mistakes either out of a moment of selfishness or laziness, but their intent is not to cause harm to those around them. Often, they’ll think they were helping by presenting a solution before realizing they only made things worse. In practice, this character will be the lead, and most central plots revolve around them due to how easily they create conflict with other characters.
A well-meaning or gentle doofus like Homer Simpson (Dan Castellaneta) is the archetypal example of a fool audiences have no trouble rooting for. Homer was less relatable and palatable to audiences when he was a walking ball of rage in the earlier seasons of The Simpsons, but the character was able to soften his tone with his family and still cause the same number of problems. Audiences will give the fool more leniency than any of the other characters because there’s an unspoken belief they are unable to get out of their own way.

The Simpsons
Animation
Comedy
Where to Watch
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*Availability in US
- Release Date
- December 17, 1989
- Cast
- Tress MacNeille, Julie Kavner, Harry Shearer, Pamela Hayden, Nancy Cartwright, Hank Azaria, Dan Castellaneta, Yeardley Smith
- Seasons
- 36
4 The Patient Spouse
Example: ‘All in the Family’ (1971-1979)

The counterbalance to the fool, the patient spouse, who is 99.99% the wife in most sitcoms, will be the voice of reason in plots where the fool pushes forward on a bad idea they’re pursuing. Even though the spouse knows their partner’s actions will cause headaches, they calmly weather the storm and help pick up the pieces after disaster inevitably strikes. The overly patient spouse has the dual capability of being the source of conflict or an ally (or both) in any plot as needed.
Edith Bunker (Jean Stapleton) was the gentle voice beside Archie Bunker’s (Carroll O’Connor) gruffness in All in the Family, with their odd couple dynamic a fairly infinite source of comedy. It can be a thankless role since the more obnoxious of the two will get the bigger laughs, but the patient and loving spouse is firm when they need to and establish boundaries for their husband or wife to acknowledge or ignore.

All In The Family
TV-PG
Comedy
Drama
Where to Watch
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*Availability in US
- Release Date
- January 12, 1971
- Creator(s)
- Norman Lear, Johnny Speight
- Seasons
- 9
3 The Wise Mentor
Example: ‘Home Improvement’

The wise mentor character doesn’t need to be truly wise—they just need to be smarter than the fool. When the protagonist messes up big, and they’re at their lowest moment, counsel from a trusted voice turns them around and allows them to fix their mistakes. It’s an important character because the brief runtime of a sitcom doesn’t allow the hero to go on a long journey of self-discovery. A commercial break is coming in 30 seconds, so somebody needs to tell the main character exactly what they did wrong and in the fewest words possible.
Every time Tim Allen's loveable Tim Taylor set something on fire or shot a nail through someone’s head on Home Improvement, he could walk to his fence and ask neighbor Wilson (Earl Hindman) what to do. With a calm voice and nonjudgemental guidance, Wilson could distill the lesson Tim was supposed to learn in a brief chat that sent the tool man grunting back into the house, enlightened.

Home Improvement
Sitcom
Where to Watch
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- Release Date
- September 17, 1991
- Cast
- Tim Allen
- Seasons
- 8
2 Professional Rivalry
Example: 'Superstore' (2015-2021)

Often used in a workplace sitcom but not limited to it, the professional rivalry is a conflict the main character will revisit from time to time, usually against a recurring guest star. Having someone to compete with is a fast way to introduce conflict into an episode that typically allows for recurring jokes centered around the comedic arch-nemesis. The hero of the show will sometimes get the upper hand, but often, they walk away being bested with a vow to win the next time they meet.
Superstore has a fun subversion of the rivalry trope, where Mateo (Nico Santos) is very much locked into being better at his job than Jonah (Ben Feldman), who was hired at the same time. While Jonah is aware of Mateo’s intentions, he never seems affected by the one-sided rivalry, rarely responding to the competition he’s not participating in. By both introducing the rivalry and dismissing it equally, the trope is used in a new and funny way.

Superstore
Comedy
- Release Date
- November 30, 2015
- Cast
- Ben Feldman, Nichole Sakura, Colton Dunn, Nico Santos, America Ferrera, Mark McKinney, Lauren Ash, Kaliko Kauahi
- Seasons
- 6
1 Strained Family Relationships
Example: ‘Arrested Development’ (2003-2019)

Family drama is a reliable trope for sitcoms because it offers endless conflict and a built-in reason for the characters to remain in contact. Commonly, family members will have experienced a prolonged duration of estrangement to give them a longer road to reconciliation with opportunities for comedy along the way. For maximum benefit, one family member will be required to move in with another, often signaling an unexpected new beginning for the main character.
While there are countless examples of the trope, such as Martin Crane (John Mahoney) moving in with his son Frasier (Kelsey Grammer), Arrested Development explores the family dynamic from every possible angle. Michael Bluth (Jason Bateman) experiences different strains with every member of his family, ranging from estrangement to resentment, and each presents a unique form of comedy and conflict. While many shows use the trope as an aspect of their plot, Arrested Development used the device in a masterful way that’s still hilarious years after it ended.

Arrested Development
Comedy
Where to Watch
- stream
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Not available
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- Release Date
- March 15, 2019
- Showrunner
- Mitchell Hurwitz
- Cast
- Jeffrey Tambor, Ron Howard, Michael Cera, Alia Shawkat, David Cross, Jason Bateman, Portia de Rossi, Tony Hale, Will Arnett, Jessica Walter
- Seasons
- 5
The 50 Best Sitcoms of All Time, Ranked
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