situation comedy

If there is one form that immediately screams “television,” it’s the multi-camera situation comedy — filmed, taped or digitally recorded before a live audience, or at least giving the impression that it was.

Noah and Joanne are unselfish people whose constitutional truthfulness robs the series of one of situation comedy’s main engines — the lie — for the better.

A buffeted but maintained equanimity was the hallmark of his career, from his stand-up work to his situation comedies to his many guest appearances.

The initials CBS evidently stand for Crime Busting Shows, which — but for a few situation comedies and “Survivor” — currently dominate the network’s lineup: “FBI,” “FBI: International,” “FBI: Most Wanted,” “FBI True,” “S.W.A.T.,”

“The few non-plastic situation comedies were gentle and relatively melodramatic and contained no meanness.”