Most episodes follow a three-act structure:
Classic plot templates:
To understand the family hit com, we must look at its DNA. The 1980s and 90s were the gestation period. Shows like The Cosby Show (before its legacy was tarnished) and Family Ties proved that a sitcom could tackle politics and puberty within 22 minutes. Then came the "TGIF" era on ABC—Full House, Step by Step, Family Matters. family hit com
These were the original family hit coms. They relied on three tropes:
Then, the millennium flipped the script. The Bernie Mac Show and Malcolm in the Middle broke the fourth wall. Arrested Development (a cult hit, but a hit nonetheless) introduced dense, layered jokes for parents who were paying attention. Most episodes follow a three-act structure :
Today, the family hit com has fragmented further. We have the mockumentary style (Modern Family, The Office if you count the warehouse as family). We have the adult-animated family (The Simpsons, Bob’s Burgers). And we have the preschool crossover hit (Bluey), which might be the most important family hit com of the decade because it is written for parents to enjoy after the kids go to bed.
If you are looking to fill the void, here is the current Mount Rushmore (plus one) of the genre: Classic plot templates:
Here is the problem. In the era of Netflix and Disney+, the "broadcast hit" has died. We don't watch together on Friday nights anymore. We binge.
This has changed the architecture of the family hit com. Streaming services look for genre hybrids. We now have:
Does this kill the traditional family hit com? No. It mutates it. The new family hit com must survive the "Scroll Test." If a parent is scrolling on their phone while the kid watches, the show must have a joke that makes the parent put the phone down.