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kellyoxford:

popculturebrain:Proving Scientifically That ‘30 Rock’ Is Better Than ‘$#*! My Dad Says’ | Splitsider
Comparing a multi-cam format to a single cam format is impossible.No, it’s possible, but it’s dumb. As a writer you can’t even write them the same way. You can’t have as many scenes in multi-cam, the jokes have to be different, the stories shorter BECAUSE of the laugh track.The only thing this proves is that 30 Rock has more complex writing.You live in a country divided between the ‘elite’ and the ‘tea party’, and sometimes all people want is to sit down and hear that stupid laugh track and not feel alone and only have 94 jokes thrown at them. ‘30 Rock’ is one of the greatest shows on TV (shoutout: 17 callback jokes is insanely awesome), but there is a place for both of these shows. They really aren’t for the same audience despite competing for the same 18-49 demo. It’s really a shame that they have to compete against each other for the ratings when they are such different comedies (not only in camera format)… but that’s America.Yes, that IS America.

This is so stupid it makes my brain hurt. (Not Kelly’s response. She’s right. But the chart thing. And the idea of making comedy quantitative. And bringing “America” into it.) Having 122 “verbal jokes” (whatever the hell those are) and 36 visual gags doesn’t make something “better.” Nor does having 3:25 of laugh track time make something worse. I can show you very simple shows that would score very low numbers of most of the above categories, and yet remain far more satisfying and funny than some of the more jam-packed “high-number” shows.
Multi-cam shows are not dead or evil or necessarily bad. They’re just out of favor right now. Single-cam shows are not new or somehow revolutionary. M*A*S*H was single-cam. Leave It To Beaver was single-cam. I could list 25 abysmal (and dead) single-cam shows that the networks churned out in the last few years hoping to capture some of that The Office or My Name Is Earl ”magic.”
I write in single-cam. I like single-cam. I think the joke rhythm and performance aspect of multi-cam feels stale right now. Right now. But they don’t have to and won’t always.
30 Rock isn’t good because it has 22 “cultural references” per show. 30 Rock is good because it has great characters, spectacular performances, sharp (and yes, dense) writing. It’s goofy and doesn’t take itself too seriously and has a very singular voice. (Tina Fey’s.) The number of “callbacks” means nothing.
Charts are bad for you.

popculturebrain:
Proving Scientifically That ‘30 Rock’ Is Better Than ‘$#*! My Dad Says’ | Splitsider

Comparing a multi-cam format to a single cam format is impossible.
No, it’s possible, but it’s dumb. As a writer you can’t even write them the same way. You can’t have as many scenes in multi-cam, the jokes have to be different, the stories shorter BECAUSE of the laugh track.
The only thing this proves is that 30 Rock has more complex writing.
You live in a country divided between the ‘elite’ and the ‘tea party’, and sometimes all people want is to sit down and hear that stupid laugh track and not feel alone and only have 94 jokes thrown at them.
‘30 Rock’ is one of the greatest shows on TV (shoutout: 17 callback jokes is insanely awesome), but there is a place for both of these shows. They really aren’t for the same audience despite competing for the same 18-49 demo. It’s really a shame that they have to compete against each other for the ratings when they are such different comedies (not only in camera format)… but that’s America.
Yes, that IS America.

This is so stupid it makes my brain hurt. (Not Kelly’s response. She’s right. But the chart thing. And the idea of making comedy quantitative. And bringing “America” into it.) Having 122 “verbal jokes” (whatever the hell those are) and 36 visual gags doesn’t make something “better.” Nor does having 3:25 of laugh track time make something worse. I can show you very simple shows that would score very low numbers of most of the above categories, and yet remain far more satisfying and funny than some of the more jam-packed “high-number” shows.

Multi-cam shows are not dead or evil or necessarily bad. They’re just out of favor right now. Single-cam shows are not new or somehow revolutionary. M*A*S*H was single-cam. Leave It To Beaver was single-cam. I could list 25 abysmal (and dead) single-cam shows that the networks churned out in the last few years hoping to capture some of that The Office or My Name Is Earl ”magic.”

I write in single-cam. I like single-cam. I think the joke rhythm and performance aspect of multi-cam feels stale right now. Right now. But they don’t have to and won’t always.

30 Rock isn’t good because it has 22 “cultural references” per show. 30 Rock is good because it has great characters, spectacular performances, sharp (and yes, dense) writing. It’s goofy and doesn’t take itself too seriously and has a very singular voice. (Tina Fey’s.) The number of “callbacks” means nothing.

Charts are bad for you.