What exactly is a "cult sitcom"?!


Question: I've heard sitcoms like Black Books and Father Ted described as "cult sitcoms". What does this mean?

(PS I love them both :D)


Answers: I've heard sitcoms like Black Books and Father Ted described as "cult sitcoms". What does this mean?

(PS I love them both :D)

I would say on top of the answers given, that a cult sitcom is where the program was not set in your normal domestic setting (goodnight sweetheart, keeping up apperances, only fools and horses etc) but more of an alternative setting, with alternative comedy made into a 30 minute sitcom situation. Programs like Father Ted and Red dwarf were both unique in their own way because each was set in a unique setting.
Red dwarf was in a space craft and thus as it was an enclosed setting and the main actors mainly came from stand up (rather than traditional actors) they played the show a different way and as such the show had a different (some may feel slightly unpolished) feel to it, as they were stand-ups there were all trying to play for laughs and as such the show had a different feel about it. The setting also was a bit unusual in that as it was not your normal 'family' setting, (one bloke, one hologram, one robot, a human cat and one computer generated bot. (though the bot changed and in later series a female was introduced to the mix) in general the programs and plots were surreal (as were those in Father Ted) as such because of this the shows would have appealed to only certain niche of the population. I know both the aforementioned programs got big viewing figures but when you compare them to shows like Only Fools, Vicar of Dibley etc then the numbers were small, because of that the fan base were loyal (look at the conventions Red dwarf still has particuarly in the states).
So to sum up my rather longwinded ramblings
Cult Sitcom in my opinions can be summed up in the following 3 points.

Plot
Setting
Actors (mainly stand up comedians moving into telly acting)

i think they are supposed to be comedies that aren't mainstream but have a small but loyal audience that love it.

Bit of a stupid phrase really because i've heard shows like red dwarf described as cult sitcoms and that used to have audiences of about 4 or 5 million

I would say it is because it is made for a particular group of people, i.e. has one type of specific audience, another example I can think of is red dwarf!! sorry best I could do!

it has limited appeal and a loyal following......................

I always thought it was wierd that Father Ted was classed as a "cult sitcom". I mean, it had audiences of 10-11 million! It came 11th in Britain's Best Sitcom!
But yeah, I think it basically means that the audience is dedicated.

Friends, everyone in it is a cu
whoops sorry I misread your question

A small loyal following makes you a cult. Wider appeal and increased popularity takes the status away.

It frequently means not very funny

Before 2000 most sitcoms were traditional, mainstream and mass watched but in the late 90s and early 2000 most were seen as out dated and turning people away and then came the birth of the cult sitcoms such as coupling, spaced, phoenix nights, father ted etc these sitcoms attracted a dedicated following but were not deemed as totally mainstream in fact most were seen as more darker humour and gained the tiltle cult sitcom refering to the diehard and dedicated watchers.

Hi there.
Definition of a sitcom - watched by 10 million people once or twice.
Cult sitcom - watched by 10,000 people 1 million times.

So the total audience isn't that big on tv, but when people love them they watch again - and again - and again!
Cheers, Steve.

It means ,Its an aquired taste and has loyal faithful followers .

It's an alternative comedy show which picks up a dedicated following. It is not mainstream and does not follow the traditional idea of a sitcome - catchphrases, cheesy theme tunes, and family-friendly humour. Basically it has a certain audience that it is aimed at, that would ostrecise some members of the public.

Best modern 'cult sitcom' - Mighty Boosh :D

They are sitcoms that aren't popular but still have a very strong fanbase.

Comedies like Friends/Scrubs/South Park are mainstream, but Black Books is defined as "cult" as it's very popular but not mainstream.



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