The best comedies on TV
look a little different than they used to. For decades, TV comedy was dominated
by Multi-camera (or Multi-Cam) shows. Over the past decade, things have changed
dramatically. When Veep took home the crown for Outstanding TV Comedy at
the 2016 Emmy Awards, it became the tenth consecutive single-camera show to win
TV’s highest honor.
What’s The Difference Between
Single-Cam and Multi-Cam?
Well, the answer has a lot
to do with how a show is filmed and produced. Multi-Cam shows (Like Seinfeld
or Friends) are filmed like a stage play in front of live audiences,
whereas single camera comedies (Like Community or 30 Rock) are filmed more like
movies. The easiest way to identify a multi-camera show is a laugh track. If
you hear people laughing who aren’t in the room with you, odds are you’re
watching a multi cam, or you have a really loud neighbor.
Multi Camera Shows Used to
Dominate
From 1986-2006, only three
single camera shows won the Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series, and each of
those wins came after 1999. Up until very recently, TV was dominated by
multi-camera shows, These programs not only earned critical acclaim, but
controlled pop culture.
Some of the greatest TV
comedies of all time are Multi-Cam, from Seinfeld to Friends to Cheers
to How I Met Your Mother, the format created and perfected TV comedy.
But, there’s a new player in town.
The Times, They Are A
Changin’
It’s been more a decade
since a multi-cam show won the award for Outstanding TV Comedy (Everybody Loves
Raymond in 2006). Since then Modern Family, 30 Rock, The Office, and Veep
have taken home the trophy. In fact, this year every nominated show was a
single camera show. The last multi-cam to be nominated was The Big Bang
Theory back in 2013.
There are still some great
multi-camera shows out there, NBC’s The Carmichael Show and CBS’s Mom
come to mind. But at least for now, it looks as if single camera shows will
continue to dominate for the foreseeable future.
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