At certain points in our history, a single sitcom like “Friends” could serve as a reference point for millions, sparking conversations from water-cooler workplaces to living rooms. Today, the landscape of situation comedy is shifting. As traditional sitcoms fade and comedy takes new forms, audiences are questioning whether comedy and satire still have the power to influence public discourse like “The Simpsons” and “The Daily Show” once did. Jonathan Gray, a professor of media and cultural studies in the Department of Communication Arts, has spent years studying this question. He examines how comedy, society and audiences engage, and how it ultimately impacts the way we interpret and respond to the world around us.
Gray, a triple citizen born in Canada, lived across several English-speaking countries before settling in the U.S. with his wife. From his global upbringing, Gray became more attuned to subtle cultural differences.
“Everywhere I went, people spoke English with a different accent, and mine was always wrong,” says Gray. “But what connected me with people was pop culture — knowing the right jokes and references.”
Pop culture references and comedic jokes served as social glue for Gray, illustrating the ways that media, specifically comedy, can shape a person’s identity and sense of belonging.
“The problem with media is that we all want to use media as though it’s singular, but it’s really good to remember it’s plural,” Gray states.
Essentially, media is a double-edged sword. While comedy is often thought of as a satire or parody that questions power structures and challenges social norms, it has also been used to police norms.
For example, Gray points to “Two and a Half Men,” which used laugh tracks to validate hypermasculinity. When Charlie Sheen’s character would make crude jokes, dismiss emotional vulnerability or poke fun at Jon Cryer’s character Alan — who is portrayed as less masculine — there would be a roaring laugh track, validating hypermasculine depictions. Alan was usually the butt of jokes, and if he made jokes, it would often only generate a tepid laugh track.
But comedy and satire have, for a long time, encouraged audiences to question authority and served as a gateway to political discourse. For audiences, “The Daily Show” was often referred to as news – even though longtime host Jon Stewart argued it wasn’t — and made people feel more informed about political topics.
“There was a time when political conversations began with, ‘Did you see ‘The Daily Show’ last night?’” Gray says.
Now, “The Daily Show” is mostly consumed in segments through social media apps, such as Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts.
Even “The Simpsons,” one of the most well-known and widely watched sitcoms, mocked politicians, elections and the government. For example, Mayor Quimby was depicted as a corrupt politician who made empty promises, mismanaged funds and even used bribery as a political tactic.
At its peak early seasons in the 1990s, “The Simpsons” averaged about 20 million viewers per season, making it one of the most successful sitcoms on television. The most recent season averaged just under 2 million viewers. But comedies have begun shifting to cater to more niche, hyper-specific audiences.
“In the 1980s, a hit sitcom could have a quarter of the country watching,” Gray explains. “Now, a million viewers is considered successful.”
For example, the award-winning series “Reservation Dogs” follows the lives of a group of Indigenous teens on a reservation in Oklahoma, while “Atlanta” follows the rise to success of an Atlanta rapper and his friends. Neither addresses itself to an entire country, instead happy to seek smaller, more niche audiences.
One common theme across new-age series is the rise of what UW–Madison PhD student Madison Barnes-Nelson calls “traumedy,” which blends humor and trauma to illuminate social and cultural issues.
Shows like “Derry Girls” and “The Sex Lives of College Girls” tackle themes relating to trauma and harassment while simultaneously engaging in comedy.
“We need more shows that model resilience,” Gray argues. “A lot of people for different reasons feel burnt out and under attack, so there’s a need for shows that don’t necessarily shield us from that.”
But despite the increase of “traumedy” series, feel-good comedies continue to offer optimism in an overwhelming world.
“In response to that, there’s been a resurgence of shows, like ‘Ted Lasso’ or ‘Sex Education,’ that are not necessarily shying away from harder issues but trying to do it in an upbeat, life-restoring way,” Gray says.
With the rise of different types of sitcoms, such as hyper-specific comedies and dark comedies, it begs the question: Will the classic sitcom return, or are we entering a new phase of comedic storytelling?
“The death of the sitcom discussion has existed for almost 40 years, and every time people say it’s dying, you get another wave of it,” Gray says. “Maybe it always comes back because, at the end of the day, life is tough for many people, so when they come home, they need something to pick them up.”