Sitcoms have always been a cornerstone of broadcast channels, anchoring entire nights on fall television lineups. However, with the recent string of comedy cancellations and Abbott Elementary becoming the only sitcom on ABC’s 2024 fall TV schedule, I’m starting to worry that the days of comedy blocks are long behind us.
This is a scary thought, especially at a time when we need comedy more than ever. It seems the studio executives don’t feel the same way, though, as they continue to scale back broadcasting shows seemingly in favor of streaming services. It also doesn’t help that award shows, like the Emmys and the Golden Globes, continue to award dramedies comedy awards over traditional sitcoms. Perhaps this is just a moment in time, but I really can’t help but worry that sitcoms are becoming a thing of the past instead of the future.
Abbott Elementary Will Carry On The ABC Comedy Legacy By Itself In The Fall
In the late ‘80s into the ‘90s, ABC dedicated Friday nights to comedies, branding the day as “TGIF” or “Thank Goodness It’s Funny.” Over time, the broadcast network shifted its comedy day from Friday to Wednesday, where it’s held down the fort for over a decade with shows like Modern Family and The Goldbergs. However, when new shows return this fall, Abbott Elementary will be the only comedy airing on the channel.
The Emmy-winning sitcom will be sandwiched between the premiere of The Golden Bachelorette and a new docu-series called Scamanda. While fans of the teacher-themed sitcom are happy that the series is getting Season 4, the scheduling is worrisome for anyone who watches the show live.
The benefit of having an entire night dedicated to comedy has always been that fans from one show often roll into the other. That doesn’t seem likely with the current shows Abbott Elementary is being paired with.
Thankfully, the beloved sitcom should get some company in the winter when The Conners returns for its final season. But with that heading into its last season, Abbott Elementary might need to get used to being the only comedy on the network that was once known for bringing the funny.
It Didn’t Have To Be This Way, But Studios Keep Canceling Comedies
The frustrating thing is that the fall lineup doesn’t have to look as bleak as it does. While it’s true there are a handful of new and returning shows coming to the other broadcast networks (like Lopez Vs. Lopez), there could have been a lot more if the studios stopped canceling them.
While not historic by any measure, there have been a ton of cancellations in 2024, especially comedies. CBS recently canceled So Help Me Todd despite the series’ great ratings and devoted fanbase, and ABC’s sophomore comedy Not Dead Yet is also officially dead at the alphabet network.
Adding insult to injury, sitcom fans also lost Bob Hearts Abishola, which ended in an emotional finale after five seasons, and Young Sheldon, whose finale might have solved a Big Bang Theory inconsistency. One would think that the networks, like CBS and ABC, would lay off the cancellations with so many sitcoms ending this season, but that doesn’t seem to be the case at all.
All These Moves Make Me Worried About The Future Of Sitcoms
With the lack of sitcoms on the fall lineup and the studios’ refusal to give many new shows more than two seasons, I’m worried that we may be on the verge of the death of the genre. Sure, there are some great comedies on streaming, but they’re not the same as traditional broadcast comedies.
Sitcoms have been a part of TV lineups since the dawn of television, and it would be a shame for them to die now. The absence of this genre would be detrimental to the broadcast channels, but also to TV-watcher's lives. While laughter is important, sitcoms are so much more than that. They have the ability to teach viewers things and change their perspective on issues (like Norman Leer did for decades), and the characters often become part of our own families and make a real impact on pop culture and society.
As bad as things are, there is a small beacon of hope as it seems like multi-cam sitcoms are getting a much-needed revival. In fact, of the four comedies on NBC’s fall lineup, three of them will be in the traditional multi-cam setup, including the new Reba McEntire show.
If you care about the future of sitcoms, it’s important that you tune in to the handful of comedies that are a part of the fall lineup. After all, the only way to show the broadcast channels that we want more sitcoms is to watch the few they’re giving us.
For now, you can catch the final episode of Abbott Elementary's third season on ABC on May 22nd at 8:30 PM or stream it the next day with a Hulu subscription. And keep an eye out on the 2024 TV schedule for any and all updates to the fall broadcast lineups.
