WHAT do you call cheese that is not yours? Na-cho cheese! Get it? No?
Comedy remains an underappreciated fictional genre compared to its contemporaries such as romance, mystery, and fantasy. Though the central goal of comedy is to elicit laughter from its audience, there is more to it than humor and satire.
One popular type of comedy is a sitcom. Otherwise known as “situational comedy,” sitcoms rely more on the unique and amusing relationships formed between a recurring cast of characters set in a typically mundane setting.
As such, on the annual celebration of “International Joke Day” every July 1, grab a large bucket of popcorn and prepare to binge-watch these three sitcoms:
‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’ (2013 – 2021)
American police comedy television series “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” is a sitcom that follows a squad of detectives as they solve cases and carry out missions under a new, strict commanding officer.
Located at the fictitious office of the 99th Precinct of Brooklyn’s New York City Police Department, the primary cast includes the following: Jacob “Jake” Peralta (Andy Samberg), Rosa Diaz (Stephanie Beatriz), Terrence “Terry” Jeffords (Terry Crews), Amy Santiago (Melissa Fumero), Charles Boyle (Joe Lo Truglio), Regina “Gina” Linetti (Chelsea Peretti), Captain Raymond Holt (Andre Braugher), Michael Hitchcock (Dirk Blocker), and Norm Scully (Joel McKinnon Miller).
One highlight of the show is the friendly rivalry between Jake and Amy, as they try their best to outdo each other, even, sometimes, at the expense of the police code of ethics.
‘Superstore’ (2015 – 2021)
The premise of the American television sitcom “Superstore” is quite simple. Set in Cloud 9, a make-believe chain store, the series narrates the stories of a group of employees working there, where everything and anything can and will go wrong.
The ensemble consists of Amelia “Amy” Sosa (America Ferrera), Jonah Simms (Ben Feldman), Dina Fox (Lauren Ash), Mateo Fernando Aquino Liwanag (Nico Santos), Garrett McNeil (Colton Dunn), Cheyenne Thompson (Nichole Sakura), Glenn Sturgis (Mark McKinney), and Sandra Kaluiokalani (Kaliko Kauahi).
What makes “Superstore” one of the best sitcoms of all time is its impeccable comedic timing and hilarious satirical moments.
‘Abbott Elementary’ (2021 – present)
“Abbott Elementary,” an American mockumentary television series, is currently the hottest sitcom in town. The show tells the everyday lives of the teachers at Abbott Elementary, a severely underfunded, predominantly Black, fictional school in Philadelphia.
The main characters of the cast comprise Janine Teagues (Quinta Brunson, who is also the creator of the series), Gregory Eddie (Tyler James Williams), Principal Ava Coleman (Janelle James), Melissa Schemmenti (Lisa Ann Walter), Jacob Hill (Chris Perfetti), Barbara Howard (Sheryl Lee Ralph), and Mr. Johnson (William Stanford Davis).
The best things about the show are the humorous, playful banter among the teachers and their entertaining encounters with some of their students.
Indeed, laughter is the best medicine. Let us laugh our hearts away to de-stress from our hectic Mondays and binge-watch these sitcoms on today’s celebration of International Joke Day!
