tvtropes.org

Animated Sitcom - TV Tropes

  • ️Sun Oct 25 2020

Animated Sitcom

They may be looney, but they're still keeping it real.

A Sitcom that is animated can be found across many different genres. It's often a Prime Time Cartoon, and usually (though not always) geared towards adults.

Although exceptions do exist, animated sitcoms geared towards a mature audience are generally known for being more outlandish, manic, surreal, and often raunchier than their live-action counterparts, largely due to the animated form having none of the budget concerns or restrictions that can plague live-action sitcoms. As such, many of them also fall under Fantastic Comedy, but even seemingly straightforward and down-to-earth shows can take a sharp turn for the bizarre. They're also particularly susceptible to having a Musical Episode.

In fact, these terms are associated enough with the genre that the term "Live-Action Cartoon" has been used for live-action sitcoms, such as 30 Rock, Malcolm in the Middle, and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, that use some or all of these traits.

The genre dates back to at least 1960 with the premiere of The Flintstones, but it exploded in popularity in the early 90's with the runaway success of The Simpsons, a heavily satirical and often bizarre animated Dom Com that would quickly grow to become one of the most acclaimed, influential, longest-running, and (in its heyday) controversial shows in television history. Following that, just about every television network wanted a slice of the pie, with wildly varying degrees of success, and the animated sitcom has since become the dominant form of adult animation on television, right down to there being its own trope being the Animated Shock Comedy. Almost every show on this list that followed it will probably cite The Simpsons as a direct inspiration. South Park, Family Guy, and Rick and Morty have also proven to cast a long shadow over the genre.

The Not Allowed to Grow Up and Comic-Book Time tropes are the rule rather than the exception here, and animated sitcoms are especially prone to becoming Long-Runners.

Anime

See also SliceOfLife.Anime And Manga

Web Animation

Western Animation