Why can’t joke-machine sitcoms thrive in a post-30 Rock world?

When we talk about joke-machine sitcoms, you know the type: ones with the same sense of humor and dramatic climate akin to the occasional 30 Rock episode. It’s the kind that’s hard to articulate, but easily recognized: comedies where misunderstanding the pronunciation of “rural juror” is a series-long gag and characters can change their attire by turning around and walking away without anyone raising his or her eyebrows.

I wrote this piece for Film School Rejects. You can read it in its entirety by clicking through to their website here.