The Simpsons, satire and sitcom Essay Example

The Simpsons, satire and sitcom Paper Comedy is work that provokes laughter. Commedia dell Arte is one type of comedy which was developed in Italy in the 16th and 17th century. It is characterized by improvised text based on plot outlines. It is a fact that the majority of modern-day sitcoms are based on the elements of commedia and satire, because it is a sure thing. A sure thing that it will entertain, amuse and keep the targeted audience occupied. It is the only thing that has been constant over the centuries because people are entertained by this. Another reason it is so successful is because people can relate the elements of commedia to their week night entertainment shows such as Everybody Loves Raymond, Seinfeld and Becker. Another extremely popular comedy series is The Simpsons. Based on everyday family dilemmas and situations, people still find this hilarious after seventeen years and still in the running. The Simpsons are one example of a modern sitcom with some features and characters that can relate to the o ld characters of Commedia dell Arte. This essay will explain to you how and what the similarities are between The Simpsons and the characters of commedia dell Arte. The Simpsons were created by Matt Groening in 1987. Theyfirst were a series of 30 sec for the Tracy Ullman Show. These 30 sec spots included the whole Simpson family. Thefirst proper episode was released on April 19th 1987, this episode introduced the viewers to the Simpson family. This demonstrated how crude the family was and it also introduced their crude eating habits. The main characters are of coarse the Simpson family. The family includes Homer Simpson (the father) Marge Simpson (the mother) and Bart, Lisa and Maggie the Kids. Each one of these characters has a different and unique personality. They all have feature that relate them back to the characters of commedia dell Arte.