Three Act Show- Sex and the City

I believe the most important characteristic of the sitcom is the three act structure. This strategy has been carried through old shows such as I Love Lucy to shows like All in the Family and finally to even the most modern shows, such as Modern Family. The three act structure allows viewers to know what they are getting before they watch a television show. It also allows new viewers to begin to watch a television show without having much previous knowledge of previous episodes. The structure also makes writing sitcoms relatively easy, allowing writers to have a general structure that is repeated every episode. The first act of a sitcom generally introduces the problem that is posed during the episode. Once the problem is in place a series of events unfold that attempt to resolve the problem, making up the second act. The third act is when the problem posed at the beginning of the episode is resolved and generally ends the show in a relatively happy and fulfilled manner. Characters in sitcoms usually retain the same values and personalities in every episode, allowing them to fulfill their part in the show such as the hero, the sidekick, or the creator of the problem.

 

                One show that I believe functions in this manner is Sex and the City. The show clearly defines the sitcom genre in several ways. First of all, Carrie Bradshaw (Sara Jessica Parker) begins each thirty minute episode posing a question that she will attempt to answer in the article she writes for the paper. The question is generally something about relationships and is usually a result of a recent experience she has had. After posing the question while busily typing on her laptop towards the beginning of the episode, the second act begins when Carrie goes out on the town with her three girlfriends. After a series of encounters throughout the episode Carrie finally comes to some conclusion about the question posed at the beginning: this is the third act. The episode ends with her voice over while she once again sits in her upscale Manhattan apartment typing away on her laptop. Sex and the City functions in the sitcom genre by being episodic but also has somewhat of a character arc over each season of the show as each of the characters discovers what they really want out of life.

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