From the inception of television and the earliest variety shows to present-day sitcoms and stand-up specials, comedy has woven itself deeply into the fabric of American broadcasting. From slapstick to sitcoms, the genre has not only entertained audiences but shaped the zeitgeist.
Is there a problem with America’s funny bone, though? According to Parrot Analytics data, which tracks demand from a variety of sources, comedies accounted for 16.6% of TV series demand in the U.S. in the first quarter of 2020. This figure saw a brief uptick during the early pandemic days but then dipped to 15.