In Peacock’sBel-Air, the classic 1990sWill Smithsitcom,The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, has found new life as a serialized hour-long prestige drama. Though remakes and reboots happen all the time, this genre shift is something we’ve not seen very often.
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Hollywood tends to repeat a formula when they’ve found something that works, so chances areBel-Airwon’t be the last of its kind. There are several sitcoms, new and old, with concepts ripe for a more serious reimagining.
‘The Nanny’ (1993-1999)
The Nannywas a sitcom based on the comedic stylings of the iconicFran Drescher. She starred as Fran Fine, a charismatic, working-class woman from Queens, New York who becomes the nanny of the incredibly rich Sheffield family. Each episode was essentially a fish out of water story, centering around Fran’s unique personality. The show works incredibly well as a comedy, mainly thanks to the incredible charisma of its lead star, but reimagining the show as a drama could provide a real opportunity to dive deeper into the themes the show only touches upon as is.
At the core ofThe Nannyis the U.S. class divide. Being from a working-class background, Fran is out of place amongst New York’s upper crust. As a drama,The Nannycould accomplish similar social commentary on TV asBong Joon Ho’sParasitedid on the big screen. Fran is a fast talker who outsmarts those who consider themselves better than her. She wants what she wants, and isn’t afraid to do what she has to do to get ahead.
‘Mom’ (2013-2021)
Momwas a long-running CBS sitcom co-created by prolific sitcom producerChuck Lorre. The show followed two generations of moms, played byAnna FarisandAllison Janneyas they entered Alcoholics Anonymous and tried their best to be better people each passing day. What separatedMomfrom most of Lorre’s other work was how the show integrated dramatic beats into the story, enhancing the character dynamics.
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ReimaginingMomas a drama wouldn’t take much change. As it is, the show is an exploration of the responsibility mothers have towards their children and themselves. That is a theme ripe for a more in-depth, dramatic exploration. Complex women are not given the spotlight on television nearly enough, so a new take onMomcould be a really refreshing show to add to the TV landscape.
‘The Good Place’ (2016-2020)
Michael Schur’sThe Good Placeis one of the most acclaimed sitcoms of the 2010s, centering around a group of the recently deceased trying to better themselves and earn the right to belong in The Good Place. Very few sitcomsexplored morality and philosophythe same wayThe Good Placedid.
ReimaginingThe Good Placeas a drama would provide another opportunity to explore the age-old question of what happens to us when we die, but this time in a format that allows for a deeper dive into the concepts the show proposes. While comedy is all about relieving tension, drama is all about building it, and there’s no more tense situation than questioning the morality of humankind.
‘Arrested Development’ (2003-2019)
Arrested DevelopmentstarredJason Batemanas Michael Bluth, the level-headed son of the prolific Bluth family, as he tries to hold his family together when their public reputation is challenged by criminal charges. Though that may sound like a dramatic premise, the show was one of the funniest comedies of the 21st century and earned a devout cult following.
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ReimaginingArrested Developmentas a drama may sound a little far-fetched, but all you have to do to be convinced is look at HBO’sSuccession, another show about a dysfunctional rich family with questionable morals facing a public crisis. Family dynamics are perfectly suited for dramatic tension, and the Bluth family is nothing if not dynamic.
‘All in the Family’ (1971-1979)
All in the Familyis one of the most iconic sitcoms of all time. Generations of Americans grew up watching Archie Bunker (Norman Lear) argue and complain about the young people not knowing how to behave. His bigoted positions on social topics made for hilarious comedy, laughing at his outrageous opinions. The show was revolutionary for tackling topics rarely seen on television, in a way that felt substantial and in-depth.
In today’s hyper-partisan culture,All in the Familyis ripe for a revival, but with a more sensitive tone that lends to a dramatic format. Over the past few years, many Americans have been having tough conversations with their families about the hot topics of the day, and so it makes sense to reflect that in a way that doesn’t try and make it seem like a joke.
‘Parks and Recreation’ (2009-2015)
Parks and Recreationshined a light on a part of American society most people know little to nothing about the inner workings of small-town governments. It was a light-hearted comedic take on the people who dedicate their lives to serving their town. What made the show so strong was its incredible ensemble includingAmy Poehler,Nick Offerman,andRashida Jones.
While it excels as a comedy, becoming one of the mostpopular sitcoms of the 21st century, as a drama,Parks and Reccould be an opportunity to examine the way that local governments operate in modern society. Nowadays, social media allows the local news to be overlooked in favor of global headlines. Local governments impact everyone’s day-to-day lives and yet most people probably couldn’t name their mayor.
‘Sister, Sister’ (1994-1999)
Sister, Sisteris a cultural touchstone for many teens of the 1990s. The show starred real-life twinsTia and Tamera Mowryas two twins, separated at birth who find each other as teenagers. The show features the twins getting into wacky hijinks each week as they learn to live with each other.
The concept ofSister, Sisteris already a dramatic one. How must it make someone feel to know that they were kept from their family for the majority of their lives? What caused their separation and what kind of secrets had to be kept to keep them apart? Many successful dramas feature familial relationships we don’t see often in real life, and so the twin dynamics ofSister, Sisterhave the potential to be incredibly successful as a drama.
‘Full House’(1987-1995)
Full Houseis one of, if not the most, iconic sitcoms of all time. The weekly adventures of the Tanner family helped many learn valuable life lessons in a way that entertained the entire family, from children to grandparents. The show follows the Tanner family after the death of their matriarch, as Danny Tanner’s (Bob Saget) two best friends move in to help him raise his three daughters.
The family drama is one of the most resilient sub-genres in all of television, being ever-present for decades thanks to shows likeLittle House On The PrairieandThis Is Us.Full Housecould fit right into that long-held tradition, with a concept already fit for plenty of tension between the three parents, each with their own parenting style. There’s a lot to be learned about parenting in today’s world and a dramaticFull Househas the potential to once again impact an entire generation of families.
‘Bewitched’(1964-1972)
Bewitchedis one of the most iconic American sitcoms ever made. The show focused on Samantha (Elizabeth Montgomery), a witch living in secret with her human husband in suburban America. The show was a fantastical take on the American sitcom, a genre of TV that’s something of a tentpole of American culture. It was revolutionary for its time, especially with its special effects, showing people something they’ve never seen before on TV.
ReimaginingBewitchedas a drama could be a real opportunity to take this classic American show and update it for today’s modern world. Samantha’s journey is really that of an outsider in America, being forced to hide her true self from the world. As a drama, that theme could be explored in more depth, creating a story that can be relatable for many, while the magical elements could still be an escape from the real world.
‘ALF’ (1986-1990)
ALFis an incredibly unique sitcom. Puppeteered and voiced byPaul Fusco, the main character is a furry alien named ALF (an acronym for Alien Life Form) who lives in secret with a suburban family after crash landing on Earth. The show was subversive for its time, satirizing many traditional elements of the sitcom, and featuring a science fiction concept, something not often seen in comedy.
ReimaginingALFas a drama could make for a really fun, subversive show. The most evil thing about ALF in the original series is that he really wants to eat a cat. The idea of having an evil character as the protagonist could make for great dramatic tension as he hides among us in plain sight.ALFis already a show that subverts genre expectations by being one of the few sci-fi TV shows that draw from the sitcom format, so transferring the show back to drama could make for some really good TV.
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