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What is the generic name for the "4th wall" shows like The Office, P and R, etc?
Posted on 9/27/11 at 11:03 am
Posted on 9/27/11 at 11:03 am
The Office
Modern Family
Parks and Rec
Shows where the cast talks directly to the audience. What is that called? And when was it decided that it was OK to go from the concept of a documentary to just people are being interviewed in the midst of their lives by nobody?
Modern Family
Parks and Rec
Shows where the cast talks directly to the audience. What is that called? And when was it decided that it was OK to go from the concept of a documentary to just people are being interviewed in the midst of their lives by nobody?
9
Posted on 9/27/11 at 11:07 am to Tiger JJ
Parks and Rec is like this? I have seen several episodes but haven't noticed it. Was the Office the show in the US that made this style what it is or were there other shows doing this before them?
Posted on 9/27/11 at 11:09 am to Tiger JJ
quote:
"4th wall" shows
quote:some time in the fifth century
when was it decided
Posted on 9/27/11 at 11:11 am to Tiger JJ
quote:
What is the generic name for the "4th wall" shows like The Office, P and R, etc?
quote:
"4th wall" shows
Posted on 9/27/11 at 11:12 am to Tiger JJ
Mockumentary?
Posted on 9/27/11 at 11:16 am to Freauxzen
quote:
Mockumentary?
But I don't think that really applies. The Office (original British version) was 100% showing the audience the making of a documentary about the office. No confusion there. The US Office has been on so long now, that they have basically de facto abandoned the documentary aspect and just adopted the interviews as artistic license.
Parks and Rec never even pretended it was a documentary. Nor Modern Family.
I like it, but it is kind of odd how it's come about. Is Greg Daniels the evil genius behind all of this? I don't think Parks and Rec or Modern Family would have worked without the running start of The Office, because people just would have found the concept weird/confusing. (Or am I forgetting other previous shows that did just this?)
Posted on 9/27/11 at 11:17 am to Tiger JJ
quote:
Mockumentary?
This.
Posted on 9/27/11 at 11:21 am to Tiger JJ
quote:
(Or am I forgetting other previous shows that did just this?)
The only thing that comes to my mind is that The Real World has been doing this since the 90's. I realize it's an entirely different type of show, but the idea for having individuals talk to the camera alone may have been inspired by it.
Posted on 9/27/11 at 11:23 am to Jon Ham
quote:
The only thing that comes to my mind is that The Real World has been doing this since the 90's. I realize it's an entirely different type of show, but the idea for having individuals talk to the camera alone may have been inspired by it.
But those are real interviews.
One example I thought of was When Harry Met Sally. Interviews with married couples are included throughout the movie.
Posted on 9/27/11 at 11:24 am to Tiger JJ
I thought they were just called "single camera" shows.
Posted on 9/27/11 at 11:29 am to DanglingFury
Moonlighting used to break through that wall from time to time too
Posted on 9/27/11 at 11:30 am to DanglingFury
quote:
I thought they were just called "single camera" shows.
No, single-camera is basically just the opposite of "4 camera" shows that have studio audiences. e.g. The Wonder Years is a single-camera show. Much more expensive to execute and produce.
Posted on 9/27/11 at 11:40 am to Tiger JJ
The Bernie Mac Show used this device as early as 2001, and there was never any pretense there about a "documentary." He just directly addressed the audience.
I refer to that show as a Meta-Sitcom.
I refer to that show as a Meta-Sitcom.
Posted on 9/27/11 at 11:46 am to Muppet
quote:
The Bernie Mac Show used this device as early as 2001, and there was never any pretense there about a "documentary." He just directly addressed the audience.
Interesting.
quote:
I refer to that show as a Meta-Sitcom.
Posted on 9/27/11 at 11:49 am to Muppet
quote:
The Bernie Mac Show used this device as early as 2001, and there was never any pretense there about a "documentary." He just directly addressed the audience.
Good call.
Posted on 9/27/11 at 11:52 am to Tiger JJ
quote:
I don't think Parks and Rec or Modern Family would have worked without the running start of The Office, because people just would have found the concept weird/confusing
Confessionals are quite common in reality TV. Maybe MF and P&R got their inspiration from The Office, but there was enough of it going around reality TV that I don't think people would have thought it was weird.
Posted on 9/27/11 at 11:53 am to Tiger JJ
Did you ever see that show? It was hampered by a a lot of black family sitcom tropes, but Bernie Mac was a very funny comedic actor. Another neat device on that show was some "invisible editor" writing on the screen to subtly point things out. That might not make sense without seeing the show.
Posted on 9/27/11 at 12:13 pm to Muppet
quote:
I refer to that show as a Meta-Sitcom.
Posted on 9/27/11 at 12:16 pm to OBUDan
What?
Posted on 9/27/11 at 12:16 pm to Muppet
quote:
Did you ever see that show? It was hampered by a a lot of black family sitcom tropes, but Bernie Mac was a very funny comedic actor. Another neat device on that show was some "invisible editor" writing on the screen to subtly point things out. That might not make sense without seeing the show.
I never saw it, but I had friends that insisted it was funny despite all the obvious outward signs that there was no chance that it would be.
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