Brit-coms, or British situation comedies, refer to any situation comedy made in the United Kingdom. The term is commonly used in the United States, where state-run public television stations broadcast repeats of old British comedies as part of the Public Broadcasting System, or PBS. Brit-coms can also be found on several cable channels around the world that specialize in comedy, drama, and other entertainment from the United Kingdom.
The majority of the British sitcoms broadcast on public broadcasting stations in the United States are old favorites that are no longer in production. It is not uncommon for semiannual fund drives to include reunion episodes of comedies currently on the network’s schedule, in addition to airing the original episodes that make up each series or season of the television production. In some cases, British entertainers who starred in one or more of the current Brit-coms are invited to participate in the fund-raising effort, often providing fascinating details about behind-the-scenes events that occurred while the show was in production.
The inclusion of British comedy productions generates a significant amount of revenue for many state-run public broadcasting entities. Viewers love Brit-coms, so it’s not uncommon for the state-run network to create a special night around the airing of several different ones, and then use that night to promote other programming available throughout the week. From this perspective, including British television classics not only generates revenue from loyal viewers, but it also introduces those viewers to other programming that they might otherwise overlook.
The majority of Brit-coms that have aired in the United States were created between the middle of the twentieth century and the first years of the twenty-first century. The series stars some of Britain’s most well-known television personalities, introducing them to new audiences years after the shows ceased production. Some UK sitcom entertainers have been able to secure lucrative work in productions based in the US, Canada, and other countries as a result of their American fame.
The unique blend of British wit combined with the traditional conservative bearing that many people consider a hallmark of true British breeding is typical of most Brit-coms. The fact that this combination of dry wit and formality is frequently loaded with double entendre delights audiences all over the world. Due to the clever use of this device in the scripting, even shows that are decades old and clearly dated by clothing and political references of the day can still elicit laughter.