Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

The Formula for a Successful Sitcom

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the everything-is-just-math dept.

indylaw writes "A team of scientists commissioned by British satellite channel UKTV Gold has developed a mathematical expression to predict the success of TV sitcoms. Using the formula [((R x D + V) x F) + S]/A, they determined that "Only Fools and Horses" and "The Office" are the best of British comedy, while "According to Bex" (which is being adapted for CBS in the fall and will star Jenna Elfman) scored in the bottom five."

5 of 291 comments (clear)

  1. Oh, I get it. by yotto · · Score: 4, Insightful

    It's a joke.

    And I usually like British humor. Strange, that.

    --
    Pulp Audio Weekly - Geek News and Reviews
  2. Re:Elfman? by funwithBSD · · Score: 4, Insightful

    So long as her boobies jiggle when she does it, I could care less....

    --
    Never answer an anonymous letter. - Yogi Berra
  3. Even better: Success = T#ts + As# by Vile+Slime · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Need I say more

    --
    ---- Go ahead, mod me down, I'll just post it again and you lose your mod points.
  4. By that metric by ajs · · Score: 4, Insightful
    Using their calculations, a sitcom that starred an elvis impersonator who thinks he's God, and features absolutely nothing him trying to stand up on a moving ship for 1/2 hour every episode would be the world's most successful sitcom...

    Yeah, I don't think you meant to factor in Wit as an additive feature....

    This is usually the problem with such a formula. It isn't the discovery of any kind of fundamental feature of the sitcom, it's just an attempt at an explanation of why the CURRENT set of sitcoms are good or bad.

    My formula looks like this:
    Originality * Quality * Acting
    The real problem is that humor is FAR harder to write than drama (ask anyone who has written both successfully), and so getting good writers is far more important for a sitcom than it is for a drama. Not that it's not hugely important for a drama, just moreso for a sitcom.
  5. Re:The original Grauniad article: by Pi_0's+don't+shower · · Score: 4, Insightful
    Can someone explain to me how exactly Blackadder and Fawlty Towers scored so relatively low compared to The Office and Only Fools and Horses?
    Yes, they said the formula for a successful sitcom, not necessarily the formula for a quality sitcom. Apparently, having a huge nerd cult following doesn't mean success as much as having more people watch your show. Duh.