Sit Com Analysis of ‘My Family’ and ‘Friends’ including a comparison Essay Example

'Central Perk' cafe.

This is the place where all friends come together. The cafe reflects the genre through its vivid colors, which create a sense of laughter, joy, and relaxation. Its large size and crowded with people background also reflect the genre as sitcoms tend to involve a group of people in a shared experience. Monica and Chandler's messy and disorganized apartment is another reflection of the genre as most sitcoms are known for their lack of tidiness, which adds to the humor. Overall, both locations reflect the genre in their own unique ways.

The portrayal of ideology through camera angles is evident in 'My Family'. A strong family is depicted sitting around a table engrossed in conversation, with the exception of Ben. Additionally, Susan is shown cooking breakfast in the kitchen which perpetuates the stereotype of a mother cooking for her family in the morning. This further reinforces the concept of a strong family. The use of editing is also exhibited when Ben tries to explain Scott's death to Susan, where a shot of Susan listening to Ben is consistently placed whenever he speaks.

During 'My Family', the camera constantly switches back and forth between Ben and Susan while they speak. This occurs even when Susan begins talking while Ben finishes his comment. Additionally, the show employs panning, which is only utilized once in the scene where Ben enters the room with Scott. The camera pans from the "English" money that Scott hasn't changed yet to his still expressionless face.

The humor in the scene where Ben wakes up Scott is due to the expectation that he will collect the money he owes. 'Friends' shows ideology

through the camera angle of the group gathered in 'Central Perk.' The shot begins with the logo of 'Central Perk' and then focuses on the sofa where the group is sitting. The clear break between the logo and the friends without any dissolving or blurring suggests ideology. The image of friends sitting together on the sofa implies a strong friendship, essential to society, while Ross's reading habit separates him from the rest, reflecting their different personalities.

The technique of panning is employed in both 'My Family' and 'Friends'. In 'Friends', it is used when Melissa enters the scene. The camera follows Melissa as she emerges from behind an extra and stays focused on her until she speaks to the bartender. This technique is used to highlight the significance of Melissa in the scene and convey that she will be an important character. In 'My Family', the audience expectations are effectively reinforced and manipulated through various instances, such as when Ben and Janey struggle to carry a mattress down the stairs, causing Janey to run off due to a broken nail, and the mattress falling on Ben at the bottom of the stairs.

At the bottom of the stairs, Michael watches as his dad (Ben) needs help lifting a mattress off him. Suddenly, Michael disappears from view briefly, only to return and place a cushion under Ben's head, ensuring his comfort. This was unexpected for the audience, including myself. It's not something that would typically happen in any other household. In contrast, in 'My Family', Ben expects Michael and Janey's help with removing the mattress from the bed, which reinforces audience expectations.

Ben is removing the sheets from

the mattress, while the camera pans over to Michael and Janey who are leaning on the wardrobe. It is evident that they will not assist without some form of reward, which is typical behaviour for teenagers who are likely to only do it for financial gain. The scene also serves to reinforce audience expectations, as when Ben refuses to provide money to Michael and Janey, it is anticipated that they will retaliate in some way to force Ben to pay up.

Janey and Michael make a deal with their father, promising that he will not be able to avoid the penalty they plan to impose on him unless he pays up. They proceed to present him with the penalty, betting that he will not pay up and thus be forced to endure their frustration. Unsurprisingly, after a brief period of being frustrated by Janey and Michael, their father concedes and agrees to pay them both five pounds each for helping him move the mattress. Janey and Michael accept, satisfied that they have achieved their goal.

Compared to 'My Family', 'Friends' also reinforces audience expectations. Similar to Ben needing help from Michael and Janey in 'My Family', a reinforcing example in 'Friends' is when Rachael and Melissa have a meal together. In the beginning, Melissa talks to Rachael separately from the group. When Rachael returns, the friends ask her about it, and Monica asks with a smile if Melissa is the same college girl she kissed.

After hearing about Rachael and Melissa's actions in college, we anticipate that they will do something similar during their meal together. However, Melissa denies kissing Rachael as she leaves. Rachael tries to jog

her memory by reenacting the kiss. This outcome was expected by many viewers. 'Friends' also manipulates audience expectations, such as when Phoebe kisses Rachael right after Rachael had kissed Melissa.

The scene that unfolds is unexpected. As Rachael turns, we anticipate Phoebe's amazement but instead, she kisses Rachael directly, leaving her feeling stunned. Rachael inquires, "What the hell was that?" and Phoebe responds with her typical nonchalant attitude, saying, "I just wanted to see what all the fuss was about." In comparison to 'Friends', 'My Family' plays with and shapes audience expectations. Due to our familiarity with the characters in 'Friends', we know what their reactions will be in different scenarios, leading to less surprise.