Comedy Writers Debate the Future of the Sitcom in the Streaming Era

Michael Schur, the creator of Parks and Recreation and The Good Place, has expressed concern about the current state of television comedy. Speaking at Variety’s annual Night in the Writers’ Room event, Schur highlighted the industry’s growing emphasis on completion rates as a primary metric for success. He described this focus as part of a new tech bro ethos that has permeated the business, noting that it matters less how many people sample a show and more how many watch the entire thing.

Schur argued that this metric clashes with the traditional rhythm of sitcoms, where audiences often need time to bond with characters before finding them consistently funny. He pointed to classic hits like Cheers, Seinfeld, and The Office, which were not immediate successes but took time for writers and actors to find their specific voice. He lamented that the modern landscape offers little room for this necessary period of failure, which he views as essential research and development.

The veteran writer noted that his own show, Parks and Recreation, only truly found its footing at the end of its first season. He attributed this late bloom to the ability to fail repeatedly until the right dynamic was achieved. Under the old broadcast model, which typically required 22 or more episodes per season, comedies had the space to experiment. Michael Patrick King, co-creator of The Comeback, added that this volume allowed for storytelling depth, with only a few weak episodes out of a larger batch.

Lisa Kudrow, who starred in The Comeback and co-created Friends, echoed these sentiments. She recalled that Friends did not break out until the summer after its first season, when repeats were aired following Seinfeld. However, the streaming era has shifted the standard to eight or ten episodes per season, a format Schur believes has caused the industry to lose its muscle memory for producing larger story arcs. He expressed a desire to see the capacity for long-form production return to the industry.

A recent development offered a glimmer of hope for longer formats. FX renewed its series Adults for a third season with 16 episodes. Creators Ben Kronengold and Rebecca Shaw said this commitment allows them to explore character-driven storylines and holiday episodes without constantly raising the stakes. Shaw admitted the production scale is daunting but exciting from a storytelling perspective. The network also encouraged the pair to retroactively film a new pilot to better introduce the series’ universe, a move Shaw credited with helping the show find a broader audience.

Defining the tone of a series has become increasingly critical in a market where viewers decide quickly whether to stay. Matt Miller, executive producer of Prime Video’s Ride or Die, described the challenge of balancing action, mystery, and comedy in just eight episodes. He explained that humor serves as a relief from tension, but it must remain grounded to avoid becoming silly. Miller noted that while the show was recently canceled by Prime Video, Paramount TV Studios is currently shopping the series for a new home.

Miller shared that the writers’ room completed a second season script, which includes a storyline about Octavia Spencer’s character’s son getting married. He expressed hope that the show could find a new platform, adding that they would be delighted if Prime Video’s owner, Jeff Bezos, called to revive the series. The team remains proud of the work they have done and believes they have a clear direction for the narrative.

The conversation also turned to the elusive nature of tone. Schur, who is reuniting with Amy Poehler for his new series Dig on Peacock, described tone as the hardest element to define. He explained that it is often identified by elimination, where writers remove ideas that do not feel right until the core of the show remains. King added that a recognizable tone can sometimes be a trap, suggesting that originality is what keeps a show alive. He noted that smaller writer’s rooms in the streaming era mean fewer people are contributing to the creation of that unique voice.

When asked if The Comeback is definitively over, King and Kudrow affirmed that they are finished. Kudrow confirmed they were shaking their heads in agreement, while King explained that a return after a decade requires a significant new story to justify. Although they have other funny ideas, none were big enough to warrant a revival. Kudrow playfully corrected King’s use of the phrase kind of, emphasizing their certainty that the series has concluded.