Guest Author - Dani M. Sanders

There has been much talk about the death of the sitcom and it isn't totally without merit. How many people do you know who have a sitcom on their weekly must-see list? Most viewers seemed to abandon sitcoms when "Friends" and "Seinfeld" ended. I myself haven't been a regular sitcom viewer since "Boy Meets World" went off the air in the 1990s.

Of course, the entertainment press hasn't helped the sitcom's image much. Most of the buzz in print magazines goes to reality shows and one-hour dramas. Comedies like "According to Jim" are only mentioned when someone is making a joke about them still being on the air. Look on the internet and you will find that sitcoms don't get much love there, either. Online magazines and TV blogs tend to deal in episode recaps and forums. Sitcoms don't lend themselves well to being picked apart and analyzed, so they aren't good fodder for online discussion.

All of this doesn't mean that the sitcom is dead. I contend that it has just had a bit of a makeover and maybe a change of address. I've been spending a lot more time in front of my TV lately, and after watching hour upon hour of crime scenes being investigated I went in search of something lighter. Sitcoms are still out there, if you know where to look.

First off, today's sitcoms may not look like the ones you remember. Shows like "Samantha Who" and "30 Rock" don't use laugh tracks and look more like movies than stage plays. Some shows don't even stick to the traditional 30-minute sitcom length. Although "Chuck" is billed as an action-comedy, it scratches that sitcom itch for me with the wacky characters and improbable situations. Let's not forget fan favorites like "The Simpsons", "Family Guy", and "King of the Hill". With their adult situations and biting wit, the only thing that keeps them from being called sitcoms is the fact that they are animated.

Sitcoms aren't confined to the Big Three Nets where we used to find them. If you are looking for a light 30-minute show with a laugh track and a happy ending, hop on over to Disney Channel. Before you start to protest that you are too old for Disney, think back to the 1990s. "Full House" didn't stay on ABC all those years with just 10-year-olds watching it. "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody" and "Hannah Montana" are both just as good as anything ABC had on their TGIF lineup back in the day. For more grown-up fare, try TBS during the summer and you will catch one of my favorites called "My Boys".

Comedians often say that comedy is hard work. These days, finding comedy on the your TV roster may be as difficult as performing it. However, I think it is worth the work to hunt down the hidden gems and add some variety to your viewing schedule.