Case Study: Sitcom Analysis of American Housewife

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American Housewife

IMDB Rating: 
Creator: Sarah Dunn 
Brief Synopsis: A family comedy narrated by Katie, a strong willed mother, raising her flawed family in a wealthy town filled with perfect wives and their perfect offspring 


 How are characters introduced (Pilot Episode)? 
First person we are introduced to is Katie Otto, through the voice over of her narrating her story and staring outside the window. Then it's Oliver Otto who is portrayed as a stuck up boy obsessed with money. Then its explained that they moved to this wealthy area because of their daughter Anna-Kat who suffers from anxiety and OCD. The her husband Greg is introduced sitting on the toilet, while Katie explains how she envys her oldest daughter, Taylor, for being young and fit. 

What is the style of humour? 
Not a very laugh out type of sitcom but it does voice over to show the comedy. This is done to show how challenging it is for the mum to raise her kids and how she knows and understands the bad side of her children's personality. It mainly focus on the fact that Katie is a "fat" mum in comparison to the other mums and thats what it focus's on. 

 How many stories in an episode? 
There is only one character followed, Katie's. This is done through focusing on a challenge that she faces living in a upper middle class neighbourhood as an alternative mum as well as a larger mum surrounded  by skinny lives. 

 In the pilot episode, Katie's challenge is finding a fatter woman than her to move into the house next door. Likewise, the sitcom explores issues such as class, wealth and body image. 

 What is the layout of the sitcom? 
The main locations is the house; kitchen, living room, parents bedroom, school, and a coffee shop that Katie meets her friends everyday for breakfast.  A format that is used as well is voice over which only expresses Katie's thoughts and opinions. 

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