Talk:Virtues of Harmony

Cleanup

Article needs to be wikified, sectioned off with headings and possible paraphrasing or condense some of the content to make the article easier to read and understand. <>Who?¿? 04:21, 9 Jun 2005 (UTC)

Sitcom

It is stated that this is a sitcom. But is it? Does it involve a live audience during filming in an indoor set?--Huaiwei 07:58, 4 September 2005 (UTC)

May I quote the followings from sitcom and laugh track to answer this question..,

" Most contemporary situation comedies are filmed with a multicamera setup in front of a live studio audience, then edited and broadcast days or weeks later. This practice has not always been universal, however, especially prior to the 1970s when it became more common. Some comedies, such as M*A*S*H, were not filmed before an audience. (In the case of M*A*S*H, the use of multiple sets and location filming would have made this impractical.) In British sitcoms in recent years there has been a movement away from filming in front of a live audience and several, including The Office and People Like Us have dispensed with the laughter track altogether. "

" Larry Gelbart, creator of the TV series M*A*S*H, has said that he initially wanted the show to air entirely without a laugh track, but this idea was rejected by the CBS TV network. Eventually a compromise was reached, and the laugh track was omitted from all operating room scenes on the show. Some syndicated and international versions omitted the laugh track completely, and the DVD release gives the viewer a choice of laughing or non-laughing soundtracks.

" In Britain most sitcoms are taped before live audiences to provide natural laughter. Some shows do omit laugh tracks altogether, notably The Royle Family and The Office. The League of Gentlemen was originally broadcast with a laugh track, but after the first two series this was dropped, probably at the insistence of its cast/creators. "

In Hong Kong, it's uncommon for TV drama to be produced before live audience. — Instantnood 18:11, September 4, 2005 (UTC)

But that is pceisely the point. A TV drama and a Sitcom are actually quite different, so is it a TV drama or a sitcom?--Huaiwei 01:37, 5 September 2005 (UTC)

Not an easy question.. The infobox of M*A*S*H says it's a sitcom and dramedy. — Instantnood 08:16, September 5, 2005 (UTC)

Virtues of Harmony was screened on Singaporean television just a few months ago, and honestly, people who have been watching HK dramas all these while wont exactly call it a sitcom, especially when compared to the "traditional" sense of a situational comedy, such as in famed American ones like Friends. Sitcoms are not just about being funny. They are a distinctive artform, particularly in scripting, as well as in the way actors do their craft in front of the TV camera. Although I do agree that the line seems to be getting a little blurred nowadays, and this is one example which seems debatable. TVB itself seems to call it a sitcom as well as a drama at the same time!--Huaiwei 15:54, 5 September 2005 (UTC)

What exactly defines sitcom? Is live audience required? How most sitcoms are filmed should not define what sitcom is. The content and style of presentation defines what it is. sitcom stands for "situation comedy" (compared it to standup comedy etc.) By that definition, I would say this show is a sitcom, not a drama. Kowloonese 22:20, 30 January 2006 (UTC)

Lyrics possible copyvio?--203.124.2.18 08:14, 21 October 2006 (UTC)