The Sitcom is a staple of English-language TV, so much so that it has a distinctive body of tropes associated with it. Subgenres can be found on the Sitcom page itself. See also Episodes for other tropes that can happen in sitcoms.
Subindex of Comedy Tropes.
Tropes commonly found in sitcoms:
Stock Characters- 24-Hour Party People
- Annoying Younger Sibling
- Bratty Teenage Daughter
- Bumbling Dad
- Cousin Oliver
- Drop-In Character
- Drop-In Landlord
- Dumbass Teenage Son
- Dysfunctional Family
- Foolish Husband, Responsible Wife
- Henpecked Husband
- Obnoxious In-Laws
- Pointy-Haired Boss
- Sitcom Arch-Nemesis
- Sitcom Character Archetypes
- Token Black Friend
- Token White
- Ugly Guy, Hot Wife
- Weasel Co-Worker
Settings
- Awful Wedded Life
- The Couch
- "Friends" Rent Control
- Pottery Barn Poor
- Standard Office Setting
- Standardized Sitcom Housing
- Where the Hell Is Springfield?
Production and Genre Conventions
- Establishing Shot
- Expository Theme Tune
- Half Hour Comedy
- Laugh Track
- Social Semi-Circle
- Strictly Formula
- Studio Audience
- Three Cameras
Plots
- Abuse of Return Policy
- Aesop Amnesia
- A Simple Plan
- Broken Treasure
- Can't Get Away with Nuthin'
- Caught Coming Home Late
- Continuity Creep
- Counter Zany
- Dead Pet Sketch
- Dinner and a Show
- Dinner with the Boss
- Doomed Autographed Item
- Escalating War
- "Fawlty Towers" Plot
- Forgot to Pay the Bill
- George Jetson Job Security
- Just One Extra Ticket
- New Jobs As The Plot Demands
- "Not Really Married" Plot
- One-Hour Work Week
- Office Sports
- Shower of Awkward
- Snap Back
- Stock Sitcom Grand Finale
- Soul-Crushing Desk Job
- Status Quo Is God
- Swivel-Chair Antics
- Two-Timer Date
- Very Special Episode
- We Want Our Idiot Back!
- We Want Our Jerk Back!
- Wild Teen Party
- Your Door Was Open
- Zany Scheme
- Zany Scheme Chicken
Other
- Aside Glance
- "Everybody Laughs" Ending
- Golden Moment
- Funny Flashback Haircut
- Seinfeldian Conversation
- Subverted Sitcom
- Two Lines, No Waiting
