F. Personal Taste in Comedy Style
Determine the comedy style: situation comedy, sketch, slapstick, conceptual, absurd, witty banter, etc. How do you react to the format of the comedy - does the STYLE make you laugh?
0 = Absolutely not
1 = Barely/I can sit through it if I have to
2 = Some of the time
3 = Yes/I enjoy the style
4 = That’s my kind of humor!
G. Personal Taste in Story & Reaction to Series
Did the show’s season do whatever you deem important for a comedy program? Were you impressed? Did you look forward to the next episode? Were you rolling on the floor?
0 = Hated it/What a waste of time
1 = Didn't like it/Not worth another season
2 = Liked it
3 = Enjoyed it/Laughed a lot
4 = Loved it/Tears were streaming down my face
H. Personal Likelihood of Re-viewing - the whole season
Whether you'd re-watch the season and/or stay tuned for a new one may say more about your reaction and tastes than answering any other kind of question.
0 = None/I'd never watch it again, not even a new season
1 = Slim
2 = Possible
3 = Likely
4 = Very Likely
Third, add up the points to determine the Comedy Series Success Score (CSS).
Comedy Series Success Scales Total (Sum of Scales F, G, & H)
0-4 = Chattering Teeth (Poor)
5-9 = Rubber Chicken (Good)
10-12 = Whoopee Cushion (Amazing)
Fourth, now try to be objective and evaluate the quality of both the style and story/concept.
I. Quality of Comedy Style
Depending on the type, consider how well the humor worked through editing, set, music, live audience or studio production, and other artistic techniques. Try to evaluate how the show compares to other comedies of a similar type. It’s difficult to be objective when it comes to humor, after all a comedy is only successful if the viewer finds it funny, but do try to determine the success of the show despite your personal taste.
0 = Awful
1 = Poor
2 = Fair
3 = Good/Above Average
4 = Excellent/Refreshing!
J. Quality of Story
Comedy shows also need to have concept, story lines, fluidity, etc. Even improvisational or stand-up comedy is a style with a concept and has some organization. Consider how the humor and comedic acting worked through the writing and/or concept. Did the characters provide the comedians opportunities to showcase their talent? Did the jokes and gags fit the style? Was the writing fresh? Also, was there enough material for a whole season? Did the episodes stand alone yet also fit into the whole, if applicable? Was the concept worthy of 6+ parts (6+ hours)
0 = Not Successful At All
1 = Poor/Could have been so much greater
2 = Fair
3 = Good/Concept and characters match quite well
4 = Excellent/Keep it coming!
Fifth, add up the points to determine the Comedy Series Quality Score (CSQ).
Comedy Series Success Scales Total (Sum of Scales I & J)
0-2 = Can of Nuts (No Success)
3-5 = Groucho Mask (Fair)
6-8 = Whoopee Cushion (Great)
HOORAY! You now have several ways of reading/recording this information:
1. Just use the numbers:
Comedy Series Success Score (CSS) = _/12 & Comedy Series Quality Score (CSQ) = _/8
Note: Don't combine the scores because this places less emphasis on your personal score.
2. Use the label chart:
On this blog I will use both numbers (the complete breakdown included) and labels.
