Representation of Gender in Television Sitcoms

Representation of Gender in Television Sitcoms

“Men behaving badly” and “Only fools and horses” are both exceedingly

hilarious sitcoms, Only fools and horses was shown on the BBC and Men

behaving badly shown on ITV (but later moving to BBC with a later

time), when it first hit our screens. Although they eventually began

to fade out the sitcoms, well at least off of the standard channels of

one to five. Now days the BBC and ITV only produce special episodes

around Christmas time and on other special occasions. But if you still

cannot resist the temptation of watching the odd episode here and

there you can catch them on UK Gold, UK Gold 2 and UK Gold +1, on Sky

and cable channels. Yet both sitcoms are still just as funny watching

them second time round.

The British sitcom tends to rely on quick-fire jokes and quirky

characters than plots, the analysis of the British individual and

exaggerated caricatures of everyday stereotypes. There are, or course,

some exceptions, but neither Men behaving badly or Only fools and

horses are one of these exceptions. The sitcoms do have their

similarities but when looked into more detail things like their

achievements and aims seem to differ buy at the same time they arte

looking for a better standard of living. In Only fools and horses Dell

Boy (the main character) is looking to be rich and wealthy whereas

Gary is striving for a better relationship and sex life with women.

Along the way they encounter many different problems like the pub

closing down in the Men behaving badly episode “Good Pub Guide”. To

both Gary and Tony (the main character and his best friend) this is

horrific as it is one of ...

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... machine, believing that there women would

be overwhelmed with the present. The men in Men behaving badly are

constantly playing tricks on their girlfriends but Debs and Dorothy

show outstanding bouncebackability in the way they snidely get them

back by outwitting them, portraying the infamous fact of women being

smarter than men.

Overall both sitcoms have their own views on stereotypes but seem to

pickup on key points together; like the both have a local pub where

the men go for a “bevy”. In general the ideas are very similar but

vary in their own individual way, with the story lines running

parallel to each other. Only fools and horses give their views on a

stereotypical male wheeler-dealer whereas Men behaving badly give

their view more on a stereotypical male and female as well as their

relationship problems.