situation comedy

The first time was in 1997 when “Roseanne,” the situation comedy that introduced us to the tight-knit but combative working class family from Lanford, Ill., came to a close after nine seasons.

Lane is not an actor who has ever lacked for work, but the one thing that has evaded him in his much-laureled stage and screen career is a starring role in a successful situation comedy.

But in the world of situation comedy, unlike that of prestige drama, unhappy families are all potentially happy families, or actually happy if only they knew it.

If there is one form that immediately screams “television,” it’s the multi-camera situation comedy — filmed, taped or digitally recorded before a live audience, or at least giving the impression that it was.

Noah and Joanne are unselfish people whose constitutional truthfulness robs the series of one of situation comedy’s main engines — the lie — for the better.