Brothers Exec: Single-Camera Doesn't Syndicate

In an exceptionally gentle feature about Fox's sitcom Brothers by TV critic Aaron Barnhart, executive producer Don Reo talks about how glad he is to be doing a traditional multi-camera sitcom:

Everybody Hates Chris was a single-camera comedy. Writers and critics have fallen in love with the form, which allows for more filmic elements -- weird camera angles (as in Malcolm in the Middle), documentary-style realism (The Office and ABC's new Modern Family), outdoor scenes (HBO's Bored to Death) and quick-cut edits (Scrubs).

Right now Reo is delighted not to be working on one.

"That was a lot of work, let me tell you -- and there's no pot of gold at the end of the rainbow," he said. Reruns of a traditional, multi-camera sitcom typically command top dollar in the syndication market, while a single-camera show like Chris makes far less in syndication because none has ever drawn that many viewers.

I wouldn't expect a single-camera sitcom to do poorly in syndication because of the format. Malcolm in the Middle seems like it could run for years and years.

Television · 2009/10/19 · 0 COMMENTS · Link