Section B (Comedy) overview.

1. QUESTION 4B
INSTITUTION AND
SCHEDULING
LO: To write a response to the Audience Pleasures
question within the exam.

2. You could be
asked to talk about
one programme.

3. Or you could be
asked to talk about
two programmes.

4. Note: You will need to know the time and channel the programme is on:
• Family Guy, ITV 2, Mon - Fri 10:30 and 11:00 p.m.
• QI, BBC2, Monday 10:00 p.m.
Also, you may only be asked to discuss one programme, if so focus on Family Guy.
The BBC is a public broadcast company which BBC 2 is a part of and it has a remit to inform, educate and
entertain.
It makes most of its money from the TV Licence as it doesn’t have adverts
QI fits the station because it is a programme that educates and informs on facts in a comical way.
QI is scheduled at 10:00 p.m. on Mondays
It is after the watershed because it discusses mature and adult themes
It is scheduled at this time as this is when its more mature audience made up of people on the social grade of A, B
and C1 are expected to watch programmes of this nature.
Extra Point
The programme’s content fits this target audience because it is quite intellectual and involves a cast this audience
would attracted to.
ITV is an Independent TV company which ITV 2 is a part of and it claims to be the home of outrageous
entertainment and comedy.
It makes money mostly from the adverts broadcast and sponsorship
Family Guy fits the channel remit because it has controversial adult based humour that can often be considered
outrageous
Regarding the scheduling of the programmes…
Family Guy is scheduled at 10:30 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. on Monday to Friday because is is inappropriate for earlier
scheduling.
And because of its stacked scheduling audiences would be inclined to watch both episodes
It is scheduled at this time because its younger target audience made up of people on the social grade of C2, D and
E are expected to watch programmes of this nature.
Extra Point
The programmes content fits the target audience because it is a controversial and could easily offend those of a
higher social grade and of a different age.
Example Response

5. QUESTION 4B
AUDIENCE PLEASURES

6. Or you could be
asked to talk about
two programmes.
You could be
asked to talk about
one programme.

7. Intro
Comedy programmes offer stereotypical
audience pleasures as they will be
entertaining and offer escapism and
with the help of two case studies: The
Simpsons (Pranksta Rap: Season 16,
Episode 9) and Room 101 (Season 7,
Episode1) these will be explained.

8. Paragraph 1
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom,
now in its 28th season, which is scheduled to be
shown at 6:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. on Monday to
Friday on Channel 4 (amongst other channels).
The scheduling and running time are pleasures
as it is easy to watch, always on at the same
time and audiences can dip in and out as
each episode has its own story.

9. Paragraph 2
The stories in The Simpsons appeal to audiences
because the themes are easy to understand,
narrative problems are resolved and because
they are relatable often be based on
social/family issues. For example in ‘Pranksta
Rap’ Bart (the son in the family) disobeys his
parents by going to a concert, going missing
however eventually returns home to safety.

10. Paragraph 3
The characters in The Simpsons also appeal to
audiences because they will be familiar,
predictable and are often relatable to family
life. For example in ‘Pranksta Rap’ Bart’s
misbehaviour is stereotypical and the way different
members of his family react is also predictable too.
Audiences will also gain pleasure from feeling
superior to characters and the way they behave,
such as Homer getting stuck in the dog flap, and
the use of celebrities such as 50 Cent in ‘Pranksta
Rap’.

11. Paragraph 4
My second case study is Room 101 which is a
comedy chat show where guests discuss their
pet hates and try to have them consigned into
oblivion. The programme is scheduled on BBC 2
on Friday’s at 8:30 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. which has
the same scheduling advantages as The
Simpsons.

12. Paragraph 5
Regarding audience pleasures the programmes
has a warm mode of address through its host
Frank Skinner, has celebrities as guests and
offers different types of humour depending
who is on the show. For example this episode
has Charlie Brooker who has quite a dark and
dry sense of humour is a little controversial
whilst discussing a topic.

13. Paragraph 6
Regarding the structure of the show audiences
will gain pleasure from the fact that there is a
competitive element, reference to social /
family issues and that there is a winner at
the end. In this episode topics such as getting
your hair cut and putting the bins outs comes up
and the winner at the end is Pearle Mackie.

14. Conclusion
To conclude there are stereotypical audience
pleasures in comedy programmes and depending
on the programme and its target audience these
will vary however will always be essential in
insuring the shows success.

15. Comedy programmes offer stereotypical audience pleasures as they will be entertaining and offer escapism and
with the help of two case studies: The Simpsons (Pranksta Rap: Season 16, Episode 9) and Room 101 (Season 7,
Episode 1) these will be explained.
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom, now in its 28th season, which is scheduled to be shown at 6:00
p.m. - 6:30 p.m. on Monday to Friday on Channel 4 (amongst other channels). The scheduling and running time
are pleasures as it is easy to watch, always on at the same time and audiences can dip in and each
episode has its own story.
The stories in The Simpsons appeal to audiences because the themes are easy to understand, narrative
problems are resolved and because they are relatable often be based on social/family issues. For example
in ‘Pranksta Rap’ Bart (the son in the family) disobeys his parents by going to a concert, going missing however
eventually returns home to safety.
The characters in The Simpsons also appeal to audiences because they will be familiar, predictable and are
often relatable to family life. For example in ‘Pranksta Rap’ Bart’s misbehaviour is stereotypical and the way
different members of his family react is also predictable too. Audiences will also gain pleasure from feeling
superior to characters and the way they behave, such as Homer getting stuck in the dog flap, and the use of
celebrities such as 50 Cent in ‘Pranksta Rap’.
My second case study is Room 101 which is a comedy chat show where guests discuss their pet hates and try to
have them consigned into oblivion. The programme is scheduled on BBC 2 on Friday’s at 8:30 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.
which has the same scheduling advantages as The Simpsons.
My second case study is Room 101 which is a comedy chat show where guests discuss their pet hates and try to
have them consigned into oblivion. The programme is scheduled on BBC 2 on Friday’s at 8:30 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.
which has the same scheduling advantages as The Simpsons.
Regarding audience pleasures the programmes has a warm mode of address through its host Frank Skinner, has
celebrities as guests and offers different types of humour depending who is on the show. For example this
episode has Charlie Brooker who has quite a dark and dry sense of humour is a little controversial whilst
discussing a topic.
To conclude there are stereotypical audience pleasures in comedy programmes and depending on the programme
and its target audience these will vary however will always be essential in insuring the shows success.
Example Response