A strict rule of the past in sitcoms, the fourth wall separated the characters in sitcoms from the audience. Archie Bunker never reveals the fact that he is being recorded constantly in his house daily, and the characters in Friends never ask “Who are those people that keep laughing at us in the background?” But in newer shows, especially the mockumentary-style sitcoms such as The Office and Modern Family, the “proscenium arch” is being dissolved. The laugh track becomes an ancient attribute of sitcoms, the characters speak to the camera, and unlike many sitcoms of the past, the characters actually LOOK at the camera – one example is the typical Jim Halpert face.
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| Look at me, I'm so self-aware! |
A television show that continuously shatters the fourth wall without the pretense of a documentary/mockumentary is 30 Rock. In this show, although the characters are not constantly aware that they are being taped, they satirize the entertainment industry, and essentially themselves, by blatantly plugging in their sponsor’s names and having mini-advertisements in the middle of the dialogue.
In the last clip shown, Verizon is plugged into the show with an obvious advertisement-style way, claiming that the company has great service and that everybody watching should get it. Then, further breaking the fourth wall, Liz Lemon stares at the camera saying “Can we have our money now?” This shattering of the Proscenium arch makes the audience realize that the media industry needs to constantly advertise for companies in order to get money and realize that the characters in the show are simply characters. Another thing about 30 Rock is that there is no laugh track, which allows the viewer to be more independent in judging what is funny and lessens the feeling of being in a large crowd of spectators.
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