The Multicam Comedy's Last Stand: A Fight for Survival and the Art of Editing
In the ever-evolving landscape of television, the multicam comedy is facing an existential crisis. Once a staple of the small screen, these shows are now struggling to find their place in a world dominated by single-camera productions and changing viewer preferences. But amidst this turmoil, a dedicated group of editors is fighting to keep the multicam comedy alive, and in doing so, they are also preserving a unique art form.
The multicam comedy, with its multiple cameras and live studio audiences, has been a cornerstone of television for decades. Shows like 'Friends', 'Seinfeld', and 'Everybody Loves Raymond' were once household names, and their success was built on the back of this distinctive style. However, as tastes have shifted and production methods have evolved, the multicam comedy has fallen out of favor, both with viewers and the Emmys.
The Emmys, once a celebration of the multicam comedy, have now neglected this category for years. The last time a multicam comedy was nominated for comedy series was in 2014, and the last time one won was in 2005. The only category left for multicam comedies is picture editing, and even that is under threat. The multicam editing community is now fighting to keep their category at the Emmys, as the number of submissions has fallen below the threshold required to maintain separate categories.
This is not just a battle for recognition, but also for survival. Multicam sitcoms are produced differently than other scripted TV shows, with four cameras rolling at once and a focus on live studio audiences. Editors like Jennifer Viola, nominated for 'Tyler Perry’s Assisted Living', have a unique skill set, trained to watch all the angles at the same time. They work quickly with little margin for error, and are often on set during filming, suggesting takes and getting coverage of actors.
One of the defining aspects of a multicamera TV show is the laughter. Editors like Viola and Chris Poulos, the editor of 'The Neighborhood', have to maintain the rhythm of the episode while understanding the timing that may make or break a joke for the viewer. They are splicing in laughs from different takes, or adding them in, to create a communal experience for the audience watching at home.
However, the multicam comedy is facing a number of challenges. Changing tastes in comedy have affected how multicams are edited, with shows moving faster and viewers becoming accustomed to single-camera productions. There is also a cultural shift against laugh tracks and a perception that multicams can have a wooden aesthetic. The result is a medium at risk of extinction, with only one multicam pilot moving forward out of three filmed in 2026.
But in the multicam editing community, there’s no doubt about the form’s enduring value. Multicam sitcoms are consistently among the most-watched series on streaming, and at a time when nostalgia is driving much of TV programming, the style’s familiarity may be a feature, not a bug. Plus, as Poulos emphasizes, 'Nobody cares how many cameras a show is shot with if it’s funny'.
So, while the multicam comedy may be facing an uncertain future, the editors who are fighting to keep it alive are not just preserving a unique art form, but also ensuring that the joy and laughter of these shows continue to bring people together. In my opinion, the multicam comedy is not just a style, but a community, and its editors are the guardians of that community, ensuring that the laughter continues to ring out, even in the face of adversity.
