The evolution of television comedy is drawing criticism from one of the genre’s most recognizable stars, who says today’s sitcoms are pulling their punches.
According to Fox News, in a recent conversation, Lisa Kudrow argued that modern shows have become too hesitant to take risks, especially when it comes to humor that might make audiences uncomfortable.
Speaking alongside Lily Tomlin in an Interview Magazine piece published March 30, Kudrow reflected on the direction of sitcoms and whether they are still evolving.
“I wish they were evolving. ‘30 Rock’ and ‘Seinfeld’ and ‘Friends’ were really funny and really well written. But I’m not drawn to new sitcoms that are multi-camera in front of an audience because I’m not buying it. I don’t know if that’s just because I’ve seen too many single-camera sitcoms — I think we need to get back to being able to tell jokes. I feel like we’ve been too afraid to make jokes that might make people uncomfortable,” she said.
Her critique centers on what she believes is a growing reluctance in comedy to surprise viewers.
“But the really good ones, they’re not tame jokes. They’re jokes that are kind of, ‘I can’t believe you just said that.’ Comedy is about surprise. You need things you didn’t see coming,” she added.
The actress, best known for her role on “Friends,” also discussed how her perspective on watching her own work has shifted over time.
“I can watch ‘The Comeback,’ no problem. Now I’m comfortable watching ‘Friends’ without punishing myself. I’m trying to have that be my nighttime show, so I have a laugh or two before I go to sleep. There are still episodes I’ve never seen,” she said.
That comfort came only recently. In a 2024 interview, Kudrow said she previously avoided watching herself on screen.
“Well, I used to not be able to watch it at all. I mean, I’d see it on and be, like, mildly interested, and then I’d see me and say, ‘That’s enough of that, I can’t bear it,'” she said. “Listen, after Matthew died I could start watching the show again because it wasn’t about me, it had to do with him for some reason.”
She was referring to the death of former co-star Matthew Perry, which she said changed how she connected with the show.
“And, so I have started watching ‘Friends.’ Not started like season one, you know, but there are marathons on, and I have spent at times, since he died, all day long watching the show,” she added.
Fellow cast member Jennifer Aniston has also acknowledged that audience expectations have shifted since the show first aired.
“There’s a whole generation of people, kids, who are now going back to episodes of ‘Friends’ and find them offensive,” Aniston said in a 2023 interview. “There were things that were never intentional and others… well, we should have thought it through — but I don’t think there was a sensitivity like there is now.”
The remarks underscore an ongoing debate about whether comedy is progressing — or simply becoming more restrained in an era of heightened sensitivity.
