TV Sitcom.

The most important aspects of the television sitcom are that 1. it tends to be funny, and 2. they are usually episodic. These two aspects are important in the television sitcom because the episodes are usually a half-hour long, short enough to keep the audience interested in its humor, and long enough to develop a storyline. Because it is not a drama, it is better that is episodic because the viewer can skip a few episodes without being unable to understand too much. The stereotypical American sitcom is short and sweet, a show that viewers can sit down for a short while and be entertained and not bored. I believe that this way, the sitcom is able to attract more viewers because in the world nowadays, it is difficult for everyone to sit down and follow a television show longer than about 30 minutes without being an avid fan of it. American sitcoms often become the trendsetters of popular culture ("That's what she said!" ~The Office) and are subject to easy conversation.

For example, take The Big Bang Theory. It generally has a new storyline every episode (I can skip an episode on accident and not realize it, apparently), so it makes it easier to catch on for people who did not start from the beginning. It's short enough to keep me attentive (as I am easily distracted if I have to sit there for longer than 30 minutes), and it is extremely humor-based, but not so much so that it overtakes the storyline.