Sitcoms often follow a similar set of parameters from types of characters in a group to a common location that unifies the group. For How I Met Your Mother, this appears through Ted, Marshall, Lily, Robin, and Barney who often hang out in Ted’s apartment or in MacLaren’s Pub. For Friends, the unifying location is an apartment. For Seinfeld, it is a diner. For The Office, it is a place of work. Among other series, linking these sitcoms are the character tropes that have emerged. Marshall, Jerry (Seinfeld), and Jim (The Office) each represent a sort of voice of reason, while Lily and Phoebe (Friends) represent types of eccentric characters. Despite the overlap between sitcoms—and occasionally between characters within a series—audiences continue to engage with and enjoy sitcoms. In doing so, sitcoms abide by Michael North’s words: “Of course, comedy has never been entirely spontaneous or original, and it has often exploited stock characters, stereotypes, and repetitive actions” (5). The idea that there is a common location among the friends allows the characters to embody their roles within the broader dynamic of the friend group, and thus heightening the comedic effect of the characters and events.
With regards to the idea of repetition, the character Barney Stinson frequently uses the word “legendary” to describe something that is happening or something that will happen. It becomes a comedic catchphrase used repeatedly and somewhat unexpectedly. Despite the repetition, Barney’s delivery, timing, and variations on the phrase allow “legendary” to continually find its comedic effect.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C19US6rqqAo
Just as Barney’s character is quite random and creative, so is his use of “legendary.” He often separates the word, “legen-wait-for-it-dairy,” or in the context of an episode when Barney is sick, he says “legen-wait-for-it…” and then falls asleep before he can finish the word in time. In a way, the show itself acknowledges the frequency of the word “legendary” and turns it into an ongoing joke. Its overuse contributes to the audience’s amusement, as well as contributes to Barney as an eccentric character. Considering that Barney often comes up with wild plans, when hearing him say “legendary”—or any of its variations—the audience either finds the use of it funny or anticipates the occurrence of a comedic event. That being said (and maybe this is because I have the seen the show several times), “legendary” does lose its comedic effect over time and the true comedy lies in the context it is said or in the ensuing events, rather than the phrase itself.