Axial Characters

For many TV sitcoms, the name of the TV show is based on the axial character (e.g. I Love LUCY, GREY'S Anatomy, ROSEANNE, REBA). Television shows usually revolve around one central character. This type of sitcom is known as axial, meaning the show revolves around that one specific character. In order to be axial, the television show must shoot around that certain character in angles that revolve around him/her. Also, the rest of the supporting characters on that television show are known in terms of the axial character. For example, they may be referred to as the axial character's wife, the axial character's neighbor, the axial character's brother, and so on.

One good example of a comedy-based sitcom that contains an axial character is the television show Reba. The show is about Reba Hart (played by country singer Reba McEntire) and her struggles as a divorced woman struggling to live in the crazy and chaotic life she has suddenly been put in while maintaining a family. Most shots have Reba right in the center as she interacts with her family. The characters that are her family are known in terms of how they are related to Reba. Brock is known as Reba's ex-husband, Barbara Jean is known as the reason why Reba's marriage ended, Cheyenne and Kyra are known as Reba's daughter, Jake is known as Reba's son, and Van is known as Reba's son-in-law and later in the series, her realtor partner. The the plot of the show focuses on Reba and how she tries to maintain a balanced family that has suddenly been flipped upside down by a sudden divorce and unsuspected two pregnancies.

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The clip below is the first clip of the first episode. Here, Reba is shot in the middle as the rest her family sits around her. She is the matriarch of the show and tries to settle her family dispute. The characters are also revealed in terms of their relationship to Reba.

Video Courtesy of Youtube.com