Final answer:
The narrative situation and complications in a sitcom are typically resolved by the end of the episode. This is because sitcoms generally follow a structured narrative arc that leads to a resolution at the end, ensuring a return to normalcy with potential changes in the characters or their relationships.
Step-by-step explanation:
The narrative situation and complications in a sitcom are typically resolved by the end of the episode. This assertion is true. Sitcoms often follow a structure that includes a setup, where characters and the initial situation are introduced, followed by the rising action that develops the conflict through a series of events. The climax represents the turning point, which leads to the falling action where the conflict begins to be resolved and tension lessens. Finally, the resolution or dénouement ties up loose ends, with the central conflict being resolved and the characters returning to a state of normalcy but often with a new understanding or change.
Comedies, particularly sitcoms, are designed to provoke laughter and typically conclude with a happy ending. Characters in sitcoms face practical choices, and the climax is usually a humorous pinnacle of the conflict, drawing laughter from the audience. The format of a sitcom ensures that by the end of an episode, any complications introduced are dealt with, setting the stage fresh for a new story in the next episode. This formula allows sitcoms to maintain a sense of continuity without requiring the audience to follow an extended narrative arc over multiple episodes.