Best Quote by Jesse Armstrong
“Sitcom characters, my writing partner Sam Bain and I sometimes tell each other, are not normally self-conscious. Or not quite. The best sitcom characters are probably just a little self-conscious. Deep enough to feel pain and humiliation, but shallow enough that there are no hidden depths.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: The Office (UK) Creator Discusses Writing, Jesse Armstrong, 2015
Effective sitcom characters balance self‑awareness with shallow depth, allowing humor without heavy emotional weight.
In simple terms: Comedy works when characters are slightly self‑conscious but not overly deep.
Key Takeaway
Keep characters lightly self‑aware for humor.
Themes
humor
character design
writing
television
Mood
lighthearted
analytical
Type
creative
instructional
When to use this quote
- scriptwriting
- character development
- show pitching
- audience testing
Key Concepts
comedy theory
psychology of humor
media studies
Questions to Reflect On
- How much self‑consciousness makes a character funny?
- When does shallow depth limit storytelling?
A Different Perspective
Over‑simplified characters can feel flat or unrelatable.
