Perfect Profiling
As my sit com script heads into major re-draft, the advice from all angles is the same: it's all about the characters.
The situations may be inherently funny, but often the real comedy value is in putting extraordinary characters into ordinary situations - and watching them flail.
To get a good grasp of character, I turned to a new book my in-laws bought me: Successful Novel Plotting by Jean Saunders.. While perusing in the tub, I came across her POV on character profiles. She used the example of her daughter and issued a string of random knowledge to encourage familiarity with the "character".
However, I don't do well with random. Therefore, I codified her example thus and named it "Saunders Character Profile" (catchy):
Open with a unique fact.
Age, marital status/dating habits and progeny. Physical trait, personality trait and occupation.
Personality trait, personality trait, and career history/aspirations. Vices and social life. Hobby, hobby and hobby.
Holidays and travel. Relationship with friends and family. Tastes in film and...