Beyond The Screen

This study examined communication between friends across generations in the most popular TV shows from the 1990s to 2022. The five highest grossing American TV shows and sitcoms were chosen and coded for friends’ self-disclosure, expression of empathy, perspective/advice, critique, appreciation, and complimenting. Demographic characteristics of the characters were also recorded. The results showed a significant increase in self-disclosure from the 1990s to late-2000s, but not for early-2000s; as well as an increase in male characters’ expressing empathy. Female characters increased in giving perspective in late-2000s and complimenting their friends in early- and late-2000s. However, female dyadic interactions remained to be the least frequent.