In 1990s, situation comedies2 are the most popular TV shows in the United States. For example, Friends was such a big hit3 that NBC paid every actor one million dollars per episode. The finale4 of Friends attracted more than five million viewers to watch.
 
在九○年代，情境喜劇是美國最受歡迎的電視節目。舉例來說，「六人行」是當時最紅的節目，電視台每集付給一個演員一百萬美金。「六人行」的完結篇吸引超過五千萬的觀眾收看。
 
However, at the end of 1990s, situation comedies are no longer the favorite TV shows of the audience. For instance, a new reality show, Survivor, defeated Friends and became the number one show in The States. It declared a new era has begun.
 
但是到了九○年代後期，情境喜劇已經不再是觀眾的最愛了；例如，當時的一個新實境節目「我要活下去」便打敗了「六人行」而成為美國第一名的節目。這宣示著一個新時代的開始。
 
Besides Friends, Every body loves Raymond, and Will and Grace were all cancelled by TV networks. Nowadays, when the audience turns on the TV, he or she can find more and more reality shows and game shows but less and less situation comedies.
 
除了「六人行」之外，「大家都愛雷蒙」和「威爾與葛瑞絲」都被電視台畫上休止符。如今，觀眾打開電視時，他會發現愈來愈多的實境節目和競賽節目，而情境喜劇則是愈來愈少了。
 
But the audience can still find some new situation comedies on TV. For example, NBC's My name is Earl, CBS's Two and a half men, The old Christine's new adventures are some of the good ones.
 
不過觀眾還是可以在電視找到一些新的情境喜劇。比方NBC電視台的「我的名字是厄爾」，CBS電視台的「兩個半男人」和「老克莉絲汀的新冒險」等都是其中的佼佼者。

Could one of the new shows be the next Friends For now, the answer seems to be pessimistic5. The most popular new sitcom can only attract fifteen million viewers now. What kind of TV shows will win out6 eventually Sitcoms or reality shows Well, the audience can only wait and see.7
 
這些新節目中有能像「六人行」那樣大紅的嗎？依目前看來，答案似乎是悲觀的。這些新的情境喜劇中，最紅的只有一千五百萬觀眾收看。到底最後那種電視節目會勝出？是情境喜劇還是實境節目？觀眾只能等著瞧了。

單字精解

1.decline 衰微
2.situation comedy (or sitcom) 情境喜劇
3.hit 大受歡迎
4.finale 結局，完結篇
5.pessimistic 悲觀的
6.win out v. adv. 獲勝，勝出
7.wait and see v. 等著瞧