A "sitcom", short for "situation comedy" is a show intended to make you laugh. The humor comes from the characters and the "situations" they are in. A "soap opera" is not a comedy. It is a dramatic show that follows the lives of the characters and the challenges they face. The term "soap opera" comes from the fact that when these shows first appeared, first on radio and later on TV, the primary advertiser was a company that made soap products.

'Sitcom' is an abbreviation of 'situation comedy'. As you can see from the name, the main point of these shows is to be funny. The situation is usually based around a relationship, such as a family at home, or colleagues at work. Sitcoms have themes that follow on from one episode to the next, but usually each episode tells a complete self contained mini-story. Each episode has its own conclusion. 'Soap operas' are not comedies. They usually focus on the dramatic lives of groups of people in a particular place, and involve a range of emotions and events - love, jealousy, intrigue, betrayal, illness, death....The stories run on from one episode to the next. Each episode usually ends at a dramatic moment, so that viewers are encouraged to continue watching the series.

Sitcom is short for situation comedy. It is a comedy genre where the comedic effect primarily comes from odd or unusual situations. A sitcom can be a TV series or a film. Soap opera is a drama genre primarily targeted at a female audience. A soap opera cannot be a film but can be a TV series.

"sitcom" is funny