to be something of a sitcom apparatus 
(ROOT (S (VP (TO to) (VP (VB be) (NP (NP (NN something)) (PP (IN of) (NP (DT a) (NN sitcom) (NN apparatus))))))))
(ROOT (S (VP (TO ) (VP (VB ) (NP (NP (NN )) (PP (IN ) (NP (DT ) (NN ) (NN ))))))))