This is how Wikipedia defines the “fourth wall”:
The fourth wall is the imaginary “wall” at the front of the stage in a traditional three-walled box set in a proscenium theatre, through which the audience sees the action in the world of the play. […] Speaking directly to or otherwise acknowledging the audience through the camera in a film or television program, or through this imaginary wall in a play, is referred to as “breaking the fourth wall” and is considered a technique of metafiction, as it deconstructs the boundaries normally set up by works of fiction. [source]
I noticed something related, but slightly different, going on in the Fringe and Community finales. Spoilers for both after the cut.
First Fringe. In “Brave New World Part 2,” Olivia and Jessica talk while Peter hooks up wires and checks monitors in preparation for interrogating Jessica. The show breaks for commercial and when it comes back, Peter says they’re all set to go and the interrogation starts. Time passes in the lab while the audience watches commercials.
Community. In “Introduction to Finality,” Greendale has a court trial to decide a business matter between Shirley and Pierce. Dean Pelton acts as judge and when he calls for a recess, the show goes to commercial. Then it comes back and the trial continues. The commercial break doubles as the court recess for the characters.
Both of these examples show an awareness for television format. Most shows have scenes built to fit between commercial breaks, but these are the first episodes I noticed where the characters’ actions and dialogue trigger commercial breaks.
24 did stuff like this all the time because of the real-time nature of the show, but Fringe and Community don’t have to follow the same sort of timing restraints.
I’m not sure if these examples count as breaking the fourth wall since they don’t address the audience. Instead, the writers and editors are acknowledging the medium and creating a connection between the fictional and real worlds. That’s what makes me think about the fourth wall concept, but I wonder if there’s another term for this.