Awkwardness is an unpleasant feeling

Feeling

Feeling is the nominalization of the verb to feel. The word was first used in the English language to describe the physical sensation of touch through either experience or perception. The word is also used to describe experiences, other than the physical sensation of touch, such as "a feeling of...

, which can often arise in tense atmospheres where one doesn't really know how to act or what to say. Awkward situations can possibly later cause a form of anxiety

Anxiety

Anxiety is a psychological and physiological state characterized by somatic, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral components. The root meaning of the word anxiety is 'to vex or trouble'; in either presence or absence of psychological stress, anxiety can create feelings of fear, worry, uneasiness,...

. TV sitcoms often feature awkward situations, where one character misinterprets another person's words or actions, as the basis of comedy.