A number of TV shows have brought families together because they appealed to various ages and points of view. However some shows not only kept families gathered around the TV each week, but they also encouraged debate and controversy that gave equal time to several points of view. This gave viewers a new level of entertainment while inviting new ideas and topics for discussion.
The best example of this was "All in the Family." Produced by Norman Lear, this controversial TV show aired on CBS from January 12, 19871 through April 8, 1979. It was based on a British television series "Till Death Do Us Part" and covered topics that American networks had not ever eve mentioned; racism, homosexuality, women's rights, miscarriage, impotence, menopause and breast cancer. Today it is hard to imagine a network that doesn't cover all of these topics on a daily basis, but in the 1970's most shows were sanitized, if you will, in order to be deemed proper for American audiences.
The program centered around Edith and Archie Bunker, white, Anglo-Saxon, protestant, middle-class couple living in New York, their loving free spirited daughter Gloria, her Polish boyfriend/husband Michael (AKA "Meathead" a title given to him by Archie - who also took a dim view of Michael's Polish ancestry). Edith usually took the middle-road as she was the frustrated peacemaker of the family. Eventually, the Jeffersons, an affluent black couple moved in next door which opened the issues of racism, white flight from areas where African American's moved in and an interesting twist on the rich vs. poor dilemma. I always took Gloria's side and my Dad insisted that Archie was right - and sometimes both sides had a point, which was a refreshing change from the one-sided attitudes of previous decades.
Part of what made "All in the Family" so interesting was the way it portrayed controversial topics in a humorous way and gave the audience a choice of points of view. I was a young wife and mother at the time and often sided with Archie and Edith's more free-spirited, liberal thinking daughter, Gloria. My father, on the other hand felt more comfortable with the opinions of a very conservative Archie Bunker, who never failed to express his rather strong right wing and sometimes racist and sexist views.
Neal Simon walked a tightrope on the issues of the day, for example, when Archie complained about his black neighbor's wealth Archie: "I didn't have no million people marchin' and protestin' to get me my job." to which his wife, Edith responded, about Archie, "No, his uncle got it for him!" This quickly defused any anger or resentment into laughter.
Famous people and big Hollywood stars appeared on the show, usually portraying themselves. Sammy Davis Jr. appeared and of course Archie made sexist remarks, Gloria tried to calm the waters:
Gloria: I'm sorry, Mr. Davis, sometimes my father says the wrong things.
Yeah, I've noticed that.
Lionel Jefferson: But he's not a bad guy, Mr. Davis. I mean like, he'd never burn a cross on your lawn.
Sammy Davis Jr.: No, but if he saw one burning, he's liable to toast a marshmallow on it.
The family members loved each other and this is what held the whole show together. Even Archie showed his softer side when "Meathead" was in trouble.
Eventually, "The Jefferson's" spun off from "All in the Family" as the Jefferson's 'moved on up to the East Side" when their dry cleaning business expanded. This show was also controversial in its own right when it explored topics such as interracial marriage, several sides of racism and the unexpected consequences of sudden wealth.
Both programs brought the family of 'man' together, although Gloria might have issues with such a sexist title or capital punishment:
Archie Bunker: Go ahead, ask your mother, *she* believes in capital punishment.
Gloria: Do you Ma?
Edith Bunker: Well, sure.
Gloria: MA?
Edith Bunker: Well, as long as it ain't too severe.
Another great sitcom of the 1970's was the Bob Newhart Show. Bob Newharts dry, offbeat sense of humor was a perfect foil against Suzanne Pleshette's up-beat and sometimes brash style. Bob played a psychologist and we were privy to his patients and office staff and their adventures. The timing and dialogue made it one of the best sitcoms ever in my book. For example there was a scene where Bob's wife presented him with a 'new recipe' and asked him to critique it'. He took a bite and with his excellent deadpan style simply said, "Boo." The understated gags and delivery made it extremely funny and entertaining.
"Sanford and Son" was also a most excellent program and deserves to be rated among the best. Red Foxx plays the cantankerous owner of a junk yard and Demond Wilson played his less conservative and more honest son. Aunt Esther was a force to be reckoned with and had the meanest look on the planet. Grady played a rather 'off the rails' friend. Red Foxx's character had a tendency to be less than honest at all times and his son kept him on the straight and narrow as much as he could. One scene had Fred Sanford (Red Foxx's character) memorizing an eye chart so he could renew his drivers license without getting glasses. The eye doctor came in and put up a different eye chart and the hilarity started from there and got better. Red Foxx's scenes of timing and delivery were excellent and made the show one of the best. The entire cast was African American, but the themes and dialogue didn't focus on that aspect at all, which was refreshing for that era when people of color were rarely shown on television without their race being the focus.
The 1970's were an excellent and exciting time for sitcoms and shows like All In The Family, The Bob Newhart Show, and Sanford and Son were three of the best.
Quote Source:
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