In the late 1970s, my mother, who is more liberal than Ted Kennedy and Rosie O’Donnell put together, sat me in front of the television to watch a show called All In The Family. It was the episode where Archie got stuck in an elevator with a pregnant Puerto Rican woman and her husband, along with a black businessman. I was still a kid and couldn’t help laughing at the ignorant racial statements Archie was making.
It’s not that I agreed with him, but as I explained to my mom, Archie had the “guts” to say what he actually felt. Instead of berating my opinion, my mom asked me to put myself in the Puerto Rican man’s shoes. “Do you like it when people make fun of you at school for being so short?” she questioned. I realized she had a point. Even though I was young, I also realized that the character Archie was created to show how people who have likeable qualities could be ignorant. We watched several episodes together and after each one, I had to explain how Archie was wrong and how his words could have hurt others.
All In The Family was a gutsy, relevant show which aired from 1971-1979 and brought discussions on racism, homophobia, women’s lib, etc. right into the household. Moralists objected while realists praised the show’s exposition of issues people would rather not deal with. My most vivid television memory was watching the episode where a swastika was painted on the Bunkers' front door. At the time, I lived in Skokie, Illinois, which was famous for the Nazi marches during the 1970s.
The swastika in this episode was obviously aimed at another neighbor’s door. An activist showed up and I remember that he wanted to react with violence. I remember thinking, “Is this guy any better than the person who put the swastika up on the door?” I remember him leaving, getting in his car, and hearing an explosion. I remember the look of horror on the Bunkers' faces. I couldn’t hold back tears as my mother held me. “There is a lot of bad in this world, but there is just as much good,” she whispered. I was so scared that I slept in her room that night.
Article comments
1 - J. Patel
Excellent article and very true. But I think The Cosby Show is just as important as all the shows you mentioned.
2 - TV and Film Guy
I'd never, ever, ever put All in the Family in the same category as a Roseanne or My So-Called Life. The former's goal was to push boundaries adn get people to think in a way that I don't think is true for the latter shows.
Additionally, if you are correct, and My So-Called Life was the last groundbreaking show, and ended in 1995, but the Janet Jackson Superbowl incident didn't occur till 2004, what happened during those 9 years?
Actually, I'd argue that there are just as many shows that fit your critera now as there were then, but maybe you're not watching them. What about: Battlestar Galactica, The West Wing, and Rescue Me just to name the first few that come to mind.
3 - daryl d
I think you have to watch more episodes of Roseanne and My So-Called life to understand what I am talking about. They definitely fit in the same category as All In The Family. Oh...and the show Rescue Me..please. It could be a good show if the actors, especially the one that plays Franco, takes acting lessons. The other shows you mentioned are good, but not close to the quality of the three I talked about.
4 - sandra
Nice job, Daryl. I actually ended up buying the full My So-Called Life dvd set at Amazon. I had been planning to do it for a long time, but your article reminded me how much I loved this show.
5 - Saira Rahman
degrassi
6 - sean Paul Mahoney
Daryl, great article.
I loved My So Called Life! Once and Again by the same creators was a great show too but unfortunately no one watched that either.
To answer TV And Film Guy- HBO and Reality TV happened from 95 to 04. Survivor, Sex and the City, and American Idol were groundbreaking phenomenoms, love them or loathe them. I agree with West Wing and Battlestar. These shows, like My So Called Life, proved there was an audience for dramas that don't involve grumpy cops or horny doctors.
I am suprised The Simpsons didn't get mentioned. This show has changed the face of sitcoms and tv animation.