I’m talking about All In The Family and The Mary Tyler Moore Show — two very different sitcoms indeed, but both were very significant to my life at the time. One pushed the edge and ventured to places we’ve never seen a sitcom go while the other became my own personal fantasy life. No, I didn’t want to be Archie Bunker! Sheesh!
Mary Tyler Moore was exactly who I wanted to be. I was young, out on my own, and I even found a “J” similar to her “M” which adorned her apartment walls. The Mary Tyler Moore Show brings back so many memories that I don’t even know where to start. Should I mention Chuckles the Clown, dressed as a peanut, and run over by an elephant? Should I mention Rhoda Morgenstern’s trials and tribulations? Mary’s dates? Lou Grant’s lovable gruffness? And, how about Ted Knight‘s portrayal of Ted Baxter, the news anchor who shouldn‘t be on the air?
The characters were all developed to the max and I personally think every episode was a winner from the first one where Mary got hired by Lou (“You’ve got spunk”) to the last one when the cast huddled and sang “It’s a Long Way to Tipperary.” I so wanted the life of a successful single career woman like Mary. Huh. I got the life, but it was no sitcom. I still have my “J” and my dreams.
With All In The Family, Norman Lear took a British series, turned it American, and made a notable, historical hit for CBS. Growing up in those days, I think we all knew some Archie Bunkers and, most certainly, some Michael Stivics. Of course, for me, it was the older generation with the Archie-ness. Carroll O’Connor played the role of bigoted word-mangling Archie like no other actor could. I can’t imagine anyone else in that role. This show pushed the line of what was acceptable to say on TV and even said the unacceptable — something which just wasn‘t done in those days. If I had to fault something in the show, I’d say Gloria (played by Sally Struthers) was too helpless and whiny. Even though Edith was a “dingbat” according to Archie, she had a wisdom behind her. She wasn’t ditzy. But Gloria was. Sigh — my generation, eh?
Article comments
1 - Lisa McKay
Jackie, you sure hit a lot of high points here! Have to agree with your take on Mad About You -- a show ruined by parenthood!
I can remember watching reruns of I Love Lucy over and over again when I was very little, and another classic favorite of mine is The Dick Van Dyke Show.
I still watch Seinfeld. It's a perfect expression of modern times.
I never missed an episode of M*A*S*H, although the term sitcom doesn't really describe it very well. Nowadays, the only sitcom I think is worth my time is Scrubs, which is very M*A*S*H-like in its ability to make you laugh and weep almost simultaneously and has an awful lot of insightful stuff to say about the human condition.
2 - Bliffle
Of course, Lou Grants great aside was "I hate spunk".
"Alice" was a humdrum sitcom that gave birth to the much better "Flo's place", which was apparently too grownup for the US TV public and disappeared too quickly.
Carrol Conner saved Archie from being a one-dimensional object of scorn as the series went on. One of Archies great spoonerisms was "full noodle frontity".
3 - Joan Hunt
Congrats! This article has been placed on Advance.net
4 - larry
i am enjoying your blog. i had orgooten about mable being born ending the show,maad about you. other shows tried the late in life pregnancy.notably family ties and rosanne. you have the child born at the end of the season. next season the brat is running around the house. i think that is a vain attempt to try and salvage the show
5 - Gordon Hauptfleisch
"WKRP In Cincinnati": the episode I would definitely sit all the way through for just to get to the last line is the one where the advertising director, Herb, has what he thinks is a grand way to showcase Thanksgiving--by throwing a lot of live turkeys out of a plane throughout the city below. Of course, it turns out to be a PR nightmare and a bloody disaster and headline-making emergency city-wide --after which, a perplexed Herb offers the line: "Andy, I swear to God--I thought turkeys could fly!"
6 - gonzo marx
"oh the humanity"
great call Gordon...one of the best ever
WKRP trivia....the opening theme is sung by "Les Nessman" and the closing theme by "Andy Travis"
just wanted to share
Excelsior?
7 - Rodney Welch
Gordon -- agree totally. The turkeys episode of WKRP was a laugh out loud, all-time winner.
Here's another obscure classic: the "Zoo Animals on Wheels" episode of Chris Elliott's great lost classic Get a Life.
I'm not the only one that thinks so, by the way: TV Guide ranked it among their Top 25 or so funniest episodes in TV history. MSN offers a fine synopsis here.
Anyone else remember this masterpiece?
8 - Gordon Hauptfleisch
Ok, the Jack Benny Show was before my time and it wasn't exactly a sit-com, but one particular joke goes in the record books as the longest laugh in tv history, at least for a very long time. It's a skit in which a robber is holding a gun on the notoriously cheap Benny:
Robber: "Your money or your life!"
Benny: (says nothing, stares into space)
Robber: "Look pal--your money or your life!!"
Benny: (still silent, hand on chin, staring off)
Robber: "I said, your money or your life!!!"
Benny: "I'm thinking it over!"
Maybe you had to be there, but I saw this years ago in a rerun, and it's hysterical in large part due to Benny's comedic timing, the pregnant pause, mannerisms, and blank deadpan expression held until he quickly snaps out the punchline. The studio audience howls and howls for a long, long time.
9 - Gordon Hauptfleisch
One more: From "Taxi" whean Reverend Jim is taking his written driving test at the DMV, getting "helped" by Alex and the gang sitting close by:
---"Pssst... what does a yellow light mean?"
---"Slow down"
---"Ok, what...does...a...yellow...light...mean?"
---"Slow Down!"
---"!!!...Whaaattt...doesss...aaaa...yelll--lowww...lighttt...mmeaaannn"?
This might go on for another round or two with increasing exasperation on both sides, until (I think) a DMV employee comes along and nabs them for cheating.
10 - Snarkattack
For me, Mad About You was all over when Paul couldn't get over the Jamie's "I kissed Doug Berkiss" confession. The very last episode, where a grown-up Mabel is played by Janeane Garofalo was most amusing. She did a great job of it.