1970s Situation Comedy

Familiar Roles“The rebel” - The Fonz, Hawkeye /Trapper /B.J., Meat Head,

Keith Patridge

“In-charge father figure” - Archie Bunker, Howard Cunningham, George Jefferson, Colonel Potter (and his horse)

“The patient mother” – Marianne Cunningham, Edith Bunker, Carol Brady

“Bombshells” - Hot Lips Houlihan, Marcia Brady, Ginger, Chrissy

“The zany comic-relief characters” – Gilligan, Mr. Furly, Ralph Malph, Alice the Maid, Lenny and Squiggy

“The Ineffectual Authority Figure” – Mr. Woodman (Kotter), Henry Blake (MASH), Mr. Roper (Three’s Company)

Familiar SettingsMiddle class family home – All in the

Family, Happy Days, Laverne and Shirley, The Brady Bunch.

The urban African American home – Good Times, The Jeffersons, Sanford and Son, What’s Happenin’, Diff’rent Strokes.

The workplace – Barney Miller, Taxi, Welcome Back, Kotter.

Familiar ProblemsA terrible but humorous

misunderstandingRomantic problemsDealing with annoying relativesTrying to fool some authority figure Learning some social lesson.

Familiar Value Assumptions

Things work out in the end“Family values”The importance of friendshipThe importance of individualismAnti-racismThe importance of heterosexual

relationships/marriage

A ‘Terrible’ but humorous misunderstanding & Romantic Problems: A Very Brady Study

The Brady Bunch: “My Sister, Benedict Arnold” (Friday, October 15, 1971)

Greg comes home furious when he is replaced on the basketball team by Warren Mulaney. When he discovers Marcia is dating Warren, he hits the roof and demands that Marcia stop seeing him. When she refuses, Greg tries to get revenge and begins dating the woman who beat Marcia out in cheerleading. Meanwhile, the Bradys prepare a dunking booth for a carnival.

Lessons Learned: The Jeffersons and the

Importance of family & friendship

“What are Friends for?” Wednesday, November 22, 1978

George is thrilled to get a visit from his favorite cousin, Dusty. George's thrill turns to shock when Dusty asks George for a kidney since his are failing. This leads George to take a long hard look at the pros and cons of parting with one of his organs, which of course he eventually does.