Though westerns were still easily the most popular genre during the 1959-60 television season, sitcoms showed a spark that would soon ignite into a full-fledged comeback. The Danny Thomas Show, Father Knows Best, and The Real McCoys remained big ratings winners. Newcomers Dennis the Menace and The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis showed promise, with the former beating hit western Maverick in its Sunday night timeslot. Sitcoms’ momentum would continue for years to come, with the debut of The Andy Griffith Show and My Three Sons the next season marking a big leap in popularity for the genre. While the comeback was just beginning in 1959, for the first time in years, there were multiple sitcom showdowns.

The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis vs. Fibber McGee and Molly on Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. (ET)

Fibber McGee and Molly was a latecomer among radio comedies that moved to television. A hit on radio for more than two decades, the show finally moved to television on NBC, albeit without radio stars Jim and Marian Jordan. CBS also adapted an existing property for TV, with The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, formerly a series of short stories and a movie (The Affairs of Dobie Gillis), now becoming a weekly sitcom.

The television version of Fibber McGee and Molly, minus the Jordans, quickly fizzled. Its routines seemed old hat, and Fibber’s overstuffed closet wasn’t as funny for fans to see as it was in their imaginations. NBC cancelled it at mid-season. On the other hand, Dobie Gillis captured the attention of the nation’s youth. Although it was beaten in the ratings by ABC’s The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, it did well enough to return the next season, when it jumped into the top 30 and defeated Earp. It ran for four years on CBS.

Winner: The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis   

The Donna Reed Show vs. The Betty Hutton Show on Thursday at 8:00

The Donna Reed Show was beginning its second season on ABC. CBS scheduled new sitcom, The Betty Hutton Show, headed by the Annie Get Your Gun star, opposite it.

Betty Hutton proved to be no competition for Donna Reed. With a contrived premise (former showgirl-turned-manicurist inherits millions, along with three children) and reports of constant clashes between its star, producers, and directors, the series lasted just one season. Meanwhile, The Donna Reed Show led into ABC’s hit The Real McCoys and survived until 1966.  

Winner: The Donna Reed Show