The classic sitcom watercooler.
Author: Episode 30
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What constitutes a spinoff anyway? The obvious answer is that a popular continuing character or characters on a successful series get their own show. Think Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C., The Jeffersons, Rhoda, Benson, Frasier, etc. A second category involves guest stars making such a splash that series are developed for them. Maude, Laverne & Shirley, and…
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I am thrilled to announce that my upcoming book, tentatively titled Funny Girls: Breaking into the Boys’ Club to Write ’70s Sitcoms, is scheduled to be published by Bloomsbury Academic Publishing in January 2028. Regular Episode 30 posts will resume in two weeks.
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As they used to say on NBC, “If you haven’t seen it, it’s new to you.” Enjoy the reruns (previous posts), and I’ll be back soon with some exciting news.
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After close calls with extinction in the late 1950s and late 1960s, sitcoms came roaring back each time. In 1984, once again, many people declared the death of the sitcom. And once again, the genre did a 180 and thrived. The problem had been brewing since the late 1970s. Successful new sitcoms between 1977 and…
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As the genre had a decade ago, sitcoms went through a slump in the late 1960s. In the early 1960s, sitcoms recovered from its first crisis with a flurry of hit shows introduced between 1960 and 1965. However, the second half of the decade saw the format decline. The fall of 1966 marked the beginning…
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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…
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With westerns dominating the Nielsen ratings once again in the 1958-59 television season, holding six of the top seven positions, the future of sitcoms appeared to be in doubt. Though a few comedies (The Danny Thomas Show, The Real McCoys, Father Knows Best) remained popular, the late ‘50s were a down period for the format.…
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The western craze only grew stronger during the 1957-58 television season. The genre was represented by five entries in the season’s top ten-rated shows. Conversely, sitcoms went into decline, with just three series (The Danny Thomas Show, December Bride, and The Gale Storm Show) in the top 20. There was just one sitcom showdown that…
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Westerns dominated the television landscape in the mid-to-late 1950s. Their increasing popularity came in part at the expense of sitcoms. There were fewer new comedy series debuting in the fall of 1956, and only The Gale Storm Show became a long-term success. As a result of this sitcom drought, there was only one sitcom showdown…
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In the early days of television, it wasn’t unusual for a successful show to maintain the same timeslot for years at a time. To fill schedules, the networks adapted several radio sitcoms for TV. These two trends affected the sitcom showdowns of 1955. Make Room for Daddy vs. Meet Millie on Tuesday at 9:00 Entering…