Sitcom history help
 

I'm doing a report on the portrayal of motherhood in television sitcoms. I have Leave it to Beaver as a representative of the ideals of motherhood in the 60's, but as far as the 50's, 70's, and early 80's I'm lost. The Cosby show and Roseanne came around the late 80's and early 90's and beyond that I'm knowledgeable to the present day. If anyone could help me I would appreciate it, preferably the "defining" family sitcoms of those eras.

50s -- Ozzie and Harriet and I Love Lucy, Donna Reed Show

Early 60s -- The Dick Van Dyke Show, Donna Reed Show, My Three Sons

Late 60s -- I'd say The Wonder Years portrayed that era better than anything ever done on TV

70s -- Happy Days (although its about the 50s), All in the Family

Early 80s -- Family Ties

70's Mary Tyler Moore

Family Ties would probably cover the early 80s. After that you probably know the shows as well as I do.

70's - One Day at a Time, Good Times

50's - I Love Lucy

One Day at a Time and Alice are both good 70s shows that are pretty all about motherhood

You may want to talk about the single mother era of the late 70s with Alice, One Day at a Time, and Good Times (after the first two seasons).

Late 80s/Early 90s - Married With Children

and her children were...?

no love for Growing Pains and Maggie Seaver?

Agreed.

Those two are almost solely about motherhood and trying to provide as a single parent.

The Brady Bunch might also do a decent job for the 70s, with a working father and an at-home mother (albeit with a maid).

Cosby anyone?

Oops....I always mix her with Murphy Brown.

I think any mention of motherhood in sitcoms must include the Fresh Prince of Bel Air. I mean, Aunt Viv had an entire body transplant halfway through the show's run!

There was a sitcom in the early 70's with a black single mother. I think it may have been called Julia and was one of the first single mother shows IIRC.

Also, there's always Brady Bunch.

thanks guys

OK, I'll ask; Who was the mother on that show?


Uncle Charlie:D

Yea...I must have missed that motherhood part.

My Two Dads? Reiser did a helluva job pulling off the female role there.

It was better without the 80s cheese the first time around with Brian Keith and Sebastian Cabot.