Six American TV shows that established Norman Lear as the king of sitcoms
Norman Lear, who changed the face of American Television, died on Tuesday. He was 101.
Lear's journey with television began in 1950s when he started selling jokes to comedians like Jerry Lewis. After exploring the realms of film as a screenwriter and director, Lear, already approaching his 50s, found unexpected success and a new career trajectory by persuading CBS to take a chance on his sitcom "All in the Family" in 1971.
Although the show was inspired by the British series «Till Death Do Us Part,» Lear infused his version with a distinctly American perspective, tackling spirited debates about race, class, religion, politics, and the generation gap. This groundbreaking approach brought lively discussions into living rooms across the country.
As «All in the Family» became a cultural phenomenon, Lear and his colleagues ventured into producing spinoffs and similar series, dominating the airwaves throughout the 1970s with critically acclaimed and highly rated shows that explored families from diverse ethnic and economic backgrounds.
Here are six shows that established Norman Lear as the ultimate comedy colussus:
‘All in the Family’ (1971-79)
Dubbed as one of the greatest television series in the history of American television, Lear's “All in the Family” tells the story of Queens-based Bunker family.
The show shattered conventions by addressing topics that were traditionally deemed inappropriate for a US network television comedy. «All in the Family» courageously delved into issues like racism, antisemitism, infidelity, homosexuality, women's liberation, rape, religion, miscarriages, abortion, breast cancer, the Vietnam War, menopause, and impotence.
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