Since the advent of television, each generation has been defined by what they watched. In the 50s radio stars become sitcom stars. Variety shows dominated and Bishop Sheen beat Uncle Milton in the ratings. In the 60s westerns were king and farcical fantasy sitcoms like The Beverly Hillbillies and I Dream of Jeanie where escapist remedies for the turbulent times we were living in. But beginning in 1972, 70s TV shows grew up almost overnight when All In The Family premiered on CBS.
Within weeks of its debut, Archie Bunker became a household word. Played by veteran character actor Carol OConner, Archie was by all accounts a bigot who had no trouble expressing his outrageous views. As the nation was diving head first into the Watergate scandals, Archie was desperate to hang on to the good old days. He found a constant foil in his liberal son-in-law played by Rob Reiner. And when a black family moved in next door, Archie was forced to confront his long held stereotypical beliefs. Did he change and grow over time? Perhaps but the honesty that was expressed with issues such as racism, breast cancer, menopause, infidelity and patriotism was presented in All In The Family set a brand new tone for 70s TV shows.
Maude was actually one of the successful spin offs from All In The Family. (the other two were The Jeffersons and Good Times.) Whereas Archie was a staunch conservative, Maude was best described as a bleeding heart liberal feminist. And like Archie, Maude had no trouble expressing herself. An early episode dealing with Maude having an abortion set off a furor and national debate.
Although not nearly as issue oriented as Maude or All In The Family the Mary Tyler Moore show opened up a new avenue for 70s TV shows. Mary Tyler Moore starred as news producer Mary Richards, an attractive single woman in her 30s. It seemed that Mary was more concerned with her career then what was the traditional expected role of women. She became the model not only for several other sitcom heroines to follow but also for many women who were inspired to enter into the workplace.
Rounding out the iconic and impactful 70s TV shows was M*A*S*H. Based upon the hit movie of the same name, M*A*S*H was about a group of doctors treating the wounded during the Korean War. Many saw this show as a metaphor for what was happening in Viet Nam. M*A*S*H didnt pull any punches when it came to showing the horrors of war. And this was supposed to be a half hour comedy. At the end of their third season, they even killed over beloved character Henry Blake. As a result of their efforts to elevate the medium, M*A*S*H went on to become one of the most awarded shows ever and its final episode still stands as the most watched television program in history.
There were many other 70s TV shows that certainly had an impact on our society. Hits like Happy Days, Dallas, and The Love Boat became cultural touchstones. But the brutal honesty and thought provoking realism of All In The Family, Maude, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and M*A*S*H are what truly defined the era of 70s TV shows.
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