Sitcom Marriages Then and Now

[Adamantium]

I was thinking about "I Love Lucy." How there are people who find it sexist because Lucy was a housewife, and Ricky kept it that way. I was also thinking about how in the 1950s that's how things were. The men went to work and the women stayed home and cleaned the house. But on television, it was mostly portrayed as the husbands were the "straight men" and the wives were "wacky." I'm thinking Lucy. I'm thinking "I Married Joan." I'm think "The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show." I'm even thinking "Green Acres." Of course there were exceptions, like "The Honeymooners", but I'm talking about in general.

Today, it seems like that's totally switched. While both the husband and wife work, the man is the buffoon and the wife is sensible. I'm thinking "Everybody Loves Raymond." I'm thinking "The King of Queens." I'm thinking "According to Jim."

Now I'm not bashing any of these shows. In fact, I'm a fan of many of them. I'm just pointing out the differences. We act as though the shows are more real today, but really we just switched the roles of husband and wife. We go from the wife is daffy and the husband is sensible to the husband is daffy and the wife is sensible.

When will we see sitcoms where both the husband and wife are either daffy or sensible? (That was a joke, lol)

[Adamantium]

Now that I think about it, "The Dick Van Dyke Show" got it right. Both Rob and Laura were equal part nutty and normal. The only problem with them was the whole twin beds thing, but that was how TV shows were back then. That wasn't the actors' or writers' fault.

[PrettyinPink55]

You're right. I don't know when they switched roles, perhaps somewhere in the 70's-80's? But that's how it is right now. The husband is portrayed as the crazy/quirky one, and the wife is more stable/the voice of reason.
Back then it seemed like father always knew best, but that's not how it is anymore on TV. Somewhere along the way the father became the bumbling idiot lol.

[wkomorow]

I think that both Amy and Debra were sanier than Robert and Raymond, but I think the point was more that the Barone family was crazy. I disagree about Doug and Carrie - neither seemed very rational though Arthur was perhaps the least rational of them all. In early TV, you had several stable women. For example, Martha Wilson was calmer than George. Mary Livingston was more stable than Jack Benny. Gomez was to me more quirkly than Morticia, Lily more played it straighter to a more quirkly Herman. Bith Jim and Margaret Anderson were fairly stabled, as were Ward and June.

[dawsongirl]

Now that I think about it, "The Dick Van Dyke Show" got it right. Both Rob and Laura were equal part nutty and normal. The only problem with them was the whole twin beds thing, but that was how TV shows were back then. That wasn't the actors' or writers' fault.
And neither one were total morons. Nowadays, the wacky spouse isn't wacky; they're completely retarded. ohno:

[catlover79]

Even though Darrin forbid Samantha to use her witchcraft on Bewitched, she was really the dominant partner in that marriage. SHE was always bailing him out of trouble instead of the other way around. Other than that, it was a very strong marriage. When Dick York played the role of Darrin, it was so obvious how much in love Darrin was with Samantha, and vice versa. :love: They were also one of the first couples to share the same bed on TV.

[Adamantium]

Even though Darrin forbid Samantha to use her witchcraft on Bewitched, she was really the dominant partner in that marriage. SHE was always bailing him out of trouble instead of the other way around. Other than that, it was a very strong marriage. When Dick York played the role of Darrin, it was so obvious how much in love Darrin was with Samantha, and vice versa. :love: They were also one of the first couples to share the same bed on TV.

A lot of people still don't seem to get that today. I hear from people at work or online that they consider "Bewitched" to be a sexist show because Samantha tried giving up her witchcraft because her husband wanted her to.

I'm with you on this one. Even if you do view it as being sexist, you also have to remember when the show was made. Again, that's the way it was back then. We've moved on to where married couples are equal, but back in the 1960s (at least on television, lol) things were different. But even then, Samantha was a witch. She could have easily left Darrin for his ways. She loved him and agreed to give up witchcraft. Darrin had a point. If she could just twitch up anything she wanted, then whatever he gave her would seem pathetic. Case in point "A is for Aardvark." For all of those who think it's wrong for Samantha to give up her witchcraft for Darrin, just watch that episode.

[catlover79]

Remember what Sam said in the pilot? "I wasn't going to do any more witchcraft for your sake." That's before he ever said anything about not wanting her to do it.

[Adamantium]

Remember what Sam said in the pilot? "I wasn't going to do any more witchcraft for your sake." That's before he ever said anything about not wanting her to do it.

That's true. He just did his best to hold her to that, lol.

[catlover79]

That's true. He just did his best to hold her to that, lol.
A bit harshly sometimes, but nobody's perfect. ;)

[Adamantium]

Of course the real reason Samantha gave up witchcraft for Darrin was because of what the creator of the show said. They needed conflict. If Samantha was a witch and always able to use her powers, then there wouldn't be any conflict and the show wouldn't be very interesting at all. But by having Darrin not wanting her to use witchcraft, Samantha is trying to quit and only when push come to shove will she use her witchcraft.

The same goes for "I Love Lucy." If Ricky had no problem with Lucy getting into showbusiness, then there wouldn't be the conflict that makes Lucy even funnier. And she wouldn't have the need to scheme.

[Adamantium]

A bit harshly sometimes, but nobody's perfect. ;)

Afterall, Darrin IS only a mortal, lol.

[catlover79]

Afterall, Darrin IS only a mortal, lol.
That's right. He even said once, "Nobody's perfect...not even me." :lol:

[Jude The Obscure]

I once remarked at the TV Usenet newsgroup about when we would ever see the return of the wacky wife sitcom. Closest thing we had in recent memory is "The Nanny". I certainly got tired of seeing the big fat schlob married to a hot young thing sitcom.......oh yea, that is SO realistic......we see that everyday! :lol: It was never the plain Jane married to a hot young stud--oh no that is not politically correct! :lol:

[catlover79]

Of course the real reason Samantha gave up witchcraft for Darrin was because of what the creator of the show said. They needed conflict. If Samantha was a witch and always able to use her powers, then there wouldn't be any conflict and the show wouldn't be very interesting at all. But by having Darrin not wanting her to use witchcraft, Samantha is trying to quit and only when push come to shove will she use her witchcraft.

The same goes for "I Love Lucy." If Ricky had no problem with Lucy getting into showbusiness, then there wouldn't be the conflict that makes Lucy even funnier. And she wouldn't have the need to scheme.

Speaking of "Lucy" - Ricky wasn't exactly the brightest bulb in the chandelier. How many times did her disguises fool him?? :lol: :rofl:

[repeatshistory]

I once remarked at the TV Usenet newsgroup about when we would ever see the return of the wacky wife sitcom. Closest thing we had in recent memory is "The Nanny". I certainly got tired of seeing the big fat schlob married to a hot young thing sitcom.......oh yea, that is SO realistic......we see that everyday! :lol: It was never the plain Jane married to a hot young stud--oh no that is not politically correct! :lol:

I'm a big fat schlub married to a hot young thing.... At least I think she's pretty hot. So do a few of my friends. :D So, it's kinda realistic. For some of us. :p

[Jude The Obscure]

Well, congrats to you! I'm happy you are married to a hot young thing. :)
Hopefully she feels the same way about you :D