i was wondering what are the chances of a successful american sitcom with a main cast made of predominately black AND white (sitcom) actors and actresses airing on tv? do you think that we will ever see a sitcom of this type appearing on our screens in the future?

many american sitcoms- past and present- have been syndicated on air, produced and written and almost all of them are targeted towards two main audiences: blacks and whites. eg, blacks- the cosby show, good times, sanford and son, the fresh prince to name; whites- frasier, friends, seinfeld, bewitched, roseanne to name. these shows have a predominately white/black cast of actors

also, do you think this would be good for the sitcom genre, as a whole- or is this detrimental and will turn viewers off? of course, it's important that the interests of black, white and i'd even say asian audiences are catered for in the tv industry, especially in the sitcom market. but is having a cast of black and white actors together as characters in these shows, and thus further highlight and reflect america's multi-racial diversity in society today, the way forward? considering we are living in the 21st century

Diff'rent Strokes was pretty successful and I think it fits that description. As far as future shows, it's hard to say.

i was wondering what are the chances of a successful american sitcom with a main cast made of predominately black AND white (sitcom) actors and actresses airing on tv? do you think that we will ever see a sitcom of this type appearing on our screens in the future?

many american sitcoms- past and present- have been syndicated on air, produced and written and almost all of them are targeted towards two main audiences: blacks and whites. eg, blacks- the cosby show, good times, sanford and son, the fresh prince to name; whites- frasier, friends, seinfeld, bewitched, roseanne to name. these shows have a predominately white/black cast of actors

also, do you think this would be good for the sitcom genre, as a whole- or is this detrimental and will turn viewers off? of course, it's important that the interests of black, white and i'd even say asian audiences are catered for in the tv industry, especially in the sitcom market. but is having a cast of black and white actors together as characters in these shows, and thus further highlight and reflect america's multi-racial diversity in society today, the way forward? considering we are living in the 21st century

I believe we will, in due time.

I believe this is a good way in which to have a successful sitcom these days. It'll bring many different audiences, and have a good mix of actors.

I think its highly possible. Maybe when the networks decide to start adding more sitcoms to their line-up, we'll get to see one.

I've never watched a sitcom based on the color of someone's skin. I'm white but the black sitcoms you mentioned Cosby, Good Times, Sanford and Fresh Prince where among my favorites while Frasier and Friends I couldn't stand. lol I think in time we might see one but the most important thing is that it's funny or it won't last.

I think thats the way foward thats what we need next!! 50/50 not one over another Im waiting here silently!;)

I'm going to make some generalizations here. It might not apply to any person, but this applies to groups. Almost everyone will feel most comfortable around people who are similar. This is not just white or black. In almost every city there is a chinatown, polish section, mexican area, etc. People move to be closer to their own kind. It makes sense that people want to watch on television their own kind.

I do not believe there will ever be a sucessful sitcom on television where there is a black male married to a white female and they are the primary characters. I do believe there will be ensemble sitcoms with people of many races as minor characters. This is what worked on the Cosby show. There were white people, but they were very minor characters. Think about the following question. If 100 black people were put in front of a television and offered the choice of watching an episode of Cosby or an episode of Three's Company, how many would choose Cosby? If 100 white people were given the same choice, how many would choose Three's Company? There will be a definitive prefferance based on race. There will be a minority of Blacks who will want to watch Three's Company over Cosby, but it will be small and probably close to the white minority that would choose Cosby over Three's Company. The majority will choose their own race. Maybe an even better illustration would be the choice between Martin and Dukes of Hazzard.

This does not mean that white people dislike blacks or vice versa. It just means that people like watching their own kind more than different people. It is genetic.

I don't think people would want to create shows just based on the race of the actors. Maybe if it was a show based on the marragie of a mixed couple, then it might work though.

i mean with the way sitcoms have been in the last 15 years or so, maybe this radical change is just what this genre needs and to give it a kick up the backside it deserves. i would dearly love to see this idea taken into consideration and incorporated on tv and hopefully, if it becomes successful via the pilot or through numerous shows, it will take off.

although come to think of it, wasn't the sitcom Becker, starring ted danson another show that featured a black and white cast of actors in the lead roles?

i mean with the way sitcoms have been in the last 15 years or so, maybe this radical change is just what this genre needs and to give it a kick up the backside it deserves. i would dearly love to see this idea taken into consideration and incorporated on tv and hopefully, if it becomes successful via the pilot or through numerous shows, it will take off.

although come to think of it, wasn't the sitcom Becker, starring ted danson another show that featured a black and white cast of actors in the lead roles?

TV shows copy each other. Look at reality based television. There was nothing like it until Survivor. After a season every network had their own reality based show. Or look at the 1970's with the Private Eye Detective Police series. You had Rockford Files, Magnum PI, Kojack, Starsky and Hutch, CHiPs, Hawaii Five-O, and Simon and Simon. These are all shows that were on the air in the late 1970's. How many Private Eye shows are on the air today?

TV is a copycat business. If something becomes popular every network will imitate it. Nobody wants to be creative and try something new and different. If 1 sitcom becomes a hit we will have 20+ new sitcoms in less than a season.

There is also the question of money. Networks try to be cheap. Remember when Larry Hagman had to threaten to quit Dallas and the show went so far as to write episodes without Hagman? At the last second the network paid Hagman. Or how about Susan Summers getting the boot off Three's Company when she requested a raise. The reason networks love reality TV is because it is cheap. The talent is free. There are no stars who will ask for a million dollars an episode like the cast of Freinds.

Although these shows take place in a Prison, Oz and Orange is the New Black fits into that category.

WELCOME BACK KOTTER was probably the best sitcom that had both Black and White and a different Ethnic group (Puerto Rican) as STARS

They were also a few shows that I can think of that had black and white as recurring stars. Some might be more comedy dramas as opposed to sitcoms(you decide)

ROOM 222 (1969-1974) Llody Haynes... Karen Valentine

Their was a sitcom back in 1968-1971 called JULIA where Diahann Carroll had the STARRING role with whites as supporting actors and acctessses.

ALL IN THE FAMILY introduced us to THE JEFFERSONS which lead to a spin-off of their own show.

Some drama's (1960's and 1980 or 1990's)

MANNIX Mike Conners, Gail Fisher
I SPY Bill Cosby, Robert Culp
IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT Carroll O'Conner, Alan Autry...Howard Rollins, Crysral R. Fox..
MIAMI VICE Don Johnson, Philip Micheal Thomas


I know I gave more than sitcoms, but I am going by memory, so I'll stop.:crazy:

Didn't Gimme a Break! have a black and white cast?

I know that Nell Carter and Telma Hopkins were the main members of the show that were black, but their stories were most of the episode sometimes.

WELCOME BACK KOTTER was probably the best sitcom that had both Black and White and a different Ethnic group (Puerto Rican) as STARS

They were also a few shows that I can think of that had black and white as recurring stars. Some might be more comedy dramas as opposed to sitcoms(you decide)

ROOM 222 (1969-1974) Llody Haynes... Karen Valentine

Their was a sitcom back in 1968-1971 called JULIA where Diahann Carroll had the STARRING role with whites as supporting actors and acctessses.

ALL IN THE FAMILY introduced us to THE JEFFERSONS which lead to a spin-off of their own show.

Some drama's (1960's and 1980 or 1990's)

MANNIX Mike Conners, Gail Fisher
I SPY Bill Cosby, Robert Culp
IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT Carroll O'Conner, Alan Autry...Howard Rollins, Crysral R. Fox..
MIAMI VICE Don Johnson, Philip Micheal Thomas


I know I gave more than sitcoms, but I am going by memory, so I'll stop.:crazy:


Yeah!! Totally !! I was just going to post In the heat of the night and Room 222!! ;) So many successful TV shows already have/had a Black and White cast!;)

More of a White cast than a Black cast ,but two that come to mind are King of Queens ,Doug a White guy and one of the main characters Deacon a Black guy was his best friend! Also on Mike and Molly. Mike's friend Carl is a prominent character in the show! ;)

I can think of a couple other shows

MOD SQUAD One black, one white, one blonde.... seems it was a break though for young actors, both black and female to have a starring role.

EMERGENCY! In addition to the main two stars:
John Gage (Randolph Mantooth), Roy Desota (Kevin Tighe)
you also had the hospital staff and station 51 staff:
The hospital had Dixie McCall (Julia London) and a young black intern Dr Mike Morton (Ron Pickard)
The station staff, you had a Mexician descent Marco Lopez (played himself)

I thought Becker and Night Court were successful shows that had white and black actors working together.

Yeah!! Totally !! I was just going to post In the heat of the night and Room 222!! ;) So many successful TV shows already have/had a Black and White cast!;)

More of a White cast than a Black cast ,but two that come to mind are King of Queens ,Doug a White guy and one of the main characters Deacon a Black guy was his best friend! Also on Mike and Molly. Mike's friend Carl is a prominent character in the show! ;)
King of Queens is a good example for sure

Benson was a white show that just happened to have a black lead if you ask me.

new girl currently airng on fox has a black and white cast

i was wondering what are the chances of a successful american sitcom with a main cast made of predominately black AND white (sitcom) actors and actresses airing on tv? do you think that we will ever see a sitcom of this type appearing on our screens in the future?

many american sitcoms- past and present- have been syndicated on air, produced and written and almost all of them are targeted towards two main audiences: blacks and whites. eg, blacks- the cosby show, good times, sanford and son, the fresh prince to name; whites- frasier, friends, seinfeld, bewitched, roseanne to name. these shows have a predominately white/black cast of actors

also, do you think this would be good for the sitcom genre, as a whole- or is this detrimental and will turn viewers off? of course, it's important that the interests of black, white and i'd even say asian audiences are catered for in the tv industry, especially in the sitcom market. but is having a cast of black and white actors together as characters in these shows, and thus further highlight and reflect america's multi-racial diversity in society today, the way forward? considering we are living in the 21st century

There was The Hughleys.

I think The Facts of Life can qualify for this as well. Of course we have a black female as part of the Main Cast. And we also got to see her whole entire family on the show in different episodes. There was an episode that centered around her and her dad in season 1. In season 2 they shown her Grandma, Aunt, and Uncle in an episode that was centered around her family. Her aunt and uncle were an interracial couple that was even considered to get a Spin-off. In season 4 there was an episode that was centered around her and her brother in a drunk driving episode. We seen her cousin in a season 5 episode and we seen her Mother in the same season as well that was centered around their relationship. We seen her mother again in a season 7 episode where Tootie graduated from High School.

I don't think people would want to create shows just based on the race of the actors. Maybe if it was a show based on the marragie of a mixed couple, then it might work though.
THE JEFFERSONS

Mixed Couple: Tom & Helen Willis.

The show was a major success and the cast was black and white.

Blacks: George, Louise, Florence, Lionel, Jenny, Helen
Whites: Bentley, Tom, Alan, Ralph, Charlie, Mr. Whittendale