Tonight I watch Back to you for the first time and wasn't expecting to see any home scenes in the pilot. So that was a little unexpected especially the way it was promoted and wanted to ask people who watched workplace comedies in the past how often were scenes at the home ? Was it sometimes or kind of half and half?

I think with MTM it was more or less half and half. A lot of episodes dealt with Mary's (and Rhoda's) dating situation, rather than the newsroom. You also have to remember that you had two major characters, Rhoda and Phyllis, who were pretty much only ever seen at home. So of course there would be home scenes.

Murphy Brown had home scenes, too, but not as many, I don't think. But that prob. changed as the series went on, with the addition of Avery. Obviously, he would be seen more at home, since he was Murphy's child. And of course, there was Eldin, who was ALWAYS in Murphy's house, that was the running joke.

Hope that helps, Solomon.

i can't say about MTM as i've only really ever seen a few episodes, but MB i've seen almost all the episodes and i'd say it's about half and half; Murphy's home scenes usually involved her painter Eldin, who came on in the pilot episode and was supposed to paint one room of the house, but ended up staying the entire series and continually was drawing odd murals around the house; but the focus of the realtionship became that he was Murphy's confidant and became a close friend of hers.

I think Less than Perfect was mainly at the workplace

Barney Miller was awesome workplace comedy.

Barney Miller was awesome workplace comedy.
and BM started out showing his home life too but they later eliminated it.

and BM started out showing his home life too but they later eliminated it.


That was a GOOD MOVE-lol

That was a GOOD MOVE-lol
I second that. The show wouldn't have lasted 8 seasons if they'd kept the home life. Good call. Other sitcoms like Mary Tyler Moore and Bob Newhart balanced work/home lives very well, but Barney Miller wasn't one of them.

That was a GOOD MOVE-lol
That was an awesome move. I don't need to see family members, wives, etc. Just give me comedy in one place. ;)

That was an awesome move. I don't need to see family members, wives, etc. Just give me comedy in one place. ;)
If they wanted to give Chano a wife, I would've been happy to accept the role. They wouldn't even have to pay me!! :eyes: :rofl:

Corner Gas is a workplace comedy, but, you see them at home, Irene ;) ( and just about everywhere else in town, for that matter )< Similar to Andy Griffith show in that manner, actually, a workplace comedy that was all over town

Murphy Brown had home scenes, too, but not as many, I don't think. But that prob. changed as the series went on, with the addition of Avery. Obviously, he would be seen more at home, since he was Murphy's child. And of course, there was Eldin, who was ALWAYS in Murphy's house, that was the running joke.

I haven't watched Murphy on a regular basis in a couple of years, but from what I remember, they showed her home life often. Of course she was at work more though...As the show went on, I do believe they showed more of her at home, especially after she had the baby, and then later on when she was sick.

Suddenly Susan also a workplace comedy showed the home lives of it's characters a rather lot.

whereas Newsradio very rarely, if ever showed the home life of it's characters.

WKRP rarely showed its characters at home. Caroline in the City was a rare breed - for most of its run, the home and the office were the SAME!! :lol:

That was an awesome move. I don't need to see family members, wives, etc. Just give me comedy in one place. ;)
I disagree. I like to get a glimpse of their home life. That's what was so great about "Frasier." It wouldn't have been as good if it was just Frasier, Roz, Bulldog, etc at the radio station for the entire 30 minutes. I liked the balance between the professional and personal lives of the characters.

We also saw a lot of Susan's home life throughout the entire run of "Suddenly Susan."

Corner Gas is a workplace comedy, but, you see them at home, Irene ;) ( and just about everywhere else in town, for that matter )< Similar to Andy Griffith show in that manner, actually, a workplace comedy that was all over town
I don't see it as a workplace comedy. I know it is in general, but this is a small-town comedy and no matter where the scene is at, it is a hoot. This show is so damn funny. Even when Emma and her husband were shown in the basement, that was hysterical. Hell, even in the cop car with the those two characters, it is funny. :lol: :lol: :lol:

Hey Factsoflife, I was writing my post, but I stopped for a few minutes, and you wrote about Susan. NICE! I was writing about her too.

I hardly remember Veronica's Closet. Does anyone know about this one?

And yes Solomon, Claude and company were seen at the office most of the time, on Less Than Perfect.

Hey Factsoflife, I was writing my post, but I stopped for a few minutes, and you wrote about Susan. NICE! I was writing about her too.

I hardly remember Veronica's Closet. Does anyone know about this one?

And yes Solomon, Claude and company were seen at the office most of the time, on Less Than Perfect.


Veronica's Closet was mostly work but on occassion they made reference to her home life. i believe we saw her get married or divorced on the show.

On Cheers you'd see their home lives a little, but most of the action took place in the bar. I liked when they'd show a character at home, it made them seem more real.

I don't get why you all hate the mix of home and work in workplace comedies. Just because most of their scenes are at work doessn't mean they can't show scenes at home. Murphy Brown, definitely the last most successful workplace comedy, had many scenes at home in it's first season, and even more as the show went on, yet I still loved the show. Sure, it dealt with politics, activism, and journalism, but it also dealt with family and a home life as well.

I don't think Back to You is really anything like Murphy Brown. Murphy's pilot was 20 times better than BTY's, but it's a touch comparison. I think if they just stick to small doses of the kid and home life, the show will be good.

WKRP rarely showed its characters at home. Caroline in the City was a rare breed - for most of its run, the home and the office were the SAME!! :lol:

that's true. caroline would work as well as live in her own loft- which was a rarity for sitcoms back in the 90s. but it worked because as the show progressed viewers of CITC felt that it was the ideal place for the characters to exchange banter. it was so natural for the likes of annie, del and richard to drop by at caroline's apartment and for all types of situations to arise and conversations to take place between them and caroline. i hated the office, i didn't see the point of having it in the fourth season, it was a bad idea that should never have been considered

I don't get why you all hate the mix of home and work in workplace comedies. Just because most of their scenes are at work doessn't mean they can't show scenes at home. Murphy Brown, definitely the last most successful workplace comedy, had many scenes at home in it's first season, and even more as the show went on, yet I still loved the show. Sure, it dealt with politics, activism, and journalism, but it also dealt with family and a home life as well.

I don't think Back to You is really anything like Murphy Brown. Murphy's pilot was 20 times better than BTY's, but it's a touch comparison. I think if they just stick to small doses of the kid and home life, the show will be good.



I just hope the role of the daughter is like it was in the pilot of Back to you, VERY SMALL-lol

I just hope the role of the daughter is like it was in the pilot of Back to you, VERY SMALL-lol

That's what I'm hoping for, too. I'm sure the whole father-daughter thing will continue to be a secret until the end of the season, just to keep a continuous storyline. I'm sure most of the episodes will revolve around the workplace. That's why I didn't like how everyone criticized it for not being a workplace comedy.

Workplace/homeplace the same:
Chico and the Man
Fawlty Towers
Grace and Favour
Sandford and Son

Mostly workplace comedy:
Are you Being served
Alice
WKRP in Cincinati



Became workplace comedy:
Archie Bunker's Place