The 1980-1983 era was a bad time for sitcoms

[jehobden]

I have a copy of the 2nd edition of Rick Metz' The Great TV Sitcom Book, published in 1983, and it listed all the sitcoms from the seasons 1979-1980 (last season covered in 1st edition), 1980-1981, 1981-1982, and 1982-1983 under a title "Whatever Happened to 19XX-19XX". There had been none of what he called "Front Runners" since Mork & Mindy and Taxi in 1978-1979. He called all the sitcoms of those years, as well as the majority of sitcoms from previous years, as "Also Rans". Cheers was listed as an "Also Ran" in this edition, but the next edition, after The Cosby Show reenergized the genre, re-designated Cheers as a "Front Runner" and named The Cosby Show, and probably several other 80s sitcoms, as "Front Runners". BTW, "Front Runner" was not necessarily a compliment from him, as he gave that designation to Three's Company (incorrectly in 1977-1978 instead of 1976-1977) and then spent the next few pages trashing it.

I remember TV Guide had an article in its July 21, 1984 edition proclaiming the death of the American sitcom. I don't have it available to me to review right now, but I recall it stated that so many dramatic & action shows of the period (like Magnum PI and The A-Team) had so much comedy in them that there wasn't as much need for sitcoms to make audiences laugh. Of course The Cosby Show premiered 2 months later and made this article and its author look somewhat foolish.

[Sal]

Originally Posted by jehobden

I have a copy of the 2nd edition of Rick Metz' The Great TV Sitcom Book, published in 1983, and it listed all the sitcoms from the seasons 1979-80 (last season covered in 1st edition), 1980-81, 1981-82, and 1982-83 under a title "Whatever Happened to 19XX-XX". There had been none of what he called "Front Runners" since Mork & Mindy and Taxi in 1978-79. He called all the sitcoms of those years, as well as the majority of sitcoms from previous years, as "Also Rans". Cheers was listed as an "Also Ran" in this edition, but the next edition, after The Cosby Show reenergized the genre, re-designated Cheers as a "Front Runner" and named The Cosby Show, and probably several other 80s sitcoms, as "Front Runners". BTW, "Front Runner" was not necessarily a compliment from him, as he gave that designation to Three's Company (incorrectly in 1977-78 instead of 1976-77) and then spent the next few pages trashing it.

I remember TV Guide had an article in its July 21, 1984 edition proclaiming the death of the American sitcom. I don't have it available to me to review right now, but I recall it stated that so many dramatic & action shows of the period (like Magnum PI and The A-Team) had so much comedy in them that there wasn't as much need for sitcoms to make audiences laugh.

I found a link which had the Table Of Contents listed for the 1983 edition with all of the Front Runners and Also-Rans clearly spelled out. Here it is in full:

The Great TV Sitcom Book - 1983



CONFESSIONS OF A SITCOM ADDICT ....1
OWNER'S MANUAL ....2
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS: how to use this book 3 • SITCOMMENTS 3 • So What Is a Sitcom, Anyway? 3 • Some Words About Words 4 • Seven Sitcom Species 5 • Setcoms 5 • Stock Sitcom Characters 6 • Good for a Laugh 7 • Canned Laughter 8 • Laugh Insurance 8 • The First Sitcoms 8 • The Sitcom Stork 9 • What's in a Name? 9 • Reruns 10 • Sitcom Cydes 10 • Sitcom Statement ....10

1949-1950

Front Runners
The Goldbergs ....13
Mama ....17
Also Rans: The Aldrich Family 22 • Apartment 3-C 22 • The Hartmans 22 • Heavens to Betsy 22 • The Life of Riley 23 • Lum and Abner 23 • The Pinky Lee Show 23 • Wesley 23 • Wren's Nest 24 • Young and Gay/The Girls ....24

1950-1951

Front Runners
Amos 'n' Andy ....27
The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show ....33
Also Rans: Beulah 38 • The Hank McCune Show 38 • Meet Corliss Archer 38 • Menasha the Magnificent 39 • The Peter and Mary Show 39 • The Ruggles 39 • The Stu Erwin Show: The Trouble with Father 39 • That Wonderful Guy ....39

1951-1952

Front Runners I Love Lucy ....41
My Little Margie ....51
Mr. Peepers ....55
Also Rans: Boss Lady 59 • A Date with Judy 59 • The Egg and I 59 • It's a Business? 60 • Those Two 60 • Two Girls Named Smith 60 • Young Mr. Bobbin ....60

1952-1953

Front Runners
The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet ....63
I Married Joan ....69
The Life of Riley ....71
Our Miss Brooks ....75
Private Secretary ....81
Also Rans: Dave and Charley 83 • Doc Corkle 83 • Duffy's Tavern 83 • Ethel and Albert 83 • Heaven for Betsy 84 • Leave It to Larry 84 • Life with Luigi 84 • Meet Millie 84 • My Friend Irma 85 • My Hero 85 • My Son Jeep ....85

1953-1954

Front Runners
Make Room for Daddy/The Danny Thomas Show ....87
Topper ....95
Also Rans: Bonino 98 • Colonel Flack 98 • The Duke 98 • Jamie 98 • Life with Elizabeth 99 • Life with Father 99 • Marge and Jeff 99 • The Marriage 99 • Meet Mr. McNulty/The Ray Milland Show 99 • My Favorite Husband 100 • Pride of the Family 100 • Take It from Me 100 • Where's Raymond? ....100

1954-1955

Front Runners
December Bride ....103
Father Knows Best ....107
Love that Bob ....113
Also Rans: Dear Phoebe 115 • The Donald O'Connor Texaco Show: Here Comes Donald 115 • Halls of Ivy 115 • Hey Mulligan 115 • Honestly Celeste! 116 • It's a Great Life 116 • The Joe Palooka Story 116 • Mayor of the Town 116 • Norby 116 • Professional Father 116 • So This Is Hollywood 117 • The Soldiers 117 • That's My Boy 117 • Those Whiting Girls 117 • Willy 117 • The World of Mr. Sweeney ....117

1955-1956

Front Runners
The Honeymooners ....119
The Phil Silvers Show: You'll Never Get Rich ....125
Also Rans: The Charlie Farrell Show 130 • The Great Gildersleeve 130 • It's Always Jan 131 • Joe and Mabel 131 • The People's Choice ....131

1956-1957

Whatever Happened to 1956-1957? ....132
Also Rans: The Adventures of Hiram Holliday 132 • Blondie 133 • The Brothers 133 • A Date with the Angels 133 • Hey Jeannie! 133 • His Honor, Homer Bell 133 • The Marge and Gower Champion Show 134 • Mr. Adams and Eve 134 • Oh! Susanna 134 • Stanley ....134

1957-1958

Front Runners
Leave It to Beaver ....137
The Real McCoys ....141
Also Rans: Bachelor Father 145 • Dick and the Duchess 145 • The Eve Arden Show 146 • Love that Jill 146 • Sally 146 • Tugboat Annie ....146

1958-1959

Front Runner
The Donna Reed Show ....149
Also Rans: The Ann Sothern Show 152 • The Ed Wynn Show 152 • The George Burns Show 152 • How to Marry a Millionaire 152 • Peck's Bad Girl ....152

1959-1960

Front Runner
The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis ....155
Also Rans: The Betty Hutton Show 159 • The Dennis O'Keefe Show 159 • Dennis the Menace 159 • Fibber McGee and Molly 159 • Happy 160 • Hennessey 160 • Love and Marriage 160 • Too Young to Go Steady ....160

1960-1961

Front Runners
The Andy Griffith Show ....163
My Three Sons ....169
Also Rans: Angel 172 • Bringing Up Buddy 172 • Guestward Ho! 173 • Harrigan and Son 173 • The Jim Backus Show: Hot Off the Wire 173 • My Sister Eileen 173 • Pete and Gladys 173 • Peter Loves Mary 174 • The Tab Hunter Show 174 • The Tom Ewell Show 174 • Yes Yes Nanette ....174

1961-1962

Front Runners
Car 54, Where Are You? ....177
The Dick Van Dyke Show ....181
Mr. Ed ....187
Also Rans: The Bob Cummings Show 190 • Father of the Bride 190 • The Hathaways 190 • Hazel 191 • Holiday Lodge 191 • Holiday Lodge 191 • Ichabod and Me 191 • The Joey Bishop Show 192 • The Lucy Show 192 • Margie 192 • Mrs. G. Goes to College 193 • Oh, Those Bells! 193 • One Happy Family 193 • Room For One More 193 • Window on Main Street ....193

1962-1963

Front Runner
The Beverly Hillbillies ....195
Also Rans: Don't Call Me Charlie 200 • Ensign Oloole 200 • Fair Exchange 200 • Going My Way 201 • I'm Dickens . . . He's Fenster 201 • It's a Man's World 201 • McHale's Navy 201 • McKeever and the Colonel 202 • The New Loretta Young Show ....202

1963-1964

Front Runner
My Favorite Martian ....205
Also Rans: The Bill Dana Show 206 • The Farmer's Daughter 207 • Glynis 207 • Grindl 207 • Harry's Girls 208 • Mack and Myer for Hire 208 • Mr. Smith Goes to Washington 208 • The New Phil Silvers Show 208 • Our Man Higgins 208 • The Patty Duke Show 208 • Petticoat Junction ....209

1964-1965

Frant Runners
The Addams Family/The Munsters ....211
Bewitched ....217
Also Rans: The Baileys of Balboa 220 • The Bing Crosby Show 220 • Broadside 220 • The Cara Williams Show 220 • Gilligan's Island 221 • Gomer Pyle, USMC 221 • Harris Against the World 221 • Karen 222 • Many Happy Returns 222 • Mickey 222 • My Living Doll 222 • No Time for Sergeants 223 • Tom, Dick, and Mary 223 • The Tycoon 223 • Valentine's Day 223 • Wendy and Me ....223

1965-1966

Front Runner Get Smart! ....225
Also Rans: Camp Runamuck 229 • The Double Life of Henry Phyfe 230 • F Troop 230 • Gidget 230 • Green Acres 231 • Hank 231 • Hogan's Heroes 231 • I Dream of Jeannie 232 • The John Forsythe Show 233 • Mr. Roberts 233 • Mona McCluskey 233 • My Mother the Car 233 • 0.K. Crackerby! 234 • Please Don't Eat the Daisies 234 • The Smothers Brothers Show 234 • Tammy ....234

1966-1967

Whatever Happened to 1966-1967? ....235
Also Rans: Family Affair 235 • The Hero 236 • Hey, Landlord! 236 • It's About Time 236 • The Jean Arthur Show 237 • Love on a Rooftop 237 • The Monkees 237 • Mr. Terrific 237 • My Name's McGooley, What's Yours? 238 • Occasional Wife 238 • Pistols 'n' Petticoats 238 • The Pruitts of Southampton 238 • Rango 238 • The Rounders 239 • Run, Buddy, Run 239 • The Tammy Grimes Show 239 • That Girl ....239

1967-1968

Whatever Happened to 1967-1968? ....240
Also Rans: Accidental Family 240 • Captain Nice 241 • The Flying Nun 241 • Good Morning, World 241 • He and She 241 • The Mothers-in-Law 242 • The Second Hundred Years ....242

1968-1969

Whatever Happened to 1968-1969? ....243
Also Rans: The Doris Day Show 243 • The Ghost and Mrs. Muir 244 • The Good Guys 244 • Here's Lucy 245 • Julia 245 • Mayberry, RFD 246 • The Queen and I 246 • The Ugliest Girl in Town ....246

1969-1970

Whatever Happened to 1969-1970? ....248
Also Rans: The Bill Cosby Show 248 • The Brady Bunch 249 • The Courtship of Eddie's Father 250 • The Debbie Reynolds Show 250 • The Governor and J.J. 250 • Mr. Deeds Goes to Town 251 • My World . . . and Welcome to It 251 • The Tim Conway Show 251 • To Rome with Love ....251

1970-1971

Front Runners
All in the Family ....253
The Mary Tyler Moore Show ....261
The Odd Couple ....269
Also Rans: Arnie 274 • Barefoot in the Park 274 • From a Bird's Eye View 274 • The Headmaster 274 • Make Room for Grandaddy 275 • Nancy 275 • Nanny and the Professor 275 • The New Andy Griffith Show 275 • The Partridge Family ....275

1971-1972

Front Runner
Sanford and Son ....278
Also Rans: The Chicago Teddy Bears 284 • The Corner Bar 284 • The Don Rickles Show 284 • Funny Face 285 • Getting Together 285 • The Good Life 285 • The Jimmy Stewart Show 285 • Me and the Chimp 286 • The New Dick Van Dyke Show 286 • The Partners 286 • Shirley's World 287 • The Super 287 • The Trouble with Tracy ....287

1972-1973

Front Runners
The Bob Newhart Show ....289
M*A*S*H ....297
Maude ....307
Also Rans: Anna and the King 311 • The Little People/ The Brian Keith Show 311 • Bridget Loves Bernie 312 • Here We Go Again 312 • Love Thy Neighbor 312 • The Paul Lynde Show 313 • The Sandy Duncan Show 313 • Temperatures Rising 313 • Thicker Than Water 314 • A Touch of Grace ....314

1973-1974

Front Runners
Good Times ....317
Happy Days ....321
Also Rans: Adam's Rib 327 • Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice 327 • Calucci's Department 327 • Diana 328 • Dusty's Trail 328 • The Girl with Something Extra 328 • Lotsa Luck 328 • Needles and Pins 329 • Ozzie's Girls 329 • Roll Out ....329

1974-1975

Front Runners
Barney Miller ....331
Chico and the Man ....337
The Jeffersons ....343
Rhoda ....349
Also Rans: Karen 355 • Love Nest 355 • Paper Moon 356 • Paul Sand in Friends and Lovers 356 • Sunshine 356 • The Texas Wheelers 357 • That's My Mama 357 • We'll Get By ....357

1975-1976

Front Runners
Laverne and Shirley ....359
One Day at a Time ....365
Welcome Back, Kotter ....371
Also Rans: Big Eddie 375 • The Bob Crane Show 375 • The Cop and the Kid 375 • Doc 375 • The Dumplings 376 • Far Out Space Nuts 376 • Fay 376 • The Ghost Busters 377 • Good Heavens 377 • Grady 377 • Hot 1 Baltimore 377 • Ivan the Terrible 377 • Joe and Sons 378 • The Monte-fuscos 378 • On the Rocks 378 • Phyllis 379 • Popi 379 • The Practice 379 • Viva Valdez 380 • What's Happening 380 • When Things Were Rotten ....380

1976-1977

Front Runner
Alice ....383
Also Rans: All's Fair 387 • Ball Four 387 • Blansky's Beauties 387 • Busting Loose 388 • CPO Sharkey 388 • Fish 388 • Holmes and Yoyo 389 • The Kallikaks 389 • Loves Me, Loves Me Not 389 • The McLean Stevenson Show 390 • Mr. T. and Tina 390 • The Nancy Walker Show 390 • Sirota's Court 391 • Sugar Time! 391 • Szysznyk 391 • The Tony Randall Show 392 • A Year at the Top ....392

1977-1978

Front Runner
Three's Company ....395
Also Rans: Baby, I'm Back 399 • The Betty White Show 399 • Carter Country 399 • Free Country 400 • The Harvey Korman Show 400 • Husbands, Wives and Lovers 400 • Joe and Valerie 401 • On Our Own 401 • Operation Petticoat 402 • Quark 402 • The Roller Girls 402 • The Sanford Arms 403 • The San Pedro Beach Bums 403 • Soap 403 • Tabitha 404 • The Ted Knight Show 404 • We've Got Each Other ....404

1978-....1979

Front Runners
Mork and Mindy ....407
Taxi ....411
Also Rans: A.E.S. Hudson Street 416 • Angie 416 • Another Day 416 • Apple Pie 416 • The Bad News Bears 417 • Billy 417 • Brothers and Sisters/Coed Fever/Delta House 417 • Detective School 418 • Different Strokes 418 • Dorothy 419 • Flatbush 419 • Grandpa Goes to Washington 419 • Hanging in 419 • Hello, Larry 420 • Highcliffe Manor 420 • Hizzoner 420 • In the Beginning 420 • Makin' It 421 • Miss Winslow & Son 421 • Stockard Channing in Just Friends 421 • 13 Queens Blvd. 422 • Turnabout 422 • The Waverly Wonders 422 • Who's Watching the Kids? 422 • WKRP in Cincinnati ....423

1979-1980

Whatever Happened to 1979-1980? ....424
Also Rans: Archie Bunker's Place 424 • The Associates 425 • Benson 425 • The Facts of Life 426 • Flo 427 • Goodtime Girls 427 • Good Time Harry 428 • House Calls 428 • Joe's World 429 • The Last Resort 429 • Me and Maxx 429 • A New Kind of Family 430 • Nobody's Perfect 430 • One in a Million 430 • Out of the Blue 431 • Phyl and Mikhy 431 • Sanford 432 • Semi-Tough 432 • The Six O'Clock Follies 432 • Struck by Lightning 433 • United States 433 • Working Stiffs ....434

1980-1981

Whatever Happened to 1980-1981? ....435
Also Rans: Bosom Buddies 435 • Checking In 436 • I'm a Big Girl Now 437 • Harper Valley P.T.A. /Harper Valley 437 • It's a Living/Making a Living 437 • Ladies' Man 438 • Park Place 438 • Private Benjamin 439 • Too Glose for Comfort 439 • The Two of Us ....440

1981-1982

Whatever Happened to 1981-1982? ....441
Also Rans: Bakers Dozen 441 • Best of the West 442 • Filthy Rich 442 • Gimme a Break 442 • Joanie Loves Chachi 443 • Lewis and Clark 443 • Love, Sidney 444 • Maggie 445 • Making the Grade 445 • Mr. Merlin 445 • 9 to 5 446 • No Soap Radio 446 • One of the Boys 446 • Open All Night 447 • Police Squad! 447 • Report to Murphy 448 • Teachers Only ....448

1982-1983

Whatever Happened to 1982-1983? ....449
Also Rans: Cheers 449 • Family Ties 450 • Gloria 450 • It Takes Two 451 • Mama's Family 451 • The New Odd Couple 451 • Newhart 452 • Silver Spoons 452 • Square Pegs 453 • Star of the Family ....453

THE TAGS

The Emmies: Who Won What ....454
The Ratings: Who Won What ....458
The Seasons: Who Ran the Longest ....460

INDEX ....461

© Biblioteca de la UOC

[TMC]

I've already posted articles around here in regards to the supposed "dark age" of sitcoms during the early '80s, but I'll post them again for those who haven't come across them yet:
The OTHER Diff'rent Strokes Curse

1980s sitcoms By Todd VanDerWerff | The A.V. Club

[TMC]

Originally Posted by barwars

From 66-69, the sitcom was at its worst. Following that is the current batch. I still like quite a few current sitcoms, most notably - Arrested Development.

Reply here if you think the 1960's was the worst decade for TV sitcoms

[Mr. Television]

Originally Posted by TMC

Reply here if you think the 1960's was the worst decade for TV sitcoms

No. The 1960's was one of the best decades for sitcoms. The 2000's was the worst.

[pkripper001]

I see that some of the best threads are started by people who are banned.
Dukes of Hazzard had it all,Action/Adventure,Family Comedy-drama.
There were more then that in the top 10 like:
M*A*S*H
The Love Boat
The Jeffersons
Allice
Three's Company
Too Close for Comfort
One Day at a Time
I will not list the 18 others that are out of the top 10,since some think that does not count,but I say it does count,since I watched those shows that I am not listing due to the fact they were not in the top 10.
I will go one step further to say that 2000 to the day of this post,about a decade and a half, in being the worst time for USA sitcoms.

[TVFactFan]

I should have been more clear in that thread and said that in comparison to the 1970's, the 1960's sitcoms seem kind of kiddish

[Dude111]

The music though in the 60s IS GOLD!!

[KurtfromPitts]

I used to have Mitz's book, but one of our cats did some unmentionable damage to it, so I don't have it anymore.

[TMC]

Sitcoms are being strangled by a lack of conflict

[king of comedy]

Good article.

[JSP]

Man, the Sheldon character is almost single-handedly proving sitcoms can still work in the modern day. The blueprint for sitcom success resides in characters like him.

I think the article pointed out wisely that sitcoms aren't going to work if everybody is already socially normal. There needs to be a societal dysfunction for a comedy to be truly memorable.

Calm, rational, level-headed people just are ultimately never funny.

Maybe the problem these days is we're all too "progressive" and "enlightened". Maybe the clash between progressive thought and not-so progressive is what comedy needs to remain interesting.

That's also why Donald Trump is so popular right now, not to be political. When is the last time you've heard a person, forget politician, say the things in public he has? Love him or hate him, he's always entertaining. Sitcoms need more people like Donald Trump as characters if things are going to remain interesting.

[JSP]

Originally Posted by Alan Brady's Hair

He's basically like George Steinbrenner as played by Larry David.

I view him more as a modern-day Archie Bunker in a world full of Meatheads.

[tvfreak1987]

Originally Posted by MrCleveland

"The Drew Carey Show" falls under the same line as "Gimme a Break", it had a few live episodes, it probably was critically acclaimed, it was popular, but was never a ratings-grabber!

Ah, but Drew Carey at least finished in the top 20 a few times, though.

[Patty Duke]

I don't think the 80's were bad. BUT these days I can't find any current sitcoms that I'm willing to watch. I think the 2000's will go down in history as the worst of the worst.