Would This Show Have Been Made if the Gender Had Been Reversed? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

horizonbeach11 · 08-09-2018, 09:43 AM

As I'm watching these very early episodes of M3S where the entire household was male, I can't help but think of my own childhood growing up in a household that was just the exact opposite. It was me, my mom, and my two sisters because my dad died very young and my mom didn't remarry until we were grown.

In light of the times in which this show was on the air, do you think anyone would have ever thought to do a show like this but instead with a widowed mother and her three daughters? I don't see it, just because women were still portrayed at that time as the weaker sex and a woman's place was still largely in the home and under the authority of her husband. The idea of a widowed mother with only daughters just doesn't feel right for the the early '60s era and it seems that no one would have been willing to write the mother as a strong, competent, and yes, working outside the home, leader. The implication would have been that the poor, somewhat scatterbrained females needed a male in the mix to be the strong leader.

If you think about it, it was not until the mid-'70s that a show like this existed, "One Day at a Time", and it was considered somewhat groundbreaking, thought the minor difference was that the mother was divorced and not widowed. There were earlier shows with widowed mothers to be sure, "Petticoat Junction", "The Doris Day Show", "The Partridge Family", and "Alice" are the ones that come to mind. But in all of those shows the mothers either had a son or sons that helped add a certain "strength" to the cast (Keith and Danny Partridge who were wiser than their years, Tommy Hyatt who Alice sought advice from fairly often), or an older male mentor who helped around the house (Uncle Joe in "Petticoat Junction", the older guy in "Doris Day", don't remember his name). The idea that Ann Romano in ODAAT could manage a household with two daughters all on her own was a new phenomenon and she was forced to play the part in a fairly tough and gritty way to reinforce the idea that she could handle it. And even then they had to throw in a male character in the person of Schneider, the building superintendent who popped in on the family constantly.

I think it's an interesting question, if M3S could have succeeded, or even been made in the first place, as M3D. My thought is no.

stevea · 08-09-2018, 03:25 PM

Hmm...My Three Daughters. It could have been interesting.

BTW Uncle Joe wasn't much help...he really didn't do anything. So PJ might be the closest for real example.

Hazel Anyday · 08-09-2018, 10:58 PM

I you wish there was an all girl version of My 3 Sons, you'll love the Sons episode Season 2, epis. 30, "Coincidence" when Steve runs into a house exactly like his except everyone in it is a girl/lady/old lady. Verna Felton plays a female type Bub, her name is "Mub". Watch this episode for your dreams to come true.

TV Guy · 08-10-2018, 07:48 AM

“Petticoat Junction” portrayed a wise widow with three daughters. Yes, Uncle Joe was in the cast, but he was portrayed as a lazy idiot whom Kate Bradley constantly needed to bail out.

lowesman · 12-21-2018, 01:44 AM

The answer to that question is yes, provided that there would've been an additional caretaker. Without an additional caretaker like Bub a show featuring a single parent of either gender would not have flown in that era. The earliest show that I can remember that featured someone completely single raising a child without any help may have been PUNKY BREWSTER. You could also say DIFF'RENT STROKES or SILVER SPOONS if you want to push the definition. As for that season 2 episode, it was one of the funniest in the series. Last time it was on I missed half of the episode because I overslept, but I saw the whole episode in July 2017. It was hilarious!

biffbronson · 05-04-2019, 10:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lowesman

The earliest show that I can remember that featured someone completely single raising a child without any help may have been PUNKY BREWSTER.

What about Julia (1968-71), starring Diahann Carroll (widow raising young son alone)?

08-09-2018, 09:43 AM	#1
horizonbeach11 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Mar 05, 2018 Location: Inside a console TV Posts: 109	Would This Show Have Been Made if the Gender Had Been Reversed? As I'm watching these very early episodes of M3S where the entire household was male, I can't help but think of my own childhood growing up in a household that was just the exact opposite. It was me, my mom, and my two sisters because my dad died very young and my mom didn't remarry until we were grown. In light of the times in which this show was on the air, do you think anyone would have ever thought to do a show like this but instead with a widowed mother and her three daughters? I don't see it, just because women were still portrayed at that time as the weaker sex and a woman's place was still largely in the home and under the authority of her husband. The idea of a widowed mother with only daughters just doesn't feel right for the the early '60s era and it seems that no one would have been willing to write the mother as a strong, competent, and yes, working outside the home, leader. The implication would have been that the poor, somewhat scatterbrained females needed a male in the mix to be the strong leader. If you think about it, it was not until the mid-'70s that a show like this existed, "One Day at a Time", and it was considered somewhat groundbreaking, thought the minor difference was that the mother was divorced and not widowed. There were earlier shows with widowed mothers to be sure, "Petticoat Junction", "The Doris Day Show", "The Partridge Family", and "Alice" are the ones that come to mind. But in all of those shows the mothers either had a son or sons that helped add a certain "strength" to the cast (Keith and Danny Partridge who were wiser than their years, Tommy Hyatt who Alice sought advice from fairly often), or an older male mentor who helped around the house (Uncle Joe in "Petticoat Junction", the older guy in "Doris Day", don't remember his name). The idea that Ann Romano in ODAAT could manage a household with two daughters all on her own was a new phenomenon and she was forced to play the part in a fairly tough and gritty way to reinforce the idea that she could handle it. And even then they had to throw in a male character in the person of Schneider, the building superintendent who popped in on the family constantly. I think it's an interesting question, if M3S could have succeeded, or even been made in the first place, as M3D. My thought is no.

08-09-2018, 10:58 PM	#3
Hazel Anyday Member Senior Member Join Date: Apr 12, 2002 Posts: 2,135	All Gal Dreams Do Come True I you wish there was an all girl version of My 3 Sons, you'll love the Sons episode Season 2, epis. 30, "Coincidence" when Steve runs into a house exactly like his except everyone in it is a girl/lady/old lady. Verna Felton plays a female type Bub, her name is "Mub". Watch this episode for your dreams to come true.
	__________________ Haaazeelll!!

08-09-2018, 03:25 PM	#2
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,677	Hmm...My Three Daughters. It could have been interesting. BTW Uncle Joe wasn't much help...he really didn't do anything. So PJ might be the closest for real example.

08-10-2018, 07:48 AM	#4
TV Guy Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 25, 2001 Location: Boston, MA, USA Posts: 3,419	“Petticoat Junction” portrayed a wise widow with three daughters. Yes, Uncle Joe was in the cast, but he was portrayed as a lazy idiot whom Kate Bradley constantly needed to bail out.

12-21-2018, 01:44 AM	#5
lowesman Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Dec 21, 2018 Posts: 24	The answer to that question is yes, provided that there would've been an additional caretaker. Without an additional caretaker like Bub a show featuring a single parent of either gender would not have flown in that era. The earliest show that I can remember that featured someone completely single raising a child without any help may have been PUNKY BREWSTER. You could also say DIFF'RENT STROKES or SILVER SPOONS if you want to push the definition. As for that season 2 episode, it was one of the funniest in the series. Last time it was on I missed half of the episode because I overslept, but I saw the whole episode in July 2017. It was hilarious!