What sitcoms were ahead of their time and why? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Schmo · 07-11-2019, 08:31 PM

There are sitcoms that flopped in the ratings or were disliked by network brass but turned out to be ahead of their time. Which ones were ahead of their time and what made them so? Don’t just rattle off titles.

Tubehead · 07-11-2019, 11:50 PM

comedies
the honeymooners
hanging with mr cooper
the wonder years
boy meets world
the jeffersons
the golden girls
amen
home inmprovment
perfect strangers
family mattes
family ties

kids tv shows & Anmited tv series
nickelodeon's are you afraid of the dark?
mighty morphin power rangers
1990s the real ghost busters Animated tv series
loony toons Anmited tv serise
wbs 1990 batman the Anmited tv series
1990s fox's X-MEN THE Anmited tv series
fox's 1990 spider-man the Animated tv serise
1990s teeange mutant ninja turtlers Anmited tv series
1980s he-man & master of the universe Anmited tv series
nickelodeon;s tiny toons Anmited tv series
1980s Alvin & the chipmunks Anmited tv series

mine are:
kung fu legend counties
Quantum leap
early edition
seven days

Schmo · 07-12-2019, 12:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tubehead

comedies
the honeymooners
hanging with mr cooper
the wonder years
boy meets world
the jeffersons
the golden girls
amen
home inmprovment
perfect strangers
family mattes
family ties

kids tv shows & Anmited tv series
nickelodeon's are you afraid of the dark?
mighty morphin power rangers
1990s the real ghost busters Animated tv series
loony toons Anmited tv serise
wbs 1990 batman the Anmited tv series
1990s fox's X-MEN THE Anmited tv series
fox's 1990 spider-man the Animated tv serise
1990s teeange mutant ninja turtlers Anmited tv series
1980s he-man & master of the universe Anmited tv series
nickelodeon;s tiny toons Anmited tv series
1980s Alvin & the chipmunks Anmited tv series

mine are:
kung fu legend counties
Quantum leap
early edition
seven days

You rattled off a lot of titles but didn’t give your opinion as to why those shows were ahead of their time.

dee2364 · 07-13-2019, 04:21 PM

1. Get a Life, starring Chris Elliott. Not only was it one of the most bizarre, anarchic shows on TV, it was ripped off by South Park (they stole the whole "OMG, you killed Kenny" bit from GAL). I think it's still ahead of its time because outside of South Park, no show has really tried to capture its zaniness. It's just too out there.

2. Wait Til Your Father Gets Home. This was a 1970s prime time animated series about a dysfunctional family. You can tell that it inspired everything from The Simpsons to Family Guy. The girl in that show looks like Meg Griffin, and Married with Children ripped off a part of the opening credits for its opening credits.

3. Quark. This was a sci-fi comedy that capitalized on Star Wars-mania. It came out long before the Britcom, Red Dwarf.

Schmo · 07-13-2019, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dee2364

1. Get a Life, starring Chris Elliott. Not only was it one of the most bizarre, anarchic shows on TV, it was ripped off by South Park (they stole the whole "OMG, you killed Kenny" bit from GAL).

2. Wait Til Your Father Gets Home. This was a 1970s prime time animated series about a dysfunctional family dealing with modern issues. You can tell that it inspired everything from The Simpsons to Family Guy. Hell, the girl in that show looks like Meg Griffin.

3. Quark. This was a sci-fi comedy that capitalized on Star Wars-mania. It came out long before the Britcom, Red Dwarf.

WTYFGH had Tom Bosley voicing the lead character. Like Happy Days, it was also based on a Love, American Style segment.

dee2364 · 07-14-2019, 10:11 PM

Just remembered a few more:

1. American Gothic, starring Gary Cole. This was a precursor to all the "dark" stylish horror shows right now and came out years before The X Files, which copped a similar style.

2. The Job. This was the first legitimately "mature/edgy" comedy series on TV that is now so commonplace. It was just too edgy for its own good at the time, so I guess it was canceled.

3. Cop Rock. This show was ridiculed to hell and back when it came out but think about it--it was a concept that was ahead of its time.

4. Galavant, for the exact same reason. This was such an adorable TV show but I guess it never really picked up because it was a musical comedy, so it was canned.

5. When Things Were Rotten, a parody of the Robin Hood legend. You can see how it may have inspired Britcoms like Blackadder.

6. Hannibal. This was one of the most stylish and artistic shows ever shot in the history of network television. Every episode was like watching an art house film by Fellini or something. Should've never, ever, ever been canceled.

And how could I forget the most famous "ahead of its time and was canceled" show of all time???

7. Police Squad, which wound up spawning three hugely successful movies several years after it was canceled.

Edward216 · 07-15-2019, 01:13 AM

I couldn't disagree more. Cop Rock is one of the most ridiculous and stupid things ever allowed on television. I can't believe the network aired as many episodes of it as they did before they cancelled it. What on earth was Stephen Bochco thinking? Just an incredibly bad idea period.

Ed.

RetroGuy2000 · 07-15-2019, 01:43 AM

The Facts of Life - the first four seasons, anyway. The first sitcom to feature a disabled actress as a semi-regular (Geri Warner). The first sitcom to show a teenage girl questioning her sexuality (Cindy Webster). Possibly the first sitcom with an all-female cast. They eventually moved away from "issues" episodes, and the later seasons declined in quality, in part due to this.

Several Norman Lear shows pushed the envelope at the time they were made.

The Golden Girls, for sure. So many episodes tackled important issues of the day that it's clear the producers wanted to make a difference in people's lives.

The Simpsons, if an animated show can be considered a sitcom. The first eight seasons were amazing and so ahead of their time.

OH Nuts! · 07-15-2019, 10:46 PM

There are quite a few, but IMO leaps and bounds the most so All In The Family!

Heenan Fan · 07-16-2019, 03:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OH Nuts!

There are quite a few, but IMO leaps and bounds the most so All In The Family!

By a mile, thank you OH Nuts! And they did it with by being cerebral, comedy, and class! 3c.

Gemini_89 · 05-19-2022, 12:55 PM

The Jeffersons: The first sitcom to prominently feature a married interracial couple.

Family Matters: First science nerd who was a black kid?

07-11-2019, 08:31 PM	#1
Schmo Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Aug 24, 2013 Posts: 466	What sitcoms were ahead of their time and why? There are sitcoms that flopped in the ratings or were disliked by network brass but turned out to be ahead of their time. Which ones were ahead of their time and what made them so? Don’t just rattle off titles.

07-14-2019, 10:11 PM	#6
dee2364 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Feb 20, 2019 Posts: 643	Just remembered a few more: 1. American Gothic, starring Gary Cole. This was a precursor to all the "dark" stylish horror shows right now and came out years before The X Files, which copped a similar style. 2. The Job. This was the first legitimately "mature/edgy" comedy series on TV that is now so commonplace. It was just too edgy for its own good at the time, so I guess it was canceled. 3. Cop Rock. This show was ridiculed to hell and back when it came out but think about it--it was a concept that was ahead of its time. 4. Galavant, for the exact same reason. This was such an adorable TV show but I guess it never really picked up because it was a musical comedy, so it was canned. 5. When Things Were Rotten, a parody of the Robin Hood legend. You can see how it may have inspired Britcoms like Blackadder. 6. Hannibal. This was one of the most stylish and artistic shows ever shot in the history of network television. Every episode was like watching an art house film by Fellini or something. Should've never, ever, ever been canceled. And how could I forget the most famous "ahead of its time and was canceled" show of all time??? 7. Police Squad, which wound up spawning three hugely successful movies several years after it was canceled.
	Last edited by dee2364; 07-15-2019 at 09:23 AM.

07-15-2019, 01:43 AM	#8
RetroGuy2000 Julie,Julie Anne,&Felice 4Ever Forum Star Join Date: Dec 27, 2013 Posts: 16,914	The Facts of Life - the first four seasons, anyway. The first sitcom to feature a disabled actress as a semi-regular (Geri Warner). The first sitcom to show a teenage girl questioning her sexuality (Cindy Webster). Possibly the first sitcom with an all-female cast. They eventually moved away from "issues" episodes, and the later seasons declined in quality, in part due to this. Several Norman Lear shows pushed the envelope at the time they were made. The Golden Girls, for sure. So many episodes tackled important issues of the day that it's clear the producers wanted to make a difference in people's lives. The Simpsons, if an animated show can be considered a sitcom. The first eight seasons were amazing and so ahead of their time.
	__________________ The Facts of Life's "Lost Girls" Tribute to Julie Piekarski, Eastland Girl Join "The Group", Sitcoms Online's Facts of Life group!

07-11-2019, 11:50 PM	#2
Tubehead Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Feb 12, 2007 Location: chattanooga.tn Posts: 5,139	comedies the honeymooners hanging with mr cooper the wonder years boy meets world the jeffersons the golden girls amen home inmprovment perfect strangers family mattes family ties kids tv shows & Anmited tv series nickelodeon's are you afraid of the dark? mighty morphin power rangers 1990s the real ghost busters Animated tv series loony toons Anmited tv serise wbs 1990 batman the Anmited tv series 1990s fox's X-MEN THE Anmited tv series fox's 1990 spider-man the Animated tv serise 1990s teeange mutant ninja turtlers Anmited tv series 1980s he-man & master of the universe Anmited tv series nickelodeon;s tiny toons Anmited tv series 1980s Alvin & the chipmunks Anmited tv series mine are: kung fu legend counties Quantum leap early edition seven days

07-13-2019, 04:21 PM	#4
dee2364 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Feb 20, 2019 Posts: 643	1. Get a Life, starring Chris Elliott. Not only was it one of the most bizarre, anarchic shows on TV, it was ripped off by South Park (they stole the whole "OMG, you killed Kenny" bit from GAL). I think it's still ahead of its time because outside of South Park, no show has really tried to capture its zaniness. It's just too out there. 2. Wait Til Your Father Gets Home. This was a 1970s prime time animated series about a dysfunctional family. You can tell that it inspired everything from The Simpsons to Family Guy. The girl in that show looks like Meg Griffin, and Married with Children ripped off a part of the opening credits for its opening credits. 3. Quark. This was a sci-fi comedy that capitalized on Star Wars-mania. It came out long before the Britcom, Red Dwarf.

07-15-2019, 01:13 AM	#7
Edward216 Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 18, 2014 Location: Central Time Zone Posts: 4,634	I couldn't disagree more. Cop Rock is one of the most ridiculous and stupid things ever allowed on television. I can't believe the network aired as many episodes of it as they did before they cancelled it. What on earth was Stephen Bochco thinking? Just an incredibly bad idea period. Ed.

07-15-2019, 10:46 PM	#9
OH Nuts! Member Forum King Join Date: Feb 15, 2005 Posts: 133,383	There are quite a few, but IMO leaps and bounds the most so All In The Family!

05-19-2022, 12:55 PM	#11
Gemini_89 Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 09, 2009 Location: Unknown Posts: 1,294	The Jeffersons: The first sitcom to prominently feature a married interracial couple. Family Matters: First science nerd who was a black kid?