Why despite its popularity, was L&S not seen as a hip or sexy enough of a show

[TMC]

That's what Winifred Hervey said about the matter, when she was working as a writer around 1981. She said (at the 18:52 mark) that Laverne and Shirley was a tough show to be a part of because even though it was a really highly rated show, it didn't have the sexiness and wasn't exactly a hip show.

[Missygal21880]

People saw and still see it as a family show, so it makes sense that it wasn't hip/sexy, though the show could definitely be ribald.

[biffbronson]

Just for fun, let's imagine L & S with sexy clothes and hairstyles.

Shirley is readying for a big date with Carmine. Her lovely short skirt, stockings,
and very high heels accentuate her beautiful legs. Her shiny hair is quite long:


Shirley is wearing a very short, sexy, tight leather skirt and high-heeled
robin's-egg blue pumps. Lovely stockings:


Shirley is wearing tight jeans, and we see that her long hair reaches
the tops of the back pockets. Her blouse is off-the-shoulders:


Laverne is wearing an all-leather outfit, including lovely high-heeled
boots. Her hair is held in place attractively with a barrette:


Laverne has just combed out her silky long hair and is
wearing sexy hip-hugging jeans:


Laverne is wearing a nice skirt and cute shoes. Her hair
is now remarkably long and she is wearing it loosely:

[BestTVever]

It was about 2 poor working girls dreaming of making it big yet they were stuck in a basement apartment. No fancy clothes or furniture. Its what made the show work. When they moved to CA suddenly they have a beautiful apartment with stairs and have wonderful clothes and hair. It just ruined the concept. The appeal of the show was that it was not sexy or hip.

[Chocolate Moose]

it was fun. not everythnig has to be sexy and hip.

[TMC]

Originally Posted by Missygal21880

People saw and still see it as a family show, so it makes sense that it wasn't hip/sexy, though the show could definitely be ribald.

It makes you wonder about how and why Penny and Cindy couldn’t snag one Emmy nomination during its seven years on air. Did the Academy consider the show to be "too low brow"? John Ritter was essentially, doing the same type of stuff on Three's Company and yet, there was little qualms to nominate him for Emmys.

[CosmicCharlie]

Hmmm, I find L & S sexy in an innocent way -it's part of the appeal for me anyway

[TMC]

Originally Posted by Missygal21880

People saw and still see it as a family show, so it makes sense that it wasn't hip/sexy, though the show could definitely be ribald.

Penny Marshall wanted Laverne & Shirley to be a more risqué show

Marshall wanted Laverne & Shirley to be a very different show.

[TMC]

Originally Posted by Missygal21880

People saw and still see it as a family show, so it makes sense that it wasn't hip/sexy, though the show could definitely be ribald.

Its parent show, Happy Days also had you could argue, this aura of being little more than a "kids show", especially in its later seasons. It's probably not so different to how kids who grew up in the '90s with Saved by the Bell and the sitcoms that aired on ABC's TGIF like Full House and Family Matters. They weren't necessarily big critical darlings either.