Where have all the families gone? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

principehomura · 12-01-2010, 01:11 PM

When I was young, most of the sit-com where about families: 'Roseanne' (my favorite), 'Home Improvement', 'Family Matters', 'Major Dad', 'The Cosby Show'...

But nowadays?
It seems that there are no more families

Sitcom about young people, young couples without children, single moms, single dads, divorced parents etc... the last and only show with a classic family after 2000 that I remember is 'According to Jim'.

Maybe I'm missing something because Italian television simply doesn't broadcast them.
Can anyone please tell me if there are some new or recent sitcoms about classic families? If not, why?

I loved those shows.

CommonTater · 12-01-2010, 01:39 PM

I was born in the late 50's so I grew up watching Hazel, Donna Reed, Father knows Best...that type of show. Later I enjoyed Major Dad and so on like yourself.
I also miss that type of family show and so do more people than the networks realize...or maybe they do know but don't care. They have stated they don't want the family friendly shows anymore, so that to me, says a lot.
They have said it's cheaper to do Reality shows and maybe, just maybe that's why the older shows are selling so big on DVD and why less people like myself watch the current shows and opt for older shows which are harder to find.

Maybe someday they'll listen but I doubt it.

benjamoon · 12-01-2010, 04:55 PM

um... The Middle??

Also one third of Modern Family is a "classic" family, and that's certainly a family sitcom overall.

Marvo301 · 12-01-2010, 05:13 PM

Sitcoms are a reflection of the culture and the times in which they are produced. Sadly in our culture the family unit is not valued as highly as it used to be. It is the individual that is valued most highly in our culture. That is why there are so many sitcoms that feature single people and so few that feature families.

LUNCH · 12-03-2010, 05:21 PM

Could also be the stupid demographics the ratings systems go by these days.I don't know what type of viewers the clueless idiots running most tv stations these days are trying to attract. Granted I don't view ANY modern American tv shows,because they are all garbage IMO.I'm almost positive even if they made family sitcoms now they would be no good.It seems the BBC is still making a few decent family type sitcom shows.Both the BBCs "My Family" and "After You've Gone"(although it was cancelled) are ok shows.

AB · 12-03-2010, 06:33 PM

Raising Hope on Fox is a family type show. But yeah, most of todays sitcoms are not the regular family shows we grew up watching.

factsoflife · 12-03-2010, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LUNCH

Granted I don't view ANY modern American tv shows,because they are all garbage IMO.I'm almost positive even if they made family sitcoms now they would be no good.

so you know for certian that shows you don't watch are garbage? how can you know if you've never watched them?

Many of today's sitcoms are VERY good: Modern Family, The Middle, Raising Hope are all examples of very funny sitcoms currently airing.

70s show watcher · 12-04-2010, 02:08 AM

i think also the younger writers who are writing todays sitcoms grew up in more cynical times then the older writers ie joe conelly paul west gary marshall who for the most part came from the old style family unit

TMC · 12-04-2010, 02:54 AM

I best guess is that shows like Friends and Seinfeld in the '90s led to the decline of traditional family oriented sitcoms (that The Cosby Show and to a certain extent, Family Ties two years earlier made popular).

principehomura · 12-04-2010, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 70s show watcher

i think also the younger writers who are writing todays sitcoms grew up in more cynical times then the older writers ie joe conelly paul west gary marshall who for the most part came from the old style family unit

Yeah, I thought of that too.

Writers today have a different view of the world, and they grew up in different times. But still, to me is impressive the lack of 'family environment' in today's sitcoms.

Modern Family, who someone cited above, is the opposite of the type of sit-com I miss. Its title speaks itself: modern, as opposite to the calssic which was represented in the past

Mr. Television · 12-04-2010, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by factsoflife

so you know for certian that shows you don't watch are garbage? how can you know if you've never watched them?

Many of today's sitcoms are VERY good: Modern Family, The Middle, Raising Hope are all examples of very funny sitcoms currently airing.

I like all 3 of those shows but I also find myself not caring if I miss an episode, something that never happened to me in the old days. I have a bunch of episodes just sitting on my DVR.

12-01-2010, 01:11 PM	#1
principehomura Member Forum Regular Join Date: May 24, 2010 Location: SEA, Napa, Lanford, NY \| Rome (WI), Coeur d'Coeurs, Stars Hollow, Sunnydale \| Twin Peaks, BAL, Deadwood, WA \| Tardis, Galactica Posts: 757	Where have all the families gone? When I was young, most of the sit-com where about families: 'Roseanne' (my favorite), 'Home Improvement', 'Family Matters', 'Major Dad', 'The Cosby Show'... But nowadays? It seems that there are no more families Sitcom about young people, young couples without children, single moms, single dads, divorced parents etc... the last and only show with a classic family after 2000 that I remember is 'According to Jim'. Maybe I'm missing something because Italian television simply doesn't broadcast them. Can anyone please tell me if there are some new or recent sitcoms about classic families? If not, why? I loved those shows.
	__________________ Frasier, Mom, Roseanne, The Conners Picket Fences, Pushing Daisies, Buffy, Gilmore Girls Twin Peaks, The Wire, Deadwood, X-Files - Frasier, Niles and Martin Crane, Dale Cooper, Fox Mulder Christy Plunkett, Buffy Summers, Rory Gilmore, Becky Conner, Dana Scully - Roseanne Barr, David E. Kelley, David Milch, Amy Sherman, Bryan Fuller, Steven Bochco - Anna Faris, Marlee Matlin, Jane Levy, Lecy Goranson, Jennifer Esposito, Melissa J. Hart - Kelsey Grammer, David H. Pierce, Michael J. Fox

12-01-2010, 01:39 PM	#2
CommonTater no longer a forum member Frequent Poster Join Date: Mar 09, 2010 Posts: 298	I was born in the late 50's so I grew up watching Hazel, Donna Reed, Father knows Best...that type of show. Later I enjoyed Major Dad and so on like yourself. I also miss that type of family show and so do more people than the networks realize...or maybe they do know but don't care. They have stated they don't want the family friendly shows anymore, so that to me, says a lot. They have said it's cheaper to do Reality shows and maybe, just maybe that's why the older shows are selling so big on DVD and why less people like myself watch the current shows and opt for older shows which are harder to find. Maybe someday they'll listen but I doubt it.
	__________________ It's amazing how differently we see things once we truly suffer. Please be kind to others, we never know what someone is dealing with. How do we change the world? One random act of kindness at a time.

12-01-2010, 04:55 PM	#3
benjamoon Bewitched Senior Member Join Date: Jun 15, 2000 Location: New York Posts: 1,450	um... The Middle?? Also one third of Modern Family is a "classic" family, and that's certainly a family sitcom overall.
	__________________ My Blog: http://benjamonsterstv.blogspot.com/ My Site: peaktvdatabase.weebly.com My favorite TV shows: Bewitched, I Love Lucy, American Dreams, Mary Tyler Moore, The Office, Happy Days, The West Wing, Modern Family, Friday Night Lights, Friends, Mad Men, Parks and Recreation, and Parenthood

12-01-2010, 05:13 PM	#4
Marvo301 I'm NOT a Blockhead! Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 17, 2002 Location: The Great White North Posts: 21,452	Sitcoms are a reflection of the culture and the times in which they are produced. Sadly in our culture the family unit is not valued as highly as it used to be. It is the individual that is valued most highly in our culture. That is why there are so many sitcoms that feature single people and so few that feature families.
	__________________ Only a life lived for others is worth living. Albert Einstein A life isn't worth living unless it has impact on other lives. Jackie Robinson Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. Benjamin Franklin

12-03-2010, 05:21 PM	#5
LUNCH Member Senior Member Join Date: Oct 23, 2010 Location: New York State Posts: 1,304	Could also be the stupid demographics the ratings systems go by these days.I don't know what type of viewers the clueless idiots running most tv stations these days are trying to attract. Granted I don't view ANY modern American tv shows,because they are all garbage IMO.I'm almost positive even if they made family sitcoms now they would be no good.It seems the BBC is still making a few decent family type sitcom shows.Both the BBCs "My Family" and "After You've Gone"(although it was cancelled) are ok shows.
	Last edited by LUNCH; 12-03-2010 at 05:37 PM.

12-03-2010, 06:33 PM	#6
AB Member Eternal Member Forum Icon Join Date: Dec 26, 2006 Location: The South Posts: 59,429	Raising Hope on Fox is a family type show. But yeah, most of todays sitcoms are not the regular family shows we grew up watching.

12-04-2010, 02:08 AM	#8
70s show watcher Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: May 20, 2008 Location: between point place and studio 8 h Posts: 4,548	i think also the younger writers who are writing todays sitcoms grew up in more cynical times then the older writers ie joe conelly paul west gary marshall who for the most part came from the old style family unit

12-04-2010, 02:54 AM	#9
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 125,439	I best guess is that shows like Friends and Seinfeld in the '90s led to the decline of traditional family oriented sitcoms (that The Cosby Show and to a certain extent, Family Ties two years earlier made popular).