Why did so many '80s sitcoms lack moms? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 06-21-2012, 09:31 PM

http://www.cracked.com/blog/why-ever...-kill-off-mom/

From "Who's the Boss?" to "Full House," what was up with the dead mom trend of the '80s?

Coffeecup · 06-30-2012, 09:41 AM

The first show I remember seeing, which had this setup was My Three Sons back in 1960. I am trying to think how many shows had a absent father?

Adem422 · 06-30-2012, 10:46 PM

Diff'rent Strokes did and The Brady Bunch kinda of.

Goldilocks · 07-03-2012, 05:29 PM

The Courtship of Eddie's Father
I Married Dora
Blossom

Schmoopie · 07-04-2012, 01:08 AM

Never thought about that but it's true. Maybe it was just a different trend since earlier sitcoms had both parents. I guess they were trying to keep up with the times, although I can't even think of a sitcom off the top of my head that had a single mom in it with no father.

Coffeecup · 07-04-2012, 09:39 AM

Family Affair and Bachelor Father had a uncle type father situation. No female helping out in the home.

UMFaninMD · 07-04-2012, 12:20 PM

On Punky Brewster, Cherie's mom (and Dad) were dead although she was being raised by her grandmother, and Punky's mom abandoned her. So there's two moms that weren't there.

Silly Lily · 07-07-2012, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Schmoopie

Never thought about that but it's true. Maybe it was just a different trend since earlier sitcoms had both parents. I guess they were trying to keep up with the times, although I can't even think of a sitcom off the top of my head that had a single mom in it with no father.

Kate and Allie, Angela on Who's the Boss, Millicent on The Torkelsons. They all had ex-husbands. The only one I can think of right now who was a widow was Cate on Eight Simple Rules after John Ritter died.

Coffeecup · 07-08-2012, 10:55 AM

There was a show, I never saw it, in early spring of 1979 that Darlene Carr, called "Miss Winslow and Son: that had her as a single mother of a son. It was new for the networks for she wasn't married. The networks put a show on with a woman with a son out of wedlock. Which hadn't been seen in primetime.
. I looked it up and it was on for 6 episodes. One of those one hit wonders but it never really hit with the public. Don't know if the father of the child was seen.

Coffeecup · 07-08-2012, 11:10 AM

Silly Lilly, nice job, you came up with a few mothers with children and the fathers not that present. All though I do remember on Kate and Allie, Allie's husband Charles coming occasionally to see the children. But the father wasn't in the show that much.

biffbronson · 07-08-2012, 07:50 PM

Petticoat Junction: Kate was a widow
The Beverly Hillbillies: Jed was a widower
The Dennis O'Keefe Show: widower

Also, as My Three Sons was mentioned, Barbara was a widow who married Steve. And it was implied at one time that Charley was a widower, but that was later changed to his never having been married.

Marvo301 · 07-08-2012, 08:07 PM

In the late 60's there was a show called "Julia" that featured a single mother who also happened to be Black.

Coffeecup · 07-08-2012, 10:14 PM

Now, we are cooking. We have a few series with woman/kids without husbands. Oh The Lucy show. Lucille Carmichael and Vivian Bagley. Their husbands weren't seen. Viv I think was the first divorced woman on Tv.

Penny Lane · 07-10-2012, 01:27 AM

"Gidget "had no Mom

"Alice" was a widow
"
"One Day At A Time"- Ann Romano was divorced but her ex husband did appear from time to time.

"Mama's Family"- Bubba's parents abandoned him and moved away. Vint's ex wife never made an appearance.His 2 kids were motherless.

The Hogan Family"- After their mother's(Valerie Harper) death the aunt( Sandy Duncan ) moved in.

Coffeecup · 07-10-2012, 05:49 PM

Now Which one of these families could live with?
I always thought being Gidget would be cool. She had a lot of friends, went to the beach, and her sister was near by. But knowing I didn't have a mother and others girls did might bother me after all. But I guess you cope.

06-21-2012, 09:31 PM	#1
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 126,142	Why did so many '80s sitcoms lack moms? http://www.cracked.com/blog/why-ever...-kill-off-mom/ From "Who's the Boss?" to "Full House," what was up with the dead mom trend of the '80s?

07-03-2012, 05:29 PM	#4
Goldilocks Member Forum Regular Join Date: Sep 08, 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 693	The Courtship of Eddie's Father I Married Dora Blossom
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07-04-2012, 01:08 AM	#5
Schmoopie Keep Calm and Love Snoopy Forum Star Join Date: Jul 13, 2008 Location: Lynnwood, Washington Posts: 15,697	Never thought about that but it's true. Maybe it was just a different trend since earlier sitcoms had both parents. I guess they were trying to keep up with the times, although I can't even think of a sitcom off the top of my head that had a single mom in it with no father.
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07-08-2012, 07:50 PM	#11
biffbronson Sentimental Fool Forum Star Join Date: Aug 22, 2009 Location: Near Notre Dame Posts: 10,493	Petticoat Junction: Kate was a widow The Beverly Hillbillies: Jed was a widower The Dennis O'Keefe Show: widower Also, as My Three Sons was mentioned, Barbara was a widow who married Steve. And it was implied at one time that Charley was a widower, but that was later changed to his never having been married.
	__________________ In memory of lovely Erin Moran 1960-2017 ~ Missing you "For you are beautiful ~ And I have loved you dearly ~ More dearly than the spoken word can tell..." "What's the word?" (Paul Martin) ~~ "I don't want money for nothing." (Timmy Martin) -- Lassie ROCKS! WORD UP "It's just a dugout that my dad built... In case the reds* decide to push the button down..."*

07-08-2012, 08:07 PM	#12
Marvo301 I'm NOT a Blockhead! Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 17, 2002 Location: The Great White North Posts: 21,453	In the late 60's there was a show called "Julia" that featured a single mother who also happened to be Black.
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06-30-2012, 09:41 AM	#2
Coffeecup coffeecup. Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 17, 2003 Location: snoozeville Posts: 3,183	The first show I remember seeing, which had this setup was My Three Sons back in 1960. I am trying to think how many shows had a absent father?

06-30-2012, 10:46 PM	#3
Adem422 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 01, 2011 Posts: 138	Diff'rent Strokes did and The Brady Bunch kinda of.

07-04-2012, 09:39 AM	#6
Coffeecup coffeecup. Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 17, 2003 Location: snoozeville Posts: 3,183	Family Affair and Bachelor Father had a uncle type father situation. No female helping out in the home.

07-04-2012, 12:20 PM	#7
UMFaninMD I love a mystery Senior Member Join Date: Apr 19, 2011 Location: Maryland Posts: 1,287	On Punky Brewster, Cherie's mom (and Dad) were dead although she was being raised by her grandmother, and Punky's mom abandoned her. So there's two moms that weren't there.

07-08-2012, 10:55 AM	#9
Coffeecup coffeecup. Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 17, 2003 Location: snoozeville Posts: 3,183	There was a show, I never saw it, in early spring of 1979 that Darlene Carr, called "Miss Winslow and Son: that had her as a single mother of a son. It was new for the networks for she wasn't married. The networks put a show on with a woman with a son out of wedlock. Which hadn't been seen in primetime. . I looked it up and it was on for 6 episodes. One of those one hit wonders but it never really hit with the public. Don't know if the father of the child was seen.

07-08-2012, 11:10 AM	#10
Coffeecup coffeecup. Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 17, 2003 Location: snoozeville Posts: 3,183	Silly Lilly, nice job, you came up with a few mothers with children and the fathers not that present. All though I do remember on Kate and Allie, Allie's husband Charles coming occasionally to see the children. But the father wasn't in the show that much.

07-08-2012, 10:14 PM	#13
Coffeecup coffeecup. Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 17, 2003 Location: snoozeville Posts: 3,183	Now, we are cooking. We have a few series with woman/kids without husbands. Oh The Lucy show. Lucille Carmichael and Vivian Bagley. Their husbands weren't seen. Viv I think was the first divorced woman on Tv.

07-10-2012, 01:27 AM	#14
Penny Lane Butter Pie Forum Icon Join Date: Jul 03, 2001 Location: Beneath the blue suburban skies Posts: 51,210	"Gidget "had no Mom "Alice" was a widow " "One Day At A Time"- Ann Romano was divorced but her ex husband did appear from time to time. "Mama's Family"- Bubba's parents abandoned him and moved away. Vint's ex wife never made an appearance.His 2 kids were motherless. The Hogan Family"- After their mother's(Valerie Harper) death the aunt( Sandy Duncan ) moved in.
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07-10-2012, 05:49 PM	#15
Coffeecup coffeecup. Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 17, 2003 Location: snoozeville Posts: 3,183	Now Which one of these families could live with? I always thought being Gidget would be cool. She had a lot of friends, went to the beach, and her sister was near by. But knowing I didn't have a mother and others girls did might bother me after all. But I guess you cope.