Why did so many '70s sitcoms take place in Brooklyn, the Bronx, or some dreary - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 08-06-2018, 09:29 PM

...alcove on the East Coast? Before, most popular sitcoms — at least for the previous 15 or so years — were set either in anodyne suburban locations or in rural America.

Babalu · 08-07-2018, 05:57 AM

Because that's where the creators and writers came from. This shouldn't be too difficult to figure out. Even Garry Marshall who set Happy Days in Milwaukee came from the Bronx.

biffbronson · 08-09-2018, 12:43 AM

CBS's "rural purge" of 1971 not only resulted in new shows set in urban environments (Bob Newhart in Chicago, MTM in Minneapolis), but spinoffs were also in urban settings -- like Rhoda in New York, Lou Grant, etc. Once the networks decided to go after the urban demographic, things snowballed. (Family Affair, which ran into 1971, and That Girl were good examples of the urban trend's beginnings, but of course shows like I Love Lucy, Car 54, and The Honeymooners had been NY based for years.)

Even Doris Day's show switched from a farm setting to an office hi-rise. The M*A*S*H spinoff of sorts Trapper John MD had the character far removed from rural Korea.

New series like The Odd Couple and Welcome Back, Kotter were deeply rooted in New York -- as Babalu pointed out the guys behind those were NY born and bred.

08-06-2018, 09:29 PM	#1
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 125,899	Why did so many '70s sitcoms take place in Brooklyn, the Bronx, or some dreary ...alcove on the East Coast? Before, most popular sitcoms — at least for the previous 15 or so years — were set either in anodyne suburban locations or in rural America.
	Last edited by TMC; 08-07-2018 at 08:46 PM.

08-07-2018, 05:57 AM	#2
Babalu Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 22, 2014 Posts: 4,779	Because that's where the creators and writers came from. This shouldn't be too difficult to figure out. Even Garry Marshall who set Happy Days in Milwaukee came from the Bronx.
	__________________ . I just nailed Mrs. Trumbull

08-09-2018, 12:43 AM	#3
biffbronson Sentimental Fool Forum Star Join Date: Aug 22, 2009 Location: Near Notre Dame Posts: 10,483	CBS's "rural purge" of 1971 not only resulted in new shows set in urban environments (Bob Newhart in Chicago, MTM in Minneapolis), but spinoffs were also in urban settings -- like Rhoda in New York, Lou Grant, etc. Once the networks decided to go after the urban demographic, things snowballed. (Family Affair, which ran into 1971, and That Girl were good examples of the urban trend's beginnings, but of course shows like I Love Lucy, Car 54, and The Honeymooners had been NY based for years.) Even Doris Day's show switched from a farm setting to an office hi-rise. The MASH spinoff of sorts Trapper John MD* had the character far removed from rural Korea. New series like The Odd Couple and Welcome Back, Kotter were deeply rooted in New York -- as Babalu pointed out the guys behind those were NY born and bred.