You Never See The Keaton's Bathroom - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Family Ties Forever! · 01-21-2003, 04:16 AM

Anyone notice that we never see the inside of the Keaton's bathroom?

Robert Tilton · 01-21-2003, 11:49 AM

This point is along the lines of the "No Toilet" issue or the "One Bathroom For 6 Kids" issue on the Brady Bunch. So in general, why weren't bathrooms emphasized on older shows?

One of the Brady Bunch books says that a toilet was put in there when the set was first constructed, but the network executives quickly ordered it removed.

The best explanation is that the Brady Bunch, as well as all TV of the time, was supposed to portray an immaculate image of the family. Despite the fact that having a toilet obviously does not make one "immoral" or "unclean", a commode would still serve as a reminder that the Brady kids would, ahem, have a need to use it. (Just try to mentally juxtapose your favorite Brady kid and a porcelain throne, and you'll see what I mean.) But how many other TV shows had toilets in them back then? Or even bathrooms for that matter.

Now of course Brady Bunch was made in 1969 and ran until 1974. In one ep, Bobby goes into the bathroom and you can hear it flush. Of course by then, Archie Bunker had made the flushing the toilet gag popular. Family Ties, made in the 80s, probably decided to deemphasize the bathroom or just didn't think about it.

Amen.

Family Ties is much like Brady Bunch:

Righteous Man.

Brad Russ · 01-24-2003, 02:07 AM

There actually was one episode where you got a partial glimpse of the bathroom. In the first episode of the second season where Cari Newman comes to visit Alex, there's a scene where Alex is in the shower, and Cari goes into the bathroom to join him. Alexe's reaction to this was to run out of the bathroom, and when he did you could see part of the bathroom for about a second. Your right though, aside from that episode I don't recall them ever showing, or even mentioning the bathroom very much.

nathanthesteviefan · 01-24-2003, 10:38 PM

Yeah, and you never see the outside of the house either. But otherwise the house was very realistic. Unlike other sitcoms, who think every middle class American family lives in a gigantic houses with six bathrooms and two stair cases and big windows. It was a realistically sized house, which made it all the better.

Winnie · 01-26-2003, 11:02 PM

Their house did have five bedrooms though (one for each kid and one for Steven and Elyse) which is nothing to sneeze at.

01-21-2003, 04:16 AM	#1
Family Ties Forever! Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Apr 16, 2002 Location: Keaton residence Posts: 10,214	You Never See The Keaton's Bathroom Anyone notice that we never see the inside of the Keaton's bathroom?
	Last edited by Family Ties Forever!; 10-17-2011 at 02:19 AM.

01-21-2003, 11:49 AM	#2
Robert Tilton Man of Barnes Frequent Poster Join Date: Apr 29, 2001 Location: North Carolina Posts: 437	This point is along the lines of the "No Toilet" issue or the "One Bathroom For 6 Kids" issue on the Brady Bunch. So in general, why weren't bathrooms emphasized on older shows? One of the Brady Bunch books says that a toilet was put in there when the set was first constructed, but the network executives quickly ordered it removed. The best explanation is that the Brady Bunch, as well as all TV of the time, was supposed to portray an immaculate image of the family. Despite the fact that having a toilet obviously does not make one "immoral" or "unclean", a commode would still serve as a reminder that the Brady kids would, ahem, have a need to use it. (Just try to mentally juxtapose your favorite Brady kid and a porcelain throne, and you'll see what I mean.) But how many other TV shows had toilets in them back then? Or even bathrooms for that matter. Now of course Brady Bunch was made in 1969 and ran until 1974. In one ep, Bobby goes into the bathroom and you can hear it flush. Of course by then, Archie Bunker had made the flushing the toilet gag popular. Family Ties, made in the 80s, probably decided to deemphasize the bathroom or just didn't think about it. Amen. Family Ties is much like Brady Bunch: Righteous Man.
	__________________ Pure Oxygen Breathed In Carbon Dioxide Breathed Out And The Brady Bunch Is Like Perfect. Righteous.

01-24-2003, 02:07 AM	#3
Brad Russ Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Feb 17, 2002 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 10,085	There actually was one episode where you got a partial glimpse of the bathroom. In the first episode of the second season where Cari Newman comes to visit Alex, there's a scene where Alex is in the shower, and Cari goes into the bathroom to join him. Alexe's reaction to this was to run out of the bathroom, and when he did you could see part of the bathroom for about a second. Your right though, aside from that episode I don't recall them ever showing, or even mentioning the bathroom very much.
	__________________ St. John 15:13 - Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." Currently my favorite song.

01-24-2003, 10:38 PM	#4
nathanthesteviefan Member Forum Hawk Join Date: Jan 12, 2003 Location: Maryland Posts: 3	Seriously!!!!!! Yeah, and you never see the outside of the house either. But otherwise the house was very realistic. Unlike other sitcoms, who think every middle class American family lives in a gigantic houses with six bathrooms and two stair cases and big windows. It was a realistically sized house, which made it all the better.
	__________________ So long ago, I don't remember when That's when they say I lost my only friend Well, they said she died easy of a broken heart disease As I listened through the cemetery trees I seen the sun comin' up at the funeral at dawn The long broken arm of human law Now, it always seemed such a waste She always had a pretty face I wondered why she hung around this place - Jakob Dylan

01-26-2003, 11:02 PM	#5
Winnie Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Dec 09, 2001 Location: Canada Posts: 77	Their house did have five bedrooms though (one for each kid and one for Steven and Elyse) which is nothing to sneeze at.