Stories sitcoms did back in the day they could never do now... - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

The Obsolete Man · 06-23-2003, 03:59 AM

We now live in a PC Society in which anyone can be offended over anything.

But back in the Golden Age of TV, There was no PC. Everything (that wasn't sexual) was fair game!

What, in your opinion, were some of the moments in TV History ya couldn't get away with these days without it being a "very special episode"?

What I can think of right now...

Dick Van Dyke Show, episode #79... "The Lady and the Tiger and the Lawyer"... Rob and Laura set Sally up with a man who only goes out with her once. Why? Because he has a temper, and winds up hitting people he loves. The DVD Show plays this off for laughs. Today, that would be a "Very Special Episode".

The Honeymooners... Ralph pretty much threatens to beat Alice every episode.

The Honeymooners would be a Drama these days.

In Bewitched, there was so much alcohol consumed, it wasn't funny. These days, Darrin would be an alcoholic.

Dragnet (the 50s)... Joe Friday was a chain smoker who offered everyone cigarettes... that would never fly these days! Heck, even Winston Cup is becoming the Nextel Cup next year! Cigarettes are verboten!

...that's all I can think of right now. Anyone got stuff I've forgotten?

Freakzilla · 06-23-2003, 04:13 PM

There is a lot of stuff network shows can't do now that they could do pre-PC. But there are things they couldn't do before that they can do now. Of course, some of these things are why TV isn't as good now.

The hitting people thing is interesting because Friends did an episode where Joey's girlfriend kept hitting him and everyone else. I guess if you turn the situation around, it's okay to do that kind of story now.

*PinkLady* · 06-23-2003, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by The Obsolete Man

The Honeymooners... Ralph pretty much threatens to beat Alice every episode.

The Honeymooners would be a Drama these days.

True, and The Honeymooners probably would've been taken off the air because of complaints about "violence" in today's world.

Kristen · 06-23-2003, 07:22 PM

On The Dick Van Dyke Show, they were always shown smoking. On last night's ep, "My Husband is a Check-Grabber," Rob actually offered Laura a cigarette at one point! I'm so glad that kind of stuff doesn't fly anymore. Smoking is gross, IMO.

Kristen

treky · 06-24-2003, 12:38 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Kristen
On The Dick Van Dyke Show, they were always shown smoking. On last night's ep, "My Husband is a Check-Grabber," Rob actually offered Laura a cigarette at one point! I'm so glad that kind of stuff doesn't fly anymore. Smoking is gross, IMO.

Kristen

probably, part of the reason for that was because the show was sponsore by Kent cigarettes.

treky · 06-24-2003, 12:44 AM

they probably wouldn't be able to do that episode of "The Dick van Dyke show" where Sally was going with a guy who wanted to break up with her, but he didn't know how to tell her, so him & Rob pretended that he got drunk, since Sally hates that.

storrs19 · 06-25-2003, 03:00 AM

From The Obsolete Man:

Dragnet (the 50s)... Joe Friday was a chain smoker who offered everyone cigarettes... that would never fly these days!

I couldn't agree more. I love the 1950's version of Dragnet, it puts the color version from the 1960's to shame. It is awesome to see rail thin chain smoking Joe Friday locking up hoodlums and questioning suspects without giving them their rights. (This was in the pre-miranda days when a cop could get a confession out of a criminal unlike now when most of them walk away free)

Chad

DianeChambers87 · 06-25-2003, 07:18 AM

I dream of genie would never work today. The fact that she was always calling him "Master" would upset Womens lib something ..... I don't know. THe Fact that she was running around in that skimpy outfit....everybody would imply that it was some sort of sick guy fantasy. I mean think about it a beautiful girl, walking around in a bikini top and pants who is willing to do anything for you, who every opportunity she get's to try and marry you she does, who calls you master all the time......it wouldn't work. Im ofcourse not saying that I dream of Jeannie was twisted in any way! it's one of my favorite shows, but knowing how "politically correct" everybody is nowadays...I don't think it would work.

JACK The RIPPER · 06-27-2003, 06:30 AM

What about I Love Lucy... They would smoke at the dinner table and Ricky would smoke when he would sing... Lol@The ignorance towards ciggarettes 124 years ago when I love lucy was made

dawsongirl · 06-27-2003, 06:08 PM

This isn't about sitcoms, but the smoking thing made me think of game shows. 50s-70s, people smoked like there was no tomorrow! On "Two for the Money", contestants were given packs of Old Golds!

dawsongirl · 06-27-2003, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DianeChambers87
I dream of genie would never work today. The fact that she was always calling him "Master" would upset Womens lib something ..... I don't know. THe Fact that she was running around in that skimpy outfit....everybody would imply that it was some sort of sick guy fantasy. I mean think about it a beautiful girl, walking around in a bikini top and pants who is willing to do anything for you, who every opportunity she get's to try and marry you she does, who calls you master all the time......it wouldn't work. Im ofcourse not saying that I dream of Jeannie was twisted in any way! it's one of my favorite shows, but knowing how "politically correct" everybody is nowadays...I don't think it would work.

Ugh...women's libbers.

treky · 06-28-2003, 03:26 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by JACK The RIPPER
What about I Love Lucy... They would smoke at the dinner table and Ricky would smoke when he would sing... Lol@The ignorance towards ciggarettes 124 years ago when I love lucy was made

"I Love Lucy" was also sponsored by a ciggarete company-in this case, "Phillip Morris". so that's probably part of the reason.

In one episode, I forget what it's about, Ricky & Fred are sitting at a lunch counter in a drugstore (when's the last time you saw THAT??

) and behind them, on the wall, is a sign advertising PHILLIP MORRIS.
Also, in the episode where Lucy thinks that she & Ricky aren't married anymore, in that scene in the small motel, the clerk puts on a bellhops hat, and calls "CALL FOR....Darn, I can never remember that fellows name." That's also a reference to Phillip Morris cigerettes. They used to have a commercial where a bellhop would yell "CALL FOR PHILLIP MORRIS!"

Mijada · 06-28-2003, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dawsongirl
This isn't about sitcoms, but the smoking thing made me think of game shows. 50s-70s, people smoked like there was no tomorrow! On "Two for the Money", contestants were given packs of Old Golds!

Talk show hosts would smoke too while interviewing their guests. Many times the guests would also be smoking.

Janice · 06-28-2003, 04:11 PM

I'm not so sure Archie Bunker would go over that well today. Although his character was intended to show bigotry at its worst, he did say some racist things that many would find offensive in today's PC world.

I watched last night's episode of Bewitched. It's the one where they think that Larry Tate was turned into a teddy bear. Elizabeth Montgomery is very pregnant....and her character is pregnant. In the final scene, at home, Sam says to Darrin, Larry and Louise, "I think we could all use a drink right about now". She then went over to the bar and started making drinks, and the show ended there.
Perhaps she didn't mean a drink for herself, but she didn't say, "I think you folks could use a drink right about now".

BrandonS · 06-28-2003, 11:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by *~PinkLady59~*
True, and The Honeymooners probably would've been taken off the air because of complaints about "violence" in today's world.

Well, you know Ralph never actually hit anyone.

06-23-2003, 03:59 AM	#1
The Obsolete Man Member Forum Regular Join Date: Nov 18, 2000 Location: Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, Earth Prime Posts: 567	Stories sitcoms did back in the day they could never do now... We now live in a PC Society in which anyone can be offended over anything. But back in the Golden Age of TV, There was no PC. Everything (that wasn't sexual) was fair game! What, in your opinion, were some of the moments in TV History ya couldn't get away with these days without it being a "very special episode"? What I can think of right now... Dick Van Dyke Show, episode #79... "The Lady and the Tiger and the Lawyer"... Rob and Laura set Sally up with a man who only goes out with her once. Why? Because he has a temper, and winds up hitting people he loves. The DVD Show plays this off for laughs. Today, that would be a "Very Special Episode". The Honeymooners... Ralph pretty much threatens to beat Alice every episode. The Honeymooners would be a Drama these days. In Bewitched, there was so much alcohol consumed, it wasn't funny. These days, Darrin would be an alcoholic. Dragnet (the 50s)... Joe Friday was a chain smoker who offered everyone cigarettes... that would never fly these days! Heck, even Winston Cup is becoming the Nextel Cup next year! Cigarettes are verboten! ...that's all I can think of right now. Anyone got stuff I've forgotten?
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06-23-2003, 07:22 PM	#4
Kristen Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Jul 17, 2000 Location: New York, USA Posts: 4,042	On The Dick Van Dyke Show, they were always shown smoking. On last night's ep, "My Husband is a Check-Grabber," Rob actually offered Laura a cigarette at one point! I'm so glad that kind of stuff doesn't fly anymore. Smoking is gross, IMO. Kristen
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06-25-2003, 07:18 AM	#8
DianeChambers87 Elizabeth B. Malone Forum Veteran Join Date: Feb 16, 2003 Location: Swampland USA Posts: 5,178	I dream of genie would never work today. The fact that she was always calling him "Master" would upset Womens lib something ..... I don't know. THe Fact that she was running around in that skimpy outfit....everybody would imply that it was some sort of sick guy fantasy. I mean think about it a beautiful girl, walking around in a bikini top and pants who is willing to do anything for you, who every opportunity she get's to try and marry you she does, who calls you master all the time......it wouldn't work. Im ofcourse not saying that I dream of Jeannie was twisted in any way! it's one of my favorite shows, but knowing how "politically correct" everybody is nowadays...I don't think it would work.
	__________________ Strange Fascinations, Fascinating me

06-27-2003, 06:30 AM	#9
JACK The RIPPER Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jun 04, 2003 Posts: 77	What about I Love Lucy... They would smoke at the dinner table and Ricky would smoke when he would sing... Lol@The ignorance towards ciggarettes 124 years ago when I love lucy was made
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06-23-2003, 04:13 PM	#2
Freakzilla Member Forum Regular Join Date: May 23, 2000 Location: Portage, Michigan, United States Posts: 556	There is a lot of stuff network shows can't do now that they could do pre-PC. But there are things they couldn't do before that they can do now. Of course, some of these things are why TV isn't as good now. The hitting people thing is interesting because Friends did an episode where Joey's girlfriend kept hitting him and everyone else. I guess if you turn the situation around, it's okay to do that kind of story now.

06-24-2003, 12:44 AM	#6
treky star trek fan Eternal Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Feb 25, 2002 Location: Conshohocken, pennsylvania Posts: 14,490	they probably wouldn't be able to do that episode of "The Dick van Dyke show" where Sally was going with a guy who wanted to break up with her, but he didn't know how to tell her, so him & Rob pretended that he got drunk, since Sally hates that.

06-25-2003, 03:00 AM	#7
storrs19 B&W TV Lover Forum Regular Join Date: Jan 07, 2003 Location: Louisville, Kentucky Posts: 742	From The Obsolete Man: Dragnet (the 50s)... Joe Friday was a chain smoker who offered everyone cigarettes... that would never fly these days! I couldn't agree more. I love the 1950's version of Dragnet, it puts the color version from the 1960's to shame. It is awesome to see rail thin chain smoking Joe Friday locking up hoodlums and questioning suspects without giving them their rights. (This was in the pre-miranda days when a cop could get a confession out of a criminal unlike now when most of them walk away free) Chad
	__________________ Bring back my B&W TV Shows !!

06-27-2003, 06:08 PM	#10
dawsongirl Member Forum Icon Join Date: Jan 04, 2001 Posts: 53,140	This isn't about sitcoms, but the smoking thing made me think of game shows. 50s-70s, people smoked like there was no tomorrow! On "Two for the Money", contestants were given packs of Old Golds!

06-28-2003, 04:11 PM	#14
Janice Retired Admin - Hollywood Swingin' Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 03, 2001 Location: Beantown Posts: 36,388	I'm not so sure Archie Bunker would go over that well today. Although his character was intended to show bigotry at its worst, he did say some racist things that many would find offensive in today's PC world. I watched last night's episode of Bewitched. It's the one where they think that Larry Tate was turned into a teddy bear. Elizabeth Montgomery is very pregnant....and her character is pregnant. In the final scene, at home, Sam says to Darrin, Larry and Louise, "I think we could all use a drink right about now". She then went over to the bar and started making drinks, and the show ended there. Perhaps she didn't mean a drink for herself, but she didn't say, "I think you folks could use a drink right about now".