There are very few people who can say they were responsible for shaping the current entertainment world more than Norman Lear. The man, known as the last great sitcom Einstein, has truly revolutionized what it means to watch a sitcom.
Lear’s impact on television was unparalleled, with iconic shows like All in the Family, Maude, Good Times, and The Jeffersons dominating the 1970s sitcom lineup. His creations dealt with many societal taboos, addressing issues such as racism, sexism, war, and cultural clashes, challenging both network executives and viewers in a way not seen before at the time.
Norman Lear Sadly Passed Away Today
Norman Lear, the pioneering television producer whose innovative contributions reshaped the landscape of American prime-time comedy, has passed away at the age of 101. His family has officially confirmed his death, marking the conclusion of a remarkable career that spanned over six decades.
Norman Lear has sadly passed away at the age of 101. pic.twitter.com/Q55kBpPLtl
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) December 6, 2023
Beyond his creative endeavors, Norman Lear’s influence extended to advocacy and philanthropy, as he made it clear he wanted social change. Throughout his life, he remained a trailblazer, breaking barriers in the entertainment industry and leaving behind a legacy that continues to resonate with people several decades on.
Ranking Norman Lear’s Top 5 Sitcoms
Normal Lear has been responsible for numerous iconic sitcoms over the years and we will now rank his top 5 sitcoms of all time. After all, fans continue to debate which of his sitcoms are truly his best even now.
All in the Family
Norman Lear and Bud Yorkin went back to television’s theatrical roots by crafting a series that resembled weekly one-act plays. The focal point was the Bunker family, residents of Queens, featuring the bigot Archie (played by Carroll O’Connor), his devoted but naïve wife Edith (portrayed by Jean Stapleton), his feminist daughter Gloria (depicted by Sally Struthers), and his spirited liberal son-in-law Mike (played by Rob Reiner). The show was mostly about the characters making fun of each other in every episode.
Maude
The first spinoff from All in the Family changed the setting from an ultraconservative, working-class Queens neighborhood to a proudly liberal upper-middle-class home in Westchester County. The show featured groundbreaking episodes that fearlessly addressed socially relevant issues. Addressing topics such as abortion, alcoholism, and domestic violence, the series continued the tradition set by All in the Family by using the sitcom format as a platform for tackling complex and often controversial subjects. All the while retaining the classic comedy Lear was known for.
Good Times
During the early seasons of Maude, the protagonist clashed with her maid, Florida Evans (Esther Rolle). Rolle’s performance led to her own sitcom, portraying Florida in a show about a close-knit but economically struggling Black family in the Chicago projects. In Good Times, Norman Lear and co-creators Eric Monte and Mike Evans examined how working-class challenges affected the Evans family differently than the Bunkers.
The Jeffersons
The Jeffersons mirrors an upscale version of Good Times, exploring the challenges faced by a wealthy Black family in a high-end Manhattan neighborhood. George Jefferson (Sherman Hemsley), much like Archie and Maude, is a memorable character—a self-made man with strong opinions on society and success. His ego is balanced by his wife Louise (Isabel Sanford), who navigates the fallout from his offensive remarks, addressing everyone from their privileged white neighbors to their sharp-tongued maid, Florence (Marla Gibbs).
One Day at a Time
One Day at a Time emerged as one of Lear’s longstanding series, providing a poignant reflection of its era. Taking place in the late 1970s and early ’80s Middle America, a time marked by inflation, stagnant wages, and broken homes, the show revolves around divorced mother Ann Romano (Bonnie Franklin) and her witty teenage daughters, Julie (Mackenzie Phillips) and Barbara (Valerie Bertinelli). Amid the challenges of their small Indianapolis apartment, the series delivers a heartfelt dramedy that candidly portrays the emotional and economic pressures of contemporary family life.
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