1 00:00:01,440 --> 00:00:04,240 Speaker 1: Welcome to stuff you should know a production of I 2 00:00:04,360 --> 00:00:13,120 Speaker 1: heart radio. Stuff you should know is recorded in front 3 00:00:13,119 --> 00:00:22,920 Speaker 1: of a live studio audience. Hey, and welcome to the PODCAST. 4 00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:25,400 Speaker 1: I'm Josh and there's Chuck and this is part two 5 00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:31,560 Speaker 1: of our very special two part episode on Sitcoms. SITCOMS, everybody. 6 00:00:31,960 --> 00:00:34,199 Speaker 1: That's right, and we'RE gonna shoot for thirty minutes here. 7 00:00:35,479 --> 00:00:37,640 Speaker 1: If you remember an episode one, we explained all about 8 00:00:37,680 --> 00:00:40,400 Speaker 1: how sitcoms are made, in the history of Sitcoms, and 9 00:00:40,479 --> 00:00:43,839 Speaker 1: today we begin with part two of whether or not 10 00:00:43,920 --> 00:00:48,840 Speaker 1: these things were successful. And boy were they. Yeah, Um, apparently, 11 00:00:48,960 --> 00:00:51,920 Speaker 1: between nineteen fifty and two thousand nineteen, the top rated 12 00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:55,160 Speaker 1: show for the entire year in America at least, was 13 00:00:55,200 --> 00:00:58,640 Speaker 1: a Sitcom for twenty six different seasons. So that's a 14 00:00:58,680 --> 00:01:01,840 Speaker 1: pretty significant number, considering there's all sorts of different kinds 15 00:01:01,880 --> 00:01:04,479 Speaker 1: of shows. Sitcoms are not the only kind of show 16 00:01:04,520 --> 00:01:08,839 Speaker 1: out there. Yeah, that's Um, I guarantee you that between 17 00:01:08,920 --> 00:01:12,360 Speaker 1: nineteen fifty and two thousand that number is more like eighty, 18 00:01:13,560 --> 00:01:15,600 Speaker 1: I would yeah, I would also say, especially if you 19 00:01:15,640 --> 00:01:19,319 Speaker 1: were going from nineteen seventy to two thousand, it's probably 20 00:01:21,280 --> 00:01:23,960 Speaker 1: you're probably right, a hundred and four percent as a 21 00:01:24,040 --> 00:01:29,680 Speaker 1: nomage to our menstruation episode, which we I bift pretty bad. UH, well, 22 00:01:29,720 --> 00:01:33,040 Speaker 1: we both bift that. Um. Here's a remarkable statistic, though, 23 00:01:33,080 --> 00:01:37,080 Speaker 1: if you refer back to our Nielsen Ratings episode. Uh, 24 00:01:37,240 --> 00:01:42,080 Speaker 1: I love Lucy, in nineteen fifty three had a sixty 25 00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:45,960 Speaker 1: seven point three Nielsen Rating, which meant that close to 26 00:01:46,120 --> 00:01:51,400 Speaker 1: seventy of every household in the United States was watching 27 00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:55,720 Speaker 1: that TV show. Okay, and that's crazy and it's the 28 00:01:55,760 --> 00:01:58,919 Speaker 1: highest season rating for any TV show ever. But Chuck 29 00:01:59,280 --> 00:02:03,160 Speaker 1: Um and ED uses. For comparison, the highest rated show 30 00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:05,720 Speaker 1: in two thousand one was friends, and they had a fifteen. 31 00:02:06,160 --> 00:02:10,440 Speaker 1: Lucy had a seventy, right, and friends huge. Friends was huge. 32 00:02:10,840 --> 00:02:13,240 Speaker 1: Consider this, though, Lucy had it way easier. There were 33 00:02:13,320 --> 00:02:19,960 Speaker 1: fewer TVs and fewer shows to choose from. Friends came around. Yeah, because, 34 00:02:20,040 --> 00:02:22,920 Speaker 1: let's say ten people had a TV, Lucy had seven 35 00:02:22,960 --> 00:02:27,720 Speaker 1: of them watching friends. But you know five, five million 36 00:02:27,760 --> 00:02:30,760 Speaker 1: TVs were out there and of them were tuned to it. 37 00:02:30,800 --> 00:02:33,040 Speaker 1: So if you really think about it, friends was more 38 00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:35,920 Speaker 1: dominant than Lucy. Yeah, we should call this section in 39 00:02:35,960 --> 00:02:39,799 Speaker 1: defensive friends or why I learned to hate I love Lucy. 40 00:02:40,280 --> 00:02:43,000 Speaker 1: I it's not that, and I'm also not defending friends, 41 00:02:43,120 --> 00:02:48,400 Speaker 1: believe me. So these shows back then were shot on, uh, film, 42 00:02:48,520 --> 00:02:51,720 Speaker 1: Thirty five millimeter film, but it's still different. These cameras 43 00:02:51,720 --> 00:02:56,120 Speaker 1: weren't like movie cameras at the same time either. Um, but, 44 00:02:56,680 --> 00:02:58,680 Speaker 1: and that's a bunch of technical stuff we won't get into, 45 00:02:58,760 --> 00:03:03,200 Speaker 1: but starting in nine teen, I guess, Seventy one, when 46 00:03:03,200 --> 00:03:07,280 Speaker 1: all in the family debuted, we started shooting things on 47 00:03:07,440 --> 00:03:10,480 Speaker 1: videotape and if you've ever seen those sitcoms of the 48 00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:12,959 Speaker 1: seventies in front of a studio audience, they had a 49 00:03:13,080 --> 00:03:17,600 Speaker 1: very specific video tape look. Um, it was kind of 50 00:03:17,639 --> 00:03:20,680 Speaker 1: great a lot instalgia for people in our our demographic 51 00:03:21,360 --> 00:03:25,000 Speaker 1: for Gen x and, I guess, some younger boomers. But uh, 52 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:27,760 Speaker 1: this to us was sort of the heyday and I 53 00:03:27,760 --> 00:03:31,120 Speaker 1: think generally the heyday of of sitcoms. Yeah, because in 54 00:03:31,160 --> 00:03:33,520 Speaker 1: the fifties there were still tons of variety shows and 55 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:36,960 Speaker 1: quiz shows that kind of edge sitcoms out. The sixties 56 00:03:37,280 --> 00:03:39,720 Speaker 1: there were like lots of Westerns, but part of the 57 00:03:39,720 --> 00:03:42,560 Speaker 1: problem with it too is sitcoms were corny and phony 58 00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:45,560 Speaker 1: and didn't really speak to anybody's actual life. They were 59 00:03:45,720 --> 00:03:49,440 Speaker 1: escapist right. And in the seventies, the very early seventies, 60 00:03:49,440 --> 00:03:52,160 Speaker 1: starting with all in the family, uh, sitcoms started to 61 00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:55,120 Speaker 1: take on actual issues like out there in the real world, 62 00:03:55,480 --> 00:03:57,160 Speaker 1: but they were doing it in a funny way, so 63 00:03:57,200 --> 00:03:59,680 Speaker 1: it was more digestible and easy to kind of think 64 00:03:59,720 --> 00:04:02,160 Speaker 1: about and talk about with your friends then it would otherwise, 65 00:04:02,160 --> 00:04:04,680 Speaker 1: if you know, sixty minutes was just shoving it down 66 00:04:04,760 --> 00:04:07,880 Speaker 1: your throat. Yeah, and you know, in a funny way, 67 00:04:08,560 --> 00:04:12,280 Speaker 1: in that episodes still had to have some laughs. But 68 00:04:12,400 --> 00:04:15,920 Speaker 1: there were some episodes of some very famous sitcoms that 69 00:04:15,960 --> 00:04:19,719 Speaker 1: went very serious and dark on what was later to 70 00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:23,359 Speaker 1: be called like a special episode. Um, there are a 71 00:04:23,400 --> 00:04:26,720 Speaker 1: few real notable ones. One was all and I remember 72 00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:28,920 Speaker 1: seeing this episode as a kid and I was like 73 00:04:29,040 --> 00:04:31,440 Speaker 1: shaken because I didn't I didn't know any of this stuff. 74 00:04:31,440 --> 00:04:34,640 Speaker 1: I think it's where I learned about that sexual assault 75 00:04:34,680 --> 00:04:37,920 Speaker 1: was a thing, and it was when edith bunker was 76 00:04:37,920 --> 00:04:42,559 Speaker 1: was almost or attempted, uh, sexual, sexually assaulted on the show. 77 00:04:43,000 --> 00:04:48,279 Speaker 1: And that episode was uh, very, very, very serious and 78 00:04:48,520 --> 00:04:52,440 Speaker 1: in a marked departure from what sitcoms we're all about. Yeah, 79 00:04:52,600 --> 00:04:55,680 Speaker 1: Um Maw. It is also Um, frequently pointed to as 80 00:04:55,760 --> 00:04:59,000 Speaker 1: having like an early effect on tackling like hard stuff 81 00:04:59,120 --> 00:05:02,480 Speaker 1: when the the main character maud in a two part 82 00:05:02,640 --> 00:05:06,159 Speaker 1: very special episode, chooses to get an abortion, um, to 83 00:05:06,320 --> 00:05:09,640 Speaker 1: terminate her pregnancy when she gets pregnant at age forty seven. 84 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:11,840 Speaker 1: And that was like, I mean if you did that 85 00:05:11,880 --> 00:05:14,880 Speaker 1: today it would be controversial. And this is like the 86 00:05:15,320 --> 00:05:19,120 Speaker 1: early mid seventies that they did that. So people are like, 87 00:05:19,120 --> 00:05:21,600 Speaker 1: like TV show producers are starting to like really take 88 00:05:21,640 --> 00:05:24,520 Speaker 1: on more and more stuff Um, and that very special 89 00:05:24,560 --> 00:05:27,480 Speaker 1: episode did become a thing beyond the seventies. Like another 90 00:05:27,520 --> 00:05:31,880 Speaker 1: really good example is Um different strokes, very special two 91 00:05:31,920 --> 00:05:38,599 Speaker 1: part episode about child exploitation with Um. Uh, Mr What 92 00:05:38,640 --> 00:05:41,960 Speaker 1: was the guy's name from W K RP, the station owner? Oh, 93 00:05:42,080 --> 00:05:46,120 Speaker 1: Mr Carlson, he was the guy. Yes, and you don't. 94 00:05:46,320 --> 00:05:48,520 Speaker 1: If you've not seen it, then good don't, because you'll 95 00:05:48,560 --> 00:05:50,840 Speaker 1: never look at Mr Carlson the same way again, because 96 00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:54,960 Speaker 1: he played this creepy child molester like perfectly. He owned 97 00:05:55,000 --> 00:05:58,400 Speaker 1: a bicycle shop. He lured Arnold and Dudley over there, 98 00:05:58,600 --> 00:06:01,919 Speaker 1: took pictures of them in their underwear. Remember. It was 99 00:06:02,279 --> 00:06:04,920 Speaker 1: like really jarring episode and one of the hallmarks which 100 00:06:04,960 --> 00:06:07,280 Speaker 1: I know we've made fun of before in previous episodes 101 00:06:07,680 --> 00:06:10,520 Speaker 1: of a very special episode is the audience doesn't clap 102 00:06:10,560 --> 00:06:13,240 Speaker 1: at the end and it makes it even more weird 103 00:06:13,400 --> 00:06:15,960 Speaker 1: and jarring and creepy to end an episode like that. 104 00:06:16,200 --> 00:06:19,160 Speaker 1: But that's definitely a hallmark of it. Yeah, and Um 105 00:06:19,200 --> 00:06:21,360 Speaker 1: also that you mentioned that was a two part or 106 00:06:21,400 --> 00:06:25,520 Speaker 1: the all in the family episode with Edith was, I believe, 107 00:06:25,640 --> 00:06:28,200 Speaker 1: just a one hour. I don't even think they aired 108 00:06:28,200 --> 00:06:30,200 Speaker 1: it in two parts. I think they just broke format 109 00:06:30,360 --> 00:06:34,840 Speaker 1: entirely and it really shows that. I mean the MoD 110 00:06:35,240 --> 00:06:37,400 Speaker 1: when MoD got an abortion. That was pre Roe v 111 00:06:37,520 --> 00:06:41,520 Speaker 1: Wade even. It really shows that. The despite it being 112 00:06:41,600 --> 00:06:46,839 Speaker 1: kind of a Corny, silly format generally, these writers and 113 00:06:46,880 --> 00:06:50,320 Speaker 1: producers like I think they knew they had an audience 114 00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:53,440 Speaker 1: to to really sort of get a message across at times, 115 00:06:53,880 --> 00:06:55,960 Speaker 1: as long as they didn't like hammer it too hard. 116 00:06:56,000 --> 00:06:58,320 Speaker 1: I think shows like mash dabbled much more in that 117 00:06:58,360 --> 00:07:00,920 Speaker 1: realm than other ones. Yeah, for sure, but as far 118 00:07:00,960 --> 00:07:02,479 Speaker 1: as doing this kind of stuff on all in the 119 00:07:02,520 --> 00:07:05,080 Speaker 1: family in different strokes, it was. It was groundbreaking stuff, 120 00:07:05,760 --> 00:07:08,279 Speaker 1: it was, but it got picked up by just about everybody. 121 00:07:08,320 --> 00:07:10,880 Speaker 1: Remember our I think our last Christmas episode, we talked 122 00:07:10,880 --> 00:07:14,400 Speaker 1: about that Alf Christmas special with the dying girl. Oh 123 00:07:14,440 --> 00:07:18,160 Speaker 1: my God, everybody did that. I think everybody, with the 124 00:07:18,200 --> 00:07:21,720 Speaker 1: one exception of small wonder, did a very special episode. Say, 125 00:07:21,760 --> 00:07:24,280 Speaker 1: by the bell did that episode where Jesse was addicted 126 00:07:24,320 --> 00:07:28,280 Speaker 1: to speed. Remember, I didn't really watch that show. Okay, well, 127 00:07:28,480 --> 00:07:31,280 Speaker 1: that's that one alone is worth watching, at least for 128 00:07:31,320 --> 00:07:35,120 Speaker 1: the Jesse. Which one was at? Uh, the Jesse Spano? 129 00:07:35,280 --> 00:07:38,600 Speaker 1: She was slater's girlfriend. Suld Um, oh, she'd be so 130 00:07:38,640 --> 00:07:41,480 Speaker 1: mad that I just referred to his slater's girlfriend. Um, 131 00:07:41,640 --> 00:07:48,520 Speaker 1: slater was her boyfriend. was that tippany and Ber season? No, no, Um, 132 00:07:48,560 --> 00:07:50,840 Speaker 1: I don't remember her name. She went on to starring 133 00:07:50,920 --> 00:07:55,360 Speaker 1: show girls. Oh, Elizabeth Berkeley. Yes, I forgot. I was 134 00:07:55,440 --> 00:07:59,280 Speaker 1: started on. So she was Um really trying to prepare 135 00:07:59,400 --> 00:08:02,720 Speaker 1: for studying finals and then like there was this show 136 00:08:02,960 --> 00:08:04,800 Speaker 1: um coming up where she was going to sing the 137 00:08:04,840 --> 00:08:08,440 Speaker 1: pointer sisters. I'm so excited, and so she was taking 138 00:08:08,440 --> 00:08:10,960 Speaker 1: all the speed and Zach found out about it and 139 00:08:11,720 --> 00:08:13,840 Speaker 1: it was like, you know, throwing the speed out the 140 00:08:13,840 --> 00:08:18,160 Speaker 1: window and Jesse was like, I'm so excited, I'm so excited. 141 00:08:18,160 --> 00:08:21,960 Speaker 1: Really funny. It's really worth watching, man, and watch the 142 00:08:21,960 --> 00:08:26,000 Speaker 1: whole episode because it's a masterpiece of like unintentional hilarity 143 00:08:26,040 --> 00:08:28,360 Speaker 1: from start to finish. Uh. Yeah, I guess I think 144 00:08:28,360 --> 00:08:30,120 Speaker 1: I was a little too old for that show when 145 00:08:30,120 --> 00:08:32,960 Speaker 1: it hit its prime, but I definitely taught it here 146 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:36,559 Speaker 1: and there because I know all those characters. Basically, it's 147 00:08:36,559 --> 00:08:42,360 Speaker 1: still on Sunday mornings on metvs. Really. UH, Sitcom's obviously 148 00:08:42,440 --> 00:08:46,400 Speaker 1: hit their sort of zenith in the seventies and eighties, uh, 149 00:08:46,440 --> 00:08:49,480 Speaker 1: into the nineties even, of course, with shows like uh, 150 00:08:49,600 --> 00:08:52,840 Speaker 1: Seinfeld and friends were huge, but in the two thousands 151 00:08:52,960 --> 00:08:55,280 Speaker 1: is when they really kind of started to dip. Of 152 00:08:55,320 --> 00:08:58,720 Speaker 1: course thanks to not thanks too but unfortunately because of 153 00:08:59,040 --> 00:09:03,760 Speaker 1: things like reality TV. Um, the gold standard, like we 154 00:09:03,800 --> 00:09:07,120 Speaker 1: talked about, was hitting syndication, and that's you know, that's 155 00:09:07,160 --> 00:09:10,880 Speaker 1: the reason Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld and every member 156 00:09:10,920 --> 00:09:12,720 Speaker 1: of friends, I mean they all went on generally went 157 00:09:12,760 --> 00:09:15,040 Speaker 1: on to do other stuff, but you know, it's why 158 00:09:15,120 --> 00:09:17,760 Speaker 1: if Matthew Perry never worked another day in his life, 159 00:09:18,600 --> 00:09:22,280 Speaker 1: he doesn't have to, because they are still all making 160 00:09:22,320 --> 00:09:26,480 Speaker 1: money hand over fist, because these shows will live forever. 161 00:09:26,520 --> 00:09:31,000 Speaker 1: They'll be showing Seinfeld in a hundred years probably. Yeah, 162 00:09:31,040 --> 00:09:33,319 Speaker 1: because you make a show and it's a hit show 163 00:09:33,400 --> 00:09:36,080 Speaker 1: and you can take those episodes and sell them to 164 00:09:36,200 --> 00:09:38,760 Speaker 1: one person, sell them to another person and sell them 165 00:09:38,800 --> 00:09:41,360 Speaker 1: again and again and again. So this one body of 166 00:09:41,400 --> 00:09:44,960 Speaker 1: work just turns into a cash register. I saw that 167 00:09:45,000 --> 00:09:48,000 Speaker 1: for Seinfeld and Larry David or the show in general, 168 00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:52,400 Speaker 1: since I entered syndication has generated three billion dollars in 169 00:09:52,440 --> 00:09:57,600 Speaker 1: Syndication Chie. That's amazing and Ed points out, you know, 170 00:09:57,720 --> 00:09:59,720 Speaker 1: very aptly, one of the reasons, and there are many 171 00:09:59,760 --> 00:10:02,760 Speaker 1: fact there's why those kind of sitcoms aren't around as much. 172 00:10:02,880 --> 00:10:06,040 Speaker 1: I'm certainly prestige TV and sort of that's the thing now, 173 00:10:06,400 --> 00:10:09,079 Speaker 1: but when you watch a show like that these days 174 00:10:09,520 --> 00:10:12,920 Speaker 1: you're competing not just against what's on right then, but 175 00:10:13,160 --> 00:10:17,000 Speaker 1: you're still competing against Seinfeld in the office and friends 176 00:10:17,040 --> 00:10:20,640 Speaker 1: in Fraser like people still watch this comfort food time 177 00:10:20,679 --> 00:10:23,000 Speaker 1: and time again. I do it, we all do it. Yeah, 178 00:10:23,040 --> 00:10:26,280 Speaker 1: and I mean it was, you know, popular enough in syndication, 179 00:10:26,360 --> 00:10:28,640 Speaker 1: but now it's on streaming. You can watch every episode 180 00:10:28,640 --> 00:10:30,960 Speaker 1: back to back if you've got a long weekend, you know, 181 00:10:31,440 --> 00:10:34,080 Speaker 1: or ten years. One of the two. All Right, uh, 182 00:10:34,160 --> 00:10:37,200 Speaker 1: let's take our first commercial break, because the fine folks 183 00:10:37,200 --> 00:10:39,360 Speaker 1: have been gay have been waiting. I want to learn 184 00:10:39,360 --> 00:10:42,080 Speaker 1: about a terrosortic college act, how to take a perfect movement, 185 00:10:42,080 --> 00:10:45,640 Speaker 1: all about fractals, kiscon's hunt, the lizzie border murders. That 186 00:10:45,640 --> 00:10:49,599 Speaker 1: a kind of all runs on the plane. Everything we 187 00:10:49,600 --> 00:11:07,160 Speaker 1: should know. Word up, Jerry Geh. I hope Ben Gay 188 00:11:07,240 --> 00:11:09,040 Speaker 1: is actually going to give us some money for this. 189 00:11:09,200 --> 00:11:11,600 Speaker 1: We should maybe alert AD sales. They'd be like who, 190 00:11:12,800 --> 00:11:16,480 Speaker 1: they're making fun of us, so chuck. Like we said, 191 00:11:16,559 --> 00:11:20,240 Speaker 1: twenty six out of you know about of seasons from 192 00:11:20,320 --> 00:11:24,640 Speaker 1: ninety to two thousand were sitcoms, the highest highest rated show. 193 00:11:24,840 --> 00:11:27,480 Speaker 1: The reason there's a right, there's a reason that they're 194 00:11:27,520 --> 00:11:31,440 Speaker 1: so popular. One they're like really easy to digest. They're funny. 195 00:11:31,480 --> 00:11:34,160 Speaker 1: That's the point of them. But there's another thing too, 196 00:11:34,240 --> 00:11:36,480 Speaker 1: that when you zoom in on a set of like 197 00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:40,240 Speaker 1: four or six characters and you spend, you know, half 198 00:11:40,240 --> 00:11:44,040 Speaker 1: hour nuggets in their lives, in just very small worlds 199 00:11:44,200 --> 00:11:48,080 Speaker 1: of their sets Um paying attention to their foibles and 200 00:11:48,080 --> 00:11:50,760 Speaker 1: their weirdness and who they are and, like what they 201 00:11:50,800 --> 00:11:54,400 Speaker 1: believe in, the audience really gets to know those people 202 00:11:54,520 --> 00:11:57,520 Speaker 1: and you can really play with that as a writer 203 00:11:57,720 --> 00:12:01,600 Speaker 1: and actor and a producer and it's some really great, 204 00:12:01,679 --> 00:12:05,240 Speaker 1: like all time great characters have kind of come out 205 00:12:05,240 --> 00:12:06,959 Speaker 1: of that and one of the cool things you can 206 00:12:06,960 --> 00:12:09,920 Speaker 1: do is make a character one way and then all 207 00:12:10,000 --> 00:12:11,680 Speaker 1: of a sudden, out of left field, you can have 208 00:12:11,720 --> 00:12:14,840 Speaker 1: them do something else and it suddenly makes them, you know, human, 209 00:12:14,880 --> 00:12:19,199 Speaker 1: whereas they used to be like a one dimensional, hilarious person. Yeah, 210 00:12:19,240 --> 00:12:21,439 Speaker 1: but that can really shake up an audience who was 211 00:12:21,520 --> 00:12:24,600 Speaker 1: invested in a character, because I think there's so many 212 00:12:24,600 --> 00:12:28,240 Speaker 1: shows where, uh, friends is an obvious example, or sex 213 00:12:28,240 --> 00:12:33,280 Speaker 1: in the city, where most women, I think who watched 214 00:12:33,559 --> 00:12:35,440 Speaker 1: sex in the city, and I watched it too, but 215 00:12:36,200 --> 00:12:38,000 Speaker 1: I think it was largely like a show that appealed 216 00:12:38,040 --> 00:12:41,040 Speaker 1: to women. I would all say like just a shock, 217 00:12:41,760 --> 00:12:45,320 Speaker 1: you know, I'm a Samantha or or I'm you know, 218 00:12:45,480 --> 00:12:47,480 Speaker 1: or I'm a joey or I'm a Ross. Like. I 219 00:12:47,559 --> 00:12:50,960 Speaker 1: think people kind of looked for themselves in these characters 220 00:12:51,000 --> 00:12:54,560 Speaker 1: and everyone had their favorites. People would watch these shows 221 00:12:54,640 --> 00:12:57,280 Speaker 1: and maybe hate one of the characters out of the 222 00:12:57,320 --> 00:13:00,679 Speaker 1: six every time they came on the screen, but still 223 00:13:00,800 --> 00:13:05,800 Speaker 1: get into it. Uh, it's pretty interesting. They're super voyeuristic. Um, 224 00:13:05,840 --> 00:13:09,439 Speaker 1: they hold a prism up about sort of our society 225 00:13:09,520 --> 00:13:12,040 Speaker 1: and you know, they're aimed at the largest demographics. So 226 00:13:12,720 --> 00:13:15,480 Speaker 1: a lot of these shows would be about like working 227 00:13:15,480 --> 00:13:19,080 Speaker 1: class families who struggle to pay their mortgage or who 228 00:13:19,080 --> 00:13:22,880 Speaker 1: get into the sort of Um sort of site. You know, 229 00:13:22,920 --> 00:13:24,880 Speaker 1: there was any situations, but a lot of times they 230 00:13:24,880 --> 00:13:29,880 Speaker 1: were situations based in reality such that people could really identify. 231 00:13:30,040 --> 00:13:33,760 Speaker 1: Like I've been in that same situation with my boss before. Yeah, 232 00:13:33,960 --> 00:13:37,440 Speaker 1: like Al Bundy has to like, you know, sell a 233 00:13:37,440 --> 00:13:39,800 Speaker 1: bunch of blood to like get his car fixed or 234 00:13:39,840 --> 00:13:42,280 Speaker 1: something like that. Like that's a great situation for an 235 00:13:42,280 --> 00:13:44,920 Speaker 1: episode that you can resolve in a half hour. That yeah, 236 00:13:44,920 --> 00:13:47,040 Speaker 1: maybe the viewer hasn't ever sold blood to get his 237 00:13:47,120 --> 00:13:49,680 Speaker 1: car fixed, but it's maybe been in that position where 238 00:13:49,720 --> 00:13:54,000 Speaker 1: they had to consider doing that. You know, yeah, absolutely. Uh. 239 00:13:54,040 --> 00:13:56,800 Speaker 1: They also, Um, I think, to their credit, have been 240 00:13:56,840 --> 00:14:01,000 Speaker 1: able to hold up Um, not a mirror. What's it 241 00:14:01,040 --> 00:14:02,480 Speaker 1: called when you're looking at someone else? I guess a 242 00:14:02,559 --> 00:14:07,600 Speaker 1: lens on people that aren't like you. UH, yeah, telescope 243 00:14:07,920 --> 00:14:10,240 Speaker 1: for people who you don't identify with and you can 244 00:14:10,360 --> 00:14:13,360 Speaker 1: learn something about uh. There was a period in the 245 00:14:13,440 --> 00:14:17,760 Speaker 1: seventies where you had these three great shows, uh, the 246 00:14:17,840 --> 00:14:21,960 Speaker 1: Jefferson's good times in Sanford and son at a time 247 00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:25,200 Speaker 1: where it gave White America a real view into three 248 00:14:25,920 --> 00:14:31,640 Speaker 1: very sort of UH set demographics of black America. Um, 249 00:14:31,680 --> 00:14:33,720 Speaker 1: and we'll talk about spinoffs, but the Jefferson's was a 250 00:14:33,760 --> 00:14:38,360 Speaker 1: spin off. There originally the bunker's neighbors and UH, George 251 00:14:38,440 --> 00:14:40,560 Speaker 1: Jefferson opened up a dry cleaner that hit it big, 252 00:14:40,600 --> 00:14:42,480 Speaker 1: so they got to move it on up to the 253 00:14:42,520 --> 00:14:45,880 Speaker 1: deluxe apartment in the sky. Uh. You had good times 254 00:14:45,880 --> 00:14:48,600 Speaker 1: to sort of that middle ground family that kind of 255 00:14:48,640 --> 00:14:51,080 Speaker 1: struggled a bit, and then you had Sanford and son 256 00:14:51,320 --> 00:14:56,320 Speaker 1: as the Junkyard Uh guys. And you know, it gives 257 00:14:56,360 --> 00:15:00,240 Speaker 1: and and with other ethnic ethnicities as well. It really gave, 258 00:15:00,320 --> 00:15:03,200 Speaker 1: I think, largely wide America chance to sort of even 259 00:15:03,200 --> 00:15:05,040 Speaker 1: though it may not be the most realistic, sort of 260 00:15:05,080 --> 00:15:09,960 Speaker 1: take a peek at what other how other people lived. Yeah, Um, yeah, 261 00:15:09,960 --> 00:15:12,600 Speaker 1: which is Great. I mean that's a great part of sitcoms. 262 00:15:12,640 --> 00:15:14,440 Speaker 1: Like it can make you identify with people you might 263 00:15:14,440 --> 00:15:18,240 Speaker 1: not interact with normally. Right, absolutely, Um, and it can 264 00:15:18,280 --> 00:15:19,880 Speaker 1: go the other way to like it can make us 265 00:15:19,960 --> 00:15:23,880 Speaker 1: very sympathetic to the rich, like, you know, people like 266 00:15:23,920 --> 00:15:28,120 Speaker 1: watching effluent families as well, Um as, just as much 267 00:15:28,160 --> 00:15:31,040 Speaker 1: as they like watching families that are struggling financially too. 268 00:15:31,360 --> 00:15:34,560 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, I mean fresh prince, the cosby show. He 269 00:15:34,640 --> 00:15:39,440 Speaker 1: was a doctor again, the Jefferson. So it's interesting how 270 00:15:39,480 --> 00:15:43,440 Speaker 1: sometimes people love watching the sort of working class families, 271 00:15:43,800 --> 00:15:46,640 Speaker 1: sometimes they like the escapist of watching the rich families. 272 00:15:47,240 --> 00:15:50,040 Speaker 1: There's something for everyone, yea, and sometimes it's not even 273 00:15:50,040 --> 00:15:52,640 Speaker 1: a thing. Like in cheers there was not really a 274 00:15:52,640 --> 00:15:57,040 Speaker 1: lot of class stuff. It was basically everything but that 275 00:15:57,160 --> 00:15:59,960 Speaker 1: like no one seemed to have any real money trouble, 276 00:16:00,040 --> 00:16:03,200 Speaker 1: but also nobody was particularly rich. It was just not 277 00:16:03,280 --> 00:16:06,080 Speaker 1: a thing. So it can also just be totally absent. 278 00:16:06,320 --> 00:16:08,200 Speaker 1: I've got a little tidbet for you want to throw in? 279 00:16:08,520 --> 00:16:12,240 Speaker 1: Let's hear it. I read that George Jefferson was mentioned 280 00:16:12,400 --> 00:16:15,560 Speaker 1: on all in the family three years before he physically 281 00:16:15,600 --> 00:16:18,960 Speaker 1: appeared on it. Really because, yeah, because Norman Lear knew 282 00:16:18,960 --> 00:16:22,400 Speaker 1: exactly who he wanted for George Jefferson, Sherman Helmsley, but 283 00:16:22,520 --> 00:16:26,600 Speaker 1: Helmsley was involved in like a really lengthy Broadway contract 284 00:16:26,600 --> 00:16:29,160 Speaker 1: that he couldn't get out of. So Norman Lear just 285 00:16:29,200 --> 00:16:31,000 Speaker 1: set it up and waited for him to come and 286 00:16:31,000 --> 00:16:34,840 Speaker 1: he finally arrived and made TV history. That's pretty cool 287 00:16:34,840 --> 00:16:36,960 Speaker 1: to like hold out that long for an actor that 288 00:16:37,040 --> 00:16:39,240 Speaker 1: you fall in love with. Yeah, it was a good 289 00:16:39,280 --> 00:16:42,360 Speaker 1: move too. I mean norman lear was a genius. Oh yeah, 290 00:16:42,360 --> 00:16:44,960 Speaker 1: I mean, yeah, sure, we can't talk about sitcoms without 291 00:16:45,760 --> 00:16:48,080 Speaker 1: bowing at the feet of Norman Lear, and now we've 292 00:16:48,120 --> 00:16:51,200 Speaker 1: done that, so the box is checked. So, Chuck, one 293 00:16:51,200 --> 00:16:53,320 Speaker 1: of the best things you could possibly do is sit 294 00:16:53,360 --> 00:16:57,080 Speaker 1: around and talk about great moments in Sitcom History, and 295 00:16:57,160 --> 00:16:59,760 Speaker 1: I propose we do just that right now. I'm sure 296 00:16:59,760 --> 00:17:02,560 Speaker 1: they're entire podcasts that do this, and we should also 297 00:17:02,560 --> 00:17:06,440 Speaker 1: start each one with remember the time. Uh Well, we 298 00:17:06,480 --> 00:17:08,680 Speaker 1: went over some of the more serious ones, but I 299 00:17:08,720 --> 00:17:10,200 Speaker 1: think we should stick to sort of the more fun 300 00:17:10,240 --> 00:17:13,760 Speaker 1: ones now. Obviously just sort of tops of the list 301 00:17:13,800 --> 00:17:18,320 Speaker 1: if we're going historically. where, chronologically, is the UH well, 302 00:17:18,359 --> 00:17:21,240 Speaker 1: there's a couple. The grape stomping and I love lucy, 303 00:17:21,600 --> 00:17:27,479 Speaker 1: but especially the conveyor belt episode from September two, with 304 00:17:27,560 --> 00:17:30,199 Speaker 1: Lucy and Ethel working in in the factory with a 305 00:17:30,240 --> 00:17:33,639 Speaker 1: conveyor belt. I think it was chocolates. Yeah, it was chocolates, 306 00:17:33,680 --> 00:17:36,359 Speaker 1: and the conveyor belt speeds up and like Lucy and 307 00:17:36,400 --> 00:17:39,920 Speaker 1: ethel are just doing this physical comedy that like it's astounding, 308 00:17:40,000 --> 00:17:42,560 Speaker 1: especially when you stop and realize like this was live 309 00:17:42,640 --> 00:17:46,040 Speaker 1: to tape, basically. You know. Yeah, there was another thing 310 00:17:46,080 --> 00:17:48,880 Speaker 1: that Lucy really broke ground on Um with the birth 311 00:17:48,920 --> 00:17:53,080 Speaker 1: of little ricky. Um. The film or the show was 312 00:17:53,119 --> 00:17:57,320 Speaker 1: either aired or shot about twelve hours after her her 313 00:17:57,400 --> 00:18:01,920 Speaker 1: real life. So yeah, then they they aired the birth 314 00:18:01,960 --> 00:18:04,440 Speaker 1: of little ricky, which is huge. But Mary Kaye and 315 00:18:04,520 --> 00:18:07,879 Speaker 1: Johnny did it first. You're in love with that show. 316 00:18:08,520 --> 00:18:11,159 Speaker 1: I just I think they're an unsung show. They're another 317 00:18:11,240 --> 00:18:14,080 Speaker 1: one that was not preserved in any way. It was 318 00:18:14,119 --> 00:18:17,960 Speaker 1: filmed the kinescope, but the Dumont Network, which was really cheap, 319 00:18:18,400 --> 00:18:21,840 Speaker 1: um threw all of their reels into the East River, apparently. 320 00:18:22,119 --> 00:18:26,080 Speaker 1: And there's one episode left of Um Mary Kaye and 321 00:18:26,160 --> 00:18:29,560 Speaker 1: Johnny and it's at like a like a media Um 322 00:18:29,760 --> 00:18:33,000 Speaker 1: Museum in Los Angeles. You know now that you mentioned 323 00:18:33,000 --> 00:18:38,080 Speaker 1: that our colleague Alex's show ephemeral Um, he has an 324 00:18:38,080 --> 00:18:41,280 Speaker 1: episode about the kinescope. Okay, like an entire episode. I 325 00:18:41,359 --> 00:18:44,359 Speaker 1: remember now. I think that was in season one. Yeah, great, 326 00:18:44,400 --> 00:18:47,879 Speaker 1: great show. Uh. So maybe we should talk about the 327 00:18:47,920 --> 00:18:50,400 Speaker 1: Mary Tyler Moore Show, one of the great shows. Yeah, 328 00:18:50,400 --> 00:18:52,159 Speaker 1: I mean like if you gotta, if you bow at 329 00:18:52,160 --> 00:18:54,359 Speaker 1: Norman Lear's feet, you have to bow at Mary Tyler 330 00:18:54,400 --> 00:18:56,399 Speaker 1: Moore's feet too. Yeah, there was an episode in nine 331 00:18:57,800 --> 00:19:02,639 Speaker 1: called chuckles bites the dust, historic TV episode where a 332 00:19:02,760 --> 00:19:07,600 Speaker 1: clown is killed in a parade accident and, uh, it 333 00:19:07,640 --> 00:19:10,520 Speaker 1: tackles death in a really funny way. Like they definitely 334 00:19:11,280 --> 00:19:14,159 Speaker 1: sort of talk about mortality and stuff like that, but 335 00:19:14,200 --> 00:19:17,199 Speaker 1: the whole time they're laughing and they can't contain their 336 00:19:17,280 --> 00:19:20,080 Speaker 1: laughter about this clown and how the clown died, and 337 00:19:20,080 --> 00:19:22,920 Speaker 1: it's a very funny episode. It is because poor Mary 338 00:19:22,960 --> 00:19:25,760 Speaker 1: Tyler Moore has to play it straight for everybody else 339 00:19:25,800 --> 00:19:28,360 Speaker 1: and like is scolding them for laughing and she they're 340 00:19:28,359 --> 00:19:30,800 Speaker 1: all trying not to laugh and she's having to keep 341 00:19:30,840 --> 00:19:34,359 Speaker 1: it really serious. And then, in addition to that, Um, 342 00:19:34,400 --> 00:19:36,760 Speaker 1: there were some really great jokes in there, like one 343 00:19:36,760 --> 00:19:40,960 Speaker 1: offs where Um Ted baxters asked if Mary can have 344 00:19:41,040 --> 00:19:44,240 Speaker 1: a ride to the funeral with him and he goes sure, 345 00:19:44,400 --> 00:19:49,720 Speaker 1: the more the merrier. The Great Ted Knight. Yeah, it 346 00:19:49,840 --> 00:19:53,480 Speaker 1: was Ted Baxter, right, I think that was a character's name. Right, okay, yeah, 347 00:19:53,480 --> 00:19:55,840 Speaker 1: and the actor was Ted Knight. Yeah, yeah, from caddyshack 348 00:19:56,040 --> 00:20:01,040 Speaker 1: and from too close for comfort. Yep, another Sitcom. I 349 00:20:01,080 --> 00:20:05,119 Speaker 1: actually quite enjoyed that show because it was I thought, 350 00:20:06,359 --> 00:20:08,439 Speaker 1: who was the guy? Jim J bullock, was very funny. 351 00:20:08,960 --> 00:20:11,200 Speaker 1: I thought Ted night was hysterical and, of course, as 352 00:20:11,240 --> 00:20:14,120 Speaker 1: like a young boy, I just thought that the beautiful 353 00:20:14,160 --> 00:20:16,240 Speaker 1: blonde and Brunette daughters. I was like, give me that 354 00:20:16,240 --> 00:20:19,720 Speaker 1: show all day long. Right. I think that is how they, 355 00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:24,600 Speaker 1: a lot of Um shows, got Um popular. Like Three's company. 356 00:20:24,760 --> 00:20:29,320 Speaker 1: It's just DREC man like. The writing is terrible, like 357 00:20:29,400 --> 00:20:33,720 Speaker 1: the plots are terrible. The physical comedy is good, like 358 00:20:34,440 --> 00:20:36,160 Speaker 1: is great. But if you think about it, he's really 359 00:20:36,160 --> 00:20:39,840 Speaker 1: the only good actor character, at least in the whole show, 360 00:20:40,320 --> 00:20:42,520 Speaker 1: because he was the only one that had good stuff 361 00:20:42,560 --> 00:20:45,920 Speaker 1: written for him. But you had like Chrissie and Janet 362 00:20:45,920 --> 00:20:50,000 Speaker 1: and Cindy, I think, came after Chrissie. I'm sure they 363 00:20:50,040 --> 00:20:54,120 Speaker 1: definitely contributed to it. Come on, Mr Roper. Okay, Mr 364 00:20:54,240 --> 00:20:57,880 Speaker 1: Roper is pretty, pretty funny. We talked about that in 365 00:20:57,320 --> 00:21:01,359 Speaker 1: the UH, the fern bar episode of our bars podcast. 366 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:04,399 Speaker 1: Happy days. Of course we have to mention Fonzi jumps. 367 00:21:04,440 --> 00:21:09,879 Speaker 1: The Shark, which was and of course that became in 368 00:21:09,920 --> 00:21:14,320 Speaker 1: the episode Fonzi literally Um Water Skis and jumps the 369 00:21:14,480 --> 00:21:17,119 Speaker 1: ring of sharks. I think it was sharks, maybe just 370 00:21:17,160 --> 00:21:23,040 Speaker 1: one shark, because jumps, jumps the sharks the same, same 371 00:21:23,119 --> 00:21:25,480 Speaker 1: ring to it. I can't remember how many sharks it was, 372 00:21:25,560 --> 00:21:27,639 Speaker 1: but that became it sort of looked back as the 373 00:21:27,680 --> 00:21:30,560 Speaker 1: moment where happy days went bad and now is used 374 00:21:30,560 --> 00:21:33,240 Speaker 1: as an expression of when any show goes bad. But 375 00:21:33,560 --> 00:21:35,480 Speaker 1: Ed points out like there were some a lot of 376 00:21:35,520 --> 00:21:40,080 Speaker 1: good happy days, episodes and seasons that happened after that, true, 377 00:21:40,160 --> 00:21:44,840 Speaker 1: but that season, season five, they also had mork from 378 00:21:44,960 --> 00:21:48,200 Speaker 1: ORC arrived at Arnold's drive in class and it's yeah, 379 00:21:48,280 --> 00:21:50,280 Speaker 1: it is classic and it turned out for the best, 380 00:21:50,440 --> 00:21:53,920 Speaker 1: but the point is it was like a huge departure from, 381 00:21:54,000 --> 00:21:56,359 Speaker 1: you know, the norm that that show had set up 382 00:21:56,400 --> 00:21:58,840 Speaker 1: for itself in the previous five seasons. So I think 383 00:21:58,840 --> 00:22:02,440 Speaker 1: it's not even necessarily just a show turns horrible, it's 384 00:22:02,440 --> 00:22:07,199 Speaker 1: just it takes like, Um, much more bizarre turns, you know, 385 00:22:07,280 --> 00:22:10,200 Speaker 1: to maybe boost ratings. I think that's really what jumping 386 00:22:10,240 --> 00:22:12,400 Speaker 1: the shark is for me. Yeah, I think you're right. 387 00:22:12,600 --> 00:22:14,159 Speaker 1: The other thing that stuck out to me too, is 388 00:22:14,200 --> 00:22:19,760 Speaker 1: apparently that that phrase is from. It's that old. Oh Really? Yeah, 389 00:22:19,840 --> 00:22:21,840 Speaker 1: there was some particular dude who came up with it 390 00:22:21,880 --> 00:22:23,840 Speaker 1: and wrote a book about it and started a website 391 00:22:23,920 --> 00:22:26,520 Speaker 1: later on, and it was really like a single person, 392 00:22:26,640 --> 00:22:30,360 Speaker 1: or maybe two people, introduced that slag into the Zeitgeist. 393 00:22:30,359 --> 00:22:32,919 Speaker 1: That person right now, if they're listening, he says some 394 00:22:33,040 --> 00:22:37,359 Speaker 1: particular dude thank you right, thanks a lot, other dude. 395 00:22:37,440 --> 00:22:42,040 Speaker 1: Thanks a lot, master researcher. Alright, fine, I take that challenge. 396 00:22:43,119 --> 00:22:44,919 Speaker 1: I can talk before we break about a couple of 397 00:22:44,960 --> 00:22:48,600 Speaker 1: more landmark events in TV Sitcom history. One, of course, 398 00:22:48,640 --> 00:22:51,720 Speaker 1: it's the final episode of Mash Uh. Notable because, a, 399 00:22:51,880 --> 00:22:54,639 Speaker 1: it was one of the biggest shows ever and it 400 00:22:55,000 --> 00:22:58,480 Speaker 1: be because it was one of the biggest final finales, 401 00:22:58,520 --> 00:23:01,960 Speaker 1: final finales of all time and all the way up 402 00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:06,919 Speaker 1: and this was and it was the number one audience, 403 00:23:07,000 --> 00:23:10,960 Speaker 1: top audience, of any broadcast in TV history until the 404 00:23:11,000 --> 00:23:15,920 Speaker 1: super bowl in that was what a run like one 405 00:23:15,920 --> 00:23:18,720 Speaker 1: of the best like television episodes of all time, like 406 00:23:18,760 --> 00:23:20,840 Speaker 1: it just got in the bread basket. Over and over 407 00:23:20,840 --> 00:23:24,840 Speaker 1: agames called goodbye, farewell and Amen. Ellen coming out was 408 00:23:24,880 --> 00:23:27,600 Speaker 1: a big deal. There was a gay character in Billy 409 00:23:27,640 --> 00:23:31,800 Speaker 1: Crystal on the Sitcom Soap Um. But Ellen actually coming 410 00:23:31,840 --> 00:23:34,640 Speaker 1: out on the show after she came out in real 411 00:23:34,680 --> 00:23:38,880 Speaker 1: life was a very big deal and conservatives hated it. 412 00:23:39,520 --> 00:23:43,399 Speaker 1: You get this Jerry folwell called her ellen degenerate for 413 00:23:43,520 --> 00:23:46,879 Speaker 1: coming out of gay. He called her a degenerate for 414 00:23:46,880 --> 00:23:49,480 Speaker 1: for saying, guess I'm actually gay, rather than staying in 415 00:23:49,520 --> 00:23:52,800 Speaker 1: the closet, and that disgusting. What a good dude. And 416 00:23:52,880 --> 00:23:55,679 Speaker 1: that episode they code named it the puppy so no 417 00:23:55,720 --> 00:23:59,600 Speaker 1: one would have any idea what was coming. It's pretty funny. 418 00:23:59,720 --> 00:24:02,320 Speaker 1: Uh A, right, should take our final break. Yeah, let's, 419 00:24:02,320 --> 00:24:04,840 Speaker 1: and then we'll come back and talk about more Sitcom stuff. 420 00:24:05,280 --> 00:24:07,639 Speaker 1: I want to learn about a terrosortic college act, how 421 00:24:07,680 --> 00:24:10,040 Speaker 1: to take a perfect but with all about fractal Kiscun. 422 00:24:10,160 --> 00:24:12,360 Speaker 1: That's another hunt. The lizzie border murders that they kind 423 00:24:12,359 --> 00:24:16,040 Speaker 1: of all runs on the plane everything this time we 424 00:24:16,080 --> 00:24:33,440 Speaker 1: should know. Word up, Jerry George. All right, we're gonna 425 00:24:33,440 --> 00:24:36,080 Speaker 1: finish up with what Ed calls odds and ends, which 426 00:24:36,119 --> 00:24:39,480 Speaker 1: I think is perfect, because some of these are significant moments, 427 00:24:39,480 --> 00:24:43,440 Speaker 1: some of these are just little other random BITs, um tropes, 428 00:24:44,640 --> 00:24:48,280 Speaker 1: what have you. One is a trope for sure, which 429 00:24:48,320 --> 00:24:50,920 Speaker 1: is the couch in the center of the room. Uh, 430 00:24:50,920 --> 00:24:53,159 Speaker 1: it's obviously done this way because it just makes a 431 00:24:53,160 --> 00:24:57,000 Speaker 1: lot of sense to have sort of the central action 432 00:24:57,080 --> 00:25:00,159 Speaker 1: being framed around the center part of a living room. 433 00:25:00,160 --> 00:25:02,240 Speaker 1: But it's funny if you go back and look at 434 00:25:03,000 --> 00:25:06,720 Speaker 1: all in the family, the cosby show and at least 435 00:25:06,720 --> 00:25:10,479 Speaker 1: married with children, those three sets are almost identical and 436 00:25:10,520 --> 00:25:12,560 Speaker 1: that you have your entry door on the right, the 437 00:25:12,600 --> 00:25:16,800 Speaker 1: couch in the middle and a set of stairs behind you. Uh. 438 00:25:16,840 --> 00:25:19,560 Speaker 1: And then of course shows like friends in Seinfeld and 439 00:25:19,640 --> 00:25:21,800 Speaker 1: it's it's not like landmark to say, Hey, let's center 440 00:25:21,840 --> 00:25:23,879 Speaker 1: the action on the center of the room. But the 441 00:25:23,880 --> 00:25:26,520 Speaker 1: couch in the center of the room definitely became a trope. Yeah, 442 00:25:26,520 --> 00:25:30,480 Speaker 1: it allows it allows actors to interact with the person 443 00:25:30,560 --> 00:25:33,080 Speaker 1: on the couch without standing in between them and the 444 00:25:33,119 --> 00:25:36,119 Speaker 1: camera to stand behind them. Right. So it makes total 445 00:25:36,240 --> 00:25:38,399 Speaker 1: sense in Sitcom world, but it is bizarre if you 446 00:25:38,440 --> 00:25:41,280 Speaker 1: step back and think about it. That actually ties in 447 00:25:41,400 --> 00:25:45,160 Speaker 1: chuck with another little tidbit about sitcoms called the fourth wall. 448 00:25:45,480 --> 00:25:47,919 Speaker 1: And it's not just sitcoms but any TV show, but 449 00:25:48,400 --> 00:25:52,680 Speaker 1: for sure, but it particularly applies the sitcoms because if 450 00:25:52,720 --> 00:25:55,040 Speaker 1: you look at a Sitcom set, there's usually three walls. 451 00:25:55,080 --> 00:25:57,520 Speaker 1: There's the back wall and two side walls, but the 452 00:25:57,560 --> 00:26:00,320 Speaker 1: front wall is imaginary and it allows you, the viewer, 453 00:26:00,359 --> 00:26:02,919 Speaker 1: to look in on the action. But the people in 454 00:26:03,040 --> 00:26:06,960 Speaker 1: the action, the actual characters, don't recognize that you're looking 455 00:26:07,000 --> 00:26:09,919 Speaker 1: back at them, or they're not supposed to. But you 456 00:26:09,960 --> 00:26:12,040 Speaker 1: can really toy with this whole thing because every once 457 00:26:12,040 --> 00:26:15,240 Speaker 1: in a a while the character can turn and address the you, 458 00:26:15,400 --> 00:26:18,280 Speaker 1: the viewer, and that's called breaking the fourth wall. Yeah, 459 00:26:18,280 --> 00:26:21,800 Speaker 1: which can be fun. It can be funny if, if 460 00:26:21,800 --> 00:26:24,880 Speaker 1: Burt Reynolds does it, it gives this little signature laugh 461 00:26:24,880 --> 00:26:27,320 Speaker 1: in a movie, that's funny. If Ferris Bueller does it, 462 00:26:27,320 --> 00:26:29,880 Speaker 1: it's funny. It can be a little weird and disconcerting. 463 00:26:29,920 --> 00:26:33,160 Speaker 1: So breaking the fourth wall is something that, whenever it's 464 00:26:33,240 --> 00:26:36,560 Speaker 1: entertained by a director or production or writer or whatever, 465 00:26:37,040 --> 00:26:39,520 Speaker 1: it's always very much like, let's put a lot of 466 00:26:39,520 --> 00:26:43,640 Speaker 1: thought into this, because it can really go bad. That's right, right. Yeah, yeah, 467 00:26:43,680 --> 00:26:45,679 Speaker 1: you don't wanna, you don't want to do it wrong, 468 00:26:45,720 --> 00:26:47,880 Speaker 1: because I would guess you could sink like a whole 469 00:26:47,880 --> 00:26:50,400 Speaker 1: show doing it wrong. Yeah, it's not a willing anything 470 00:26:50,800 --> 00:26:54,920 Speaker 1: how about spinoffs? I love spinoffs. There's been a lot 471 00:26:54,920 --> 00:26:58,040 Speaker 1: of very bad ones, but in some cases spinoffs have 472 00:26:58,119 --> 00:27:02,760 Speaker 1: been at least as popular as the original show. Um, 473 00:27:02,880 --> 00:27:05,480 Speaker 1: you have great shows like Mash which had trapper John 474 00:27:05,560 --> 00:27:08,680 Speaker 1: M D, which was pretty popular, and then the very 475 00:27:08,720 --> 00:27:14,360 Speaker 1: not great aftermash. Yeah, that was weird, terrible title. And then, Um, 476 00:27:14,400 --> 00:27:17,520 Speaker 1: that's pretty good too. Two is not bad. Um. What 477 00:27:17,600 --> 00:27:21,280 Speaker 1: about happy days, though? Happy days had Morkan Mindy, of course, 478 00:27:21,400 --> 00:27:27,800 Speaker 1: very popular show. UH, joanie loves CHOCY, not so great lavernon. 479 00:27:27,880 --> 00:27:31,320 Speaker 1: Surely that was from happy to right, a great, great show. 480 00:27:31,359 --> 00:27:33,200 Speaker 1: And then there were two more which I didn't even 481 00:27:33,480 --> 00:27:36,560 Speaker 1: know about. One called BLANKSI's beauties, the one called out 482 00:27:36,560 --> 00:27:38,680 Speaker 1: of the blue, and the reason you don't know about 483 00:27:38,800 --> 00:27:41,640 Speaker 1: was because they were terrible shows. But also, like they 484 00:27:41,680 --> 00:27:45,800 Speaker 1: introduced Morkin season five and gave him a spinoff. These 485 00:27:45,800 --> 00:27:49,000 Speaker 1: guys were introduced. They would introduce the character out of 486 00:27:49,000 --> 00:27:51,280 Speaker 1: the blue for the first time and then the next 487 00:27:51,400 --> 00:27:54,800 Speaker 1: night they would premier their spinoff show and it just 488 00:27:54,920 --> 00:27:57,080 Speaker 1: was a format they were trying and it just quite 489 00:27:57,119 --> 00:28:00,119 Speaker 1: worked out. Yeah, it didn't work very well. Uh, the 490 00:28:00,200 --> 00:28:03,760 Speaker 1: Jeffersons I mentioned spun from all in the family. Um, 491 00:28:03,800 --> 00:28:06,280 Speaker 1: another really popular show was a different world that spun 492 00:28:06,280 --> 00:28:13,200 Speaker 1: out from the Cosby show. Benson was a spinoff from what. Okay, 493 00:28:13,640 --> 00:28:16,440 Speaker 1: and I love Benson as a kid. I love that show. Uh, 494 00:28:16,560 --> 00:28:18,879 Speaker 1: facts of life was a great spinoff from different strokes. 495 00:28:18,920 --> 00:28:23,640 Speaker 1: Of course, Frasier, one of the all time great shows. UH, 496 00:28:23,680 --> 00:28:26,240 Speaker 1: spun off from one of the all time great shows. Yeah, 497 00:28:26,240 --> 00:28:29,119 Speaker 1: from cheers. You remember. Frasier was, I think he dated 498 00:28:29,160 --> 00:28:31,479 Speaker 1: Diane for a little while, didn't he? He that? He 499 00:28:31,520 --> 00:28:35,000 Speaker 1: was introduced dating Diane and then later dated that Lilith, 500 00:28:35,080 --> 00:28:37,399 Speaker 1: of course, one of the great characters, right. Yeah, and 501 00:28:37,480 --> 00:28:40,880 Speaker 1: she actually made it over to the spinoff two. Yeah, yeah, 502 00:28:40,920 --> 00:28:43,320 Speaker 1: she appeared on Frasier for sure. So all in the 503 00:28:43,400 --> 00:28:47,560 Speaker 1: family is apparently the the all time spinoff champ with 504 00:28:47,640 --> 00:28:51,080 Speaker 1: seven shows that it produced. The reason it was able 505 00:28:51,080 --> 00:28:52,960 Speaker 1: to do this is because it was so popular. Some 506 00:28:53,120 --> 00:28:57,520 Speaker 1: of its spinoffs had spinoffs, like, I think Rhoda was 507 00:28:57,560 --> 00:28:59,280 Speaker 1: a spinoff from all in the family and it ended 508 00:28:59,320 --> 00:29:03,600 Speaker 1: up spinning off Gloria, I think, or something. Yeah. So, 509 00:29:03,840 --> 00:29:06,160 Speaker 1: all told, all in the family generated eight hundred and 510 00:29:06,240 --> 00:29:11,160 Speaker 1: sixty episodes of television. Wow, yeah, that's it's almost like 511 00:29:11,200 --> 00:29:18,800 Speaker 1: the the Tommy, what's his name, verse from Tommy Westfall Universe. Yeah, 512 00:29:18,800 --> 00:29:20,600 Speaker 1: it is very much like that. I was trying to 513 00:29:20,640 --> 00:29:22,480 Speaker 1: explain that to emily and some people the other day 514 00:29:22,480 --> 00:29:26,560 Speaker 1: and just totally botched it. I need to retake that 515 00:29:26,600 --> 00:29:28,560 Speaker 1: one too. Just get me on the phone, put me 516 00:29:28,600 --> 00:29:31,240 Speaker 1: on speaker phone. Uh, and then when you know, recently 517 00:29:31,280 --> 00:29:33,400 Speaker 1: we could. We don't get a lot of spinoffs anymore, 518 00:29:33,440 --> 00:29:37,320 Speaker 1: but we should definitely shout out grownish, which is a 519 00:29:37,320 --> 00:29:42,160 Speaker 1: newer spinoff of blackish. Right, so it still happens. Another 520 00:29:42,200 --> 00:29:44,200 Speaker 1: thing that happened that was kind of like a landmark 521 00:29:44,760 --> 00:29:47,800 Speaker 1: bomb in the Sitcom world, and not bomb in the 522 00:29:47,800 --> 00:29:51,320 Speaker 1: bad way, but like meaning it was consequential. The flintstones 523 00:29:51,360 --> 00:29:54,840 Speaker 1: came out in and not. To that point no one 524 00:29:54,880 --> 00:29:58,600 Speaker 1: had even conceived of an animated Sitcom, but that's absolutely 525 00:29:58,600 --> 00:30:01,080 Speaker 1: what it was, so much so it was essentially an 526 00:30:01,120 --> 00:30:05,840 Speaker 1: animated rip off of the Honeymooners, based in prehistoric times. Yeah, 527 00:30:06,160 --> 00:30:09,800 Speaker 1: and uh, animated sitcoms became a staple of TV at 528 00:30:09,800 --> 00:30:14,160 Speaker 1: primetime television, with the jetsons, of course, Our Beloved Simpsons 529 00:30:14,280 --> 00:30:16,760 Speaker 1: and Future Rama, and now Bob's Burger's is one of 530 00:30:16,760 --> 00:30:19,200 Speaker 1: the family guy of course, and then Bob's Burgers, one 531 00:30:19,240 --> 00:30:23,760 Speaker 1: of the longest running current sitcoms. Animated Sitcoms? Yeah, there's 532 00:30:23,760 --> 00:30:26,720 Speaker 1: also rick and Morty, South Park. There's tons of animated 533 00:30:26,720 --> 00:30:29,320 Speaker 1: sitcoms and they can all thank the flint stones for 534 00:30:29,360 --> 00:30:31,760 Speaker 1: that and and, to a lesser extent, the JETSON's. It's 535 00:30:31,760 --> 00:30:34,280 Speaker 1: funny to think of South Park it's a Sitcom, but 536 00:30:34,320 --> 00:30:37,680 Speaker 1: I guess it is totally. It's just so offbeat it 537 00:30:37,760 --> 00:30:40,280 Speaker 1: doesn't seem to, you know, fit that mold, but it 538 00:30:40,480 --> 00:30:44,080 Speaker 1: is Sitcom Um. And then chuck. There's one other like 539 00:30:44,200 --> 00:30:46,840 Speaker 1: a significant moment in TV I want to like definitely 540 00:30:46,840 --> 00:30:49,280 Speaker 1: shout out. Was the last episode of New Heart that 541 00:30:49,320 --> 00:30:52,560 Speaker 1: aired in did you see it? I did. I was 542 00:30:52,600 --> 00:30:55,160 Speaker 1: a big fan of both the original Bob Newhart show 543 00:30:55,760 --> 00:30:59,360 Speaker 1: and reruns and then loved, loved the new heart show 544 00:30:59,360 --> 00:31:01,400 Speaker 1: where he was the in the first one he was 545 00:31:01,440 --> 00:31:05,520 Speaker 1: a psychologist married to Susanne Plashette, and in the second 546 00:31:05,560 --> 00:31:09,080 Speaker 1: new heart he was a B and b operator in Vermont, 547 00:31:09,200 --> 00:31:13,120 Speaker 1: right yeah, named Dick Loudon. And the second show new heart, 548 00:31:13,200 --> 00:31:16,000 Speaker 1: was much more weird and wacky and just kind of 549 00:31:16,000 --> 00:31:18,560 Speaker 1: went out there, whereas the BOB new heart show from 550 00:31:18,600 --> 00:31:21,360 Speaker 1: the seventies was a little more like down to Earth and, 551 00:31:21,560 --> 00:31:24,960 Speaker 1: you know, stayed uh, it had like new heart stead Pan, 552 00:31:25,160 --> 00:31:29,960 Speaker 1: you know, humor. I just accidentally did a new heart period. Um. 553 00:31:30,040 --> 00:31:33,040 Speaker 1: And so in the last episode of New Heart, Um, 554 00:31:33,120 --> 00:31:36,600 Speaker 1: the second show, uh, it starts at the last couple 555 00:31:36,600 --> 00:31:38,719 Speaker 1: of minutes. Started out in a darkened room and all 556 00:31:38,720 --> 00:31:41,280 Speaker 1: of a sudden Bob Wakes up, or Dick loud and 557 00:31:41,280 --> 00:31:44,520 Speaker 1: wakes up, you think. And it turns out he wakes 558 00:31:44,560 --> 00:31:47,240 Speaker 1: up his wife next to him and it's Susanne Plashette, 559 00:31:47,320 --> 00:31:49,720 Speaker 1: his wife from the BOB new heart show from the seventies. 560 00:31:50,000 --> 00:31:53,240 Speaker 1: And it turns out the entirety of new heart took 561 00:31:53,240 --> 00:31:56,760 Speaker 1: place in a dream of Bob Hartley's in the show, 562 00:31:56,960 --> 00:31:59,320 Speaker 1: the BOB new heart show. It's one of the greatest 563 00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:03,560 Speaker 1: aries finales of all time of any show, not just sitcoms. 564 00:32:03,600 --> 00:32:07,200 Speaker 1: Absolutely uh, it's. It's, for my money, maybe the only 565 00:32:07,240 --> 00:32:11,360 Speaker 1: time the it was all a dream thing worked to perfection, 566 00:32:11,920 --> 00:32:14,720 Speaker 1: because it's kind of become a trope, like a bad trope, 567 00:32:15,040 --> 00:32:17,520 Speaker 1: where it just is a sort of a lazy way 568 00:32:17,520 --> 00:32:21,040 Speaker 1: to do something. The reset button. Yeah, but boy, it 569 00:32:21,200 --> 00:32:24,400 Speaker 1: just they pulled their card at the right time. The 570 00:32:24,400 --> 00:32:26,520 Speaker 1: original new heart show was so beloved, I think in 571 00:32:26,600 --> 00:32:31,400 Speaker 1: Susan Plachette, so recognizable and beloved. Uh, it was just perfection. 572 00:32:31,480 --> 00:32:34,520 Speaker 1: It worked great, totally. Something that didn't work great and 573 00:32:34,520 --> 00:32:36,200 Speaker 1: I say this is the thing we go out on. 574 00:32:36,240 --> 00:32:39,440 Speaker 1: How about that? All right, it's called the Darren switch 575 00:32:39,720 --> 00:32:42,480 Speaker 1: or the other Darren, and it happened on the more 576 00:32:43,000 --> 00:32:46,720 Speaker 1: the two dicks, right, that's true. Um, it happened on 577 00:32:46,760 --> 00:32:51,280 Speaker 1: the sixth season of bewitched, right, and this was uh, 578 00:32:51,480 --> 00:32:54,680 Speaker 1: Darren was the husband, Samantha's husband. I'm bewitched, a great, 579 00:32:54,720 --> 00:32:58,720 Speaker 1: great show, originally played by Dick Yorke, and then another 580 00:32:58,800 --> 00:33:02,920 Speaker 1: Dick came in, Dick Sargent came in, and they just 581 00:33:03,160 --> 00:33:06,400 Speaker 1: swapped it out. They never explained it. Uh. This has 582 00:33:06,440 --> 00:33:09,600 Speaker 1: happened quite a few other times in TV history too, 583 00:33:10,080 --> 00:33:11,720 Speaker 1: write so much so that, like I said, it's a 584 00:33:11,760 --> 00:33:14,280 Speaker 1: trope called the other Darren, where they just bring in 585 00:33:14,320 --> 00:33:17,880 Speaker 1: a new actor without any explanation whatsoever, to start playing 586 00:33:18,280 --> 00:33:21,920 Speaker 1: an established role. Happens most often on soap operas, I've heard, 587 00:33:22,320 --> 00:33:25,760 Speaker 1: for sure, some of the other notable sitcoms, though. The 588 00:33:25,800 --> 00:33:30,120 Speaker 1: MOM on the fresh prince was swapped out Oh yeah, 589 00:33:30,120 --> 00:33:32,600 Speaker 1: on that seventies show. This one is very sad. Eric's 590 00:33:32,600 --> 00:33:36,000 Speaker 1: older sister was played by Lisa Robin Kelly at first 591 00:33:36,840 --> 00:33:39,920 Speaker 1: and she had drug and alcohol problems and she was 592 00:33:40,080 --> 00:33:43,240 Speaker 1: booted from the show and replaced and ended up dying 593 00:33:43,240 --> 00:33:48,960 Speaker 1: of a drug overdose. MORTY Seinfeld was different in one episode, 594 00:33:50,600 --> 00:33:53,000 Speaker 1: like in the middle of the run. Well, it was 595 00:33:53,160 --> 00:33:55,120 Speaker 1: the first time he was ever in an episode. It 596 00:33:55,160 --> 00:33:57,920 Speaker 1: was played by a different actor just for the one 597 00:33:57,920 --> 00:34:01,240 Speaker 1: episode and then we got uh, the Great Barney Martin 598 00:34:02,280 --> 00:34:04,480 Speaker 1: just owned you know. He played Lizam Nelly's Dad and 599 00:34:04,560 --> 00:34:07,160 Speaker 1: Arthur two, one of my favorite comedies. But if you 600 00:34:07,160 --> 00:34:10,520 Speaker 1: look back to that first Morty, uh Larry David didn't 601 00:34:10,520 --> 00:34:12,279 Speaker 1: like it and he's like he's too soft and he 602 00:34:12,360 --> 00:34:15,680 Speaker 1: swapped him after Barney Martin. That's awesome. Sometimes your father 603 00:34:15,760 --> 00:34:20,760 Speaker 1: forgets and I have to steal uh Ross's ex wife 604 00:34:20,800 --> 00:34:24,880 Speaker 1: Carol changed. Oh yeah, that's right. Okay, I knew that. UH, Angie, 605 00:34:24,880 --> 00:34:28,000 Speaker 1: I'm thirty rock, was another one episode run before they 606 00:34:28,000 --> 00:34:32,120 Speaker 1: switched to a different actor. Which one was Angie? Angie was? 607 00:34:33,520 --> 00:34:36,000 Speaker 1: Who Was Angie? I haven't seen thirty rock in so long. 608 00:34:36,920 --> 00:34:39,520 Speaker 1: I think she was just on the crew. Maybe I 609 00:34:39,520 --> 00:34:45,440 Speaker 1: can't remember that exactly. Um, or was she? I can't remember. Bewitched. 610 00:34:46,120 --> 00:34:49,920 Speaker 1: Um also had a switch, and that the gladys, the 611 00:34:49,960 --> 00:34:52,880 Speaker 1: nosy neighbor. Uh. The actor who played her died of 612 00:34:52,880 --> 00:34:57,040 Speaker 1: ovarian cancer and so they did a double switch twice. 613 00:34:57,640 --> 00:35:01,600 Speaker 1: And then finally, in True Mitch Her which Uh Fashion, 614 00:35:02,440 --> 00:35:05,239 Speaker 1: Mitch Hurwitz. He was the show runner for the rest 615 00:35:05,239 --> 00:35:09,600 Speaker 1: of development. And you remember and the boyfriend, I'm sorry, 616 00:35:09,600 --> 00:35:14,040 Speaker 1: the girlfriend of of what's his face? Michael Sarah was 617 00:35:14,080 --> 00:35:16,560 Speaker 1: like completely forgettable and the dad never no one ever 618 00:35:16,560 --> 00:35:19,239 Speaker 1: remembered who she was. So his idea was to have 619 00:35:19,280 --> 00:35:24,359 Speaker 1: a different actor play and in every episode, is that right? Yeah, 620 00:35:24,480 --> 00:35:26,080 Speaker 1: to kind of, you know, just make fun of the 621 00:35:26,080 --> 00:35:29,279 Speaker 1: trope a little bit. And he did that twice and 622 00:35:29,320 --> 00:35:31,560 Speaker 1: he ended up really, really liking the second actor so 623 00:35:31,640 --> 00:35:34,600 Speaker 1: much I think he was like, I can't like fire you. 624 00:35:34,960 --> 00:35:36,920 Speaker 1: So he did it once and then I had the 625 00:35:36,960 --> 00:35:41,880 Speaker 1: same actor player, which is pretty funny. That guy is brilliant. Um. 626 00:35:42,719 --> 00:35:44,759 Speaker 1: So I guess that's it for sitcoms. Huh. Like we 627 00:35:44,800 --> 00:35:47,640 Speaker 1: could just keep talking about significant Sitcom moments all day, 628 00:35:47,680 --> 00:35:50,120 Speaker 1: but I think we should probably stop. I think so 629 00:35:50,200 --> 00:35:52,279 Speaker 1: we ran a couple of minutes long, but, uh, do 630 00:35:52,280 --> 00:35:54,640 Speaker 1: you have anything you want to retake this week? No, 631 00:35:54,880 --> 00:35:58,200 Speaker 1: it's all good this time. All right, great. Well, thanks 632 00:35:58,200 --> 00:36:00,840 Speaker 1: for joining us, everybody. If you want to get in 633 00:36:00,880 --> 00:36:02,359 Speaker 1: touch with us and let us know what you thought 634 00:36:02,400 --> 00:36:06,200 Speaker 1: about the two part very special Sitcom episode, you can 635 00:36:06,239 --> 00:36:09,840 Speaker 1: send us an email to stuff podcast in IHEART RADIO 636 00:36:10,239 --> 00:36:21,480 Speaker 1: DOT com. Stuff, you should know, is a production of 637 00:36:21,520 --> 00:36:24,799 Speaker 1: I heart radio. For more podcasts my heart radio, visit 638 00:36:24,880 --> 00:36:27,959 Speaker 1: the IHEART radio APP, apple podcasts or wherever you listen 639 00:36:28,040 --> 00:36:31,880 Speaker 1: to your favorite shows. H