Positive portrayals of marriage and family in classic television?

Question

What television family from the 50s or 60s (maybe into the 70s) do you think represented a positive, mutually respectful, equal relationship between husband and wife and parents and children?

Which ones are most problematic?

And why?

I have an opinion on the first question, but I am going to wait a bit to reveal it. I am almost certain it will surprise you.

I'm realizing that I may be unusual in having a clear sense of television history. The Cosby Show is from the 80s.

Answer 1

The typical television family from the 50's and 60's depicted an idealized picture of what a family was supposed to be. It's a time that's touted as the golden era of the family. (Politicians on the right love using this ideal to emcompass what true family values are.)

What's problematic? It didn't represent what was really happening in real families. Most shows put the nuclear family on a pedestal and were laden with stereotypical gender roles. (Leave it to Beaver, etc.)
The ideals were those that not every family could live up to. Crap happens. But you would never know that based off of a television show. It just set people up to think they were failures and it set people up to have ridiculous expectations of what a family is supposed to be.

Answer 2

I doubt that anyone will agree, but I Love Lucy was the first show I watched about a family and despite the most wild escapades, the show always ended with a reaffirmation of respect and love. On Leave It To Beaver, I never knew what Ward did. I loved The George Burns Show. The Donna Reed Show was pretty tame. Father Knows Best was nice. The Danny Thomas Show, The Dick Van Dyck Show, The Nelsons were a bit more modern. I didn't like The Brady Bunch or Eight is Enough. I am thinking that the show with Michael J. Fox was well balanced, got it: Family Ties. Happy Days was fun. There are at least eight more. All in the Family didn't demonstrate much respect. Now, my brain hurts.
C. :)!!

Answer 3

Actually, I find many of the old TV sitcoms a tad more realistic than those today in one respect - middle class people actually had a middle-class lifestyle. Familes now are shown in mansions - I couldn't stop laughing at the movie remake of "Leave it to Beaver" - the boys go from sharing a bedroom containing two twin beds and a single dresser to each having his own room, complete with pool table, massive toy train set, etc.

Generally, most were fairly positive in many respects, although "I love Lucy" occassionally bugged me. The major problem was the lack of diversity in TV families, and it's nice to see my kids watching "Little Bill" or "Dora", rather than an all-white cast of characters.

What do I love to see reruns of? Little House on the Prarie. I get sick of the "typical" divorced, snotty, money-obsessed families on current TV shows. The Ingalls family had loving parents and the kids were bright and interesting, but not obnoxious.

Answer 4

There was "Julia" which was the first sitcom to have a black female as a lead. Diahann Carroll played a single mother who was raising a son. People who are too young to remember the late 1960s have probably never heard of this show. I have not seen it since its original run. We get subjected to shows like "The Brady Bunch", which by the way, had only marginal ratings during its run but not the more groundbreaking ones that were on at around the same time. I also haven't seen "Room 222" since its original run.

Answer 5

Agree. i replaced into keen on the affection and romance that replaced into continuously shared between Gomez and Morticia, even after having a kinfolk, how accepting they have been of each others pastimes (as you mentioned) and attitudes/personalities. countless the above pronounced besides, the honor and loving attitude in direction of elders (and , fairly the uncle and grandmama's participation), additionally - that they had their very own sort of kinfolk shape that worked for them, no longer adjusting to what their society considered to be an "proper kinfolk", between different issues.

Answer 6

None. They are ALL problematic. TV has been s*hit since day one. And the Cosby show was/is just as nauseating as Leave it to Beaver.

I hear they are going to bring that back for the Butt Pirate channel and call it "Leave it...It's Beaver."

What I heard. Gonna "come" on right after "Rawhiney."

Answer 7

Positive: i go with The Cosby show as well. "Good Times" also had a strong mom and a present dad.

Negative: The Brady Bunch got on my nerves.

EDIT: sorry, wasn't around in the 70s. but it was the EARLY 80S.

Answer 8

Positive: Probably The Cosby Show, but it has its qualities that I don't like.

Negative: Really, it would have to be All in the Family. I don't think I need to explain why.

Answer 9

Well, I'm not familiar with any from those years....or maybe I am. One show that sticks out in my mind was the one with Archie Bunker (he was sooooo grouchy!) He was racist, sexist etc....but he sure was funny....and sometimes it's good to be able to laugh and not be so freakn' serious.

Also, I really like "That 70's Show" I like how the family is portrayed, it's traditional to a point....but not oppressively so.

Answer 10

Unlike today's negatively-biased programmes, many of the older TV programmes fell more or less into that category. Except that a few of those really went really nauseatingly over the top with their political correctness posturing, ugh!