Sitcoms in the Seventies

Television once tried to show perfect families in perfect homes. But by the beginning of the 1970s, sitcoms were no longer afraid to deal with tougher issues. They showed working-class families in real-life situations. Their characters discussed war, racism, and women’s issues. Compared to new shows like The Mary Tyler Moore Show, M*A*S*H, All in the Family, Good Times, and Maude, shows like Here’s Lucy seemed very old-fashioned .

The new, down-to-earth sitcoms were nothing like Here’s Lucy , which had by then dropped out of the top-twenty most-watched shows. The last episode of Here’s Lucy aired in March of 1974. Lucy had spent the past twenty years playing Lucy. People wondered: Could she really retire?