Top Ten 70's Television Sitcoms

The 70's steamrolled in a new era of sitcom. The top ten sitcoms of the 70's were not passive comedies, but social commentaries. Sitcoms of this decade unveiled social injustice, grappled with tough questions, and challenged the status quo. Sitcoms of the 70's ventured into new areas of drama and social justice which were previously untouched by television drama. Much of the credit goes to producer Norman Lear.

Based on content, viewers, and impact on society and culture during the 70's and beyond, the following are my top ten picks for television sitcoms of the 70's.

All in the Family, 1971-1979

All in the Family is considered the most controversial, groundbreaking show of the 70's. Writer's for All in the Family barreled full speed into social topics that many average, white middle class families refused to acknowledge.

Once Archie Bunker came on the air, voicing chauvinistic, racist, and ethnocentric opinions and attitudes like these could no longer be ignored. Archie was an ugly character. He represented the status quo and the bigoted ideas and beliefs he held were not uncommon in middle class America in the 70's. Archie delivered exactly what the producers wanted, an expose of bigotry through a character America loved to hate.

I always felt sorry for Edith. She bore the brunt of Archie's anger, but she was as flighty as she appeared. There were moments when Edit showed tremendous insight. I almost got the sense that she had Archie's number, but because she loved him, she continued to put up with him and stand up for him, in her own mixed up way.

M*A*S*H, 1972 - 1983

M*A*S*H was another ground breaking show of the 70's. Set in South Korea, M*A*S*H* was a commentary on the Vietnam War. Through the casualties and horrors of war Alan Alda and the rest of the cast managed to bring home that fact that war involves humans. Injecting humor, pain, and social commentary, the show was a hit borne of the movie by the same name.