1980s Sitcoms

Previously we looked at two sitcoms from the 1970s that showed promising progression towards equal gender roles. This week we’ll be looking at sitcoms from the 1980s, which show a whole new slew of progressive movements that are reflective of the time period in which they were created.

            The first sitcom we will look at is called Three’s Company. This sitcom aired in the late 70s, early 80s so it’s a perfect show to see the transition to more progressive ideas. In this show we see three single individuals sharing an apartment together. Two of the people are female and the other is a male. They all live together platonically in one apartment and are all searching for a person to spend their lives with. This is one of the first sitcoms we see men and women living together that aren’t married or in some from of relationship. Old ideals of co-ed living without a form of relationship are well represented by the landlord whom at first forbids Jack to live with the two girls. It’s only until the two girls claim that Jack is gay that he gets permission to live with them. For the gender roles, they’re completely switched from what we’ve seen so far. In the very first episode it’s shown that the two girls, Janet and Chrissy don’t know how to cook, don’t clean and don’t know how to do any of the chores women are usually expected to do. When Jack moves in however he shows them how to cook, clean and do house hold chores. It’s a sitcom that flips all previous ideals about gender and family life upside down.

            The other sitcom I’ll be discussing is The Cosby Show. This show aired in the late 80s going into the 90s. The show revolves around the Huxtable family, which is an African American family, living in New York City. This sitcom paved the way for other predominant African American casted forms of entertainment, showing a good-hearted family of color. Though very different from the sitcom we last looked at The Cosby Show has several of its own progressive ideals shown not only in gender but in family life as well. It’s shown through out the entire series that Claire Huxtable is a hardworking mom, who has a job as a lawyer. She also is mainly the disciplinary figure, leaving Cliff Huxtable the comedic relief in the show. Both of the Huxtable parents do the cooking, cleaning, and household chores. This sitcom was a milestone for television shows in the future.

            Both of these sitcoms show another huge leap for gender roles and family life progression. They both show new ideas that were once considered blasphemous, but ended up being wildly beloved and successful. Below I’ve included a picture of Jack in the first episode of Three’s Company cooking for Janet and Chrissy as well as an amazing rant given by Claire Huxtable smashing the gender role of women serving men.