One of the most important TV producers in the history of the medium has died. Norman Lear, whose work completely reshaped the American television sitcom, passed away in Los Angeles on Tuesday. He was 101 years old. Born in Connecticut in 1922, Lear served in the Air Force in World War II, where he took part … Read more
3. “Cold Turkey”: Back in 1971, Roger awarded four stars to Lear’s scathing satire of the tobacco industry starring Dick Van Dyke and Bob Newhart. “What we need are mean comedies, filled with mean and petty people who hate and envy each other, and exhibit the basest of human motives. Comedies like that canonized W. … Read more
CBS was so nervous about the first episode of “All in the Family,” it ran what today we might call a trigger warning, saying that the show “seeks to throw a humorous spotlight on our frailties, prejudices, and concerns. By making them a source of laughter, we hope to show—in a mature fashion—just how absurd … Read more