They say you can’t go home again, but thanks to streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and Youtube, you can take a stroll down memory lane. Many older television shows are finding new life with young audiences, dramas and sitcoms alike. That’s because there are some real gems that helped shape today’s entertainment landscape with their innovative casting and storytelling. So grab some popcorn and settle down on the couch — it’s time to revisit some of your favorite 1970s sitcoms!
The Jeffersons
When the Jeffersons decided to move “on up” the whole world enjoyed the laughs. Groundbreaking for showing the realities of an African American family trying to claim their slice of the American pie, The Jeffersons is a quintessential 1970s story. So rustle up some good snacks and start your binge of George and Weezie’s endlessly entertaining adventures.
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
When Mary Tyler Moore decided she was “gonna make it after all” we all tuned in to watch her do it. With a terrific ensemble cast poking fun at all the ins-and-outs of a tv news broadcast, The Mary Tyler Moore Show showed the country how ladies could hilariously compete in the workplace. And talk about a cast full of comedy powerhouses! Put Cloris Leachman, Valerie Harper, Betty White, Georgia Engel, Ed Asner, Gavin MacLeod, and Ted Knight in a blender and you get this absolute classic 70s sitcom.
The Odd Couple
There’s comedy and then there’s the sort of side-splitting comedy you have to pause so you can catch your breath again. The Odd Couple delivers non-stop laughs with the unbeatable duo of Tony Randall and Jack Klugman. This sitcom setup became a tried and true prototype for decades of tv comedy to come but, like they say, there’s nothing like the original!
The Bob Newhart Show
There’s a strong argument to be made that one could simply put Bob Newhart in a small white room alone and he could have had a hit television show, but paired with Suzanne Pleshette, Peter Bonerz, Bill Daily, and Marcia Wallace a powerhouse was born. Bob Newhart as a Chicago psychologist remains the stuff of sitcom legend and is absolutely still binge-worthy!
M*A*S*H
It’s difficult to quantify M*A*S*H as a sitcom. Not because it’s not a comedy — it absolutely is! But it’s also much, much more than that. This irreverent, brash, heartfelt look at the Korean War can make you laugh and cry, often more than once in the same episode. The influence M*A*S*H had on television continues to this day and that’s part of what makes this classic a show that will be worthy of a binge for as long as anyone watches television. So if it’s been a while since you revisited “Hawkeye,” Trapper John, Hunnicutt, Klinger, Radar, and “Hot Lips” Houlihan we know what you should do with your weekend! Pop M*A*S*H on the tv and enjoy the ride!
Taxi
One would be hard-pressed to name a show with more raw comedy talent than 1970s sitcom Taxi. Based on the premise that a taxi cab dispatch garage is the real melting pot of American society, this show put an unbeatable cast of comedy powerhouses together and let them loose. With Judd Hirsch, Jeff Conaway, Danny DeVito, Marilu Henner, Tony Danza, Randall Carver, Andy Kaufman, Christopher Lloyd, and Carol Kane all in one show it’s no wonder we’re still laughing forty years later!
Sanford and Son
Red Foxx is a comedy legend and nowhere is that more clear than on Sanford and Son. You’ll laugh until you’re sick — and you’ll even occasionally shed a tear — as you watch Fred G. Sanford and his son Lamont navigate their 1970s life. You’ll also see the influence this show has had on all subsequent generations of comedy tv. This show is absolutely worth a binge!