The American Family on Television: From Molly Goldberg to Bill Cosby

Abstract

This article is about the family (domestic) comedy, one of the most popular and enduring genre on television. The first section concentrates on the background and rationale for studying family life as portrayed in television’s domestic comedies; the second follows the evolution of the TV family from Molly Goldberg in the 1940s when television came into American homes to the Nelsons (The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet) and the Stones (The Donna Reed Show) in the 1950s to the Huxtables (The Cosby Show) and Keatons of Family Ties in the 1980s. The focus is on how gender, race, and class have been portrayed over time, and whether the messages, issues, and themes about love and sex have changed and in what ways. After analyzing approximately 40 years of television, the article concludes by noting that the family is not always presented as conflict-free. Family members often make fun of each other; sometimes they deceive each other to get their way; and often interact by putting each other down. However, the family is basically the place where one goes for support, to solve problems that are generated from the outside, and to find solace when needed.