Who Turned Out The Lights?: Sitcom Episodes That Deal With Dark/Heavy Topics

[opus]

 

I still remember when Carol's boyfriend Sandy on Growing Pains dies after driving under the influence.  One scene he's in the hospital looking okay and in the next Mike is telling Carol the horrible news.  That moment where she just can't accept it was so devastating.  I remember being shocked that they actually killed him.

[/youtube

On Growing Pains earlier this evening was a Will Mike Seaver do cocaine episode?

.

[Bastet]

Oh, jeez, I've just realized I remember dialogue from that episode: Boner and Mike seeing people going to the bathroom in pairs, and thinking it's a rich people thing rather than a "we're going to snort a line" thing," and thus Mike getting home to the dad saying Boner left a message to tell Mike "I didn't go to the bathroom."  And then some cheesy "It means a lot, Dad.  It means a lot" (or similar) moment when Jason asks what that means.  Sweet Jesus, why is this in my brain?!

 

In syndication, do they show the tag at the end with Kirk Cameron addressing the audience?

[ParadoxLost]

Speaking of Growing Pains, I've always wondered if the show knew that Tracey Gold had been diagnosed with anorexia as a child when they started having Mike make fat jokes about her for a large number of episodes after she gained weight over a hiatus.

[Luckylyn]

I know Tracey said those jokes were something she internalized and made her situation worse.  I don't think people realized she had a problem until they noticed the drastic weight loss and cast members noticed she wasn't eating.  I remember the actor who played Ben said he and Tracey would have lunch together and over time he noticed she'd sit with him while he ate, and she would eat nothing.   From what I understand, the show runners didn't know what was going on until Joanna Kerns approached them and demanded they do something which lead to Tracey being given time off to get treatment.

 

I remember the episode of Full House where DJ stopped eating and was over exercising to lose weight.  She ended up passing out in front of everyone which alerted her father something was wrong.

[BatmanBeatles]

 

I remember the episode of Full House where DJ stopped eating and was over exercising to lose weight.  She ended up passing out in front of everyone which alerted her father something was wrong.

Different Stroke had an episode like that. Kimberly was bulimic and I think she passed out too.

[SmithW6079]

Sorry, Kromm, you can't sucker me into watching that Futurama clip again. No way I'm going to start sobbing here. Hell, I'm eye leaking just thinking about it.

I've watched that episode only twice, even though I knew I shouldn't the second time. It's the only one I won't watch again.

Edited January 12, 2015 by SmithW6079

[MaryPatShelby]

Also, Darlene having to read her "To Whom It Concerns" poem ...

 

I love that poem.

 

Sports Night handled the real life stroke of Robert Guillame (spelled wrong, I'm sure) wonderfully. I just fall apart at the end of that episode every time when the first notes of "Eli's Coming" sound.........

Edited January 13, 2015 by buffylew

[UYI]

Speaking of Growing Pains, I've always wondered if the show knew that Tracey Gold had been diagnosed with anorexia as a child when they started having Mike make fat jokes about her for a large number of episodes after she gained weight over a hiatus.

 

No they didn't, not originally anyway. I actually have Tracey's autobiography, and according to her, when the fat jokes really began to bother her, her father, Harry Gold, who was also her manager, told them that Tracey had had anorexia at age 12, prior to GP, and they said they would stop writing them in. Except of course, they did. They tried to tell her that it wasn't about her, but about Carol, and that it was just normal teasing a brother would provide his sister. Tracey responded by saying it was still her body, and as someone who grew up as one of five girls, she didn't know what it was like to have a brother (oddly enough, she grew up to have four kids, all boys).

 

She did actually a healthy amount of weight in a healthy way originally once those jokes began (she had been away doing a play in Kansas City during a hiatus, and had gained a bit of weight). Over time, however, she got to the point where she had "eating" days and "not eating" days, and eventually her second bout of anorexia began. She had to miss a few episodes of the last season once she got so skinny that Warner Bros. (who produced the show) couldn't insure her anymore. At her lowest, she was 79 pounds. It when she was doing the TV movie For the Love of Nancy, about another girl with anorexia, that she started to fully recover. 

 

A little longer answer than I expected, LOL, but here it is.

 

Topic?

 

I guess the whole premise of Punky Brewster--a young girl abandoned by her mother in a supermarket who is taken in by a Chicago landlord--could fit in here. 

[Kromm]

I guess the whole premise of Punky Brewster--a young girl abandoned by her mother in a supermarket who is taken in by a Chicago landlord--could fit in here. 

Not just the overall premise, but the actual execution of the individual episodes as well.  The show went beyond being serious about the core premise and also was packed, pretty much wall to wall, with other serious social issues in most of their episodes.  The downside is that it came off as constant "very special episode" treatment (what people say when a funny show seems to get overly preachy).  But arguably,since it was present in pretty much every episode, it can't really be "very special episode"-itus.   

[UYI]

Speaking of a sitcom with a somewhat depressing premise, CBS was originally worried that Family Affair being about three kids being taken in by their uncle after their parents die in a car crash might be a hard sell to audiences.

 

Actually, one specific part of the series that might count here is how the aunt and uncle they were staying just prior to Bill clearly seemed to favor one or two of the kids over the other(s), which played some role in how they eventually wound up being raised by Bill.

[Kromm]

Here's a range of episode synopsis from Punky Brewster to get an idea. Remember, despite this it was still a COMEDY.

 

 

Punky goes shopping with Betty and Cherie and comes home with some fantastic rain gear that Henry is expected to pay for. The monstrous bill is a shock for former bachelor Henry, who is not used to sharing his money with another person. Punky and Cherie become upset when they overhear the adults discussing the financial struggles involved with raising children, and Punky, who is determined to share the burden, will stop at nothing to get some cash

 

 

Determined not to create problems for Henry and Maggie's future, Punky bids an emotional farewell to Cherie and sneaks out secretly with Brandon. A fierce snowstorm prompts them to seek shelter in a junkyard hovel, where they make an unexpected encounter. Meanwhile, Henry and Maggie search feverishly for the little girl, but there is only one person who may be able to help them

 

 

Henry buys a set of stamps called the "Crowned Heads of Europe", and Brandon swallows them, making Henry furious. Punky takes Brandon out for a walk to let Henry calm down, and Brandon gets hit by a car...

 

 

Linda is the sweet and kindhearted custodian at Punky's school, but her mental disabilities have left her with very low self-esteem. Linda is quickly befriended by fourth grade teacher Mike, as well as Punky, but Linda soon realizes that some people will never see past her differences. Fortunately, she has a secret gift that is not recognized by most, and it will take some extra support from her closest friends to share it with those around her.

 

 

Punky and Cherie try to befriend Julie Whitney, a lonely young girl who has moved into the building with her single father, but it's obvious from the beginning that something is not right with Julie. Their suspicions come to a head when they recognize the girl's picture on a milk carton.

 

 

While shopping for Christmas presents, Punky longs to buy something special for Henry, but she doesn't have the money. When a classmate shows her how to get what she wants for free, an unfortunate twist of events lands an innocent bystander in jail. What's worse, that person just happens to be Punky's teacher, and now it's up to her to clear his name

 

 

Punky is terrified that Henry is going to become the next victim of the "Northside Stalker" -- a killer who has been terrorizing the city. The problem is, it soon turns into an irrational fear, consuming her life and distracting her in everything she does.

 

 

Punky and her classmates receive special CPR instruction in school. What they don't expect is to be forced to utilize their skills just days later, when a close friend has a near-death experience.

 

 

As this special 5-part season finale begins, Henry and Punky are playing cards at the apartment when Henry receives a devastating phone call. His photography studio has burned to the ground, and without that job, he is unable to support himself and Punky. The stress soon results in Henry being hospitalized for a bleeding ulcer, which proves to be horrible timing when one of Punky's social workers shows up.

 

 

And this is JUST a few from Seasons 1 & 2.  There's two more seasons AFTER that along the same lines.

[Kel Varnsen]

Here's a range of episode synopsis from Punky Brewster to get an idea. Remember, despite this it was still a COMEDY.

 

And this is JUST a few from Seasons 1 & 2.  There's two more seasons AFTER that along the same lines.

Kromm, how could you forget the classic episode where Punky and her friends are playing hide and seek outside and one of them gets stuck in a refrigerator, teaching kids the important lesson about not hiding inside old refrigerators since they can't be opened from the inside. I don't really remember those other episodes, but I am in my mid 30's and that one is burned inside my brain.

[UYI]

I actually have all 4 seasons on DVD, so yeah, it is pretty staggering when you see just how many episodes there were with rather serious subjects. And not only was this a primetime sitcom, this was one aimed specifically at KIDS. And we're not even going into the weird as crap Indian Cave episode, either.

 

One of the most touching scenes of the series is when Cherie cries over her parents' grave on the anniversary of their death (they were in a car crash). 

[Kromm]

Hnmm.  A few more (this time from Seasons 3 & 4)
 

Henry and Punky are annoyed at Alan keeps showing up at their apartment unannounced, but they soften when they learn about the problems going on in Alan's home. When his bickering parents decide to get a divorce, Punky is unsure of how to comfort her friend, and matters worsen when Alan--who refuses to leave town with his mother--asks for Punky's help with a difficult task.

 

 

As May 9 approaches, Punky makes the connection that Cherie disappears every year on that day. Pressured by Punky's constant questioning, Cherie finally acknowledges that May 9 is the anniversary of her parents' tragic death. Punky feels guilty for re-opening an old wound and helps her friend come to terms with her pain.

 

 

Henry still has access to a bottle of sleeping pills that were prescribed for him six months ago, and when he has difficulty getting to sleep at night, he turns to them for help. When Punky realizes what is going on, she is concerned that his health is in jeopardy, and as an 11-year-old girl, she faces the challenge of her life when she must guide Henry out of this dangerous addiction.

 

 

Punky and Cherie sell cosmetics door to door for Lady Contempo Cosmetics, until they discover that the company is actually a scam run by a con artist named Sidney. Now the girls must deal with the customers who have been negatively affected by these faulty products--including Henry and Betty--and reveal the truth about Sidney

 

 

Cherie's cousins Paula and Bobby arrive for a visit. Trouble starts when Punky realizes that Paula, who is their age, cannot read...and Punky and Cherie have very different opinions on how to address the situation.

[Kromm]

Kromm, how could you forget the classic episode where Punky and her friends are playing hide and seek outside and one of them gets stuck in a refrigerator, teaching kids the important lesson about not hiding inside old refrigerators since they can't be opened from the inside. I don't really remember those other episodes, but I am in my mid 30's and that one is burned inside my brain.

The interesting thing is that apparently it's been the law since 1958 that you can't sell a refrigerator that isn't openable from the inside.  So set in the mid 80s. that had to be one HECK of an old fridge.  I guess that was a plotpoint of the episode though.

 

There was also at least one more episode about overt child abuse, but I couldn't find/recall which one it was.

And we're not even going into the weird as crap Indian Cave episode, either.

Isn't that some kind of "everyone dies" fantasy episode?

[GHScorpiosRule]

I seem to recall that Andy Gibb was a recurring character and that there was one episode about 'saying no to drugs' (Cocaine) and ironically, a few years later, Gibb would die of a drug overdose.

[The Crazed Spruce]

As I recall, Punky Brewster was also the first show to do an episode about the Challenger disaster.

[UYI]

I seem to recall that Andy Gibb was a recurring character and that there was one episode about 'saying no to drugs' (Cocaine) and ironically, a few years later, Gibb would die of a drug overdose.

 

He actually appeared in only two episodes, both during the first season: the first one, "Miss Adorable", as himself (he was the host of the Miss Adorable pageant and sang "Thank Heaven for Little Girls"), and another one as Punky's piano teacher Tony Glenn, where he sang her a song:

 

 

To stay on topic, no discussion of serious topics on The Facts of Life is complete without mentioning "The First Time" from the last season, where Natalie loses her virginity. 

[caci]

It's amazing how many of these episodes I actually remember.  My fondest memories, though, are for the ones that put more comedy into the situation (early episodes of MASH, WKRP, Newsradio and such).  So many others I felt just were trying too hard to be important that it was hard to take them seriously.  Dealing with the real life death of an actor, I understand, but as someone said, too many serious stories came off as self-righteous and wayyyy too heavy handed.  (In my own opinion, Designing Women was one of the worst. The first couple of years were ok, but then I got to the point where I wanted to slap everyone of those women.  I stopped watching early on.)  Those special epsodes had Emmy desire written all over them but weren't always very good.

 

Anyway, I remember the actress who played the mother on Growing Pains complaining that they weren't doing enough hard edged shows.  She mentioned that Roseanne was dealing with teen pregnancy and their show was dealing with a lice storyline.  I thought two things - one: every sitcom at that point had teen pregnancy stories,  To do a lice story was much more original in my book and, in some ways, harder for people to watch. Two: IT'S A SITCOM!  Most people watch family sitcoms to mindlessy forget the world for a half hour.  Sometimes that's needed more than "very special episodes". 

[ParadoxLost]

My fondest memories, though, are for the ones that put more comedy into the situation (early episodes of MASH, WKRP, Newsradio and such).  So many others I felt just were trying too hard to be important that it was hard to take them seriously.  Dealing with the real life death of an actor, I understand, but as someone said, too many serious stories came off as self-righteous and wayyyy too heavy handed.  (In my own opinion, Designing Women was one of the worst. The first couple of years were ok, but then I got to the point where I wanted to slap everyone of those women.  I stopped watching early on.)  Those special epsodes had Emmy desire written all over them but weren't always very good.

 

There are two kind of sitcoms.  The ones that do 'very special episodes'  and the ones that have social material as their bread and butter.  I think that the latter type are particularly in danger of coming across as preachy if the quality suffers or the show goes on too long.  That is what I think happened with Designing Women.

[caci]

There are two kind of sitcoms.  The ones that do 'very special episodes'  and the ones that have social material as their bread and butter.  I think that the latter type are particularly in danger of coming across as preachy if the quality suffers or the show goes on too long.  That is what I think happened with Designing Women.

You are probably right about that.  I don't remember very many of the early seasons plots of the show, but it did seem to go for more topical material with a few different points of view and some very funny lines.  Then, it devolved into "I know best and if anyone disagrees, they must be imbeciles."  It was semi watchable during ordinary shows,  totally unwatchable when they had a "special" topic to ram down the viewers throats.  (Sorry, did I mention that I came to really dislike the show?)

[ParadoxLost]

 (Sorry, did I mention that I came to really dislike the show?)

 

That is being kind.  By the end, I thought it was damaging to the youth of America.

 

How about when VP Dan Quayle decided it would be a good idea to take on Murphy Brown?  Wasn't the last season all about Murphy battling cancer?

[Cobalt Stargazer]

How about when VP Dan Quayle decided it would be a good idea to take on Murphy Brown? 

 

Heh, I remember that, but let's be honest, Quayle always seemed like the type you could fool into going on a snipe hunt. Murphy was his snipe.

[UYI]

That is being kind.  By the end, I thought it was damaging to the youth of America.

 

How about when VP Dan Quayle decided it would be a good idea to take on Murphy Brown?  Wasn't the last season all about Murphy battling cancer?

 

Yes. Diane English, the creator of the show, left after Murphy gave birth to Avery at the end of season 4, and was asked back to produce the final season (season 10), and wanted to do a storyline that represented what she had intended the show to be about in the first place (serious issues, hence the news setting), so Murphy was diagnosed with breast cancer.

 

The episode that caused the most controversy was the one where Jim, seeing how Murphy is getting nauseous due to undergoing chemotherapy, decides to help his friend out by scoring marijuana in a DC city park. They were shown smoking the pot onscreen (Murphy had to instruct him on how to smoke it without it looking like Humphrey Bogart smoking a cigarette, haha).

 

IIRC, Dan Quayle spoke up about that episode too, but as he was no longer Vice President, it didn't carry as much weight by then.

 

The funny thing about his speech on fatherhood is that they were able to show Murphy and Frank watching the speech on TV, because with the exception of one quote where he called her "a fictional character" (which Murphy and Frank spoke over), it almost sounds like he's talking about a real person (which worked for the show, given that she anchored the show FYI). 

Edited January 14, 2015 by UYI

[Bastet]

and wanted to do a storyline that represented what she had intended the show to be about in the first place (serious issues, hence the news setting), so Murphy was diagnosed with breast cancer.

 

And had to explain to the network execs that menopause was not a disease, as that was their suggestion for what serious illness Murphy should battle.

 

The episode that caused the most controversy was the one where Jim, seeing how Murphy is getting nauseous due to undergoing chemotherapy, decides to help his friend out by scoring marijuana in a DC city park. They were shown smoking the pot onscreen (Murphy had to instruct him on how to smoke it without it looking like Humphrey Bogart smoking a cigarette, haha).

 

A friend and I still do the "cigar, cigarette, joint" routine from time to time.

Edited January 14, 2015 by Bastet

[FormerMod-a1]

The Golden Girls had a couple of real clunkers.  One in particular is Brother, Can You Spare a Jacket?  The girls buy a lottery ticket and through plot they keep it in a leather jacket that gets donated to a shelter.  Well, of course that's the winning ticket, so the girls go to the shelter to get the ticket back and for plot reasons end up spending the night there while learning a valuable lesson about the homeless.  They leave the next morning without the ticket or jacket - they just leave it there.  I don't remember if they even told the people that run the shelter about it.  I love GG, but I will never rewatch this episode.

 

One they did a little better, aside from some OOC comments by the characters, was about fat shaming and "settling" for the wrong abusive person when Blanche's overweight daughter gets engaged to a real jerk.  

 

And there was Mary Had a Little Lamb, about teen pregnancy and not abandoning your daughter she get pregnant.

 

They also tackled illegal immigration, assisted suicide, abusive relationships again (with Blanche rather than her daughter), infidelity, sexual harassment at least twice (Rose and the dentist and Blanche and a teacher), agism, safe sex (condoms! condoms! condoms!), and more I'm sure I'm forgetting.

[Bastet]

They leave the next morning without the ticket or jacket - they just leave it there.  I don't remember if they even told the people that run the shelter about it.

 

They give the ticket to the priest (?) who runs the shelter.  Golden Girls tackled a number of issues brilliantly.  Homelessness was not one of them, unfortunately; that episode is a shining example of why the Very Special Episode is a subject of mockery.

Edited January 14, 2015 by Bastet

[Wax Lion]

 

I remember the episode of Full House where DJ stopped eating and was over exercising to lose weight.  She ended up passing out in front of everyone which alerted her father something was wrong.

Different Stroke had an episode like that. Kimberly was bulimic and I think she passed out too.

 

Weren't there a few episodes like that where the kid was stressed out and the family didn't realize it until they passed out? Those episodes fucked me up as a kid, whenever I got stressed with a lot of schoolwork I'd wish to pass out so I could lighten my load somehow.

 

Speaking of shows that tackled homelessness, I remember liking the special Kate & Allie where Allie ends up spending the day feeling like a homeless person? (B/c circumstances she ends up far from home without her wallet and wearing shabby clothes. She tries to ask people for help, but they keep turning her away like she must be lying about needing the money just to get home.) I wonder if it holds up or if it comes off as preachy.

[UYI]

There was an episode during the first season of The Facts of Life where Sue Ann had a 30 minute eating disorder.

 

Not to mention the episode about marijuana which guest starred a pre-fame Helen Hunt (Hell, this was before she flew through a second story window while high on PCP in an after school special!).

[bmasters9]

Then, it devolved into "I know best and if anyone disagrees, they must be imbeciles."  

That's a major reason why I have never had an interest in owning any of the releases of such shows as Diff'rent Strokes, The Facts of Life, Punky Brewster, and similar shows-- because I have heard (I may be incorrect) that quite a few of the episodes of those were of that persuasion. 

[TaraS1]

I concur with Bastet on the last page that Roseanne did this better than any other sitcom I ever watched.  I rarely tear up over TV shows, but Roseanne putting the note in her father's casket and thanking him for his humor gets me every single time.  I also recently saw the one where Dan's mother has to be hospitalized and we find out she'd been mentally ill his whole life.  The scene of him breaking down at the kitchen table will always stick out in my mind, such a great piece of acting from John Goodman.

[topanga]

I think that Too Close For Comfort should be in the Hall of Fame for 'Very Special Episodes' for the episode where Monroe was kidnapped and raped by two women in the back of a van.

How did I miss that episode? I watched TCFC religiously. Maybe my mother didn't let me watch the episode for some reason, although I can't recall her ever being that kind of mother.

[Blergh]

WKRP in Cincinnati tackled serious subjects quite a bit, but never forgot they were a sitcom. A friend of mine gave me the first season on disc about a year ago. I wasn't ever really into the show, but at Thanksgiving time I pulled it out to watch the Turkeys Away episode and got caught up watching the rest of them. I mostly remembered the show being goofy jokes about how sexy and wonderful Jennifer was, so it kinda took me by surprise how they managed to work in a lot of serious issues into the show, but never turning the issue itself into a joke. There was the episode were Venus was outted as being a Vietnam soldier that went AWOL. The episode where Less was rumored to be gay and was banned from doing post-game interviews in the locker rooms. There was the one where a woman leaves her baby at the station for Johnny to care for and they end up having to call social services because the woman never came back. And, an episode with an ex-wrestler turned radio preacher "selling" redemption on the airwaves. I don't think the show has held up very well over time, but it still surprised me of some of the subjects they tried to tackle.

 

I haven't seen All In The Family for eons, but I think they are a shining example of this. Almost every episode was a look at a serious issue in the guise of a joke, IMO.

 

 

  One WKRP Very Special One I think worth mentioning was the one in which Jennifer gets roped into being a last minute replacement for an on-air call-in advice columnist and, with her witticisms and sharp one-liners, she's big hit with the viewers [and imagine if they could have SEEN her]. Anyway, there's one 'regular' caller who keeps aluding to trouble in her marriage and Jennifer keeps shooting the zingers -until the woman tells her that she's being physically abused at which point Jennifer soberly guides her to a domestic violence shelter . After which, she ends the advice business upon realizing that other people's lives are too important for her to do nothing more than give zingers that do nothing to help and could wind up making things worse for the desperate callers. It's one of the very few times Loni Anderson was allowed to be serious and she has rarely done serious roles but I thought she did this turn quite well.

[GreekGeek]

There were a couple of other serious WKRP episodes. There was the one with the Jerry Falwell-type preacher (played by Richard Paul, who was a dead ringer for Falwell and played similar roles several times) trying to influence what WKRP played. Andy was such an ass to Mr. Carlson in that one, even after Carlson stood up to the preacher by playing "Imagine" and asking him if he had a problem with it.

 

The most serious one, though, was the one taking place before and after the 1979 Who concert in Cincinnati where eleven people were killed.

 

Mary Tyler Moore had that episode about the death of Chuckles the Clown. There was also "Mary Goes to Jail", where Mary was briefly jailed for not revealing a news source. It was funny--especially Mary's interactions with her prostitute cellmates--but serious underneath.

[ParadoxLost]

How did I miss that episode? I watched TCFC religiously. Maybe my mother didn't let me watch the episode for some reason, although I can't recall her ever being that kind of mother.

 

I found a whole website dedicated to this subject once.  Supposedly a few people remember it with perfect clarity (I'm one of those) and many other former viewers have no recollection and when told thought it was some sort of urban legend that never happened.  This website was dedicated to finding proof.  And for years none existed.  And then someone found an old TV guide with the episode description. More recently it replayed on one of those retro channels so there is proof on youtube now.

 

I think the show went from network to syndication at one point.  My guess is that a lot of regular viewers didn't watch once it was off the network and on some random channel at some random time.

[magicdog]

Speaking of shows that tackled homelessness, I remember liking the special Kate & Allie where Allie ends up spending the day feeling like a homeless person? (B/c circumstances she ends up far from home without her wallet and wearing shabby clothes. She tries to ask people for help, but they keep turning her away like she must be lying about needing the money just to get home.) I wonder if it holds up or if it comes off as preachy.

 

I hadn't seen the episode since it first aired but I remember it as preachy as hell!  The viewer was supposed to truly believe Jane Curtain in unflattering clothes would be mistaken for homeless.  The only thing that made sense was the begging for money bit (and people she approached not believing her) since lots of phonies claim to be in a horrible situation and beg for a buck for what they claim is for gas money or food or something.  

[Archery]

I just caught the last of an episode of Full House where DJ is starving herself and overexercising because her friend is having a pool party and she doesn't want to be seen in a bathing suit. She has the requisite talk with her dad after she nearly passes out at the gym and her sister breaks her pinky swear secret not to tell. Candace Cameron just nailed the scene, with real tears welling up in her eyes as she talks about how chubby she is. And her dad's response is not No, you're not fat, but rather, You friends love you because you're awesome, just as you love them despite their flaws. It was really well done.

[Miss Dee]

If I remember correctly, CC had briefly struggled with the perception that she was "too big" for teen on TV. She managed to get through it by talking to others (including her real-life brother Kirk Cameron, I think), but that storyline probably hit a little close to home.

[UYI]

CC herself has said that she didn't even feel chubby at that age, but that the producers were getting onto to her to lose weight by season 6. Finally, before season 7 began, her parents got her a personal trainer, and she looked noticeably healthier and more fit in the last two seasons. And that's basically how she's looked ever since, her three pregnancies aside (although she DID briefly suffer from bulimia after moving away from her family to Canada for her husband's hockey career--that, combined with him being away for games, triggered an episode of bulimia early in her marriage).

[giovannif7]

When I was a kid in the 60s, I found myself somewhat traumatized by, of all things, an episode of Gilligan's Island. It was the one where a hunter comes to the island looking for a sport-hunting challenge, and decides he's going to hunt down and kill Gilligan. This was well before you could see any realistic violence/blood/gore on early-evening television shows. For some reason, the whole dentist/Clarence the Lion thing brought back memories of that scenario which, even as a kid, I found disturbing and senseless. I haven't seen the episode in decades - I don't even know if it's included in the current syndication package. I do recall my mother sending an angry letter to the studio afterwards, asking them to put the kibosh on such childhood-nightmare-inducing storylines in the future.

[Blergh]

Not all Heavy Subject eps are successes. Even the renowned "Mary Tyler Moore Show" had the closest ep to a 'clunker' with one. In 'Some of My Best Friends Are Rhoda', a new acquaintance named Joanne (played by the future "Newhart" wife Mary Frann) literally bumps into Mary and keeps putting off repaying her for the damage to Mary's vehicle while seeming to want Mary to participate in her 'fun' activities with her but, oddly enough always finding an excuse not to include Rhoda. Anyway, it all comes to a head when Mary starts to realize that the woman dislikes Rhoda solely for being Jewish and calls  her on it. Even the studio audience seems a bit unsure how to react when Mary pretends to be Jewish to see the woman attempt to admit her prejudices and backtrack. Not that Mary isn't right to call her on it or that Rhoda doesn't deserve to be stood up for but it just doesn't work for the show or the character.  I mean, just showing Mary being  friends  with those of different backgrounds without making any kind of deal about it is all that was needed here, IMO. Ironically, Valerie Harper has said that the late Mary Frann was one of her best friends.

[Blergh]

Interesting, Giovanni. I actually liked that episode not because I was a fan of hunting but because it was refreshing to see innocent, naïve and seemingly perpetually idiotic Gilligan think on his feet and outsmart the evil,calculating wannabee murdererer AND I liked that every single one of the other Castaways did something to help contribute to his survival. I mean, even Mary Ann and Mrs. Howell had their moments instead of being frilly and useless! OK, I agree that, for "GI", that was rather dark and heavy subject.

Edited September 7, 2015 by Blergh

[Sandman87]

Frasier managed to work in some heavier subject matter without being too blatant about it. There were several episodes that examined the situational ethics of being a licensed psychiatrist with a radio or TV show. If someone calls in for advice, does that make them a patient? Given that it's a broadcast radio show, is there still doctor-patient confidentiality? Would it be acceptable to date them? And what about listeners who don't call in but take your advice? Would they be considered patients?

One of the episodes also took a look at depression brought on by the holiday season.

From upthread:

There was an episode of Frasier where he had a guest analyst (not sure what her actual occupation is/was) Dr Mary (she wasn't an actual doctor) played by Kim Coles who kept interrupting Frasier's on-air advice with her off the cuff opinions. Frasier never admonished her actions and his family members pointed out his uncharacteristic actions were due to Dr Mary being black. Not a great example I'm sure, but this is all I have at the moment. : )

Not only that, but when he eventually did tell her about what she was doing that bothered him, he also apologized to her for avoiding the topic because she was black, rather than treating her like an adult who could handle criticism.

[Irlandesa]

There's a new show that has taken on weightier topic without the "Very special episode" feel to them.  It's The Carmichael Show.  There are only six episodes and there have been episodes about religion, guns, mortality, black lives matter/protests and gender. 

[catlover79]

On 1/5/2015 at 6:00 PM, GreekGeek said:

Barney Miller showed the effect on a cop when he has to shoot someone. Chano did just that, and there was an excellent scene with him sitting home alone flipping through the channels and hearing his story on every news channel, including the Spanish language one. Then he shut off the TV and sobbed. Powerful. 

Gregory Sierra just shined in that episode. I wish he had stayed for the show's entire run.

[piccadilly83]

Probably a good 30/40% of Wonder Years episodes belong here. Off the top of my head I can think of death of Winnie's brother, Brian, in Vietnam; the time Winnie got into a car accident and Kevin comes to her window; Mr. Collins' death from cancer; the episode where Paul loses his virginity; and the moment when Jack finds out that Karen would be moving in with her boyfriend.

On 1/3/2015 at 6:13 PM, rubaco said:

There was yet another Family Ties example, which was an adult friend of the family making a pass at teenage Mallory. As I recall, the scenes where Mallory tried to talk to Alex and later her mom about it were particularly well-done.

"Steven, Arthur tried to seduce our daughter!" I had to look this clip up on YouTube because I couldn't remember the exact quote. I also thought Steven slugged Arthur right after that, but it's actually Elyse who shoves him out of his chair while live on-air during the telethon.

On 1/8/2015 at 1:17 PM, topanga said:

That one and the Good Times episode with Penny's abusive mother reaching for the hot iron. The scene is now the butt of numerous jokes, but that episode was and still is an emotional portrayal of child abuse. And I always wonder if playing the role of Penny's mother affected Chip Fields' acting career. She's worked a little, but not much, since then.

I also watched part of this scene on YouTube; I do not know why anyone would laugh about it.  It is chilling. I had to turn it off halfway through. It's definitely no "I'm so excited! I'm so excited! I'm so excited!" moment from Saved by the Bell.

The other random moment that comes to mind is an episode of some Tyler Perry sitcom, I think it was Meet the Browns. I don't know what happened at the start of the episode, I just happened to catch it towards the end, but basically the son is catfished by a sexual predator and he ends up stuck alone with the predator in the Brown's house. 

One last one, Facts of Life. Tootie runs away from boarding school and somehow ends up in a late night diner somewhere in New York City, I think. While there, she befriends a girl about the same age. The girl is really sweet and nice until her boyfriend comes to pick her up. He treats her like dirt and makes the whole thing awkward. Later on, the girl asks Tootie if she wants to leave with her and her boyfriend.  Tootie thinks about it, but then decides to turn them down and they leave. Eventually Tootie makes it back to boarding school somehow, I don't remember how (maybe Miss Garrett finds her?) Anyway, the way I remembered it as a kid was that the boyfriend was a little bit older than the girls and acted very boorish.  What I didn't notice at the time was that the boyfriend was actually a pimp. That whole scene became way darker when I rewatched it as an adult.

On a lighter note, there's also S2E9 of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Basically Dennis, Mac, and Frank decide to turn Paddy's bar into a "No Rules" zone, which in turns allows Frank to invite his gambling buddies over. Let's just say, the stakes get too high. But then again, almost every episode of IASIP gets dark.  It's like the show's whole premise.

[methodwriter85]

More from the Facts of Life...

-The one where Cindi worries she might be "strange", a.k.a. a lesbian. Don't worry though, she realizes at the end of the episode that she likes boys after all.

-When Jo goes out on a date with a popular prep school boy that Blaire likes. Blaire decides to dress up like Jo because she wants his attention back while Jo dresses up in a Gunne sax designer dress. Then it turns out that Blond Prep School Boy only asked Jo out because he thought she was a "Bad Girl" and would have sex with him in a golf course pit. It's pretty heavily implied that he tried to date rape her but she fought back, hence her dress and hair being really messed up.

-The one where Natalie in her Charlie Chaplin costume tells everybody that she almost got raped by a serial rapist that was targeting Eastland School. She then learns to feel empowered when a male self-defense teacher comes in and teaches everybody about not taking shortcuts at night and using any kind of weapon to poke the eye out of someone trying to rape you so you can get away.

-Cousin Geri. 'Nuff said.

-The episode of Facts of Life that slams the modeling industry and how they dress up little girls to be seductive sirens when they're too young to understand what they're even selling. They called it "Pretty Babies" and it seemed like a pretty direct reference to Brooke Shields, who famously did a nude scene when she was 10/11 years old in the movie Pretty Baby and had been given a sexualized image since. (Brooke did, however, reveal in her biography that she had remained a virgin until she was 22, so while her image was sexualized, she was not.) Society really hasn't changed much at all in terms of people loving to dress up little girls like they're seductive sirens. Ugh.  

-The one where Blair meets a handsome guy who happens to be "retarded", to use the parlance of this episodes. Blair thinks that she can "fix" him (probably because he is a handsome guy) and she tries teaching him art and basically doesn't get that he can't do complex art. He loses his cool with her and Mrs. Garrett tells Blair that she has to accept him for who he is- a sweet, kind man who is also "retarded." The episode ends with him telling her about the painting he's going to draw and her accepting him.

-The one where Blair discovers that her grandfather supported the Ku Klux Klan.

-The same guy who played the person with mental challenges, but playing a different character, is dating Blair. He's handsome and successful, but it turns out he's a cocaine addict so Blair dumps him because he won't get help and she knows it's going to take her down. I liked that this had a realistic, downbeat ending instead of him getting help.

-The episode where Tootie decides to follow the other girls and Mrs. Garrett to see a show in New York City, but then manages to meet a teen prostitute and her pimp at a diner. The pimp tries to get his prostitute to sex traffick her, but then a waitress basically clues Tootie in to what's going to happen to her- she'll get a nice warm drink and wake up 3 days later. The gang then magically stumbles into the diner at the right time to rescue Tootie and she leaves with them, leaving the teen prostitute to her own fate. Again, a surprisingly realistic, downbeat ending. Tammy Lauren played the prostitute and she did fantastic work in this episode.

Edited September 26, 2019 by methodwriter85

[piccadilly83]

On 9/26/2019 at 1:36 AM, methodwriter85 said:

The episode where Tootie decides to follow the other girls and Mrs. Garrett to see a show in New York City, but then manages to meet a teen prostitute and her pimp at a diner. The pimp tries to get his prostitute to sex traffick her, but then a waitress basically clues Tootie in to what's going to happen to her- she'll get a nice warm drink and wake up 3 days later. The gang then magically stumbles into the diner at the right time to rescue Tootie and she leaves with them, leaving the teen prostitute to her own fate. Again, a surprisingly realistic, downbeat ending. Tammy Lauren played the prostitute and she did fantastic work in this episode.

Isn't this the one I already referenced just above your quote?

[Glendenning]

Subversions would be nice to see on TV.

I really thought Almost Home might end The Dance with Alyson Hannigan's Samantha *not* in love with Jason Marsden's character, subverting the "tomboy becomes a beautiful and definitely heterosexual young lady"... but, no.

[methodwriter85]

1 hour ago, piccadilly83 said:

Isn't this the one I already referenced just above your quote?

Didn't see it until I already posted it, sorry!

19 minutes ago, Glendenning said:

Subversions would be nice to see on TV.

I really thought Almost Home might end The Dance with Alyson Hannigan's Samantha *not* in love with Jason Marsden's character, subverting the "tomboy becomes a beautiful and definitely heterosexual young lady"... but, no.

Stranger Things does subvert this with the

Spoiler

Steve/Robin plot

but the show isn't a sitcom.

Pen15, a weird Hulu sitcom where two adults play fictionalized versions of their 13-year old selves, did a really good job about subtle racism when Maya, the Asian character, has to play Scary Spice in a school project despite wanting to be Posh because she's the only one in the group who isn't white.

After that incident, her best friend realizes that it was racist, then does Ask Jeeves to learn about what racism is, and decides to do a skit at the school to "educate" the other students on racism. It backfires and it makes the situation worse but eventually the girls make up in the end.