# American Sit-coms NOT set in the 20th & 21st Centuries **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 7, 2015, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-sit-coms-not-set-in-the-20th-21st-centuries/719491 "2015-05-07T16:19:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Richard\_John\_Marcej](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Richard\_John\_Marcej](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_John_Marcej)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2015, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-sit-coms-not-set-in-the-20th-21st-centuries/719491/1 "2015-05-07T16:19:15Z")
I was watching an episode of **F-Troop** on METV a few months ago and besides laughing I started thinking, how unique this show was. An American TV Series, most notably a **sit-com** not set in the 20th Century. Not using the internet, I tried to remember how many other American sit-coms had been set in centuries prior to the 20th (and yes, that’s American, so **Blackadder** doesn’t count) I could only think of four: The aforementioned **F-Troop** **Best of the West** a sit-com on ABC, aired in the late 70’s or early 80’s, set in the wild west. **When Things Were Rotten** another ABC sit-com, from the 70’s, created by Mel Brooks about Robin Hood (made years before **Men In Tights** and **The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer** a really lousy sit-com starring (I think) Chi McBride about a butler in Lincoln’s White House Have there eve been any others? ---
**Author:** ![D18](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@D18](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D18)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2015, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-sit-coms-not-set-in-the-20th-21st-centuries/719491/2 "2015-05-07T16:23:12Z")
I’m presuming The Flintstones doesn’t meet your definition of sitcom. The Jetsons too - would meet the time criterion in the subject header but not as refined in the OP. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_John\_Marcej](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Richard\_John\_Marcej](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_John_Marcej)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2015, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-sit-coms-not-set-in-the-20th-21st-centuries/719491/3 "2015-05-07T16:27:46Z")
You’re right, I should have specified **Live action** sit-coms. It’s too easy to create an animated show from different eras in history. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2015, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-sit-coms-not-set-in-the-20th-21st-centuries/719491/4 "2015-05-07T16:31:27Z")
Flintstones might not count but you also had **Dinosaurs** which was live action with puppets, rubber suits and animatronics. I’ll also offer (sigh) **Homeboyz in Outer Space** ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2015, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-sit-coms-not-set-in-the-20th-21st-centuries/719491/5 "2015-05-07T16:32:58Z")
Quark was a short lived late 1970s comedy show set in the future space garbage truck. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2015, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-sit-coms-not-set-in-the-20th-21st-centuries/719491/6 "2015-05-07T16:33:40Z")
When I was 5 or 6, there was a sitcom called _ **It’s About Time** _, about astronauts stranded back in the Stone Age. Years after\*\*\* Gilligan’s Island\*\*\*, Bob Denver starred in \*\*\*Dusty’s Trail, \*\*\*a _ **Gilligan’s Island** _ ripoff about 7 people in a stagecoach, wandering through the Old West. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2015, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-sit-coms-not-set-in-the-20th-21st-centuries/719491/7 "2015-05-07T16:40:01Z")
[It’s About Time](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059997/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1), featuring two astronauts who end up in the stone age. [Dinosaurs](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101081/?ref_=nv_sr_1), featuring a society of sentient reptiles, where the only humans were cave dwellers. [Quark](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077066/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1), Buck Henry’s take on _Star Wars_. [Rango](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061288/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2). Nope, not the animated film with Johnny Depp, but the inept Texas Ranger played by Tim Conway. [Dusty’s Trail.](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069577/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1) Gilligan’s Island in the Old west, complete with Bob Denver. I’m sure someone will be along with a few more. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2015, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-sit-coms-not-set-in-the-20th-21st-centuries/719491/8 "2015-05-07T16:41:48Z")
Wow, a _ **quadruple** _ ninja! Well, I’m still on the board with _Rango_. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_John\_Marcej](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Richard\_John\_Marcej](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_John_Marcej)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2015, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-sit-coms-not-set-in-the-20th-21st-centuries/719491/9 "2015-05-07T16:48:04Z")
You’re right, I forgot all about **Dusty’s Trail**. Officially though, it was’t a network show. It was never carried by a network, only offered in syndication. Ironically, it co-starred (alongside Bob Denver) **Forest Tucker** the co-star of **F-Troop**. I remember **It’s About Time** though I guess I didm’t consider it though since by episode 19 of it’s first (and only) season, all the characters traveled back into the 20th century, so now the cave people were the fish out of water characters. That change didn’t help the ratings though and the show was canceled. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2015, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-sit-coms-not-set-in-the-20th-21st-centuries/719491/10 "2015-05-07T16:49:13Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > I’ll also offer (sigh) **Homeboyz in Outer Space** For that matter, the two American attempts to adapt _Red Dwarf_. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2015, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-sit-coms-not-set-in-the-20th-21st-centuries/719491/11 "2015-05-07T16:54:33Z")
[Here Come the Brides,](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062569/?ref_=nv_sr_1) the tale of life in a post-Civil War logging community outside Seattle. ---
**Author:** ![Nom\_de\_Plume](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/85f322/32.png) [@Nom\_de\_Plume](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nom_de_Plume)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2015, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-sit-coms-not-set-in-the-20th-21st-centuries/719491/12 "2015-05-07T16:57:49Z")
Galavant was a recent ABC musical sitcom. My wife and I thought it was pretty funny. (Is ABC leading so far?) ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_John\_Marcej](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Richard\_John\_Marcej](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_John_Marcej)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2015, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-sit-coms-not-set-in-the-20th-21st-centuries/719491/13 "2015-05-07T17:01:54Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > [Here Come the Brides,](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062569/?ref_=nv_sr_1) the tale of life in a post-Civil War logging community outside Seattle. That wasn’t a sit-com, it was an hour long drama. There were TONS of dramas set in the 1800’s, not sit-coms ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2015, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-sit-coms-not-set-in-the-20th-21st-centuries/719491/14 "2015-05-07T17:18:06Z")
> [@Richard\_John\_Marcej](#): > > That wasn’t a sit-com, it was an hour long drama. There were TONS of dramas set in the 1800’s, not sit-coms Huh. > [@IMDB](#): > > Here Come the Brides (1968–1970) > TV Series | 60 min | Adventure, Western, Comedy ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2015, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-sit-coms-not-set-in-the-20th-21st-centuries/719491/15 "2015-05-07T17:32:57Z")
**Here Come the Brides** was a mix of comedy and drama. There was **[Thanks](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0208510/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_68)**, set in Puritan New England. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2015, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-sit-coms-not-set-in-the-20th-21st-centuries/719491/16 "2015-05-07T17:57:20Z")
**Zorro And Son** was exactly what it says on the tin: Don Diego de la Vega is pushing fifty, so his would’ve-worked heroics fall apart into slapstick. and his kid has no knack for the family business yet – but if they meet each other halfway, and everyone is willing to overlook how the suit doesn’t quite fit right, they could maybe pull this off. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2015, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-sit-coms-not-set-in-the-20th-21st-centuries/719491/17 "2015-05-07T18:07:37Z")
NM ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2015, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-sit-coms-not-set-in-the-20th-21st-centuries/719491/18 "2015-05-07T18:12:33Z")
**[Pistols ‘n’ Petticoats](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pistols_%27n%27_Petticoats)** ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2015, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-sit-coms-not-set-in-the-20th-21st-centuries/719491/19 "2015-05-07T18:16:22Z")
_ **Pistols ‘n’ Petticoats** _, a short-lived Western comedy that ran on CBS in 1966–67. The star was former glamour girl Ann Sheridan, who was dying from cancer at the time. The change in her appearance from '40s pin-up to terminal patient was both sad and shocking. **EDIT:** Ninja’d!!! :mad: ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2015, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-sit-coms-not-set-in-the-20th-21st-centuries/719491/20 "2015-05-07T18:20:36Z")
Bruce Campbell, as **Jack Of All Trades** , probably counts. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-sit-coms-not-set-in-the-20th-21st-centuries/719491.md?page=2)