http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/G/htmlG/goldbergsth/goldbergsth.htm
The Goldbergs in 1949.
Hmmm. King of the Hill did an episode that revolved around Connie getting her period when her parents are away/she’s staying with the Hills. She gets pretty bitchy and crampy–it’s definitely honest. There’s probably something before that, but I doubt they’re “honest”–probably full of growing into a young woman crap.
Wasn’t the subject of the pilot of Blossom about her getting her first period?
1: Taxi
2: The Cosby Show
3: no idea (Would The Magic School Bus count?
4: The Goldbergs
Hmm.
I seem to recall an episode of The Facts of Life in which Molly Ringwald’s character comes running down the stairs celebrating that she just got her first period. But it’s hazy.
As long as we’re tossing out questions, I’m wondering, what was the first sitcom to imply (in some way besides pregnancy) that two characters had sex, or show them post-coital? How about the first unmarried sexual partners? I’m guessing somewhere in the 70s, but when I think of casual sex on sitcoms, I think of stuff from the 80s and 90s like Cheers, Seinfeld, and Friends.
Are we counting Love American Style as a sitcom? Also, there’s a bit of a mystery about the father(s) of Carol Brady’s daughters; the TV show never addressed whether she was widowed, divorced or a cutting-edge proponent of Free Love. (The movies, of course, are non-canon.)
The Dick Van Dyke Show was surprisingly frank about adultery in some episodes.
Margaret and Frank were having an adulterous affair on MASH in the 70s. And it’s implied that Hawkeye, at least, is doing more than making lecherous remarks to the nurses in that era of the show, as well.
It was pretty clear that Mary Tyler Moore had sex with at least some of the average of three guys a week she said she dated on her show. That was inference, though. I don’t think they ever said it directly. Betty White was certainly getting it. The Happy Homemaker indeed!
I’m sure there were lots of honeymoons before that.
I thought they backed out to avoid the perception that Rob and Laura Petri got divorced. If that’s true (was it?), then there’s a difference between that reason and chickening out from showing a divorced woman.
jayjay:
And Trapper, and Henry Blake. The whole idea that anyone in the army might be steadfastly faithful to his wife wasn’t introduced until B. J. and Potter came on board - and B. J. eventually had an affair (albeit only one, and he felt tremedously guilty about it), and Potter, faithful during the show, admitted to affairs in his past.
We might just be stuck with Klinger as the only married man in MAS*H who was never shown to cheat (so naturally, his wife back home cheated on him).
Ah. Good catch.
How about miscarriage? Didn’t Gloria have one on All in the Family?
First TV show with an autommoile portrayed as human, AND the title character:
My Mother the Car.
I’d guess that would be All in the Family. Also possibly the first sitcom to deal with the concept of rape.
The number of firsts achieved by All in the Family could probably fill a thread on its own…
Actually, Eddie’s Father didn’t air until 1969, 12 years after Bachelor Father. I think you may be confusing it with the movie of the same name, which came out in 1963.
This thread is precisely what I wanted. I don’t have anything to add except to say I love this place. 
Before Will & Grace was Brothers.
I certainly wasn’t involved in the decision-making process and this proves nothing, but I’d heard for years that there was a fear of divorce carrying too great a stigma for sweet little Mary, and the other explanation seems to be of more recent vintage. It could be true, but it smacks of revisionism and smells a little fishy. Even in the '70s audiences weren’t that naive that they didn’t realize one actor could play two or more different characters in the course of a career.
If post-coital means almost immediately after, I don’t know, but if it includes following a good night’s sleep, it might have been The Love Boat. At least it was for me. I remember as a child realizing those people had sex in that bed right there, and they aren’t even married! More than once two cruise ship passengers who boarded separately ended up under one blanket.
[quote=“Derleth, post:1, topic:469744”]
[list]
[li]The first standalone sitcom was I Love Lucy, which was spun off from Gleason’s variety show on the DuMont Network. It was successful in its own time and is the primary reason Gleason and Carney are remembered today, despite their respective movie careers.[/li][/QUOTE]
? I remember watching episodes of both The Honeymooners and The Jackie Gleason Show.
And it was The Honeymooners that spun off of the Jackie Gleason Show …
OK, so that’s only two people who jumped on me for this little lapse. This place is getting better all the time.
And Ted Baxter made a big deal about his “sin-sational” weekend. (Was this when Georgette was introduced?)