Lear2

The Televisual Social Commentary of Norman Lear

  • Period: to

    Nixon Presidency

  • Stonewall Riots

    Stonewall Riots

    Ushering in a new era of gay rights movements
  • Fin-Syn rules go into effect

    Fin-Syn rules go into effect

    This is an approximate date.
  • Earth Day is first celebrated in USA

    Earth Day is first celebrated in USA

  • Kent State massacre

    Kent State massacre

  • Cigarette Ads banned from TV

    Cigarette Ads banned from TV

  • All In The Family premieres

    All In The Family premieres

    CBS, Tandem Productions
    After two failed pilot attempts for ABC
    Based on the BBC program Till Death Do Us Part
  • Nixon announces "War On Drugs"

    Nixon announces "War On Drugs"

    the term is coined during a press conference
  • ERA amendment passes Congress

    ERA amendment passes Congress

    next step to becoming law is State Ratification
  • Sanford & Son premieres

    Sanford & Son premieres

    NBC, Tandem Productions
    Based on the BBC program Steptoe & Son
  • Watergate break-in

    Watergate break-in

    Led to the scandal/cover-up that resulted in Nixon's resignation
  • Maude premieres

    Maude premieres

    CBS, Tandem Production
    Spin-off of All In The Family
  • "Maude's Dilemma" abortion episode

    "Maude's Dilemma" abortion episode

  • "The Grass Story" marijuana legalization episode

    "The Grass Story" marijuana legalization episode

  • Helen Reddy's "I Am Woman" hits #1

    Helen Reddy's "I Am Woman" hits #1

  • Roe Vs. Wade decison

    Roe Vs. Wade decison

  • Rockefeller Drugs Laws take effect in NY State

    Rockefeller Drugs Laws take effect in NY State

  • DEA formed

    DEA formed

  • U.S. withdraws from Vietnam

    U.S. withdraws from Vietnam

  • "Walter's Problem" episode

    "Walter's Problem" episode

    Alcoholism episode
  • Oil Crisis of 1973 begins

    Oil Crisis of 1973 begins

    Date approximate.
  • Good Times premieres

    Good Times premieres

    CBS, Tandem Productions
    Spin-off of Maude
  • Oil Crisis of 1973 ends

    Oil Crisis of 1973 ends

    Date approximate.
  • Nixon Resigns

    Nixon Resigns

  • Period: to

    Ford Presidency

  • Ford pardons Nixon

    Ford pardons Nixon

  • FCC Chairman encourages self-regulation of TV violence

    FCC Chairman encourages self-regulation of TV violence

    Date is approximate.
    In 1975 the chairman of the FCC, Richard Wiley, reportedly encouraged the networks to limit violent programming to time slots after 9:00 pm Eastern Standard Time. Arthur Taylor, then president of CBS, became the chief advocate of what became known as “family viewing time” (8:00–9:00 pm, as far as the networks were concerned),
  • The Jeffersons premieres

    The Jeffersons premieres

    CBS, TAT Communications
    Spin-off of All In The Family
  • Hot L Baltimore premieres

    Hot L Baltimore premieres

    ABC, TAT Communications
  • Hot L Baltimore finale

    Hot L Baltimore finale

  • Unemployment rate hits 9%

    Unemployment rate hits 9%

    Date approximate
  • Attempted Assassination of President Ford

    Attempted Assassination of President Ford

    Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme
  • Attempted Assassination of President Ford

    Attempted Assassination of President Ford

    Sara Jane Moore
  • One Day At A Time premieres

    One Day At A Time premieres

    CBS, TAT Communications
  • Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman premieres

    Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman premieres

    syndicated, TAT Communications
  • LA federal district court disallowed self-regulatory actions

    LA federal district court disallowed self-regulatory actions

    Date approximate.
    Self-regulatory actions involved with the broadcasting of violence/adult situations within later timeslots
  • All's Fair premieres

    All's Fair premieres

    CBS, TAT Communications
  • The Nancy Walker Show premieres

    The Nancy Walker Show premieres

    ABC, TAT Communications
  • The Nancy Walker Show finale

    The Nancy Walker Show finale

  • Carter declares amnesty for Vietnam draft-dodgers

    Carter declares amnesty for Vietnam draft-dodgers

  • Period: to

    Carter Presidency

  • Sanford & Son finale

    Sanford & Son finale

  • All That Glitters premieres

    All That Glitters premieres

    syndicated, Tandem Productions
  • All's Fair finale

    All's Fair finale

  • Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman finale

    Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman finale

  • Fernwood 2Night premieres

    Fernwood 2Night premieres

    syndicated, TAT Communications
    Spin-off of Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman
  • All That Glitters finale

    All That Glitters finale

  • Department of Energy created

    Department of Energy created

    Goal was to conserve energy
  • "The Evans Get Involved" episode

    "The Evans Get Involved" episode

    Child abuse episode
  • Fernwood 2Night finale

    Fernwood 2Night finale

  • "Edith's 50th Birthday" episode

    "Edith's 50th Birthday" episode

    Edith's attempted rape
  • America 2Night premieres

    America 2Night premieres

    syndicated, TAT Communications
    Spin-off/Progression of Fernwood2Night
  • Maude finale

    Maude finale

  • America 2Night finale

    America 2Night finale

  • Apple Pie premieres

    Apple Pie premieres

    ABC, Tandem Productions
  • Apple Pie finale

    Apple Pie finale

  • Diff'rent Strokes premieres

    Diff'rent Strokes premieres

    NBC, Tandem Productions
    (ABC starting 1985)
  • Carter voices opposition to Briggs Initiative

    Carter voices opposition to Briggs Initiative

    Date approximate.
    Briggs initiative sought to oppress and limit gay rights in CA.
  • Inflation Rate hits 13.3%

    Inflation Rate hits 13.3%

  • Carter orchestrates peace treaty between Israel & Palestine

    Carter orchestrates peace treaty between Israel & Palestine

  • Oil Crisis of 1979 begins

    Oil Crisis of 1979 begins

    Date approximate.
  • All In The Family finale

    All In The Family finale

  • Good Times finale

    Good Times finale

  • Hanging In premieres

    Hanging In premieres

    CBS, TAT Communications
    Based on the suddenly cancelled and thus never aired pilot for Mr. Dugan
  • Facts Of Life premieres

    Facts Of Life premieres

    NBC, TAT Communications
    Spin-off of Diff'rent Strokes
  • Hanging In finale

    Hanging In finale

  • Archie Bunker's Place premieres

    Archie Bunker's Place premieres

    CBS, Tandem Productions
    Spin-off/Progression of All In The Famliy
  • First known case of AIDS in USA

    First known case of AIDS in USA

  • Oil Crisis of 1979 ends

    Oil Crisis of 1979 ends

    Date approximate.
  • Assassination of John Lennon

    Assassination of John Lennon

  • "Misery Index" hits all time high of 21.98%

    "Misery Index" hits all time high of 21.98%

    the sum of the unemployment rate and the inflation rate
  • Period: to

    Reagan Presidency

  • Attempted Assassination of President Reagan

    Attempted Assassination of President Reagan

  • Checking In premieres

    Checking In premieres

    CBS, TAT Communications
    Spin-off of The Jeffersons
  • Checking In finale

    Checking In finale

  • MTV debuts

    MTV debuts

  • Economic Recovery Tax Act goes into effect

    Economic Recovery Tax Act goes into effect

  • "Just Say No" campaign begins

    "Just Say No" campaign begins

    Date approximate.
  • ERA fails to be ratified

    ERA fails to be ratified

  • Silver Spoons premieres

    Silver Spoons premieres

    NBC, Embassy Television
  • Gloria premieres

    Gloria premieres

    CBS, Tandem Productions
    Spin-off of All In The Family
    *Even though this was a Tandem production, Lear had no personal involvement with this series. It is included in this timeline due to its direct association with Tandem and All In The Family.
  • Square Pegs premieres

    Square Pegs premieres

    CBS, Embassy Television
  • Unemployment rate hits 10.8%

    Unemployment rate hits 10.8%

    highest rate since 1940
  • "The Reporter" episode

    "The Reporter" episode

    Anti-Drug episode, featuring Nancy Reagan
  • Square Pegs finale

    Square Pegs finale

  • Archie Bunker's Place finale

    Archie Bunker's Place finale

  • Gloria finale

    Gloria finale

  • a.k.a. Pablo premieres

    a.k.a. Pablo premieres

    ABC, Embassy Television, executive producer Norman Lear
  • a.k.a. Pablo finale

    a.k.a. Pablo finale

  • One Day At A Time finale

    One Day At A Time finale

  • Who's The Boss premieres

    Who's The Boss premieres

    ABC, Embassy Television
  • FCC eliminates major guidelines

    FCC eliminates major guidelines

    Date approximate, month accurate
    Guidelines for minimal amounts of non-entertainment programming are abolished. FCC guidelines on how much advertising can be carried per hour are eliminated.
  • The Jeffersons finale

    The Jeffersons finale

  • Live Aid concert

    Live Aid concert

  • Iran-Contra Affair begins

    Iran-Contra Affair begins

  • 227 premieres

    227 premieres

    NBC, Embassy Television
    *This was the last program produced by Embassy before Lear severed ties with the company
  • Diff'rent Strokes finale

    Diff'rent Strokes finale

  • USA Bombs Libya

    USA Bombs Libya

  • Fox launches the 4th network

    Fox launches the 4th network

  • Tax Reform Act of 1986 enacted

    Tax Reform Act of 1986 enacted

  • Immigration Reform & Control Act of 1986 signed into law

    Immigration Reform & Control Act of 1986 signed into law

  • Silver Spoons finale

    Silver Spoons finale

  • Iran-Contra Affair concludes

    Iran-Contra Affair concludes

  • Fairness Doctrine eliminated

    Fairness Doctrine eliminated

    Date approximate.
    Networks were no longer obligated to give equal airtime to opposing viewpoints.
  • Black Monday (Stock Market Crash)

    Black Monday (Stock Market Crash)

  • Facts Of Life finale

    Facts Of Life finale

  • Period: to

    Bush (H.W.) Presidency

  • S&L Bailout enacted

    S&L Bailout enacted

  • Berlin Wall destroyed

    Berlin Wall destroyed

    Symbolic of the beginning of the end of the Cold War
  • 227 finale

    227 finale

  • Americans With Disabilities Act enacted

    Americans With Disabilities Act enacted

  • Operation Desert Storm begins

    Operation Desert Storm begins

  • Children's Television Act becomes law

    Children's Television Act becomes law

  • "Political Correctness" becomes a trend/buzzword/institution

    "Political Correctness" becomes a trend/buzzword/institution

    Date approximated based on mainstream media coverage
  • Sunday Dinner premieres

    Sunday Dinner premieres

    CBS, Act III Productions
    *Lear's return to TV after several years
  • Sunday Dinner finale

    Sunday Dinner finale

  • Dissolution of the Soviet Union

    Dissolution of the Soviet Union

    The ostensible end of the Cold War
  • The Powers That Be premieres

    The Powers That Be premieres

    NBC, Act III Television
  • Who's The Boss finale

    Who's The Boss finale

  • Fin-Syn rules abolished

    Fin-Syn rules abolished

    This is an approximate date.
  • The Powers That Be finale

    The Powers That Be finale

  • Period: to

    Clinton Presidency

  • NAFTA signed into law

    NAFTA signed into law

  • "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" enacted into law

    "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" enacted into law

  • 704 Hauser premieres

    704 Hauser premieres

    CBS, Act III Television
    Spin-off of All In The Family
  • 704 Hauser finale

    704 Hauser finale

  • Operation Desert Storm ends

    Operation Desert Storm ends

  • PRWORA enacted into law

    PRWORA enacted into law

    Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act
    Welfare reform which reduced poverty levels
  • IIRIRA enacted into law

    IIRIRA enacted into law

  • Channel Umptee-3 premieres

    Channel Umptee-3 premieres

    WB, Act III Productions
  • Channel Umptee-3 finale

    Channel Umptee-3 finale

  • Clinton impeachment process begins

    Clinton impeachment process begins

  • Clinton acquitted of impeachment charges

    Clinton acquitted of impeachment charges