Even today, in the relatively rare cases where TV allows us to see poor people (My Name is Earl or Raising Hope) they have to be portrayed as happy idiots who WOULD be rich if they were not so stupid or lacking in ambition.

Even today, in the relatively rare cases where TV allows us to see poor people (My Name is Earl or Raising Hope) they have to be portrayed as happy idiots who WOULD be rich if they were not so stupid or lacking in ambition.

In any other show I would have found Ralph's verbal abusiveness (not to mention there is an implicit physical menace there) very disturbing - but for me there is an amazing transformative quality to the way these scenes come off in The Honeymooners - which I credit mostly to Audrey Meadows:

In any other show I would have found Ralph's verbal abusiveness (not to mention there is an implicit physical menace there) very disturbing - but for me there is an amazing transformative quality to the way these scenes come off in The Honeymooners - which I credit mostly to Audrey Meadows:

The Flintstones is more like the later Florida 'Honeymooners" - dumbed down and defanged.

The Flintstones is more like the later Florida 'Honeymooners" - dumbed down and defanged.

While there is a lot of relatively subtle, beautifully played physical comedy in Jean Stapleton's performance of Edith, All in the Family is primarily a verbal, rhetorical show - which tends to make it more dated (although sadly, it is amazing how the political polarizations it depicts are still alive and well today).

While there is a lot of relatively subtle, beautifully played physical comedy in Jean Stapleton's performance of Edith, All in the Family is primarily a verbal, rhetorical show - which tends to make it more dated (although sadly, it is amazing how the political polarizations it depicts are still alive and well today).

Nice essay - although as another commenter points out that in terms of the title for the article,  you are missing the whole connection of radio to early TV.

Nice essay - although as another commenter points out that in terms of the title for the article,  you are missing the whole connection of radio to early TV.

Thanks - I was going to be obnoxious too but you beat me to it

Thanks - I was going to be obnoxious too but you beat me to it

She is so beautiful and a relatively good actress - it's quite puzzling that she never became a star.

She is so beautiful and a relatively good actress - it's quite puzzling that she never became a star.

While I am not crazy about the TV "Pennies From Heaven"  (I do LOVE the movie) - Hoskins was great - this number from it is one of those videos I will go back and watch over and over  - despite the fact that its cheerfulness is meant in an 'ironic' context - it's just so fun to watch Hoskins dance - the pure joy he…

While I am not crazy about the TV "Pennies From Heaven"  (I do LOVE the movie) - Hoskins was great - this number from it is one of those videos I will go back and watch over and over  - despite the fact that its cheerfulness is meant in an 'ironic' context - it's just so fun to watch Hoskins dance - the pure joy he…

Those are pretty uneven - I'd say their "King Lear" is the best - Michael Hordon is the best Lear I've seen and its a very good production.

Those are pretty uneven - I'd say their "King Lear" is the best - Michael Hordon is the best Lear I've seen and its a very good production.

I don't think it is intentional at ALL on Vince Gilligan's part, but he has cast far more charismatic, likable actors for the male leads than he has for the major women.

I don't think it is intentional at ALL on Vince Gilligan's part, but he has cast far more charismatic, likable actors for the male leads than he has for the major women.