Sanford and Son
1972Recommended for similar Comedy profile.
The Jeffersons
Comedy
Set in a high-rise apartment building in the heart of New York City, the show spun around George, a classic character portrait of vanity, arrogance, and petty prejudice. Balanced by the more level-headed but just as strong-willed Weezy, George's self-serving abrasiveness struck comic gold, particularly in the second season, when the show's style had been set but was still fresh. Episodes tackled subjects trivial (George and Tom wear the same tacky dinner jacket to a party) and trenchant (a country club invites George to join, but only so that a newspaper reporter will think the club is open to minorities). The black and white mix of the cast allowed for a sharply satirical take on race relations, which managed to have a genuine sense of hope while never glossing over the complexity of racial tension--and was consistently funny. In fact, it's striking how well the show's humor holds up; The Jeffersons turned a series of half-hour farces into a sly examination of marriage, race, class, and the battle of the sexes; it's sad that so few contemporary sitcoms have this kind of intelligence, courage, and sheer talent.
- Status
- Ended
- Language
- English
- Premiered
- January 18, 1975
- Ended
- July 2, 1985
If you liked The Jeffersons, try these
Living Single
1993Recommended for similar Comedy profile.
Benson
1979Recommended for similar Comedy profile.
Good Times
1974Recommended for similar Comedy profile, also on CBS.
The PJs
1999Recommended for similar Comedy profile.
The Cosby Show
1984Recommended for similar Comedy profile.
Diff'rent Strokes
1978Recommended for similar Comedy profile.
WKRP in Cincinnati
1978Recommended for similar Comedy profile, highly rated (8), hidden gem, also on CBS.
Fawlty Towers
1975Recommended for similar Comedy profile, highly rated (8.5).
What's Happening!!
1976Recommended for similar Comedy profile.
Series Similar to The Jeffersons
If you enjoyed The Jeffersons, these series share similar themes, tone, and quality. Each recommendation is scored on genre overlap, tonal match, and critical acclaim.
Sanford and Son
1972 · Comedy · endedRecommended for similar Comedy profile.
Sanford and Son is about the misadventures of a cantankerous old man and his son, partners in the family junk business in Los Angeles' Watts neighborhood. While the role of Fred G. Sanford was known for his bigotry and cantankerousness, the role of Lamont Sanford was that of a conscientious peacemaker. At times, both characters would involve themselves in schemes. Known for its edgy racial humor, running gags and catch phrases, the series was adapted by Norman Lear and considered NBC's answer to CBS's All in the Family. Sanford and Son has been hailed as the precursor to many other African American sitcoms.
Living Single
1993 · Comedy · endedRecommended for similar Comedy profile.
Six black 20-somethings -- four women and two men -- share their lives and loves in a Brooklyn brownstone. A trio of women share one of the apartments, receiving frequent visits from a fourth pal; meanwhile, two men who've been friends for years share an apartment one floor up.
Benson
1979 · Comedy · endedRecommended for similar Comedy profile.
Benson Dubois is the assistant to his state's governor in this "Soap" spinoff.
Good Times
1974 · Comedy, Family · endedRecommended for similar Comedy profile, also on CBS.
Money was scare, but laughs and love were abundant for Florida, her hard-working husband James, and their three kids living in the projects of South Side Chicago. From the outrageous antics of budding artist J.J., to the romantic dramas of sister Thelma and pint-sized Michael's activist causes, these parents had their hands full.
The PJs
1999 · Comedy · endedRecommended for similar Comedy profile.
Follow the adventures of Thurgood Stubbs (Eddie Murphy) and the other tenants of the Hilton Jacobs housing project as they find themselves in and out of trouble.
The Cosby Show
1984 · Comedy, Family · endedRecommended for similar Comedy profile.
The show focuses on the Huxtables, an affluent African-American family living and growing up in Brooklyn, New York.
Diff'rent Strokes
1978 · Comedy · endedRecommended for similar Comedy profile.
Diff'rent Strokes is a sitcom that centered around millionaire widower Phillip Drummond, his two black adopted sons Arnold and Willis, and daughter Kimberly. Later seasons saw Drummond remarry and bring a new child, Sam, into the family. The show lasted eight seasons on two networks.
WKRP in Cincinnati
1978 · Comedy · endedRecommended for similar Comedy profile, highly rated (8), hidden gem, also on CBS.
When a Cincinnati radio station switches from sedate music to top-40 rock 'n' roll, its staff of oddball characters is forced to switch gears quickly. New programming director Andy Travis brings in a new DJ named Venus Flytrap to work with the station's burned-out veteran, Dr. Johnny Fever. Neurotic newsman Les Nessman, eager beaver Jan Smithers, sleazy salesman Herb Tarlek, blonde bombshell Jennifer Marlowe, who serves as the station's ultra-capable receptionist, and station manager Arthur Carlson, whose domineering mother owns WKRP, round out the eccentric bunch.
Fawlty Towers
1975 · Comedy · endedRecommended for similar Comedy profile, highly rated (8.5).
Fawlty Towers is set in a fictional hotel in the seaside town of Torquay. The plots centre on tense, rude and put-upon owner Basil Fawlty, his bossy wife Sybil, comparatively normal chambermaid Polly, who is often the peacemaker and voice of reason, and hapless Spanish waiter Manuel, showing their attempts to run the hotel amidst farcical situations and an array of demanding and eccentric guests.
What's Happening!!
1976 · Comedy · endedRecommended for similar Comedy profile.
The misadventures of three black teens, Roger, Dwayne and Rerun, in 1970s L.A.