Friends:
One of the most popular 90s shows is Friends which centers around a group of six friends, Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, Chandler, Joey and Ross, that defines them as a new form of family. The show’s intentions were to portray the lives of these six young adults in their 20s trying to establish careers and lives in Manhattan. All of the characters play an integral part in each others lives. For example among the cast are siblings, parents and friends from high school. Although not all of these ties may be familial there is still that bond present that is found mostly within typical families. This is a great example of a not so typical American family. They are not all technically related but they all share the love and life experiences that families do. There is even a matriarch position on this show that is filled by Monica, one of the six friends. This is just one of the many different family types found within 90s sitcoms. Is this new theme of family displayed in other shows to follow? Are there any other family roles that are taken on in Friends besides Monica as the caring mother?
The Simpsons:
The Simpsons stood out among the other 90s sitcoms not only because it is animated while the others are not but also because of its unique and very crass view of family. This cartoon sitcom centers on the family of the Simpsons which consists of Homer (the husband), Marge (the wife), Lisa (their daughter), Bart (their son) and Maggie (the youngest daughter). The typical patriarchal view of family is challenged as Homer is portrayed as the stupid father who is not capable of much more than drinking beer and acting childishly. Marge is seen as the sensible one and is the voice of reason in their house of chaos. Lisa is also shown to be more competent and capable than her brother Bart. This show stereotyped as males being silly and incapable of doing much and women as being the sensible ones. The crudeness of the show also differentiates it from others. It is also seen as having paved the way for other current cartoon sitcoms like Family Guy. Are all female and male characters portrayed this way in The Simpsons or are some exceptions found?
Roseanne:
Roseanne centers on a working class family that is lead by the main character Roseanne. She has a typical blue-collar job as does her husband, Dan. They have three children; two girls, Becky and Darlene and one son, D.J. This show was revolutionary not only in that emphasis wasn’t put on the male being the head of the household but also for focusing on a class that most viewers could relate to, the working class. Also the fact that Roseanne was powerful as a women without being over sexualized; she was respected off of her character and wit. The fact that Roseanne did not hesitate to discuss touchy issues also made her a notable woman to watch in TV. Is Roseanne an ideal role model for women? Can women be seen as strong without coming off as brass and burly as she does?
Fresh Prince of Bel-Air:
This show is about am affluent family, the Banks, which take in their nephew Will to become a part of the family. The family structure is as such Phillip as the husband, Vivian as the wife, Hilary, Ashley and Carlton as the children. Will is then brought into to join this cast as the outsider; he is an outsider because he is not a part of the immediate family and his upbringing is much different from that of his cousins, which is where most of the shows substance comes from. This family structure is fairly typical as the father and mother mostly share the power as head of the family. The role of the two female children are somewhat sexualized as Hilary gets many opportunities because of her looks. Carlton is mostly scrutinized for his emphasis on his studies and overall geeky manner. One thing that does set this family apart from other sitcoms is the fact that this family is black and faces racial issues throughout the series. Aside from that it does not necessarily contest gender of family roles. Does anyone see any elements that I may be overlooking with this last statement?
Frasier:
Frasier is a 90s sitcoms whose main character is none other than Frasier Crane. The other main characters are Niles, Frasier’s younger brother, Martin, Frasier’s father, Daphne, Martin’s physical therapist as well as housekeeper, and Roz, the producer of Frasier’s radio show. Martin is a widow who is now living with Frasier, and Daphne is then hired as the help. Frasier and Niles contest the male stereotypes of machismo considering neither of them are athletically capable and would much rather spend time seeing operas and experiencing fine dining. This is much to the dismay of their alpha male father. Daphne and Roz display two extremes of female roles. Daphne’s occupation situates her as a mother type figure to Martin and his sons; she is typically seen as sweet and easily forgivable and ends up marrying Niles. Roz on the other hand is seen as the easy bachelorette who has many relations with many men and is often laughed at and scrutinized for it. I never really realized how present these stereotypes are; does this seem accurate or exaggerated?
