“thirtysomething”

Yuppies existed on prime time television before we had a word to describe them.  Yuppie, of course, is a slang word for young, upwardly mobile professional. Dr. Bob Hartley was a Chicago yuppie on The Bob Newhart Show. Rob Petrie was a television comedy writer yuppie...

Mary Dobkin a.k.a. “Aunt Mary”

This weekend, America lost a television treasure.  Jean Stapleton. In the 1970s, television audiences empathized Stapleton’s alter ego, Edith Bunker, on All in the Family.  Edith was optimistic, sunny, and kind to balance Archie Bunker’s grouchiness.  But...