(thank you Emily for the great graphic!)
Being a single parent, I began to think of all the shows on television that depict single moms and dads. It was tough initially coming up with 13 shows, but here's what my brain file spit out, not in any particular order:
1. "Julia" starring Diahann Carroll as a nurse with a young son to raise.
2. "The Rifleman" with Chuck Connors. Single fatherhood in the old west.
3. "Bonanza". Sure they were all grown, but Ben Cartwright was still a single dad.
4. "The Courtship of Eddie's Father" with Bill Bixby and his Japanese housekeeper.
5. "My Three Sons" with Fred MacMurray and his grumpy housekeeper (who was originally played by the actor known as Fred Mertz from "I Love Lucy").
6. "Family Affair" with Brian Keith and a stuffy housekeeper, Mr. French (Sebastian Cabot).
7. "Full House" with the Ashley twins and a house full of people just hoping for the chance to take the kids anywhere...anytime.
8. "Who's the Boss?" with 2 sets of single parents, raising each other's kids and falling in love....slowly.
9. "One Day at a Time". This, along with "Julia" are probably the two I can identify with the most. No maids, housekeepers, friends or extra family lying around just dying to babysit for free.
10. "Murphy Brown". Yes, she had a baby. It just took her awhile to name it.
11. "Kate and Allie". At least they had each other to help.
12. "The Suite Life of Zach and Cody". No foot in reality, but my daughter likes it.
13. "Hannah Montana". The Cyrus Family sans mom and apparently doing just fine, thank you.
Can you think of any others?
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Thursday Thirteen #14
Posted by Karen at 6:15 PM
Labels: Single Motherhood, Thursday Thirteen
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31 comments:
I remember some of those. Giving my age away. I used to love One Day at a Time.
My Two Dads. Remember that one?
Happy TT!
What a great list!! Kuods to you from one single mother to another:) Happy TT.
Excellent list and kudos to doing a great job being a single mom!
Andy Griffith, although he had Aunt Bea to help! Happy TT!
Nah, you've named all I could think of...
Happy TT!!!!
Much respect for you and for all single moms.
Ever wonder why ODAAT never hit syndication? I loved that show.
But Ann Romano had Schneider and Murphy Brown had Elden. I'm a woman alone who would love to have either of them at my beck and call. Then my curtain rods would be supporting curtains instead of leaning up against my living room wall. Anne
I remember quite a few of these - we had them in Australia too !
on being a single mom - I can't imagine how hard it would be
You did a great job coming up with this list. I have to admit I'm wracking my brain. I think I've hit on one...Alice. Remember she was a waitress raising her son alone.
Happy TT and thanks for stopping by.
Isn't it interesting the number of single parents that have been on television and part of popular culture for so long, yet we still don't give the complete credit to single parents that we should.
Kudos for the effort and dedication it takes to do what you do!
Other shows I can think of:
Good Times (after the father died, and before that Falona, the neighbor was a single mome)
What's Happening.
More recent:
Buffy, (yes, I know, it seemed like she was raising herself, but there was a single mom there),
Two and a Half Men,
Veronica Mars,
Eureka,
Ugly Betty....
I watch way too much tv. :)
~X
I'm surprised at how many feature single dads, it seems like they're the majority.
I really admire all you single parents, you've got an incredibly tough job.
What about the Partridge Family?
Great list! I remember those shows. There are quite a few on TV now. :D
Wow. Lots of shows with single parents, to read your list and the comment trail.
I love the comment about Full House and people wanting to take the kids places -- if only that were reality, huh?
I remember the latter shows for sure. Here's another The Nanny.
Dr. Quinn, she was raising those 3 kids on her own for ahile.
Great entertaining list, brought back a lot of memories.
I love Two and a Half Men!
Neat list, I used to watch some of those shows.
Gosh, I had forgotten Murphy Brown! I loved that show. *g* Happy T13!
I used to love Family Affair! They need more single parent shows though!
Wow! I remember almost all of those shows!
My hats are off to you as a single parent. I have done the pseudo-single parent thing (my husband is deployed) for the last year. It has been the hardest year of my life. But then again when he left they were 2 and 3.
happy TT, thanks for visiting.
You came up with a very thorough list. It's been said before, but kudos. I think parenthood with someone is tough. Hats off to you.
Kudos. :-)
Happy TT
I STILL love Who's The Boss! I know many of those shows. I didn't realize how many focused on single parents.
Happy Thursday!
I think the only ones of those I've seen are Murphy Brown and Two and a Half Men from the comments. (Never have watched much TV.) But it is neat that not all sitcom families are two-parent, 2.5 kids, and a dog.
I haven't a few of those, but Full House and Who's the Boss were popular when I was a kid. Two more recent shows that came to mind while reading your list are Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Veronica Mars, but now I see Xakara already mentioned them. :-)
Thanks for visiting my TT! :-)
Why do the men get helpers! I used to like Blossom. That had a single dad and no helper.
Great list! It's funny you mentioned "The Rifleman" b/c my husband's been watching that lately. Have a great weekend!
I remember how controversial "Julia" was---a show about a black woman with a child (Corey). Some of these were some of the greatest shows ever about family life and relationships. thanks for reminding me and thanks for visiting our T13..
I don't know all of them, but I loved Full House and Who's The Boss1
Thanks for visiting my fungi slideshow TT.
It seems there are becoming more and more tv shows and commercials where fathers are nowhere around. Kids today do have it very rough.
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