TV Families Since the 1950s

The Cleavers From Leave it to Beaver ( ) White, middle-class family. Only one black family appeared with a speaking role in a later season. All families were heterosexual. Father worked and mother was a full time homemaker. Format centred around concepts of proper behaviour equals rewards and improper behaviour equals punishment. Seemingly revolutionary aspect: parents debated discipline and sometimes even made discipline mistakes.

The Bradys From The Brady Bunch ( ) White, blended, middle-class family with live in housekeeper. First season format dealt with issues around blending a family. Later seasons focused on broader pre-teen and teenage issues. Sometimes contemporary issues, like Womens Liberation, were explored. Seemingly revolutionary aspect: Carols previous marital status is left deliberately ambiguous. She may have been divorced.

The Huxtables From The Cosby Show ( ) Black, upper-middle-class family. Father is a doctor and mother is a lawyer. Despite focussing on a black family, the show dealt less with race issues than other contemporary shows. Instead the show focussed on the daily issues of families, from both the parental and child perspectives. Seemingly revolutionary aspect: black parents were both professionals and were financially well-off.

The Tanners From Full House ( ) White, extended family. Widower has best friend and brother-in-law to move in and help raise three daughters after wifes death. The show dealt with usual family issues, while also adding the element of men raising girls and the loss of a parent/spouse/sibling. Seemingly revolutionary aspect: the living arrangements. Three biologically unrelated heterosexual adult men live together for a unique style of co-parenting.

The Griffins From Family Guy (1999-present) White, nuclear family with anthropomorphized dog. Humour is connected to current events and/or popular culture icons. Seemingly revolutionary aspect: unlike many other cartoons and/or TV shows centred on a family, this is designed for adults, not children and tweens.

The Pritchetts From Modern Family (2009-present) Three diverse, but related families, including a blended family, a heterosexual traditional family, and a homosexual family. Set in mockumentary style where characters speak directly to the audience. Seemingly revolutionary aspect: gay couple with a child, and older man married to much younger woman.