Welcome to a new Sitcom Tuesday! This week, our “1950s takeover” continues in celebration of the forthcoming debut of my first book, Great American Sitcoms of the 1950s, which is officially being released (I can now confirm) on February 14 — a perfect date: the anniversary of Jack Benny’s birth! In the meantime, the e-book is now available for purchase on Amazon, and you can still pre-order a physical copy here. So, to whet your appetite, here’s a 1950s rerun…
Today, let’s revisit… The Ten Best BURNS & ALLEN Episodes of Season Eight: https://jacksonupperco.com/2020/02/11/the-ten-best-burns-allen-episodes-of-season-eight/
Aside from being able to access some commentary (and favorite episode picks) for sitcoms that I’ve never formally discussed here before — like The Adventures Of Ozzie And Harriet and Dennis The Menace — the great thing about my new book for long-time readers of this blog is that you’ll also get updated thoughts on the great shows that I first reviewed long ago. In fact, I only really talked about the 1950s twice here — in the first half of 2020, and then prior to that, way back when this blog first began in the summer of 2013. With more time to reflect, and many more shows having studied since, I can honestly say that my analysis has refined and, in some cases, changed. For instance, you’ll find that several entries on my “Top 50 Sitcom Episodes of the 1950s” list come from the eighth and final season of The George Burns And Gracie Allen Show — one of the formative examples of this genre on television and a primary topic in my book, given its lengthy run and high quality relative to other shows. When I first covered the series in 2020, I recognized this final season’s uptick in comedy — partially goosed by the gimmicky, albeit exciting, use of George’s so-called “magic TV” (more about that in the book) — but I tempered my enthusiasm when comparing it to its predecessors. Now, as I reflect on the show and its best episodic samples, I see Eight as boasting some of the best versions of familiar story templates — that is, some of its remakes are better than the originals! — and accordingly, I consider it among the funniest, most gem-laden collections for the entire series as a whole. And that makes it a rarity as far as sitcoms go — it’s rare for a show to bow out with a season as good as Burns And Allen’s eighth (its sixth on film). I’ll leave you to speculate about which episodes make my official list in the book — it’s more than just my MVE — but I can tease that this series, overall, is heavily represented, and it’s indeed one of my ten favorite sitcoms of the decade (another list that you’ll have access to in the book). Until then, feel free to prepare yourself by revisiting what I said a few years ago about this great season of a great series.
Come back next week for another 1950s rerun! And stay tuned tomorrow for a new Wildcard!