All In The Family

The program that showcased the typical suburban family past their prime surprisingly relates very well to the much more recent show Arrested Development. Both shows demonstrate an uncommon family situation: one with the young couple living with their parents and the other with an entire extended family living together. Also, both explore issues that see great importance in the associated time period. They often see mildly controversial topics that serve as a centerpiece for the building tensions for which the audience continually returns.

The major difference is in the type of humor employed. The typical wordplay, irony, and slapstick comedy fails to meet the needs of today's audience. Shows like Arrested Development rely much more on boundary crossing and sarcasm to paint a clearly ridiculous picture of family life that exists nowhere else. All In The Family sticks to standard comedic ideals to match its standard family concept.

The issue differences lie in the limits of the era. The limits set for show 40 years vary greatly from the limits set today. Where All In The Family set the bar for edginess in a show by challenging the concept of homosexuality, Arrested Development explores ideas of incest, adultery, terrorism, and racism. The changing social constructs determine the content of a family sitcom like these.