The Sitcom Study

Betty White makes merriment mandatory, Scott Baio orchestrates Christmas a la The Shining, and from a relentless snowstorm "Balki Clause" is born.... This week's trope is getting snowed in for Christmas! Here's what we're watching: The Mary Tyler Moore Show S5 E9 "Not a Christmas Story" Perfect Strangers S2 E11 "A Christmas Story" Charles in Charge S3 E1 "Yule Laff" Roseanne S5 E12 "No Place Like...

Bob Newhart proceeds with caution, Coach gets a blast from the past, and Tim the Toolman Taylor may have invented "ghosting!" This week's trope is getting a visit from the ex! Here's what we're watching: The Bob Newhart Show S1 E5 "Goodnight Nancy" Coach S1 E8 "Parents Weekend" Home Improvement S2 E22 "Ex Marks the Spot" My Name is Earl S1 E21 "The Bounty Hunter"

Martin and Gina head to "Chilligan's Isle," Kate and Allie lay low in a cabin in the woods, and Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore match wits with a hotel bathtub... This week's trope is romantic getaways gone wrong! Here's the lineup: The Dick Van Dyke Show S4 S27 "Never Bathe On A Saturday" Kate & Allie S5 E15 "Almost Married" / "And Then There Were None" Mad About You S1 E14 "Weekend Getawa...

Alex P. Keaton is strung out on speed, Jessie Spanno has descended into drug-fueled madness, and both Urkel and Horshack are high as a kite on "vitamins!" This week's trope is sitcom characters hooked on pills... Here's the lineup: Welcome Back Kotter S3 E22 "What Goes Up" Family Ties E2 E6 "Speed Trap" Saved by the Bell S2 E9 "Jessie's Song" Family Matters S7 E14 "Life in the Fast Lane"

As God is our witness, we thought turkeys could fly... We're watching classic Thanksgiving episodes from the seventies to the aughties! Here's the lineup: WKRP in Cincinnati S1 E7 "Turkeys Away" Seinfeld S6 E8 "The Mom and Pop Store" King of Queens S6 E9 "Thanks, Man" It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia S9 E10 "the Gang Squashes Their Beefs"

George Jefferson and Charlie Sheen look for lost mojos, Major Dad gets major joint pains, and Andy Dick goes goth... This week's trope is Midlife crises! Here's what we're watching: The Jeffersons S8 E5 "I've Still Got It" Major Dad S1 E11 "See the Hill, Over the Hill" NewsRadio S5 E13 "Towers" Two and a Half Men S4 E16 "Young People Have Phlegm Too"

Sarah Jessica Parker and friends march to their own drum, Tom Arnold installs himself as leading man, and stars from Mean Girls, Modern Family and The Walking Dead cross paths on a sitcom not long for this world... We're talking One-Season Wonders! Here's what we're watching: Square Pegs S1 E1 "Pilot" The Jackie Thomas Show S1 E1 "Pilot" The Class S1 E1 "Pilot" Trophy Wife S1 E1 "Pilot"

Ray Romano defends the school bus, Hannah Montana wages psychological warfare, and Mr T makes the classroom safe for democracy. Plus, JJ Walker shows off his dyn-o-mite karate moves... This week's trope is confronting bullies! Here's what we're watching: Good Times S2 E24 "The Lunch Money Ripoff" Silver Spoons S1 E4 "Me and Mr. T" Everybody Loves Raymond S4 E13 "Bully on the Bus" Hannah Montana S1...

Jim and Pam share a clandestine moment, Sam and Diane enrage each other to arousal, and Rachel discovers secrets from Ross's curly-haired past- It's part three of our ongoing chronicle of the most iconic sitcom maybe-lovers of all time, and there's no going back after this... Here's what we're watching: Cheers S1 E21-22 "Showdown" Friends S2 E14 "The One With the Prom Video" The Office S2 E22 "Cas...

Laverne is possessed by a disgruntled Olympian, Reba busts out the Ouija board, and the Fresh Prince angers the spirits while Carlton sports the world's worst Macaulay Culkin costumes... This week's trope is communing with dead on Halloween! Here's what we're watching: Laverne & Shirley S8 E17 "The Ghost Story" The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air S4 E7 "Hex and the Single Guy" Reba S3 E7 "The Ghost an...

Webster plays with matches, Urkel gets things cooking, and Drew Carey passes down his "wood burning kit" to the next generation of pyros... This week's trope is Accidental fires! Here's what we're watching: Webster S2 E5 "Burn Out" Family Matters S2 E1 "Rachel's Place" Drew Carey Show S9 E19 "Burning Down the House" Abbott Elementary S2 E15 "Fire"

My Three Sons get in over their heads, Will and Grace take drastic measures, and Al from Step by Step follows in the footsteps of Alex from Taxi... We're talking sitcom Blind Dates! Here's what we're watching: My Three Sons S2 E16 "Blind Date" Taxi S1 E3 "Blind Date" Step by Step S6 E13 "The Big Date" Will and Grace S2 E17 "Advise and Resent"

Uncle Joey bungles the high-heel fashion show, The Big Bang Theory gals play truth or dare (it gets weird) and Louise Belcher sabotages her own girls' night... This week's sitcom trope is Slumber Party episodes! Here's the lineup: Full House S4 E4 "Slumber Party" That 70s Show S5 E13 "Your Time is Gonna Come" Big Bang Theory S4 E8 "The 21 Second Excitation" Bob's Burgers S4 E9 "Slumber party"

Frasier is stumped by his own homoerotic fantasies, Angela ponders the road not taken, and Punky Brewster ages 75 years in one night... This week's trope is Dream episodes! Here's what we're watching: Punky Brewster S1 E17 "My Aged Valentine" Growing Pains S3 E10 "This Is Your Life" Who's the Boss S6 E3 "In Your Dreams" Frasier S4 E3 "The Impossible Dream"

ALF falls to Earth, Madame stands her ground, and the Dinosaurs hatch a singing baby... We're talking sitcoms built around puppets! Here's the lineup: Madame's Place S1 E1 "The Successful Comeback" ALF S1 E1 "A.L.F." Dinosaurs S1 E1 "The Mighty Megalosaurus" Unhappily Ever After S1 E1 "Pilot"

Marcia rebrands for freshman year, Cory deals with bully and Feeny issues, and Coach Lubbock's daughters break the Catholic school glass ceiling... Summer's over and we're discussing episodes about the First day of high school! Here's what we're watching: The Brady Bunch S4 E4 "Today I Am A Freshman" Just the 10 of Us S1 E2 "First Day at School" Boy Meets World S2 E1 "Back 2 School" The Goldbergs...

From the instrumental toe-tappers to the intricate explainer sequences, we're breaking down what goes into a great sitcom intro and listing our favorite theme songs of all time... Prepare for controversy!!

Did you know that Pee Wee Herman foiled a toy store robbery on the sitcom "227?" This week we're discussing the wide ranging guest appearances of the one and only Paul Reubens- it's the podcast so funny you'll forget to laugh! Here's what we're watching: Mork & Mindy S4 E7 "Long Before We Met" 227 S2 E15 "Toyland" Murphy Brown S4 E21 "The Good Nephew" 30 Rock S1 E12 "Black Tie"

Diane craves empathy, Pam receives a very special Christmas present, and Rachel seeks CLOSURE! Tempers flare and passions ignite as we check back in with our Will-They-Won't-They couples for ACT TWO: TENSION RISING! We're watching: Cheers S1 E14 "Let Me Count The Ways" Friends S2 E7 "The One Where Ross Finds Out" The Office S2 E10 "Christmas Party" New Girl S2 E3 "Fluffer"

Blossom takes on the patriarchy, Barbarino clinches the Sweathog vote, and Webster campaigns to purchase a school computer... This week's trope is Running for class president! Here's the lineup: Welcome Back Kotter S1 E5 "The Election" Webster S6 E5 "The Election" Parker Lewis Can't Lose S1 E4 "Parker Lewis Must Lose" Blossom S3 E10 "Making of a President"

Fred Flintstone gets a touch of class, Maryanne goes full "Single White Female" on Ginger, and Charles becomes Chaz, all thanks to brain trauma! This week's trope is New personalities from bonks to the head! Here's the lineup: The Flintstones S1 E5 "Split personality" The Addams Family S1 E22 "Amnesia in the Addams Family" Gilligan's Island S3 E24 "The Second Ginger Grant" Charles in Charge S4 E14...

The Partridge Family slumbers under the stars, V.I.C.K.I. navigates nature, and Larry and Balki face bears, river rapids AND quicksand! We're talking camping episodes! Here's the lineup: The Partridge Family S2 E 20 "Hel-l-l-p! Small Wonder S1 E15 "Babes in the Woods" Perfect Strangers S4 E6-7 "Up a Lazy River" Parks and Recreation S3 E8 "Camping"

Head of the Class ventures behind the iron curtain, the Golden Girls get real with Gorbachev, and Boy Meets World busts out the time traveling microwave... Things go nuclear this week when we talk sitcoms that tackled the cold war!  Here's the lineup: Mr. Ed S6 E3 "Coldfinger" (WARNING: VERY RACIST) Golden Girls S3 E6 "Letter to Mr. Gorbachev" Head of the Class S3 E4 "Mission to Moscow" Boy Meets...

Roseanne longs to ride again, Dick Van Dyke hires his hero, and the Scrubs gang gets a visit from Ryan Reynolds! This week's trope is Old friends showing up and the discord that ensues!  Here's the lineup: The Dick Van Dyke Show S1 E30 "The Return of Happy Spangler" Roseanne S2 E16 "Born to be Wild" Sister, Sister S4 E7 "Boy From the Hood" Scrubs S2 E33 "My Dream Job"

Ralph Kramden draws a blank, Mr Belvedere gets slimed, and Michael J Fox proves to be the worst possible friend to "phone" on Millionaire... This week's trope is Going on a Game Show!  Here's the lineup: The Honeymooners S1 E18 "The $99,000 Answer" Mr Belvedere S6 E2 "Brain Busters" Caroline in the City S3 E14 "Caroline and the Quiz Show" Spin City S4 E8 "How to Bury a Millionaire"