by Michael Lyons
Remember the phrase, "A slow news day?" Not anymore. Lately, all news seems to be "Breaking News" or "A Special Report."
It's a lot, isn't it? There's so much going on. Every day. It's heavy—all of it.
During times like this, it's good to take a break and look to those things that we know provide the comfort we need.
In that spirit, if you need that break, even just a brief one, what follows is a collection of iconic episodes of classic sitcoms. Each one will allow your mind to decompress, have a well-deserved laugh, and recall "simpler times."
I Love Lucy, "Job Switching," (1952) - streaming on Paramount+
Nothing helps ease your mind like settling in for an episode of one of television's greatest shows.
In "Job Switching," Lucy (Lucille Ball) and Ethel (Vivian Vance) go out and get jobs after Ricky (Desi Arnaz) and Fred (William Frawley) think that housework is easy. So, the boys do the work around the house (disastrously, of course), while Lucy and Ethel get a job...in a candy factory.
Yup, this is the episode where the two work an assembly line, putting candies in wrappers. And, the conveyor belt gets faster and faster, and funnier and funnier, as Lucy and Ethel can't keep up and do everything to hide the candies.
Every time one watches this episode, it's no wonder this has become one of the most famous of the well-known I Love Lucy episodes. It's also a testament to the brilliant physical comedy skills of the stars.
The Honeymooners, "Better Living Through Television," (1955) - streaming on Pluto TV and Tubi
Like I Love Lucy, this is comfort food television.
In this episode, Ralph (Jackie Gleason) buys an overabundance of a "new kitchen gadget." He ropes his pal Norton (Art Carney) into buying commercial time on local television to sell it.
All seems fine until Ralph gets a hysterical case of stage fright and winds up, literally, bringing down the house, or in this case, the set.
This is pure gold from a sitcom that inspired so many other shows, featuring Gleason and Carney at their best playing off each other. "Hammina! Hammina! Hammina!"
Gilligan's Island, "The Producer," (1966) - streaming on Tubi
Is there any TV show more innocent than creator and producer Sherwood Schwartz's Gilligan's Island? From the era of "fantasy sitcoms," this one is a cartoon come to life (and it eventually inspired an animated Saturday morning version in the 70s).
In this episode, a big-time Hollywood producer, named Harold Hecuba (guest star Phil Silvers), lands on the island, and the castaways, in an effort to be rescued, decide to impress the producer by putting on a show!
And, yes, they build the stage, the costumes, the whole extravaganza - making it another one of the series episodes that has one asking, "If they could do all that, why couldn't they build a boat and get off the island?"
But, when you have a premise where the cast puts on a musical version of Hamlet, on a deserted island, you don't ask questions; you set your brain to "innocent fun," and just enjoy.
The Brady Bunch, "Dough Re Mi," (1972) - streaming on Paramount+
Also, from Mr. Schwartz came this iconic 70s sitcom. Like Gilligan's Island, it wasn't big on realism, but it comes with another dose of innocent comfort.
In this episode, the kids have a chance to record a professional song, but Peter's (Christopher Knight) voice begins to change. So, Greg (Barry Williams) incorporates his cracking tones into it, and the result is "When It's Time to Change," which became a well-known ditty for generations. "She-na-na-na-na-na!"
Cheers, "Dinner at Eight-ish" (1987) - streaming on Paramount+
Sam (Ted Danson) and Diane (Shelly Long) are invited over to the new home of Frasier (Kelsey Grammar) and Lilith (Bebe Newerth) for dinner. But, as hidden stories of the past come to light, tensions hilariously spread across the evening.
With all the action taking place in one room and a humorous version of "Our House," this episode plays out like a well-constructed stage play.
Friends, "The One Where No One is Ready," (1996) - streaming on HBO Max
Another sitcom episode that unfurls like a one-room, comic stage play is this famous episode from the equally famous 90s sitcom.
Ross (David Schwimmer) has been invited to a black-tie affair at the Museum of Natural History, where he works, but he is the only one who is ready. As he waits in Monica's apartment (where all of the action takes place), everyone finds themselves more and more delayed, as Ross gets more and more frustrated.
Among the episode's well-crafted moments is the one in which Joey (Matt LeBlanc) comes into the apartment wearing everything Chandler (Matthew Perry) owns.
Could this episode be any funnier?!?
So, put down the phone, turn off the news, and take some time for a deep breath and some well-deserved moments escaping with these episodes of sitcoms from a time when the phrase "a slow news day" was actually a thing.
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