Lear’s career began in 1950 as a writer on the variety comedy show “Four Star Revue,” and the small screen is arguably where he made the most impact. By the 1970s, Lear transformed the sitcom landscape — developing, writing, and producing a slew of sitcoms still highly regarded to this day. Some of these shows include “All In the Family,” “Sanford and Son,” “The Jeffersons,” “Maude,” and “Good Times” — all of which are influential works. 

To his credit, Lear’s sitcoms are eternally funny and peppered with thought-provoking social commentary. “All of the Family” is a prime example of one of a show that combines humor with daring ideas. The series follows Archie Bunker (Carroll O’Connor), a rude conservative family man, who often finds himself at odds with his more liberally minded son-in-law, Michael Stivic (Rob Reiner). The characters’ differing ideologies allow the show to explore everything from class issues to American race relations, which are common themes throughout Lear’s oeuvre.

According to The New York Times, Lear’s ’70s sitcoms also led to other TV comedies introducing more “Very Special Episodes” into their seasons. These episodes earnestly explore sensitive subjects, often with emotional, dramatic, and controversial results. For example, the “Maude” episode titled “Maude’s Dilemma” sees the titular character get an abortion, and the response divided viewers at the time. As Entertainment Weekly notes, Lear once said that the two-part special caused some upset in his own household, but he made it as he was dedicated to telling stories about topics real people talk about.