The Sitcom Study

Roseanne fudges the stats, Sheldon "becomes" the ball, and Jim Belushi communes with the gods of the lanes... this week's trope is Bowling! Here's what we're watching:
The Flintstones S2 E24 "Fred Strikes Out"
Roseanne S4 E14 "The Bowling Show"
According to Jim S1 E8 "The Turkey Bowl"
The Big Band Theory S3 E19 "The Wheaton Recurrence"

Larry and Balki hit the jackpot (or so they think), Geoffrey the butler burns his bridges, and Mama puts her fortune in the hands of a celebrity chicken... this week's trope is winning the lottery! Here's what we're watching:
Perfect Strangers S4 E1 "The Lottery"
Mama's Family S5 E15 "The Big Wheel"
Fresh Prince of Bel-Air S3 E14 "Winner Takes Off"
Malcolm & Eddie S1 E4 "Partnership of Fools"

From the coffee shop with Jerry and George to the oval office, we're breaking down the career of the most spongeworthy comic actor in town and her four very distinct sitcoms!Here's the lineup:
Seinfeld S7 E9 "The Sponge"
Watching Ellie S1 E1 "Pilot"
New Adventures of Old Christine S1 E1 "Pilot"
Veep S1 E1 "Fundraiser"
This is a good old fashioned RERUN... We'll be back with a new episode next week!

Fran the Nanny searches for love on the high seas, the Designing Women meet an iconic maritime drag performer, and the gang from It's Always Sunny face the grim possibility of a watery demise... this week's trope is going on a cruise! Here's what we're watching:
Designing Women S2 E8 "Cruising"
The Nanny S3 E26 "Ship of Fran's"
Hot in Cleveland S3 E2 "Beards"
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia S11 E9-10 "The Gang Goes to Hell" Parts 1 & 2

Beaver cuts the grass, Screech disrupts the spaghetti sauce market, and iCarly disregards child labor laws... This week's trope is Kids starting a business! Here's the lineup:
Leave it to Beaver S4 E36 "Beaver Goes Into Business"
The Patty Duke Show S1 E18 "The Tycoons"
Saved by the Bell S4 E3 "Screech's Spaghetti Sauce"
iCarly S4 E4 "iSell Penny Tees"
This is a good old fashioned RERUN! We'll be back with a new episode next week!

This week, Alex P. Keaton's middle name is Podcast as we revisit four of our past discussions of the legendary 80s sitcom Family Ties, including a rendezvous with an older lady, an unsupervised boy-girl party, and indeed a child who ages several years between seasons... It's not a clip show, it's a mixtape! Plus we'll try our hand at a couple of Family Ties quizzes which may or may not have been created by humans...
Segments in this episode:
Family Ties S1 E2 "Not With My Sister You Don't"
Family Ties S3 E3 "Little Man on Campus"
Family Ties S5 E1 "Be True to Your Pre-School"
Family Ties S2 E7 "Sweet Lorraine"

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"
This is a good old fashioned RERUN! We'll be back with a new episode next week!

The Golden Girls enter the mind of a killer, Zack Morris sees through several dastardly disguises, and the Jeffersons set sail on the bloody seas... This week's trope is Murder Mysteries! Here's what we're watching:
The Jeffersons S9 E8-9 "Death Smiles on a Dry Cleaner Part 1 & 2"
Golden Girls S7 E2 "The Case of the Libertine Belle"
Saved by the Bell S6 E10 "Mystery Weekend"
The Office S6 E10 "Murder"

iCarly contaminates One Direction, David Spade gets fired from 98 Degrees, and the New Kids of the Block endure flagrant sexual harassment on Fuller House... this week's trope is Boy Band Guest Stars! Here's what we're watching:
Fuller House S2 E10 "New Kids in the House"
Sabrina the Teenage Witch S2 E18 "The Band Episode"
Just Shoot Me S5 E2 "A Night at the Plaza"
iCarly S5 E2 "iGo One Direction"

ALF catches a backyard assassin, the bosom buddies land a client with connections, and Howard Hesseman attends a "family" wedding... This week's trope is run-ins with the mafia! Here's what we're watching:
Bosom Buddies S2 E12 "The Grandfather"
ALF S3 E13 "Hideaway"
Head of the Class S4 E25 "Cement High Tops"
Everybody Hates Chris S2 E19 "Everybody Hates Gambling"
This is a good old fashioned RERUN! We'll be back with a new episode next week!