The Honeymooners
By Kari Croop,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Classic couples' comedy bears sexist signs of the times.
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What's the Story?
Set inside a threadbare Brooklyn apartment building, THE HONEYMOONERS follows the antics of boisterous city bus driver Ralph Kramden (Jackie Gleason) and his repeated attempts to get rich quick with help from his dimwitted best friend, Ed Norton (Art Carney), who lives upstairs. Meanwhile, Ralph's long-suffering wife, Alice (Audrey Meadows), never expects her husband's schemes to work -- and rarely keeps her opinions to herself.
Is It Any Good?
Even though The Honeymooners often ends up on critics' lists of the most beloved television comedies of all time, there's bound to be a disconnect for modern audiences, especially those who can't dismiss the series' stereotypical take on married life as a now-outdated product of its time. Because while Ralph's classic catchphrase might have brought in peals of laughter in its day, his frequent threats to send his wife "to the moon" actually play as borderline disturbing when paired with his closed fist coming swiftly toward her face.
The show is still notable, however, for two things: Carney's five-time Emmy Award-winning performance as Ralph's bumbling best friend, Ed, and the critical role The Honeymooners played in television history as one of the first series to offer an unfiltered look at working-class households of the 1950s (standing in stark contrast to the highly glossed families of Leave It to Beaver and other shows that would follow in its footsteps). It also served to inspire a slew of other sitcoms, some of which still echo its basic structure today.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the show's use of now-outdated male and female stereotypes. How does this show portray relationships between men and women? How does that differ between the way those relationships are portrayed on television today?
Can you think of other TV comedies that might have been inspired by this one? How do shows like Roseanne, The King of Queens, or even The Flintstones compare?
Does the show's comedy still hold up, considering this show is more than half a century old? Which elements make it feel less relatable for modern audiences?
TV Details
- Premiere date: October 1, 1955
- Cast: Art Carney , Audrey Meadows , Jackie Gleason
- Network: CBS
- Genre: Comedy
- TV rating: TV-PG
- Last updated: March 2, 2022
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