Norman Lear’s best TV shows from ‘All in the Family’ to ‘The Jeffersons’ and more, plus how to watch them

Norman Lear has passed away at the age of 101. The award-winning writer, director and producer helped shape sitcom TV into what it is today, and is responsible for several hit shows including All in the Family, The Jeffersons, Maude, Sanford and Son Diff’rent Strokes and The Facts of Life. In 1999, the TV legend was presented with the National Medal of Arts by then-President Bill Clinton, who summed up Lear’s impact beautifully when he said, “Norman Lear has held up a mirror to American society and changed the way we look at it.”

Lear also worked on the big screen from time to time, with writing credits on Come Blow Your Horn (1963); The Night They Raided Minsky’s (1968); The Thief Who Came to Dinner (1971); Stand by Me (1986) and The Princess Bride (1987). But there’s no denying that sitcom television is where the six-time Emmy winner truly shined. To celebrate the life of Norman Lear, here’s a look back at his most popular shows (and where you can watch them for yourself).

Where to watch Norman Lear’s most popular shows

The Emmy-winning writer, director and producer had hits like All in the Family, The Jeffersons, Maude and more. In honor of Norman Lear’s life, Pluto TV will be airing marathons of some of his work across multiple channels starting tonight at 7 p.m. ET. So you can tune in totally free to All in the Family on Pluto’s Classic TV Families, Maude on Classic TV Comedy and Sanford & Son followed by The Jeffersons on Black Classics.

Stream on Pluto

All in the Family (1971)

Adapted from a British sitcom, Till Death Us Do Part, All in the Family is a groundbreaking sitcom that tackled previously unseen on TV topics such as racism, homosexuality, religion, abortion, sexual assault, the Vietnam War and more, through the lens of a working class family in Queens, NY. (John) Carroll O’Connor, Jean Stapleton, Sally Struthers, and Rob Reiner star in the series, which was at one point the most watched show in the United States.

All in the Family wasn’t just Norman Lear’s first big success, it was the source material for several popular spinoffs, including Maude and The Jeffersons.

You can find certain episodes of the hit series uploaded on YouTube, and All in the Family is streaming free with ads on Amazon’s Freevee.

Stream on Freevee

Sanford and Son (1972)

A polar opposite father and son duo run their “junk shop” together in South Central Los Angeles. Redd Foxx and Demond Wilson star. All six seasons of Sanford and Son are currently streaming on Peacock.

Stream on Peacock

Maude (1972)

The first spinoff of All in the family follows Maude, Edith Bunker’s favorite cousin. Bea Arthur stars as the titular, outspokenly liberal (and often grating) character. Bill Macy stars as her husband. You can stream all six seasons of Maude free on Pluto TV — or find certain episodes on YouTube.

Stream on Pluto

The Jeffersons (1975)

Technically another spinoff of All in the family, The Jeffersons follows George and Louise Jefferson as they relocate from Queens to a high rise in Manhattan after the booming success of their dry cleaning business. Isabel Sanford, Sherman Hemsley, Marla Gibbs, Roxie Roker and Franklin Cover star.

Despite being one of the longest-running sitcoms in history, not every season of The Jeffersons is available on any streaming platform, but you can buy seasons 5 and 6 on Amazon, and find full episodes of the series on Youtube.

Buy on Amazon

One Day at a Time (1975)

A newly divorced mother relocated her family and struggles to raise her teen daughters on her own. Bonnie Franklin, Mackenzie Phillips and Valerie Bertinelli star. Seasons 6 and 7 of One Day at a Time are currently streaming free on Pluto TV. Seasons 7 and 8 are also streaming free on Tubi. You can buy more seasons of the series on Amazon. One Day at a Time was also remade by Netflix in 2017, running for four more seasons.

Stream on Pluto Stream on Tubi Buy on Amazon

Diff’rent Strokes (1978)

A rich white Park Avenue widower decides to take in his recently deceased housekeeper’s two young Black boys from Harlem. Conrad Bain, Gary Coleman, Todd Bridges, Dana Plato and Charlotte Rae star. Not every season of Diff’rent Strokes is available to stream (or even purchase) online, but you can watch Seasons 5 and 6 totally free on Tubi (and you can also find full episodes uploaded on YouTube).

Stream on Tubi

The Facts of Life (1979)

A spinoff series from Diff’rent Strokes, The Facts of Life follows four teen girls in the care of the Drummond’s former housekeeper, Edna. Charlotte Rae stars in all nine seasons of the series. You can stream all of The Facts of Life free on Tubi.

Stream on Tubi

Bonus: Live in Front of a Studio Audience (2019)

Norman Lear and Jimmy Kimmel team up for two TV specials in the Live in Front of a Studio Audience series, where an all-star cast recreates beloved sitcom episodes from the 70s and 80s. Jamie Foxx, Woody Harrelson, Martin Short, Ellie Kemper, Will Ferrell, Kerry Washington, Tiffany Haddish, Jon Stewart, John Lithgow, Snoop Dog and more stars make appearances. Currently there’s no place to stream these Live in Front of a Studio Audience specials, but you can find many of the clips uploaded free on YouTube.

More Norman Lear shows

While Lear’s career beat the TV odds many a time, he had some slightly less popular and shorter-lived TV series as well.

• The Deputy (1959)

• The Nancy Walker Show (1976)

• Hot L Baltimore (1975)*

• All’s Fair (1976)

• All That Glitters (1977)

• Fernwood 2 Night (1977)

• America 2-Night (1978)

• Apple Pie (1978)

• Archie Bunker’s Place (1979) — extension of All in the Family

• Good Times (1974)

• Palmerstown (1980)*

• a.k.a. Pablo (1984)

• The Powers that Be (1992)*

• 704 Hauser (1994)

*notes producer credit

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