When it comes to TV, sitcoms reign supreme. From Cheers to Friends, How I Met Your Mother to Modern Family, sitcoms have proven to be among the most consistently popular shows on TV thanks to their loveable characters, cultural impact, and rewatchability factor. While the ‘90s marked a golden age for the genre, the ‘70s remained a standout period for sitcoms, and one of the decade’s best is now streaming for free.
As Tubi added dozens of movies and TV shows to its streaming library in October, it brought several seasons of The Jeffersons to the free platform. From TV legend Norman Lear, the series, a spinoff of All in the Family centered around an affluent African-American couple who move into an upscale high-rise building in Manhattan, ran for a total of 11 seasons from 1975 to 1985. Unfortunately, only two of those seasons – Seasons 2 and 3 – are currently available to stream on Tubi. Both Pluto TV and Philo also have select seasons of the show, but to watch The Jeffersons in whole, you will need to rent or purchase the series on VOD.
The Jeffersons ranks among the most timeless shows, and for good reason. The series was groundbreaking in the fact that it was one of the first shows to portray an upper-middle-class Black family and also one of the first to feature an interracial couple, ultimately paving the way for other sitcoms like The Cosby Show and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The series also relied on the tried-and-true sitcom format to address controversial, real-world issues of racism, class, alcoholism, gun control, and mental health, making those tough topics easy to digest with humor and relatable characters.
The Jeffersons managed to tackle those real-world issues, and in doing so became a cultural touchstone that still resonates today, all while presenting a story and characters that were easy to invest in. Isabel Sanford and Sherman Hemsley delivered brilliant performances as George and Louise, their contrasting personalities and constant verbal sparring and witty banter providing both humor and heart. The show also created memorable characters out of the eccentric neighbor Harry Bentley and the sassy maid Florence Johnston. The show, which features the iconic theme song “Movin’ on Up,” remains among Lear’s best in a long list of credits that includes other hits like One Day At a Time and The Facts of Life.
The Jeffersons Seasons 2 and 3 were added to Tubi’s streaming lineup in October alongside dozens of other exciting additions. On the TV front, viewers can stream shows like The Munsters, Six, and The Twilight Zone (’59), as well as all six seasons of NBC’s Emmy-winning series This Is Us.
As is the case most months, October put a heavy focus on movies, with A League of Their Own, The Day After Tomorrow, Interview with a Vampire, Legally Blonde, and more now available to stream for free.
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