MeTV and Catchy Comedy will pay tribute to Norman Lear this weekend with a special The 200th Episode Celebration of All in the Family, in which the late television legend himself looks back at his impressive career.
The 90-minute special airs during MeTV’s regular Norman Lear Sunday block and features a guest appearance by Sammy Davis Jr., as well as some holiday episodes that represent a small sample of his extensive career creating sitcoms. The 200th Episode Celebration of All in the Family will air on d on MeTV on December 10 starting at 6:00 p.m., followed by five festive episodes from All in The Family, Good Times, and Sanford and Son.
Lear launched his long-running career in 1971 with All in the Family. He went on to produce, write, and create more than 100 shows, from The Jeffersons to Maude, and contribute to others, including South Park. He changed the face of sitcoms by including social and political themes in his series, such as racial issues.
Lear was a lifelong advocate and involved in several causes throughout his life. In 1981, he co-founded the activist group People for the American Way, which started a fundraiser in Lear’s honor.
“Norman loved this country, and he loved defending its ideals,” said Svante Myrick, president of People for the American Way. “We will honor Norman by carrying on the work to which he dedicated so much of his life.”
Lear was awarded several honors in his lifetime. In 1981, President Clinton gave him the National Medal of Arts. He also received the Kennedy Center Honor in 2017, and in 2021, he won the Carol Burnett Award, a Golden Globe Award honoring excellence in television. His first sitcom, All in the Family, earned four Emmy awards and a Peabody Award.
He was born on July 27, 1922, and passed away at 101 years old on December 5, 2023.
MeTV Network Remembers Norman Lear Sunday, December 10, 2023:
- 6:00-7:30 p.m. ET – The 200th Episode Celebration of All in the Family (90-minute retrospective hosted by Norman Lear)
- 7:30 p.m. ET – All in the Family, “Sammy’s Visit”
- 8:00 p.m. ET – All in the Family, “Christmas Day at the Bunker’s”
- 8:30 p.m. ET – Good Times, “Penny’s Christmas”
- 9:00 p.m. ET – Good Times, “The Traveling Christmas”
- 9:30 p.m. ET – Sanford and Son, “Ebenezer Sanford”
MeTV Network Remembers Norman Lear Sunday, December 10, 2023:
- 6:00-7:30 p.m. ET – The 200th Episode Celebration of All in the Family (90-minute retrospective hosted by Norman Lear)
- 7:30 p.m. ET – All in the Family, “Sammy’s Visit”
- 8:00 p.m. ET – All in the Family, “Christmas Day at the Bunker’s”
- 8:30 p.m. ET – Good Times, “Penny’s Christmas”
- 9:00 p.m. ET – Good Times, “The Traveling Christmas”
- 9:30 p.m. ET – Sanford and Son, “Ebenezer Sanford”
Image credit: Catchy Comedy