Data Archive: Sanford and Son

Sanford and Son was a well-loved sitcom developed by Bud Yorkin (Blade Runner 2049, Blade Runner) and Norman Lear (All in the Family, Maude) based on the British sitcom, Steptoe and Son. It is widely-recognized as a hit predecessor of many adored Black television sitcoms of the 80s and 90s, having earned a spot in Nielsen’s Top 10 for most of its run and nominated for seven PrimeTime Emmy awards, including Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, Outstanding Comedy/New Series and Outstanding Video Tape Editing. The theme song for the series, “Sanford and Son Theme (The Streetbeater),” is considered among one of the best. The show recently hit its 50th anniversary in January of 2022. 

Premise: Father and son duo, Fred Sanford and Lamont Sanford, navigate life as junk dealers in a South Central Los Angeles neighborhood. Fred is characterized as cantankerous and regularly instigates many of the hijinks the show follows; Lamont as the more conscientious partner to his father’s antics.

Genre: Sitcom

Cast: Redd Foxx (Harlem Nights, Cotton Comes to Harlem) as Fred G. Sanford and Demond Wilson (Me and the Kid, Baby… I’m Back!) as Lamont Sanford.

Network: NBC

Medium: Broadcast

Original Release: January 14, 1972 - March 25, 1977

Seasons: 6

Episodes: 136

All six seasons received ratings over 20: season one (25.2), season two (27.6), season three (27.5), season four (29.6), season five (24.4) and season six (20.3). Seasons two, three, and four ranked in the top three television shows on air, seasons one and five in the top 10, and season six in the top 30. Each season of the series saw viewership that closely mirrors the ratings. Season one was watched by 15.6 million households, increasing to 17.8 million (season two), 18.2 million (season three) and 20.2 million (season four). Season five took a dip in viewership, dropping to 16.9 million households. Season six brings up the rear of viewership with 14.4 million households. Sanford and Son hit these numbers despite being in, what is commonly referred to as, the “Friday night death slot”, with the show airing on Friday evenings at 8 for every single episode except for episode 12 of season six that aired on a Tuesday night.

These ratings show that the pilot season did extremely well, setting it on course to become the second highest rated series in its second season. All shows ranked above Sanford and Son were on their second seasons or later of their runs as opposed to Sanford and Son being on its first. The series maintains its accolades and resonance with its audience for the following four seasons, but the sixth season saw a nosedive before being canceled. Such a stark drop could indicate the loss of its comedic or general relevance to audiences.

The vast majority of episodes have ratings that fall between 6.8 and 7.9. The worst-rated episode of the series is the finale of season four with a 5.9, however, that is an anomaly in the series as the next lowest rating is a 6.6 for the season six finale episode. The season four finale episode is likely rated the worst because it is the only episode that doesn’t have Foxx or Wilson as the center of the storyline and was intended as a backdoor pilot for a spinoff series, Grady. While Grady is a well-liked character within the series, it seems the audience was not thrilled at the main storyline of the series being flipped on its head. 

The highest rated episode, episode 14 of season three, earned an 8.7. Generally, this episode seemed to have been well-received due the humor and drama drawn from the episode’s premise: a classic “he might not be the father” trope with Fred and an old friend of his, Big Money Grip, alongside a bait and switch of who was actually involved in the proposed ‘affair’ (Aunt Esther, not Fred’s late wife, Elizabeth).

Overall, Sanford and Son was highly regarded in the ratings for television being released at the time. 

Sanford and Son’s end is mildly disputed. It was reportedly canceled not due to the drop in ratings, but due to Foxx’s departure from the project after he accepted an offer from ABC, which included The Redd Foxx Show, also referred to as The Redd Foxx Comedy Hour. It is also speculated that Wilson departed soon after Foxx due to a salary dispute as the show intended on continuing with Lamont as the main character without an increase to salary. However, there are no detailed recounts of Foxx’s offer nor Wilson’s dispute and no confirmation of either being reasons for the cancellation of the series. 

Sanford and Son did spawn three very short-lived spin-offs, Sanford Arms, Grady and Sanford. None were particularly successful with Sanford Arms and Grady not airing their full first seasons and Sanford ending after its second season.

Sanford and Son has a legacy spot in scripted television, often credited with setting the stage for several other successful subsequent Black-led sitcoms such as Good Times and The Jeffersons. The series remains fondly remembered and an icon of comedy.