On the Media The Forgotten History of the First Sitcom
Jan 7, 2026
Emily Nussbaum, a television critic for The New Yorker, dives into the fascinating story of Gertrude Berg, the pioneer behind the sitcom. They explore how Berg crafted the character of Molly Goldberg to redefine stereotypes of Jewish mothers. Nussbaum highlights the show's politically charged themes during the Depression and its bold transition to television. The discussion also touches on the impact of the Red Scare on Berg’s legacy and the erasure of her contributions from TV history, drawing eerie parallels to today's media landscape.
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Creator Who Was The First Showrunner
- Gertrude Berg created, wrote, directed and starred as Molly Goldberg in radio and then television's The Goldbergs for decades.
- She was effectively one of the first modern showrunners who built a daily family sitcom from the ground up.
A New, Political Jewish Matriarch
- Molly Goldberg subverted the sad, self-sacrificing Jewish mother trope by being canny, funny, and central to the plot.
- The show also integrated explicit Jewish rituals and political scenes like Seders and a Kristallnacht episode, normalizing Jewish life on mass radio.
Domestic Stories As Political Counterprogramming
- The Goldbergs wove New Deal, labor, and civil-rights themes into domestic stories, reaching a mass radio audience.
- That made the program a form of counter-programming to hate radio like Father Coughlin and helped Jews feel fully American.
