Laverne and Shirley was, in its amiable, bubble-headed innocence, "like all the other shows of the day," but there was one big difference: broader physical comedy.
At some of its best moments, the sitcom dealt humorously with social class tensions, which are seldom discussed in a medium that religiously celebrates the myth of America as a classless society.
The writing was weak, at best. The situations were ludicrous. The characters were caricatures... It was silly, harmless fun. But it was not great television.
Laverne & Shirley hardly reinvented the wheel, but its strong female characters, their infectious friendship, and its Milwaukee setting all made the show a catch.
