Raising Laughter: How the Sitcom Kept Britain Smiling in the '70s

The 1970s were the era of the three-day week, the Troubles in Northern Ireland, the winter of discontent, trade union Bolshevism and wildcat strikes. Through sitcoms, Raising Laughter provides a fresh look at one of our most divisive and controversial decades. Aside from providing entertainment to millions of people, the sitcom is a window into the culture of the day.

Many of these sitcoms tapped into the decade's sense of cynicism, failure and alienation, providing much-needed laughter for...