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Alice

Alice

Kiss my grits!

1976–1985Ended9 seasons202 episodes~30 min/epTV-PGMidcredits score: 44th percentile of all shows

Alice is an American sitcom television series that ran from August 31, 1976 to March 19, 1985 on CBS. The series is based on the 1974 film Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore. The show stars Linda Lavin in the title role, a widow who moves with her young son to start her life over again, and finds a job working at a roadside diner on the outskirts of Phoenix, Arizona. Most of the episodes revolve around events at Mel's Diner.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Alice?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Alice to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video, and on no subscription service.

Rent / Buy

BuyBuy

Highlights

What stands out about Alice?

Alice earns 4 badges, led by Award-winning performance and Feel-good.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Cast

Reception

Is Alice worth watching?

Alice's Midcredits score is the 44th percentile of all shows, from 6.5K ratings across 2 sources. 68% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

44th percentile

Better received than 44% of shows

42nd percentile among Comedy32nd percentile among 1970s
Acclaim (how much people like it)44th
Approval (how many liked it)46th

Acclaim

Broadly Agreed: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

69 /100

44th percentile of all shows

43rd percentile among Comedy31st percentile among 1970s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.2 — solid but not unanimous.

Approval

How many liked it

68% liked it

46th percentile of all shows

40th percentile among Comedy32nd percentile among 1970s
68% rated it 7–1032% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

83rd percentile

6.4K ratings across platforms

73rd percentile among Comedy75th percentile among 1970s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 34% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

A sitcom about working-class waitresses at a diner with broad humor and frequent guest stars.

Fans praised

  • memorable catchphrases and sharp banter
  • blue-collar diner setting with relatable everyday people
  • strong cast chemistry and standout supporting characters (Flo, Mel, Vera)

Detractors panned

  • predictable, formulaic plots and recycled jokes
  • unfunny with no genuine laughs
  • acting and production values are cheap

What stands out

ActingDivisive65

energetic performances, especially Polly Holliday as Flo

CharactersDivisive60

distinct archetypes: sensible Alice, ditzy Vera, sassy Flo, gruff Mel

DialogueDivisive60

snappy one-liners and catchphrases

AtmosphereDivisive60

convincing greasy-spoon diner setting

PacingDivisive55

brisk half-hour episodes with routine beats

HumorDivisive50

broad, safe comedy reliant on catchphrases

Plot and storyDivisive45

thin, predictable storylines with little consequence

Originality35

derived from a serious film, leaned on sitcom clichés

Preferred by

US vs non-US

Preferred by US Viewers

US viewers scored it 10 points higher than non-US viewers.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men even
  • Critics vs users 1 point apart

Episodes

9 seasons

Season 9 · 1984 · 16 episodes

  • S9E1
    S9E1

    Romancing Mister Stone

    Oct 14, 198430 min
  • S9E2
    S9E2

    Space Sharples

    Oct 28, 198430 min
  • S9E3
    S9E3

    Big, Bad Mel

    Nov 4, 198430 min
  • S9E4
    S9E4

    Houseful of Hunnicutts

    Nov 18, 198430 min
  • S9E5
    S9E5

    Tommy's Lost Weekend

    Nov 25, 198430 min
  • S9E6
    S9E6

    Undercover Mel

    Dec 16, 198430 min

Watch experience

What is Alice like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, light and gentle — a slow-burn watch that leaves you feeling good.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
JoyfulWarmRomantic
Heaviest: throughout
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
WarmPlayful
Told as
Resets each episode · 10% of showsStatus quo each season
ToneThe show holds its material with affectionate warmth, never mocking its characters or their working-class lives.
The rideThe series maintains a consistently light, warm, and moderately joyful tone across its run, with no heavy stretches.
StructureEpisodes follow a straightforward sitcom reset structure with no nonlinear or framing devices.
Episode formatEach episode presents a self-contained comedic situation with the status quo restored by the end; the series is consistently episodic.
Season formatSeasons are interchangeable batches; any season serves as an entry point, with consistent characters and setting.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Feel-goodHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayThe show leaves you smiling and reassured that even in small struggles, there is kindness and humor to be found.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Comedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18%: Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12% (this title): Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2% (this title)
  • Tragedy 4%: Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7%: Redemption 1% · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40%

Comedy: Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony. · Comedy of manners: Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).

12% of shows fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeA typical episode follows Alice navigating workplace and personal situations that gently test her ambitions or social standing, fitting a loose comedy of manners about everyday life at the diner.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31%: Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% (this title) · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27%: Identity 20% (this title) · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11%: Justice 14% · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6%
  • Survival 9%: Survival 12% · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% · Trauma 5% · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10% (this title): Community 25% (this title) · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Society

CommunityIdentityFamily bonds
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe series centers on the found family of diner workers and Alice's struggle to define herself as a single mother and aspiring singer within that community.
StanceThe show celebrates the bonds of its working-class community — the found family of the diner — without undercutting or questioning them.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanInstitutionalRealistic
PopSupportive music · hybrid
Settinga greasy-spoon diner in Phoenix, Arizona
MusicThe theme song, 'There's a New Girl in Town', sets a warm, aspirational tone.

Content guide

Is Alice okay for kids?

Not Rated

Alice is not rated.

Ratings in 5 other countries
  • Germany12
  • France12
  • MexicoA
  • Spain13
  • Türkiye13+

No detailed content scores for this title yet.

What content warnings does Alice have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Alice?

Cast

At least 3 of the 10 billed cast had never appeared on screen; Polly Holliday won the Globe for this show.

Linda Lavin
as Alice Hyatt
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Vic Tayback
as Mel Sharples
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.
Beth Howland
as Vera Louise Gorman
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Philip McKeon
as Tommy Hyatt
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Polly Holliday
as Flo Castleberry
Globe win: Golden Globe — Best Actress in a Supporting Role - Television Series
Celia Weston
as Jolene Hunnicutt
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Marvin Kaplan
as Henry Beesmeyer
Duane R. Campbell
as Chuck
Dave Madden
as Earl Hicks
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Charles Levin
as Elliot Novak
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.

More like this

What are shows like Alice?

TMDB's suggestions for shows like Alice include One Day at a Time (1975), The New Adventures of Old Christine (2006) and The Lucy Show (1962).

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What other shows share a tag with Alice?

623 other shows share the rarest tag below, relationship: odd couple. Each tag opens Browse with the shows that share it.