The 1970s and 1980s saw the rise of family dramas like "The Waltons," "Little House on the Prairie," and "Dallas," which revolutionized the genre with their engaging storylines and memorable characters. These shows typically depicted traditional family structures, with a focus on the nuclear family and the challenges they faced. While these storylines were often simplistic and formulaic, they laid the groundwork for the more complex family dramas that would follow.