I think it was “Soap” that paved the way.
My wife, as liberal as they come and getting liberaller, could not stand that show, hates it with a passionate s dumb and sexist (which admittedly are probably the reasons it was a hit). She was absolutely disgusted when her idol, Lucille Ball, hosted a special episode of Three’s Company. For all the annoying stuff, John Ritter was a master of physical comedy with his pratfalls and stuff. He wasn’t bad on “Buffy” either.