The series was produced by Norman Lear's and Bud Yorkin's Tandem Productions, which was also responsible for "All in the Family". The two shows were both based on popular British sitcoms and both were pioneers of edgy, racial humor that reflected the changing politics of the time. Both series also featured outspoken, working-class protagonists with overt prejudices. However, "Sanford and Son" differed from "All in the Family" and other Norman Lear shows of the era in that it lacked the element of drama. "Sanford and Son" helped to redefine the genre of black situation comedy. Because of Lear's commitments to his other concurrent series, and the distance between NBC Studios in Burbank (where "Sanford and Son" was taped) and the Hollywood locations of other Tandem shows (such as "All in the Family", "Maude", "The Jeffersons" and "One Day at a Time", which were recorded at CBS Television City or Metromedia Square), he did not have as much day-to-day involvement with "Sanford and Son" as with the other Tandem series, leaving the show-running to Yorkin.