That’s a question I’ve often considered myself. That given the proclivities of the lefty entertainment-media complex, the networks’ intentions might have been more in the vein of putting out another condescending hick “minstrel” show. People to be laughed “at” as opposed to “with.” Obviously, it didn’t work out that way, as the Robertson folks didn’t play into to that demeaning paradigm, and managed to strike a strong cultural chord with mid-america, through their values.
No, it was never intended like that at all.