The sketches originally aired on the DuMont network's variety series Cavalcade of Stars, which Gleason hosted, and subsequently on the CBS network's The Jackie Gleason Show, which was broadcast live in front of a theater audience. The popularity of the sketches led Gleason to rework The Honeymooners as a filmed half-hour series, which debuted October 1, 1955, on CBS, in place of the variety series. It was initially a ratings success as the No. 2 show in the United States during its first season, facing stiff competition from The Perry Como Show on NBC. The show eventually dropped to No. 19, ending its production after 39 episodes (now referred to as the "Classic 39 episodes"). The final episode of The Honeymooners aired on September 22, 1956, although Gleason sporadically revived the characters until 1978. The Honeymooners was one of the first U.S. television shows to portray working-class married couples in a gritty, non-idyllic manner, as the show is mostly set in the Kramdens' kitchen in a neglected Brooklyn apartment building.