June 29, 1999

All In The Family - THE COMMENTARY

By Joseph Planta

I’ve just finished watching 6 episodes of one of television’s finest series, All In The Family. The CBS sitcom which ran from 1971-1978, is one of the most provocative and consistently funny shows in the history of television. No other sitcom has dared to try to scale the taboos exposed by this landmark series. Roseanne, tried and to a certain extent succeeded, most other shows that try, fail in vain. All In The Family was the most popular program on television for 5 consecutive seasons. It reigned supreme in an era that boasted The Waltons, Sonny and Cher, Donny and Marie and Charlie’s Angels. Starring Carroll O’Connor, as the crusty bigot Archie Bunker and Jean Stapleton as his lovable and loyal wife Edith; they along with his “Little goil” Gloria (played by Sally Struthers), and her husband “Meathead” Mike Stivic (played by now-director Rob Reiner), they explored the issues that concerned their era and most importantly issues that affected the lives of their viewers. Nothing was untouchable for their writers: abortion, rape, bigotry, Vietnam, Nixon and the culture shock that shaped the 1970’s.

The six episodes were six funny pieces of television at its very finest. They showed the Bunkers at their meanest and warmest. One particular episode boasted a guest starring role for Sammy Davis Jr. His run-in with The Bunkers gives terrific license for an examination of Archie Bunker’s prejudice towards African Americans, at a time when never before had topics like these been dealt with on television. All In the Family, throughout its run tried to change the attitudes of Americans: perhaps they succeed in this episode. It gives a humorous look at the level of unknowing and pure oblivion Archie lived in. At the end of the episode his views on Blacks don’t change; but we can only hope some viewers did change and through these tapes will change.

Columbia Tristar has just put out a whole slew of All In The Family tapes. They are brash, funny, politically incorrect, and fabulous. Get them at your local video store.

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