All In The Family

FavoritedFavorite 244
CBS (ended 1979)
EDIT

Show Summary

  • Ended
All in the Family was first seen in January of 1971 and immediately changed the face of television. Not only was this the number one television series from 1971 through 1976, but it also signified an avalanche of other situation comedies that dealt with controversial subjects in realistic ways. Including, Chico & the Man, The Jeffersons, Maude, Good Times and Sanford & Son.

The series centered around the Bunker family who lived in a home located at 704 Houser Street in Queens, New York. Archie Bunker was the main character, and what a character he was. He was televisons most famous bigot, crass and down right rude. Yet he was loveable, with a soft side just beneath the surface. Edith Bunker was his somewhat dizzy wife whom he called "Dingbat". Edith put up with Archie and had qualities about her that made her one of television's most unforgetable characters. Also living in the Bunker household were Archie and Edith's daughter, Gloria, and her husband Mike, or "Meathead" as Archie called him.

The stories revolved around many controversial topics including, rape, sex, homosexuality, death, and other topics that were relevant to the 1970's, especially political strife and inflation. Archie Bunker was probably the first character in a situation comedy to use racist remarks referring to blacks and other minorities, yet another first for television.

Other frequent cast members include, the black neighbors, the Jeffersons, who got their own series, The Jeffersons in 1975. The Lorenzos were also neighbors. In 1975, Gloria had a son, Joey, and three years later in 1978, Gloria, Mike and Joey moved away to California, leaving Edith and Archie alone. Not for long, however. Soon they took in a niece, Stephanie Mills, who had been abandoned by her father.

The original format ended in 1979 which was when the series was renamed Archie Bunker's Place. The new format centered around Archie running his local tavern which he bought in 1977.

CBS Broadcast History

Jan 1971-Jul 1971 Tuesdays 9:30 p.m.''Sep 1971-Sep 1975 Saturdays 8:00 p.m.''Sep 1975-Sep 1976 Mondays 9:00 p.m.''Sep 1976-Oct 1976 Wednesdays 9:00 p.m.''Nov 1976-Sep 1977 Saturdays 9:00 p.m.''Oct 1977-Oct 1978 Sundays 9:00 p.m.''Oct 1978-Sep 1979 Sundays 8:00 p.m.

Nielsen Ratings: (Top 25 or Better)

#1 1971-1972 Season''#1 1972-1973 Season''#1 1973-1974 Season''#1 1974-1975 Season''#1 1975-1976 Season''#12 1976-1977 Season''#5 1977-1978 Season''#10 1978-1979 Seasonmoreless
8.8
out of 10
Average Rating: Great
1,204 votes
  • Your Rating: 10
    "Perfect"
  • Your Rating: 9.5
    "Superb"
  • Your Rating: 9
    "Superb"
  • Your Rating: 8.5
    "Great"
  • Your Rating: 8
    "Great"
  • Your Rating: 7.5
    "Good"
  • Your Rating: 7
    "Good"
  • Your Rating: 6.5
    "Fair"
  • Your Rating: 6
    "Fair"
  • Your Rating: 5.5
    "Mediocre"
  • Your Rating: 5
    "Mediocre"
  • Your Rating: 4.5
    "Poor"
  • Your Rating: 4
    "Poor"
  • Your Rating: 3.5
    "Bad"
  • Your Rating: 3
    "Bad"
  • Your Rating: 2.5
    "Terrible"
  • Your Rating: 2
    "Terrible"
  • Your Rating: 1.5
    "Abysmal"
  • Your Rating: 1
    "Abysmal"
Rate It

Episode Guide

See All
S 9 :  Ep 27 Aired 4/8/79
S 9 :  Ep 26 Aired 3/25/79
S 9 :  Ep 25 Aired 3/11/79
S 9 :  Ep 24 Aired 3/4/79
S 9 :  Ep 23 Aired 3/4/79

Watch All In The Family Full Episodes

See All

All In The Family News

See All

Cast & Crew

See All EDIT

Fan Reviews (65)

See All

  • All in the Family focuses on life at 704 Hauser Street in Queens. There we see the life and times of Archie Bunker, his wife Edith, daughter Gloria and son-in-law Mike. No subject, politics, race relations, sex, is taboo in the Bunker household.moreless

    10
    "Perfect"
    By meathead704, Nov 30, 2011 Report Abuse
    All in the Family is definitely one of the greatest sitcoms ever produced. It was a show that was the first to take on such taboo topics as race, religion and politics and do so with no boundaries. The great cast and excellent writing are another reason why All in the Family remains so popular more than 30 years after it ended production. Many of the popular sitcoms that exist today owe their sucsess to All in the Family.moreless

    DO YOU AGREE?

    1 0

  • perfect

    10
    "Perfect"
    By futuramarama, Sep 12, 2011 Report Abuse
    this is such a hilarious sitcom! I like it a lot. Archie Bunker is a hilarious character. The show isn't too adult oriented or anything, but it is really hilarious. Archie often argues on subjects with Mike "Meathead" Stivic, or his daughter Gloria, or wife Edith. Funny show. I don't watch it a lot but I have yet to see an episode I did not like a lot or I did not laugh at. Really hilarious, my overall grade for this show is an A+, just an all around funny, good show, I recommend to anyone who likes classic sitcomsmoreless

    DO YOU AGREE?

    3 1

  • Time Capsule Material

    10
    "Perfect"
    By cooperkettle, May 17, 2011 Report Abuse
    All In The Family is considered by many to be the most politically and socially charged show since the birth of televison. I usually laugh at comments such as this - but in all honesty it's the truth.

    With such hot topics as culture clash, racism, women's liberation, and the Vietnam War among many others - All In The Family should be considered America's first reality television program, as the show is very much true to how life really is.moreless

    DO YOU AGREE?

    2 0

  • Everyone has an "Archie" or "Edith" in their family or at least knows one.

    9.7
    "Superb"
    By tvqueen1969, Jun 14, 2010 Report Abuse
    This was a groundbreaking, wonderful show from the mind of Norman Lear. I love alot of his shows, but, All In The Family is one I can relate to. I have a couple uncles who were like Archie and an aunt who reminded me of Edith. One of my favorite episodes is "The Longest Kiss" because it starts out with an argument over Gloria being allergic to lima beans and ends with everyone doing something crazy when Archie finally arrives home and opens the door. The look on his face is hysterical. I can't imagine anybody else playing the four main characters as wonderfully as Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, Sally Struthers and Rob Reiner did. All in The Family was such a success that two equally terrific and funny shows were spun-off. They were "Maude" and "The Jeffersons". Bea Arthur played Edith's cousin Maude Findlay in a two episodes. Norman Lear liked her so much, she got her own show in 1972 and in 1975, George, Weezy and Lionel were also spun off into "The Jeffersons" because they were so well liked as the Bunker's neighbors. Because it is released on dvd and aired on TVLand, many generations of fans can enjoy it.moreless

    DO YOU AGREE?

    2 0

  • Very great show, very political, couldn't be done today. Unintentionally led to the Reagan Revolution as a show that was supposed to make fun of conservatism actually led to its rebirth.moreless

    7.0
    "Good"
    By guyroy1971, Jun 14, 2010 Report Abuse
    All in the Family was considered to be one of the best shows on TV, and Norman Lear, the creator, was during its run hailed as a genius. All the regulars in the show are well known (Rob Reiner, Sally Struthers, Jean Stapleton, and of course the late Carroll O'Connor as Archie.) Even got the Jefferson's started. Very highly rated and critically acclaimed.

    However, the show had critics, and after 35 years or so, the critics look like they were right. The show has not had the legs as some of its contemporaries, like MASH. The premise of the show was Archie, a complete bigot (in just about every way) complaining about the state of the world in the 70's. He was supposed to be a relic, clutching onto an idealized past where men were men and people knew their place. The theme song was famously "those were the days". He was always battling with his liberal daughter, his tired-of-his-ways wife, and son in law (Reiner) who constantly challenged his beliefs. Norman Lear intended Archie to be a fuddy-duddy buffoon, a relic of the past in the glorious afterglow of 60's radicalism.

    Critics pointed out the show was too clever for its own good. The show was a big hit, but not for the reasons Lear thought. Most of the viewers did not see the satire and instead related to Archie. The 70's were not a good time to be an American. Oil shocks, the decline of manufacturing, and defeat in Vietnam and later Iran hostages, plus the cities (especially pre-Giuliani New York) were filled with immorality and urban decay.

    People saw Archie as a frugal, blue collar, hard working member of the "greatest generation", disgusted with what "modern society" has wrought. They agreed with Archie. Plus Reiner's character was, unintentionally, a pre- caricature of a dirty hippie. Unemployed, thinking he was smart because of college education but without accomplishment, dirty, fat and sloppy. Sally, Archie's daughter was an empty headed, whiny brat.

    Between Archie and the 70's, people chose Archie without the racism. Perhaps did as much to usher in the Reagan revolution as Carter's incompetence and Reagan's speeches. Quite the unintended outcome from a show that wanted to make fun of conservatives.moreless

    DO YOU AGREE?

    1 1
 

Forums

See All
Last Activity
Replies

Photos

See All
  • © 2009 TV Land
  •
    © 2009 TV Land
  •
    © 2009 TV Land
  •

Related Shows

Contributors

Become a contributor
More
Less

TV Listings

Full Listings

Categories

Comedy

Themes

Sitcoms

BROWSE | Shows | Videos | News | Listings | Forums | People | Photos | TV.com Blog

CBS Entertainment | About TV.com | About CBS Interactive | Jobs | Advertise

© 2012 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. | Privacy Policy | Ad Choice | Terms of Use