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All In The Family

Two's a Crowd

Season 8, Episode 19, Aired Feb 12, 1978

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Archie and Mike become locked in the storeroom at the bar while moving empty beer bottles. They decide to start drinking the alcohol to pass the time, which results in them having an intimate conversation about Archie's childhood.

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Cast & Crew

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Rob Reiner

Michael Stivic (1971-1978)
Carroll O'Connor

Archie Bunker

Fan Episode Reviews (2)

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While locked in the storeroom of Archie’s Place, Archie and Mike have an honest conversation while sharing a bottle of liquor.

10

"Perfect"

By Zava74, Nov 14, 2010

During this conversation, Archie opens up to Mike by revealing a childhood nickname and talking about his father. By the end of the episode Mike develops a better understanding of Archie and how many of his views were formed.

Archie and Mike are the only characters shown in this episode and the interaction between them makes this episode great. The episode has its usual hysterical moments, but it also reveals a vulnerable side of Archie's character that is rarely shown. Carroll O'Connor's performance during the final scene is very riveting, and as in most of the episodes of this series, the writing is superb.

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Understanding Dawns on the Meathead

9.5

"Superb"

By millerem99, Nov 14, 2010

This episode is one of the best of the series, and among my personal favorites because of the humanism between Archie and Meathead. Mike finally grasps a little better what makes Archie the way he is, and we the audience see some genuine compassion from Mike because of this insight.

While locked inside a storage room together, Archie and Mike pound a bottle of liquor. As the booze takes effect, the typical exchanges follow, with Mike growing frustrated at Archie's general lack of sensitivity towards him, as well as Archie's prejiduces towards other races. The dialogue reaches a climax when, in disgust Meathead asks him if he realizes how horrible he is for using a racial slur when he was a kid, and Archie responds that it was the only word that he knew because his father used it. Mike proceeds to tell him that his own father used such terms, and that their fathers were wrong. Archie retorts with an emotional monologue that is sincere as it is heart-wrenching, showing his deep respect for his father, who at times we find out, was borderline abusive towards him.

Archie passes out shortly after giving us this revelation, and Mike does a fantastic job of conveying his stirred soul with his facial expressions. We witness his newfound understanding of Archie in the final minute of this episode with a compassionate gesture from Mike: he covers Archie up with the only blanket on hand, and whispers, "Goodnight, Shoebootie" [the nickname the kids used to tease Archie].moreless
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TRIVIA (1)
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- This episode consists on one continuous scene inside Archie's Place.
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QUOTES (5)
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- Archie: Don't tell me my father was wrong! Let me tell you something! Your father who made you...wrong? Your father, the breadwinner of the house...the man who goes out and busts his butt to keep a roof over your head, clothes on your back...you call your father wrong? Hey...hey. (shakes his head) Your father, that's the man who comes home, bringing you candy. Your father's the first guy to throw a baseball to you...and take you for walks in the park. My father, held me by the hand...he had a hand...(looks at his own hand) he busted it on me...
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- Archie: Let me tell you something. A grown man ain't supposed to take a bath in the nude with a little boy. Mike: Why not? Archie: Oh, geez. (holds his forehead) 'Cause when the little kid gives you the once-over there, it makes him feel so hopeless. Mike: (laughs) I don't think so. Archie: Well, maybe not in your case.
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- Archie: (to Meathead) You're the kind of guy who'd go to a John Wayne movie and route for the indians.
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- (Archie's fallen asleep and Michael covers him with a canopy) Michael: Goodnight Shoobootie.
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- Archie: I bet I'm not the first person to call you Meathead. Michael: You're the ONLY one that's ever called me Meathead. Nobody called me Meathead in school...everybody called me Michael. Archie: (sarcastic) Oh didn't you go to a swell school then? Michael: What'd they call you in school? Archie: Well, I went to school during the Depression, and we were poor, and I wore out one shoe. Well, I couldn't just wear one shoe, so my mother got me a boot, and I wore them to school, one shoe, one boot, so the kids called me Shoobootie.
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NOTES (1)
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- Jean Stapleton and Sally Struthers do not appear in this episode.
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ALLUSIONS (0)
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