Archie Bunker's Place, as most of you probably know, was a revamped version of All in the Family that ran on CBS from 1979-1983; even though it will never be anywhere near the classic as its predecessor it did have some good shows during its run.

The hardest one to watch, of course, was the 2-part  2nd-season opener from 1980 called "Archie Alone" in which he has to come to terms over the death of his wife Edith - when they aired ABP on TV Land a few years ago I saw this episode in its entirety and when Archie was crying into Edith's slipper I was bawling right along with him.  :\'(

I remember this show a little bit, mostly towards the end of the show's run. I know my dad watched it all the time.

Caroll O'Connor was given creative control of 'All in the Family', so he simply changed the name of the show, thus season 1 of 'Archie Bunker's Place' is technically season 10 of 'All in the Family'

I have Season 1 on DVD and it's great!  Danielle Brisebois, who played Stephanie, later grew up to be a singer.  Apart from a few solo albums, she was a member of The New Radicals, who cracked the Top 40 in 1998 with the song 'You Get What You Give'

Caroll O'Connor was given creative control of 'All in the Family', so he simply changed the name of the show, thus season 1 of 'Archie Bunker's Place' is technically season 10 of 'All in the Family'

I have Season 1 on DVD and it's great!  Danielle Brisebois, who played Stephanie, later grew up to be a singer.  Apart from a few solo albums, she was a member of The New Radicals, who cracked the Top 40 in 1998 with the song 'You Get What You Give'


My favorite episode from Season 1 is when Rob Reiner and Sally Struthers guest-starred in a special one-hour episode where Mike and Gloria and Joey come home for Thanksgiving and it's another great conflict between Archie and the Meathead when he learns that Mike lost his job out in Califonia after being arrested for marching nude to protest the opening of a nuclear power plant.

I only remember the first episode where Archie was mourning Edith. 

I was always an Edith fan so without her, I didn't really have much interest in the series.  Maybe if I watched it now as an adult, I'd change my opinion.

I only remember the first episode where Archie was mourning Edith. 

I was always an Edith fan so without her, I didn't really have much interest in the series.  Maybe if I watched it now as an adult, I'd change my opinion.


If you check out the Season 1 dvd, Edith did appear in a few episodes during the first half of the season, including the one I mentioned earlier where they brought Mike and Gloria back for the Thanksgiving episode - they killed her off at the beginning of Season 2 when Jean Stapleton only wanted to continue playing Edith on a part-time basis and Carroll O'Connor felt that as long as Edith was alive the audience would want to see her appear more regularly.

Yeah, Edith wasn't killed off until Season 2

I remember an episode where Edith and Archie went out on vacation to Mike and Gloria's in California to see the baby and Mike and Gloria were seperated or something. 

I remember an episode where Edith and Archie went out on vacation to Mike and Gloria's in California to see the baby and Mike and Gloria were seperated or something. 


That was a Christmas episode that aired during the last season of All in the Family, which it was nice to see them back together then as well.  :)

My favorite episode from Season 1 is when Rob Reiner and Sally Struthers guest-starred in a special one-hour episode where Mike and Gloria and Joey come home for Thanksgiving and it's another great conflict between Archie and the Meathead when he learns that Mike lost his job out in Califonia after being arrested for marching nude to protest the opening of a nuclear power plant.

With all due respect to Carroll O'Connor, because Archie is my favorite TV character ever, but the man could have used some better guidance about jumping the shark like that.

Mike Stivic is an archetypal young '70s liberal.  He didn't do freaky BS and he was a sensible young man.  You grew to love Mike Stivic for 10 years, and they have his character (not Rob Reiner himself)  pull this out-of-character Charlie Manson act!  I liked it better when I thought the studios coerced Carroll O'Connor into it, not vice-versa. 

Some of the blame goes to Norman Lear trying to keep a sit-com going for too long, and attempting the short-lived dramedy, "Gloria."  Sally Struthers was by far the weakest talent in the bunch and her character the least nuanced: Goofy, well-meaning, giggly weepy hippie chick."
::)

Furthermore, the writing got so bereft of new ideas, they had to revive Gloria in the form of Cousin Billie and substitute the young Rabinwicz lawyer to be the Kosher Meathead.  O'Connor once said the network wanted to bring Edith back as a ghost, but even O'Connor groaned, "Aw jeez!"  However, it was O'Connor who pushed for creative control, it was probably HIS idea and he got embarrassed by it!
:P

I'm still a fan of ABP, don't get me wrong, there were still lots of good jokes.  I particularly enjoyed the greater use of Allen Melvin's (R.I.P.) Barney character.

With all due respect to Carroll O'Connor, because Archie is my favorite TV character ever, but the man could have used some better guidance about jumping the shark like that.

Mike Stivic is an archetypal young '70s liberal.  He didn't do freaky BS and he was a sensible young man.  You grew to love Mike Stivic for 10 years, and they have his character (not Rob Reiner himself)  pull this out-of-character Charlie Manson act!  I liked it better when I thought the studios coerced Carroll O'Connor into it, not vice-versa. 

Some of the blame goes to Norman Lear trying to keep a sit-com going for too long, and attempting the short-lived dramedy, "Gloria."  Sally Struthers was by far the weakest talent in the bunch and her character the least nuanced: Goofy, well-meaning, giggly weepy hippie chick."
::)

Furthermore, the writing got so bereft of new ideas, they had to revive Gloria in the form of Cousin Billie and substitute the young Rabinwicz lawyer to be the Kosher Meathead.  O'Connor once said the network wanted to bring Edith back as a ghost, but even O'Connor groaned, "Aw jeez!"  However, it was O'Connor who pushed for creative control, it was probably HIS idea and he got embarrassed by it!
:P

I'm still a fan of ABP, don't get me wrong, there were still lots of good jokes.  I particularly enjoyed the greater use of Allen Melvin's (R.I.P.) Barney character.


Barney was one of my favorite recurring characters on All in the Family, so I was glad they expanded his part on Archie Bunker's Place; among the new character they added the one I really liked was Veronica the cook (played by Anne Meara), who was also a worthy adversary against Archie, plus the writers gave her a good storyline as well (Veronica's drinking problem)

Barney was one of my favorite recurring characters on All in the Family, so I was glad they expanded his part on Archie Bunker's Place; among the new character they added the one I really liked was Veronica the cook (played by Anne Meara), who was also a worthy adversary against Archie, plus the writers gave her a good storyline as well (Veronica's drinking problem)

Anne Meara, wife of Jerry Stiller! Yes, Veronica Rooney was a good character.  They also gave a major role Jason Wingreen's "Harry Snowden" who  was one of Archie's lodge buddies on AITF.  Martin Balsam was a great actor.  "Murray Klein" added a lot to the show.  I also liked Bill Quinn's "Van Rensselaer (sp.?), the blind guy, "Mr. Van R."
:)