...the controversy about this show when it first started? I remember some of the parents in my neighborhood saying they'd never let their kids watch it.

And, I read somewhere that Luccille Ball said, when it started "How could a network that I've worked for sll these years; air something like that?"

With my parents it was different. They were watching television from the beginning and were tired of the silliness and were just itching for shows with more realism and bite to them. They loved the new sophistication of the early 1970s television shows. They were originally from New York, like the Bunkers, that had something to do with it, too.

I was born in 1972 so I knew nothing about the controversy until the later years. I do however remember hearing or reading that Lucy hated the show, but it was one of Desi's favorites....LOL! That sounds about right.

If Lucille Ball hated that, I wonder what she would have to say about today's television.

I remember reading an interview with her somewhere back in 80 or 81 where she was bemoaning the current state of television (I'm sorry; I read a lot and some of you may not know what all that means:) -it means she was complaining about TV) and one thing she said was "now there's youngsters running the networks!"

I remember the controversy well. There were the viewer content warnings preceding the show and a lot of parents wouldn't let their kids watch it.

My folks loved it and let me watch. Thank God for them (in so many ways). Best sitcom ever; characters were flawed, real and still lovable and identifiable.

Lucy couldn't understand it was a NEW TIME-lol

Lucy couldn't understand it was a NEW TIME-lol

Well no....just like we sometimes forget it's a new time with the crap that's on now. And I would bet that most of the "Hollywood Legends" would roll over in their grave to see all aspects of today's world.

Well no....just like we sometimes forget it's a new time with the crap that's on now. And I would bet that most of the "Hollywood Legends" would roll over in their grave to see all aspects of today's world.


I know all about the new crap that's on now which is why I started a blog to make fun of it. I don't get upset I just laugh

As someone who saw the show firsthand, my impression of the show was you either really loved it or really hated it. I LOVED it; there was never another show like it - up to 1970 - that looked at controversial topics so candidly and sensitively. It was like the show came from another world. It was wonderful. I'll never forget how one of my high school teachers was raving about it. What makes the show dear to me, to this very day, was that it WAS SO FAR AHEAD of its time. It set a standard hard to beat.

It will be a long time before we see such a masterpiece again.

After so many years of shows and characters that were homogenized, here was a show with backbone that didn't pull punches and this Archie Bunker guy who was frank as all get out. And very funny.
Archie and Edith Bunker were brilliant characterizations, partially because of the writing and also the two perfomers, Carroll O'Connor and Jean Stapleton. With two other people in those roles, I don't think the results would of been the same. It wasn't just the written dialog that was funny, it was also the way they delivered it.

If Lucille Ball hated that, I wonder what she would have to say about today's television.

Imagine if she saw CBS Monday night sitcoms now, especially Two and a Half Men!

First of all, I loved the show.

But when it was so popular, I hadn't heard of it. Let me explain: Much as I love TV, when AITF was prime time, I was a full-time college student. For four years, late 1960s to early 1970s, I was so involved in my classes, the only TV I watched was a half hour of local news in the Berkeley, SF Bay Area, on my landlord's TV, after dinner. I didn't even know there was such a thing as All in the Family. At the end of the school year, I went down to So. California to visit my brother's family. We were sitting out in their yard one evening and my sister-in-law says, "Let's go in and watch All in the Family". I go, "What's that?" (only the most popular show on TV then). Well, we went in the house and watched it, and I was hooked!

As to loving or hating it, I think there was somewhat of a regional factor, just like with the Honeymooners. If you grew up in the New York City area, you could relate with a lot of it. Seems everyone had a dad or uncle like Archie, and a mom or Aunt like Edith--I know I did.