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I know she was a part of the "Core Four" on the show, but was she really needed like the other characters to make All in the Family tick?

Yes.

She didn't get most of the funny lines that the others did, but she was the focus of the conflict between Mike and Archie and she was someone in the house to offer a bit of buffer to Edith (usually) when the otherwise male dominated home got too loud and antagonistic.

Struthers did a LOT with a role that was definitely underwritten, and she really convinced me that she could have been Archie (O'Connor's) daughter. She had a similar round face, large eyes, and expressive demeanor. She was manipulative of her dad when she had to be, immature at times (as we all are, I guess), spoiled (to a degree, by Archie) and she grew from a girl who sort of mindlessly mouthed all of Mike's beliefs in the beginning to a woman who stood on her own two feet and disagreed with her husband when she wanted to (eventually divorcing him, unfortunately). Plus, to those males in the audience, Gloria was very "easy on the eyes".

In a word YES we needed Gloria!

If Gloria wasn't there Mike wouldn't be there. And the conflict between Mike and Archie was the central theme of the entire series. So yes Gloria was very necessary to the show if for no other reason than to provide a reason for Mike to be there. Also Gloria served as a buffer between Mike and Archie (althoug she often sided with MIke) and kept Archie from throwing Mike out of the house. And what I really like about Gloria is that she is one character to whom Archie would regularly show his soft side (he would occasionally show it to Edith). Archie really loved his little goil!!

Well, I think she was a valuable addition. BUT....if she had been killed of (or divorced Michael and ran off with someone etc.) the show would still be able to recover its momentum...but with Archie or Edith kaput....you have a gaping hole (for example, Archie Bunker's place was OK but w/o Edith....it just wasn't the same as AITF)

Yes definately, Gloria was needed on the show. She gave several memorable moments to laugh and get choked up. Without Gloria there would be no Mike, with no Mike no conflict for Archie thus no show.

Of course she was needed. As others have said, without Gloria, there would be no son-in-law to clash with Archie.

Gloria was very important to the show. Besides being the reason for Mike to be there, she often brought out the human side of Archie, making him a more well-rounded character.

As I watch the show now I realize just how vital Gloria was to the show. As her character evolved she became the voice of women's lib. She tackled issues back then that weren't really discussed within the American home...working (she was the bread winner between her and Mike), equality (equal rights both at work and at home), abortion (when she became pregnant with Joey and Mike had problems with over-population and he thought maybe she tricked him into getting pregnant), pregnancy (being fired from Kresslers due to her pregnancy), sex (if it gave her a little pleasure to be the pursuer then the least Mike could do was deliver), infidelity (when her and Mike moved to Calif and she was seeing Bud Kreeger). And also....the scenes between her and Edith were some of the most touching mother-daughter moments...the same between her and Archie.

I think that she was very significant to the show. Her presence would be missed, for sure.

Definitely Gloria was essential. For all the reasons already stated by others, but the eps with Mike and Gloria were better than when they were off the show and they just had Edith's niece Stephanie. Although I did like Stephanie.

She was definitely needed because the show would have been missing something had it just been a show about Archie and Edith. Having Gloria and a husband that her dad didn't like at all added so much to the series and kept it fresh.

Without Gloria we wouldn't have the great episode of Mike and Gloria having the house to themselves, having a fight over lack of sex ("and I think it's longer!"), storming off ("Spider, spider woman!"), making a snack and making up to get caught once again by Archie and Edith.

Gloria was a great addition to the show. It wouldn't have been the same without her. Sally's acting was really good IMO and she had wonderful comedic abilities. :)