This has been the best episode so far. It was nice seeing Mike and Gloria again, and with them in this episode- it seemed so much like an All in the Family episode. Part 1 was great and I can't wait to see part 2. Anybody else think it's the best episode so far?

I have the original CBS airing which is a little blurred. Since I had a paper to tye, I let the VCR tape it for me. It is also the last time we see the family together. BTW guys, before watching the "Archie Alone" episode, read the fan fic on Edith's death. It is really good.

We know that Mike and Gloria went back to Santa Barbara because it is mentioned in subsequent episodes, but we never find out if Mike got his job back or a new job? I would assume he got his old job back because there is only one large university in Santa Barbara (or maybe he went to work full time for Greenpeace) but we never found out exactly.

Also, you can see why Mike and Gloria left All in the Family because you can tell the writers were stretching finding a storyline for them to return as guest stars. It would have been much more poignant if they had returned in the first episode the following year to help Archie through Edith's death. (It is assumed that they came to the funeral, but that was all offscreen).

I thought hte episode was pretty good! One of the better ones so far. I liked seeing Archie, Edith, Mike, and Gloria back together again.

It was in the top 10 best episodes of the series. I personally love the first ABP season, but from there it honestly sucked. It was clear that the supporting characters really carried AITF, and Archie just couldn't carry the show by himself. Anne Meara was a good actress who tried, but certainly was no Edith, and Danielle was wasted, appearing for only brief moments during ABP.

I've also watched this 2-parter episode. I agree, it is one of the best episodes have seen so far, what I liked was that Mike & Gloria and their son where able to stay for Thanksgiving, this is definately my ABP episode so far.

Originally posted by callmetootie
It was in the top 10 best episodes of the series. I personally love the first ABP season, but from there it honestly sucked. It was clear that the supporting characters really carried AITF, and Archie just couldn't carry the show by himself. Anne Meara was a good actress who tried, but certainly was no Edith, and Danielle was wasted, appearing for only brief moments during ABP.

I wouldn't say that Stephanie appeared less and less. She still held her own. There were enough episodes based on her. She still frequently when it came to air time.

Okay, this makes absolutely no sense to me. Maybe we have other people on this board that feels the same way. I couldn't stand Stephanie on All in the Family. Whenever I saw Carroll wearing a grey sweater in the intro, I knew it was going to be a Stephanie episode. I kind of like her in ABP. Of course she isn't my favorite character on ABP, but considering the characters we are working with- she's prob. #5 or 6.

Anybody else feel the same way I do? I just thought it was kind of weird that I hated the Stephanie character on AITF, but grew to like her on ABP.

Originally posted by Jenny
Okay, this makes absolutely no sense to me. Maybe we have other people on this board that feels the same way. I couldn't stand Stephanie on All in the Family. Whenever I saw Carroll wearing a grey sweater in the intro, I knew it was going to be a Stephanie episode. I kind of like her in ABP. Of course she isn't my favorite character on ABP, but considering the characters we are working with- she's prob. #5 or 6.

Anybody else feel the same way I do? I just thought it was kind of weird that I hated the Stephanie character on AITF, but grew to like her on ABP.

Same here Jenny.

Originally posted by Jenny

Anybody else feel the same way I do? I just thought it was kind of weird that I hated the Stephanie character on AITF, but grew to like her on ABP.

I don't like Stephie on AITF either. Maybe it's because I got accustomed to having Mike and Gloria there instead of her, but with ABP she's there from the start *shrug*

Stephanie is like the bestest person on the show. You should get down on your knees and thank God that he brought her there to save the show's ratings. You have no right to treat her with disrespect. She is like the real star and I met her so you can't talk about her like that..........................KIDDING! LOL!

Seriously, this is how some people act on the board. I'm just having fun. Honestly, I liked her on AITF. I really didn't notice any difference. Oh well. Do you guys think that ABP should aired with the AITF packaged eps? I say yes and in 1 hour blocks.

Originally posted by jon123

Also, you can see why Mike and Gloria left All in the Family because you can tell the writers were stretching finding a storyline for them to return as guest stars.

Rob Reiner and Sally Struthers pretty much said no to any further guest appearances after this (until Sally returned to do the setup episodes for the "Gloria" series). I'm guessing that they weren't pleased with the decline in ratings and script quality. The first half hour of "Thanksgiving Reunion" is pretty mediocre, but the second half has better writers (Bob Schiller and Bob Weiskopf), and has some of the wonderful one-on-one scenes that were a trademark of AITF. It's especially great to see Rob and Sally get an extended scene together.

While Weiskopf, Schiller and Patt Shea & Harriet Weiss (the writers of part one) did work on "All in the Family", they were only there for the ninth season, after Reiner and Struthers were gone. The Bobs managed to pick up the rhythms of the Mike and Gloria characters better than Shea and Weiss, but it would have been nice to have writers who were more familiar with the characters writing these episodes.

Patt Shea and Harriet Weiss are good writers you are comparing them to two of the best in Weiskopf & Schiller. Shea and Weiss wrote Too Good Edith which usually recognized among the Best 9th season AITF episodes and wrote the a number of notable ABP Episodes including Trough Love which won Anne Meara and Director Linda Day Emmy nominations. That said Bob Weiskopf & Bob Schiller made their names writing on I Love Lucy and went on to write and helm Maude and a number of short lived sitcoms for Norman Lear before Joining All in the Family in the fall of 1977 for the 8th season. It is also true that Weiskopf & Schiller had the advantage of writing for Mike and Gloria during the 8th season of AITF.

You're right about Schiller and Weiskopf. But I disagree about Shea and Weiss -- their scripts are a bit too sappy for my tastes, and to me signify the softening of the show that eventually sunk it.

For those interested, these air tonight on Antenna TV. Other than a feel good moment of nostalgia these are some of my least favorite episodes of ABP.