Edith working in Season 1

[cfr1970]

This just started playing on Antenna TV and I haven't watched it since it's original airing as a kid so it's all new to me and i'm so far enjoying it.

Now I know Jean Stapleton wanted less screen time for this season before she left the show, but the way they made Edith suddenly start working full time was completely against character.

No way would she take a 40 hour/5 day a week job with 10 year old Stephanie to care for. Edith was old fashioned in that regard and wouldn't be away to work from noon to 8 Monday thru Friday and leave the dinner making to Archie or have little Stephanie hang out at the bar in evenings. She just wasn't that kind of character.

And it's not like she needed a full time salary with Archie owning the successful bar. It just made no sense. If they wanted to lessen her screen time, just make her take a part time job like she did at the Sunshine Home.

This way it looks like she's abandoning both Stephanie and Archie for a career and that was not how Edith was. After seeing this, i'm now glad they went and killed her off later on. She deserved it for dumping her family for working FT.

Maybe that's what gave her the stroke too. Karma got her!

[Bonniegirl]

Originally Posted by cfr1970

This just started playing on Antenna TV and I haven't watched it since it's original airing as a kid so it's all new to me and i'm so far enjoying it.

Now I know Jean Stapleton wanted less screen time for this season before she left the show, but the way they made Edith suddenly start working full time was completely against character.

No way would she take a 40 hour/5 day a week job with 10 year old Stephanie to care for. Edith was old fashioned in that regard and wouldn't be away to work from noon to 8 Monday thru Friday and leave the dinner making to Archie or have little Stephanie hang out at the bar in evenings. She just wasn't that kind of character.

And it's not like she needed a full time salary with Archie owning the successful bar. It just made no sense. If they wanted to lessen her screen time, just make her take a part time job like she did at the Sunshine Home.

This way it looks like she's abandoning both Stephanie and Archie for a career and that was not how Edith was. After seeing this, i'm now glad they went and killed her off later on. She deserved it for dumping her family for working FT.

Maybe that's what gave her the stroke too. Karma got her!

Wow!! ! A lot of what you posted I said almost the same thing on another thread !! The " New shows on Antenna TV" thread!

So I don't retype and repeat myself, go check over there!!

But yeah, her having a stroke ( I didn't mention that in my post ) could have very well been contributed to a middle aged lady who never worked before suddenly working full time AND still coming home cooking and cleaning, caring for a child and a very old school demanding Husband!! That would take a toll on her!!

And yes, the whole situation was very out of character with Edith !!

[cfr1970]

Originally Posted by Bonniegirl

Wow!! ! A lot of what you posted I said almost the same thing on another thread !! The " New shows on Antenna TV" thread!

So I don't retype and repeat myself, go check over there!!

But yeah, her having a stroke ( I didn't mention that in my post ) could have very well been contributed to a middle aged lady who never worked before suddenly working full time AND still coming home cooking and cleaning, caring for a child and a very old school demanding Husband!! That would take a toll on her!!

And yes, the whole situation was very out of character with Edith !!

I'm glad i'm not the only one to think this. Will go and check out that thread and your post on it.

I've watched AITF countless times and by now feel I know these characters inside and out and when the episode aired yesterday on Antenna TV of Edith getting the job, I was like "She would never do that! Not ever!"

I wonder if the audience swallowed that convoluted plot back in 1979 or were saying the same things as we are about it back then?

EDIT: I found your post in the other thread and posted there. I didn't know there was ABP talk there and I came here to post...which seems like it gets little activity. Will head back over there where the conversation is livelier!

[Bonniegirl]

Originally Posted by cfr1970

I'm glad i'm not the only one to think this. Will go and check out that thread and your post on it.

I've watched AITF countless times and by now feel I know these characters inside and out and when the episode aired yesterday on Antenna TV of Edith getting the job, I was like "She would never do that! Not ever!"

I wonder if the audience swallowed that convoluted plot back in 1979 or were saying the same things as we are about it back then?

Well I am 56 years old and my Mom and my Aunts were stay at home housewives and Moms even after us kids were very old enough to take care of ourselves and my Dad and Uncles were good providers! Some of my Friends Mom's started working but mainly just part time for like I said in that other thread a little independence and their own pocket money!

Pretty much still back than the only older woman that worked full time were either professionals like nurses or school teachers or because the Hubby was out of work for a while and the family was poor and out of necessary she had to work long hours!!

And middle aged married ladies that never worked before and didn't have an education after high-school and didn't have a good career type job very rarely would have worked that many hours unless the family REALLY was in need of money!

[funky-rat]

I'm late to comment, but my husband just recently started watching this.

At that point in her life, Edith was pretty well settled, and lots of women were finding it fulfilling to go to work. Also, I recently saw the episode where Archie wants to buy the restaurant next door, and goes to the bank to borrow more money. The loan officer mentions that he used his home as collateral on the loan. Considering many bars/restaurants fail, that's a scary proposition, and it might have made Edith feel better knowing there was extra money coming in to cover any unexpected business related expenses.

Stephanie wasn't a tiny kid, and as we saw on the show, she would sometimes go to visit Archie and do her homework, and sometimes would stay with friends. I was a latchkey kid - also not uncommon at that time - at least Stephanie had people to go visit with instead of being home alone.

[cfr1970]

Originally Posted by funky-rat

I'm late to comment, but my husband just recently started watching this.

At that point in her life, Edith was pretty well settled, and lots of women were finding it fulfilling to go to work. Also, I recently saw the episode where Archie wants to buy the restaurant next door, and goes to the bank to borrow more money. The loan officer mentions that he used his home as collateral on the loan. Considering many bars/restaurants fail, that's a scary proposition, and it might have made Edith feel better knowing there was extra money coming in to cover any unexpected business related expenses.

Stephanie wasn't a tiny kid, and as we saw on the show, she would sometimes go to visit Archie and do her homework, and sometimes would stay with friends. I was a latchkey kid - also not uncommon at that time - at least Stephanie had people to go visit with instead of being home alone.

Those are valid points brought up and Edith did mention when Archie originally wanted to buy the bar how she lived during the depression and was always afraid of not having a home or something to that effect, so it makes sense that she wanted an extra income brought in in case the bar failed.

However, I just feel it wasn't in Edith's character to just get up and start working a job that took her away from the home especially during those hours....12 to 8pm for 5 days a week. It was too out of character to make such a drastic leap like that.
They could have still kept her off camera having her do another p/t job like the Sunshine Home was and I think it would have been much more believable to the audience.

[TV Guy]

I agree with you - this was all a convoluted attempt to explain Stapleton’s absence from the show. It made no sense that Edith would take this type of job.

[Pug Lover]

The kind of place she worked at would,ve worried me.During her job interview,an inmate tried to make love to her and had to be restrained.That would,ve concerned me after what had happened to her on her 50th birthday.