My Thoughts On The Show Post-Season 8 - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

counrfk · 12-04-2025, 12:07 AM

Many people have said that the show should have ended after Mike and Gloria left. That makes sense. The show where they all say goodbye is very emotional and would have indeed made a great series finale.

Still, season 9 is still pretty good. I think Stephanie was a good character. We got to see a little bit of how Archie and Edith were as parents to a young kid.

I enjoyed the episodes where Archie, Edith, and Stephanie visit Mike, Gloria, and Joey in California for Christmas. The Gloria cheating storyline was realistic. She was out there on the west coast away from her parents, and Mike was working late every night. She got lonely and bored. That was a plausible storyline.

I think when the show started going off the rails was when it morphed into Archie Bunker's Place. It never should have. Season 9 should have been the last season, and no further spin-offs, etc. They tried to milk it as long as they could and ended up ruining some characters. The last episode should have been "Too Good Edith" where Archie and Edith are in bed after Edith's illness. That was so sweet and poignant and would have put the perfect bow on the series.

I hated that they made Edith die. That was so dark and gloomy. If Jean Stapleton didn't want to continue, either end the show entirely or have Edith go off to visit a sick relative.

Then, they want to give Gloria her own show and end up ruining Mike's character beyond redemption. Mike was definitely a meathead, but I don't see him abandoning Gloria and Joey and going to live in a commune. That was stupid.

They could have had Gloria and Joey become regulars on Archie Bunker's Place. This way we could see Archie interact with his grandson. They could have had Mike doing some sort of study abroad program.

Anyway, I think it should have ended after season 9, and the shows Archie Bunker's Place and Gloria should not have existed. I know when you have a good thing you want to make it last as long as possible, but everything has an expiration date.

TheLittleFaerie · 12-04-2025, 08:12 AM

From what I remember, Archie Bunker's Place season 1 was indistinguishable from All in the Family. It could have been AITF season 10

CJMD03 · 12-15-2025, 01:43 AM

In my mind, the show ends with Season 08.

TheLittleFaerie · 12-16-2025, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CJMD03

In my mind, the show ends with Season 08.

Honestly though, I LOVE the final episode, of Archie telling Edith how much she meant to him and that he couldn't make it without her. If it had ended at season 8 with Archie and Edith just sitting there alone after Mike and Gloria left, that would have been a pretty depressing ending

12-04-2025, 12:07 AM	#1
counrfk Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jul 12, 2017 Posts: 136	My Thoughts On The Show Post-Season 8 Many people have said that the show should have ended after Mike and Gloria left. That makes sense. The show where they all say goodbye is very emotional and would have indeed made a great series finale. Still, season 9 is still pretty good. I think Stephanie was a good character. We got to see a little bit of how Archie and Edith were as parents to a young kid. I enjoyed the episodes where Archie, Edith, and Stephanie visit Mike, Gloria, and Joey in California for Christmas. The Gloria cheating storyline was realistic. She was out there on the west coast away from her parents, and Mike was working late every night. She got lonely and bored. That was a plausible storyline. I think when the show started going off the rails was when it morphed into Archie Bunker's Place. It never should have. Season 9 should have been the last season, and no further spin-offs, etc. They tried to milk it as long as they could and ended up ruining some characters. The last episode should have been "Too Good Edith" where Archie and Edith are in bed after Edith's illness. That was so sweet and poignant and would have put the perfect bow on the series. I hated that they made Edith die. That was so dark and gloomy. If Jean Stapleton didn't want to continue, either end the show entirely or have Edith go off to visit a sick relative. Then, they want to give Gloria her own show and end up ruining Mike's character beyond redemption. Mike was definitely a meathead, but I don't see him abandoning Gloria and Joey and going to live in a commune. That was stupid. They could have had Gloria and Joey become regulars on Archie Bunker's Place. This way we could see Archie interact with his grandson. They could have had Mike doing some sort of study abroad program. Anyway, I think it should have ended after season 9, and the shows Archie Bunker's Place and Gloria should not have existed. I know when you have a good thing you want to make it last as long as possible, but everything has an expiration date.

12-04-2025, 08:12 AM	#2
TheLittleFaerie Member Senior Member Join Date: Oct 15, 2017 Posts: 1,937	From what I remember, Archie Bunker's Place season 1 was indistinguishable from All in the Family. It could have been AITF season 10

12-15-2025, 01:43 AM	#3
CJMD03 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Mar 18, 2018 Posts: 411	In my mind, the show ends with Season 08.