The Break-Up of the Original Four (Archie-Edith-Mike-Gloria)

[Adamantium]

Since I got season nine of "All in the Family", it got me in the mood to finally go to Youtube and watch some of the important "Archie Bunker's Place" moments that aren't on DVD. The two big ones being the death of Edith and when Gloria comes home to visit after Mike had left her.

These were four characters that were as human as any TV character and the audiences cared very much for them. Even Archie, heck that was part of the entertainment was watching him go from season 1 Archie to the later years Archie.

The Bunkers and Stivics spent eight seasons together. They went through a lot together but in the end, all of that made their quartet a stronger one. Then Mike and Gloria move to California, leaving Archie and Edith. This is a big deal but at least the four of them were just split in half: Archie and Edith were together and Mike and Gloria were together. Middle of the 9th season, we learn that Mike and Gloria are separated. This is sad but it appears that Edith has gotten them back together.

The first blow is when, at the beginning of season 2 of ABP, Edith died. Then, in a later episode of ABP Mike left Gloria. Both Archie and Gloria end up single and even then they don't stay together (because Sally Struthers didn't return to the show full time, just a guest star). So they're both alone out there.

It seems like such a sad ending when you watch any of the episodes from the first eight seasons. I mean, it makes the show that much more real, I guess but still sad.

Thoughts?

[Vince53]

Adam, that was a good post. I am currently enjoying ABP on Youtube, and I don't miss mike at all. But I miss Edith and Gloria.

[Mr. Television]

It might not be what eveyone wanted but it's just like real life. People die and marriages break up. It's sad but The Bunkers and Stivics always were on the cutting edge.

[Adamantium]

Originally Posted by Stuck In The '70's

It might not be what eveyone wanted but it's just like real life. People die and marriages break up. It's sad but The Bunkers and Stivics always were on the cutting edge.

The thing that upsets me the most about Mike and Gloria break-up is because it wasn't for a story but because they decided to give Gloria her own show. Because of a failed spin-off, the Stivics had to get divorced - a divorce which, to me, casts a shadow over the whole series (much like Roseanne's finale casts a shadow over that whole series as well).

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by Adamantium

Since I got season nine of "All in the Family", it got me in the mood to finally go to Youtube and watch some of the important "Archie Bunker's Place" moments that aren't on DVD. The two big ones being the death of Edith and when Gloria comes home to visit after Mike had left her.

These were four characters that were as human as any TV character and the audiences cared very much for them. Even Archie, heck that was part of the entertainment was watching him go from season 1 Archie to the later years Archie.

The Bunkers and Stivics spent eight seasons together. They went through a lot together but in the end, all of that made their quartet a stronger one. Then Mike and Gloria move to California, leaving Archie and Edith. This is a big deal but at least the four of them were just split in half: Archie and Edith were together and Mike and Gloria were together. Middle of the 9th season, we learn that Mike and Gloria are separated. This is sad but it appears that Edith has gotten them back together.

The first blow is when, at the beginning of season 2 of ABP, Edith died. Then, in a later episode of ABP Mike left Gloria. Both Archie and Gloria end up single and even then they don't stay together (because Sally Struthers didn't return to the show full time, just a guest star). So they're both alone out there.

It seems like such a sad ending when you watch any of the episodes from the first eight seasons. I mean, it makes the show that much more real, I guess but still sad.

Thoughts?

I'm thinking because of the divorce on ABP and Edith passing, I don't think we will see a DVD release of ABP because of the reasons you mentioned above

[704Hauser]

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

I'm thinking because of the divorce on ABP and Edith passing, I don't think we will see a DVD release of ABP because of the reasons you mentioned above

They should at the very least release S2, as Archie Alone, from what I've heard, is a classic, haunting episode.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by 704Hauser

They should at the very least release S2, as Archie Alone, from what I've heard, is a classic, haunting episode.

I'm sure this episode be viewed on youtube

[Retro4Life]

Originally Posted by Adamantium

Since I got season nine of "All in the Family", it got me in the mood to finally go to Youtube and watch some of the important "Archie Bunker's Place" moments that aren't on DVD. The two big ones being the death of Edith and when Gloria comes home to visit after Mike had left her.

These were four characters that were as human as any TV character and the audiences cared very much for them. Even Archie, heck that was part of the entertainment was watching him go from season 1 Archie to the later years Archie.

The Bunkers and Stivics spent eight seasons together. They went through a lot together but in the end, all of that made their quartet a stronger one. Then Mike and Gloria move to California, leaving Archie and Edith. This is a big deal but at least the four of them were just split in half: Archie and Edith were together and Mike and Gloria were together. Middle of the 9th season, we learn that Mike and Gloria are separated. This is sad but it appears that Edith has gotten them back together.

The first blow is when, at the beginning of season 2 of ABP, Edith died. Then, in a later episode of ABP Mike left Gloria. Both Archie and Gloria end up single and even then they don't stay together (because Sally Struthers didn't return to the show full time, just a guest star). So they're both alone out there.

It seems like such a sad ending when you watch any of the episodes from the first eight seasons. I mean, it makes the show that much more real, I guess but still sad.

Thoughts?

Personally, I think it was a very cheap and disrespectful way to treat the viewers, who had loved and watched these four from day one.

Edith dead, Archie alone, and Mike and Gloria broken up? Really? That's the conclusion to the story that began in 1971? That's our reward for following and caring so deeply about them all? It's one thing if that's what Lear had intended from the start, but you know darned well it was all occasioned by simple greed. The networks couldn't let go of their cash cow, and they couldn't go forward with Edith just a shadow character, so they killed her off, just to make room for ABP, where Archie always seemed sad and the show was so low key it barely registered. And Gloria and Mike broke up not because it was an organic part of the plot, but just so they could haul out "Gloria" which lasted, what, ten episodes? Hardly worth the breakup of an iconic couple.

This type of thing happens all the time and it tees me off. I understand all endings are not happy, but this one has always seemed particularly downbeat to me. And now that O'Connor is gone, we can't even have a reunion movie where Mike and Gloria reunite and move back to Queens to be closer to Archie, maybe help him out in his declining years and have Gloria take over the bar with Mike a retired teacher who runs for City Council against Archie or something.

You're right...it IS hard to watch the original episodes when you know how it all turns out. Personally, I try to imagine that the "Stivics Go West" episode is the last one, and that everything that happened after that was just a dream or something.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by Retro4Life

Personally, I think it was a very cheap and disrespectful way to treat the viewers, who had loved and watched these four from day one.

Edith dead, Archie alone, and Mike and Gloria broken up? Really? That's the conclusion to the story that began in 1971? That's our reward for following and caring so deeply about them all? It's one thing if that's what Lear had intended from the start, but you know darned well it was all occasioned by simple greed. The networks couldn't let go of their cash cow, and they couldn't go forward with Edith just a shadow character, so they killed her off, just to make room for ABP, where Archie always seemed sad and the show was so low key it barely registered. And Gloria and Mike broke up not because it was an organic part of the plot, but just so they could haul out "Gloria" which lasted, what, ten episodes? Hardly worth the breakup of an iconic couple.

This type of thing happens all the time and it tees me off. I understand all endings are not happy, but this one has always seemed particularly downbeat to me. And now that O'Connor is gone, we can't even have a reunion movie where Mike and Gloria reunite and move back to Queens to be closer to Archie, maybe help him out in his declining years and have Gloria take over the bar with Mike a retired teacher who runs for City Council against Archie or something.

You're right...it IS hard to watch the original episodes when you know how it all turns out. Personally, I try to imagine that the "Stivics Go West" episode is the last one, and that everything that happened after that was just a dream or something.

Well maybe it would be better to seperate the series and looking at AITF and ABP as two seperate shows

[GameShowFanMan66]

Originally Posted by Retro4Life

Personally, I think it was a very cheap and disrespectful way to treat the viewers, who had loved and watched these four from day one.

Edith dead, Archie alone, and Mike and Gloria broken up? Really? That's the conclusion to the story that began in 1971? That's our reward for following and caring so deeply about them all? It's one thing if that's what Lear had intended from the start, but you know darned well it was all occasioned by simple greed. The networks couldn't let go of their cash cow, and they couldn't go forward with Edith just a shadow character, so they killed her off, just to make room for ABP, where Archie always seemed sad and the show was so low key it barely registered. And Gloria and Mike broke up not because it was an organic part of the plot, but just so they could haul out "Gloria" which lasted, what, ten episodes? Hardly worth the breakup of an iconic couple.

This type of thing happens all the time and it tees me off. I understand all endings are not happy, but this one has always seemed particularly downbeat to me. And now that O'Connor is gone, we can't even have a reunion movie where Mike and Gloria reunite and move back to Queens to be closer to Archie, maybe help him out in his declining years and have Gloria take over the bar with Mike a retired teacher who runs for City Council against Archie or something.

You're right...it IS hard to watch the original episodes when you know how it all turns out. Personally, I try to imagine that the "Stivics Go West" episode is the last one, and that everything that happened after that was just a dream or something.

Could not have said it ANY better myself! The March 1978 episode should have been the end of the series, and perhaps they could have done a reunion episode every now and again.

[Johnny be good!]

You people keep forgetting, Mike and Gloria may have forgiven each other during Christmas of 1978, but things were never the same.

[Retro4Life]

Originally Posted by Johnny be good!

You people keep forgetting, Mike and Gloria may have forgiven each other during Christmas of 1978, but things were never the same.

Sometimes conflict makes people closer, too.

Nope, I'm not letting them off the hook for this. The breakup was because of specific decisions from producers and the network, and it was not based on any real concern for character consistency or respect for the fans, just simple greed.

[TVFactFan]

It's no way I would ever buy season 9 on DVD to see Stephanie. I'm stopping at season 8