Episodes with meanings I can't agree with

[um]

In one All In The Family episode Gloria and Edith were discussing how to arrange a get-together dinner with all of them Archie , Mike ,Gloria and Edith. It was not easy because of conflicting schedules and I think Mike was invited to dinner with his professor from school.

Edith said to Gloria that Mike's professor could come over to have dinner with all of them at home but Gloria said something to the effect that having an intelligent professor such as Mike's at the same dinner table wit Archie Bunker would be like Fred Flintstones talking to Einstein.

Then Edith had a distraught look on her face and took a bowl of food from the table and said she could bring it to the old folk's home where she volunteers and they would appreciate it there . And she went toward the door but before exiting she told G!oria "If you are ashamed of your father I guess you are ashamed of me too"
The scene ended with Gloria having a look on her face as if she felt that her mom was right, that she should not be ashamed of her dad no matter what he is like.

Another episode Gloria was feeling down in the dumps and did not exactly know why but then she saw her mom and dad arguing and she finally said out loud to them, "Don't you see I don't want to end up like the two of you?"
The following day Archie sarcastically says to Gloria " Who would like it in a horrible place like this?" or something very similar trying make Gloria feel bad for saying anything negative about her home life. Gloria feels guilty and says something like she just was in bad mood the other day and she did not mean what she said.

I thought that in both occasions Gloria was right to point out that there are things wrong with the way her parents are, or the way they can be at times.
It seems that the scenes were carried out as if to say "Whether they are right or wrong , they are your parents and never say anything that will hurt their feelings."

Heck sometimes you have to hurt your parents if it will help them see themselves as they are and make necessary changes. If they don't, and they want to stay in their misery, they should not blame their kid(s) for not always being proud of them, if at all, and not wanting to be like them.

I think Gloria was right to have negative feelings about the negative aspects of her parents.

[AB]

If you go around saying hurtful things to your parents be prepared for some fallout. It doesn't matter how different your parents are, they are still your parents who raised and provided for you. Archie worked 2 jobs and supported the whole family including Meathead for years. Gloria should have shown more respect for everything they did. Archie should have kicked her spoiled selfish butt out right after she married Meathead in my opinion.

[um]

Originally Posted by AB

If you go around saying hurtful things to your parents be prepared for some fallout. It doesn't matter how different your parents are, they are still your parents who raised and provided for you. Archie worked 2 jobs and supported the whole family including Meathead for years. Gloria should have shown more respect for everything they did. Archie should have kicked her spoiled selfish butt out right after she married Meathead in my opinion.

In a way you make an un-arguable point, the fact that Archie paid the bills and Edith did the housework and prepared meals for Gloria and Mike , etc

But, I don't think that Gloria showed disrespect for "everything" about her parents, only their negative attributes. They had them so why not face it? Gloria never said she disrespected the way that her parents worked and provided for her. That is another issue and not part of it.
Her parents were frustrated with their own lives and it was having its effect on Gloria.
Furthermore, you can get fallout by making your kids angry and you have to be prepared for that too. It actually goes both ways. I once saw a bumper sticker which said, "Be kind to your kids, they will decide what nursing home you go to one day."

[OH Nuts!]

Originally Posted by AB

If you go around saying hurtful things to your parents be prepared for some fallout. It doesn't matter how different your parents are, they are still your parents who raised and provided for you. Archie worked 2 jobs and supported the whole family including Meathead for years. Gloria should have shown more respect for everything they did. Archie should have kicked her spoiled selfish butt out right after she married Meathead in my opinion.

Yup, Gloria could be a bit on the snot-nosed pissy little-brat side; but it wasn't her general mode. But the remarks referenced in previous posts, show that when in snot- nose mode, she REALLY NEEDED to be put in her place- and WAS. I liked how Edith and Archie called her on most of her crap pretty pronto.

Archie, despite his flaws, was a devoted family man. Housing the smug Meathead and (at times) little Miss Pissy-Whiny, was a kind gesture on his part. If neither of the two liked it, they could pack up their sniveling snooty butts and live elsewhere.

[um]

I think Gloria for the most part was a negative stereotype. Such a whiny female and she seemed to value herself according to how Michael values her physically. She considered herself a modern liberated female but she is so dependent on a man. It seems to me when she was sensible and self-determined enough to see that her parents were way too old fashioned and that living her life like they lived theirs would be disastrous was when she seemed strong (emotionally) and empowered.Allowing herself to be made to feel guilty was self defeating.


But regarding this thread, Michael had his faults and his own nuerosis and he was annoying but he was not completely a freeloader.( Also Gloria worked so he can go to school.) It was just that Michael had a longer term goal of becoming a teacher and needed years of education. He did not intend to live off his father in law forever.
Archie complained about Mike being a "college boy" but not having a job , but if Mike did what Archie did and just find any kind of work to make a few bucks, he more-likely would have ended up not being able to get out of a rut, and can only do dead-end , back-breaking low wage work for life and it would be harder for him to go back to school when he is in his 40s.

Even Edith said to Mike in one episode that Archie is angry with him (Mike ) because he is jealous of his ability to make more of his life by going to school. So it is odd that Archie blames Mike for not having a job but would likely yell at him if he only became a porter who can't provide well for his wife. Also Archie wanted a grandson from Mike and Gloria. It seems very imposing, and also convoluted since Archie would have been mad that Mike can't find good-paying work so as to move out of the house with his wife and kid.
Mike and Gloria eventually were able to move out on their own and Mike found a good job in another state. If he had not invested in going to school for a few years Archie might have had to support Mike and Gloria much longer

[um]

Originally Posted by AB

If you go around saying hurtful things to your parents be prepared for some fallout. It doesn't matter how different your parents are, they are still your parents who raised and provided for you. Archie worked 2 jobs and supported the whole family including Meathead for years. Gloria should have shown more respect for everything they did. Archie should have kicked her spoiled selfish butt out right after she married Meathead in my opinion.

BTW , I never noticed that Archie had more than one job. He was a dispatcher. What episode shows him as having two jobs or mentions it?
Also Archie wanted more money coming into the house but did not want Edith to work though she could , and went about trying to find a job. Archie just had prejudices against the people who Edith wanted to work for. Mike eventually found a job while he was still in school even though it didn't pay well. Archie couldn't expect to have his cake and eat it too.

[AB]

^ Archie worked on the loading docks with Stretch Cunningham and drove a taxi cab part-time for Mr. Munson. It's mentioned in a few episodes.

[OH Nuts!]

One thing for sure about Archie, he wasn't lazy! And kudos to him for that.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by um

In one All In The Family episode Gloria and Edith were discussing how to arrange a get-together dinner with all of them Archie , Mike ,Gloria and Edith. It was not easy because of conflicting schedules and I think Mike was invited to dinner with his professor from school.

Edith said to Gloria that Mike's professor could come over to have dinner with all of them at home but Gloria said something to the effect that having an intelligent professor such as Mike's at the same dinner table wit Archie Bunker would be like Fred Flintstones talking to Einstein.

Then Edith had a distraught look on her face and took a bowl of food from the table and said she could bring it to the old folk's home where she volunteers and they would appreciate it there . And she went toward the door but before exiting she told G!oria "If you are ashamed of your father I guess you are ashamed of me too"
The scene ended with Gloria having a look on her face as if she felt that her mom was right, that she should not be ashamed of her dad no matter what he is like.

Another episode Gloria was feeling down in the dumps and did not exactly know why but then she saw her mom and dad arguing and she finally said out loud to them, "Don't you see I don't want to end up like the two of you?"
The following day Archie sarcastically says to Gloria " Who would like it in a horrible place like this?" or something very similar trying make Gloria feel bad for saying anything negative about her home life. Gloria feels guilty and says something like she just was in bad mood the other day and she did not mean what she said.

I thought that in both occasions Gloria was right to point out that there are things wrong with the way her parents are, or the way they can be at times.
It seems that the scenes were carried out as if to say "Whether they are right or wrong , they are your parents and never say anything that will hurt their feelings."

Heck sometimes you have to hurt your parents if it will help them see themselves as they are and make necessary changes. If they don't, and they want to stay in their misery, they should not blame their kid(s) for not always being proud of them, if at all, and not wanting to be like them.

I think Gloria was right to have negative feelings about the negative aspects of her parents.

Gloria was the worst character on this show and her crying made her even more of a mental case

[barats]

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

Gloria was the worst character on this show and her crying made her even more of a mental case

Her crying is some of the most annoying stuff I have ever heard. It makes my ears bleed.

[Babalu]

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

Gloria was the worst character on this show and her crying made her even more of a mental case

Well, Gloria did have one good point.

OK, two.

[um]

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

Gloria was the worst character on this show and her crying made her even more of a mental case

I agree that her overplaying a weepy little girl was offensive. That's why when she actually stood up and spoke up without being an emotionally frail dumb thing was refreshing.

BTW, if you couldn't stand Gloria's crying how about Lucielle Ball's or Stan Laurel's?