This show should have ended after season 8 - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

counrfk · 10-17-2017, 10:48 AM

Mike and Gloria leaving for California should have been the series finale. That scene was so emotional and real and perfectly executed. Great way to tie up the series. They ruined it by doing a 9th season. Bringing Stephanie in, having Gloria have an affair, having Edith die, and having Mike move into a commune just destroyed the series. Totally unrealistic and absurd. There's no way that Archie and Edith would have taken in a young child to raise after all those years. There's certainly no way that Mike would leave his wife and son to live in a commune. They totally destroyed his character. Edith dying prematurely and Gloria having an affair *could* have happened, but I wish they hadn't of shown it.

You can't keep milking a cow once the milk has gone sour. AITF was one of the greatest shows ever on television. It is iconic. I know that they wanted to keep it going, but all good things have to come to an end. I prefer to go out on top. They had the perfect ending to a perfect series at the end of season 8. Shouldn't have gone any further.

vitoscotti · 10-17-2017, 07:00 PM

Should have ended after 4 or 5 seasons.

howilu · 10-18-2017, 08:42 AM

I agree. The departure of Rob Reiner and Sally Struthers was a big loss to the show since much of the humor came from conflicts between Archie and Mike.

vitoscotti · 10-20-2017, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by howilu

I agree. The departure of Rob Reiner and Sally Struthers was a big loss to the show since much of the humor came from conflicts between Archie and Mike.

I think they over did it with the Archie and Mike arguing. They could go at it and clash without the screaming.

Yong Fang · 10-26-2017, 05:40 AM

I think what was touching about Mike and Archie was that Mike was Archie's second kid, and his son. They argued just like father and son. The best father and son moment was the famous "A sock and a shoe" where Meathead put on a sock and a shoe on one foot and then do the other bare foot. One of the most touching scenes was when Meathead and Gloria got into the taxi to go to California (after one more huge blow up about a farewell dinner the night before) when Mike hugged Archie and Archie hugged back.

I liked the post Mike and Gloria seasons with Stephanie, we got to see what Archie was like as a father to a young daughter (like Gloria). Edith dying was sort of a death knell, but Archie Bunker's place was good until Martin Balsam (who was a voice of reason) left the show, then the show died.

TV Guy · 11-26-2017, 01:01 PM

Had they ended after season 8 (which is when Norman Lear wanted to end), then I would nominate “The Stivics Go West” as the best series finale of all time. Funny, touching, and heartbreaking (that last scene with Archie and Edith alone).

That said, I do like season 9. It’s a step down from the series at its prime, but I was happy to see Archie and Edith build a life for themselves that didn’t revolve around the Stivics, and that they recovered from their departure.

TVFactFan · 12-02-2017, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by counrfk

Mike and Gloria leaving for California should have been the series finale. That scene was so emotional and real and perfectly executed. Great way to tie up the series. They ruined it by doing a 9th season. Bringing Stephanie in, having Gloria have an affair, having Edith die, and having Mike move into a commune just destroyed the series. Totally unrealistic and absurd. There's no way that Archie and Edith would have taken in a young child to raise after all those years. There's certainly no way that Mike would leave his wife and son to live in a commune. They totally destroyed his character. Edith dying prematurely and Gloria having an affair *could* have happened, but I wish they hadn't of shown it.

You can't keep milking a cow once the milk has gone sour. AITF was one of the greatest shows ever on television. It is iconic. I know that they wanted to keep it going, but all good things have to come to an end. I prefer to go out on top. They had the perfect ending to a perfect series at the end of season 8. Shouldn't have gone any further.

That last scene with Archie and Edith sitting in the chair was more suited for a series finale. Saw no need to add that kid to the show the next season

QTMcWhiskers · 04-05-2018, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vitoscotti

Should have ended after 4 or 5 seasons.

I agree.

The first three seasons, with 2 in 3 in particular, are exceptional despite using overt politics.

The show starts becoming more like a conventional sitcom and less overtly political in season 4, and season 5 did show some burnout despite leading to the fantastic spinoff "The Jeffersons" (Lionel #1 forever!).

AitF continued on and on and increasingly felt contrived.

And yet the season 8 finale was gold.

But would AitF, had it started out as yet-another-sitcom without the early seasons before its format shift, have survived without its unique origins?

Dr. Thong · 04-05-2018, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by counrfk

Mike and Gloria leaving for California should have been the series finale. That scene was so emotional and real and perfectly executed. Great way to tie up the series. They ruined it by doing a 9th season. Bringing Stephanie in, having Gloria have an affair, having Edith die, and having Mike move into a commune just destroyed the series. Totally unrealistic and absurd. There's no way that Archie and Edith would have taken in a young child to raise after all those years. There's certainly no way that Mike would leave his wife and son to live in a commune. They totally destroyed his character. Edith dying prematurely and Gloria having an affair *could* have happened, but I wish they hadn't of shown it.

You can't keep milking a cow once the milk has gone sour. AITF was one of the greatest shows ever on television. It is iconic. I know that they wanted to keep it going, but all good things have to come to an end. I prefer to go out on top. They had the perfect ending to a perfect series at the end of season 8. Shouldn't have gone any further.

Edith dying and Mike moving to a commune happened after the show changed its name to Archie Bunker's Place, but I agree with what you're saying here.

At least they knew enough to change the name of the show, unlike shows like Happy Days And Two And A Half Men that lose key characters and actors, yet continue on with the same name.

10-17-2017, 10:48 AM	#1
counrfk Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jul 12, 2017 Posts: 136	This show should have ended after season 8 Mike and Gloria leaving for California should have been the series finale. That scene was so emotional and real and perfectly executed. Great way to tie up the series. They ruined it by doing a 9th season. Bringing Stephanie in, having Gloria have an affair, having Edith die, and having Mike move into a commune just destroyed the series. Totally unrealistic and absurd. There's no way that Archie and Edith would have taken in a young child to raise after all those years. There's certainly no way that Mike would leave his wife and son to live in a commune. They totally destroyed his character. Edith dying prematurely and Gloria having an affair could have happened, but I wish they hadn't of shown it. You can't keep milking a cow once the milk has gone sour. AITF was one of the greatest shows ever on television. It is iconic. I know that they wanted to keep it going, but all good things have to come to an end. I prefer to go out on top. They had the perfect ending to a perfect series at the end of season 8. Shouldn't have gone any further.

10-17-2017, 07:00 PM	#2
vitoscotti Member Senior Member Join Date: Feb 14, 2017 Location: Illinois Posts: 1,077	Should have ended after 4 or 5 seasons.

10-18-2017, 08:42 AM	#3
howilu Member Senior Member Join Date: Apr 20, 2003 Location: St. Louis Park, MN Posts: 1,959	I agree. The departure of Rob Reiner and Sally Struthers was a big loss to the show since much of the humor came from conflicts between Archie and Mike.

10-26-2017, 05:40 AM	#5
Yong Fang Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 04, 2009 Location: Memphis Tennessee Posts: 3,073	I think what was touching about Mike and Archie was that Mike was Archie's second kid, and his son. They argued just like father and son. The best father and son moment was the famous "A sock and a shoe" where Meathead put on a sock and a shoe on one foot and then do the other bare foot. One of the most touching scenes was when Meathead and Gloria got into the taxi to go to California (after one more huge blow up about a farewell dinner the night before) when Mike hugged Archie and Archie hugged back. I liked the post Mike and Gloria seasons with Stephanie, we got to see what Archie was like as a father to a young daughter (like Gloria). Edith dying was sort of a death knell, but Archie Bunker's place was good until Martin Balsam (who was a voice of reason) left the show, then the show died.

11-26-2017, 01:01 PM	#6
TV Guy Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 25, 2001 Location: Boston, MA, USA Posts: 3,419	Had they ended after season 8 (which is when Norman Lear wanted to end), then I would nominate “The Stivics Go West” as the best series finale of all time. Funny, touching, and heartbreaking (that last scene with Archie and Edith alone). That said, I do like season 9. It’s a step down from the series at its prime, but I was happy to see Archie and Edith build a life for themselves that didn’t revolve around the Stivics, and that they recovered from their departure.