Sometimes you have to piss off the president to make sure the country changes for the better. Fifty years ago, one of the most important TV shows ever debuted to middling numbers. Before long, it caught on like wildfire and had the entire nation talking. Even the people with the most power in the world. For those of you who have never heard of Archie Bunker or All in the Family, let me paint a picture for you. It's 1971, and a sitcom debuts on network television. It's a show that lampoons bigotry, racism, homophobia, and misogyny by showing us a main character, Archie Bunker, who exhibits all of those attributes. Week in and week out, Bunker is confronted with his own ideas and forced to incrementally change, or not change, but see how the world will change around him. The show debuted on Jan. 12, 1971, and CBS ran a disclaimer before it aired: “The program you are about to see is All in the Family. It seeks to throw a humorous spotlight on our frailties, prejudices, and concerns. By making them a source of laughter we hope to show, in a mature fashion, just how absurd they are.” Read More...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - Wednesday, 17 February, 2021