Aww jeez, Edith...we've revolutionized television.

Very few entities — be them people, inventions, or what have you — can truly lay claim to having revolutionized their respective field. Henry Ford merely improved on mass production, a notion that had been formerly introduced and utilized elsewhere in the auto industry. Magic Johnson did not dish out the first no-look pass, although he did make them look very sweet. And, contrary to what he claims, Al Gore did not invent the Internet. One entity, however, that can claim it revolutionized it’s respective field is the sitcom “All in the Family”.

Debuting on January 12, 1971 (a mere nineteen days before I would debut), this seemingly simple TV show centered around a family of four living in a New York burrough. Little did anyone know that when they tuned in that evening that they would be witnessing history in the making. “All in the Family” went on to become the single most important show in television’s history in my book. Where else in a time period that still showcased vehicles like “The Beverly Hillbillies” and “Gilligan’s Island” could you find a show that tackled issues such as women’s rights, rape, bigotry, and hate crimes? Shows of this nature are handled every day now on thousands of channels around the world… but the first show brave enough to tread those waters and tackle “taboo” subject matter? “All in the Family”. It’s amazing how you can truly trace back all of the shows of today to one sitcom that debuted over thirty years ago to little fanfare.

I remember watching “All in the Family” with my parents — particularly Mom — while I was growing up. Back then I remembered Gloria’s comical whining, Mike being referred to as “Meathead”, Edith the dingbat and, of course, Archie’s hilarious comments. Having revisted the show in reruns as a teenager and young adult it began to dawn on me why this show had such enormous appeal. We were laughing at ourselves… at how utterly ridiculous we, as people, have become. Everyone has a little Archie Bunker in them — a foul-mouthed side that lashes out at the world with a blind ignorance; we also have an Edith in us — a naive, compassionate side that wants simply to do good. People could relate to the four main characters of Arch, Edith, Mike and Gloria. These characters were real and their issues even moreso. No where on television could you find someone having a frank conversation about abortion, serious differences in politics, or stereotypes. No show on television could make one both laugh and cry in 22 minutes. Yet, somehow, the writers of the show did it by drawing us into the world of the Bunkers and we were faced to explore our own lives through these four lovable and living characters.

I could watch Arch lay into Meathead, Edith, or some random victim any day… and thanks to the joys of syndicated television, VHS, and DVD, I can. People will watch and enjoy “All in the Family” for generations to come. Why? If you don’t know, flip on the tube tonight and give it a go. If you haven’t watched it in a long time, you’re missing out.

In the March of 1978, after the taping of the show’s final episode, a curator from the National Museum of American History acquired the stage prop chairs that Archie and Edith had set in throughout the run of the series. They were placed in the Smithsonian “as part of the cultural legacy of our country.” How many television shows claim that not to mention having so many spin-offs? This show, in a word, was awesome.

Growing up I fell in love with the whole family, especially Edith. Her never-ending kindness and sweet demeanor reminded me all too well of my own mother’s. It was because of this parallelism between fiction and reality that the show really grew closer to my heart. When I heard that the character of Edith was being written out of the show I wasn’t even a teenager but I remember not wanting to see it… ever. I watched every episode I could find in syndication but always avoided “Archie Alone”, the episode of “Archie Bunker’s Place” that dealt with Edith’s death. It wasn’t until I was watching “The E! True Hollywood Story” about the show that it finally made it into my actual viewed memory. I had read time and time again in the book Archie and Edith, Mike and Gloria: The Tumultuous History of All in the Family by Donna McCrohan the line that Archie utters when he finally accepts Edith’s death — “Edith, you had no right to leave me like that… without giving me one last chance, to say ‘I love you.’” — but had never seen it on television. Whew. Talk about gut-wrenching. I cried my eyes out and called up my mother just to tell her that I love her. Not too many TV shows that can claim that, eh?

I don’t think that there will ever be another show with as much power, laughter, and influence as “All in the Family” on television again. I know that no show will ever top it’s standing in my personal book. I’m off to watch an episode right now, actually… and there better not be anyone in my chair. ;)