It’s no secret that All In The Family is still considered one of the best and most clever sitcoms ever to have graced the television screen. The Bunker home set the stage for multiple punch-ups about important social and political issues taking place in modern America at the time, seen mainly through the lens of Archie Bunker’s outdated viewpoint.
Archie may have started out as a male chauvinist anti-liberal bigot, but he changed significantly over the course of the series’ run. Here are 10 of the most important ways Archie changed his tune for the better.
Archie started out believing that a woman’s place is in the home, tending to her husband. This put him in direct conflict with nearly every female character on the show, such as his co-worker Irene Lorenzo and his own daughter Gloria. He was no fan of female politicians, nor did he have much good to say about ’70s twenty-somethings.
Eventually, Archie would learn to appreciate the inherent strengths of the female sex, especially when he and Edith took over guardianship of young Stephanie Mills, who wasn’t afraid to reach for the stars.
Archie’s stance on the Jewish faith flip-flopped between showing them respect for their ability to handle money, and condemning them as outsiders who needed to be shunned. He even went into business with a Jewish inventor shortly before he died. Archie’s stance really took a turn following the death of his pal Stretch Cunningham, who hid his Jewish ethnicity for years.
When Archie showed up to the funeral to deliver a eulogy, he had no idea it would be a Jewish affair. Donning a yarmulke, Archie delivered a hilariously awful speech (complete with Jewish jokes) before paying his respects not only to Stretch, but to Jewish culture as well.
As a hardcore Episcopalian Christian, Archie took literal Biblical interpretation of homosexuality to the extreme. While he didn’t hate homosexuals per say, he had little tolerance for their behavior and didn’t hesitate to warn them that he believed they’d all go to Hell unless they mended their ways.
Archie was forced to reconsider his stance on homosexuals when Edith’s cousin Liz died, and they met her partner Veronica. The two had been hiding their lesbian status due to fear of losing their teaching jobs. When Archie found out, he first threatened to expose Veronica and cost her her job, before Edith interjected and gave him some sage advice on matters of kindness and love. It was enough for Archie to back down and accept Veronica’s sexual orientation, even if he wished she could go out and find a guy to be with, instead.
America continues to remain divided on both the effectiveness and morality of the Vietnam War, but Archie saw it black and white, at least until Mike’s friend David joined them for Christmas dinner. When Archie learned that David was a draft dodger wanted by the FBI, he flew into a rage.
