Boy The Way Glenn Miller Played: The Impeccable Social Timing of All in the Family

That “All in the Family” was one of the best shows ever on Television is undeniable. That it had some of the finest actors to ever act on Television is irrefutable. That it is as controversial now as it was then could even be argued relatively easily with relative success. That it is one of the most important indicators of the social reality of America, is the essence of this essay.


TV shows are the growth marks behind the knees and elbows of American culture. “Mad Men” is an indicator of the fact that we are at least beginning to leave the era of the politically correct. “All in the Family” and “Mad Men” both straddle the PC era of American culture. The former show and subject of this essay is an incredibly sincere—as far as TV shows go—and accurate portrayal of the life and times of its viewers.

But, TV sit-coms are not usually so punctual in their timing of being relevant. They are often not “in-tune” with the reality of their viewers. Film even has portrayed how out of touch TV sit-coms can be. The 90’s cult “Natural Born Killers” portrays the horrific childhood of Mallory (Juliette Lewis’ character) in the form of an absurd sit-com (I love Mallory), complete with laugh track. The sequence eerily shows Mallory’s father (Rodney Dangerfield) threaten to beat and molest her. This is a horrific event—or series of events—that Mallory can only process as the antithesis of what it is: a sit-com, something funny. This is an extreme exaggeration of the fact that the American sit-com is severely out of touch with social reality.

“All in the Family,” on the other hand, is incredibly in touch with the social reality of its era. The opening theme song of the show introduces us to Archie and Edith Bunker, who have a humorous nostalgia for a bygone era. It goes beyond just nostalgia for music, though. In a song that is just a few lines long, Edith and Archie set the foundation for the entire show: two old people, who, each for their own reasons, miss the way things used to be. If you watch the opening again, you can see for yourself the difference in what Edith and Archie miss about the past. For Edith it has more to do with principles. For Archie, it has to do with social norms and public policy. Indeed the repetition of this opening song at the start of each episode reminds viewers again and again of the cohesion and contrast of Archie and Edith Bunker. But this song gives us more than humor, and more than interesting characters. It gives us two real people pulled straight from the brick and mortar of American reality. Archie and Edith Bunker show us that although eras end, the people who adored those eras keep on living, all the while severely and fondly missing what the past so quintessentially contained.

But the level of the realism only begins with that universality of nostalgic longing. The contrast between Edith and Archie and their younger counterparts, Gloria and Mike, is a wonderful nod to America’s forgetfulness. In the 60’s, generational conflict erupted—the divide between pro and anti Vietnam war was also a divide between old and new. But, America—longed equipped with its collective and instantaneous amnesia—forgot about it. The conflicts between the generations in “All in the Family,” which are mainly conflicts based on a mutual lack of understanding, were really there to remind the viewers that, nationally, generational conflicts had not resolved themselves.

While Edith does occasionally side with Archie, it is usually Archie who ends up by himself, against Gloria and Mike. The conflict between Archie and Mike is one of the most brilliant ever portrayed on American television. One of the most beautiful things about it is that Mike and Archie actually have more in common than they realize. They are both men with strong opinions who have lost their social relevance. As icons, that is, they are out of date. Archie is for obvious reasons, and Mike is a 70’s hippie.

Edith and Gloria are emblematic of a sharp turn in the portrayal of the American woman on television. They represent on the one hand, a footing in the old world, and on the other, the 60’s feminist. This is evident with the fact that they are the reminder to Mike and Archie of the personal realm of life. Although both women—even Edith—do participate in political discussions Gloria is the one who participates more frequently. And, whether, intentionally or unintentionally (and this doesn’t matter so far as symbols go) Gloria’s name is a reference to Gloria Steinem.

But the show takes American issues even further. Race is, by far, the pinnacle issue of the show. For America, Race is taboo issue numero uno. No show has ever dealt with the reality of race conflict in America to the extent that “All in the Family” did. That “The Jeffersons” is one of the most successful spinoffs in history is beyond poetic. It is in fact another one of the most groundbreaking of American sitcoms as far as social relevance goes.

The show “Will and Grace” does deal with issues of identity difference, particularly in terms of homosexuality. For its dealings with the nature of what it means to be gay, it is groundbreaking. But, I submit, that the show severely lacks realism. And, this lack of realism is a form of an apology for the homosexual characters. In effect, Will and his Friend Jack are caricatures. When we see Archie Bunker, we peer into the living room of a real person. We see his reactions to the world as he faces us, we face him. We, in effect, become his television. The viewer wants to persuade Archie, to change his mind, and this is for one very important reason: the viewer cares about Archie. I really do think that no show on American television has ever pushed so far, in such a realistic way, the themes of gender, generational conflict, class conflict, and race, as did “All in the Family.”