Our family has been watching the first couple of seasons of All in the Family.
First, I'd like to point out that it is still funny as hell, and the comic timing and acting is usually nothing short of genius. It was shot in front of a live audience, so there are some times they have to work that for timing and laughs. But they cast deserves ever single Emmy they won.
Second, I'd like to point out the horrifying fact that my wife and I older than the Bunkers were in the first season. They were 47 and married 22 years. I'm 51 and will be married 25 in March. I always thought of them as older, but they were not. They are my age, younger than me even. Fucking yikes. Season 1 Gloria is a year or so older than my son. I don't feel that old, they look like my parents. Hell, they look older than my parents still.
Third, the show is still unbelievably topical. Which is in so many ways distrubing. You'd think in the 45+ years that this show has been around we'd have moved forward on some of these things. That the Archie Bunkers of the world would be off doddering their last breaths in nursing homes or died off, and we'd have a more enlightened and less ignorant populace.
I don't need to tell you all how that worked out.
In the first two+ seasons, there have been numerous episodes and topics on racism, sexism, anti-semitism, homosexuality, pre-marital sex, menstruation, menopause, living "in sin", civic duty, paying taxes, male chauvinism, women's rights, divorce, traditional marriage roles, education, integrity, Liberal vs. Conservative, foreign policy, etc. etc. etc.
What is amazing about it is that within five seconds on the internet I can drag someone from SA, Facebook, or Twitter that sounds like all sides of every argument today, in 2018. Listening to Archie and Mike go back and forth about Nixon and McGovern sounds so familiar.
Archie Bunker sounds like most Trump supporters I've heard. He doesn't think he's a bigot, and gets very, very upset when he's accused of it. Then he explains why he's not a bigot and crystallizes for everyone exactly how bigoted he is. Just like he loved Nixon, he'd also love Trump. Right up until Trump policies kicked him in the ass, like Nixon's did, at which point he'd forgive Trump (Nixon) for the parts that he didn't like and still keep supporting him. And for all his passionate patriotism, not only does he not get informed, he doesn't even have his crap together to vote.
Bunker is, of course, uneducated and ignorant. But he generally thinks he isn't. He can usually be brought around to do the right thing, but not always. But underneath he is still basically a decent guy trying to provide for his family, and more a product of his age, upbringing, and lack of education than an sort of active choice to be what he is. Unlike some of our worst people today, the alt-Right for example, who *choose* this worldview instead of inherit it by default.
But it is simply astounding to me how in 2018 we are still in the same place. Still hearing many of the same basic issues, still without resolution.
If you can find it, I heartily recommend a watching a few episodes.
A few snippets...that sound you hear is a live studio audience, not a laugh track.
For Tom and Jeff, on Gun Control:
MAGA
The National Anthem...
Spanish and the Feds...