The Death of Edith Bunker

[Dynasty]

My favorite TV comedy of all-time is "All in the Family". The first four or five seasons of the show (before Mike & Gloria moved out) were spectacular. I was too young to watch the show when it originally aired on CBS but I've seen every episode in reruns. The show had the rare combination of being both funny and smart. As with most shows, the series declined in later years, especially after Rob Reiner and Sally Struthers left the show. However, the show was always much better than the average TV show.

After 9 seasons, Jean Stapleton (Edith Bunker) decided to radically reduce her role on the show. As a result, the show was renamed "Archie Bunker's Place" in it's 10th season and focused on Archie running his bar. Edith only appeared in a few episodes that year. Since Stapleton had little interest in continuing on with the Edith character, the show made a radical decision to deal with Edith's absence. They decided to kill her off.

In the first two episodes of the second season of "Archie Bunker's Place", Archie deals with the sudden and unexpected death of Edith. I don't think I've seen these episodes in more than 15 years since "Archie Bunker's Place" wasn't widely syndicated. However, I came across the show recently on the cable TV network TV Land and looked up their schedule.

The two-part episode dealing with Edith's death, called "Archie Alone", airs tonight (Monday night/Tuesday morning) and tomorrow night (Tuesday night/Wednesday morning) at midnight (Eastern & Pacific).

[andyfox]

Not only was the show brilliant, it was pathbreaking. Never before did people talk about sex on TV, or go to the bathroon, or burp or say bigoted things; never before had a sitcom dealt with the issues of the day. (Now, of course, those things happen in the commercials.) In its heyday, we never missed an episode, and it was the thing to talk about the next morning.

Some may hold out for Lucy Ricardo or someone else, but Archie Bunker would be my choice as the most memorable TV character ever.

[B-Man]

More memorable than Capt. James T. Kirk? Sam Malone? Brandon Walsh? George Kostanza?

Seriously, All in the Family was before my time, so I can't comment, but I've seen some other good work from Rob Reiner.

Brandon Walsh? /forums/images/icons/confused.gif

[Clarkmeister]

Interesting. Your favorite comedy of all time is All in the Family. A show that touches on very serious subjects. Mine is Seinfeld, a show that is about nothing substantial whatsoever. AitF does make my top 10 list, however.

Clarky's top 3 sitcoms of all time:

Seinfeld
Cosby Show
Simpsons

[Clarkmeister]

What about B. A. Barrakas? (sp?)

[M2d]

Thomas Magnum? (but only because I'm from Hawaii and a mystery fiend).

[M2d]

Cheers, Taxi, Cosby for me. what does it say about me that Norm is my hero, Cliff is what I probably am, and Jim Ignatowski is, imho, the best sitcom character ever?

[Boris]

could be worse. My favorite non-sports show is WWE Smackdown.

[B-Man]

Clarkmeister,

It's borderline criminal not to have Cheers in the top 3 sitcoms of all time. The Simpsons are great... but I think it should be in a separate category for animated shows.

The Cosby Show was good, too, but I don't think it can hold a candle to Cheers.

IMHO, Seinfeld is #1A and Cheers is 1B.

[Dynasty]

I'll try to assemble my own Top Ten list. It's not only based on what shows I would most like to watch now but also how much I enjoyed them the first time I watched them.

1. All in the Family
2. South Park (has never failed to make me laugh)
3. Happy Days (I once put Fonzie stickers on our family refridgerator)
4. Young Ones (vulger British comedy aired on MTV)
5. Simpsons
6. Married...With Children
7. Cheers
8. Seinfeld
9. Family Ties
10. Bosom Buddies (please don't read anything into this)

[M2d]

10. Bosom Buddies (please don't read anything into this)
that you're a straight guy who'll stop at nothing to secure housing with a whole bunch of single women?

[Jimbo]

My top ten list:

1 MASH
2 TAXI
3 WKRP (In Cincinatti)
4 Seinfield
5 Cheers
6 Rowan and Martins' Laugh-In
7 My Favorite Martian
8 Dr Who
9 Benny Hill
10 Man about the House

The last three are British shows which require a special sense of humour to appreciate.

Jimbo

[Clarkmeister]

Cheers would be somewhere between 4-6 for me. But the fact of the matter is that I still laugh more at Cosby reruns on Nick than I do at the Cheers reruns. And Seinfeld is in that upper stratosphere level where you know every single line before it is coming, and its still funny. Similar to Monty Python and the Holy Grail in that regard. (Your arm's off! No it isn't!)

And I think Simpsons belongs, it is the classic American sitcom, but the actors are animated. I disagree that it should be in a separate category.

[Dynasty]

The Cosby Show was very good for several years but was lousy at the end. By the final season (1) Denise was gone but her annoying stepdaughter was still around, (2) Theo was somewhat suddenly smart, and (3) a ridiculous cousin "from the streets" moved in.

At some point the show went from Cliff & Claire raising a group of kids to a hapharzdly thrown together show with no focus.

[skp]

I have never seen those episodes either and I absolutely love All in the Family. Thanks for the heads-up but I don't think I get TV land in my neck of the woods....damn

For me, the most memorable AITF episode was when George Jefferson comes over to complain about getting a counterfeit 20 dollar bill from Archie. When Jefferson comes back to his house a second time, Archie says in his own inimitable way "..ah jeez, what ya got now, Jefferson, a wooden nickel?"

I was howling for weeks.

Other All-time Fave shows:

1. Taxi

2. Seinfeld

3. Cheers

4. Benny Hill

5. Frasier

[Clarkmeister]

That isn't unique, however. I can't think of a sitcom that didn't lose it in the last few seasons. The last 2 Seinfeld years were lacking IMO. Cheers went through it twice, once at the end of the Diane shows (I mean, there is only so long that you can keep up that sexual tension before it becomes tedious.), then again at the end of the series. The Simpsons suffered from pathetic writing for several years. So I don't really worry about the show deteriorating towards the end.

All I know is that on any given night, I can laugh for an hour straight from 9-10 on Nick if I so chose. /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

[andyfox]

MASH. Probably the best TV comedy ever, maybe the best show ever. My top 10 list:

1) MASH
2) All in the Family
3) Taxi
4) Frazier
5) I Love Lucy
6) Cheers
7) Seinfeld
8) The Andy Griffith Show
9) Mork and Mindy
10)Third Rock

[Clarkmeister]

I, too am surprised MASH wasn't in more lists. I just didn't like it, but I suspect its a generational thing. I fully respect the amazing run that show had.

I almost forgot Dream On, a short lived HBO sitcom that no one else has mentioned so far.

[John Cole]

Favorite Taxi episode: Jim receives a trunk full of stuff that belonged to his late father, from whom Jim, except for a brief visit, had been estranged for a number of years. After going through some of the stuff, Jim finds a tape and sticks it in the tape player. Stevie Wonder's "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" begins to play. We know that Jim's father is speaking through the song to his favorite son, telling him what he couldn't while alive.

Jim says, "Dad! You liked Stevie Wonder, too." Wonderfully funny, sad, and touching at the same time.

I can't believe that nobody has listed the mid 90's comedy classic starring the brilliant Rob Schneider, "Men Behaving Badly". This television masterpiece was cancelled way before its time. Unfortunately I can't find it in syndication. What a huge cultural loss.

undoubtedly the greatest show ever, and i dont even think it is that close. for my money i would put the honeymooners second. my personal third favorite show would be married with children!

but archie bunker has to be the best character.

Pat

i am glad to see i am not the only married with children fan. my favorite moment on that show might be the one when we see buck complaining when he gets neutered.

Pat

[skp]

Yeah, I remember that one. Excellent choice for best Taxi moment, John.

Other beauty Iggy lines:

"say Boss, do you know how many jelly beans I can fit in my mouth".

Louie: "I don't know, Iggy"

Jim (with that trademark head shake): "I guess I'll have to ask someone else"

..then there's the one where Jim gets hooked on playing Pacman at the garage. Come Friday, Louie goes around giving everyone their paychecks till he gets to Jim and pays him with a bag of quarters..hehe...

[M2d]

Wow, my taste runs to the inane. No british comedy for me (though the Benny Hill girls were worth watching)
1. Cheers
2. Cosby
3. Taxi
4. Night Court
5. Laverne and Shirley
6. Green Acres
7. Who's the Boss (earlier episodes were funnier, but later ones featured a grown up Sam)
8. Wings
9. Grand (showed for about five episodes in the early ninties, and I think I was the only fan)
10. Dick Van Dyke

[andyfox]

Yes, I liked Dream On, as well as The Larry Sanders Show.

[andyfox]

Most touching show for me was when Louie's mother decides to get remarried, to an Asian man, much to Louie's chagrin.

Funniest show was when Louie wants to buy a swank condominium and brings Alex along as his "lawyer" to the interviewing committee. Penny Marshall, playing herself, also comes before the committee. (She was at that time on Laverne and Shirley.) They say to her, "For a single girl, you have quite a nice annual income." She replies, "That's not my annual income, that's my weekly income."

[Dynasty]

I've probably seen most Taxi episodes and enjoyed the show. However, the episode which stands out most in my mind is when Ignatowski pretends to be Riga.

[Phat Mack]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
And I think Simpsons belongs, it is the classic American sitcom, but the actors are animated. I disagree that it should be in a separate category.

[/ QUOTE ]

After reading the above I was able to determine my favorite sitcom: Rocky and Bullwinkle. Followed by Lucy, 1st Newhardt and Our Miss Brooks. Liked Seinfeld, but could never watch more than 15 minutes.

Favorite sitcom titled from a Jimi Hendrix song: 3rd Rock from the Sun.

[andyfox]

Well, we could probably go on like this all night, but I remember Elaine taking Iggy to a fancy party and he sits down at the piano, eventually playing Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu, after which he says, "Gee, I didn't know I could play the piano." I also remember Louie squashing a cockroach with a book and exclaiming something like, "The sanctity of my office has been preserved." At which point the book raises up just a bit and starts to move.

[John Cole]

Andy,

Gee, you even knew what Chopin piece he played, but I think he said, "I guess I know how to play."

One other moment: Jim taking written test for driver's license: "What does a yellow light mean?" to Bobby.
Bobby: "Slow Down."
Jim: "WWWhhhhaaatttt dddoooeeeesss aaaa yyyyeeeellloooowww llliiiggghhhht mmmeaaaannnn?"
Bobby: "Slow Down."
Jim: "WWWWWWWHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTTTTT . . . ."

[skp]

Gotcha, John...that was a conversation between Jim and Alex which happened when Jim was behind the wheel!

[John Cole]

SKP,

You mean they used the same thing twice? I can picture Bobby standing near Jim and whispering to Jim in exasperation while Alex stands nearby. Funny how memory works.

John

[skp]

Hmm...I seem to remember the scene with Jim driving...it was an episode which involved a flashback in time to when Jim joined the garage. On the other hand, my memory sucks so maybe I should have said "gotchme" instead of "gotcha".

[JustSomeJackass]

I agree...Simpsons...best show ever. Homer "Ahhh Beer...the cause of and solution to all of life's problems"

[JustSomeJackass]

Where's Roseanne, Home Improvement, or Cosby Show?