All In The Family

Book excerpt: The 1970s: Vietnam, Watergate, inflation, and social unrest. Those were the days! On January 12, 1971, a new television series premiered that would address such topics in a comical and satirical manner. The series would sit at the top of the ratings for the majority of its run, redefining the structure of situation comedy, and would go on to be one of the most influential sitcoms in television history. All in the Family dominated the airwaves in the 1970s and reflected an ever-changing society during one of America’s most challenging decades. David Maska assesses the entire series, season by season, and how it continued to evolve and fit into television’s landscape from its inception in the late 1960s as a pilot that nobody wanted to touch, through its celebrated run as the number one show in America, and finally its demise as Archie Bunker’s Place in the early 1980s. With an annotated episode guide for all 13 total seasons (over 300 episodes!), this is a book you can keep next to you for reference while you watch and enjoy this classic series.