Total change - that's the only way to describe it. I remember sitting in the living room with my parents and my aunt and uncle (who in many ways reminded me of Archie Bunker) and we watched history being made on the night of January 11, 1971. It reminded me of watching "The Ed Sullivan Show" on February 8, 1964. My mother went "oooh" when Archie used his first slur, then put her hand over her mouth. I never thought they'd watch it again, but sure enough their curiosity overcame them and next week they watched again, and again. Total classic TV, broke the way for all that was to follow! Within 18 months, the last of the older-style sitcoms that were on from the 1960's (Bewitched, My Three Sons) would go off the air, to be replaced by groundbreaking Norman Lear shows such as Maude, Good Times, etc. Finally TV caught up to the times, as music had seven years earlier!
Review of All in the Family
