How could the shipping mistake even happen? Wasn't there paperwork with the precise shipping address location? Archie's supervisors would have to signoff on his mistake also. Does Archie have a union to back him up?
4 Reviews
Poor Archie
vitoscotti23 October 2021
Silent Night, Stifle Night
ExplorerDS678923 December 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Being the breadwinner for such a big household, you know that such a tireless member of the working class like Archie Bunker would love to share the wealth and spread some Christmas cheer to his family. But sadly, that one Christmas in 1972, fate reared its ugly head and Archie did not receive his Christmas bonus. Yes, this is a very familiar plotline used in many Christmas episodes of TV shows, including The Simpsons and Dinosaurs to name a few, and was even a temporary dilemma in the movie National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. However, maybe Archie's boss wasn't entirely to blame, maybe something else prevented that extra financial boost from landing in the Bunkers' bank account this year. What could have happened? Maybe we'll find out when we see what happens during Christmas Day at the Bunkers'. Archie is his usual angry self, and not even the spirit of the holiday seems to have brought him some cheer, and even Edith remarked how it didn't quite feel like Christmas. Mike assumed it had to do with the over-commercialization of the holiday, but that wasn't it. The family keeps pressing Archie as to what could be causing his total lack of Christmas spirit, but he refused to divulge any information. Mike and Gloria even rib him about the two-foot tall twig he bought as a Christmas tree, and while I think Archie definitely could have done better, maybe if the Meathead and Gloria had jobs, they could've chipped in for a bigger tree. Just a thought. Anyway, as Mike goes on about his childhood Christmas memories, he mentions that they used to buy their trees from a shipment out of Ontario, which suddenly got Archie very defensive. He starts fuming about Ontario having a city called London, and poses a situation where if one's boss told them to send a shipment to London, one would immediately assume England and not Canada. Hmm, something tells me this shipping snafu fits old Mr. Bunker himself.
Archie's mood doesn't improve when the milkman stops by with his hand out. How very brazen of this man to go into one of his customers' homes on Christmas Day and less-than-subtly ask for a tip, which of course Edith willingly gives him. Not only is this milkman brave, but he's also got a big mouth, letting it slip about the big bonuses Archie's firm gave out this year, even mentioning Mr. Feeney getting his wife a new vacuum cleaner. So once the milkman goeth, Mike and Gloria start giving Archie a hard time over lying about his bonus and being a cheapskate, though instead of just coming clean and admitting the truth, he lies about it and says the milkman was full of bunk. After this, they have a conversation about the roots of Christmas and it being a holiday to celebrate the birth of God's son, even though Mike the atheist doesn't believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God, and Archie affirms that Christian is the only true religion and feels bad for those who were lead astray. See, differing points of view are what we're missing in a lot of today's sitcoms. All in the Family plays scenes like these nice and subtly, whereas if this were in a modern show, they would go out of their way to try and be edgy and shock people into laughing. I don't know why, but modern shows don't treat their audience like they have a brain and expect them to use it. All in the Family definitely encouraged their viewers to think, and show two differing points of view, and how each one can be right sometimes, and wrong sometimes, but I digress. This conversation on the meaning of Christmas is interrupted by another visitor. It's the Jeffersons- Louise, Lionel, and Henry, dressed as Santa Claus... a Santa Claus with a black beard. Now, I'm not going to pick sides on what race Santa is supposed to be, but he definitely should have a white beard, even though Henry asserted that he would look silly with one. No, you look silly with a long, black one. He might as well be playing Blackbeard the pirate incognito as Santa. Archie asks the whereabouts of George, and Louise says he's home watching the new television they bought him, so Arch will have to wait until Season 4 to meet him. Mike and Gloria join the Jeffersons down at the children's center, leaving Archie and Edith alone, as the latter says she understands his feelings, knowing that his goof of sending that shipment to London, England instead of Ontario cost him his bonus. Well, in spite of everything, it was kind of a Merry Christmas... well, maybe not merry, but it was definitely Christmas. Peace on Earth and good will toward men and meatheads.
This was the first of many Christmas episodes of All in the Family, and I'm sorry to say that virtually none of them are happy. This year Archie didn't get his bonus so he couldn't buy his family nice gifts like he wanted. In Season 4, Edith has a health scare when they find a lump on her breast. Season 7, Mike brings a draft dodger to dinner and Archie blows like Mount Vesuvius. Season 8- Edith's friend Beverly LaSalle is brutally murdered. Season 9- The Bunkers visit the Stivics in California and learn they were separated. The tradition of downer Christmases continued onto Archie Bunker's Place where Stephanie's grandmother tried to take her away from Archie, and in that show's third season, Billie's estranged father visits and she learns an unsettling truth about her mother. I guess it's good to go against the norm and have Christmas not be such a happy time for some people, as not everybody in the world is happy at Christmas. But look, it's not about how much money you have, what gifts you buy, what food you eat, Christmas is about spreading cheer to those around you in your own special way. Let your neighbors flash their fancy big presents in your face, if something that superficial makes THEM happy. I say this Christmas, take a moment to look at what you have, and who you have, and realize what they mean to you, and do something nice for the people you care about. Then, after that, grab some beer and your favorite brand of cigars and watch you some classic All in the Family. I recommend Christmas Day at the Bunker's, though buy the DVD or stream it, because the TV version cuts it to ribbons.
Archie's mood doesn't improve when the milkman stops by with his hand out. How very brazen of this man to go into one of his customers' homes on Christmas Day and less-than-subtly ask for a tip, which of course Edith willingly gives him. Not only is this milkman brave, but he's also got a big mouth, letting it slip about the big bonuses Archie's firm gave out this year, even mentioning Mr. Feeney getting his wife a new vacuum cleaner. So once the milkman goeth, Mike and Gloria start giving Archie a hard time over lying about his bonus and being a cheapskate, though instead of just coming clean and admitting the truth, he lies about it and says the milkman was full of bunk. After this, they have a conversation about the roots of Christmas and it being a holiday to celebrate the birth of God's son, even though Mike the atheist doesn't believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God, and Archie affirms that Christian is the only true religion and feels bad for those who were lead astray. See, differing points of view are what we're missing in a lot of today's sitcoms. All in the Family plays scenes like these nice and subtly, whereas if this were in a modern show, they would go out of their way to try and be edgy and shock people into laughing. I don't know why, but modern shows don't treat their audience like they have a brain and expect them to use it. All in the Family definitely encouraged their viewers to think, and show two differing points of view, and how each one can be right sometimes, and wrong sometimes, but I digress. This conversation on the meaning of Christmas is interrupted by another visitor. It's the Jeffersons- Louise, Lionel, and Henry, dressed as Santa Claus... a Santa Claus with a black beard. Now, I'm not going to pick sides on what race Santa is supposed to be, but he definitely should have a white beard, even though Henry asserted that he would look silly with one. No, you look silly with a long, black one. He might as well be playing Blackbeard the pirate incognito as Santa. Archie asks the whereabouts of George, and Louise says he's home watching the new television they bought him, so Arch will have to wait until Season 4 to meet him. Mike and Gloria join the Jeffersons down at the children's center, leaving Archie and Edith alone, as the latter says she understands his feelings, knowing that his goof of sending that shipment to London, England instead of Ontario cost him his bonus. Well, in spite of everything, it was kind of a Merry Christmas... well, maybe not merry, but it was definitely Christmas. Peace on Earth and good will toward men and meatheads.
This was the first of many Christmas episodes of All in the Family, and I'm sorry to say that virtually none of them are happy. This year Archie didn't get his bonus so he couldn't buy his family nice gifts like he wanted. In Season 4, Edith has a health scare when they find a lump on her breast. Season 7, Mike brings a draft dodger to dinner and Archie blows like Mount Vesuvius. Season 8- Edith's friend Beverly LaSalle is brutally murdered. Season 9- The Bunkers visit the Stivics in California and learn they were separated. The tradition of downer Christmases continued onto Archie Bunker's Place where Stephanie's grandmother tried to take her away from Archie, and in that show's third season, Billie's estranged father visits and she learns an unsettling truth about her mother. I guess it's good to go against the norm and have Christmas not be such a happy time for some people, as not everybody in the world is happy at Christmas. But look, it's not about how much money you have, what gifts you buy, what food you eat, Christmas is about spreading cheer to those around you in your own special way. Let your neighbors flash their fancy big presents in your face, if something that superficial makes THEM happy. I say this Christmas, take a moment to look at what you have, and who you have, and realize what they mean to you, and do something nice for the people you care about. Then, after that, grab some beer and your favorite brand of cigars and watch you some classic All in the Family. I recommend Christmas Day at the Bunker's, though buy the DVD or stream it, because the TV version cuts it to ribbons.
Classic TV Xmas Countdown Episode #21
kgraovac20 December 2023
It's Christmas Day at the Bunkers, and Archie's in a bad mood.
The episode title says it all. This one is very thin on plot so it's just the characters interacting with each other. Surprisingly, it works. It's not particularly great but it's a decent half-hour.
Funny how times - and words -- change in fifty years. When Mike accuses Archie of being a sourpuss, Archie exclaims, "I'm gay! I'm gay! I'm as gay as anybody here!".
Edith tells the story of how Archie once bought a fancy doll house for a young Gloria but got so drunk coming home he tripped and smashed it to pieces.
When the milkman (Noam Pitlik) arrives hoping for an Xmas bonus, he lets slip that all the guys down at the dock got a big bonus. When Archie denies it, Edith has a great outburst where she immediately comes to his defense.
Later, Louise, Henry and Lionel (the *best* Lionel) show up and Archie tells Henry (who's dressed as Santa) he looks like a Rabbi.
When Edith confides to Archie she knows why his bonus was revoked, it reverses his foul mood and he's seen singing carols in the tag scene.
The series' best Xmas episode would come in Season 7, so watch this as a warm-up for that. 7/10.
The episode title says it all. This one is very thin on plot so it's just the characters interacting with each other. Surprisingly, it works. It's not particularly great but it's a decent half-hour.
Funny how times - and words -- change in fifty years. When Mike accuses Archie of being a sourpuss, Archie exclaims, "I'm gay! I'm gay! I'm as gay as anybody here!".
Edith tells the story of how Archie once bought a fancy doll house for a young Gloria but got so drunk coming home he tripped and smashed it to pieces.
When the milkman (Noam Pitlik) arrives hoping for an Xmas bonus, he lets slip that all the guys down at the dock got a big bonus. When Archie denies it, Edith has a great outburst where she immediately comes to his defense.
Later, Louise, Henry and Lionel (the *best* Lionel) show up and Archie tells Henry (who's dressed as Santa) he looks like a Rabbi.
When Edith confides to Archie she knows why his bonus was revoked, it reverses his foul mood and he's seen singing carols in the tag scene.
The series' best Xmas episode would come in Season 7, so watch this as a warm-up for that. 7/10.
The first of several Christmas episodes of the series
Jimmy_the_Gent431 October 2017
Archie says he got no Christmas bonus this year, so Yuletide at the Bunker house is not very merry.
This is a good Christmas episode as Archie had sent a shipment to London England instead of London Ontario,causing his boss to cancel his Christmas bonus. There is a funny scene at the beginning as Edith is a bit sad saying it does not feel like Christmas. Mike agrees,saying he knows what she means,then talks about kowtowing to Madison Avenue and crass commercialism. A shocked Edith says "Oh my,did I mean all that?" Funniest scene is when Henry Jefferson arrives dressed as Santa,but with a black beard! Archie tells him that he looks more like a rabbi.
This is a good Christmas episode as Archie had sent a shipment to London England instead of London Ontario,causing his boss to cancel his Christmas bonus. There is a funny scene at the beginning as Edith is a bit sad saying it does not feel like Christmas. Mike agrees,saying he knows what she means,then talks about kowtowing to Madison Avenue and crass commercialism. A shocked Edith says "Oh my,did I mean all that?" Funniest scene is when Henry Jefferson arrives dressed as Santa,but with a black beard! Archie tells him that he looks more like a rabbi.
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