"Nobody gets cancer in Archie Bunker's house," railed Network's deranged news anchor Howard Beale. But in referencing All in the Family, Beale's rant against comfort television is a bit misplaced. This controversial, groundbreaking series regularly tackled hot button social and political issues of the day (Comfort television? Try the Bradys.) In this Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning third season, All in the Family dealt with gun control ("Archie and the Editorial"), sexism ("Gloria and the Riddle," "Mike's Appendix"), interracial dating ("Lionel Steps Out"), rape ("Gloria, the Victim"), and even terrorism (the powerful "Archie is Branded"). While the series made great sport of Archie's bigotry, some of its most memorable episodes pitted and reaffirmed his blue-collar family values against modern, permissive society, as witnessed in "The Bunkers and the Swingers." As this series matured, so did the characters. In "Lionel Steps Out," Lionel Jefferson at last stands up to Archie and calls him on his prejudices. And as Mike notes in the classic two-parter, "Mike and Gloria's Wedding" (featuring one of the most sustained laughs in this series' history), Archie, too, has mellowed somewhat. The 24 episodes in this extra-less set comprise a must-own season in one of television's most honored and influential comedies. Highly recommended. (D. Liebenson)
All in the Family: The Complete Third Season
Columbia TriStar, 3 discs, 610 min., not rated, DVD: $29.95 Volume 19, Issue 5
All in the Family: The Complete Third Season
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