It was the most groundbreaking show up to it's time and one of the very few that was the most-watched series in America for five consecutive years.

This show was before my time (I was born in 80) But I used to enjoy watching the reruns. I still catch one from time to time. Some of the issues are relatable today, but a lot of them I don' t think that I will ever really get. Still a funny show.

A wonderful memory. The first time I heard of the show, I was 16 and the father of a girl I was dating asked me if I'd watched it. I hadn't. I started watching shortly thereafter, the relationship with Anne ended not long after but my relationship with Archie endured. Life is funny that way. But, in those days, I was Meathead, believing in every liberal cause, comfortable, cocky just knowing how right I was and all of us were. Norman Lear created it, wrote most of the screenplays, often nearly coming to blows with Carol O'Connor over this or that detail.

Lear went on to produce many other sitcoms, O'Connor to other acting gigs. Jean Stapleton played Edith ("Dingbat") Sally Struthers played Gloria (Archie's little girl) and Rob Reiner played Michael (Meathead), Archie's live-in son-in-law. He still plays the same role today, just in real life.

When I went away to college in 1972, my roommate was a NYC cop's son, Irish as the day is long and as cynical as anyone I know today. I called home and said my roommate is Archie Bunker. It was the first time I ever heard anyone refer to Ted Kennedy as "that f___ing murderer. " "The Jefferson's was spun off "AITF" as was "One Day at a Time. " "Golden Girls" materialized a few year later. There were others but I can't recall. It could be less than comfortable viewing, depending on who you were watching with, but always entertaining. America learned that most of their issues and problems were pretty common. Doesn't seem groundbreaking today, but it was at the time.

The show was ahead of its time. Raised issues that had never been raised on television before, and may never be raised again. Started something of a renaissance that has been shut down by the forces of censorship. And the writers and actors had such talent, they performed live in front of a live audience. No soundtrack. Not much editing. It was theater, performed by professionals.

This show blended comedy and modern day (at the time) issues very well. The characters that were on the show portrayed the types of people that could be found anywhere and everywhere- which made for very funny television- VERY funny.

One of the 5 best alltime. A local station shows reruns M-F at 6:30 pm and if I am home I watch. Funnier now than ever before. So all youse meatheads out dere just dummy-up and watch!