10.0/101 votes#1 - Writing the President
Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 1/19/1971
Mike writes a letter to President Nixon, protesting everything that's wrong with America, including the state of the environment and the nation's involvement in Vietnam. Archie finds out, and to refute his son-in-law's claims he decides he too will write a letter praising the nation's chief and attempting to explain the Meathead as an ignorant. While penning the letter, Archie pictures the family all standing behind him, dressed in his Sunday best, all supporting his positions.
Director: John Rich
Writer: Norman Lear
10.0/101 votes#2 - Oh, My Aching Back (aka Archie's Aching Back)
Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 1/26/1971
Archie is convinced he'll collect a large settlement from a petty traffic accident if a Jewish lawyer handles the case. The stylistic minimalism of the Bunkers' sparsely furnished set is on full display in this early episode. According to director John Rich, who grew up not far from Archie's neighbood, the Spartan look of the Bunkers' living room deco was achieved as a result of painstaking efforts. The director remembers personally supervising the cracking of windows and repainting of walls to give the place a run-down, lived-in look. "I told the set designers to take all the color out of it," remembers Rich. "Norman and I wanted to do the show in black and white, but CBS nearly went into a coma. So we decided to do the next best thing and shoot the entire show in muted sepia tones."
Director: John Rich
Writer: Stanley Ralph Ross
10.0/101 votes#3 - Archie Gives Blood
Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 2/2/1971
Archie refuses to donate blood because he's afraid that his vital fluids might get mixed in with those of a different race.
Director: John Rich
Writer: Norman Lear
10.0/101 votes#4 - Gloria's Pregnancy (aka Gloria Has a Belly Full)
Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 2/16/1971
Archie's dream of becoming a grandfather is dashed when Gloria suffers a sudden miscarriage.
Director: John Rich
Writer: Jerry Mayer
10.0/101 votes#5 - Mike's Hippie Friends Come to Visit
Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 2/23/1971
Mike invites one of his hippie friends to spend the night in his living room, despite Archie's strenous ojections.
Director: John Rich
Writer: Rob Reiner
10.0/101 votes#6 - Lionel Moves Into the Neighborhood
Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 3/2/1971
Louise Jefferson makes her first appearance, through husband George will remain an offscreen character for another two seasons. Their son, Lionel, had been a regular visitor to the Bunkers since the pilot episode, when the writers discovered how effective the street-smart black youth was at gently letting the air out of Archie's sails.
Director: John Rich
Writer: N/A
10.0/101 votes#7 - Edith Has Jury Duty
Season 1 Episode 9 - Aired 3/9/1971
Edith abandons the kitchen for the courtroom when she is chosen for jury duty, leaving Archie to fend for himself.
Director: John Rich
Writer: Susan Harris
10.0/101 votes#8 - Archie Is Worried About His Job
Season 1 Episode 10 - Aired 3/16/1971
No one in the family gets any sleep when Archie spends the night worring that he might lose his job.
Director: John Rich
Writer: Norman Lear
10.0/101 votes#9 - Gloria Discovers Women's Lib
Season 1 Episode 11 - Aired 3/23/1971
Gloria leaves the house in a rage after Mike refuses to recognize her as an equal partner in their marriage.
Director: John Rich
Writer: Norman Lear
10.0/101 votes#10 - Success Story
Season 1 Episode 12 - Aired 3/30/1971
Archie reevaluates his definition of success after he meets an old army buddy who's become wealthy in the used-car trade.
Director: John Rich
Writer: Burt Styler
10.0/101 votes#11 - The First and Last Supper
Season 1 Episode 13 - Aired 4/6/1971
The Jeffersons arrive for dinner at the Bunkers'--minus husband George, who refuses to socialize with his white neighbors.
Director: John Rich
Writer: Jerry Mayer
9.0/101 votes
9.0/101 votes#13 - Where You Been, Fassbinder?
Season 1 Episode 25 - Aired 3/14/1962
Sally doesn't have a date for her birthday, then an old friend from high school (Leo Fassbinder) calls. Sally invites Leo to her apartment for a quiet evening, but Rob, Laura, Buddy and Mel think Leo is just a made up friend and plan to bring a loud party to Sally's apartment.
Director: John Rich
Writer: Carl Reiner
9.0/101 votes#14 - Never Name a Duck
Season 2 Episode 1 - Aired 9/26/1962
Rob brings home two baby ducks left over from the show, and Ritchie becomes attached to them. When one dies and the other becomes ill, Rob must convince him that wild animals are happier when left in the wild.
Director: John Rich
Writer: Carl Reiner
9.0/101 votes#15 - A Bird in the Head Hurts
Season 2 Episode 11 - Aired 12/5/1962
Ritchie claims he is being attacked by a giant woodpecker, but Rob and Laura are convinced it’s just a bid for attention.
Director: John Rich
Writer: Carl Reiner
8.5/102 votes#17 - Somebody Has to Play Cleopatra
Season 2 Episode 14 - Aired 12/26/1962
Rob recalls directing last year’s PTA variety show, when jealousy interfered as he tried to pair the perfect Cleopatra with an amorous Mark Antony.
Director: John Rich
Writer: Martin Ragaway
8.0/101 votes#18 - The Threat
Season 3 Episode 3 - Aired 9/30/1972
Archie can barely contain himself when the attractive young wife of an old army buddy spends an eventful night in the Bunker's household.
Director: John Rich
Writer: Lila Garrett
8.0/101 votes#19 - The Bunkers and the Swingers
Season 3 Episode 7 - Aired 10/28/1972
Edith unwillingly invites a pair of wife-swapping swingers to dinner when she responds to a newspaper ad for pen pals.
Director: John Rich
Writer: Michael Ross
8.0/101 votes#20 - Mike Comes Into Money
Season 3 Episode 8 - Aired 11/4/1972
Mike sparks the latest family feud when he donates two hundred dollars to George McGovern's presidential campaign instead of paying Archie for room and board.
Director: John Rich
Writer: Burt Styler
8.0/101 votes#21 - Flashback: Mike and Gloria's Wedding (1)
Season 3 Episode 9 - Aired 11/11/1972
On the Stivics' second anniversary, the family recalls the comedy of errors that transpired on their wedding day.
Director: John Rich
Writer: Rob Reiner
8.0/101 votes#22 - Flashback: Mike and Gloria's Wedding (2)
Season 3 Episode 10 - Aired 11/18/1972
The Stivics' wedding is jeopardized when Michael's uncle insists, over Archie's virulent objections, that the marriage be performed by a Catholic priest.
Director: John Rich
Writer: Rob Reiner
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John Rich Ratings Summary
"Writing the President" is the best rated episode directed by John Rich. It scored 10/10 based on 1 votes. It was written by Norman Lear. It aired on 1/19/1971 and is rated 0.0 points higher than their second-best episode, "Oh, My Aching Back (aka Archie's Aching Back)".
