The Best Episodes of All in the Family Season 1

Episode Rankings

1. #1 Fan Favorite
   

   8.4/10(623 votes)

   #1 - Meet the Bunkers

   S1:E11/12/1971

   It's Edith and Archie Bunker's wedding anniversary. Edith manages to drag Archie to church. Daughter Gloria and her husband Mike try to whip up a party atmosphere for the parents.

   Director:John Rich

   Writers:Lennie Weinrib, Norman Lear

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   Director:John Rich

   Writers:Lennie Weinrib, Norman Lear
2. 

   7.6/10(467 votes)

   #2 - Writing the President

   S1:E21/19/1971

   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

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   Director:John Rich

   Writer:Norman Lear
3. 

   7.9/10(447 votes)

   #3 - Oh, My Aching Back (aka Archie's Aching Back)

   S1:E31/26/1971

   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

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   Director:John Rich

   Writer:Stanley Ralph Ross
4. 

   8.2/10(407 votes)

   #4 - Archie Gives Blood

   S1:E42/2/1971

   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

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   Director:John Rich

   Writer:Norman Lear
5. 

   8.7/10(548 votes)

   #5 - Judging Books by Covers

   S1:E52/9/1971

   Archie scorns one of Mike's effeminate friends, unaware that one of his own beer-drinking buddies is a well-adjusted gay man.

   Director:John Rich

   Writers:Norman Lear, Burt Styler

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   Director:John Rich

   Writers:Norman Lear, Burt Styler
6. 

   8.2/10(404 votes)

   #6 - Gloria's Pregnancy (aka Gloria Has a Belly Full)

   S1:E62/16/1971

   Archie's dream of becoming a grandfather is dashed when Gloria suffers a sudden miscarriage.

   Director:John Rich

   Writer:Jerry Mayer

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   Director:John Rich

   Writer:Jerry Mayer
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7. 

   7.8/10(403 votes)

   #7 - Mike's Hippie Friends Come to Visit

   S1:E72/23/1971

   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

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   Director:John Rich

   Writer:Rob Reiner
8. 

   8.5/10(408 votes)

   #8 - Lionel Moves Into the Neighborhood

   S1:E83/2/1971

   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:Unknown

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   Director:John Rich

   Writer:Unknown
9. 

   8.2/10(397 votes)

   #9 - Edith Has Jury Duty

   S1:E93/9/1971

   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

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   Director:John Rich

   Writer:Susan Harris
10. 

    7.9/10(377 votes)

    #10 - Archie Is Worried About His Job

    S1:E103/16/1971

    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

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    Director:John Rich

    Writer:Norman Lear
11. 

    7.4/10(352 votes)

    #11 - Gloria Discovers Women's Lib

    S1:E113/23/1971

    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

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    Director:John Rich

    Writer:Norman Lear
12. 

    7.5/10(344 votes)

    #12 - Success Story

    S1:E123/30/1971

    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

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    Director:John Rich

    Writer:Burt Styler
13. 

    8.5/10(369 votes)

    #13 - The First and Last Supper

    S1:E134/6/1971

    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

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    Director:John Rich

    Writer:Jerry Mayer