8.4/10566 votes#1 - Meet the Bunkers
Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 1/12/1971
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
Writer: Lennie Weinrib, Norman Lear
7.6/10421 votes#2 - 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
7.9/10406 votes#3 - 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
8.2/10363 votes#4 - 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
8.8/10489 votes#5 - Judging Books by Covers
Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 2/9/1971
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
Writer: Burt Styler, Norman Lear
8.3/10367 votes#6 - 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
7.9/10362 votes#7 - 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
8.6/10369 votes#8 - 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
8.2/10359 votes#9 - 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
7.9/10342 votes#10 - 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
7.4/10314 votes#11 - 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
7.5/10313 votes#12 - 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
8.5/10330 votes#13 - 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
The Best Episodes of All in the Family Season 1
Every episode of All in the Family Season 1 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of All in the Family Season 1!
Archie Bunker, a working class bigot, constantly squabbles with his family over the important issues of the day.
Genre:Comedy
Network:CBS
Season 1 Ratings Summary
"Meet the Bunkers" is the best rated episode of "All in the Family" season 1. It scored 8.4/10 based on 566 votes. Directed by John Rich and written by Lennie Weinrib, Norman Lear, it aired on 1/12/1971. This episode is rated 0.8 points higher than the second-best, "Writing the President".