Episode no. Season 9 | ||
Written by Norman LearMort LachmanMilt Josefsberg Produced by Brigit Jensen-DrakeWalter C. Miller Editing by Hal CollinsHarvey Berger |
"The 200th Episode Celebration of All in the Family" is a 90-minute retrospective of the American television sitcom All in the Family starring Carroll O'Connor, Jean Stapleton, Rob Reiner and Sally Struthers which aired on Sunday, March 4, 1979 at 8:00 p.m. EST on CBS. It was directed by Walter C. Miller, hosted by Norman Lear and videotaped on February 19, 1979 in front of a live audience at Mark Taper Forum of the Los Angeles Music Center in Los Angeles, California.
Contents
Overview
The special celebrates the 200th episode of All in the Family and is hosted by the show's creator, Norman Lear. Lear addresses a theater filled with 100 couples who have traveled from 48 states for the celebration and explains that the evening will feature "choice moments" from the long-running series. A variety of episode clips are then screened, grouped thematically by topic, including groundbreaking television moments, political arguments between Mike and Archie, Edith's character, Christianity, Archie's bigotry and human sexuality.
Between screenings, Lear discusses the program's groundbreaking role in bringing real-life subject matters to television – material that had been censored in the past. Lear quotes Time magazine, in which a writer said of the content of network entertainment shows, "By and large any subjects were fair game, except those that bore on the reality of viewer's lives." Lear also describes some of the criticism All in the Family has received.
Lear introduces a further series of clips from the show, characterizing the theme of the clips as "a celebration of life". Next, Lear talks about censorship and the strides made by All in the Family. The last clip of the evening is from the episode "The Stivics Go West" (season 8, episode 24) in which Mike and Gloria move away from the Bunker household. Finally, Lear introduces the cast members who walk onstage to join him: Sally Struthers, Rob Reiner, Jean Stapleton and Carroll O'Connor. The program closes with glimpses of the after-show party at the Los Angeles Music Center, during which the guests mingle with the cast members.
Featured episode clips
Award nomination
Nominated: 1979 Primetime Emmy Award – Outstanding Video Tape Editing for a Series (Harvey W. Berger, Hal Collins)