While there are things from back in the day that might give one pause today the flip side is there are things today people get their shorts in a knot over I think are totally ridiculous.
+1
I don’t want to drag this too far off topic, but the other day the subject of the ‘70’s classic series All In The Family came up at work. The show was controversial in its day. I highly doubt it could be made today. It was quite something to watch Archie and Michael arguing over politics, gun control, race, abortion, Vietnam, Watergate, and practically anything. It could be enlightening as well as entertaining.
AitF in the 1970s was a huge risk and even the first season had a pre-episode disclaimer warning the audience that sensitive topics may be brought up. Indeed, after the fourth season or so, the show became a more generic comedy and toning down the "controversial" stuff... save for sweeps week episodes, of course...
Despite nostalgia over the late-60s/early-70s in the 1990s, it didn't stop a loose sequel from being attempted in 1993: "704 Hauser". It did capture the feel all while jostling different controversial topics and it honestly wasn't any worse or better than the 1970s original. Regardless, audiences balked. The 1970s were indeed a different time, where one could be "flagrant but with a twist" and people would yum it up. Using the same format as a cookie cutter did not work for most, even though the 1993 sequel wasn't any different in tone or spirit. YMMV, of course.
Apart from hand-picked remakes of old scripts played by new actors with original cast members doing cameos - as that happened and people yummed it up - trying the same premise but with new scripts and a jostling of new topics probably would be howled at by many in the audience regardless of age.
Or maybe it is possible to recapture the spirit AND win over audiences with some deft handling.
Someone twenty something at work asserted the show sounded incredibly insensitive. Her actual remark was, “They could be so insensitive back in the day.” This without ever having actually seen an episode.
Ouch. Having to teach the history lesson as to what life was like at the time followed by an episode would be a hard sell. Just watching the old shows could lead to quick misinterpretations and misunderstandings, never mind all the wars and assassinations and stuff going on at the time.
I can just imagine the howls of outrage from social justice warriors if All In The Family debuted today.
The original show did take its time to show Michael (the hippie) as being right, but also took enough time to show he was sometimes wrong (if not unaware of his own irony) as well. Most characters were little different in some ways, just with opposing viewpoints. Actually, IMHO, the only character close to being saint-like was Edith. But she's also the least-exciting character...
Here's an interesting perspective that must have hit big on initial airing:
In broad strokes a key point is that blue collar Archie was not actually a bad guy. His head was full of backward ideas he’d grown up with. Along comes his new son-in-law Michael as the long haired Liberal to challenge Archie’s ideas. Archie made some people uncomfortable then. They’d be howling for Archie’s head and for the show to be immediately cancelled today.
For a Republican and all that, he was in and supported a union.
Archie definitely made people feel uncomfortable. So did Michael. Depends on the issue. But Archie would more often be seen to change and adapt, whereas Michael wouldn't budge. Even, ironically, when arguing with Gloria on some issues..
Archie's dialogue was so over the top, even for back then. I think it had to be in order for anyone to actually laugh, and generally
at him. He still had moments of grounding as he couldn't be cartoonish all the time. And he did grow the most over the years.
The actor, Carroll O'Connor, who was in fact a Democrat, also got death letters. What is it with some people conflating the actor as the character? Do they not know what the word "actor" means?!
In lesser hands, the show would have been a disaster because it is a fine line to do something as controversial yet make it actually be funny instead of constantly angering. O'Connor, Stapleton, Reiner, Struthers, and Evans were perfect casting (and the pilot episodes with different casts often fell flat way too fast because the actors came across annoying rather than engaging.)
A good episode is when Archie got involved with a chapter of the KKK who want to teach some Liberals a lesson with burning crosses. Archie starts to get uneasy, and when he finds out Michael (as well as his daughter and grandson) are targets to be terrorized by the KKK Archie takes a stand in his son-in-law’s defence.
Man, I should rewatch that series.
It's next on my list and I'll look up that episode first. The show definitely was not afraid to tackle subjects and the actors do a hell of a job to make the balance of comedy and drama compelling.
I recall a powerful episode where someone paints the Nazi symbol on Archie's door as a marker for a hit. It's a great examination of the human condition, especially where violence is concerned. There are so many episodes from the first three seasons... all the characters have their stances, but are layered and given the time to be fleshed out. Lightning was in a bottle for that show, that's for sure.
Oh, I forgot to add: Along with Edith, Lionel was the show's other most level-headed character, but given the snark that no other character could have. They're both my favorites... Amazing balance of characters on the show...
