Who Was Your Favorite Character on All in the Family?

Archie Bunker is an iconic character from All in the Family, but while he was front and center, always loved and often hated, it's Edith Bunker who truly wins my admiration.

Edith Bunker is a character who doesn't need to assert herself or prove her power. She is honest, cheerful, and most of all, confident. Edith possesses a profound wisdom that is always present, guiding her family to the right conclusions. She is the original TV Wonder Woman—a strong, gentle, and unassuming advocate for her family. It wasn't until she “passed away” that Archie realized how much she had propped him up.

She didn't need to show off, she didn't need to demonstrate her power, she was honest, cheerful, and most of all, she was confident. Edith had superior wisdom which was always present. She was always ready to guide her family to the right conclusions.

Oh my god. All four of them are so great, but I think everyone’s favorite has to be Edith, especially on those rare occasions when she gets angry at Archie and yells at him. Jean Stapleton was amazing. She brought a depth and warmth to the character that made her a constant source of inspiration and comfort for the family.

Archie Bunker represents a different era with his bigot with a heart of gold. Carroll O'Connor was a great actor who could convey the complexity of a character who exhibits all the prejudices of his time. He could still make you understand the mind of a bigot without falling into stereotypes, revealing him as a person instead of an archetype.

I'd have to say Archie. Carroll O'Connor took a character who exhibited all the prejudices of his time and while reveling in opportunities to lampoon him, still gave him a level of basic dignity and heart. His portrayal was so nuanced that it made the character relatable and understandable, even as you recognized the issues with his beliefs.

Thanks for the A2A. I never saw this show as I live in the UK, but I do know that it was based on the British comedy “Till Death Us Do Part” with the Archie Bunker character based on Alf Garnett from the UK. Alf was my favorite character from that show. Like Archie, Alf Garnett is a character of his time, whose views and prejudices made him relatable, even while his opinions were often offensive and outdated.