Customer Reviews

All in the Family : Season 3

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

"All In The Family" Season 3 comes to DVD with the introduction of this handsome 3-Disc set from Columbia/Tri-Star Home Entertainment.

This boxed set gives us all 24 episodes of the show's third season (which was its second FULL season, following the 13-episode half-campaign from Season One). Episode numbers 38 through 61 are here, divided among the three single-sided discs, and shown in their original video and audio presentation. Video ratio is Full-Frame (1.33:1); while the audio comes via Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono tracks (in English only). No DVD player-generated subtitles here though, which is odd since Seasons 1 and 2 included them.

Picture quality, generally-speaking, seems OK here. Far from perfect; but OK. These shows, like the first two seasons of the series as well, were shot on "Tape", and not film. And from past DVD releases of "taped" programs, this usually means a generally less-appealing and lower-quality transfer to the digital format.

Fans should be pleased by Columbia's addition of a "Play All" feature that has been incorporated into this 3rd-season DVD package. The first two seasons didn't have this helpful "marathon" option. Good to see they've added it for this release.

Special Features are totally absent here (except for some ads for other Columbia DVD products).

But, thank goodness, this third-season set DOES include chapter stops for all episodes. The first two seasonal sets of AITF didn't have any chapter breaks, which isn't a good thing, IMO. I prefer at least a minimal number of chapter breaks on DVD products, even for a half-hour sitcom.

Especially important, in my opinion, is the inclusion of a "break" immediately following a TV program's opening titles. Such breaks *are* included in this DVD set. A chapter break of this nature is all the more important to have on these "All In The Family" episodes, due to the rather "grating" nature of Archie and Edith's opening-song rendition. After hearing Edith belt this out for the umpteenth time, in that fingernails-on-a-chalkboard way she had, I find it useful to bypass the credits most of the time. (Nothing personal against Jean Stapleton, you understand. She was marvelous as Edith Bunker. But, let's face it, she's no Judy Garland.) LOL. :)

Season Three offers up some pretty humorous programs with Archie & Edith & Company, such as: "The Bunkers And The Swingers", "Edith's Winning Ticket", "Archie And The Editorial", "Edith Flips Her Wig", and the two-parter "Mike And Gloria's Wedding". All episodes are shown in full, uncut form -- each lasting between 25 and 26 minutes (approximately).

Packaging for this set blends nicely with the first two "All In The Family" sets. The three discs are housed in a multi-panel fold-out case, which then slides into an outer cardboard slipcover. (Although, IMO, the innards of the box slide out from the wrong end of the outer slipcase, but that's a minor quibble.)

There are two subtle packaging changes/improvements on this boxed set that I really like. One being the fact that the discs can be removed from their plastic trays/hubs quite easily (which is unlike some other multi-disc DVD releases, where it's almost necessary to bend discs to their breaking point before the things can be removed from their Digipack homes).

But this AITF third-season packaging seems to be more user-friendly with regard to removing the discs from the case. Perhaps this is a sign that the DVD makers (from various companies) are really listening to consumer feedback with regard to complaints and concerns people have expressed about previously-released boxed sets where the discs were just "too tight" and difficult to remove. I commend Columbia/Tri-Star for this better packaging design.

The other small change in the packaging that I think is a good idea is the location of the "booklet pocket". This set has the booklet "right up front" (so to speak). When you first open the inner case, the multi-page booklet is right there (without having to unfold the whole case). It's easier to get at.

This is another solid season of one of the best comedy series ever to come to American television. Make room on the shelf for this DVD collection -- right next to "All In The Family" Seasons One and Two.

1. Archie and the Editorial

2. Archie's Fraud

3. The Threat

4. Gloria and the Riddle

5. Lionel Steps Out

6. Edith Flips Her Wig

7. The Bunkers and the Swingers

8. Mike Comes Into Money

9. Flashback: Mike and Glorias Wedding 1

10. Flashback: Mike and Glorias Wedding 2

11. The Locket

12. Mikes Appendix

13. Edith's Winning Ticket

14. Archhie and the Bowling Team

15. Archie in the Hospital

16. Oh say can you see

17. Archie Goes to Far

18. Class Reunion

19. Hot Watch

20. Archie is Branded

21. Everybody Tells the Truth

22. Archie Learns His Lesson

23. Gloria, The Victim

24. THe Battle of the Month

The #1 Nielsen rated program from 1971 to 1976, All In The Family is quite simply one of the greatest television programs in history. Inspired by The Honeymooners and The Flintstones, All In The Family features its own loud-mouthed, opinionated blowhard sporting a hidden soft and sensitive side. Like Ralph Kramden and Fred Flintstone, Archie Bunker fulfills his role to absolute perfection, and the result is TV magic. Well-written and outright hilarious, All In The Family broke ground in the 70's with its willingness to tackle all the social issues and societal taboos of its day. Topics included racism, bigotry, sexism, homosexuality, death, and other namby-pam, socialist and liberal-feminist ideals (or at least that's how Archie would put it!) A titan among television sitcoms, All In The Family spawned a pair of shows which topped the ratings in their own right - Maude and The Jeffersons...

Carroll O'Connor plays the role of Archie Bunker, the titular head of the Bunker household. Loud and crass, Archie freely dispenses his bigoted remarks and ignorant comments from the living room of his Queens, New York home. Joining Archie is his loving and ditsy wife Edith (Jean Stapelton), his beautiful and progressive daughter Gloria (Sally Struthers), and her ultra-liberal husband Mike (Rob Reiner) whom Archie refers to as "Meathead". As Gloria and Mike's modern ideas clash with Archie's old school beliefs, all hell breaks loose in the Bunker household, but the Bunkers don't spend all their time arguing as they're inevitably held together by the immutable bond of love...

The All In The Family (Season 3) DVD features a number of hilarious episodes including the season premiere "Archie and the Editorial" in which Archie ardently defends his anti-gun control views on a TV editorial show, only to be held up by a pair of muggers wielding a gun when he leaves the station. The incident causes Archie to transform into a gun control advocate... Other notable episodes from Season 3 include "Lionel Steps Out" in which Lionel Jefferson takes Archie's niece out on the town (peeving Archie who believes whites and blacks don't mix), and "Mike's Appendix" in which Archie and Gloria fight over the credentials of female doctors when Mike is forced to have an emergency appendectomy...

Below is a list of episodes included on the All In The Family (Season 3) DVD:

Episode 38 (Archie and the Editorial)
Episode 39 (Archie's Fraud)
Episode 40 (The Threat)
Episode 41 (Gloria and the Riddle)
Episode 42 (Lionel Steps Out)
Episode 43 (Edith Flips Her Whig)
Episode 44 (The Bunkers and the Swingers)
Episode 45 (Mike Comes Into Money)
Episode 46 (Flashback: Mike and Gloria's Wedding: Part 1)
Episode 47 (Flashback: Mike and Gloria's Wedding: Part 2)
Episode 48 (The Locket)
Episode 49 (Mike's Appendix)
Episode 50 (Edith's Winning Ticket)
Episode 51 (Archie and the Bowling Team)
Episode 52 (Archie in the Hospital)
Episode 53 (Oh Say Can You See)
Episode 54 (Archie Goes Too Far)
Episode 55 (Class Reunion)
Episode 56 (Hot Watch)
Episode 57 (Archie is Branded)
Episode 58 (Everybody Tells the Truth)
Episode 59 (Archie Learns His Lesson)
Episode 60 (Gloria, the Victim)
Episode 61 (The Battle of the Month)

The DVD Report

I just received my new season three set. I couldn't believe what they did to this set. In place of the nice box set, they sent a snap case that is usually used for just one movie. All three discs are setting "ON TOP" of each other. Their is absolutely no partition. This is going to be extremely easy to scratch the discs. Now it would have been nice if they had sent these in slim-line cases, but these are 'piled' on top of each other. Cheap all the way! I also discovered that these discs do not play in my computer, (like every set I've ever purchased does). This set is going back tomorrow. Sony really did a number on their customers.

I haven't seen it yet, since it hasn't been released. Nevertheless, I've already seen some episodes of season 3 on TV and it is hilarious, like the other seasons! A great timeless show, for which you keep laughing no matter how often you've seen it.
Finally, they brought another season on DVD, and I hope they will continu the series on dvd! I also hope they will release the other seasons in a faster rate. This is ridiculous, more than a year between the release of seasons!
Come on, columbia, let's get this release of the show in the second gear, and bring out the other seasons asap!

This is arguably the BEST season of AitF. And that's hard to say because the first 5 years were consistently top notch. (Later seasons (6-9) had the show slowly become another stock and bland sitcom, keeping edgy/controversial stuff solely for sweeps episodes...

It gets 4 stars because Columbia House has built up a well deserved reputation of releasing poor quality DVD tranfers, at least for classic TV shows - I can't vouch for their movie releases though... The main reason why it isn't less than 4 stars is because the master tapes don't appear to be in the best of shape either and it probably isn't profitable enough to restore. :-(

This series is a must-buy for any fan. Some of it is dated, so twenty-somethings and younger may not appreciate it. A pity, every generation needs a show that dares to confront.

I am a diehard AITF fan since it first aired so I don't care about extras or digital remasterings.

What is being shown on the DVD includes the footage that hasn't been aired in thirty years because it was trimmed out so they could show more commercials in syndicated reruns.

This series was a seminal piece of television history. In the current political climate of hypersensitivity and political correctness a series like this could never be produced and it is a sad commentary on how low American culture has declined.

I don't know what is holding up the DVD releases but I would snap up the entire series plus ABP in a boxed set in a second and I wish that is how they would just release this series.

I love this show and am so glad to have the first three seasons on DVD, It is a classic and funny every time I watch it. I continually watch all three sessons and remember that at first I was one of those who thought it was in bad taste but caught it in the summer reruns and fell in love with it. The price is great for all episodes. It beats trying to tape when it is on here and there. This is a winner!!!!!!

All In The Family: The Complete Third Season has all twenty-four episodes from the third season of this hilarious yet socially relevant television series. Considered groundbreaking and daring in its time, All In The Family remains one of the best television sitcoms we've ever seen and possibly ever will see. The three DVDs are packaged nicely with great artwork and brief notes about each episode. The quality of the print is very good and the choreography was brilliant.

There are twenty-four episodes; and truthfully they all deserve much commentary and praise. I will list some of the episodes that I believe to be particularly important or well done; and hopefully this will be of some use to you.

"Archie And The Editorial." After a TV station's general manager gives an editorial to the effect that "guns must go," Archie becomes incensed and wants rebuttal time on the TV station--and he gets it, too. Archie and his family then get robbed at gunpoint at Kelsey's bar in their own neighborhood! Also look for a subplot about Gloria looking for work at a local department store.

"Gloria And The Riddle." Gloria gives the Bunker household a seemingly impossible riddle: A father and his son get into a car crash; and the father is killed. When the boy is rushed to surgery, the surgeon says "I can't operate on this boy; he's my son." Who's the doctor? There's also a subplot about Mike wanting Gloria to sew a button on his shirt partly because she's his wife.

"Flashback: Mike And Gloria's Wedding, Parts 1 And 2." On Mike and Gloria's second wedding anniversary, Edith gets out their wedding album to reminisce. We get an elaborate two part flashback about Archie meeting Mike's family, Archie not wanting Chinese food at the wedding, Mike storming out of the heated discussion out of pure frustration, and Archie clashing with Mike's uncle over whether they use have a priest or a reverend perform the marriage ceremony. Look for two great scenes in which Archie and Edith each give Mike and Gloria "advice" for young married couples; and the laughs are big when Edith plays "Here Comes The Bride" on the piano.

"Class Reunion." It's Edith's thirtieth high school reunion--but Archie won't take her and Edith doesn't want to go without Archie. Edith's cousin drops by to entice her to go; and Edith does decide to go--with Archie to monitor her--after Edith hears that her big high school crush, Buck Evans, will be at the gathering. The scenes in which Edith finally reunites with Buck and Archie meets Buck are terrific.

"Everybody Tells The Truth." Mike and Archie are having yet another disagreement. The refrigerator is dead and Archie and Mike clash as to how everyone behaved that evening. Mike tells the story of Archie coming home like a frothing at the mouth stark raving lunatic bullying the family and the repairmen; while Archie insists that he was an angel while everyone else was picking on him and treating him poorly. There's quite a controversy about a knife that the repairman's assistant used, too.

"Gloria The Victim." Believe it or not, they actually manage to handle the topic of attempted rape with a touch of humor here and there about foot-long hotdogs--and it all works well. Gloria is assaulted by a man as she walks past an empty construction site on a Saturday when she assumed nobody was there and she could "save a few steps" getting home from work. Fortunately, she is not raped; but the police detective gives everyone a lesson about just how tough it can be to convict a man accused of rape.

Overall, there's so many positives about All In The Family I couldn't list them here even if I tried. This three DVD set will bring you many laughs over and over again; and there are some very tender, poignant moments that are unforgettable as well. I highly recommend this DVD set for anyone who likes this sitcom; and it's even a great starter DVD set for people just discovering All In The Family as you can easily grasp who is who in the Bunker household.

Yes, Everyone Loves Raymond can't hold a candle to All in the Family...from ANY of the 9 seasons. If you are some young kiddo who has never seen an episode of All in the Family, please try to catch it. This 3rd installment in the series took TOO LONG to get to the market and doesnt have enough extras. Why doesnt Sally Struthers do commentary? You figure she would have the time. The shows look and sound great. The 'subtitle' option is hilarious with the way they represent Archie's 'Bunkerisms'. I will buy all the seasons when they eventually come out. This show should be run on prime time network television to remind everyone what QUALITY really means.