While this is the final "All in the Family", the series would be reformatted into "Archie Bunker's Place" for the following season (at the behest of Norman Lear, insisting this episode be the end of All in the Family, quite possibly due to Jean Stapleton announcing her limited participation going forward).
The final scene of the series ends on Archie and Edith with a camera technique called an "Iris Out". Iris shots were a ubiquitous camera technique during the silent era of film. In the sound era the technique has often been used as a nostalgic homage to the past. This is fitting for the characters and as an end to the series as it uses the camera to visually communicate the theme of the series: 'those were the days'.
Last show of the series.
Despite the absence of Sally Struthers and Rob Reiner the series still pulled in high ratings placing ninth for the 1978-79 television season. This convinced CBS and Carroll O'Connor to reformat the show as Archie Bunkers Place which would maintain high ratings for its first three seasons, but unfortunately slumping during season four.
Final "All in the Family" program to be taped at Metromedia Square. With the change to "Archie Bunker's Place", the show would return to CBS Television City for that show's first season.