User Reviews

IMO this is one of the greatest episodes of All In the Family. I've been milling through the reviews of the various episodes of the series, and poked through some of the comments made here about this particular episode. I've watched this episode at least 4 times. It is totally worth viewing. It has everything that makes AITF one of the greatest shows in television history: hilarity, intensity, controversy, poignancy. Reiner and Struthers are brilliant, Archie's role is small but impactful, but it's the Dingbat that steals the show by demonstrating her kindness, and in the end, proving to be the toughest and wisest of the bunch. She will bring tears to your eyes.

I was a little concerned this episode would be a bummer serious. But, It showed serious honesty in a wonderful comedic way. Rob Reiner's best episode so far. His anger here was different than his anger towards Archie. A really brilliant acting performance done very naturally. The whole group of game players were great. Mike Evans serious side was as always a nice change.

This is a fun episode that really turns the tables on Mike. Archie is absent for much of the show which allows the focus to be centered on Mike and his arrogance toward Archie and even his soft bigotry toward Lionel. On the one hand, the show is pretty brutal on Mike, but his increasingly unhinged defensiveness is hilarious. There are so many small moments to love in this episode such as Archie doing a jig out the door, the neighbor admiring his own nose, Lionel's gratitude to Edith, Edith's wisdom about Archie, and the capper: Mike's reaction when Archie returns home. I'm constantly amazed how affecting, relevant, and downright funny this show can be 40 years after it first aired.

Absolutely superlative episode. Archie is absent for most of the episode, but this gives us an chance to see just how great all the other actors were. Mike's Group Therapy games proves that he can't take criticism, and something more important. Mike is playing the game with five people. He learns that none of these people view him the way he had assumed they did. This includes his wife and mother-in-law. Lionel has some great moments here. Lionel actually defends Archie, to Mike's amazement. Lionel prefers Archie's candor to Mike's patronizing attitude. The best moment in the episode is between Lionel and Edith. He tells Edith that he considers her his family's one true friend in the neighborhood. Overall, everyone is great in this superlative episode.

Great episode that holds the meatheads feet to the fire and expose him for being a phony and insecure and hypocritical. A rare episode that reveals alot of unspoken truths. Some that hurt to hear for sure.

Let me first say that I'm not a big fan of Lionel(Mike Evans)and the way he tries to pick on Archie, and even though he teases him in good taste, something about it rubs me the wrong way. Regarding this episode, which Archie barely makes an appearance, is a rather odd one as Mike is excited to play a game called Group Therapy, and he invites Lionel and the Lorenzo's over to play with the rest of the Bunker's, minus Archie. It's almost hard to watch because Mike overacts so much and is too defensive when he's questioned about certain aspects of his personality, as he feels he's being piled on, or thrown under the bus, as they say. Back to Lionel, I liked how he questioned why Mike always talks to him about the "black problem" instead of the weather sometimes. My favorite moment is when Lionel is asked to say something to someone that he's never said before, or something in that manner; he then walks up to Edith and basically tells her that when his family moved to town, they were all scared, but they were eased when they met her, and felt more at home. The way Lionel tells this to Edith is heartfelt, and she then plants a kiss on his cheek. The serious moments on this great show never seems too forced, and I like when the actors are allowed to show their skills, even with annoying Mike, who's really insufferable here. Other than these few moments, I wouldn't recommend this episode, and the ending is silly too.