The Sequel To A Groundbreaking '70s Sitcom Is Available To Stream For Free

Most people remember "All in the Family," the hit 1970s sitcom starring Carroll O'Connor as Archie Bunker, the prejudiced but ultimately loving patriarch of the Bunker family. Fewer people, however, remember the show's sequel/spin-off series, "Archie Bunker's Place," which premiered five months after "All in the Family" aired its series finale.

Well, today you can catch up on that oft-neglected spin-off/sequel, because it's available for free on the streaming services Tubi and Roku. As long as you can put up with commercial breaks like viewers in the '80s had to endure, "Archie Bunker's Place" is still worth the watch.

You can tell the show was better than most simply by how long it lasted. Its entire first three seasons performed strongly in the ratings, and even its fourth and final season still ranked 22nd in its time slot, which was better than where the still-beloved touchstone series "M*A*S*H" ranked for most of its first season. When the news of "Archie Bunker's Place" being canceled broke in May 1983, the nation's TV critics and reporters offered the show a solemn farewell.

"After 12.5 years, ardent Archie fans will have to do without his loudmouth and bigoted remarks," remarked Debbie Clark in the Journal-Press. "Never again will we hear the man who coined for all America that famous word, 'Meathead.' Unless, of course, you liked Archie enough to watch the re-runs."

Although "Archie Bunker's Place" performed well enough in its first three seasons, it was never quite as well-received as its parent show. It featured Archie as his same old self, but instead of centering on his family life it focused more on Archie's work and social life. The show spent far more time at Archie's bar than it did in his home, which makes sense given that Jean Stapleton (who played his wife Edith) wanted to move on from the franchise after the original show's ninth and final season. Stapleton only appeared in a few episodes before the series established that Edith had died off-screen.

"Archie Bunker's Place" handled these changes respectfully, but it still made for a jarring experience. The absence of so much of Archie's family was definitely felt, which might be why viewers and critics didn't seem too bummed in 1983 by the news of the show ending. They were sad to see Archie go, but after over 12 years of him, it was clear that the party had been winding down anyway.

While "Archie Bunker's Place" may not have performed as well as all-time great spin-offs/sequels like "Frasier" or "Better Call Saul," it still lasted far longer than most. Misfires like "Joey," "Scrubs: Med School," "Baywatch Nights," and "That '80s Show" have all helped underline the point that a good, successful follow-up to a hit series is hard to make. "Archie Bunker's Place" may not have been a total triumph, but it sure could've been a lot worse.