The cast is a very good cast with some decent performances by the always dependable John Amos (Good Times) and a then-unknown Maura Tierney who has been good in shows like "News Radio". The problem is that the show is somewhat superficial in the creation of its characters. The exploration of a multi-ethnic, multi-racial family may seem revolutionary, but each character is a cliche. Archie and Meathead were cliches of the pinko lefty and the bigot Nixon supporter (the "silent majority?"), but they were cliches with depth. That depth within the cliche expanded the character. In this return to the same house, Norman Lear seemed content to revisit the setting by creating characters that were supposed to spark the same fireworks, but lack the depth to make you care. The only true positive thing to come of the show is its failure. Lear seems content that a black man sitting in Archie's chair should be shocking, but the great thing about how far this country has come since 1971 is that a black man sitting in Archie's chair is not shocking. Whatever success Lear had in breaking down societal walls are primarily the reasons for the show's failure. God bless America.
Review of 704 Hauser
