All in the Family (TV Series) Archie and the Computer (1973) User Reviews

Computers and prunes

[stones78 · 27 January 2015]

This clever episode solidly combines two different story lines, one which has Edith receiving quarters in the mail from a prune company, and the other has Archie being declared dead by the Veterans Administration. Both were computer errors, and while Archie was defending the computer for the free quarters, he is as equally disturbed by his "death" mistake by another computer. Mike also gives Archie some jabs, as he tells him that he must be really dead. Mike thinks it's wrong to keep the money, as Edith eventually returns all the quarters, much to Archie's chagrin. There's a weird scene when the Bunker's meet with a Mr. Dundee(James O'Rear), who's very pretentious acting, and not very friendly, to clear Archie's status. I felt the scene seemed out of place, even though it tried to be funny. I still enjoyed the episode for the most part, as it seemed very original with good writing.

Lots of zany fun

[vitoscotti · 10/10 · 26 December 2021]

Very funny performances by James O'Rear (Dundee) & Jack Grimes (Whitehurst The undertaker). Jack Grimes is hilarious in this his 2nd brilliant appearance. Funny teasing by Mike to Archie about his false death. Well done dark comedy. Every scene is great. Archie's not a big fan of talking about death.

Without lots of coincidences, there is no such story

[cynic2all · 24 April 2022]

I don't know whether, if this were polled among viewers who watch the show, it would be considered.relevant today or not. It was years before mot people had personal computers in their home, and punch cards were still prevalent. But the point-- that "there's no respect for human dignity any more" by having machines compile and share data about us-- may be noteworthy. But I think they really stretch to illustrate it. The quarters Edith kept getting from the prune company-- why would no one be 'over' that to audit, per se, this promotion. And at that time first class postage was going to 10 cents, so was 15 cents, net, worth sending a box top in anyway, for about $1.60 at 50 cents postage today? I don't think I'd go to the trouble. But then the phone call that suddenly connects with the Lubbock Police Dept.-- is that possible? Or, *was* it? And Archie being dead in the VA system because one little punch hole was incorrect. I guess that would be possible. But does/did the VA share (or sell!) their info to outside orgs? I like the scene with Whitehead-- and unlike his appearance 2 years earlier, he uses the term undertaker for himself, whereas before he admonished Edith that's now passe and to say Funeral Director. What happened? Is FD less human dignified? Good play on words when Archie demands his hole to be filled in. But how could it be that Archie Bunker's death was recorded in place of Archie Binker's. How should that one vowel exchange result in the wrong person's death being declared, as is implied? Probably it's just a method of simplifying things for the audience, which would not have been very computer savvy at the time. Nevertheless, it was a valid message, though today it could not be done by the same script. And But still, "somebody's got to be dead-- that's life" (A. Bunker).