51 Years Ago, All In The Family Aired Its Most Important Episode

2 weeks ago 8

The Bunker family smiling together in All in the Family.

Published Feb 22, 2026, 6:01 PM EST

Zach Moser is a Philadelphia native who loves films, television, books, and any and all media he can get his hands on. Zach has had articles published on satirical sites such as Points In Case, Slackjaw, and McSweeney's.

All in the Family was, for the most part, a comedy, but it had the capacity for deeply emotional moments you don't tend to see in other shows of the era. Following the working-class Bunker family living in Queens, New York City, All in the Family remains one of the most beloved sitcoms of all time.

The series dealt with subjects considered taboo in the 1970s. Their neighbors, the Jeffersons, were a rare example of an upwardly mobile Black family who weren't afraid to speak frankly about their white neighbors. Despite their husbands' antagonism, Edith Bunker (Jean Stapleton) and Louise Jefferson (Isabel Sanford) became friends, leading to one of the most touching moments in the show.

Edith Bunker And Louise Jefferson's Goodbye Is The Most Touching Moment In All In The Family

Edith and Archie Bunker from All in the Family

Archie (Carroll O'Connor) and George Jefferson (Sherman Hemsley) could manage a begrudging respect at best on All in the Family, but Edith and Louise form a true friendship over seasons 4 and 5. So in season 5, episode 17, "The Jeffersons Move Up", of course, Edith and Louise have a goodbye moment.

It's subtly done, and painfully realistic. Edith comes over to bring the Jeffersons some fruit for their trip. Both women try to downplay the move and awkwardly say goodbye as if it's any other day. Louise can be reserved, and Edith can be oblivious, so it seems like that might be all the goodbye we get.

Then Edith, never one to understand a social situation, stops and asks Louise if she ever told her friend she loves her. Louise responds, "Every day", and the two women embrace. It's a real tearjerker that's elevated by the beautiful performances of Stapleton and Sanford, whose faces express so much.

"The Jeffersons Move Up" Is A Backdoor Pilot For The Jeffersons

Sherman Hemsley as George Jefferson and Isabel Sanford Louise "Weezy" Jefferson in The Jeffersons.

This tearful moment comes early in the episode, and the Bunkers don't come back in because "The Jeffersons Move Up" is actually a backdoor pilot for The Jeffersons. The rest of the episode is dedicated to the Jeffersons moving to a luxury building in Manhattan and the culture shock they experience from doing so.

The Jeffersons Ended Up Running Longer Than All In The Family

Louise (Isabel Sanford) and George (Sherman Hemsley) having breakfast in The Jeffersons.

All in the Family was one of the biggest shows on the air when it played, but its spinoff, The Jeffersons, ended up being arguably bigger. It was unquestionably longer, with 11 seasons, whereas All in the Family had 9. Both shows were nominated for and won dozens of Emmys and Golden Globes over their runs.

Spinoff series don't often overcome their parent shows, except in a few notable cases, but The Jeffersons had a lot of what made All in the Family so special: comedy, excellent chemistry and performances, and a willingness to push boundaries, along with a very real depiction of a middle-class Black family, which had seldom been seen before.