All in the Family — Season 1, Episode 3: Oh, My Aching Back (aka Archie's Aching Back)

Episode synopsis

Archie is convinced he'll collect a large settlement from a petty traffic accident if a Jewish lawyer handles the case. The stylistic minimalism of the Bunkers' sparsely furnished set is on full display in this early episode. According to director John Rich, who grew up not far from Archie's neighbood, the Spartan look of the Bunkers' living room deco was achieved as a result of painstaking efforts. The director remembers personally supervising the cracking of windows and repainting of walls to give the place a run-down, lived-in look. "I told the set designers to take all the color out of it," remembers Rich. "Norman and I wanted to do the show in black and white, but CBS nearly went into a coma. So we decided to do the next best thing and shoot the entire show in muted sepia tones."

About All in the Family

Archie Bunker, a working class bigot, constantly squabbles with his family over the important issues of the day.

More episodes from Season 1

• E1Meet the Bunkers
• E2Writing the President
• E4Archie Gives Blood
• E5Judging Books by Covers
• E6Gloria's Pregnancy (aka Gloria Has a Belly Full)
• E7Mike's Hippie Friends Come to Visit
• E8Lionel Moves Into the Neighborhood
• E9Edith Has Jury Duty
• E10Archie Is Worried About His Job
• E11Gloria Discovers Women's Lib
• E12Success Story
• E13The First and Last Supper