All in the Family (TV Series) Edith's Crisis of Faith: Part 1 (1977) User Reviews

Sad Ending for Beverly

[infoed-01836 · 8/10 · 18 December 2023]

One thing I noticed about this episode is that while Gloria and Beverly are all buddy-buddy, Gloria actually did not ever have scenes with Beverly before. In fact, I don't think Sally Struthers was in either of the earlier episodes that feature Beverly. But man, does Struthers seem to be having the time of her life here.

What a sad episode though. I mean, really sad. The Bunkers Christmas episodes were never exactly light and cheery (Archie's bonus, a lump in Edith's breast, dinner with the draft dodger) but this one, the final holiday episode with the full cast is a real downer. And to think that the second part aired Christmas Day in 1977. Ah well. Goodbye, Beverly. You were a good character.

Classic TV Xmas Countdown Episode #18

[kgraovac · 8/10 · 20 December 2023]

Female impersonator Beverly LaSalle visits Edith to invite the Bunkers to her Carnegie Hall debut. When Mike and Beverly leave to grab a cab for Beverly, they are mugged and end up in the hospital, where Beverly dies, throwing Edith into shock.

Though you'll obviously want to watch both, Part 1 of this two-part episode is the stronger of the pair. It's nowhere near as powerful as the 1976 "Draft Dodger" episode, but this one is a good showcase for Jean Stapleton.

In the opening scene with Beverly, Edith fiddles with the feather boa, and gets Bette Davis and Mae West confused. There is some sweet dialog where Edith says she considers Beverly "like family". Even though Archie continually mixes up the pronouns (the CC mob would have him canceled for sure in 2023), he tolerates Beverly because of Edith's fondness.

When Barney (Allan Melvin) bursts in with the news of the attack, Gloria freaks out. Sally Struthers does well in this scene. She's a little annoying in the hospital when she first sees Mike and starts blubbering. When the doctor gives the bad news about Beverly's death, Edith is silent but her expressions tell all.

Part 1 ends with Edith sitting defiantly on the porch, the family thinking she had gone to church. "I ain't goin' today and may never go back!".

To be continued... 8/10 for Part 1.

Goodbye, Beverly

[gregorycanfield · 10/10 · 10 June 2021]

Beverly LaSalle visits the Bunkers at Christmas time. We see Beverly, for the first time, dressed like a man. There is one scene I've always found questionable. Mike decides to walk to a store with Beverly. Gloria asks: "Where are you going?" with a clearly worried look on her face. Mike and Beverly wind up getting mugged. However, Gloria looked worried before this happened, and before she could have known anything was going to happen. Curious. The episode ends on the saddest possible note.

Beverly LaSalle's last appearance

[Jimmy_the_Gent4 · 22 March 2018]

Christmastime at the Bunkers is brought down by a vicious mugging of Mike and Beverly.

This episode starts promisingly, with Beverly visiting Edith and Archie for Christmas and inviting them to his show. Then it turns dark and depressing when Beverly is murdered. A big mistake by the writers, they took the funniest new character they had in the later seasons and just kill him off. It ends with Edith losing faith in God, making things worse for her (and us viewers)

It was a long reach-and they missed ...

[ronnybee2112 · 4/10 · 17 December 2019]

First let me say that I really like All in the Family. The first few years of the show were almost all great episodes. Great writing,funny,and fast-moving. This particular episode showcases just how bad the show had become toward the end. Somewhere between the first few years of the show,and this episode,the show lost it's heart. They were running out of ideas,and desperation was showing. Instead of getting new writers they got into lazy habits such as introducing 'disposable characters' that lasted only a few episodes,only to disappear without a trace. In this episode a character that was seen only 2 times previously is killed in a mugging ! As a result of this killing,Edith has a 'crisis of faith' (!?) In the seven previous seasons I don't remember Edith ever being particularly pious... But the show drones on and on about Edith's 'crisis of faith' in an annoying and heavy-handed manner. Think of a sledgehammer and an ant. Then,suddenly,after all the 'crisis of faith' baloney,Edith turns on a dime and has a quick change of heart. The whole thing seemed cheap and fake-and I have a high tolerance for both !🌞