Written by: Michael Ross, Bernie West, and Philip Mishkin
Less groundbreaking than some other episodes, this second-season episode was bold in its own way. Already having developed a reputation for tackling uncomfortable subjects, “Cousin Maude” crystallized the show’s power by introducing Archie’s perfect nemesis in the form of Bea Arthur, Edith’s ultra-liberal cousin. In earlier episodes, Archie’s loud, very particular, and very recognizable politics had come up against either fate, simple logic, or characters who were no match for Archie in terms of volume. Maude, on the other hand, is no pushover. From the presidency of Richard Nixon to the Civil Rights movement, the two go head-to-head on the same issues of the day that actual families were fighting about in their homes.
From this distance, it all seems relatively quaint—but imagine a major network sitcom in which two main characters yell at each other about, say, the January 6 probe, and you’ll get an idea of how revelatory (and probably stressful) this would have been (Black-ish is the only recent show that might come close). In 1971, it made a TV star of Bea Arthur.
Where to stream: Freevee, Pluto
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