Edith's 50th Birthday (Part 2)

"Edith's 50th Birthday (Part 2)"
	Season 8, episode # 5; # 162 overall in series (205 episodes)
	"All in the Family" episode
Series:	All in the Family
Network/Country:	CBS-TV / USA
Air date	October 16, 1977
Production code	807 (8x5)
Written by:	Bob Weiskopf & Bob Schiller
Directed by:	Paul Bogart
Guest starring:	John Brandon; Ray Colella
IMDb:	Edith's 50th Birthday (Part 2)
	Episode guide
"Edith's 50th Birthday (Part 1)"	"Unequal Partners"
	List of All in the Family episodes ; List of Maude episodes; List of Archie Bunker's Place episodes

Edith's 50th Birthday (Part 2) is the fifth episode of Season 8 of All in the Family, and the 162nd overall episode in the series; it also was the conclusion of what was originally telecast as a two-part one hour two episode story. Written by Bob Weiskopf and Bob Schiller, the episode, which was directed by Paul Bogart, originally aired with the first part on CBS-TV on October 16, 1977.

"Edith's 50th Birthday (Part 2)"
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Synopsis[]

The family tries to convince Edith to cooperate in the investigation of her assailant and delicately help her through the lasting effects of her traumatic experience. However, it soon become obvious that it's going to take tough love to make a break through.

Storyline[]

A badly shaken Edith tells Archie, Gloria, and Mike about her encounter with the rapist and that she managed to fight him off and escape, running next door to Mike and Gloria's house. Archie tries to comfort Edith, while Mike and Gloria want to call the police, but Archie and Edith both object. Archie fears the matter will go to court, where the rapist will manipulate the ordeal to make it look like Edith was coming on to him (recalling how Gloria opted not to press charges against the man who attacked her earlier, for the same reason), and Edith just wants to forget the whole ordeal.

Archie and Mike return to the Bunker household and search the house in case the rapist is still present. Mike finds some of his discarded clothes in the closet, but nothing else. Edith and Gloria return, and the police not long after, having picked up a suspicious character. They ask Edith to come to the station to identify the man, and his discarded clothes that Mike found, but Edith refuses.

Two weeks after the attack, Edith, still shaken by what happened, has fallen into a state of constant fear and depression, constantly ironing bedsheets, washing clothes, panicking anytime the doorbell rings, and anything else, and even Archie's attempts to be extra supportive don't seem to help that much. Gloria then reveals that the rapist had been released and subsequently attacked another women, but was then picked up again. She urges Edith to go to the police station to identify him, so he won't be released again. Edith refuses, and Gloria declares her "selfish" and no longer considers Edith her mother. Edith then slaps her, and immediately feels remorse for doing so. With that, she realizes the only way she ever recover from her trauma, is to identify the man, and she and Archie head out to the police station to do so.

Did You Know?[]

Trivia[]

This was originally an hour-long episode, broken into two for syndication.
At around 15 minutes when the phone rings we can see the Bunker's phone number is 555-7382.

Alternate versions[]

Originally broadcast with Part I as one hour long episode. Syndicated repeats are in two separate parts. The DVD release of the series presents both parts in their original broadcast version.

Scene excerpts[]

Quotes

Gloria: Daddy, we have to call the police!
Archie: No!
Edith: DON'T!!!
Gloria: MOM! Remember when it happened to me three years ago? That's the first thing we did.
Archie: And what the first thing the cop told you when he come over to the house? He said if it ever got into court, they'd ask you questions they turn around and make it look like you were ask for it there! That's why we dropped the whole thing, remember that, huh? And what you want to do, put your mother and me through the same kind of shame there?
Mike: Sure. They might drop your name from the Social Register.

Gloria: Ma, look at ya! You haven't been out of this house in two weeks!
Edith: No, please, Gloria, I don't care! I don't wanna look at that man again.
Gloria: Ma, don't you see? The criminal's supposed to be in jail, not the victim.

Gloria: [instructing Archie on how to be tender with Edith] I want you to hold her hand, put your arm around her, give her a kiss.

[gives him a little kiss]

Gloria: [forcefully] Now do that!
Archie: But if I do that after what happened here, she'll think I'm trying to attack her.
Gloria: No, no, no, you're wrong. See, what happened to Ma had nothing to do with sex, it was an act of violence. And if you're not attentive, she's gonna think something's wrong with her. So go on up there Daddy, I know she's thinking that right now. Be affectionate to her, come on. And I'll get your dinner started.
Archie: [reluctantly] Yeah, yeah, but Gloria. I, I... I can't do it!
Gloria: [chasing him up the stairs] Get up there!

Edith: [Mike and Archie are going to check the house for the rapist] HE'S GOT A GUN!

[both men slam the door]

Archie: This is why every citizen should have a loaded gun in his house you big mouthed liberal you!
Mike: HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I TOLD YOU I DON'T BELIEVE IN VIOLENCE?

[picks up baseball bat]

Archie: What're you going to do with that? BUNT him off the premises?

Archie: He tried to

[mouths the word 'rape']

Archie: her.
Mike: HE TRIED TO RAPE HER?
Archie: DON'T SAY BAD THINGS IN WORDS!

Cast (in Credits Order)[]

Main Cast[]

Guest Stars/Recurring Cast[]

John Brandon as Cop
Ray Colella as Cop