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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Rob Reiner said his favorite All in the Family scene grew out of an unscripted disagreement: Mike Stivic and Archie Bunker arguing over whether to put on socks or shoes first. Reiner recalled that Carroll O’Connor noticed how he was getting dressed, challenged him, and the two improvised the exchange that made it into the show.
How the sock-and-shoe scene happened
In a 2019 interview with SiriusXM host John Fugelsang, actor Rob Reiner recalled that O’Connor walked in while he was dressing and questioned his method. Reiner put on one sock and one shoe before moving to the other foot; O’Connor argued that both socks should go on before either shoe. The pair improvised the back-and-forth, which was incorporated into the episode. Parade reproduces Reiner’s recollection from the interview.
![All in the Family: The Complete Series [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51FggWKaR9L._SL160_.jpg)
Reiner’s account, as printed by Parade, includes the line: “And we just improvised the whole thing, and it became to something that was in the show.” The unusual phrase “became to” is part of the reproduced wording.
What happens in the scene
Archie and Mike are getting ready to go fishing when Archie spots Mike dressing one foot at a time. Mike defends his approach, and the argument turns into a debate about which method would be better if they had to hurry. The joke is the seriousness with which they treat a minor dressing habit—even though they are already meant to be in a hurry. A second account of the exchange describes the same setup.
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Which episode features the argument?
The scene is in “Gloria Sings the Blues,” Season 4, episode 22. The episode’s main story is about Gloria feeling depressed and temporarily questioning her relationship with Mike; Archie and Mike’s planned fishing trip frames the sock-and-shoe detour. The episode guide account reports the original air date as March 2, 1974.
There is a one-day discrepancy in listings: Amazon’s Season 4 listing labels episode 22 “Gloria Sings The Blues” and displays March 1, 1974. That platform date does not settle the difference in reported dates.
Rank #2
![All in the Family: The Complete Series [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51NlaAc-GBL._SL160_.jpg)
- Factory sealed DVD
Why Reiner remembered it
Reiner said people often brought up the exchange when they approached him after shows. He recalled them saying that the scene they remembered most was the one in which he and Archie discussed how to put on socks and shoes. That is Reiner’s account of conversations with viewers, not a measured ranking or survey showing it was the most popular scene.
The scene’s appeal is easy to locate in its scale: no major revelation or elaborate set piece is needed. Two characters with very different temperaments turn an everyday habit into a matter of principle, and the spontaneous quality Reiner described fits the scene’s petty, convincing logic.
Rank #3
Where to watch
The episode belongs to Season 4, but streaming access, digital listings, and DVD availability can vary by country and change over time. Check the episode title and season against the service or disc listing available in your region; the Amazon listing is one reference for the season, not proof of current streaming access or identical DVD contents everywhere.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- Including 2 never before realeased pilot episodes for All in the Family.
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