A typically excellent early episode of the iconic series. Death is the sacred cow that gets tipped this time around. Archie's cousin Oscar has been enjoying an extended stay with the Bunkers, drinking brandy, eating steak, and smoking cigars all on Archie's dime. Enough is finally enough and when Archie finally musters the courage to throw the bum out, he dispatches Mike to drop the axe on the old guy. But the Grim Reaper beat him to it--Oscar's dead.
The satire really kicks in once word gets out. The funeral director--don't call him an undertaker--is trying to sell Archie a deluxe package funeral while neighbors and a distant relative (a hilarious Peggy Rea) drop in. A nice touch was Louise Jefferson coming by with a cake. Even the Reverend Felcher--don't call him Fletcher (whatever!)--makes a personal appearance. This series often had such small casts, many times just the four stars and maybe Lionel, that it's overwhelming to see the set filled with people, which reflects what Archie was feeling at the time.
Yeah, Archie's cheap, and he has no compunction about Cousin Oscar being buried in Potter's Field. And why should he? Cousin Oscar was a thorn in Archie's side (and face) since childhood, and a shameless freeloader in his waning days. The Bunker Bunch in Detroit and Cicero raised a whopping $73 to help with expenses, evidencing what low esteem Oscar enjoyed in his own family.
Mr. Whitehead, a slick salesman first and a lodge brother a distant second (i.e. expect no breaks from him) knows people and what they've been acculturated to expect when death strikes. How can Archie tell his family and friends he'll have his cousin Oscar dumped in Potter's Field? Mr. Whitehead knows he'll seal a deal and he does.
This episode really allowed Archie to shine. He's in near constant motion throughout the entire episode, enjoying a cigar and a rest in his chair only at the conclusion. He interacts nimbly with so many characters and--look out Bob Newhart!--displays his deftness at the one-sided telephone call. Only Archie could cuss out a little kid on her birthday and make it a laugh line!
In the end, Archie is a sympathetic figure, beaten down by forces he can't understand. His principles--such as they were--waver in the faces of the bereaved, who expect the funeral with its pomp and pageantry and of course the accompanying luncheon. Archie does in the end snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, basking in the success of the funeral and bragging of his E. F. Huttonesque abilities to draw a crowd.
Unexplained in the end are comments by Mike and Gloria, who called the funeral a travesty and barbaric. Exactly what were they describing? The hordes who turned out for a funeral for a man they didn't know? Or just how Mr. Whitehead and his ilk make death a commodity? "The Saga of Cousin Oscar" and many other episodes--especially the early ones--strike this perfect balance between leaving you laughing and thinking.
The satire really kicks in once word gets out. The funeral director--don't call him an undertaker--is trying to sell Archie a deluxe package funeral while neighbors and a distant relative (a hilarious Peggy Rea) drop in. A nice touch was Louise Jefferson coming by with a cake. Even the Reverend Felcher--don't call him Fletcher (whatever!)--makes a personal appearance. This series often had such small casts, many times just the four stars and maybe Lionel, that it's overwhelming to see the set filled with people, which reflects what Archie was feeling at the time.
Yeah, Archie's cheap, and he has no compunction about Cousin Oscar being buried in Potter's Field. And why should he? Cousin Oscar was a thorn in Archie's side (and face) since childhood, and a shameless freeloader in his waning days. The Bunker Bunch in Detroit and Cicero raised a whopping $73 to help with expenses, evidencing what low esteem Oscar enjoyed in his own family.
Mr. Whitehead, a slick salesman first and a lodge brother a distant second (i.e. expect no breaks from him) knows people and what they've been acculturated to expect when death strikes. How can Archie tell his family and friends he'll have his cousin Oscar dumped in Potter's Field? Mr. Whitehead knows he'll seal a deal and he does.
This episode really allowed Archie to shine. He's in near constant motion throughout the entire episode, enjoying a cigar and a rest in his chair only at the conclusion. He interacts nimbly with so many characters and--look out Bob Newhart!--displays his deftness at the one-sided telephone call. Only Archie could cuss out a little kid on her birthday and make it a laugh line!
In the end, Archie is a sympathetic figure, beaten down by forces he can't understand. His principles--such as they were--waver in the faces of the bereaved, who expect the funeral with its pomp and pageantry and of course the accompanying luncheon. Archie does in the end snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, basking in the success of the funeral and bragging of his E. F. Huttonesque abilities to draw a crowd.
Unexplained in the end are comments by Mike and Gloria, who called the funeral a travesty and barbaric. Exactly what were they describing? The hordes who turned out for a funeral for a man they didn't know? Or just how Mr. Whitehead and his ilk make death a commodity? "The Saga of Cousin Oscar" and many other episodes--especially the early ones--strike this perfect balance between leaving you laughing and thinking.
