History Recap / AllInTheFamilyS8E3EdithsFiftiethBirthday

* SerialRapist: Gloria learns (and reveals to the others) that Lambert is one. Given how well he is able to thwart Edith's attempts at a getaway, he is a very experienced one.

* IHaveNoSon: In the final scene, where an exasperated Gloria cannot convince for the life of her to get Edith to press charges against Mr. Lambert, she finally tells her that she's a cruel, selfish woman and that she is unworthy of being her mother.

* ABirthdayNotABreak: "Happy birthday!" ... chilling words from Mr. Lambert when Edith, in seeking mercy, tells him what day this is. This only ramps up his sadism even more! (And you thought Christmas was a bad time for the Bunkers.)
* BirthdayPartyGoesWrong ... and not in a comic sense by any stretch as you would expect in a sitcom. There is a brief moment of laughter when Edith bursts into Mike and Gloria's house, as the party-goers to her surprise party conclude (understandably, as they were unaware of what was going on) that she was showing up for her party, albeit a little bit early. They even start singing "Happy Birthday" to toast their friend and they cheer as Edith collapses in Archie's arms, not seeing that her tears were not of joy but of fear and fright. (Off camera, it is presumed the party ended early once the party-goers were informed something was wrong and were sent home, as by the time the second half hour begins, Edith is in Mike and Gloria's bedroom, trying to explain what happened.)

* SeenItAll: "Would you like some coffee?" "I've gotta go to the bathroom." "That's Archie ... he'll stop you!" Yes sir, it can be implied that Mr. Lambert is experienced and -- determined to complete this sexual assault -- has seen it all before (hot coffee thrown in his face, an escape from the bathroom window and so forth), and why Edith has little success shaking him. Fortunately, he doesn't quite expect a burning cake in the oven, much less one thrown in his face.

* AngstComa: For at least two weeks after the attack, Edith is unable to function normally. She cannot sleep, won't talk to anybody, refuses to kiss Archie and is constantly ironing the bedsheets. In short, she is shaken to the core, and woe be onto the person who tries to bring the subject up.

* BeautifulSexualAssaultVictim: Averted. Edith is shocked that she, a dowdy middle-aged woman just turned 50, could be the target of a young, male serial rapist. Very much TruthInTelevision, as women of all ages can be the target of rapists, and the show was ahead of its time in acknowledging this fact.

* ActorRoleConfusion: David Dukes said he received death threats due to his portrayal of Edith's would-be rapist in this episode.

* BlackComedyRape: Mostly averted. Even though the show is a sitcom, and the subject of this episode is rape, and there is some comedy in the episode, it takes the situation of Edith’s assault very seriously and doesn’t play it for laughs.

* VileVillainSaccharineShow: Lambert is easily the darkest villain in the show's history, a SerialRapist in a sitcom played jarringly straight.

* BeautifulSexualAssaultVictim: Averted. Edith is shocked that she, a dowdy middle-aged woman just turned 50, could be the target of a young, male serial rapist.

A 50th birtday party can mean a lot of things. For Edith Bunker, it was supposed to be a celebration of family and friendship, and a look ahead at years of raising her grandson, caring for others at the Sunshine Home, and many memories more to be made with Archie.

* SurpriseParty: Although Edith kinds of knows about it beforehand.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/53_50674_ediths_50th_birthday_all_in_the_family_darkest_sitcom_epis_1533062417.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:The [[AttemptedRape scariest thing]] to see in a family sitcom.]]

* MistakenForGay: When Archie realizes that the rapist had been in the house when he had come over for the punch bowl, he questions why Edith didn't say anything. Edith replies that the rapist would've done something to him too. Archie's response: "Do something to me? What the hell was he?! A fruit, too?!" Edith did mention that he was [[DoubleEntendre "In the Closet"]]).

* MistakenForGay: When Archie realizes that the rapist had been in the house when he had come over for the punch bowl, he questions why Edith didn't say anything. Edith replies that the rapist would've done something to him too. Archie's response: "Do something to me? What the hell was he?! A fruit, too?!" (As a bonus, Edith mentioned that he was [[DoubleMeaning "In the Closet"]]).

* MistakenForGay: When Archie realizes that the rapist had been in the house when he had come over for the punch bowl, he questions why Edith didn't say anything. Edith replies that the rapist would've done something to him too. Archie's response: "Do something to me? What the hell was he?! A fruit, too?!"

* ContinuityNod: Gloria refers to her own frightening experience from Season 3's "Gloria the Victim" (where a man tries [unsuccessfully] to attack Gloria while walking by a construction site) and her own decision to not pursue criminal charges.

* VerySpecialEpisode: Several episodes aired during the 1977-1978 season had very adult themes, and this was one of them.

* ComicallyMissingThePoint: Happens twice. It might be a stretch to call them comical, even for Norman Lear standards, but they still garner a chuckle.
** When Archie comes over to retrieve the punch bowl, the rapist hides in the closet, ready to shoot if Edith says anything. Archie DOES notice Edith is crying and visibly upset, but he scoffs at it, thinking she's merely crying about Gloria's dead goldfish.
** Archie later realizes that the rapist had been there, when Archie had stopped by for the punch bowl, and questions why Edith hadn't said anything. Edith responds that the rapist would've done something to him. Archie's response: [[MistakenForGay ''Do something to me?! What the hell?! Was he a fruit, too?!'']]

* MeanwhileBackAtThe: The living room attempted rape scene cuts at one point to the Stivic house, where Archie and Mike are arguing (as usual, over whose fault it was) over a broken punchbowl. This sets up Archie's trip over to the house to get the other punchbowl, grumbling about how Mike and Gloria's goldfish died, and Edith trying (subtly) to hint that something very wrong is going on.

** When Archie comes over to retrieve the punch bowl, the rapist hides in the closet, ready to shoot if Edith says anything. Archie DOES notice Edith is crying and visibly upset, but he scoffs at it, thinking it's merely crying about Gloria's dead goldfish.

* MeanwhileBackAtThe: The living room attempted rape scene cuts at one point to the Stivic house, where Archie and Mike are arguing (as usual, over whose fault it was) over a broken punchbowl. This sets up Archie's trip over to the house to get the other punchbowl, grumbling about how Mike and Gloria's goldfish died, and Edith trying (subtly) to hint that something very wrong is going on, as Lambert is hiding, and ready to shoot if Edith actually says anything. Archie DOES notice Edith is crying and visibly upset, he scoffs at it, [[DramaticallyMissingThePoint thinking she's merely crying about the dead goldfish,]] and storms out without a second thought.

* ComicallyMissingThePoint: It might a stretch to call it comical, even for Norman Lear standards, but it still garners a chuckle. When Archie stops by the house to grab the punchbowl, he grumbles about Mike killed the Stivics's goldfish (While Mr. Lambert hides in the closet, ready to shoot if Edith says anything). Archie, then DOES notice Edith is crying and visibly upset, but he scoffs at it, thinking it's merely about the dead goldfish, and storms out.

* MeanwhileBackAtThe: The living room attempted rape scene cuts at one point to the Stivic house, where Archie and Mike are arguing (as usual, over whose fault it was) over a broken punchbowl. This sets up Archie's trip over to the house to get the other punchbowl, grumbling about how Mike and Gloria's goldfish died, and Edith trying (subtly) to hint that something very wrong is going on.

* ComicallyMissingThePoint: It might a stretch to call it comical, even for Norman Lear standards, but it still garners a chuckle. When Archie stops by the house to grab the punchbowl, he grumbles about Mike killed his and Gloria's goldfish (While Mr. Lambert hides in the closet, ready to shoot if Edith says anything). Archie, then DOES notice Edith is crying and visibly upset, but he scoffs at it, thinking it's merely about the dead goldfish, and storms out.

* ComicallyMissingThePoint: It might a push to call it comical, but for Norman Lear standards. When Archie stops by the house to grab the punchbowl, he grumbles about Mike and Gloria's goldfish dying. Archie DOES notice Edith's crying and upset, but he scoffs at it, thinking it's merely about the dead goldfish, and he storms out.