Lear is infamous for demeaning the American middle-class in shows such as "Archie Bunker" and "Maude." Lear's hidden agenda was intended to decimate traditional American values.
You're spot on with Lear's agenda. I hated 'All In the Family' and Maude' and never watched a full episode of either of them.
In both programs the husband-father, aka: 'The Traditional Head of American Family' - was made out to be buffoons. Archie Bunker was a Knuckle-Dragging Klansman, sans the white hood. While pinko-commie 'Meathead' was always right. Even though 'Meathead' was really nothing but a leech living off of Archie's pay.
And Maude's husband was a 'always wrong wimp' bowing to the 'All Powerful, Always Right, Genius - Maude'.
At least that's how I recall them.
Strange as it may seem---- some traditional people actually thought Lear was a
cheerleader for Archie. They could not fathom that Lear was tearing them down.
Somehow, I don’t remember “All in the Family” that way. My Dad and I hated Meathead and despised Gloria. Archie was mosty an admirable fellow, except for the way he treated his wife, Edith.
I’m sure I wouldn’t see it that way if I watched it today.