When ‘All in the Family “ was launched, Archie Bunker was intended to be a foil, a buffoon that everyone would laugh at and ridicule. Instead,, everyone said, “Yes he’s a little over the top but he makes some really good points.”
TV City was shocked and confused then too.
I think Sanford and Son went the same way...a black junk dealer in LA shifted a lot of folks around.
I’ll predict some kind of revival of older shows coming back....maybe even Maude, and Three’s Company.