This episode of All In The Family had a lot to live up to, with an entire plot dedicated to the once-in-a-lifetime entertainer Sammy Davis Jr. at what was arguably the height of his career. His hit single "The Candy Man" reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 four months after the episode aired. And following 26 minutes of gut-busting dialogue, unforgettable interactions and insightful racial and social commentary, most of it coming at the expense of a certain bigot, I can say with absolute certainty that "Sammy's Visit" more than exceeded my expectations and surely those of the people who got to see it live or on TV in 1972.
Successfully writing an episode involving a special guest can be a very delicate balance for show writers, especially if that special guest isn't playing a part or appearing for a blink-and-you'll-miss-it scene. The guest has to have some influence over the progression of the episode's story, as well as be a subject of considerable discussion from and, inevitably, conversation with the main characters. But at the same time, the guest's appearance must adhere to the show's established tone, setting, structure, and the personalities and dynamics of its characters, and the reason for the guest appearing on the show shouldn't feel unrealistic or forced. Sammy Davis Jr.'s appearance on All In The Family perfected this balance, with Mister Show Business arriving at the house to retrieve an important briefcase he left in Archie's cab (Archie's job as a cab driver being written in three episodes prior to this one just so his appearance on the show could happen and make sense), and being positioned at the center of the episode's plot and humor without making his presence in the Bunker household seem out of place at all. In fact his chemistry with the main cast is so good you wouldn't be dismissed for thinking he'd been a staple on the show since the beginning if this was your first time watching All In The Family. His facial expressions when reacting to the ever growing chaos around him are absolutely hysterical (he outdid Carol O'Connor's facials in this episode, and that's saying something!) and with each new stranger he meets you get to see a new side of Sammy Davis Jr: the struggle of retaining his squeaky-clean image for photographers as a celebrity, his desperation to escape crazy fans and crazy people in general as a worn-out public figure, his joking and communal embrace with Lionel as a black brother, his passive responses to Archie's painfully apparent bigotry that were subtly obliterating his character right in front of him without his knowledge. And finally the kiss for Mister Bunker and the peace sign as one last shot at his dated, ridiculous racial and political ideologies, revealing himself as the civil rights activist and anti-war supporter he truly was. It's all there, and it makes Sammy Davis Jr.'s time on All In The Family not just one of the show's all-time great episodes, but possibly the greatest appearance by a guest star on any show, ever.
And I could go on and on about the plethora of jokes and satire this episode produced that remain funny to this day and probably will be for the rest of time (the misunderstanding about Gloria's boyfriend, Edith's hilariously horrible timing when saying anything before Seinfeld's Kramer made it popular, the total freakout by Lionel's mother upon seeing Sammy in-person, Archie wearing his signed picture like a badge of honor) but explaining all the incredible humor jam-packed into this one episode would be next to impossible. I would highly recommend watching it for yourself if you haven't already. "Sammy's Visit" has to be seen to be believed.
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