Norman Lear planned to end the show with this episode. There was even a goodbye party after the taping and a People Magazine cover commemorating the supposed finale. However, Carroll O'Connor and CBS wanted the show to continue (this season finishing at the #4 spot for the year in the ratings), so Lear and Tandem Productions relented, and Jean Stapleton was convinced to return, while Rob Reiner and Sally Struthers were not.
Much of the emotions expressed by cast members for their performances was genuine. Rob Reiner also noted that much of Mike and Archie's farewell dialogue, particularly Mike telling Archie how he was like a father to him, reflected his own feelings about departing the series and his relationship with Carroll O'Connor.
After leaving All in the Family , Sally Struthers signed a contract with CBS to star in her own show and movies. She would star in several TV movies, including CBS's "And Your Name is Jonah" (January 28, 1979); her first TV series would be the spinoff "Gloria" in 1982, then when that was cancelled after one season, she immediately joined the cast of ABC's sitcom "9 to 5" (1982). Rob Reiner signed a contract with ABC and starred in his own sitcom called Free Country on June 24, 1978 which lasted only 4 weeks. He would then focus on his own project "This is Spinal Tap".
After eight years on "All in the Family" Rob Reiner and Sally Struthers leave the show and their characters, the Stivics, head to California for Mike Stivic's new job.
The episode states that Mike and Gloria have been married for about nine years placing their wedding date sometime in 1969. This contradicts the episode Mike and Gloria's wedding which place their marriage in 1970.