Sure, Archie was a reactionary. But, in his heart of hearts, everyone knew that he was a decent guy. He may have had issues with his family, but no one doubted that he cared about them. Most of all, he wasn’t angry or scared, and it never would have occurred to him to call himself a victim. He was an average American, and that was fine with him.
You couldn’t remake “All in the Family” the same way now. Today’s equivalent of Archie is a whining proto-fascist who would gladly sell out his country for some protection for his conservative social values. It’s hard to find anything lovable about him. That’s a big change, and not for the better.