'Farewell, Archie Bunker'

Many of America's favorite television series bit the dust this week as all three commercial networks announced their new 1983-84 schedules. Viewers can look forward to 22 new series - 5 from CBS, 8 from ABC, and 9 from NBC. Of these, 8 will be new comedies, the rest action-adventure dramas. In almost all of them, escapism is the order of the day, Monitor TV Critic Arthur Unger writes.

Among those shows being dropped are the last vestiges of the ''All in the Family'' Bunkers - CBS is canceling both ''Archie's Place'' and ''Gloria.'' Some of television's most critically acclaimed shows have also been axed, mainly because they did not manage to attract huge audiences. Among those eliminated are ''Fame'' (NBC), ''Love, Sidney'' (NBC), ''Little House on the Prairie'' (NBC), ''CHiPS'' (NBC), ''Seven Brides for Seven Brothers'' (CBS), ''Square Pegs'' (CBS), and ''Too Close for Comfort'' (ABC).

One of ABC's all-time favorites - ''Laverne and Shirley'' - has also run its course on the network. Chances are that some of these shows will still be seen on the screen in the years ahead, however, as they go into syndication on independent stations throughout the country.