What's your favorite episode of Good Times?

[Deja Q]

The character of JJ and the occasional gloss treatment of serious issues aside, it does at least talk of serious issus pertaining to lower class Americans (and even to the middle class for some of them such as inflation).

Apart from changing the name of a President, the same issues are happening today.

All of season 1 was great overall. It didn't gel like season 3, but at least Michael was more involved in politics and JJ wasn't totally annoying (though he did lack values). Every episode really delved into social issues, I can't find one that's not worth mentioning.

Season 2 was more polished. It's clear the producers allowed Jimmie Walker to have some more freedom in his role. A pity, but season 2 had a fair amount of decent episodes, including:

"The IQ Test" - despite the white guy being a ponce, this episode is an eye-opener as to what makes an IQ test.

"The Gang" - JJ had signed up to become a member of a gang and didn't realize what they do until it was too late.

"The Windfall" - James returns $27000 of stolen money to a supermarket, but pockets $2000 without anybody knowing about it as the reward he was given was chump change. This really is a good episode in terms of social commentary, not from James' POV but how the family is treated by outsiders.

"Florida Goes to School" - Florida wants to improve her education, but James hates the idea (though for, in his viewpoint, noble reasons).

"The Family Business" - James decides to start his own business, but the janitor finds out and blackmails him.

"The Debutante Ball" - JJ is disliked by his dates' parents, who are from the rich side of town. (James also uses the N-word, so this was a sweeps week episode.) It's a strong episode, worth watching.

"The Dinner Party" - The Evans' learn of another tenant who has to eat dog food. They prepare a dinner, invite her own, and she brings meatloaf. Everyone thinks it's made from dog food. (this episode is riotously funny. Even Jimmie Walker uses the right tone when making the biggest joke in the episode. They could have written the part about social security a bit more strongly, but overall it works.)

"The Enlistment" - James having lost his job, JJ enlists in the army as a means to help out. This story is a hoot. It's one of the few times Jimmie Walker is actually funny.

Season 3 has some of the best episodes ever despite JJ being even more pompous (whose pomposity would eventually drive both John Amos and Esther Rolle from the series!), including:

"The Family Gun" - James gets a gun in an attempt to help keep his family safe, which only leads to problems as it's found missing...

"Florida's Rich Cousin" - Florida needs to borrow money from her cousin but doesn't know he lost his jobs and, thanks to his age and how society works, he has no future.

"The Politicians" - James prefers his candidate while Florida and the rest of the family favor another. Florida's candidate loses, but ultimately realizes he needs to talk to the people, rather than at them. (I learned something here.)

"Florida's Protest" - the family having gotten sick from store-bought meat, she starts a picket and gets arrested! An eye-opening comment here is how their store had killed off all the competition, raised the prices as well, and the family couldn't get food anywhere else. (now think of Wal-mart, how they're everywhere, and how they're expanding into groceries and wince.)

"JJ's Fiancee" - JJ plans to marry his girlfriend, who unbeknownst to him as a serious problem. It's a great episode, except there is no resolution to his girlfriend's problem. Very depressin.

"JJ In Trouble" - the VD episode. It's very good, but I can understand why John Amos and Esther Rolle did not appear in it. The part at the end mentions the idea of abstinence in only a token matter, which should have gotten equal billing. But it still did more good than harm.

"The Break-up" - this concludes a season subplot featuring Thelma's potential fiancee. JJ had always stuck by Thelma and supported her from the time she mentioned the engagement (despite James' disagreement with it), and in this episode he helps to plan the breakup in the best way he knows how - by being obnoxious.

"The Rent Party" - the Evans family organizes a rent party to help a fellow tenant and friend.

None of the episodes is a turkey (season 2 had a few turkeys though).

Of course, many episodes talked of inflation and gas prices. It's amazing how these stories haven't dated - and what is to come for society.

[soothsayer]

1. How about where JJ gets arrested? or the one where michael helps

tutor some tough young kid, and James spanks him .

[Deja Q]

2. Seasons 2 and 1, respectively...

The first one where where JJ turned 18 but didn't get the presents he wanted. The story then makes it seem he stole some supplies and got thrown in jail. The final part reveals that some kid who looked nothing like JJ was the culprit. Now if they had talked about the (never seen) store owner being racist, then there would have been a point. It's good to watch on an emotional level, but it's very light in the social commentary department.

The other one was season 1, I think. That one actually was outstanding. I'd forgotten about that one... As I recall, the kid was bullying Michael but Michael actually tried helping the bully in return. Great stuff.

Thx!

[soothsayer]

4. Wait, the kid looked NOTHING like JJ---that was the social commentary!

It was a short fat black kid, not a skinny old stringbean like JJ. The whole family gives the ol' raised eyebrows to the cops cuz there's NO WAY you could have mixed those two up. Plus, JJ got fired from his new job for being arrested, even tho not guilty. Plus that loan shark tried to rip off the family. Lots going on there.

[chuck555]

3. I always thought it was a dumb show.

i always turned it off.