@nanlisa The show also lost its purpose, since it revolved around James being honest no matter what his financial condition. Of course, this is the same show which had a "happy ending" where James hit Micahel's FRIEND with a belt to discipline him. Not even his own kid!
@ChrislovesKrystal It might have had something to do w/the mini-series 'Roots' as @beyondpretty16 had said, but more so I think it was his dissatisfaction with the direction of the show and his dislike for the 'J.J.' character. He stated after his dismissal "The writers would prefer to put a chicken hat on J.J. and have him prance around saying 'DY-NO-MITE', and that way they could waste a few minutes and not have to write meaningful dialogue."
Esther Rolle was quite ugly and unattractive. I loved good times though. This show was powerful, because there weren't very many black shows on Television.
0:15 - 0:25 I just LOVE that Mississippi shuffle dance. They all got into it. Almost like watching a line dance on Soul Train. They have some moves!!!
Good Times was all about Esther Rolle. Her portrayal of Florida Evans embodied the strength, joy and pain that many mothers growing up poor have felt at one time or another. I haven't seen this episode since I was a kid, but even now watching the emotion that she exudes when she finds out that James was killed is just so damn powerful.
Powerful episode. John Amos didn't want to be on this show anymore because he felt that the show was becoming too buffoonish, especially J.J. character. He was offered a contract extension and he declined it.
This is the episode that did not end with everyone laughing and all problems being solved and everybody being happy. This is the only episode where raw emotion hit home. After all those laughing pie in the sky endings it was like an 18 wheeler just rammed right into you. What an episode!
@marcdaddy33 ---and as you watch the show without James was not that funny, and then Florida disappeared too, and it went down hill, this truly reflects on the fact that the entire cast was necessary for this show
I remember this episode so well, because I never realized that a major character could get killed off like that - Sitcoms were changing so much in the 70s and not every sitcom episode has a happy ending-
Because, at the height of the show's popularity, John Amos was reported speaking out publicly about how the show could be better - the producers received notice about his candid rant and decided to cancel him from the show permanently-
@YaoiHuntressEarth well, namely, he wanted Jimmie Walker's character to be less "ghetto" - in my opinion, Walker's JJ character was becoming so immensely popular, that was the reason for his blunt and candid rant - when the show was created in 1974, it was initially supposed to center around James and Florida Evans-
@christheone8773 Thanks for telling me. Sometime you can't help when a character becomes popular but I can see what he means. Too bad, it might've been interesting to see how the family would've reacted to living in Mississipi (especally if their new town was much smaller).
@Okonkwo009 in the 1976-77 season, Florida did begin a relationship with Carl Dixon, an atheist fix-it shop owner, played by Moses Gunn - Esther Rolle, who played Florida, disliked this idea from the start, because she felt her character would not be romantically involved with someone so soon after James' death-
All of them better make their words soft and sweet.
kaice28 2 weeks ago
m i crooked letter crooked letter i crooked letter crooked letter i humpback humpback i.
knight6 1 month ago
This was when the show started going down the tubes. After John Amos left, this show wasn't as funny as it was before.
nanlisa 2 months ago
@nanlisa The show also lost its purpose, since it revolved around James being honest no matter what his financial condition. Of course, this is the same show which had a "happy ending" where James hit Micahel's FRIEND with a belt to discipline him. Not even his own kid!
freePUAbootcamp 1 week ago
I remember when I first saw this in the 70's everyone from the teachers to the students were talking about it the next day
TheKanoKanKid 2 months ago
The show was NEVER the same.
merbac 3 months ago 3
"M.I.crooked letter, crooked letter, I, crooked letter crooked letter, I, hump back, hump back, I"
The best classic ever! xD
voss297 3 months ago 3
No matter how many times I've watched this, it's still a shock and it still makes me cry. :(
sisterkathy1998 3 months ago 3
Why did John Amos leave the show????
ChrislovesKrystal 3 months ago
@ChrislovesKrystal to do a movie " roots"
beyondpretty16 3 months ago
@ChrislovesKrystal It might have had something to do w/the mini-series 'Roots' as @beyondpretty16 had said, but more so I think it was his dissatisfaction with the direction of the show and his dislike for the 'J.J.' character. He stated after his dismissal "The writers would prefer to put a chicken hat on J.J. and have him prance around saying 'DY-NO-MITE', and that way they could waste a few minutes and not have to write meaningful dialogue."
mjbab73 3 months ago
According for this episode, this was not a Good Time.
flocka85 3 months ago
Esther Rolle was quite ugly and unattractive. I loved good times though. This show was powerful, because there weren't very many black shows on Television.
queeneastcoast 3 months ago
sad
imserious2187 4 months ago
0:15 - 0:25 I just LOVE that Mississippi shuffle dance. They all got into it. Almost like watching a line dance on Soul Train. They have some moves!!!
jdsthird 4 months ago
0:25 Esther Role can boogey down! Smiling Florida...may she rest in peace!
jdsthird 5 months ago 7
Good Times was all about Esther Rolle. Her portrayal of Florida Evans embodied the strength, joy and pain that many mothers growing up poor have felt at one time or another. I haven't seen this episode since I was a kid, but even now watching the emotion that she exudes when she finds out that James was killed is just so damn powerful.
midnightsocietynyc 5 months ago
Powerful episode. John Amos didn't want to be on this show anymore because he felt that the show was becoming too buffoonish, especially J.J. character. He was offered a contract extension and he declined it.
nomibe2911 5 months ago
This is the episode that did not end with everyone laughing and all problems being solved and everybody being happy. This is the only episode where raw emotion hit home. After all those laughing pie in the sky endings it was like an 18 wheeler just rammed right into you. What an episode!
jdsthird 5 months ago 2
WOW... ONLY THREE SEASONS with James.
James Evans WAS Good Timess.
I've been watching the show from the first episode to now, and the show is GREAT... but James is GONE.
I"m gonna watch the rest of the series, but I HIGHLY doubt it will be as good without James.
marcdaddy33 6 months ago 2
@marcdaddy33 ---and as you watch the show without James was not that funny, and then Florida disappeared too, and it went down hill, this truly reflects on the fact that the entire cast was necessary for this show
mb980992 4 months ago
Olivia was over J.J. REAL QUICK
marcdaddy33 6 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
DAMN, DAMN, DAMN
mrholmes82 6 months ago
I'll never forget this episode nor the episode where Penny is physically abused by her mom and has a broken arm. Powerful stuff.
keliata 6 months ago 8
Wait a sec, Why should JJ and Michael have to tell the girls that their moving if that's what the whole party's about???
LuckyApplehead 7 months ago 2
I love their dresses!
papermermaid 9 months ago
James got hit by a drunk driver
Curtwalk 1 year ago
3:47 changed my life forever
pattyb3636 1 year ago
HOW IRONIC, that the tune playing in the background is "Movin'", by the Brass Construction-
christheone8773 1 year ago
I remember this episode so well, because I never realized that a major character could get killed off like that - Sitcoms were changing so much in the 70s and not every sitcom episode has a happy ending-
christheone8773 1 year ago
There are some really amazing actors in these shows.
LuckyApplehead 1 year ago
Because, at the height of the show's popularity, John Amos was reported speaking out publicly about how the show could be better - the producers received notice about his candid rant and decided to cancel him from the show permanently-
christheone8773 1 year ago
@christheone8773 What exactly were the things he wanted to improve?
YaoiHuntressEarth 1 year ago
@YaoiHuntressEarth well, namely, he wanted Jimmie Walker's character to be less "ghetto" - in my opinion, Walker's JJ character was becoming so immensely popular, that was the reason for his blunt and candid rant - when the show was created in 1974, it was initially supposed to center around James and Florida Evans-
christheone8773 1 year ago
@christheone8773 Thanks for telling me. Sometime you can't help when a character becomes popular but I can see what he means. Too bad, it might've been interesting to see how the family would've reacted to living in Mississipi (especally if their new town was much smaller).
YaoiHuntressEarth 1 year ago
Man, why did john amos left the show, I mean I know he didn't die in real life, so why didn't they just hire someone else to take the part of James.
Okonkwo009 2 years ago
@Okonkwo009 in the 1976-77 season, Florida did begin a relationship with Carl Dixon, an atheist fix-it shop owner, played by Moses Gunn - Esther Rolle, who played Florida, disliked this idea from the start, because she felt her character would not be romantically involved with someone so soon after James' death-
christheone8773 1 year ago 2
@christheone8773 I wonder why they didn't do it on Family Matters with Harriette's character.?
Okonkwo009 1 year ago