want to know your reason for choosing the Jeffersons as the better show. My reason is that the jeffersons was a show that stayed away from serious topics and was very fun to watch. Good Times dealt with far too many serious issues and was depressing at times. Jeffersons was always a FUN show. OK Jeffersons fans, where are you?

I am a Good Times fan, but The Jeffersons is at the top of my list as one of the greatest sitcoms ever. I really think the writing was good and the actors and actresses delivered it great. also The Jeffersons dealt with dramatic issues really good. the episodes that really show it's greatness are, They Don't Make Preachers Like Him Anymore and The Doorknobs shined liked Diamonds.

Originally posted by King Forrester
I am a Good Times fan, but The Jeffersons is at the top of my list as one of the greatest sitcoms ever. I really think the writing was good and the actors and actresses delivered it great. also The Jeffersons dealt with dramatic issues really good. the episodes that really show it's greatness are, They Don't Make Preachers Like Him Anymore and The Doorknobs shined liked Diamonds.

The Jeffersons dealt with serious topics every once in a while but with Good Times it was every other episode-lol

Originally posted by TVShow Analyzer
The Jeffersons dealt with serious topics every once in a while but with Good Times it was every other episode-lol I think Good Times wanted to have harsh realism with lots of comedy. it was like that to show the way it really was in Chicago.

I go with The Jeffersons, while i like both for what they were, Good Times could be depressing at times.

The Jeffersons -- because like you said, it was (and is) a FUN show. Not necessarily the funniest show of all time.... but it is FUN.

Originally posted by TVShow Analyzer
want to know your reason for choosing the Jeffersons as the better show. My reason is that the jeffersons was a show that stayed away from serious topics and was very fun to watch. Good Times dealt with far too many serious issues and was depressing at times. Jeffersons was always a FUN show. OK Jeffersons fans, where are you?

Good God!

I'm agreeing with you!

*dies*

I like them both. But I'm a Good Times fan. The Jeffersons was more consistant and had better writing though.

I haven't seen too many episodes of Good Times, which is a spin-off of Maude. :p

I just love The Jeffersons. Any chance they'll be back on tv in the future I wonder?

Originally posted by Janice
I haven't seen too many episodes of Good Times, which is a spin-off of Maude. :p

I just love The Jeffersons. Any chance they'll be back on tv in the future I wonder?


The Jeffersons is airing in the NYC area every Saturday Night on WPIX. That's the only area it's airing in i think.

Good Times was one of the 70s' best sitcoms IMO, but it fell off when John Amos left. Year 5 was the worst and as has been pointed out on the board for this series there were all kinds of holes in the writing. Jeffersons held up better to me, even though it had its own share of problems (it ran too long, for one thing). But Jeffersons even though it wasn't out to make some deep social statement, had a lot of heart and was a very entertaining show even at its worst. I vote for the Jeffersons by a nose.

i like the jeffersons so my vote goes to it. i have never seen good times before. what's it about?

Originally posted by Jack Be Quick 101
i like the jeffersons so my vote goes to it. i have never seen good times before. what's it about?


Good Times was a sitcom based on the life of Eric Monte, the creator of the Show which dealt with the struggles of a poor Black Family living in a Chicago Ghetto. Lot of the Good Times episodes is based on Eric Monte's real life experiences growing up in Chicago area. This show was the complete opposite of the Jeffersons which is why I compared both shows.

Originally posted by TVShow Analyzer
This show was the complete opposite of the Jeffersons which is why I compared both shows.
i'm no expert but i just don't understand one thing - how can jeffersons and good times be opposites when both feature black families? aren't they the same in that respect? lol, you are confusing me. i'm no chrissy snow!

Originally posted by Jack Be Quick 101
i'm no expert but i just don't understand one thing - how can jeffersons and good times be opposites when both feature black families? aren't they the same in that respect? lol, you are confusing me. i'm no chrissy snow!


The Jeffersons was a show about (rich Black Family) and Good Times was a show about a (poor Black Family)

Originally posted by TVShow Analyzer
The Jeffersons was a show about (rich Black Family) and Good Times was a show about a (poor Black Family)

i don't consider the jeffersons to be a rich family. they owned dry cleaner stores and lived in a small apartment. if anything, Will Smith and his relatives in the fresh prince of bel-air were a rich black family.

Originally posted by Jack Be Quick 101
i don't consider the jeffersons to be a rich family. they owned dry cleaner stores and lived in a small apartment. if anything, Will Smith and his relatives in the fresh prince of bel-air were a rich black family.



Ok, the Jeffersons was a Black Family who was not struggling financially and the Evans were a Black Family who was struggling financially

Originally posted by TVShow Analyzer
Ok, the Jeffersons was a Black Family who was not struggling financially and the Evans were a Black Family who was struggling financially

I still don't understand. the jeffersons had a small family to support unlike the black family on good times. Didn't the family have like three or four kids or something to support?

Originally posted by Jack Be Quick 101
I still don't understand. the jeffersons had a small family to support unlike the black family on good times. Didn't the family have like three or four kids or something to support?


I dont know why this is so hard for you to understand. One Black Family lived in the Projects and the other Black Family lived in a Deluxe Apartmet in a ritzy Manhattan Neighborhood. I don't know what else to say.

Originally posted by Jack Be Quick 101
i don't consider the jeffersons to be a rich family. they owned dry cleaner stores and lived in a small apartment. if anything, Will Smith and his relatives in the fresh prince of bel-air were a rich black family.

Maybe they weren't rich, but they sure had money. Wasn't George constantly buying nice things as was Weezie? George's business made good money, so they def. weren't hurting.

I would say they were moderately wealthy

Originally posted by TVShow Analyzer
I dont know why this is so hard for you to understand. One Black Family lived in the Projects and the other Black Family lived in a Deluxe Apartmet in a ritzy Manhattan Neighborhood. I don't know what else to say.

well, i just don't see how these shows are different - both are focused on black families and their troubles.

Originally posted by Jack Be Quick 101
well, i just don't see how these shows are different - both are focused on black families and their troubles.



The Jeffersons didn't have any serious problems, but the Evans were faced with eviction and unemployment.

The Jeffersons were rich.... they just had a bad set designer.

Originally posted by TVShow Analyzer
The Jeffersons didn't have any serious problems, but the Evans were faced with eviction and unemployment.

yeah but both familes did have problems serious or not.

Originally posted by Jack Be Quick 101
yeah but both familes did have problems serious or not.


Jeffersons never had serious problems. The only similarities between the Jeffersons and Good Times was thAt the Fathers in both shows had very short Tempers-lol

Originally posted by TVShow Analyzer
Jeffersons never had serious problems. The only similarities between the Jeffersons and Good Times was thAt the Fathers in both shows had very short Tempers-lol

so are you trying to tell me that the jeffersons never had any problems or that they were the "perfect" family?

TJ was without a doubt more of a light-hearted show than the other Lear shows. The Evanses from GT were plagued with a LOT of problems, mainly based on their low income. The Jeffersons were rich and George wasn't as bigoted as Archie, therefore the show was more fun to watch, IMO. GT was too serious imo, and was kinda discomforting for me to watch at times. And in all honestly, embarrassing too. The writing was awful.

Originally posted by Jack Be Quick 101
i don't consider the jeffersons to be a rich family. they owned dry cleaner stores and lived in a small apartment. if anything, Will Smith and his relatives in the fresh prince of bel-air were a rich black family.

Well, the show didn't do the Jeffersons' apartment much justice. I think I heard them mentioned at least two other bathrooms that are in there, and I believe Florence had a room when she moved in. Lionel had his own room and of course George and Weezie had the master bedroom, probably with a master bathroom attached to it. They should have shown more of it than they did, just to show how big it really was.

Originally posted by JT
TJ was without a doubt more of a light-hearted show than the other Lear shows. The Evanses from GT were plagued with a LOT of problems, mainly based on their low income. The Jeffersons were rich and George wasn't as bigoted as Archie, therefore the show was more fun to watch, IMO. GT was too serious imo, and was kinda discomforting for me to watch at times. And in all honestly, embarrassing too. The writing was awful.

Who's Archie??? And what's does TJ and GT mean?

Originally posted by Jack Be Quick 101
Who's Archie??? And what's does TJ and GT mean?


Are you under the age of 19? Just asking because you don;t know who Archie is or what the show Good Times is. Archie is a sitcom character from the CBS show in the 70's called All in the Family. And TJ-is The Jeffersons and GT is Good Times

Originally posted by TVShow Analyzer
Are you under the age of 19? Just asking because you don;t know who Archie is or what the show Good Times is. Archie is a sitcom character from the CBS show in the 70's called All in the Family. And TJ-is The Jeffersons and GT is Good Times

yes, i am under the age of 19 which i'm not familiar with a lot of older shows.

what's all in the family about? i've heard that show was responsible for changing the face of television. is that true?

Originally posted by JT
Well, the show didn't do the Jeffersons' apartment much justice. I think I heard them mentioned at least two other bathrooms that are in there, and I believe Florence had a room when she moved in. Lionel had his own room and of course George and Weezie had the master bedroom, probably with a master bathroom attached to it. They should have shown more of it than they did, just to show how big it really was.

In the pilot George flushes 4 toilets- so I guess each bedroom had its own bath plus the bathroom that was next to the front door. Actually, looking at how it is set up, the set wasn't that well designed because Florence's room which was to the left of the corridor in the back seems to be nonexistent (the patio seems to be where that room should be). Lionel's room is on the right but it didn't look big enough to have a toilet although in the episode where he gets drunk onhis graduation we see that it did have one. George and Louise's room is straight ahead at the end of that corridor but comparing it to the hallway outside the apartmen it seems like their room was running into Mr Bentley's apartment.

Anyway, it was a fun series nevertheless, especially when you consider that a great many episodes take place ENTIRELY in the living room setting.

Originally posted by Jack Be Quick 101
yes, i am under the age of 19 which i'm not familiar with a lot of older shows.

what's all in the family about? i've heard that show was responsible for changing the face of television. is that true?

I would definitely say that All in the Family was probably the most revolutionary sitcom ever produced in the USA. Go to tvtome.com and type in All in the Family to begin learning about this series.

Originally posted by Jack Be Quick 101
yes, i am under the age of 19 which i'm not familiar with a lot of older shows.

what's all in the family about? i've heard that show was responsible for changing the face of television. is that true?


Well now that I know your age everything makes sense. You can find out about All in the Family by going to (tvtome.com) and type All in the Family in the seach box.

Originally posted by jamesanthony
I would definitely say that All in the Family was probably the most revolutionary sitcom ever produced in the USA. Go to tvtome.com and type in All in the Family to begin learning about this series.

i can't go to tvtome.com because my parents have that site blocked. crazy, isn't it?

so can someone please explain to me what this all in the family show is about?

Originally posted by TVShow Analyzer
Well now that I know your age everything makes sense.

lol, what are you trying to say here? just spit it out why don't ya.

Originally posted by Jack Be Quick 101
i can't go to tvtome.com because my parents have that site blocked. crazy, isn't it?

so can someone please explain to me what this all in the family show is about?

Wow, I didn't think tvtome was a vulgar site.:eek:

Check some of the threads on the All in the Family board to get a taste of the show. Also jumptheshark.com

Originally posted by Jack Be Quick 101
lol, what are you trying to say here? just spit it out why don't ya.


Well my little brother turns 17 this month and he never heard of Good Times either so since you are younger I understand why you don't know about the show.

Originally posted by Jack Be Quick 101
yes, i am under the age of 19 which i'm not familiar with a lot of older shows.

what's all in the family about? i've heard that show was responsible for changing the face of television. is that true? Go to one of the major search engines like Yahoo and type in All in the Family, and click on one of the sites that is dedicated to the show...:wave:

Originally posted by Undercover Angel
Go to one of the major search engines like Yahoo and type in All in the Family, and click on one of the sites that is dedicated to the show...:wave:

i can't .... it's blocked.

Originally posted by Jack Be Quick 101
i can't .... it's blocked.

:eek: Your parents blocked search engines too? ohno: geesh, what if you had to look up something for school :rolleyes:

All in the Family was first seen in January of 1971 and immediatly changed the face of television. Not only was this the number one television series from 1971 through 1976, but it also signified an avalanche of other situation comedies that dealt with controversial subjects in realistic ways. Including, Chico & the Man, The Jeffersons, Maude, Good Times and Sanford & Son

The series centered around the Bunker family who lived a home located at 704 Houser Street in Queens, New York. Archie Bunker was the main character, and what a character he was. He was televisons most famous bigot, crass and down right rude. Yet he was loveable, with a soft side just beneath the surface. Edith Bunker was his somewhat dizzy wife whom he called "Dingbat". Edith put up with Archie and had qualities about her that made her one of television's most unforgetable characters. Also living in the Bunker household, where Archie and Edith's daughter, Gloria and her husband Mike, "Meathead" as Archie calls him.


The stories revolved around many controversial topics including, rape, sex, homosexuality, death, and other topics that were relevant to the 1970's, especially political strife and inflation. Archie Bunker was probably the first character in a situation comedy to use racist remarks referring to blacks, homosexuals and Mexicans. Yet another first for television.

Other frequent cast members include, the black neighbors, the Jeffersons, who got their own series, The Jeffersons in 1975. The Lorenzos were also neighbors. In 1975, Gloria had a son, Joey and three years later, in 1978, Gloria, Mike and Joey moved away to California, leaving Edith and Archie alone. Not for long, however, when they took in a niece, Stephanie Mills, who had been abandoned by her father.

The original format ended in 1979 which was when the series was renamed Archie Bunker's Place. The new format centered around Archie running a local tavern which he bought in 1977. For more on that series visit the Archie Bunker's Place section.

Oh boy, I see we have a rookie here. This is going to be fun.

Obviously, you're very new to the world of classic television. Maybe we can get you all the info you need right here. Let's start by telling us some of the 70s and 80s shows you have seen and know a lot about. Name the ones you have heard about too. Maybe we can make like a little thread treasure trove of information for all people new to classic TV.

And if you're wondering, the show depicted in my avatar is "Knots Landing," which was a primetime soap opera that ran on CBS from December 1979 to May 1993. I love it death and I've only seen four of the 344 episodes of it.

Which leads me to this question: Have you ever heard of "Dallas" and have you ever been asked about "Who shot JR?"

Maybe they changed the rules, but I thought watching All in the Family at least once was a prerequisite for joining SitcomsOnline.

Originally posted by JT
Oh boy, I see we have a rookie here. This is going to be fun.

Obviously, you're very new to the world of classic television. Maybe we can get you all the info you need right here. Let's start by telling us some of the 70s and 80s shows you have seen and know a lot about. Name the ones you have heard about too. Maybe we can make like a little thread treasure trove of information for all people new to classic TV.

And if you're wondering, the show depicted in my avatar is "Knots Landing," which was a primetime soap opera that ran on CBS from December 1979 to May 1993. I love it death and I've only seen four of the 344 episodes of it.

Which leads me to this question: Have you ever heard of "Dallas" and have you ever been asked about "Who shot JR?"

here's a list of some of shows i have seen over the years ....

1) three's company. a guy living with two girls pretending to be gay so that his landlord won't evict him.

2) gilligan's island. seven casteways get stranded on an island and can't get off.

3) lavern & shirly. two girls who work at the brewlery for a living. there hobby is bowling. shirly's favorite stuff animal is boo boo kitty and lavern's favorite drink is milk & pepsi. a spin-off from happy days.

4) happy days. like l&s, happy days was set in the 1950's and was based on, I think, american graffiti.

5) the brady bunch. a widower with three boys and a maid marries a widow with three girls and that's how they became the brady bunch.

6) the wonder years. a coming-of-age tv series about a boy named Arnold experiencing life as a teen.

7) the jeffersons. a spin-off from all in the family. was about a black family movin' on up.

8) perfect strangers. A cousin from mepose (however you spell it) visits his cousin and soon moves into his cousin's apartment. From there, the two have all sorts of misadventures. this series is similiar to lavern & shirly.

9) family matters. surprisely, this was spin-off of perfect strangers not the other way around. The main character, I think, in this show was steve urkel. you know the nerd who always said "did I do that"?

10) full house. Was about a dad raising three girls on his own (his wife passed away) with the help of his two friends.
later in the series, one of his friends got married and had twins.

11) growing pains. starred kirk cameron as michael server who never was able to stay out of trouble neither at home nor at school. Some people claim this show is a clone of family ties.

12) saved by the bell. is about a group of six individuals experiencing high school.

13) mama's family. a spin-off from the variety show, the carol burnett show, is about a hot-tempered, wise-cracking older woman named thelma taking charge as head of household.

14) alf. A fury alien lands on earth and befriends a family.

15) the munsters. a family of monsters who considers themselves "normal" in the normal society which they live in.

16) the addams family. unlike the munsters, the addams know they are different from everyone else. the addams appear as a ghoulish family.

17) step by step. A 1990's show that is very similiar to the brady bunch.

18) small wonder. A child living as a robot.

19) cheers. is set in a place where 'everyone knows your name' - a bar.

20) the cosby show. the show that dominated the ratings in the 1980's. was about a black family.

21) fresh prince of bel-air. a teenager (will smith) moves into his relative's rich house who gets the taste of the "rich" lifestyle.

i'm going to stop here for now. i will might add other shows to this list.


these are the shows that i have heard about but not seen ...

mister ed, green acres, that girl, family affair, leave it to beaver, dennis the menace, get smart, dick van dyke, i love lucy, rhoda, phyllis, lou grant, mork and mindy, my favorite martian, lucy show (here's lucy), my three sons, make room for daddy, ozzie & harriet, good times, sanford and son, too close for comfort, all in the family, one day at a time, what's happening, alice, etc., etc., etc.

Originally posted by Jack Be Quick 101
here's a list of some of shows i have seen over the years ....

1) three's company. a guy living with two girls pretending to be gay so that his landlord won't evict him.

2) gilligan's island. seven casteways get stranded on an island and can't get off.

3) lavern & shirly. two girls who work at the brewlery for a living. there hobby is bowling. shirly's favorite stuff animal is boo boo kitty and lavern's favorite drink is milk & pepsi. a spin-off from happy days.

4) happy days. like l&s, happy days was set in the 1950's and was based on, I think, american graffiti.

5) the brady bunch. a widower with three boys and a maid marries a widow with three girls and that's how they became the brady bunch.

6) the wonder years. a coming-of-age tv series about a boy named Arnold experiencing life as a teen.

7) the jeffersons. a spin-off from all in the family. was about a black family movin' on up.

8) perfect strangers. A cousin from mepose (however you spell it) visits his cousin and soon moves into his cousin's apartment. From there, the two have all sorts of misadventures. this series is similiar to lavern & shirly.

9) family matters. surprisely, this was spin-off of perfect strangers not the other way around. The main character, I think, in this show was steve urkel. you know the nerd who always said "did I do that"?

10) full house. Was about a dad raising three girls on his own (his wife passed away) with the help of his two friends.
later in the series, one of his friends got married and had twins.

11) growing pains. starred kirk cameron as michael server who never was able to stay out of trouble neither at home nor at school. Some people claim this show is a clone of family ties.

12) saved by the bell. is about a group of six individuals experiencing high school.

13) mama's family. a spin-off from the variety show, the carol burnett show, is about a hot-tempered, wise-cracking older woman named thelma taking charge as head of household.

14) alf. A fury alien lands on earth and befriends a family.

15) the munsters. a family of monsters who considers themselves "normal" in the normal society which they live in.

16) the addams family. unlike the munsters, the addams know they are different from everyone else. the addams appear as a ghoulish family.

17) step by step. A 1990's show that is very similiar to the brady bunch.

18) small wonder. A child living as a robot.

19) cheers. is set in a place where 'everyone knows your name' - a bar.

20) the cosby show. the show that dominated the ratings in the 1980's. was about a black family.

21) fresh prince of bel-air. a teenager (will smith) moves into his relative's rich house who gets the taste of the "rich" lifestyle.

i'm going to stop here for now. i will might add other shows to this list.


these are the shows that i have heard about but not seen ...

mister ed, green acres, that girl, family affair, leave it to beaver, dennis the menace, get smart, dick van dyke, i love lucy, rhoda, phyllis, lou grant, mork and mindy, my favorite martian, lucy show (here's lucy), my three sons, make room for daddy, ozzie & harriet, good times, sanford and son, too close for comfort, all in the family, one day at a time, what's happening, alice, etc., etc., etc.




Sanford and Son comes on TV LAND every night at 10pm

:eek2: No I Love Lucy?!

The Jeffersons is a much more funnier show and is hilarious and alot of fun to watch. They stood away from serious topics and was never depressing. I could watch them over and over again.

Good Times, on the other hand, dealt with too many serious topics in almost every episode and was depressing. On Good Times, there was no need to do an episode where J.J. was shot, eviction, gangs, etc. I can't see how it was a comedy, there was really nothing to laugh at on Good Times. You hardly heard people laughing on the laughtrack because they made it so serious. I mean didn't the staff ( Eric Monte as well as the directors, producers, writers, etc) know that they were doing a situation comedy, not a tearjerker drama? Good Times is not worth watching and is a waste to even buy the first 3 seasons on DVD. I can see why TVLand has not acquired the rights and aired Good Times. Who needs to turn on TVLand and get depressed, I certainly don't and neither does TVLand and their regular viewers. If you want to watch "Classic" African American sitcoms, watch The Jeffersons as well as Sanford & Son and What's Happening!! They are all hilarious and alot of fun to watch next to Good Times.

Originally posted by Michael72581
The Jeffersons is a much more funnier show and is hilarious and alot of fun to watch. They stood away from serious topics and was never depressing. I could watch them over and over again.

Good Times, on the other hand, dealt with too many serious topics in almost every episode and was depressing. On Good Times, there was no need to do an episode where J.J. was shot, eviction, gangs, etc. I can't see how it was a comedy, there was really nothing to laugh at on Good Times. You hardly heard people laughing on the laughtrack because they made it so serious. I mean didn't the staff ( Eric Monte as well as the directors, producers, writers, etc) know that they were doing a situation comedy, not a tearjerker drama? Good Times is not worth watching and is a waste to even buy the first 3 seasons on DVD. I can see why TVLand has not acquired the rights and aired Good Times. Who needs to turn on TVLand and get depressed, I certainly don't and neither does TVLand and their regular viewers. If you want to watch "Classic" African American sitcoms, watch The Jeffersons as well as Sanford & Son and What's Happening!! They are all hilarious and alot of fun to watch next to Good Times.


The serious topics was based on Eric Monte's experiences in the city of Chicago.

Originally posted by TVShow Analyzer
The serious topics was based on Eric Monte's experiences in the city of Chicago.

I like that Good Times had the nerve to deal with serious issues in a sitcom. So what if some of the shows were preachy. That's not the worst thing in the world. I wish some sitcom today would address the isses of urban poverty, or even rural poverty for that matter. The black shows are all so trite and superficial now that they're boring.

Originally posted by jamesanthony
I like that Good Times had the nerve to deal with serious issues in a sitcom. So what if some of the shows were preachy. That's not the worst thing in the world. I wish some sitcom today would address the isses of urban poverty, or even rural poverty for that matter. The black shows are all so trite and superficial now that they're boring.


Good Times just went a little overboard with the serious issues.

I don't think they overdid the serious topics really. I say this Eve, All of Us, One on One, Bernie Mac or My Wife and Kids wouldn't be able to pull off the topics that this show dealt with even with the at times poor writing that Good Times exhibited and all the other problems like Jimmie Walker's lack of acting skills etc. We're in a much much more conservative time now as far as TV humor is concerned.