when Flo came home and told the family she was going to have an operation. And then there goes Thelma with that distressed look on her face practically yelling "Ohhhhhh Maaaaaa!!!!!!!" You could hear her over everyone who was responding. I know Thelma loves her mother, but that drama queen stuff had to go...:rolleyes:

when Flo came home and told the family she was going to have an operation. And then there goes Thelma with that distressed look on her face practically yelling "Ohhhhhh Maaaaaa!!!!!!!" You could hear her over everyone who was responding. I know Thelma loves her mother, but that drama queen stuff had to go...:rolleyes:

I noticed that too. I remember in episode, "The Fix-it Business" when James slamed his hand on the table, she came running out of her bedroom overreacting asking, "What's going on?" Bernadette Stanis wasn't that good of an actress. Actually, her acting skills improved in the later seasons.

yep, that one too...i hated that abt the character or actress. I wonder if it was her bad acting (dramatics) or did the producers really want her to be that overly dramatic.

when Flo came home and told the family she was going to have an operation. And then there goes Thelma with that distressed look on her face practically yelling "Ohhhhhh Maaaaaa!!!!!!!" You could hear her over everyone who was responding. I know Thelma loves her mother, but that drama queen stuff had to go...:rolleyes:

That's funny. I was thinking the EXACT same thing when I was watching that scene Irene-LOL- Especially when she sounded all terrified and said "GALLSTONES????" I was like, DAMN girl calm down-lol

That's funny. I was thinking the EXACT same thing when I was watching that scene Irene-LOL- Especially when she sounded all terrified and said "GALLSTONES????" I was like, DAMN girl calm down-lol
I know. I remember when my dad or a member of my family would tell me abt special tests they needed to have or an operation, but I didn't go screaming or yelling "Oh No!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"...i agree with you, CHILL GIRLFRIEND, Damn, that yelling is too damn loud, not to mention friggin' annoying!!!:mad:

It was also annoying when Thelma would give out statistics that she "read" somewhere and her face looked like she was going to cry.

It was also annoying when Thelma would give out statistics that she "read" somewhere and her face looked like she was going to cry.
:clap :rofl: that is soooooooooooo damn true....I hated that as well!!!!

I noticed that too. I remember in episode, "The Fix-it Business" when James slamed his hand on the table, she came running out of her bedroom overreacting asking, "What's going on?" Bernadette Stanis wasn't that good of an actress. Actually, her acting skills improved in the later seasons.
Yes, Thelma tended to be very melodramatic at times. I also agree that Bern Nadette's acting improved as the series progressed. I think her definitive performance was in the very last season - "The Evans' Dilemma". That is where Thelma is telling Keith to choose between her and the bottle. Both she and Ben Powers gave outstanding performances.

Yes Thelma liked to work it, but nobody, and I mean nobody, could ever be a worse actor than Jimmy Walker.

Loved Willona, Ja'Net Du Bois, IMO, was the one who carried the show.

Thelma also goes off the deep end with her dramatics in the episode where James finds that grocery money and he gives it back (Florida made him do the right thing). When someone knocks on the door, Thelma opens the door and someone throws a doll into the apartment. There was a note attached saying words to the effect of "here's a dummy for that dummy family for giving back that money." Thelma yells out "Ohhhhh Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa" and runs over to Florida who must calm her down.

when Flo came home and told the family she was going to have an operation. And then there goes Thelma with that distressed look on her face practically yelling "Ohhhhhh Maaaaaa!!!!!!!" You could hear her over everyone who was responding. I know Thelma loves her mother, but that drama queen stuff had to go...:rolleyes:

ANOTHER thing I disliked about the show. It's a long list. Had it not been for one character I TRULY ADORED I would never have watched GT. And not using fine actors like John Amos and Ester Rolle to better advantage shows flaws in directing, producing and writing.

Give me THE JEFFERSONS any day--now there's a great show.

ANOTHER thing I disliked about the show. It's a long list. Had it not been for one character I TRULY ADORED I would never have watched GT. And not using fine actors like John Amos and Ester Rolle to better advantage shows flaws in directing, producing and writing.

Give me THE JEFFERSONS any day--now there's a great show.
You really need to let me know the many things you hated abt this show Rich. You got me curious. ;)

1, The way they put the JJ character out in front, so he overshadowed the other characters. Sometimes this can work, like with Fonzie in Happy Days. But on HD the other characters there got to chime in too. I never got that feel with GT. Also, my pet peeve are characters who come across as know-it-alls when their intelligence is actually quite limited --the result being a lot of chaos and trouble created for others to clean up. JJ was of this ilk. Every time I saw him on GT it felt like nails being scraped against a blackboard. Also, this is the reason I never cared for the Barney Fife character in Andy Griffith, although I enjoy Don Knotts in other things.

2-I do not think Jimmy Walker is funny or a good actor and I resented that he got more billing and attention than Ester Rolle and John Amos, who are far better in their craft, IMO.

3-Many of the characters were made one-dimensional. Florida and James for example. Also the cliche of the prodigal youngest child again being worked to death.

4-This may be part of 2, but deciding to put Ester Rolle and John Amos in the background shows one or more of the following: poor direction, poor producing, poor writing.

5-Obviously, when I said a long list I was exaggerating. As I've listed four. I suppose I could try to get my hands on and re-watch GT but I don't really want to for the reasons above.

6-So I'm not totally negative about the show, it did have a good point here and there. You all know the character I LOVED, and she was a breath of fresh air whenever she appeared. Any ep where Willona figures prominantly would be the only ones I'd want to revisit. The way she embraced Penny and adopted her is probably one of the most poignant moments I've ever witnessed on TV. So...when the series was good it was very very good and when it was bad it was AWFUL

7-Why I love the Jeffersons. See my response to Solomon on The J's bd. When I make my top 100 list The J's will probably be in the top 10. I Love Lucy, of course, is #1

9-My preference is to emphasize positive things, that's why I devote most of my time to bds whose shows I love. Ask me anything about Bewitched, I Love Lucy, All In The Family or The Adv. of O & H and I will wax poetic--as you've witnessed on those bds--or on threads where posters were asked to list or discuss what they thought were the best sitcoms ever .

Very well put and thought out post. Thank you Rich. I agree, I so loved the Willona character and John Amos being the father was such great casting. Too bad he was fired unjustly.

Yes, IMO, John Amos is a very fine &unappreciated actor. GT should have thanked their lucky stars they had him! Ah yes, this reminds me of another negative about the show--poor judgment and decision-making by any/all powers that be involved with the show. BTW, Mr. Amos shined on MTM as Gordy.