View Full Version : How the John Amos/James Evans death could have worked out better


Janice Johnson
06-05-2006, 11:27 AM
The writers could have saved the show in a few ways...........

1.They could have replaced the John Amos character with a new person(Fresh-Prince Of Bel-Air's Vivian character).

2.They could have had John Amos come back as a "ghost" many times.

3.They could have John Amos die, have the "Big Move" episododes, and then cancel Good Times. They could have cancelled GT on Top.

4.They could have had the GT end right after The Rent Party. (Kind of like Number 3, with out the BM.)

5. They could have had Esther Rolle carry out the series into the fourth season, and then when she walked, they should have made "Love has a spot on his lung, 1 and 2 the last episode.

Brian Damage
06-05-2006, 11:35 AM
Replacing John Amos would've never worked. He in my opinion was irreplaceable.

GSU2004
06-05-2006, 12:00 PM
The writers could have saved the show in a few ways...........

1.They could have replaced the John Amos character with a new person(Fresh-Prince Of Bel-Air's Vivian character).

2.They could have had John Amos come back as a "ghost" many times.

3.They could have John Amos die, have the "Big Move" episododes, and then cancel Good Times. They could have cancelled GT on Top.

4.They could have had the GT end right after The Rent Party. (Kind of like Number 3, with out the BM.)

5. They could have had Esther Rolle carry out the series into the fourth season, and then when she walked, they should have made "Love has a spot on his lung, 1 and 2 the last episode.

Given the often serious tone of the show, I doubt that the 'ghost' storyline would have worked. With Amos gone, it goes to the original premise of how the producers wanted the show, a single mom living in the ghetto. If Rolle and the problems would have worked out, the series could have lasted probably eight seasons rather than six. To concur with what others have stated before, the addition of Carl was horrible. I think Florida really wouldn't have dated again or she would have been pressured into doing it as Wilona would have played matchmaker or something.

TVFactFan
06-05-2006, 12:09 PM
The writers could have saved the show in a few ways...........

1.They could have replaced the John Amos character with a new person(Fresh-Prince Of Bel-Air's Vivian character).

2.They could have had John Amos come back as a "ghost" many times.

3.They could have John Amos die, have the "Big Move" episododes, and then cancel Good Times. They could have cancelled GT on Top.

4.They could have had the GT end right after The Rent Party. (Kind of like Number 3, with out the BM.)

5. They could have had Esther Rolle carry out the series into the fourth season, and then when she walked, they should have made "Love has a spot on his lung, 1 and 2 the last episode.


There is not a such thing as a finale after 3 seasons-lol

Brieannas21
06-05-2006, 03:10 PM
Replacing him wouldn't have worked at all. I think they should have used the ol' Newhart trick. In the series finale they should have had Florida wake up next to James and say that she had a weird dream, and then have her get up and start to make breakfast :lol:

TVFactFan
06-05-2006, 06:56 PM
Replacing him wouldn't have worked at all. I think they should have used the ol' Newhart trick. In the series finale they should have had Florida wake up next to James and say that she had a weird dream, and then have her get up and start to make breakfast :lol:


Yeah I never liked replacements

Edster2973
06-05-2006, 07:03 PM
Replacing him wouldn't have worked at all. I think they should have used the ol' Newhart trick. In the series finale they should have had Florida wake up next to James and say that she had a weird dream, and then have her get up and start to make breakfast :lol:


Yeah, right, like John Amos would've agreed to come back after they canned him. Not a chance pal...


Ed

TVFactFan
06-05-2006, 07:12 PM
Yeah, right, like John Amos would've agreed to come back after they canned him. Not a chance pal...


Ed


You never know, money talks and bullsh*t well you know the rest-lol

Ireneparalegal
06-05-2006, 08:04 PM
The writers could have saved the show in a few ways...........

1.They could have replaced the John Amos character with a new person(Fresh-Prince Of Bel-Air's Vivian character).

2.They could have had John Amos come back as a "ghost" many times.

3.They could have John Amos die, have the "Big Move" episododes, and then cancel Good Times. They could have cancelled GT on Top.

4.They could have had the GT end right after The Rent Party. (Kind of like Number 3, with out the BM.)

5. They could have had Esther Rolle carry out the series into the fourth season, and then when she walked, they should have made "Love has a spot on his lung, 1 and 2 the last episode.

I seem to recall it being said here many times already abt replacing John Amos with another actor. NO NO NO NO...WOULD NOT HAVE WORKED. The producer never wanted a father figure to begin with; so he basically got his wish when they decided to fire John.

2. PLEEEEEEEEZE.

3. NOPE. same reason as number 1 that i gave.

4. NOPE

5. GOOD ANSWER.

retrochick9
06-05-2006, 08:22 PM
Replacing him wouldn't have worked at all. I think they should have used the ol' Newhart trick. In the series finale they should have had Florida wake up next to James and say that she had a weird dream, and then have her get up and start to make breakfast :lol:
That would have been great! But, that idea hadn't caught on yet, lol.

GSU2004
06-06-2006, 10:09 AM
There is not a such thing as a finale after 3 seasons-lol

Unless you are told early on by the network you show is definetly not coming back then you could do something of a closure.

GSU2004
06-06-2006, 10:11 AM
Replacing him wouldn't have worked at all. I think they should have used the ol' Newhart trick. In the series finale they should have had Florida wake up next to James and say that she had a weird dream, and then have her get up and start to make breakfast :lol:

I think Roseanne did something similar when John Goodman was voicing his grievances with her antics. They showed him having a heart attack on the season finale and on the last season, Roseanne is living in a dream which is never revealed until the series finale.

Brieannas21
06-06-2006, 01:47 PM
I think Roseanne did something similar when John Goodman was voicing his grievances with her antics. They showed him having a heart attack on the season finale and on the last season, Roseanne is living in a dream which is never revealed until the series finale.


No Roseanne was writing a book, not having a dream. But some concept

GeorgeWBushGOP
06-06-2006, 02:53 PM
If they could have a white JJ then they could have James come back in a dream sequence or two!!

I can picture the ghost thing..Complete with wings and a harp.

Yeah. That would have worked!!!

The one good thing about the James character dying was his stupid statistics died with him!!

magellan333
06-06-2006, 11:07 PM
When I was a young'in, I envisioned James coming back someday to the apartment to find somebody else living there. Turns out the person killed in the auto accident wasn't him! It was a mistake. He was carjacked and he was forced out of the car and shot, left in a coma. The man who stole the car was high on drugs and drove it into a ravine and perished in a flaming crash. Since the car was registered to James, it was assumed it was him that died in the wreck. James was in a coma in a small rural hospital for the remaining seasons of Good Times. He awakens and can not locate the family. Michael is dorm resident, no phone listing. Thelma has a different last name. J.J. has moved to L.A. to promote Dyno Girl. Florida is in the phone book as Florida Dixon.... He finally tracks the family down at Vegas Ave and the Good Times really start.

Far fetched I know, but in the mind of a child, believable.

comedyfreak
06-07-2006, 06:48 AM
But, James didn't drive.

magellan333
06-07-2006, 10:22 PM
But, James didn't drive.

It never said he wasn't driving the car in the accident. Just because the Evans owned no car didn't mean he didn't know how. He probably drove them when he needed to move them at the car wash.

Ireneparalegal
06-07-2006, 11:46 PM
It never said he wasn't driving the car in the accident. Just because the Evans owned no car didn't mean he didn't know how. He probably drove them when he needed to move them at the car wash.
Touche.

I don't know why, but I always assumed that he was a passenger in the car; that someone else was doing the driving. Not that James didn't know how to drive, it was just the way I imagined it to be.

magellan333
06-10-2006, 12:48 AM
Touche.

I don't know why, but I always assumed that he was a passenger in the car; that someone else was doing the driving. Not that James didn't know how to drive, it was just the way I imagined it to be.

His being a passenger makes my far fetched idea more plausible. James was riding with his new boss, when the car was carjacked by some drifter who had just hopped off a train. James was forced out of the car and shot, left in a coma. James boss was so nervous handling the car with the carjacker in tow, that he drove off into a ravine in a flaming crash. James lay in a coma for the next 3 seasons.

Janice Johnson
06-10-2006, 09:25 AM
His being a passenger makes my far fetched idea more plausible. James was riding with his new boss, when the car was carjacked by some drifter who had just hopped off a train. James was forced out of the car and shot, left in a coma. James boss was so nervous handling the car with the carjacker in tow, that he drove off into a ravine in a flaming crash. James lay in a coma for the next 3 seasons.

The sad thing is, that that could have happnend in Good Times, if the entire show of St. Elsewhere was a dream.:rolleyes: :( :lol: :crazy:

James"Thunder"Early
06-10-2006, 12:01 PM
I think John Amos could have been replaced, but not with another actor playing his character. They could have brought in another character, like an relative or something that came in to help Florida. Kind of like in "The Hogan Family" when Sandy Duncan was brought in to replace Valerie Harper.

magellan333
06-10-2006, 07:47 PM
I think John Amos could have been replaced, but not with another actor playing his character. They could have brought in another character, like an relative or something that came in to help Florida. Kind of like in "The Hogan Family" when Sandy Duncan was brought in to replace Valerie Harper.


And I liked Sandy Duncan's character better than Valerie Harper's.

Joeytrom
07-02-2006, 01:33 PM
They could have gotten Louis Gossett as Florida's brother to move in with them. He did "replace" James for an episode the season before.