Jimmie Walker, Esther Rolle, and John Amos returned to the show they should have said something in regards to the reason they were missing. For example,

J.J should have mentioned the Art Show he attended

Florida should have mentioned the Funeral she attended

James should have said something about that out of town job



That way everything would have stayed consistent and made things flow a lot a smoother

Jimmie Walker, Esther Rolle, and John Amos returned to the show they should have said something in regards to the reason they were missing. For example,

J.J should have mentioned the Art Show he attended

Florida should have mentioned the Funeral she attended

James should have said something about that out of town job



That way everything would have stayed consistent and made things flow a lot a smoother



Excuse me for butting in but I don't think they should have mentioned them because it's not a soap opera.

Excuse me for butting in but I don't think they should have mentioned them because it's not a soap opera.


Well then it shouldn't have been a excuse written to why they were gone. THey should have said nothing if they were not going to address where the character was

Well then it shouldn't have been a excuse written to why they were gone. THey should have said nothing if they were not going to address where the character was



Yep, you're right, they should'nt have gave an explanation to why they were missing. Then we'd have people asking why wasn't there an explanation as to why so and so wasn't there. Doesn't matter either way.

Well then it shouldn't have been a excuse written to why they were gone. THey should have said nothing if they were not going to address where the character was


Yeah there should have been a reason, if there weren't then people would be asking "where's JJ?, where's Florida?, where's James?"

And the reason it was prob never talked about in the episodes after is becasue in the sitcom world time goes by faster. For example if you watch a show today and in sitcom world it could be Oct 28, Then next week episode it could Nov 28. So it would have been stupid if they would have never said anything. Sitcoms times isn't the same as real world time :lol:

Yeah there should have been a reason, if there weren't then people would be asking "where's JJ?, where's Florida?, where's James?"

And the reason it was prob never talked about in the episodes after is becasue in the sitcom world time goes by faster. For example if you watch a show today and in sitcom world it could be Oct 28, Then next week episode it could Nov 28. So it would have been stupid if they would have never said anything. Sitcoms times isn't the same as real world time :lol:



Let me clear, I'm not saying the characters had to spend the entire ep talking about where they were, I'm just saying they could have quickly mentioned where they were and continue on with the episode. It's called Good Writing-lol

Let me clear, I'm not saying the characters had to spend the entire ep talking about where they were, I'm just saying they could have quickly mentioned where they were and continue on with the episode. It's called Good Writing-lol


WHY!! My point is, why even mention it, when in the sitcom world, that could have happened a month ago. When in the real world the episodes could have aired a week apart.

IT'S TV they can't make everything seem realistic, if so it would be boring as hell.

WHY!! My point is, why even mention it, when in the sitcom world, that could have happened a month ago. When in the real world the episodes could have aired a week apart.

IT'S TV they can't make everything seem realistic, if so it would be boring as hell.



It still would have been nice to know where james was WORKING!!!!!!!!!!!!!-lol Out of Town where?? Doing what????? I need answers

It still would have been nice to know where james was WORKING!!!!!!!!!!!!!-lol Out of Town where?? Doing what????? I need answers


What episode are you talking about?

Back in the days, it didn't bother me. I didn't notice or care. Nowadays, it bothers me, to an extent, that those lame excuses were used.

I think, maybe, this is why they didn't address it. Because they weren't sure which episode would follow when writing the scripts. Why bother inserting a response to those excuses, if they weren't sure in which order the episodes would be airing? It was easy to write a two-parter or three-parter, because then, they know for sure those are being shown in order.

What episode are you talking about?


The episode with the Old man dying

The episode with the Old man dying


Oh, well it wasn't important, I don't see why bringing up stuff like that would be important.

Oh, well it wasn't important, I don't see why bringing up stuff like that would be important.


But they made his absence bigger than it had to be by saying he was stuck at whatever city he was in because of the snowstorm. So since they added all of that why not WRAP IT UP when he returns

But they made his absence bigger than it had to be by saying he was stuck at whatever city he was in because of the snowstorm. So since they added all of that why not WRAP IT UP when he returns


Because they were letting the audience know that James wasn't going to pop up at the end of the episode or in the middle. And it would have looked dumb to have Flo not talk to James on New Years Eve.

And why wrap it up, they can't stay on stuff forever. IT'S TV

Because they were letting the audience know that James wasn't going to pop up at the end of the episode or in the middle. And it would have looked dumb to have Flo not talk to James on New Years Eve.

And why wrap it up, they can't stay on stuff forever. IT'S TV



Well I would have had him returning in the beginning of the next episode-lol

Well I would have had him returning in the beginning of the next episode-lol
Did you even read my post above Solomon? I gave a reason as to why the writers didn't have a "wrap-up" abt the missing actors.

[QUOTE=Ireneparalegal]Back in the days, it didn't bother me. I didn't notice or care. Nowadays, it bothers me, to an extent, that those lame excuses were used.

I think, maybe, this is why they didn't address it. Because they weren't sure which episode would follow when writing the scripts. Why bother inserting a response to those excuses, if they weren't sure in which order the episodes would be airing? It was easy to write a two-parter or three-parter, because then, they know for sure those are being shown in order.[/QUOTE




Well I feel they should have not said anything at all. They did do that with the Micahel character when he was missing in the ep-"My Son, the Lover"

I think Brie is also right. If the studio audience and we the television audience aren't told where so and so is, then we are going to be left wondering "Where is James?" etc. Or, we might be expecting the character to come out eventually only to be left hanging.

I can see the thread now:

"Hey, in this episode they never mentioned where J.J. was...don't you think they should have told us at least why J.J. wasn't shown?" :lol:

I think Brie is also right. If the studio audience and we the television audience aren't told where so and so is, then we are going to be left wondering "Where is James?" etc. Or, we might be expecting the character to come out eventually only to be left hanging.

I can see the thread now:

"Hey, in this episode they never mentioned where J.J. was...don't you think they should have told us at least why J.J. wasn't shown?" :lol:



I actually felt like that about the Michael but didn't post it on the Board-lol

I actually felt like that about the Michael but didn't post it on the Board-lol
You see. Either way you aren't satisfied. Michael's whereabouts aren't mentioned and you are wondering "where was he." When the other characters are mentioned as being out of town, etc. you want to know why the writers didn't follow-up as to their return. :crazy: :lol:

You see. Either way you aren't satisfied. Michael's whereabouts aren't mentioned and you are wondering "where was he." When the other characters are mentioned as being out of town, etc. you want to know why the writers didn't follow-up as to their return. :crazy: :lol:



Well since Michael wasn't that Major of a Character I really didn't make a big deal about it

Well since Michael wasn't that Major of a Character I really didn't make a big deal about it
I am not even going to get into it with you and ask you why you think Michael is not a MAJOR character. He was on all the seasons and was listed in the credits. So, don't bother telling me your reasons why he WASN'T A MAJOR CHARACTER IN YOUR EYES...:rofl: :crazy: :lol:

I am not even going to get into it with you and ask you why you think Michael is not a MAJOR character. He was on all the seasons and was listed in the credits. So, don't bother telling me your reasons why he WASN'T A MAJOR CHARACTER IN YOUR EYES...:rofl: :crazy: :lol:


Well Irene he was the youngest child-lol You can just assume he is outside playing stickball-lol Like you wouldn't care if these characters were missing would you?


Rudy Huxtable
Judy Winslow
Baby Nicky

Well Irene he was the youngest child-lol You can just assume he is outside playing stickball-lol Like you wouldn't care if these characters were missing would you?


Rudy Huxtable
Judy Winslow
Baby Nicky
Well, saying that he is a child and we can assume he is in school or outside playing, is TOTALLY DIFFERENT than saying he is NOT a major character.

Well, saying that he is a child and we can assume he is in school or outside playing, is TOTALLY DIFFERENT than saying he is NOT a major character.


Ok well he was too young for me to care-lol How does that sound?-lol

Ok well he was too young for me to care-lol How does that sound?-lol
That sounds better because that is WHAT YOU MEAN. Saying he was not a major character goes somewhere else...:rofl:

That sounds better because that is WHAT YOU MEAN. Saying he was not a major character goes somewhere else...:rofl:


Well he wasn't that major in season 1, his role increased as he got older

Well he wasn't that major in season 1, his role increased as he got older


Yes he was, and he was seen WAY more often than Judy, Nicky and even Rudy.

Yes he was, and he was seen WAY more often than Judy, Nicky and even Rudy.
THAT'S THE DAMN TRUTH! :D I mean, the locale of Good Times took place in the Evans' apt. and it was always in the living room/kitchen where things took place, so, where else was Michael going to go????? :rofl: He didn't have a bedroom.

Not like Rudy or Judy who had a whole house to "hide" into or a neighborhood where they could be at most of the day. :crazy: