The episode abt Florida wanting the job for the school bus driver, she told Gary, "I am MRS. EVANS." Wait, whoa....if she married Carl, she would be MRS. DIXON!

She did married Carl. In season opener of season 5 J.J. was on the phone with her referring to her as Mrs. Dixon. Michael was going to move to Arizona with them but he stated that they should be alone since they are newly married. They were in Arizona due to Carl's lung cancer and it was better for his health. It was strange when Esther Rolle came back in season 6, Florida's Homecoming dealing with Thelma's wedding, she was referred to as Mrs. Evans and not Mrs. Dixon or Mrs. Evans-Dixon. The only reference she made to Carl was when she came home and gave a book to Michael. She said, "Carl and I got this for you." That was the last that was mentioned of him. To my imagination Carl had passed away.

One of the reasons why Esther Rolle left Good Times because she was opposed to in the same season that James died that Florida was already going into a serious relationship, got engaged and married. She felt that was too soon for the character given how her and James truly loved each other and that Florida wouldn't do anything like that. I did like the chemistry between Carl and Florida but it was too rush for viewers to fully enjoy that relationship.

Ok, I know all that. I am being sarcastic here.

Why is she asking to be called MRS. EVANS, when she got married to Carl? Why is she telling someone to call her by her former husband's name rather than the name of the man she married?

She did married Carl. In season opener of season 5 J.J. was on the phone with her referring to her as Mrs. Dixon. Michael was going to move to Arizona with them but he stated that they should be alone since they are newly married. They were in Arizona due to Carl's lung cancer and it was better for his health. It was strange when Esther Rolle came back in season 6, Florida's Homecoming dealing with Thelma's wedding, she was referred to as Mrs. Evans and not Mrs. Dixon or Mrs. Evans-Dixon. The only reference she made to Carl was when she came home and gave a book to Michael. She said, "Carl and I got this for you." That was the last that was mentioned of him. To my imagination Carl had passed away.

One of the reasons why Esther Rolle left Good Times because she was opposed to in the same season that James died that Florida was already going into a serious relationship, got engaged and married. She felt that was too soon for the character given how her and James truly loved each other and that Florida wouldn't do anything like that. I did like the chemistry between Carl and Florida but it was too rush for viewers to fully enjoy that relationship.


I keep hearing this story that Esther Rolle felt some type of way about the carl character but no one has yet to list the source they got this information from. And please don;t say Wikipedia

Ok, I know all that. I am being sarcastic here.

Why is she asking to be called MRS. EVANS, when she got married to Carl? Why is she telling someone to call her by her former husband's name rather than the name of the man she married?

I think because viewers known her as Florida Evans not as Florida Dixon. To me that is wrong. If you remember on One Day At A Time the second to the final season when Ann Romano married Sam Royer, Mark's father and Barbara's father-in-law, and the episode when they got married the minister introduced after they were married as Sam Royer and Ann Romano instead of Mr. & Mrs. Sam Royer. Now I cannot stand to watch that episode because I am from the old school that when a woman marries she takes on the man's name. Again, I think they did because viewers known her as Ann Romano not Ann Royer or Ann Romano-Royer. I could had accepted the latter one better and if they could had done that with Florida referring to her as Mrs. Evans-Dixon that could had came off better.

I think because viewers known her as Florida Evans not as Florida Dixon. To me that is wrong. If you remember on One Day At A Time the second to the final season when Ann Romano married Sam Royer, Mark's father and Barbara's father-in-law, and the episode when they got married the minister introduced after they were married as Sam Royer and Ann Romano instead of Mr. & Mrs. Sam Royer. Now I cannot stand to watch that episode because I am from the old school that when a woman marries she takes on the man's name. Again, I think they did because viewers known her as Ann Romano not Ann Royer or Ann Romano-Royer. I could had accepted the latter one better and if they could had done that with Florida referring to her as Mrs. Evans-Dixon that could had came off better.
I know, I hated that Ann was still using her name, like it was some power trip for WOMEN ALL OVER THE COUNTRY...blah blah blah...gimme a break. That was the 70's for you. It may have made some sort of sense then, but it stinks when you see the bigger picture.

As for Florida, they should have incorporated her using DIXON. It irks the f**k outta me that she is using her former married name. They fired John Amos, she married Carl...why have her marry the man if she remains with Evans???

I know, I hated that Ann was still using her name, like it was some power trip for WOMEN ALL OVER THE COUNTRY...blah blah blah...gimme a break. That was the 70's for you. It may have made some sort of sense then, but it stinks when you see the bigger picture.

As for Florida, they should have incorporated her using DIXON. It irks the f**k outta me that she is using her former married name. They fired John Amos, she married Carl...why have her marry the man if she remains with Evans???


I don't know, it might be a 70's thing or a respect thing I don't know. But my grandma still goes by her first husbands name (he died in the early 70's) and My grandma has been married to my step-grandpa for 20 years. So it might just be a first love thing or something.

I do not think that Florida and Carl nery got Married

i think they wanted to pretend Carl never existed
everyone hated the character and he really hurt the show

so they tired to erase any memory of him at all
that is why she was not mrs dixon and why they never mentioned him again!

i think they wanted to pretend Carl never existed
everyone hated the character and he really hurt the show

so they tired to erase any memory of him at all
that is why she was not mrs dixon and why they never mentioned him again!
I think you are right!

I know, I hated that Ann was still using her name, like it was some power trip for WOMEN ALL OVER THE COUNTRY...blah blah blah...gimme a break. That was the 70's for you. It may have made some sort of sense then, but it stinks when you see the bigger picture.

As for Florida, they should have incorporated her using DIXON. It irks the f**k outta me that she is using her former married name. They fired John Amos, she married Carl...why have her marry the man if she remains with Evans???

That was Norman Lear for you wanted to use comedy to bring his point of view out in the open and take things over the top. I'm looking forward to his book to see what he had to say about all that happened on Good Times.

i think they wanted to pretend Carl never existed
everyone hated the character and he really hurt the show

so they tired to erase any memory of him at all
that is why she was not mrs dixon and why they never mentioned him again!


Penny hurt the SHOW

Penny and Carl. Both of them really hurt the show. I enjoyed seeing Florida meet another man, it's just the way the Carl character was portrayed that was over the top.

Penny and Carl. Both of them really hurt the show. I enjoyed seeing Florida meet another man, it's just the way the Carl character was portrayed that was over the top.


In Carl Defense, the Show was still in the Top 30 when he was on there, when Penny came on it was in the Top 80-lol

Like I said, it wasn't the fact that Florida had a love interest (besides Esther was still a part of the show), it was how the Carl haracter was, that I couldn't stand him. When Penny showed up, Esther wasn't around, a big reason ratings were down.

Penny and Carl. Both of them really hurt the show. I enjoyed seeing Florida meet another man, it's just the way the Carl character was portrayed that was over the top.

It would had been nice if the relationship went somewhat slow in real time since Norman Lear likes reality in his shows. It was too soon and James' death impacted the viewers tremendously. Yes, Carl was over the top but that was how Norman Lear likes his TV characters over the top not too ordinary.

Like I said, it wasn't the fact that Florida had a love interest (besides Esther was still a part of the show), it was how the Carl haracter was, that I couldn't stand him. When Penny showed up, Esther wasn't around, a big reason ratings were down.

The lack of direction of the show that hurt Good Times. You can sense in the cast performance that something wasn't right especially the season when Esther was gone. I believe season 6, when Esther came back, the cast knew that it was going to be the final season of the show so the performances was better but it was not the same show anymore. After firing John Amos and Esther Rolle walking off really hurt the show and viewers.

In Carl Defense, the Show was still in the Top 30 when he was on there, when Penny came on it was in the Top 80-lol

Carl-- Penny-- too much Bookman--- too much JJ
it ALL Hurt the show

it went from being a classy well done show
to a silly sitcom

once James died, it lost focus and really went all over the place creatively

Penny hurt the SHOW


So did an OVEREXPOSED JJ.

JJ at least made sense

JIMMIE WALKER was super hot for like a 5 year window

he was all over the place, comedy records, tv shows, stand up

america loved him, so overexposing him made some sense at least

but penny/?

the worst character and janet jackson was NOT even popular then--- she was the least known jackson family member at the time

So did an OVEREXPOSED JJ.


Not as much as Penny-lol

Bookman and Penny...too much, especially Bookman!

I have always wonder why did bookman try to kick The evans out

Bookman and Penny...too much, especially Bookman!


I wouldn't say Booman since there were no 4 part eps revolving around him-lol

Norman should have gave Ms. Rolle her raise and called it a day.

I wouldn't say Booman since there were no 4 part eps revolving around him-lol
No, but he was in almost every episode...was he Solomon?

No, but he was in almost every episode...was he Solomon?


Yup during season 5 he was

Yup during season 5 he was
Buffalo Butt counts as two people, so YES, they showed too much of Bookman. :rofl: