He's always shouting and angry at something. Ranting and raving and even throwing furniture around as well. It was a blessing when he died and the rest of the family could finally breathe without his non stop anger around anymore. I swear that man was never happy.

And when Florida needed a gall stone operation he bitched and moaned all about the money throughout the entire episode and how he couldn't pay it and wanted to pull poor Florida out of her hospital bed so he could dump her in the free clinic instead to save money. Nice husband!

He boasted how he just got a $15/week raise at the beginning of the episode, and the hospital bill was $600. So that raise of $60 extra per month in his paycheck could easily pay the bill off in just 10 months. But no, he'd rather bitch and moan about paying it while poor Florida suffers in her bed.

I love the episodes after he's gone. Everyone is so much happier too without him.

Are you freaking kidding? Nobody in the family was "happy" that James was dead! Overall, James was a good father and husband. John Amos (James) was the heart and soul of "Good Times" and the show suffered without him. My favorite "Good Times" episodes are the ones with "James" in it. IMO, "Good Times" ceased to exist after season 4.

John Amos was also the best actor on the show.

What do I dislike about the show? It’s a long list, and this is on it. He could be annoying, but no one could hold a candle to JJ.

What do a I dislike about the show? It’s a long list, and this is on it. He could be annoying, but no one could hold a candle to JJ.

Florida and J.J. really were the show, even though I liked Florida much better on Maude than Good Times. James really was a very angry man, and it was clear that with Florida hitching up with Carl that quickly after James's death. And besides, in real life, Norman Lear stated that John Amos was a pain in the butt to work with, which I don't doubt. James got on my nerves time and time again, so I agree 100% with the OP.

Florida and J.J. really were the show, even though I liked Florida much better on Maude than Good Times. James really was a very angry man, and it was clear that with Florida hitching up with Carl that quickly after James's death. And besides, in real life, Norman Lear stated that John Amos was a pain in the butt to work with, which I don't doubt. James got on my nerves time and time again, so I agree 100% with the OP.

The two characters that I LOVED were Wilona and Penny. Florida was OK. If it weren’t for them I’d never watch the show—unless I had an air-sickness bag nearby. More than 3 seconds of JJ really got on my nerves.

I love the show overall and just bought the series on dvd and am watching them in order. I was up to the episode last night with Florida in the hospital when I posted and just couldn't believe how James was acting while his wife was in pain and needed care. You don't think about money during times like that! It was appalling that was all he cared about.

And it only made it worse that he just got that $15/week raise right before it happened. A positive person would see that as a sign of good fortune to be able to pay for the better hospital, but all James did was complain how he couldn't afford it while Florida groaned in pain.
I watched the episode earlier this week with the gun where James practically tore apart the living room in anger looking for it while the poor family stood there frozen in fear of him.

After he died, the family just seemed so much more happy. I agree with Svenfan that Florida dating Carl so quickly showed she didn't miss her angry husband all that much.

Edited to add: Also, the fact that poor Florida walked around for over 2 weeks with that gall bladder pain because she was afraid to tell James about it showed she knew how he'd blow up and start complaining about the cost. Heck, she probably thought he'd blame her for having the nerve to her gall stones!

I love Wilona too, but the way she laughs at her own jokes makes me want to slap her. Every single joke she tells, she's always the first one laughing at it like it was the best joke ever told in the history of the world.

I love the show overall and just bought the series on dvd and am watching them in order. I was up to the episode last night with Florida in the hospital when I posted and just couldn't believe how James was acting while his wife was in pain and needed care. You don't think about money during times like that! It was appalling that was all he cared about.

And it only made it worse that he just got that $15/week raise right before it happened. A positive person would see that as a sign of good fortune to be able to pay for the better hospital, but all James did was complain how he couldn't afford it while Florida groaned in pain.
I watched the episode earlier this week with the gun where James practically tore apart the living room in anger looking for it while the poor family stood there frozen in fear of him.

After he died, the family just seemed so much more happy. I agree with Svenfan that Florida dating Carl so quickly showed she didn't miss her angry husband all that much.

I love Wilona too, but the way she laughs at her own jokes makes me want to slap her. Every single joke she tells, she's always the first one laughing at it like it was the best joke ever told in the history of the world.

James was a kvetch and Carl was a much better catch IMO. Glad to see you’re a Wilona fan too; she was hands-down the best character on the show.

The "Militant Midget" got on my nerves in the early episodes.

To me the whole series is watchable. I think the addition of Keith in the last season was kind of unneeded, and really an unrealistically sudden marriage for Thelma. They probably added him because they weren't expecting Esther Rolle to come back.

Agreed about Wilona.

The "Militant Midget" got on my nerves in the early episodes.

To me the whole series is watchable. I think the addition of Keith in the last season was kind of unneeded, and really an unrealistically sudden marriage for Thelma. They probably added him because they weren't expecting Esther Rolle to come back.

Agreed about Wilona.

Michael could be cloying. And you know, now that I think of it, I sorta liked Thelma.

The show was watchable to me because of Wilona.

Yes, I read someplace that Esther had a lot of issues with the show. And I don’t blame her, the show was POORLY written. And she’s a good actress too. She sparkled in Maude. What a shame such a good actress was given such crappy writing to work with.

I'm actually a JJ fan. ;)I thought he was funny , although he was a bit obnoxious , he was a good hearted person!:) My two other favorite characters were Florida and Thelma! I liked the Brother/ Sister banter between her and JJ !:D Very realistic !;)

The "Militant Midget" got on my nerves in the early episodes.

To me the whole series is watchable. I think the addition of Keith in the last season was kind of unneeded, and really an unrealistically sudden marriage for Thelma. They probably added him because they weren't expecting Esther Rolle to come back.

Agreed about Wilona.

Michael was my least favorite character! :confused:

Michael was my least favorite character! :confused:

He was a canned character, but JJ is the clear winner for me!

I'm actually a JJ fan. ;)I thought he was funny , although he was a bit obnoxious , he was a good hearted person!:) My two other favorite characters were Florida and Thelma! I liked the Brother/ Sister banter between her and JJ !:D Very realistic !;)

I like JJ too. His "dyn-o-mite" never really irked me because his character was supposed to be immature and always happy. Though he did mature a bit after James died and tried to become the man of the family.

Actually I like all the characters except for James which is why seasons 4-6 are my favorites.

James was a kvetch and Carl was a much better catch IMO. Glad to see you’re a Wilona fan too; she was hands-down best character on the show.

It's a shame they had Wilona move to the same building with the Evans at the end of the series, because I could see a spinoff working with her as the star after Good Times ended. They could have had her move out of state, like to NYC to start a new job or something. I think it could have worked.

It's a shame they had Wilona move to the same building with the Evans at the end of the series, because I could see a spinoff working with her as the star after Good Times ended. They could have had her move out of state, like to NYC to start a new job or something. I think it could have worked.

Absa-effen-lutely!!! Wilona rocked. She was pretty much the only reason I watched

Wilona was well-grounded and always had good advice. And even though she laughed at her own jokes, she WAS funny! It seemed James barely tolerated her.

A lot of people didn't like JJ but he was really funny too. Dynomite and You know what can I say?

The character came off that way because.............

1. He had a low paying job trying to support a family of 4

2. Lived in a building where the heat was on sometimes

3. Lived in a buidling where the elevator worked sometimes

4. His job never offered him a raised

5. He wasn't eligible for a better job due to his education level

6. He was always getting laid off

7. Inflation

8. Lots of Bills

The character came off that way because.............

1. He had a low paying job trying to support a family of 4

2. Lived in a building where the heat was on sometimes

3. Lived in a buidling where the elevator worked sometimes

4. His job never offered him a raised

5. He wasn't eligible for a better job due to his education level

6. He was always getting laid off

7. Inflation

8. Lots of Bills

But really...MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE...the show was BADLY written. You can be impoverished but still be an optimistic and loving father...the dad in The Waltons for example.

But really...MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE...the show was BADLY written. You can be impoverished but still be an optimistic and loving father...the dad in The Waltons for example.

Well the character was toned down by season 3 and wasn't as angry. In season 1 he was wild:lol:

Well, of course she signed on assuming that she would be the star of the show, not unlike how Meridith Baxter Birney was pegged to be the star of Family Ties, but of course the kids took over both shows.

But really...MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE...the show was BADLY written. You can be impoverished but still be an optimistic and loving father...the dad in The Waltons for example.

The diffrence of course is that the Walton's weren't living in, The Ghetto, they were living in the mountans of West Virginia, and the father operated a lumber mill. They were poor because of, The Depression, but they were well off compared to most.

Are you freaking kidding? Nobody in the family was "happy" that James was dead! Overall, James was a good father and husband. John Amos (James) was the heart and soul of "Good Times" and the show suffered without him. My favorite "Good Times" episodes are the ones with "James" in it. IMO, "Good Times" ceased to exist after season 4.

John Amos was also the best actor on the show.

^^this, the show hinged on the parental figures. A "JJ Show" wouldn't hold up on its own and as JJ got more popular, Michael faded away and even Thelma got less to do. The parents added enough balance to keep the show more level.

But Esther Rolle also left a positive impression with her talents. To this day, she puts in her all in every episode she's in and the episodes are stronger as a result.

^^this, the show hinged on the parental figures. A "JJ Show" wouldn't hold up on its own and as JJ got more popular, Michael faded away and even Thelma got less to do. The parents added enough balance to keep the show more level.

But Esther Rolle also left a positive impression with her talents. To this day, she puts in her all in every episode she's in and the episodes are stronger as a result.

Well Jimmie Walker did admit he was never a actor but a entertainer:lol:

According to John Amos, he and Esther Rolle wanted a more authentic portrayal of a poor black family, and didn’t think the writers (who were white) could deliver. Amos was more vocal in his complaints, and so was written out of the series. Of course, Rolle is dead, and I don’t know if she ever publicly complained about the series.

All the characters were great, but they had their quirks. I think in later years, they tried to effeminize Michael, but other than that, no major problems with any of them.