Do you think a spinoff with Iola could have made it as a show????Or was Beverly Archer at her best as a supporting character?

I like her character, but I am not sure that it would work to have a show centered around her- and this is not a criticism about the Iola character and not Beverly Archer.

Iola on occasion could be strong, but we sympathize with her as a pitiful maiden with the task or burden taking care of her aging parents. Her mom was demonized a lot in the way she controlled and manipulated Iola- she was "grounded" in one episode. Would viewers want to tune in to see her mom be verbally and possibly emotionally abusive towards Iola? Probably not. I think Iola was very fortunate to have the companionship of Thelma.

They'd probably put her in a different situation--her parents go into managed care/nursing home, she meets a man, etc.

I agree, no criticism of the character or Beverly Archer, but I'm not sure she could sustain a series.

They could have spun Vint, Naomi, and Iola off together. That might have worked.

They'd probably put her in a different situation--her parents go into managed care/nursing home, she meets a man, etc.

I agree, no criticism of the character or Beverly Archer, but I'm not sure she could sustain a series.

They could have spun Vint, Naomi, and Iola off together. That might have worked.


The name of the show would be simply Iola, and it would more than likely focus on Iola trying to juggle having a social life while trying to care for her parents. It could be good for a season or 2

This assumes the spinoff happened during the series ...
It might have been funny for a little while, but I can only imagine that watching the entire show, the absence of the Harpers would have been glaring for me short of whatever guest appearances anyone from Mama's Family would have made.
Even if it followed the end of Mama's Family, Vicki Lawrence probably wouldn't have played a huge part. It seemed like she was ready to take a break from Thelma by 1990.

This assumes the spinoff happened during the series ...
It might have been funny for a little while, but I can only imagine that watching the entire show, the absence of the Harpers would have been glaring for me short of whatever guest appearances anyone from Mama's Family would have made.
Even if it followed the end of Mama's Family, Vicki Lawrence probably wouldn't have played a huge part. It seemed like she was ready to take a break from Thelma by 1990.

I think the Harpers could make occasional appearances, but they could bring in a new cast, and Iola could have another friend who she shares common interests with, and maybe even a guy friend.

I always felt like if Iola met Jane Hathaway from Beverly Hillbillies, they would make good friends