I have actually watched every episode from season one on TBS which is now in season 3 and it seems like every time J.J said something-it was somethng stupid. Never anything intelligent came out of J.J's mouth. And he became more goofy and i can see all of that nonsense from the J.J character interfering with the purpose of Good Times. But if Amos and Rolle felt the J.J character needed to be toned down to focus on the importance of the show, why wouldn't Jimmie Walker feel the same way?

Who's to say he did or he didn't? Even if he just went along with the writers, so what? It was the JJ character that put Jimmy Walker on the map. The audience loved him. There was nothing wrong with Walker milking that character for every penny that it was worth. If you were a struggling actor or comedian looking for your big break and all of a sudden your sitcom character became a huge success, would you want to change it?

Originally posted by briandamage
Who's to say he did or he didn't? Even if he just went along with the writers, so what? It was the JJ character that put Jimmy Walker on the map. The audience loved him. There was nothing wrong with Walker milking that character for every penny that it was worth. If you were a struggling actor or comedian looking for your big break and all of a sudden your sitcom character became a huge success, would you want to change it?

He still wasn't his show-Estelle Rolle was the star and since she was the star he should have went along with her. But did he do that?? o he wanted to continue looking and acting ******** which took away from what the show was about.

Regardless, the audience loved him and that's what matters.

Originally posted by briandamage
Regardless, the audience loved him and that's what matters.

I think it was mainly the J.J character being funny looking to the audience rather than funny.

I personally didn't see J.J.'s antics as subverting the basic message of "Good Times"...sometimes his wisecracks, inappropriate as they were, broke up an otherwise tense situation. (And let's be real about this...sometimes these episodes got too overly-preachy for its own good!)

But J.J. didn't always play the clown...witness the episode where his fiance was on heroin, or the funeral episode... and, despite the complaints of Esther Rolle and John Amos, Jimmie Walker DID manage to give J.J. a full-rounded personality, foolish though it was at times. And it's that personality that viewers remember twenty-five-thirty years after the fact.

Originally posted by W.J. Griffin
I personally didn't see J.J.'s antics as subverting the basic message of "Good Times"...sometimes his wisecracks, inappropriate as they were, broke up an otherwise tense situation. (And let's be real about this...sometimes these episodes got too overly-preachy for its own good!)

But J.J. didn't always play the clown...witness the episode where his fiance was on heroin, or the funeral episode... and, despite the complaints of Esther Rolle and John Amos, Jimmie Walker DID manage to give J.J. a full-rounded personality, foolish though it was at times. And it's that personality that viewers remember twenty-five-thirty years after the fact.

Agreed :)

Originally posted by SOLOMON
I have actually watched every episode from season one on TBS which is now in season 3 and it seems like every time J.J said something-it was somethng stupid. Never anything intelligent came out of J.J's mouth. And he became more goofy and i can see all of that nonsense from the J.J character interfering with the purpose of Good Times. But if Amos and Rolle felt the J.J character needed to be toned down to focus on the importance of the show, why wouldn't Jimmie Walker feel the same way?

Wow, SOLOMON. For the first time we agree on something. I mean, if J.J. wanted to act silly, fine. However, let's not forget the Ms. Rolle is supposed to be the core character of the show. J.J. would say stupid things. You're right about it being taken too far at times. That is why I liked season 6 because Esther came back. Although he was funny during fifth season, the show was still missing that element: Florida and James second.