Well i was looking at the ratings for the Jeffersons while the were on the air and it shows that viewers tued in to see Mike Evans. Let me explain, In the first season, the Jeffersons finished at number 4 in the ratings but it was a major difference the following season. Mike Evans left the Jeffersons after the first season and when that happened, the ratings went downhill. The 75-76, 76-77, amd 77-78 season was not in the top 20. But When Mike Evans returned in the 79-80, the Jeffersons was back in the top ten and stayed in the top ten until he left in 81. After 1982, the Jeffersons never made it to the top ten again which is probably because Mike Evans was no longer a regular character. My guess is since he was the original Jefferson character that viewers saw the most on All in the Family, he became the favorite out of the Jeffersons. The numbers don't lie.

Or maybe it's because of the show being moved from another night or from timeslot to timeslot. The shows around it and the competition could also affect it.

For it's first season it was on Saturdays. It's second season was also on Saturdays, but it was now the 8:00pm anchor. The shows after it were also weakening. The 1st season had All in the Family as a strong lead in, this one didn't.

For it's third season, it was mostly on Saturdays and Wednesdays and ended up placing at #24.

For it's fourth season from '77-78, it was back on Saturdays and Saturdays was even weaker then. However it wasn't the lead-in this time. Another show on that lineup ranked #67 it's last season. The Jeffersons probably had better ratings than that to get renewed.

For it's fifth season, it was on Wednesdays again. I guess the ratings on this night weren't that high either.

From sixth-(the early part of the)eleventh season (79-84), the show was on Sundays. Sundays at that time probably had the highest rated sitcoms on CBS at the time. For the 1982-1984 seasons, it did not place in the top 10, but still placed in the top 20.

For spring 1985, it was up against The A Team. That pretty much killed it.

Originally posted by Sean Snow
Or maybe it's because of the show being moved from another night or from timeslot to timeslot. The shows around it and the competition could also affect it.

For it's first season it was on Saturdays. It's second season was also on Saturdays, but it was now the 8:00pm anchor. The shows after it were also weakening. The 1st season had All in the Family as a strong lead in, this one didn't.

For it's third season, it was mostly on Saturdays and Wednesdays and ended up placing at #24.

For it's fourth season from '77-78, it was back on Saturdays and Saturdays was even weaker then. However it wasn't the lead-in this time. Another show on that lineup ranked #67 it's last season. The Jeffersons probably had better ratings than that to get renewed.

For it's fifth season, it was on Wednesdays again. I guess the ratings on this night weren't that high either.

From sixth-(the early part of the)eleventh season (79-84), the show was on Sundays. Sundays at that time probably had the highest rated sitcoms on CBS at the time. For the 1982-1984 seasons, it did not place in the top 10, but still placed in the top 20.

For spring 1985, it was up against The A Team. That pretty much killed it.


I have to disagree Sean, it was evident that the second Lionel caused the show to lose viewers. He was no comparison to
Mike Evans and it showed. Then once Mike Evans returned in 79-80, some of those viewers came back again. And you mentioned that the show was aired at 8pm the following season which should have been a reason for the show to remain in the top ten. Let's face it, it was the first show to start off the Saturday lineup but since Mike was gone there wasn't a lot of interest in the show. I bet you lots of viewers were confused when they seen a different person playing Lionel Jefferson.

Originally posted by SOLOMON



I have to disagree Sean, it was evident that the second Lionel caused the show to lose viewers. He was no comparison to
Mike Evans and it showed. Then once Mike Evans returned in 79-80, some of those viewers came back again. And you mentioned that the show was aired at 8pm the following season which should have been a reason for the show to remain in the top ten. Let's face it, it was the first show to start off the Saturday lineup but since Mike was gone there wasn't a lot of interest in the show. I bet you lots of viewers were confused when they seen a different person playing Lionel Jefferson.

For it's second season, The Jeffersons no longer had a #1 show before it, where it could catch some of it's audience. That is definately going to affect ratings for any show. The show after it, called Doc failed. The Jeffersons had the second highest ratings for that night - second only to The Mary Tyler Moore Show which was #19 when TJ was #21. IMO It seems that it was caused by a lineup which was starting to weaken [Every other show on that lineup at that time wasther cancelled or ended by 1978] due to the loss of it's lead-in which had been #1 for four seasons.

The reason viewers came back in 1979-1980 could more likely be because it was now following Alice, One Day at a Time, and Archie Bunker's Place, with Trapper John MD right behind it. These shows [#4, #10, #11, & #19] probably helped it get back into the top ten.

Originally posted by SOLOMON



I have to disagree Sean, it was evident that the second Lionel caused the show to lose viewers. He was no comparison to
Mike Evans and it showed. Then once Mike Evans returned in 79-80, some of those viewers came back again. And you mentioned that the show was aired at 8pm the following season which should have been a reason for the show to remain in the top ten. Let's face it, it was the first show to start off the Saturday lineup but since Mike was gone there wasn't a lot of interest in the show. I bet you lots of viewers were confused when they seen a different person playing Lionel Jefferson.

You just keep on thinking that, maybe you'll actually convince some of us.

Originally posted by boechsner


You just keep on thinking that, maybe you'll actually convince some of us.

Lionel Jefferson was the original Jefferson character and the most entertaining. The End

Originally posted by SOLOMON


Lionel Jefferson was the original Jefferson character and the most entertaining. The End

I agree that Mike Evans was the best Lionel, but what you have presented hardly proves that Mike Evans was America's favorite Jefferson character, as you state in the title of your original post.

Originally posted by boechsner


I agree that Mike Evans was the best Lionel, but what you have presented hardly proves that Mike Evans was America's favorite Jefferson character, as you state in the title of your original post.

Well until someone presents stronger facts than the ratings for 74-75 and 79-80, i will continue to believe the exit of Mike Evans caused the plunge in the ratings.

Originally posted by SOLOMON


Lionel Jefferson was the original Jefferson character and the most entertaining. The End

Ummm, No i dont think so. George was much more entertaining than Lionel.

Originally posted by Chad Doody


Ummm, No i dont think so. George was much more entertaining than Lionel.

I think if Mike Evans would have stayed he would have became the star of the Jeffersons like Jimmie Walker did on Good Times.

Mike Evans was great as Lionel, but it's idiotic to think that him leaving caused the ratings to plunge. He was never a main character like George was. George was the straw that stirred the drink for the Jeffersons. Solomon, you look at numbers, but don't bother to research what you see. Lionel would never become the main character like JJ was on Good Times. Never.

Originally posted by Brian Damage
Mike Evans was great as Lionel, but it's idiotic to think that him leaving caused the ratings to plunge. He was never a main character like George was. George was the straw that stirred the drink for the Jeffersons. Solomon, you look at numbers, but don't bother to research what you see. Lionel would never become the main character like JJ was on Good Times. Never.

I just think viewers were stunned to see a new Lionel at the start of the 75-76 season. I bet if you were to ask someone who was an Jefferson fan at the time of 1975, i know for a fact they would tell you they started to miss Mike Evans.

Originally posted by SOLOMON


I just think viewers were stunned to see a new Lionel at the start of the 75-76 season. I bet if you were to ask someone who was an Jefferson fan at the time of 1975, i know for a fact they would tell you they started to miss Mike Evans.

I Agree Mike Evans is the betetr Lionel, But i hardly think the show revolves around him. Fact is even in the episodes he was in, The show didnt revolve around his character. Lionel shouldnt really be compared to J.J., Or Fonzie or any other breakout character because he was never really that appealing. He was funny yes, But The show was never about Lionel. It was about George and Louise.

Originally posted by Chad Doody


I Agree Mike Evans is the betetr Lionel, But i hardly think the show revolves around him. Fact is even in the episodes he was in, The show didnt revolve around his character. Lionel shouldnt really be compared to J.J., Or Fonzie or any other breakout character because he was never really that appealing. He was funny yes, But The show was never about Lionel. It was about George and Louise.

I would say since he was used less and less as the first season went on, he just figured i should just go and pursue something else. But The show shouldn't have just been about George and Louise because they also had a son. Out of 13 episodes, Lionel was only apart of the storyline twice. He should have been used more. It seems like he was used more on All in the Family than the Jeffersons. If Mike Evans was seen on the Jeffersons like he was used on AITF, believe me he would have stolen the spotlight from Sherman Hemsley and Isabel Sanford.

Originally posted by SOLOMON


I would say since he was used less and less as the first season went on, he just figured i should just go and pursue something else. But The show shouldn't have just been about George and Louise because they also had a son. Out of 13 episodes, Lionel was only apart of the storyline twice. He should have been used more. It seems like he was used more on All in the Family than the Jeffersons. If Mike Evans was seen on the Jeffersons like he was used on AITF, believe me he would have stolen the spotlight from Sherman Hemsley and Isabel Sanford.

Yeah but the thing about that is, He was funnier on All In The Family because he had Archie their to work with. If They had some kind of Bigoted Neighbor on The Jeffersons, Than Lionel may have..Just may have been a breakout character. But the fact is, Without Archie hes not THAT funny.

Originally posted by SOLOMON

Well until someone presents stronger facts than the ratings for 74-75 and 79-80, i will continue to believe the exit of Mike Evans caused the plunge in the ratings.

The facts seem stronger to me than your facts saying Mike Evans was the reason for the ratings fall. You're assuming that because of when he departed and rejoined the cast. What I said used factual information on time slots. Werm.

Originally posted by SOLOMON
he became the favorite out of the Jeffersons. The numbers don't lie.
There is no way that Lionel was America's favorite Jefferson's character. Toss the rating numbers around all you want Solomon, but nobody's buying it.
George Jefferson was the heart and soul and the main draw of the show. Case closed.

Mike Evans was definetely the favorite as Lionel, but George was the favorite Jefferson overall.