I think they could have done without Iola and Bubba. They should have keept Fran Eunice Buzz and Sonjia. Does anyone think so, but me?

I disagree. As much as I love Eunice I think the Bubba/Iola years were better!:D

Mama was more funnier in the Iola /Bubba days

I do wish Eunice and Ellen would have stayed on the show.

I think most people who grew up with the Carol Burnett show prefer the early Mama's Family episodes where the story lines were more like reality, while newer genereations prefer the new episodes when the series became more like a Bart Simson cartoon!

I think most people who grew up with the Carol Burnett show prefer the early Mama's Family episodes where the story lines were more like reality, while newer genereations prefer the new episodes when the series became more like a Bart Simson cartoon!

When I see Mama skits on The Carol Burnett now they are just plain boring to me! With the exception of the "Sorry" skit and the one where Eunice sings "Feelings" on the Gong Show! Those two skits are classic! Absolutely hilarious! :lol:

I persoanlly like BOTH, I gre up with the Carol Burnett show when I was little so it holds a lot of nostalgic feeling to me.

But it's interesting to see how Mama went from being the "bad guy" to being the hero of the series.

I prefer the earlier eps, but that doesn't really have much to do with Fran, Buzz, and Sonja. They were all three very bland characters. And Bubba, well he had his moments, but he by no means made the show either. I do however love Iola. Especially her earlier episodes. Beverly Archer was so funny in that role! I do think they suffered from the loss of Carol Burnett and Betty White though. I wish Carol had done some guest spots during the syndicated years. I love all 6 seasons really, but the first two are without a doubt my favorite.

The show wouldn't be the same without Iola. Alwaysed wondered why Iola picked Thema Harper as he best friend when she is Vint's and Naomi(could never spell her name right) age? Only thing I could think of was she was in love with Vint and thought if she could get in good with Thelma, Thelma would be okay with Iola liking Vint and hoped they got married.

I do wished they would have more guest apprances with Dorthy Van as Aunt Effie she was hallarious on the show.

The only thing I ever thought was Funny that either Buzz or Sonja said was When Aunt Fran read a letter to her newspaper (people problem) colum, was a later wrote in and said she lived in an apartment and had 6 cats and a boyfriend and her boyfriend didn't like all the cats and she didn't want to give up the cats or boyfriend and asked what should she do. Sonja said 6 cats in an apartment ewww grows wall to wall littler boxes

I also wished they would have shown some of Carls and Thelma's brothers and sisters besides Fran(I know there was Fran as only 2 sisters) They had a bother who wanted a gun for a Graduation present. They did show Carls one brother Roy.

Wished they would have given Thelma a boyfriend they showed more not a lot more just some besides the night school teacher he had a crush on.

They could have shown Carol Burnett and Betty more in the snydication more.

One thing I did like they used to talk about one church lady at the CLL and you never got to see her.

I think they were more funnier on the syndication years more so then the NBC years.

Vint was not dumb or not to dumb on the NBC years and Thelma was not as senile on the NBC years which was not as funny as the Syndication years where Thelma was more senile and Vint more dumber.

Also Naomi seem to get more stupider in the syndication years which made it more funnier.

The NBC years to me seem as that the family was to serious and uptight about things while the syndication years they were more like a real family which more people could relate to.

I liked the syndication years better even though I grew up on both NBC and syndication and when they were on the Carol Burnett show.

Still liked the Thanksgiving episode where Iola ate the rumballs and got drunk off them and she thought she did something with Vint in the basement.

Also liked the Episode where Vint and Naomi found a dog and called it old lady and Thelma kept getting calls about Old lady and wanting to take her off their hands or put her into a nursing home and Thelma thought they were talking about her.

Also liked the episode where Thelma and Iola thought Vint was having an affair with the female locksmith trainee.

The other episode I liked it was one of the early Bubba episodes and Iola's cat midnight died and Vint, Naomi, Buddy brought a treasure chest and they ened up sitting on Iola's freeze dried cat and they thought they killed it and Budda said rigamortis has already set in as he held up the cat.

But a quote from Ken Berries offcial website he said once around 1997 or so that he tried acting again with a few guest apparances to see if he liked to try it again and he said he didn't care weather or not he did it again. Meaning he be happy if he never did it again.

He also said he is a collector of antique cars and he would be in heave if he could put a cot in there and sleep with them along with a small refridgerator and toilet.

I *LOVE* the syndicated years with Bubba and Iola! I only wish Eunice would have visited. Bud & Sonja were like pod people.

I disagree with some of that, to me the NBC years were MUCH more like a REAL family that you could relate to! In the NBC episodes they dealt with things like divorce, cheating spouses, jealousy among siblings, etc. In the syndicated episodes it became more like a "cartoon" they deal with stuff like going on JEPORDY!

I like BOTH but the old episodes are just more realistic to a dysfunctional family.

I LOVED Eunice too, BUT if she had been on too often she would have OBVIOUSLY stole the show, she did anyway in those 5 episodes she was in.
Anyway I heard the reason she wasn't on more often is b/c Carol and Vickie were NOT on speaking terms during Mama's Family.
THe way I understand it Carol was wanting to bring back her show and wanted Vickie to come back but Vickie had already commited to Mama's Family, and Carol got pretty upset about that, which I can't really blame her after all it was Carol who gave her her BIG break in showbiz!

I really don't think that the show would have lasted as long as it did if it had kept the old cast. There were some really funny episodes with Iola and Bubba! But I suppose it is just a matter of opinion. I just prefer the sydicated eppies myself! :wave:

In the syndicated episodes it became more like a "cartoon" they deal with stuff like going on JEPORDY!

I know what you mean, but there were some issue episodes in syndication too. Like Bubba dealing with his parents' neglect, Mama and Iola fighting what they considered porn at Food Circus, Mama protesting for the homeless and Mama finding out that Lolly was illiterate. They were able to tackle those subjects without getting too preachy.

I disagree with some of that, to me the NBC years were MUCH more like a REAL family that you could relate to! In the NBC episodes they dealt with things like divorce, cheating spouses, jealousy among siblings, etc. In the syndicated episodes it became more like a "cartoon" they deal with stuff like going on JEPORDY!

I like BOTH but the old episodes are just more realistic to a dysfunctional family.

I agree 100%. The earlier years were much more realistic. Maybe ya need to come from a dysfunctional family to really appreciate it, lol. That's one reason I love the "Carol Burnett Show" sketches so much---they are so REAL! So real it's scary...no wonder it took the writers at least 5 weeks to write one sketch. They truly nailed all the nuances of the layered relationships. C'mon, how many people have a freeze-dried cat, dress up like characters to fool a tax man, get into chaos over a love letter circulating around the house, jump on a freakin' wrecking ball, lol, etc....I too love the later years, but I also love the older years. Sometimes I get in certain moods; either I'll "feel like an old show", or "feel like a new show". I like that, too...it's fun to be in a certain mood for the sillier ones, or the realistic-yet-just-as-funny ones.

I do have to disagree with Joker85 that Fran was bland like Buzz or Sonja. I have a special affinity for Aunt Fran, and treasure her. She had some of the best lines of those seasons. Rue did a great job playing her as frazzled, neurotic, and not quite able to get out from under her big sister's thumb.


The way I understand it Carol was wanting to bring back her show and wanted Vickie to come back but Vickie had already commited to Mama's Family, and Carol got pretty upset about that, which I can't really blame her after all it was Carol who gave her her BIG break in showbiz!

Now don't blame "our Vicki", lol...it wasn't that Vicki was snubbing Carol by not doing the Family characters with her, it was that she literally couldn't work with Carol. She had just signed with Joe Hamilton earlier that day. He "owned" her for the new syndication series, her signature was his, so she was stuck with the contract, and Joe had the "Family". So it was just unfortunate awkward timing that Carol happened to call later that same day.

I'm just so glad they're back to bein' dear friends now...:)

I agree 100%. The earlier years were much more realistic. Maybe ya need to come from a dysfunctional family to really appreciate it, lol. That's one reason I love the "Carol Burnett Show" sketches so much---they are so REAL! So real it's scary...no wonder it took the writers at least 5 weeks to write one sketch. They truly nailed all the nuances of the layered relationships. C'mon, how many people have a freeze-dried cat, dress up like characters to fool a tax man, get into chaos over a love letter circulating around the house, jump on a freakin' wrecking ball, lol, etc....I too love the later years, but I also love the older years. Sometimes I get in certain moods; either I'll "feel like an old show", or "feel like a new show". I like that, too...it's fun to be in a certain mood for the sillier ones, or the realistic-yet-just-as-funny ones.

I do have to disagree with Joker85 that Fran was bland like Buzz or Sonja. I have a special affinity for Aunt Fran, and treasure her. She had some of the best lines of those seasons. Rue did a great job playing her as frazzled, neurotic, and not quite able to get out from under her big sister's thumb.




Now don't blame "our Vicki", lol...it wasn't that Vicki was snubbing Carol by not doing the Family characters with her, it was that she literally couldn't work with Carol. She had just signed with Joe Hamilton earlier that day. He "owned" her for the new syndication series, her signature was his, so she was stuck with the contract, and Joe had the "Family". So it was just unfortunate awkward timing that Carol happened to call later that same day.

I'm just so glad they're back to bein' dear friends now...:)


Yeah I like Fran too! But I cannot picture her with the "new" family. She would have been lost in the shuffle. I agree that the show went over the top sometimes but I like silliness!
By the way , Hi there! TallguyinKy! Long time no see! :wave:

Well howdy right back! :wave: :D

Well, besides being busy with a lot of overtime work for a good while, I had computer problems this summer and had to get a new one after a while...hopefully this one'll be a lot better!

Lol, well thanks, I hope to. :)

Yeah I for got about the contract issue, but I guess I like Carol a little better anyway b/c she sent me an autograph and Vickie did NOT!

And you talked about Mama swinging on the wrecking ball, Can't you just see the Mama from the NBC episodes or the Family sketches swinging on a wrecking ball?LOL:)

Iola and Bubba came onto the show when Sonja and Buzz left to go live with thier mom and Fran and Ellen left because they got an offer to have thier own show "Golden Girls" which airs on Lifetime.

Yeah I for got about the contract issue, but I guess I like Carol a little better anyway b/c she sent me an autograph and Vickie did NOT!

And you talked about Mama swinging on the wrecking ball, Can't you just see the Mama from the NBC episodes or the Family sketches swinging on a wrecking ball?LOL:)
Speaking of autographs, it was the opposite for me. How long ago did you send a request to Vicki? You may have to try again - she's been touring with her show for more than three years now, and she is often away for long periods of time. As a result, she doesn't always have a chance to answer her fan mail. :( The address you used may be part of the problem. Do you recall what address you used? There are quite a few outdated addresses for her that do not work anymore. If you want, I can give you an address for Vicki that has worked for me. :)

I had no problems at all getting an autographed pic from Vicki but writing to Carol was like pulling teeth. :crazy: The first time I wrote to her was way back in June of 2003. Two years and three months later, that letter is STILL MIA, would you believe? :eek: So I wrote to her, *AGAIN*, in September of 2003, and received nothing. Grrr. I wrote to her for the 3rd time at a 3rd address in January of 2004...A month later, BAM!, an autographed pic showed up in my mailbox. In September of 2004, I received a 2nd autographed picture of her from the 2nd letter I had written to her in September of 2003.

There's STILL that MIA letter from June of 2003, as I mentioned...Sigh...

I think they could have done without Iola and Bubba. They should have keept Fran Eunice Buzz and Sonjia. Does anyone think so, but me?
I have liked all seasons. As for characters, Fran/Ellen - Rue/Betty went on to Golden Girls which became a popular show - so it was difficult for those too appear on Mama's Family. I think Mama's Family in the later years could have mentioned Buzz/Sonia or have guest appearances so that they would have stayed in the family. Eunice was mentioned several times, but not sure if Ellen was.

I have liked all seasons. As for characters, Fran/Ellen - Rue/Betty went on to Golden Girls which became a popular show - so it was difficult for those too appear on Mama's Family. I think Mama's Family in the later years could have mentioned Buzz/Sonia or have guest appearances so that they would have stayed in the family. Eunice was mentioned several times, but not sure if Ellen was.
I'm pretty sure Ellen was mentioned occasionally. Plus, Betty White was the ONLY NBC cast member to make a guest appearance when MF went into syndication in '86.

I'm pretty sure Ellen was mentioned occasionally. Plus, Betty White was the ONLY NBC cast member to make a guest appearance when MF went into syndication in '86.


Yes, Ellen was mentioned a few times(as was Eunice). And Buzz and Sonja were mentioned only once I think. That was on the first syndicated episode.

Ellen was mentioned in at least 5 syndicated episodes (besides her one-time syndicated appearance) and she's indirectly "assumed" in lots of general comments about Mama's "kids". Eunice was mentioned in many episodes, and yes, Buzz and Sonja were only mentioned in the first syndicated episode.

I liked bubba alot when he first showed up, but he got so bland so fast. And I know everyone will dissagree with me but I never liked Iola. I found her to be complety unfunny. She was very useless and never added anything. I much prefer the NBC years.

No Way!!! The Bubba/Iola years were MUCH better IMO!!!!!

remember episode loud family one of my fav episodes