How would the show have been different had James lived and stayed on?

[TheLittleFaerie]

If James had not died, I wonder what the course of the rest of the show would have been? Would we have gotten the later story-lines and new characters that we got, like Penny and Keith? Would the show have lasted longer, not as long? Would they finally get out of the ghetto?

[Sonny Carson]

Originally Posted by TheLittleFaerie

If James had not died, I wonder what the course of the rest of the show would have been? Would we have gotten the later story-lines and new characters that we got, like Penny and Keith? Would the show have lasted longer, not as long? Would they finally get out of the ghetto?

There would be no ‘Penny’, maybe Thelma still marries Keith, but he isn’t slapping her for damn sure with James around!

[magellan333]

I doubt we’d have seen a white JJ episode, the season without Florida probably wouldn’t have happened and JJ would’ve stayed an irresponsible young man.

[TVFactFan]

Im guessing he would have finally had a good job and they would have moved out of the projects. And no Penny

[hatwink]

Michael would definitely have been more tougher. And I think Penny could have still came on, but he would have been like the father figure she needed.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by hatwink

Michael would definitely have been more tougher. And I think Penny could have still came on, but he would have been like the father figure she needed.

Penny was only on because there was no james and florida

[hatwink]

True, but if she was in the show, she would have still fit in, just do it the right way.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by hatwink

True, but if she was in the show, she would have still fit in, just do it the right way.

She was only there because of John and Esther being gone and the Willona character needing a purpose to still be on the show.

[GoldenTV]

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

She was only there because of John and Esther being gone and the Willona character needing a purpose to still be on the show.

How did Esther end up in this conversation

If Janet Jackson was not a member of Jackson5 family, I don't think she would have passed the audition for Penny charactor. Not a good actress.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by GoldenTV

How did Esther end up in this conversation

If Janet Jackson was not a member of Jackson5 family, I don't think she would have passed the audition for Penny charactor. Not a good actress.

Because with both parents gone the show needed a new direction

[Janice Johnson]

Originally Posted by GoldenTV

How did Esther end up in this conversation

If Janet Jackson was not a member of Jackson5 family, I don't think she would have passed the audition for Penny charactor. Not a good actress.

Janet Jackson didn't get the role of Penny because she was a Member of the Jackson Family. She actually got turned down at her audition of Penny. When she got turned down, she CRIED, and that's what made the Producers cast her as Penny, not out of sympathy for Janet but because the role of Penny was a sad role, one that would require the Actress of Penny to be able to cry. Penny was an abused child, so of course she was a sad role. Funny thing is that when Penny was supposed to be crying after a boy tried to rape/molest her, Janet had a hard time trying to cry and looked like she was holding back laughter instead. Although the scene when Miss Gordon was about to burn Penny, Janet looked scared and like she was crying, do she did really well in that particular scene.

[TheLittleFaerie]

I also think Penny was brought in because they needed a younger person in the show. The kids, J.J. Thelma and Michael were getting older, so I think they wanted to still have a youth on the show.

Kinda like Cousin Oliver on the Brady Bunch

[GoldenTV]

Originally Posted by Janice Johnson

Janet Jackson didn't get the role of Penny because she was a Member of the Jackson Family. She actually got turned down at her audition of Penny. When she got turned down, she CRIED, and that's what made the Producers cast her as Penny, not out of sympathy for Janet but because the role of Penny was a sad role, one that would require the Actress of Penny to be able to cry.

I think producers could have done a bettr job auditioning as not every scene is a cry scene. She have to show other emotions too which IMO Janet lacked.

One scene that show that shortcoming is in the episode with Gary Coleman. Where Gary is all over place with his comic routine, Penny is just standing watching Gary do his act. She act like a audience member than a percipient player.

[khanartist79]

On the one hand, if James had not died, there might not have been a need for Penny, since she was created to expand and enhance Ja'Net DuBois' role on the show in light of John Amos' firing and Esther Rolle's exit. But on the other hand, I think it was clear by the end of season three or start of season four that Ralph Carter was maturing out of his function on the show as "the Militant Midget," and that the producers would have to introduce a new, younger character to fill that role. For instance, a nephew or niece of Florida's, who comes to live with the Evanses after their parents are killed.

[Janice Johnson]

Originally Posted by GoldenTV

I think producers could have done a bettr job auditioning as not every scene is a cry scene. She have to show other emotions too which IMO Janet lacked.

One scene that show that shortcoming is in the episode with Gary Coleman. Where Gary is all over place with his comic routine, Penny is just standing watching Gary do his act. She act like a audience member than a percipient player.

That episode was kind of weird because it looked like Penny who is supposed to be like 11 is letting a younger kid who is like 8 boss her around. Maybe I'm remembering the episode the wrong way and I could be well, wrong.

A Poster pointed out that Penny's shining moments were in the Four Parter abusive episodes where she was a REALLY strong character. Then after she'd been adopted by Willona and saved from her abusive Mother, Penny's character went downhill fast. A Poster pointed out that he was a Psychiatrist and couldn't believe how fast Penny went from being a scared, abusive girl and became a normal, happy go lucky girl. He said she should have been distant, cold, and reserved, not cheerful so much of the time. Although to be fair, her being distant, cold, and reserved would have been better suited for a full on drama, not a Comedy. Another Poster said something like,"Penny should have been adopted by Bookman so she'd still be part of the cast but not overbearingly so, not as much as being Willona's Daughter." Another Poster thought that Bookman would have been a horrible choice as an Adopted Father for Penny. Other Posters questioned why Penny wasn't just adopted somewhere that had nothing to do with the Evans, Bookman, or Willona, but was still adopted by a nice family that didn't abuse her.