Seasons 1-3 vs. Seasons 4-6

[schmave]

I always wondered whether that came from a simple lack of effort or research of what the audience wanted, or something else
The NBC years were much more realistic to be sure. The formulaic approach to the syndicated years might be my least favorite thing about them. I get that there is some comfort in predictability and the corny humor you don't have to think about, but the show leaned too much into both of those things after the earliest episodes of the third season.

[TheLittleFaerie]

Originally Posted by schmave

I always wondered whether that came from a simple lack of effort or research of what the audience wanted, or something else
The NBC years were much more realistic to be sure. The formulaic approach to the syndicated years might be my least favorite thing about them. I get that there is some comfort in predictability and the corny humor you don't have to think about, but the show leaned too much into both of those things after the earliest episodes of the third season.

A lot of ppl say the NBC episodes were a lot more similar to the Family sketches from the Carol Burnett Show.... but what's funny is, I thought the Family sketches were a lot more similar to the syndicated episodes of Mama's Family in the sense that they were also VERY formulaic. In practically EVERY SINGLE FAMILY SKETCH you knew exactly what was gonna happen, exact same formula in nearly every one. 1. Eunice starts out trying to be pleasant, 2. Mama keeps badgering her non-stop, 3.Eunice tries and tries to hold it together, 4. Eunice, SOMEWHAT loses her cool and she and Mama start petty bickering over miscellaneous stuff as some subject is sorta hinted at in the background which will later become the main plot-point of their conflict, 5. Finally the BIG hinted-at subject comes crashing down in full force, Eunice totally loses it, throws a fit and she and Mama have their knock-down-drag-out.

A few exceptions to this formula that I can think of are, the sketch when Midge Gibson visited, A visit from Dan, Mama moves to a retirement home and Ellen's anniversary.... Those didn't happen exactly like that but most of the rest do

I love the Family Sketches, but you usually always know exactly what you're in for

[TheLittleFaerie]

Originally Posted by schmave

I always wondered whether that came from a simple lack of effort or research of what the audience wanted, or something else
The NBC years were much more realistic to be sure. The formulaic approach to the syndicated years might be my least favorite thing about them. I get that there is some comfort in predictability and the corny humor you don't have to think about, but the show leaned too much into both of those things after the earliest episodes of the third season.

A lot of ppl say the NBC episodes were a lot more similar to the Family sketches from the Carol Burnett Show.... but what's funny is, I thought the Family sketches were a lot more similar to the syndicated episodes of Mama's Family in the sense that they were also VERY formulaic. In practically EVERY SINGLE FAMILY SKETCH you knew exactly what was gonna happen, exact same formula in nearly every one. 1. Eunice starts out trying to be pleasant, 2. Mama keeps badgering here non-stop, 3.Eunice tries and tries to hold it together, 4. Eunice, SOMEWHAT loses her cool and she and Mama start petty bickering over miscellaneous stuff as some subject is sorta hinted at in the background that's gonna come into play MAJORLY later, 5. Finally the BIG hinted-at subject comes crashing down in full force, Eunice totally loses it, throws a fit and she and Mama have their knock-down-drag-out.

A few exceptions to this formula that I can think of are, the sketch when Midge Gibson visited, A visit from Dan, Mama moves to a retirement home and Ellen's anniversary.... Those didn't happen exactly like that but most of the rest do

I love the Family Sketches, but you usually always know what you're in for

[TVLegend]

One thing I never understood is why they didn’t use Bubba’s brother Billy Joe for the syndicated years. Things just seemed a bit off with only Mama, Vinton, Naomi, Iola, and Bubba doing wacky things episode after episode…at least compared to the NBC episodes, that is. In those, there were 6 main characters. I also don’t understand why they didn’t ask Betty White to come back for more episodes as Ellen. One episode, and Ellen was never seen and barely mentioned again. Eunice and Ed also could have came back to Raytown for 2 to 3 episodes. It doesn’t matter that much if they had to recast Eunice. The right actress could have pulled it off.

[Fallon97]

The earlier seasons.

[TheLittleFaerie]

Originally Posted by TVLegend

One thing I never understood is why they didn’t use Bubba’s brother Billy Joe for the syndicated years. Things just seemed a bit off with only Mama, Vinton, Naomi, Iola, and Bubba doing wacky things episode after episode…at least compared to the NBC episodes, that is. In those, there were 6 main characters. I also don’t understand why they didn’t ask Betty White to come back for more episodes as Ellen. One episode, and Ellen was never seen and barely mentioned again. Eunice and Ed also could have came back to Raytown for 2 to 3 episodes. It doesn’t matter that much if they had to recast Eunice. The right actress could have pulled it off.

I always thought Betty White not coming back was probably a mutual thing, as Betty was busy doing Golden Girls at that time. And I dunno if Billy Joel existed in the syndicated era.... I know in the movie Eunice he ran away, so I sorta assume maybe that's what happened here, he just ran off and was never heard from again. And I dunno if the audience would have ever accepted anyone other than Carol Burnett portraying Eunice lol I always thought MAYBE it would have been nice to have had a stand-in portray Eunice at Bubba's graduation and maybe just showed the back of her head in the audience.

I kinda thought Beverly Archer could have portrayed a decent Eunice

But I would have loved to have seen how a fight between Eunice and syndicated Mama would have gone.... because originally Eunice held MOST of the power and could always out argue Mama, and Mama would always end up backing down when Eunice would go off on a tirade, even on the few episodes of Mama's Family, Eunice had more power than Mama.... BUT syndicated Mama backs down to NO ONE and always has the last YELL, insult, comeback, etc.... So how would a fight between them be?

[TVLegend]

Originally Posted by TheLittleFaerie

I always thought Betty White not coming back was probably a mutual thing, as Betty was busy doing Golden Girls at that time. And I dunno if Billy Joel existed in the syndicated era.... I know in the movie Eunice he ran away, so I sorta assume maybe that's what happened here, he just ran off and was never heard from again. And I dunno if the audience would have ever accepted anyone other than Carol Burnett portraying Eunice lol I always thought MAYBE it would have been nice to have had a stand-in portray Eunice at Bubba's graduation and maybe just showed the back of her head in the audience.

I kinda thought Beverly Archer could have portrayed a decent Eunice

But I would have loved to have seen how a fight between Eunice and syndicated Mama would have gone.... because originally Eunice held MOST of the power and could always out argue Mama, and Mama would always end up backing down when Eunice would go off on a tirade, even on the few episodes of Mama's Family, Eunice had more power than Mama.... BUT syndicated Mama backs down to NO ONE and always has the last YELL, insult, comeback, etc.... So how would a fight between them be?

Betty mentioned somewhere that she would have been open to returning after the “Best Medicine” episode but they never asked her back.

Now that I think about it, it probably would have been a bit better if it were Mama, Vinton, Naomi, Iola, Bubba, and Billy Joe. Things probably would have been less stale those last two seasons if they had gone that route and added an extra person to the main cast.

Well, syndicated Mama didn’t back down to anyone, but I feel like she would have sat down and shut up if she and Eunice got into a fight and Miss Higgins couldn’t stop flapping her gums.

[TheLittleFaerie]

Originally Posted by TVLegend

Betty mentioned somewhere that she would have been open to returning after the “Best Medicine” episode but they never asked her back.

Now that I think about it, it probably would have been a bit better if it were Mama, Vinton, Naomi, Iola, Bubba, and Billy Joe. Things probably would have been less stale those last two seasons if they had gone that route and added an extra person to the main cast.

Well, syndicated Mama didn’t back down to anyone, but I feel like she would have sat down and shut up if she and Eunice got into a fight and Miss Higgins couldn’t stop flapping her gums.

It's hard to say, but I've always been curious what Eunice would have been like on a syndicated episode. All of the characters went through a personality change, it seems they all became a bit dumber and more "submissive" to even further make Mama seem like the only intelligent one who dominated EVERYONE... In the syndicated era, I think God HIMSELF would back down to Mama lol so it just makes me wonder how she and Eunice would have interacted. I can't help but think that Eunice would have been toned down just a bit and made a little goofier. It seems like she was way more toned down in Rashomama, her season 2 episode. She was still HERSELF, but she didn't dominate the entire episode like her 4 previous appearances. It was her only appearance where the entire plot was not centered on Eunice.

I guess the closest we get to see to syndicated Mama and Eunice interacting is the flashback from Sins of a Mother, to me, young Thelma was essentially the same as syndicated Mama in that episode... and the brief phone call in Pomp and Circumstance. The way Eunice just RAN OFF when Mama was threatening to put Bubba on the phone, tells me she may have been toned down a bit.... I think original Eunice would have been FINE with Mama putting Bubba on the phone, because she'd wanna tell him the hell Mama has put her through her whole life lol

[BestTVever]

Everyone brought up some good points. Being that Mama changed so much during the syndication years, the dynamic between her and Eunice would not be the same. In the syndication years, Mama was always the smartest one in the room. In the early days she was more of a foil for Eunice.
Realistically Carol and Vicki were not talking during the syndication years so it was never going to happen. Vicki hired Carol's former husband and Carol assumed she was taking sides in their divorce. Vicki just was trying to keep continuity on the show. They made up years later but they had no communication during these years. In the few times Eunice's voice was on the phone in the syndication years, it was an impersonator.

I think it would have been fun for Buzz and Sonya to drop by in one episode and get in trouble with Bubba once. I also think before the episode ended, it would have been fun to meet Iola's mother.

[TVLegend]

Originally Posted by BestTVever

Everyone brought up some good points. Being that Mama changed so much during the syndication years, the dynamic between her and Eunice would not be the same. In the syndication years, Mama was always the smartest one in the room. In the early days she was more of a foil for Eunice.
Realistically Carol and Vicki were not talking during the syndication years so it was never going to happen. Vicki hired Carol's former husband and Carol assumed she was taking sides in their divorce. Vicki just was trying to keep continuity on the show. They made up years later but they had no communication during these years. In the few times Eunice's voice was on the phone in the syndication years, it was an impersonator.

I think it would have been fun for Buzz and Sonya to drop by in one episode and get in trouble with Bubba once. I also think before the episode ended, it would have been fun to meet Iola's mother.

I like to think Iola’s mother was the woman shown taking out garbage when Mama was driving through her neighborhood in the NBC episode “Mama Learns To Drive”. Mama referred to the lady as “Miss Boylen” anyway, so it could have been likely. Maybe that’s what Iola’s mother looked like before she started packing on the pounds and became ill.

[TheLittleFaerie]

Originally Posted by BestTVever

Everyone brought up some good points. Being that Mama changed so much during the syndication years, the dynamic between her and Eunice would not be the same. In the syndication years, Mama was always the smartest one in the room. In the early days she was more of a foil for Eunice.
Realistically Carol and Vicki were not talking during the syndication years so it was never going to happen. Vicki hired Carol's former husband and Carol assumed she was taking sides in their divorce. Vicki just was trying to keep continuity on the show. They made up years later but they had no communication during these years. In the few times Eunice's voice was on the phone in the syndication years, it was an impersonator.

I think it would have been fun for Buzz and Sonya to drop by in one episode and get in trouble with Bubba once. I also think before the episode ended, it would have been fun to meet Iola's mother.

It's too bad Carol didn't resurrect Eunice to do beside Mama in Vicky's 2 woman show.... I think OFFCIALLY, the Mama's Family episode "Rashomama" marks Carol Burnett's last portrayal EVER of Eunice Higgins.... Though I have reason to think Vicky, Carol and Harvey did portray Mama, Eunice and Ed sometime later in the 90s, based on a couple of clips and pictures I've seen floating around, they look older and are in a strange looking house that SORTA resembles Eunice's and Eunice is wearing glasses. So perhaps they did a Family Sketch on Carol's show in from 1990-1992 Carol and Company... I know a LONG time ago, my older cousin told me she saw a sketch where Mama visits Ed and Eunice in Florida, so I dunno if she was mistaken, pulling my leg or MAYBE she did see something like that, since Carol and Co. aired AFTER Mama's Family and if it followed the continuity of Ed and Eunice in Florida

[BestTVever]

(Replying to TVLegend)
Yes. What a great detail to remember.
What ever happened to Tommy Boylen though. Remember he was Buzz's friend. He was mentioned in one episode but we never see him.

[TVLegend]

Originally Posted by TheLittleFaerie

It's too bad Carol didn't resurrect Eunice to do beside Mama in Vicky's 2 woman show.... I think OFFCIALLY, the Mama's Family episode "Rashomama" marks Carol Burnett's last portrayal EVER of Eunice Higgins.... Though I have reason to think Vicky, Carol and Harvey did portray Mama, Eunice and Ed sometime later in the 90s, based on a couple of clips and pictures I've seen floating around, they look older and are in a strange looking house that SORTA resembles Eunice's and Eunice is wearing glasses. So perhaps they did a Family Sketch on Carol's show in from 1990-1992 Carol and Company... I know a LONG time ago, my older cousin told me she saw a sketch where Mama visits Ed and Eunice in Florida, so I dunno if she was mistaken, pulling my leg or MAYBE she did see something like that, since Carol and Co. aired AFTER Mama's Family and if it followed the continuity of Ed and Eunice in Florida

I believe that would have been on YouTube or something if it had actually happened…someone would have uploaded it for sure.

[TVLegend]

Originally Posted by BestTVever

(Replying to TVLegend)
Yes. What a great detail to remember.
What ever happened to Tommy Boylen though. Remember he was Buzz's friend. He was mentioned in one episode but we never see him.

Hmm, I don’t know. Maybe Tommy was Vern’s (Iola’s brother) son who was staying with Iola and her parents for a while. That’s a possibility.

[stevea]

Originally Posted by TVLegend

Hmm, I don’t know. Maybe Tommy was Vern’s (Iola’s brother) son who was staying with Iola and her parents for a while. That’s a possibility.

Yeah, Vernette's brother.

I think Tommy was only mentioned that one time.