GOOD TIMES a spin-off of MAUDE

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by GoldenTV

Not only that, the show also had a different background as to be perceived as a spinoff. For example in the episode where Alderman Davis mentioned that he knew the Evans family since the children were born-which mean Evans were in Chicago for last 20 years. That indicate that in the world of GoodTimes realm, the show Maude never existed.

Exactly it doesnt match

[TheLittleFaerie]

I always saw it as a spinoff, just tweaked when it became Good Times

[BestTVever]

I was watching an interview with Bea Arthur from 2002. Not only did she call Good Times her spin off but pointed to something few know or remember. In an episode before Florida leaves, her husband raises a fit and says he does not Florida to work for white people anymore. A few episodes later Florida leaves and says good-bye. Florida was on the debut of Good Times the next week. Not only was she playing the same character but her spin off started the week after she left Maude to keep the buzz and continuity of Florida going on her new show.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by BestTVever

I was watching an interview with Bea Arthur from 2002. Not only did she call Good Times her spin off but pointed to something few know or remember. In an episode before Florida leaves, her husband raises a fit and says he does not Florida to work for white people anymore. A few episodes later Florida leaves and says good-bye. Florida was on the debut of Good Times the next week. Not only was she playing the same character but her spin off started the week after she left Maude to keep the buzz and continuity of Florida going on her new show.

They was in a different state so it no connection. And it was already explained that the show was written by eric monte which was about his life growing up in the 60s in chicago

Not a black woman working as a maid in suburban NY

[BestTVever]

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

They was in a different state so it no connection. And it was already explained that the show was written by eric monte which was about his life growing up in the 60s in chicago

Not a black woman working as a maid in suburban NY

I knew that would get your attention

Apparently Norman Lear did not know about that rule that a spin off cannot happen in another state with the same character

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by BestTVever

I knew that would get your attention

Apparently Norman Lear did not know about that rule that a spin off cannot happen in another state with the same character

only so called spinoff with no pilot episode

[stevea]

I guess they would call the "Maude" episode where they explained the Evans' move to Chicago, a back-door pilot.

Oh--wait--that didn't happen.

Never mind...

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by stevea

I guess they would call the "Maude" episode where they explained the Evans' move to Chicago, a back-door pilot.

Oh--wait--that didn't happen.

Never mind...

income situation didnt match
location didnt match

And i like how they had florida mention she was a maid on Good Times to try to connect to it maude. Maybe they should have her say.......and when I was a maid for Maude

[BestTVever]

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

income situation didnt match
location didnt match

And i like how they had florida mention she was a maid on Good Times to try to connect to it maude. Maybe they should have her say.......and when I was a maid for Maude

Maude specifically was not mentioned but it didn't need to be. However she did bring up she formally cleaned houses.
Don't want to stir up this debate again I just found it interesting how Florida glided from Maude one week to her own show. The entire reason for her leaving Maude is mentioned in Maude episodes. Florida is her name and she is the same character. Its funny that Bea Aruther, the cast of Good Times and even the creator of the show says Good Times was a spin off from Maude. The only ones that disagree are a few members of this board which is fine. Had the Jeffersons moved to Chicago it would not be a spin off from All In The Family? The same characters moved out to get their own show. Happens frequently in sitcoms. The entire reason Good Times moved to Chicago was to make the family live in the projects. Those projects in Chicago were infamous at the time. However the location is irrelevant since the same character with the same name and same husband spun off another show the following week. Of course there are tiny details that dont match up but that is the reality of sitcoms. Sitcoms themselves are never consistent with their own show let alone spins offs.
Anyhoo, just found it interesting how fast Florida glided to her new show.

[BestTVever]

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

income situation didnt match
location didnt match

And i like how they had florida mention she was a maid on Good Times to try to connect to it maude. Maybe they should have her say.......and when I was a maid for Maude

Maude specifically was not mentioned but it didn't need to be. However she did bring up she formally cleaned houses.
Don't want to stir up this debate again I just found it interesting how Florida glided from Maude one week to her own show. The entire reason for her leaving Maude is mentioned in Maude episodes. Florida is her name and she is the same character. Its funny that Bea Aruther, the cast of Good Times and even the creator of the show says Good Times was a spin off from Maude. The only ones that disagree are a few members of this board which is fine. Had the Jeffersons moved to Chicago it would not be a spin off from All In The Family? The same characters moved out to get their own show. Happens frequently in sitcoms. The entire reason Good Times moved to Chicago was to make the family live in the projects. Those projects in Chicago were infamous at the time. However the location is irrelevant since the same character with the same name and same husband spun off another show the following week. Of course there are tiny details that dont match up but that is the reality of sitcoms. Sitcoms themselves are never consistent with their own show let alone spins offs.
Anyhoo, just found it interesting how fast Florida glided to her new show.

Thanks for keeping this board alive. Anytime it needs a jump start this is the place to come But Norman Lear was very clear why he changed the narrative of Florida and her husband. They went from middle class to struggling poor even though they were the same characters. They thought this may not work and giving being a hard working poor family in the projects would yield far more interesting scripts. This sort of explains it better than me:

Good Times is an American television sitcom that aired for six seasons on CBS, from February 8, 1974, to August 1, 1979. Created by Eric Monte and Mike Evans and developed by executive producer Norman Lear, it was television's first African-American two-parent family sitcom. It is a spin-off of Maude, which itself spun off from All in the Family.
The characters originated on the sitcom Maude as Florida and Henry Evans, with Florida employed as Maude Findlay's housekeeper in Tuckahoe, New York, and Henry employed as a New York City firefighter. When producers decided to feature Florida on her own show, they changed the characters' history to fit a new series that was well into development rather than start from scratch to create a consistent starring vehicle, even though it meant changing their Black middle-class family into a poverty-stricken lower-class family. Henry's name became James, and he worked various odd jobs due to having only a sixth-grade education. There is no mention of Maude, but in the episode "The Checkup", Florida mentions having formerly worked as a maid. Additionally, the couple's location was now Chicago.[4]

Good Times deals with the characters' attempts to overcome poverty, living in high-rise public housing in Chicago. James Evans often works at least two jobs, mostly manual labor such as dishwasher or construction worker. Though he is often unemployed, he is a proud man who will not accept charity. He sometimes hustles money playing pool, although Florida disapproves of this.

[BestTVever]

One thing that this debate does not talk about is that the series Good Times was already being planned at CBS. In reality it would have happened without Florida. They would have just cast someone else. But Norman Lear was not dumb. The character Florida was pivotal to Maude's success. Many shows Florida had the best lines with the only person that could put Maude in their place. The idea came to him since Florida was so popular she would be ideal to star in this new sitcom. Thus she was "spun off" to her own show. This is why she kept her own name and identity for the new show. Many tuned in to see Florida's new show. The show would have probably debuted without Florida. However Good Times still fits every criteria of a spin off. A character is spun off and given their own show.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by BestTVever

One thing that this debate does not talk about is that the series Good Times was already being planned at CBS. In reality it would have happened without Florida. They would have just cast someone else. But Norman Lear was not dumb. The character Florida was pivotal to Maude's success. Many shows Florida had the best lines with the only person that could put Maude in their place. The idea came to him since Florida was so popular she would be ideal to star in this new sitcom. Thus she was "spun off" to her own show. This is why she kept her own name and identity for the new show. Many tuned in to see Florida's new show. The show would have probably debuted without Florida. However Good Times still fits every criteria of a spin off. A character is spun off and given their own show.

wish someone would have asked him why didnt florida stay in New york

[BestTVever]

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

wish someone would have asked him why didnt florida stay in New york

The most infamous projects were in Chicago. The entire premise of downgrading Florida's middle class to poor required a change of locations. Those projects were always in the news in the 1970s. I have a faint memory of a child that the mayor once dared herself to spend the night inside those projects that were prone to murder and drug dealing.
I dont think its the city or location that would give me pause calling it a spin off. The hesitation for me would be the show was already being created without consideration of Maude. Normal Lear just thought it made sense to take the funniest character on one of the biggest shows and make it revolve around her. When Florida left Maude was #4 in ratings. Once she left the show declined in ratings every year until it was cancelled.
Its a highly unusual path for a spin off since Good Times has nothing to do with Maude except her former Maid is now living in the poor Chicago projects. The show could have changed her name completely and had no connection to Maude at all. Instead they kept the name and character and gave her a show that was already being constructed. Not usual path at all.

Edit: My memory is pretty good. Found this clip on youtube about the dangers of these projects and the mayor moving in.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5Q5-mdowZI