Lionel and Jenny's divorce and Jessica

[jamesanthony]

Does anyone think having Lionel and Jenny get a divorce was a good storyline? Was it realistic and true to their characters? I must admit that I had completely stopped watching this show by the time this plot rolled around, but when I saw it advertised in the paper I tuned in because I found it quite frankly a shock. Who would have thought they would have come up with such a plot? I only saw pt 1 but it is definitely as an episode the highlight and most outstanding one of any in the last 3 seasons.

Still, it is sad that this was the only way to get Mike Evans back on the show. Berlinda Tolbert never appeared after this one either though I heard somewhere that she wanted to keep appearing once in a while which is why they had the divorce plot, because Mike was definitely not interested in doing any more acting in this show.

The weird thing is that with their children no longer together George and Tom were now the best of friends.


As for Jessica, she was only in 4 shows in the last year, one of which had a very young Jaleel White in it. Did she add anything to the show? She didn't hurt IMO. One thing I wondered was where did she live if Lionel and Jenny were in Japan? At least they aged her accurately, she was born in year 6 and was a 5 year old in the last season.

[mstewart]

Originally posted by jamesanthony
Does anyone think having Lionel and Jenny get a divorce was a good storyline? Was it realistic and true to their characters? I must admit that I had completely stopped watching this show by the time this plot rolled around, but when I saw it advertised in the paper I tuned in because I found it quite frankly a shock. Who would have thought they would have come up with such a plot? I only saw pt 1 but it is definitely as an episode the highlight and most outstanding one of any in the last 3 seasons.

Still, it is sad that this was the only way to get Mike Evans back on the show. Berlinda Tolbert never appeared after this one either though I heard somewhere that she wanted to keep appearing once in a while which is why they had the divorce plot, because Mike was definitely not interested in doing any more acting in this show.

The weird thing is that with their children no longer together George and Tom were now the best of friends.

As for Jessica, she was only in 4 shows in the last year, one of which had a very young Jaleel White in it. Did she add anything to the show? She didn't hurt IMO. One thing I wondered was where did she live if Lionel and Jenny were in Japan? At least they aged her accurately, she was born in year 6 and was a 5 year old in the last season.

It was an interesting storyline. The Jeffersons was truly on its last legs in the final season when that storyline was presented. You can look at the show in that season and it had a tired look. It long wore its welcome out and when Cosby and Family Ties came along it made The Jeffersons look ancient. It was unfortunate that Norman Lear do not know how to pull the plug on his shows and let them run itself to the ground.

If you remember Lionel left to go to Japan to do a job assignment and Jenny stayed behind. In the 8th season when Jessica was being baptized it was explained that Lionel was sent to Japan for a job assignment. What kind of father would had missed his child's baptism? That was far fetched.

Tom and George became buddies during season 7. I hated that friendship. That's when George became boring to watch.

Too bad Mike Evans did not stay with the show when he returned. It brought the show back to original form when he came back.

[TVFactFan]

Originally posted by mstewart
It was an interesting storyline. The Jeffersons was truly on its last legs in the final season when that storyline was presented. You can look at the show in that season and it had a tired look. It long wore its welcome out and when Cosby and Family Ties came along it made The Jeffersons look ancient. It was unfortunate that Norman Lear do not know how to pull the plug on his shows and let them run itself to the ground.

If you remember Lionel left to go to Japan to do a job assignment and Jenny stayed behind. In the 8th season when Jessica was being baptized it was explained that Lionel was sent to Japan for a job assignment. What kind of father would had missed his child's baptism? That was far fetched.

Tom and George became buddies during season 7. I hated that friendship. That's when George became boring to watch.

Too bad Mike Evans did not stay with the show when he returned. It brought the show back to original form when he came back.

I don't even remeber N@N airing those 84-85 eps. It's been years since i seen those eps

[Brian Damage]

So Jenny and Lionel did get a divorce?

[jamesanthony]

Originally posted by mstewart
If you remember Lionel left to go to Japan to do a job assignment and Jenny stayed behind. In the 8th season when Jessica was being baptized it was explained that Lionel was sent to Japan for a job assignment. What kind of father would had missed his child's baptism? That was far fetched.

Too bad Mike Evans did not stay with the show when he returned. It brought the show back to original form when he came back.

I remember that baptism episode with Andrae Crouch in it, but I didn't remember them saying that Lionel was in Japan. Either I missed that piece of dialogue or it was edited out in syndication or something. Jessica looked to be about 2 1/2 at that point which is a weird age for baptism in any religious faith. If you ask me that whole plotline was weak, they just wanted to put the singer Andre Crouch on the show.

There's a plotline at the start of that season where Lionel and Jenny separate, but they got back together. I think George even helped them get back together, which makes their divorce kind of a real bummer. But if Mike Evans was so fed up, what else could they have done really?

BTW, I agree that the divorce 2 parter stands out in VERY stark contrast to the other shows in the last season in particular which look almost look like live action cartoons in contrast.

[jamesanthony]

Originally posted by Brian Damage
So Jenny and Lionel did get a divorce?

I never saw pt 2 of Sayonara, but it would seem that they did. From what I've read George says something to Jenny along the lines of him always thinking of her as a daughter-in-law. I don't believe either she or Lionel were ever referred to in any of the subsequent storylines, although Jessica is in the next to last show, so the assumption is that they did get a divorce.

You know, I don't recall Jenny ever calling George anything other than Mr Jefferson, never George or dad or pop.

[Brian Damage]

Originally posted by jamesanthony
I never saw pt 2 of Sayonara, but it would seem that they did. From what I've read George says something to Jenny along the lines of him always thinking of her as a daughter-in-law. I don't believe either she or Lionel were ever referred to in any of the subsequent storylines, although Jessica is in the next to last show, so the assumption is that they did get a divorce.

You know, I don't recall Jenny ever calling George anything other than Mr Jefferson, never George or dad or pop.

You see, I'm in the same boat, I saw part 1 but not part 2.

[lil_weezy]

Part II was when the parents (George/Weezy and Tom/Helen) took sides and were each others rivals. So it was like George and Weezy were divorcing the Willis'. It got so bad that it made Jessica cry b/c she wasn't used to having a split family. Once they realize how their actions was affecting her they apologize.

Through out that episode, in my opinion, Lionel and Jenny didn't act like they were divorcing. Even though they mentioned it...I honestly think that if their was an update on the show....they would still be together.

[jamesanthony]

Originally posted by lil_weezy
Part II was when the parents (George/Weezy and Tom/Helen) took sides and were each others rivals. So it was like George and Weezy were divorcing the Willis'. It got so bad that it made Jessica cry b/c she wasn't used to having a split family. Once they realize how their actions was affecting her they apologize.

Through out that episode, in my opinion, Lionel and Jenny didn't act like they were divorcing. Even though they mentioned it...I honestly think that if their was an update on the show....they would still be together.

Do you remember how it ended? Lionel and Jenny just never really struck me as the type to get divorced and they didn't say it was because of adultery but something to the affect that they had "grown apart", Well living on 2 different continents will surely do that to a couple, but considering how long they were engaged (3 years) it seems like they took their time about getting hitched up and I never saw either one have any serious attraction for anyone else, so who knows?

The plot was born in part because Mike Evans didn't want to have anything to do with either the show or acting in general (I wonder what pissed him off so much?) and Berlinda still wanted to keep a foot in the door. I wonder if her contract expired in 1983 or they just flat out fired her because Sayonara are the only shows she's in in the last 2 years and even in year 9 when she shows up she's billed as a guest at the ending. I wonder how she feels towards Mike Evans for that? Jenny just didn't hold much appeal to me without Lionel.

[lil_weezy]

The show ended with them piecing back together the picture Jessica drew of the family. The reason she tore it is b/c she said that they aren't a family anymore so she didn't want a picture symbolizing something that isn't there. Anywayafter the adults talked with her and let her understand that no matter what happens they will forever remain as a family.


It was a nice, sentimental ending.

[jamesanthony]

Originally posted by lil_weezy
The show ended with them piecing back together the picture Jessica drew of the family. The reason she tore it is b/c she said that they aren't a family anymore so she didn't want a picture symbolizing something that isn't there. Anywayafter the adults talked with her and let her understand that no matter what happens they will forever remain as a family.


It was a nice, sentimental ending.

Oh, OK. Ebonie Smith played Jessica and later played Maxine on Family Matters. I really don't remember her performance in the Jeffersons, but for those who do, would you say she was a good actress for that part? Except for guests like Abby and Gary Coleman the Jeffersons was not a series that had any small kids in it.

[TVFactFan]

Originally posted by jamesanthony
Oh, OK. Ebonie Smith played Jessica and later played Maxine on Family Matters. I really don't remember her performance in the Jeffersons, but for those who do, would you say she was a good actress for that part? Except for guests like Abby and Gary Coleman the Jeffersons was not a series that had any small kids in it.

Ebonie Smith played one of Laura's friend on Family Matters not Maxine. Maxine was played by Cherise Johnson

[Mr. Television]

Originally posted by Brian Damage
You see, I'm in the same boat, I saw part 1 but not part 2.

And I never saw part 1 or part 2.

[jamesanthony]

Originally posted by TVShow Analyzer
Ebonie Smith played one of Laura's friend on Family Matters not Maxine. Maxine was played by Cherise Johnson

Oh, Ok. Wasn't Cherise Johnson in Punky Brewster?

It might be interesting to have Ebonie Smith play Jessica in a modern day Jeffersons spinoff, since she would be about 25 by now which is an age that tv producers like for lead sitcom characters. George could be in the new show, something like Jessica moves in with him for some reason following Weezie's death and she's working and dating and grandpa George keeps creating incidents in her life. Berlinda Tolbert could perhaps show up once in a while along with Marla Gibbs, but otherwise it would be an all new cast of younger players for Jessica to interact with and some older ones for George. Helen and Tom would have passed away and Lionel wouldn't be in the picture at all as I doubt Mike or Damon Evans would want anything to do with this and bringing in a 3rd actor for the role would be a very bad idea. So I guess in this spinoff Jessica's parents would have divorced.

[TVFactFan]

Originally posted by jamesanthony
Oh, Ok. Wasn't Cherise Johnson in Punky Brewster?

It might be interesting to have Ebonie Smith play Jessica in a modern day Jeffersons spinoff, since she would be about 25 by now which is an age that tv producers like for lead sitcom characters. George could be in the new show, something like Jessica moves in with him for some reason following Weezie's death and she's working and dating and grandpa George keeps creating incidents in her life. Berlinda Tolbert could perhaps show up once in a while along with Marla Gibbs, but otherwise it would be an all new cast of younger players for Jessica to interact with and some older ones for George. Helen and Tom would have passed away and Lionel wouldn't be in the picture at all as I doubt Mike or Damon Evans would want anything to do with this and bringing in a 3rd actor for the role would be a very bad idea. So I guess in this spinoff Jessica's parents would have divorced.

Yup she played in Punky Brewster