What was different about Florence in the 1980-85 era? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TVFactFan · 04-21-2005, 05:52 PM

I can't put my finger on it but the Florence character was not the same as she was in the 75-77 era once the 81-85 era started. I don't know what it is. Was it that she didn't talk back as much in the 80's?

Mr. Television · 04-21-2005, 05:59 PM

She was more like part of The Jefferson family by then so maybe she lost some of her early edge.

TVFactFan · 04-21-2005, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nighthawk

She was more like part of The Jefferson family by then so maybe she lost some of her early edge.

Yeah George and Florence lost their edge in the 80's. I have to say Florence made me laugh a lot watching the season 3 dvd

GARFIELDKOOL · 04-21-2005, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TVShow Analyzer

Yeah George and Florence lost their edge in the 80's. I have to say Florence made me laugh a lot watching the season 3 dvd

Wait a minute! You are contradicting yourself! Florence made YOU laugh?! I remember you posted a thread saying she never made you laugh! You are not even a Florence fan! Explain yourself on this one!

TVFactFan · 04-21-2005, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GARFIELDKOOL

Wait a minute! You are contradicting yourself! Florence made YOU laugh?! I remember you posted a thread saying she never made you laugh! You are not even a Florence fan! Explain yourself on this one!

Maybe I should have said she wasn't funny when he was insulting George. Only when she not following his orders. Example

George-"Where are you going Florence?

Florence Says to Louise:"Is he my Daddy?

George:"I want you to get back in the kitchen right now, this is your boss talking"

Florence: Like Hell I am, and that's the Liquor talking because Florence don;t cuss"

LOL-LOL

jamesanthony · 04-21-2005, 09:33 PM

She was a part of the family in the 80s era. They took her with them on their vacations (what couple who don't have nanny aged kids does that in real life?) Marla's delivery was much more hyped up in the earlier years. She got slower in her movements and let's face it, she lived there and joined them for many social events including going to formal events (Florence would show up with her mink stole and evening gown on just like Weezy and Helen Willis)

boechsner · 04-22-2005, 01:19 AM

She was whitewashed like the rest of the series. If you notice, the way she talked in the earlier seasons was different than the later. Almost taking some of her ethnicity out of her.

jamesanthony · 04-22-2005, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boechsner

She was whitewashed like the rest of the series. If you notice, the way she talked in the earlier seasons was different than the later. Almost taking some of her ethnicity out of her.

Something changed about this show between years 8 and 9 and I can't quite figure out what it is. Personally I liked year 8 alot when I saw it in primetime (I saw the episode where Whittendale's dog jumps off the balcony and laughed out loud at it), but from year 9 onward the staleness was very noticeable and it gets worse in the last 2 seasons. It's not the cast changes (Bentley, Lionel) because they were already gone in year 8, and it's not even the deracialization because that was going on since year 7 or maybe earlier. The show became much more cartoonish. I always thought they should have bowed out after year 9 when it was clear the show was starting to sink.

Mr. Television · 04-22-2005, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamesanthony

Something changed about this show between years 8 and 9 and I can't quite figure out what it is. Personally I liked year 8 alot when I saw it in primetime (I saw the episode where Whittendale's dog jumps off the balcony and laughed out loud at it), but from year 9 onward the staleness was very noticeable and it gets worse in the last 2 seasons. It's not the cast changes (Bentley, Lionel) because they were already gone in year 8, and it's not even the deracialization because that was going on since year 7 or maybe earlier. The show became much more cartoonish. I always thought they should have bowed out after year 9 when it was clear the show was starting to sink.

In addition to Florence becoming a member of the family so to speak, George and Tom had become friends so the insults between them weren't as big as they were in the earlier years.

jamesanthony · 04-22-2005, 06:11 PM

Come to think of it I know what it might be: in those last years you'd never think that the Jeffersons had ever been poor. They were too settled into their upper class lifestyle by then, the show had lost its edge, Louise was a snob, George was wimpish and Florence was more like George's sister-in-law who lived there than his employee. And there was very little if any real tension between the Willises and George.

TVFactFan · 04-22-2005, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nighthawk

In addition to Florence becoming a member of the family so to speak, George and Tom had become friends so the insults between them weren't as big as they were in the earlier years.

I read in a 1982 Jet Magazine that the producers decided that before the 1982-83 season, George would no longer insult the Willises because by that point in the show, he should have accepted them as part of the Family.

jamesanthony · 04-22-2005, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TVShow Analyzer

I read in a 1982 Jet Magazine that the producers decided that before the 1982-83 season, George would no longer insult the Willises because by that point in the show, he should have accepted them as part of the Family.

This is a case of what might logically happen in real life being a poor idea for a tv series. I have mixed feelings about the whole thing because the last 3 years are weak, but the show still had a certain something to it that most shows now don't.

nlearfan · 05-01-2005, 09:19 PM

I read in an interview with Marla Gibbs that Sherman Hemsley went to the producers in the early 1980s and told them to cut down the honkie jokes because they were friends on and off the show.

TVFactFan · 05-01-2005, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nlearfan

I read in an interview with Marla Gibbs that Sherman Hemsley went to the producers in the early 1980s and told them to cut down the honkie jokes because they were friends on and off the show.

He could have cut down on the honkie jokes but his character didn't have to become so NICE!-lol Damm that was boring to watch

jamesanthony · 05-02-2005, 05:48 PM

It's more than the honkie jokes. In Anatomy of A Stain (the first show filmed for year 9) Louise says to George that he's wrong for taking Tom on a video court show because Tom is his friend and George doesn't contest this statement. George became a shadow of his former self and that episode begins to show it. Later in that same season there is a show where George comes out of his mouth and calls the Willises his friends. Then by the next season he and Tom were calling each other "buddy".

I saw a retrospective on the show where Sherman said that he didn't like doing the honkie jokes and felt it was getting tired.

04-21-2005, 05:52 PM	#1
TVFactFan Member Forum Junkie Join Date: Aug 17, 2002 Posts: 99,065	What was different about Florence in the 1980-85 era? I can't put my finger on it but the Florence character was not the same as she was in the 75-77 era once the 81-85 era started. I don't know what it is. Was it that she didn't talk back as much in the 80's?

04-21-2005, 05:59 PM	#2
Mr. Television 23 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,132	She was more like part of The Jefferson family by then so maybe she lost some of her early edge.
	__________________ Sonny

04-21-2005, 09:33 PM	#6
jamesanthony Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 30, 2004 Posts: 2,180	She was a part of the family in the 80s era. They took her with them on their vacations (what couple who don't have nanny aged kids does that in real life?) Marla's delivery was much more hyped up in the earlier years. She got slower in her movements and let's face it, she lived there and joined them for many social events including going to formal events (Florence would show up with her mink stole and evening gown on just like Weezy and Helen Willis)

04-22-2005, 01:19 AM	#7
boechsner Member Senior Member Join Date: Oct 18, 2000 Location: Green Bay, WI Posts: 2,212	She was whitewashed like the rest of the series. If you notice, the way she talked in the earlier seasons was different than the later. Almost taking some of her ethnicity out of her.

04-22-2005, 06:11 PM	#10
jamesanthony Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 30, 2004 Posts: 2,180	Come to think of it I know what it might be: in those last years you'd never think that the Jeffersons had ever been poor. They were too settled into their upper class lifestyle by then, the show had lost its edge, Louise was a snob, George was wimpish and Florence was more like George's sister-in-law who lived there than his employee. And there was very little if any real tension between the Willises and George.

05-01-2005, 09:19 PM	#13
nlearfan Member Frequent Poster Join Date: May 01, 2005 Location: New Jersey Posts: 230	I read in an interview with Marla Gibbs that Sherman Hemsley went to the producers in the early 1980s and told them to cut down the honkie jokes because they were friends on and off the show.

05-02-2005, 05:48 PM	#15
jamesanthony Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 30, 2004 Posts: 2,180	It's more than the honkie jokes. In Anatomy of A Stain (the first show filmed for year 9) Louise says to George that he's wrong for taking Tom on a video court show because Tom is his friend and George doesn't contest this statement. George became a shadow of his former self and that episode begins to show it. Later in that same season there is a show where George comes out of his mouth and calls the Willises his friends. Then by the next season he and Tom were calling each other "buddy". I saw a retrospective on the show where Sherman said that he didn't like doing the honkie jokes and felt it was getting tired.