Pearl and Calvin

[jamesanthony]

Funny that they were on the show from the start, but they weren't listed in the credits, although they were more important to the series than Rose's daughter who was. What would this show have been if Helen Martin wasn't sitting in that front window?

[GSU2004]

Originally Posted by jamesanthony

Funny that they were on the show from the start, but they weren't listed in the credits, although they were more important to the series than Rose's daughter who was. What would this show have been if Helen Martin wasn't sitting in that front window?

Cancelled, lol. If you look at the pilot, an episode that NBC did not air until sweeps time, Calvin didn't live in 227 at the time. When he walked Brenda home, you see him walking away. I always figured that they were test characters during season one.

[jamesanthony]

Originally Posted by GSU2004

Cancelled, lol. If you look at the pilot, an episode that NBC did not air until sweeps time, Calvin didn't live in 227 at the time. When he walked Brenda home, you see him walking away. I always figured that they were test characters during season one.

Which is the pilot? On the DVD the first one is the one where the landlord dies and at the end they say "to be continued" then the conclusion comes 10 episodes later. Very weird. I remember watching this show when it first came on and my memory must be bad because I remember Rose becoming the landlady in the second year, but there is at least one other season one show that references that she is the one who owns 227.
This show is really from another era- aside from Saundra this show is not really that funny, but it is a pleasant enough sitcom, very theatrical and it's good to see a portrayal of working class blacks rather than some of the ridiculousness that was/is on UPN/CW that is being passed off as authentic black culture.

[GSU2004]

Originally Posted by jamesanthony

Which is the pilot? On the DVD the first one is the one where the landlord dies and at the end they say "to be continued" then the conclusion comes 10 episodes later. Very weird. I remember watching this show when it first came on and my memory must be bad because I remember Rose becoming the landlady in the second year, but there is at least one other season one show that references that she is the one who owns 227.
This show is really from another era- aside from Saundra this show is not really that funny, but it is a pleasant enough sitcom, very theatrical and it's good to see a portrayal of working class blacks rather than some of the ridiculousness that was/is on UPN/CW that is being passed off as authentic black culture.

The first episode that aired on NBC was "Honesty" where Mary hits a car slightly and leaves a note for the driver. Unfortuntely, when she does, the car is smashed by another car that drives off. The episode aired back on Saturday, Sept. 14, 1985.

The pilot aired on Saturday, October 19, 1985 was the episode where the landlord dies and the conclusion of this two part episode, "The Sidewalk Sale" aired the following Saturday where they try to raise money to help Rose fix the building.

The weird part is that the pilot is production number 101 while its conclusion was 110. The DVD has the episodes in production order rather than broadcast order which is why the pilot has an unresolved cliffhanger until 10 episodes later.

I did enjoy 227 and which we would have more shows like it.

[jamesanthony]

Originally Posted by GSU2004

The first episode that aired on NBC was "Honesty" where Mary hits a car slightly and leaves a note for the driver. Unfortuntely, when she does, the car is smashed by another car that drives off. The episode aired back on Saturday, Sept. 14, 1985.

The pilot aired on Saturday, October 19, 1985 was the episode where the landlord dies and the conclusion of this two part episode, "The Sidewalk Sale" aired the following Saturday where they try to raise money to help Rose fix the building.

The weird part is that the pilot is production number 101 while its conclusion was 110. The DVD has the episodes in production order rather than broadcast order which is why the pilot has an unresolved cliffhanger until 10 episodes later.

I did enjoy 227 and which we would have more shows like it.

On the DVD Marla Gibbs says that people regardless of race watched and liked this show (which must have been true for it to have ran 5 seasons on NBC). What irks me is that the shows of the last decade or so that have been on with predominantly black casts with very few exceptions (Cosby, Sister Sister and maybe one or two others) seem to have been designed and written with a ghetto mindet of what it means to be black- the characterizations are very lacking and it is like they are displaying "look this is a black show" rather than this is a show with characters who happen to be black. Too many characters are namedropping brand name products and the shows seem like promotionals for other things such as some musician's product. Girlfriends is constantly making references to fashions and products and it is rather lame that those women are so screwed up in their romantic relationships- really it is not that hard to find and keep a good man- but what drives that show is the same stupid notion from Frasier that in the 2000s you can be economically and professionally prosperous, but a screwup with matters of the heart. And I suppose that a large segment of the viewing audience of people must relate to this because that message is played over and over again in the current crop of hit shows: Grey's Anatomy, etc etc.

227 presented a nuclear family and the parents looked like they were in their 50s! In the episode where Mary's parents remarried they said that it was a 50th anniversary celebration and judging from some of the detaisl in other episodes Mary and Lester must have been middle aged. Their daughter wasn't a smart mouth or some hoochie or a poster child for rebellion; the best friend Rose was normal, they all lived a working class life- their lives were like the people who watched and you could relate. This stuff that is on now is very very different in content and tone. Compare this to Chris Rock's show on CW: a main ingredient in that series is its outrageous flavor and the running joke that Chris is a loser- the wit is very biting and the breaks from reality/fantasy scenes are meant to shock. 227 wasn't shocking, no music, a relatively inexpensive set, but yet people looked at it for 5 years.

[Sparkygirl]

"This stuff that is on now is very very different in content and tone"

This is true, such is life. perents those days didn't have to worry about drugs and drinking and children having sex AS MUCH as they do today. Shows change with the climate of change through the years. IMHO!

[GSU2004]

Originally Posted by jamesanthony

On the DVD Marla Gibbs says that people regardless of race watched and liked this show (which must have been true for it to have ran 5 seasons on NBC). What irks me is that the shows of the last decade or so that have been on with predominantly black casts with very few exceptions (Cosby, Sister Sister and maybe one or two others) seem to have been designed and written with a ghetto mindet of what it means to be black- the characterizations are very lacking and it is like they are displaying "look this is a black show" rather than this is a show with characters who happen to be black. Too many characters are namedropping brand name products and the shows seem like promotionals for other things such as some musician's product. Girlfriends is constantly making references to fashions and products and it is rather lame that those women are so screwed up in their romantic relationships- really it is not that hard to find and keep a good man- but what drives that show is the same stupid notion from Frasier that in the 2000s you can be economically and professionally prosperous, but a screwup with matters of the heart. And I suppose that a large segment of the viewing audience of people must relate to this because that message is played over and over again in the current crop of hit shows: Grey's Anatomy, etc etc.

227 presented a nuclear family and the parents looked like they were in their 50s! In the episode where Mary's parents remarried they said that it was a 50th anniversary celebration and judging from some of the detaisl in other episodes Mary and Lester must have been middle aged. Their daughter wasn't a smart mouth or some hoochie or a poster child for rebellion; the best friend Rose was normal, they all lived a working class life- their lives were like the people who watched and you could relate. This stuff that is on now is very very different in content and tone. Compare this to Chris Rock's show on CW: a main ingredient in that series is its outrageous flavor and the running joke that Chris is a loser- the wit is very biting and the breaks from reality/fantasy scenes are meant to shock. 227 wasn't shocking, no music, a relatively inexpensive set, but yet people looked at it for 5 years.

You are right and shows like 227 prove how one can make a successful show on a tight budget. Moesha was doing a good job of this until the "Secrets and Lies" storyline of 1999 that made the father to be a lying cheater. Many networks think most blacks succumb to this ghetto culture and want to see all this unneeded drama between the characters and their significant others. People often watch these godawful shows and think this is what is to be black.

Each year, the number of quality black shows decreases greatly. We used to have our own night on each network but now we nearly have nothing but syndicated reruns. Whatever happened to quality black programming that anybody could enjoy. Many stars of our favorite 70's sitcoms such as Mabel King, Esther Rolle and John Amos fought these hard fights to ensure we had a good representation on television but now I am starting to think that fight was in vain

[ThomasE]

In regards to the "Moesha" comment, I heard that it was Brandy's idea to do the Frank storyline in which he tells Dorian that he is actually the father. Yes, it was suspenseful, gripping and shocking but it did not fit the mold of that character Frank on the show. If I were in charge, it would have not happened.

[GSU2004]

Originally Posted by ThomasE

In regards to the "Moesha" comment, I heard that it was Brandy's idea to do the Frank storyline in which he tells Dorian that he is actually the father. Yes, it was suspenseful, gripping and shocking but it did not fit the mold of that character Frank on the show. If I were in charge, it would have not happened.

It was. She, along with her mother wanted more creative control over the show. Brandy was ready for the show to be bold and riskee while Vida Spears and Sara Finney wanted it to be family friendly. This was reported in many "Hollywood Insider" blurbs in papers everywhere.