When do you think Bubba saw his parents last?

[TheLittleFairy]

I was just wondering if you think Eunice and Ed made any off-screen visits during the syndicated era of the show and Bubba got to see his parents any off-screen? OR do you think Bubba had literally not seen Ed and Eunice since the Carol Burnett sketches era?


I led to think both could be true...

In the graduation episode Bubba is expecting his parents to show up and he says, "I wonder if they've changed any?" This makes it sound as if he had not seen them in a long LONG time. HOWEVER at one point in the same episode Bubba is concerned Mama will pick a fight with Eunice and he says, "Just once I wish mom and dad could visit without you getting mom all upset!" So that leads me to believe that Ed and Eunice made at least ONE visit during the syndicated years, it could have likely been an offscreen visit during the Christmas episode.

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by TheLittleFairy

"Just once I wish Mom and Dad could visit without you getting Mom all upset!"

To me, that line says they made visits to Raytown from Florida during the syndicated era (but probably very rarely, like maybe Christmas, since Ed 'n Eunice would have trouble affording gas money for long trips). I can see where someone may interpret that as a generalized statement about anytime Ed and Eunice have visited (i.e., with Bubba in tow in his younger years), but I like to think they did visit once in a very blue moon.

[visaman666]

What happend to Vint's children?

[TheLittleFairy]

Good theory! I want to think that Mama and Eunice eventually patched things up as well, just judging by the Hawaiin episode when Mama writes Eunice a very pleasant letter. With Mama's feelings toward Eunice, I was wondering why Mama was writing Eunice to begin with as opposed to, say, Ellen, and Mama was very pleasant in the letter. I'm sure they would have still bickered some, but maybe not as dramatically as they did in days past.

[TheLittleFairy]

I assumed they went off to live on their own or maybe back with their mom. Many think though they ceased to exist in the syndicated years. I kinda am of that mindset too now, b/c when Naomi is trying to get pregnant, Mama says something like, "No way is Vint ready to be a father!" If Buzz and Sonya still existed, Vint would have already been through fatherhood once.

['80sSitcoms]

Regarding Buzz and Sonja, many fans and TV writers/critics also assume that they "went off to college". So they exist in the season 3 opener, but yes, it's like after "Farewell, Frannie" they ceased to exist. Also, in the Christmas episode featuring Leland the goose, when Vint is doing baby talk to Leland, Naomi beams and says to Iola, "Isn't he gonna make a wonderful father??".

Originally Posted by TheLittleFairy

Good theory! I want to think that Mama and Eunice eventually patched things up as well, just judging by the Hawaiin episode when Mama writes Eunice a very pleasant letter.

That is a nice thought, but they still had their problems, as is evidenced by the graduation episode when Eunice calls Mama to say that they can't make it to Bubba's graduation, and there they go pushing each other's buttons again.

Originally Posted by TheLittleFairy

With Mama's feelings toward Eunice, I was wondering why Mama was writing Eunice to begin with as opposed to, say, Ellen, and Mama was very pleasant in the letter. I'm sure they would have still bickered some, but maybe not as dramatically as they did in days past.

I always think the same thing when I watch that episode, "Why didn't she write Ellen instead?" Another aspect of this is I think Eunice would have been very jealous and petty learning that her mother, brother, sister-in-law, and her son all got to go to Hawaii on an all-expenses-paid trip, while she and her husband are stuck living in a crummy apartment in Florida with "a broken hot plate, and a bed that comes out of the wall!" I can't help but think Eunice would be "sent off on a tizzy" from a care-free letter by Mama in Hawaii. That would just have to sting that her mother, brother, and her own son got to go, but she didn't.

Ellen, on the other hand, came to some nice understandings with Mama in "Best Medicine", and Ellen is an experienced world traveler, and can afford traveling, so she would not have been bothered or offended at getting a letter from her mother in Hawaii with most of her family there.

[TheLittleFairy]

Good points again, but one thing I forget, was the Hawaiin episode before or after the graduation one? For some reason to me the Hawaiin one always seems much later in the series.

['80sSitcoms]

Actually, Bubba (and Mama's) graduation was only 4 episodes after the Hawaii ones! lol...Hawaii was late in season 4, and "Pomp and Circumstance" aired 4 episodes later as the season finale. Funny, I had the feeling that the graduation show was quite later than that.

[TheLittleFairy]

OH!!! One thing I recall in the episode I THINK "I Do I Don't" They have gone to some type of reunion and Mama's night school teacher went along and Vint remarks, "You got to see the whole Harper clan".. or something to that effect, it makes me wonder if Eunice and Ed were there. The "WHOLE Harper clan" would have included them. Maybe Bubba briefly got to see his mom and dad in that episode off-screen. I could see it being just like Eunice to be like, "Wish we could stay longer, sorry we can't come by the house, but we have to get right back!"

[schmave]

Wasn't that in an episode where someone got married? For Vint to say that, a strict interpretation means the whole family was there including Ellen, Eunice, Ed, Buzz and Sonya, but I always took it to mean he meant the local family, which still would have included Ellen.
Just once during the syndicated episodes, I wish the entire cast from both incarnations would have been together (obviously excluding Fran). Carol Burnett's divorce made that impossible, but still, would have been nice to see Ed, Buzz, Sonya and Ellen anyway.

['80sSitcoms]

Well he did say "the whole" Harper clan, which to me means more than just the locals. I believe at that point Mr. Hanson had already met everyone in Mama's house, so "the whole" Harper clan would have to mean more than Ellen and Aunt Effie (even though she was a Crowley and not a Harper, she was still one of the family). There were probably some out-of-towners there, possibly including Ed & Eunice, but you'd think if they were there they might stop by Mama's for a family visit (or not, lol).

[TheLittleFairy]

1 interesting thing is, Ellen is the ONLY character, besides Mama, to have appeared in all 4 versions! Ellen is in the Family Sketches, the movie Eunice, NBC Mama's Family and syndicated Mama's Family.


But yes I'd love to see how Eunice and Mama would have interacted in the syndicated episodes, how syndicated Mama would have interacted with Eunice.

And would Eunice have been any different, since they all went through a personality shift.

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by TheLittleFairy

1 interesting thing is, Ellen is the ONLY character, besides Mama, to have appeared in all 4 versions! Ellen is in the Family Sketches, the movie Eunice, NBC Mama's Family and syndicated Mama's Family.

True, I never thought of that. That is interesting...and they were both much darker in the "Family" sketches than by the time MF came along; Mama cynical and mean, Ellen selfish and harsh. Just think of the Ellen in the "Ellen's Anniversary" sketch, and the Ellen of MF. Can you see the "Family" sketches-era Ellen constantly dropping by Mama's house? Of her own free will?? lol, no way!

Originally Posted by TheLittleFairy

But yes I'd love to see how Eunice and Mama would have interacted in the syndicated episodes, how syndicated Mama would have interacted with Eunice.

And would Eunice have been any different, since they all went through a personality shift.

I think there would have still been some conflict, but it would have been milder, since they came to a sort of understanding in "Cellmates".

[TheLittleFairy]

Yes, sometimes I think MAYBE Ellen's husband brought her into the "snobbish" lifestyle, it seemed after Ellen and Bruce separated, that Ellen became a little nicer, just dropping in to visit Mama, coming over for dinner, etc...


As far as Eunice and Mama in the syndicated era... I have split feelings lol


In the Family Sketches, Eunice pretty much had MOST of the powers, I mean yes Mama was very mean and nasty, BUT many times I remember Eunince getting in Mama's face and yelling, "SHUT UP OLD LADY!" Which Mama DID! But in the syndicated episodes of Mama's Family, Mama becomes nicer and cheerier, BUT much more FEISTY! In the syndicated era, Mama always has the last word and wins every argument...so... if Eunice had the SAME personality as she did back in the old days, I think their fights would have been a LOT more dramatic and chaotic, b/c neither would ever back down! I think if Eunice yelled, "SHUT UP OLD LADY!" to syndicated Mama, all hell would break loose, and Mama would be like, "NOW JUST A DAMN MINUTE HERE CURLY TOP!" Then Eunice would be like, "NO YOU WAIT JUST A DAMN MINUTE!!" and on and on. I would be interesting b/c Eunice bight be the ONLY character to actually stand up to syndicated Mama, and who knows if she'd win the fight, BUT I think she'd give Mama a good run, b/c everyone else always backs down.


On the other hand, Eunice might have a different personality in the syndicated era and become more, "submissive" to Mama like everyone else did like Naomi and Vint...~they stood their ground with Mama in the NBC years~ I could always see Eunice character becoming like a "darker Lucy" type character had she been in the syndicated episodes.

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by TheLittleFairy

Yes, sometimes I think MAYBE Ellen's husband brought her into the "snobbish" lifestyle, it seemed after Ellen and Bruce separated, that Ellen became a little nicer, just dropping in to visit Mama, coming over for dinner, etc...

Well we know Ellen was snobbish and selfish as a child, and her marriage to Bruce was her ticket out of that house and away from her mother and sister. I feel once Bruce was her husband, that was a very convenience "excuse" for her disassociating from her family (too busy, Bruce's job, his work parties, the kids, etc.).

In MF though even when she was still married to Bruce she would voluntarily drop by Mama's house, although she still wasn't "close" to them.

Originally Posted by TheLittleFairy

As far as Eunice and Mama in the syndicated era... I have split feelings lol

In the Family Sketches, Eunice pretty much had MOST of the powers, I mean yes Mama was very mean and nasty, BUT many times I remember Eunince getting in Mama's face and yelling, "SHUT UP OLD LADY!" Which Mama DID! But in the syndicated episodes of Mama's Family, Mama becomes nicer and cheerier, BUT much more FEISTY! In the syndicated era, Mama always has the last word and wins every argument...so... if Eunice had the SAME personality as she did back in the old days, I think their fights would have been a LOT more dramatic and chaotic, b/c neither would ever back down! I think if Eunice yelled, "SHUT UP OLD LADY!" to syndicated Mama, all hell would break loose, and Mama would be like, "NOW JUST A DAMN MINUTE HERE CURLY TOP!" Then Eunice would be like, "NO YOU WAIT JUST A DAMN MINUTE!!" and on and on. I would be interesting b/c Eunice might be the ONLY character to actually stand up to syndicated Mama, and who knows if she'd win the fight, BUT I think she'd give Mama a good run, b/c everyone else always backs down.


On the other hand, Eunice might have a different personality in the syndicated era and become more, "submissive" to Mama like everyone else did like Naomi and Vint...~they stood their ground with Mama in the NBC years~ I could always see Eunice character becoming like a "darker Lucy" type character had she been in the syndicated episodes.

Yes, I agree with the latter. And just look at Naomi; she was very feisty and would get right up in Mama's face in the NBC years, and in the first handful of syndicated episodes, but after that she mellowed and backed down. I think after living with Mama for so long Naomi just finally thought it wasn't worth the energy and conflict to keep fighting or sniping, so she just "let it go" and went with the flow with Vint to try and sail on smoother waters.