Why did the producers and writers get rid of the George Jefferson from the 75 season? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TVFactFan · 10-10-2002, 05:27 PM

The first season of the Jeffersons and half of season 2 was in my opinion was the funniest George Jefferson during the show ten year run. The 1975 George Jefferson was more funny, hostile, danced more, and just all around entertaining. Also more short tempered and yelled more. My Question-WHAT happen to that particular George Jefferson? The George Jefferson after 1975-was BORING!!!!!!!-Anyone feel this way?

jerry allen · 10-10-2002, 06:21 PM

say what you want about Norman Lear but in the beginning of "The Jeffersons" a lot of critics were slamming Norman's formula: racial slurs, controversy, and taboo breaking, etc. and some took the shot that all of Norman's hits were different twists on "All in the Family" well, AITF did spawn "Maude" and they in reurn spawned "Good Times", AITF also spun-off "The Jeffersons" and so all of those shows are going to follow a pattern. everyone seems to forget about "Sanford and Son" and "One Day at a Time" as being Norman Lear shows!! anyway, the producers wanted to tone down the character because the critics were calling George Jefferson a black Archie Bunker, which we all know was true. if you look at the opening credits, Louise is actually in top-billing! i wouldn't call George post 1975 boring but the black community at the time didn't like the original outrageous version, calling him a white person's stereotype!!??

TVFactFan · 10-10-2002, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jerry allen
say what you want about Norman Lear but in the beginning of "The Jeffersons" a lot of critics were slamming Norman's formula: racial slurs, controversy, and taboo breaking, etc. and some took the shot that all of Norman's hits were different twists on "All in the Family" well, AITF did spawn "Maude" and they in reurn spawned "Good Times", AITF also spun-off "The Jeffersons" and so all of those shows are going to follow a pattern. everyone seems to forget about "Sanford and Son" and "One Day at a Time" as being Norman Lear shows!! anyway, the producers wanted to tone down the character because the critics were calling George Jefferson a black Archie Bunker, which we all know was true. if you look at the opening credits, Louise is actually in top-billing! i wouldn't call George post 1975 boring but the black community at the time didn't like the original outrageous version, calling him a white person's stereotype!!??

See I wasn't born at the time but I always wondered why all the seasons after 1975 had the George Jefferson acting much different. The 75 season is my favorite and one of my favorite episodes was the time when his childhood friend came to visit and George was hyper at the end when he threw him out the door. But the George Jefferson character was that same hyper character from 1973-1975 so why changed him all of a sudden. I only watch the jefferson episodes from January 1975 to About February 1976. After that-i'm done. And The George in the 80's was no where near funny.

lil_weezy · 10-11-2002, 02:08 PM

In my opinion George was funny all the time.

TVFactFan · 10-11-2002, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by lil_weezy
In my opinion George was funny all the time.

No where near as funny as the year of 1975!!

TVJunkie101 · 10-11-2002, 05:00 PM

During the last couple of seasons (currently airing on TV Land) the show lost something. I don't know why, I just didn't find the overall show as funny as it was during the first 8 years or so. I just bought the complete UNCUT first season on DVD, and that season is by far my favorite. I hadn't watched The Jeffersons in ages (from when it came to TV Land I stopped watching it, because of the bad timeslot). Now that it's at 3:00 & 3:30pm I decided to start watching it again, and the later seasons are airing... Not all the episodes, but a LOT are very unfunny, and the spark is just gone.

TVFactFan · 10-11-2002, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by TVJunkie101
During the last couple of seasons (currently airing on TV Land) the show lost something. I don't know why, I just didn't find the overall show as funny as it was during the first 8 years or so. I just bought the complete UNCUT first season on DVD, and that season is by far my favorite. I hadn't watched The Jeffersons in ages (from when it came to TV Land I stopped watching it, because of the bad timeslot). Now that it's at 3:00 & 3:30pm I decided to start watching it again, and the later seasons are airing... Not all the episodes, but a LOT are very unfunny, and the spark is just gone.

When you say you have the uncut version of the Jeffersons first season on DVD-The Episode when George buys the Piano-At the End when George tells the guy sitting at the Piano-"just don't sit there play something" And then the Guy begins to play the Piano and sings "The Party's Over" Is there a another scene or more to the episode after that? That's the TV LAND and N@N ending

Fan of old shows · 10-13-2002, 10:56 AM

i always thought thats why George stopped making "honkey" comments all the time cuz people thought it was too much so it had they lowered it down.

boechsner · 10-13-2002, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SOLOMON

When you say you have the uncut version of the Jeffersons first season on DVD-The Episode when George buys the Piano-At the End when George tells the guy sitting at the Piano-"just don't sit there play something" And then the Guy begins to play the Piano and sings "The Party's Over" Is there a another scene or more to the episode after that? That's the TV LAND and N@N ending

I have the complete 1st season on DVD and there's nothing after that scene.

TVJunkie101 · 10-13-2002, 03:02 PM

boechsner's right, Solomon. That's the end. Nothing more.

TVFactFan · 10-13-2002, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Fan of old shows
i always thought thats why George stopped making "honkey" comments all the time cuz people thought it was too much so it had they lowered it down.

Well that 1st season was the highest rated season at #4 and after seeing all the episodes with a very very short tempered George-It was extremely funny. I figured also that he stopped saying honkey because people got tired of it.

ThomasE · 10-18-2002, 12:06 AM

I'm glad he mellowed down. He was a loud mouth that annoyed me and should have been slapped. I used to be glad when Florence chewed on him. I'm glad he had some type of friendship with Tom Willis in later years of the show.

Brian Damage · 10-18-2002, 12:16 AM

I think after so many years on the air, I think the writers just ran out of things for George to do. I think the real reason why he stopped saying the word Honky is because that word just wasn't used anymore in the 80's. It's similar to how the word Groovy became played out.

TVFactFan · 10-18-2002, 12:39 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ThomasE
I'm glad he mellowed down. He was a loud mouth that annoyed me and should have been slapped. I used to be glad when Florence chewed on him. I'm glad he had some type of friendship with Tom Willis in later years of the show.

So basically you liked the boring george jefferson who was not funny at all. I can't believe you didn't like the george from 1975. He was the best

I Am Shazam · 10-26-2002, 03:05 PM

Solomon,

I agree with you--sort of. In my opinion, the George Jefferson of 1975 was the same UNTIL about 1981. That's when he became very diluted and toned-down. No more "honky" cracks; no more "zebra" cracks. Not only did George become more mild, but so did the show; that's why my favorite episodes are mostly from 1975 thru 1980. Those years were the show's best: the episodes were edgier and racier (and I mean that literally AND figuratively).

A lot of the people here have commented that George became toned-down because the audience and/or producers got tired of him saying things like "honky". But it was actually Sherman Hemsley who persuaded the producers/writers to tone George down. There was a documentary on TV (I forget the name of it but it was one of those E True Hollywood-story style documentaries) and Sherman Hemsley told the interviewer that he had reached a point where he no longer wanted to make racial slurs against the Tom character; Hemsley's rationale was "They're friends now; why does George have to keep calling him that?"

So the producers/writers felt Hemsley had a valid point and they made George more mild. On the one hand, I agree with their reasoning: it makes sense to show that a close-minded character like George can grow and change. On the other hand, his transformation took something exciting and dramatic away from the show.

10-10-2002, 05:27 PM	#1
TVFactFan Member Forum Junkie Join Date: Aug 17, 2002 Posts: 99,055	Why did the producers and writers get rid of the George Jefferson from the 75 season? The first season of the Jeffersons and half of season 2 was in my opinion was the funniest George Jefferson during the show ten year run. The 1975 George Jefferson was more funny, hostile, danced more, and just all around entertaining. Also more short tempered and yelled more. My Question-WHAT happen to that particular George Jefferson? The George Jefferson after 1975-was BORING!!!!!!!-Anyone feel this way?

10-11-2002, 05:00 PM	#6
TVJunkie101 Member...you 'member? Senior Member Join Date: May 28, 2002 Location: Florida Posts: 2,838	During the last couple of seasons (currently airing on TV Land) the show lost something. I don't know why, I just didn't find the overall show as funny as it was during the first 8 years or so. I just bought the complete UNCUT first season on DVD, and that season is by far my favorite. I hadn't watched The Jeffersons in ages (from when it came to TV Land I stopped watching it, because of the bad timeslot). Now that it's at 3:00 & 3:30pm I decided to start watching it again, and the later seasons are airing... Not all the episodes, but a LOT are very unfunny, and the spark is just gone.
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10-18-2002, 12:16 AM	#13
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	I think after so many years on the air, I think the writers just ran out of things for George to do. I think the real reason why he stopped saying the word Honky is because that word just wasn't used anymore in the 80's. It's similar to how the word Groovy became played out.
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10-26-2002, 03:05 PM	#15
I Am Shazam Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Oct 26, 2002 Location: Irvington, N.J. Posts: 16	Solomon, I agree with you--sort of. In my opinion, the George Jefferson of 1975 was the same UNTIL about 1981. That's when he became very diluted and toned-down. No more "honky" cracks; no more "zebra" cracks. Not only did George become more mild, but so did the show; that's why my favorite episodes are mostly from 1975 thru 1980. Those years were the show's best: the episodes were edgier and racier (and I mean that literally AND figuratively). A lot of the people here have commented that George became toned-down because the audience and/or producers got tired of him saying things like "honky". But it was actually Sherman Hemsley who persuaded the producers/writers to tone George down. There was a documentary on TV (I forget the name of it but it was one of those E True Hollywood-story style documentaries) and Sherman Hemsley told the interviewer that he had reached a point where he no longer wanted to make racial slurs against the Tom character; Hemsley's rationale was "They're friends now; why does George have to keep calling him that?" So the producers/writers felt Hemsley had a valid point and they made George more mild. On the one hand, I agree with their reasoning: it makes sense to show that a close-minded character like George can grow and change. On the other hand, his transformation took something exciting and dramatic away from the show.
	__________________ "You are East Side, she is West Side, and I don't want no Cross-Town traffic in my kitchen!"

10-10-2002, 06:21 PM	#2
jerry allen Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 01, 2002 Location: State Route 72/ Ohio Posts: 148	say what you want about Norman Lear but in the beginning of "The Jeffersons" a lot of critics were slamming Norman's formula: racial slurs, controversy, and taboo breaking, etc. and some took the shot that all of Norman's hits were different twists on "All in the Family" well, AITF did spawn "Maude" and they in reurn spawned "Good Times", AITF also spun-off "The Jeffersons" and so all of those shows are going to follow a pattern. everyone seems to forget about "Sanford and Son" and "One Day at a Time" as being Norman Lear shows!! anyway, the producers wanted to tone down the character because the critics were calling George Jefferson a black Archie Bunker, which we all know was true. if you look at the opening credits, Louise is actually in top-billing! i wouldn't call George post 1975 boring but the black community at the time didn't like the original outrageous version, calling him a white person's stereotype!!??

10-11-2002, 02:08 PM	#4
lil_weezy I'll 4ever luv Weezy Frequent Poster Join Date: Jun 26, 2001 Location: Cincinnati, Oh Posts: 346	In my opinion George was funny all the time.

10-13-2002, 10:56 AM	#8
Fan of old shows Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Aug 25, 2002 Location: Florida Posts: 417	i always thought thats why George stopped making "honkey" comments all the time cuz people thought it was too much so it had they lowered it down.

10-13-2002, 03:02 PM	#10
TVJunkie101 Member...you 'member? Senior Member Join Date: May 28, 2002 Location: Florida Posts: 2,838	boechsner's right, Solomon. That's the end. Nothing more.

10-18-2002, 12:06 AM	#12
ThomasE Member Moderator Forum Fanatic Join Date: Apr 04, 2000 Location: New York, New York, U.S.A. Posts: 10,857	I'm glad he mellowed down. He was a loud mouth that annoyed me and should have been slapped. I used to be glad when Florence chewed on him. I'm glad he had some type of friendship with Tom Willis in later years of the show.