Nobody should look to TV to make them feel good about themselves. Feeling good starts with your family, friends and community. I'm jus sayin'

DesireeNevermind said:

Yeah, but images are powerful. And when those images constantly depict your people in a negative light, it's hard to combat those images.

Anxiety said:

Well, one of the criticisms I've heard is that the show pacifies white America into the false notion that the race issue has been resolved...

coolcat said:

SCNDLS said:

Thanks for saying that. Growing up in the country, I didn't know ONE black person that lived in a "ghetto". I knew a lot of white people that lived in trailers, though. Not saying trailers are bad, but it's a stereotype that is not true.

JackieBlue said:

Oh it gets BETTER

Anxiety said:

So true. I don't really care to watch Good Times only because they never took the characters to another level. It didn't bother me that they were in the ghetto. The problem for me was that they didn't peruse options to improve thier situation. Michael was the "militant midget" and that was about the only "socially-aware" part of the sitcom that I got. Sure, James may have worked at a car wash, but in the 70s, there were grants galore that could have helped him acquire either a degree or some formal training to get a better job.

Also, why was Walona a HO in the beginning? By the time she got Penny, she became holier than thou.

As for the Jeffersons, I love that show. Now, how realistic was it? Not very. Who ever heard of a dry cleaner becoming a NY socialite?

daPrettyman said:

I loved the 1st 5 seasons, its the 6th season when it started to get "white washed".

daPrettyman said:

well, i think they DID try to improve their situation on 'good times' - j.j. was working to become a professional artist, thelma was always very serious about her studies, and like you said, michael had that whole 'militant midget' thing going on, lol...and didn't willona own a boutique or something like that? so there was some aspiration among the characters, which i guess could be seen as positive. the thing i hated about good times was, whenever something truly positive happened on that show, you knew that by the end of the episode, thelma would come running in screaming 'I WAS RAPED AND/OR MUGGED!!!' and then everyone would get all quiet and awkward and then after that you knew it was REALLY bad when they did the closing credits without any music.

it's like, the fact that they could never catch a break was part of the formula of the show, it wasn't really a reflection of how people's lives ALWAYS were. that bugged me even when i was younger and watching that show.

daPrettyman said:

That's not true. James would always try to improve his status, either by asking for a raise, a promotion, or getting a new job. JJ was trying to better their situation through his art. Michael had his eyes set on college. The whole premise of the show was based off "Raisin' in the Sun" - a dream deferred, and in the Evans' case - DREAMS deferred: something would always go wrong and they'd never get that promotion, raise, new job, or whatever.

Anxiety said:

So true.

Anxiety said:

You are right, but think about it. Wilona only got the boutique after Frank, her rich ex-husband, bought it for her. After that, she dropped his ass.

Why did Thelma never get a job? She never graduated from high school, but ended up going to some college. Not to mention, she did nothing for a while, then she met Keith and married him. The meal ticket that never was.

MuthaFunka said:

Yeah, James did try as a father. That was the whole point of him taking the job in Mississippi where he ultimately died. I never understood how someone as buffed as James was worked at a car wash. Wasn't there some other industry that he could have worked in? Welding maybe? That's why I say they didn't do anything to improve their situation. He kept getting low paying jobs.

daPrettyman said:

U were supposed 2 feel good about your lower class status.
Good Times my arse....

daPrettyman said:

I thought he worked at other spots, too?

MuthaFunka said:

I don't remember him doing anything but the car wash. Remember he did gamble a few times and won some money, but the car wash was his main occupation. He did get a construction job later (before he got canned) and went to Mississippi to work.

We went from Spike Lee to Tyler Perry Coonery to Good Times.


Ima throw a wrench in this bitch!


Uptown Saturday Night and Soul Food (the series)!!!!
take that you Black Film and TV Buffs!!!

daPrettyman said:

bad writing?

daPrettyman said:

I remember an episode when he had to get a physical for his job? Was that his car wash gig? Damn, they made 'em take physicals for car washin'?

DesireeNevermind said:

daPrettyman said:

I agree. Tyler makes good movies. I would love to see him do a soap opera type series with African-Americans. There's so much more he could do now. He needs to drop the Madea character and move on. Somehow I think he keeps the Madea character for the fans that have been following him since his early days in the theatre business. Those are the fans that have been with him from the very beginning of his career, who used to buy his plays on VHS tapes now DVDs. I believe that is why he is hanging on to that character, to not lose his dedicated fan base. But there comes a time when we have to let go and move on in order to grow and I think that is what Tyler needs to do. I despise that "Meet the Browns" character. The main male character is too "baffoonerish" and his character is too much of a "simp", like an "idiot", if you know what I mean. Other than that I have a lot of respect for Tyler, but he needs to let go of his Amos and Andy characters.
[Edited 5/29/09 12:58pm]

Thats right, 2elijah.

He said it many times that he wanted to kill "Madea" but he kept her alive for the audience.

MuthaFunka said:

I'll have to dust off my dvds and find out. I can't recall.

I vaguely remember him getting a physical, but I thought it was because he was complaining about something hurting. Then militant midget went on to discuss how black men die of heart attacks and strokes.

Ever since Spike Lee was going to sue Spike TV I really don't care what Spike Lee thinks. He can dish it out but can't take it.

daPrettyman said:

Good point, but I think that was the writers fault and no one stepping up to the plate to make the characters a family that "moved out" of their situation, yet they did have the "drive" to want to do better. They made the character son "Michael" the main intelligent one in the family, while it seemed they made "Thelma" the daughter character seem like she was waiting for her "knight in shining armour" to rescue her from her situation. Then again, maybe some of the actors in the show tried to speak with the writers about making improvements in the script and it didn't work out. It did seem like James' character kept hitting "a brick road", like the writers wanted to keep him a "weak provider" for his family, as though as a Black male it was hopeless for him to move up in society.

I think the James, the father character left because wasn't that around the time "Roots" was starting to be filmed?
[Edited 5/29/09 13:17pm]

2elijah said:

I thought both parents left the show because they were mad that Jimmy Walker was the star.

Harlepolis said:

I kind of figured that. Tyler is a very, humbled person and doesn't let his success take over his ego. I know once he lets that character go he is aware of the emails he'll get from those fans. He keeps in contact with his fans, so when he does let go of Madea, or should I say his "Linus Blanket" so-to-speak, I'm sure he will humbly explain it to those fans. At this point they respect him so much I think they will understand why it one day will be time to let Madea go.

kpowers said:

No, John Amos got fired because of contractual issues.

Ester Rolle later left because she didn't like the direction the show was going. She was asked to return for the last season to close the show.

From what I understand, Ester was upset that JJ was the star. This show was supposed to be about her. She was the STAR. Especially since it was a spinoff of her character on Maude.

kpowers said:

Is that true? I didn't hear about that. Interesting.

daPrettyman said:

Oh that's right. I forgot she was on that show. Wow, the things you learn about these shows years later. Well, since that show ended, sadly after that it seems it did nothing for Jimmy's future career to be honest with you.