Good Times - The Complete Third Season

Rating:
Summary: Why's this show getting pushed faster than All in the Family
Review: I wish Columbia Star would give better restoration and DVD transfer treatment of the TV shows they're licensed to release. But that won't ever happen so I may as well clam up and be a happy mindless consumer, grateful for any scraps they charge me $30 MSRP for. :rollingeyes: What happened to giving customers quality goods that they spend their hard earned money on?

But I digress, this review is about the quality of the stories - not the quality of the medium (which should be higher, when you consider how DVD's been hyped as being a high quality medium and that other companies release even older shows that look much better...)

I digress again! I own season 1 and 2 box sets already. They are definitely worth buying. Season 1 is great stuff, if only 13 episodes. Season 2 has a lot of good moments and a few great episodes, but seems to be giving more time to what became the WORST character of the bunch, JJ. While "DYNOMITE!" was a worthy catchphrase whose delivery merely needed some polishing compared to season 1, they somehow changed the line and gave JJ a superhero status. He became "Kid DYN-O-MITE!" for some unexplained reason. This "Kid DYN-O-MITE!!!!!!!!!!!!!" stuff is excessively overplayed in many episodes, is generally anything except funny (it's hubris and pointless raving egoism), not to mention the character's personality is utterly abrasive and brainless and a pain to watch at times. I'm amazed Florida puts up with half his antics and telling her how he's going to give hickeys with every girl he speaks of, as her persona in the first two seasons is the epitome of Christianity (she's far more a true Christian than many who claim to be these days...). (Also, behind the scenes, both Esther Rolle and John Amos became increasingly frustrated with the CBS execs because of Jimmy Walker and the waste of a character known as JJ. They wanted the show to have some substance, but Jimmy Walker's (now badly dated) shtick was funny at the time so he got the glory instead, and the leads were told to lump it. No wonder they both left...)

"Good Times" had real potential. Season 1 is easily the best of the bunch, with season 2 being a worthy purchase given the strength of the stories, even if JJ is starting to become a pantomime caricature... I will reluctantly purchase season 3, but I suspect it's going to be devoid of all the qualities Norman Lear was famous for in his comedies (social commentary, and all thanks to copying a British TV show when he 'created' "All in the Family"!). Season 2 is clearly more JJ-centric, with season 3 going even more in that direction despite the first couple of stories trying to remain on solid ground (the gun episode being one of the few times the execs dared to put the show to rights, but they cowered and went back to the JJ antics...)

Back to "All in the Family", that show seems to get (less than) one season per year. For a 9+ year show, this release schedule is uacceptable. Worse, the third season of AitF was due out 6 months ago in order to have maintained at annual release schedule. Could Columbia be releasing that show for ironically political reasons? But at least it's coming out, as it's arguably the best season that show had.

(And where's "Maude"?! It's the only Norman Lear-based show that hasn't been released yet...)

Rating:
Summary: "Scratching and Surviving" in Season 3 ...
Review: The third season of "Good Times" - one of the best shows Norman Lear ever created - saw the show hitting its stride in both character and story development, in both serious storylines and laugh-out-loud humor. By the beginning of the fourth season, a bombshell rocked the show, spinning the series in a new direction for season four (hint: season three was the last season before John Amos left the show).

As a collector of TV shows on DVD, this series is one of the few I watch over and over again; a personal favorite. For others like me who feel the same, here is how the 3rd season boxed set plays out, per episode:

#1 - A Real Cool Job: James is offered (finally) a really good-paying job ... in Alaska.

#2 - The Family Gun: James reveals that he's bought a gun for the house, to aid in protection ... which then disappears.

#3 - Operation Florida: Florida becomes in desperate need of a gallbladder operation - which James will do anything to get up the money for.

#4 - Love in the Ghetto: Thelma gets engaged - much to Florida and James's dismay.

#5 - Florida's Rich Cousin: Florida learns a shocking revelation when she asks her wealthy cousin for money to pay the bills - and burns James's pride in the process.

#6 - The Weekend: A friend of James's lets James and Florida use his cabin for the weekend for their 20th anniversary - now if only Florida can stop worrying about the kids ...

#7 - The Baby: The family throws a baby shower for a friend, Loretta -- but is shocked when they learn Loretta plans to give her baby up for adoption. (TRIVIA: Estelle Evans, who plays Alice in this episode, is the real-life sister of Esther Rolle.)

#8 - Michael's Big Fall: When James is out of town, Florida --along with her brother Wilbert -- are left to deal with a problematic Michael.

#9 - The Politicians: The Evans home becomes a house divided when the family members take opposite sides during an election between (B)Alderman Davis and a young opponent.

#10 - Willona's Dilemma: J.J. brings home a friend from art class who happens to be deaf -- and who hits it off really well with Willona.

#11 - Florida's Protest: Florida leads a protest after her family gets food poisoning from some tainted meat obtained at the local grocery store.

#12 - The Mural: J.J. is commissioned by a bank to pain a mural -- money badly needed by Thelma for college tuition -- but the bank doesn't want to pay up when they see the results.

#13 - A Loss of Confidence: J.J. loses all his confidence and suffers from depression when dissed by one of Thelma's friends, who he's become infatuated with.

#14 - Cleatus: After a bank robbery in Atlanta, the FBI shows up at the Evans home in search of their prime suspect - Florida's nephew Cleatus.

#15 - The Family Tree: In researching the family tree for school, Thelma learns that James's father is still alive. But when James finds out she's invited his father as a surprise for his birthday, James refuses to see him.

#16 - A Place to Die: A sick, elderly man once befriended by Michael comes to the Evans home to be amongst friends in a loving home before his death.

#17 - J.J.'s Fiancé (Part 1): J.J. and his girlfriend Diana (played by "Fame" alum Debbie Allen) are getting serious and talking marriage -- regardless of their parents' objections. What J.J. doesn't know is that Diana is also hiding a serious drug problem.

#18 - J.J.'s Fiancé (Part 2): J.J. and Diana have run off to Indiana on Prom Night to elope. Meanwhile, accidentally-switched purses at home lead everyone to discover Diana's drug problem ... and her supplier.

#19 - Sweet Daddy Williams: The notorious Sweet Daddy Williams commissions J.J. to paint a portrait of his girlfriend Savannah.

#20 - The Investigation: The Evans family is investigated by the FBI as possible security risks after Michael begins doing research about (and communicating with) a Communist country for a term paper.

#21 - J.J. in Trouble: When the kids are left home for the weekend, J.J. gets the news that he may have given an ex-girlfriend VD.

#22 - Florida the Woman: Feeling overworked and unappreciated at home, Florida takes her boss at work up on a lunch invitation ... sparking jealousy in James.

#23 - The Break Up: Thelma's fiancée gets a big break and gives her a choice: stay in Chicago with her family, or move to California with him.

#24 - The Rent Party: The family decides to hold a rent party to help out another building resident, but the party may come to a quick halt when the heartless building superintendent learns of their plan.

Again, this was one of my favorite shows growing up, it blended pathos with laughs beautifully. I hope the boxed season releases just keep on coming!

Rating:
Summary: The last great season of Good Times
Review: The third season of Good Times was the peak of the series as it was the last with John Amos.
The laughs kept on coming, although JJ(Jimmie Walker) was at the time the focus of the show despite the talented Amos and Esther Rolle (who also left the show when she became fed up with the buffoonery behind Walker's character).Not an episode was broadcast without one "Dy-No-Mite".
The classic episodes of the season includes The Family Gun, Florida's Protest, Cleatus, J.J.'s Fiancee ,Sweet Daddy Williams,The Investigation, and J.J. in Trouble.
Unfortunately Amos was asked to leave the show and his character was killed off in an auto accident.The show would last three more seasons (including the fifth where Rolle left the show, only to return in the final season),but it was obvious that season three was it's peak.