The Jeffersons : Five Horrible Decisions that Ruined this Great Show
Re: Five Horrible Decisions that Ruined this Great Show
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Not true at all! I thought the 2nd Lionel was great! Both Lionels were good. They had to have Jessica as part of the natural evolution of the show. The show was NOT ruined because there were many good episodes in the last years.
Jesus NEVER existed! He is Judeo Christian MYTH!
Jesus NEVER existed! He is Judeo Christian MYTH!
Re: Five Horrible Decisions that Ruined this Great Show
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I didn't care for the 2nd Lionel. He always seemed irritated. Comes to find out the actor didn't like doing the show.
There's nothing like you and I baby.
There's nothing like you and I baby.
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Re: Five Horrible Decisions that Ruined this Great Show
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I don't know. They never said why. Considering he was a pretty big star on the Jeffersons and he created Good Times you would think he loved TV!
Jesus NEVER existed! He is Judeo Christian MYTH!
Jesus NEVER existed! He is Judeo Christian MYTH!
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Re: Five Horrible Decisions that Ruined this Great Show
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Mother Jefferson's death was addressed in an episode in which George felt he hadn't fulfilled his father's dying request to care for his mother for the rest of her life. Her passing was also mentioned in an earlier episode that aired the season after the actress died. It was a brief mention, but was not the focus of the episode.
Re: Five Horrible Decisions that Ruined this Great Show
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In answer to your questions:
1. I had no problem with Damon Evans playing the role of Lionel. Mike was unavailable due to Good Times.
2. I wasn't crazy about Jay Hammer either and I think he was brought in to replace Damon Evans, who had left the season before. If you notice, he isn't in all the episodes and sort of disappears midway thru the season.
3. They did mention Zara Cully's death on the show when the 1978-9 season resumed. It was mentioned several times.
4. I liked Mike Evans finally coming back to the show after Good Times ended.
5. Jessica was added to the show in the same way Joey was added to All in the Family 5 years into it. However, Jessica wasn't shown so much until the final season, when she was older, and she was fine.
1. I had no problem with Damon Evans playing the role of Lionel. Mike was unavailable due to Good Times.
2. I wasn't crazy about Jay Hammer either and I think he was brought in to replace Damon Evans, who had left the season before. If you notice, he isn't in all the episodes and sort of disappears midway thru the season.
3. They did mention Zara Cully's death on the show when the 1978-9 season resumed. It was mentioned several times.
4. I liked Mike Evans finally coming back to the show after Good Times ended.
5. Jessica was added to the show in the same way Joey was added to All in the Family 5 years into it. However, Jessica wasn't shown so much until the final season, when she was older, and she was fine.
Re: Five Horrible Decisions that Ruined this Great Show
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Good points Steve.
Smoky, actually BOTH Lionels didn't like doing the show. There was a reunion around 2000 on Inside Edition but Mike Evans never showed eventhough he was invited. Sherman said Mike never wanted to be an actor. I read he got into real estate after the Jeffersons was canceled.
Jesus NEVER existed! He is Judeo Christian MYTH!
Smoky, actually BOTH Lionels didn't like doing the show. There was a reunion around 2000 on Inside Edition but Mike Evans never showed eventhough he was invited. Sherman said Mike never wanted to be an actor. I read he got into real estate after the Jeffersons was canceled.
Jesus NEVER existed! He is Judeo Christian MYTH!
Re: Five Horrible Decisions that Ruined this Great Show
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If Mike never wanted to be an actor, why did he do All in the Family in 1971?
Re: Five Horrible Decisions that Ruined this Great Show
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Norman Lear actually talked about that in an interview. In 1970 he was still casting for the part Lionel for All in the Family. Some one told Evans to go to CBS so he hitched a ride to the studio. Having no prior professional acting experience got the part.
Re: Five Horrible Decisions that Ruined this Great Show
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Since Mike Evans was not a trained actor that could be why he didn't really like acting. It seems he got into real estate after the Jeffersons was canceled and did real estate until he died.
Jesus NEVER existed! He is Judeo Christian MYTH!
Jesus NEVER existed! He is Judeo Christian MYTH!
Re: Five Horrible Decisions that Ruined this Great Show
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I remember reading that Eric Monte, who co-created Good Times with Mike Evans, fell on hard times, and felt like he got screwed, considering how well the show did. My guess is that that also soured Mike's views of the TV business.
Oh stewardessI speak jive.
Oh stewardessI speak jive.
Re: Five Horrible Decisions that Ruined this Great Show
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But didn't Mike and Eric get about the same amount of money creating Good Times?
Jesus NEVER existed! He is Judeo Christian MYTH!
Jesus NEVER existed! He is Judeo Christian MYTH!
Re: Five Horrible Decisions that Ruined this Great Show
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Mike Evans stumbled into acting. He took a theater arts class at a community college but he wasn't serious about it at all. He went to an open casting call on a whim and ended up getting the part of Lionel Jefferson. He couldn't turn down the money but he definitely soured on the business pretty quick. That's why he never ever came back to acting.
George Carlin: It's all bullsh-t and it's bad for ya.
George Carlin: It's all bullsh-t and it's bad for ya.
Re: Five Horrible Decisions that Ruined this Great Show
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Damon Evans was a theater actor so doing TV and film is different than theater. Mike Evans wasn't a professional actor so he probably didn't like the business aspect of television.
Re: Five Horrible Decisions that Ruined this Great Show
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1. Agree BIG time. Michael Evans was real. "2nd Lionel" What's-his-name was halfway mediocre at best. Always came across as nerdy & whiny. Mike was infinitely more charismatic & hip.
2. Well, both were kinda lame characters, but original Alan was downright boring & flat. At least "Alan 2" had charisma.
3. As others have mentioned above
4. Hmm, not bad IMO.
5. Agree. That is almost *always* the kiss of death on a sitcom.
2. Well, both were kinda lame characters, but original Alan was downright boring & flat. At least "Alan 2" had charisma.
3. As others have mentioned above
4. Hmm, not bad IMO.
5. Agree. That is almost *always* the kiss of death on a sitcom.
Re: Five Horrible Decisions that Ruined this Great Show
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I don't agree Jessica was bad at all. She gave the show several new storylines that they badly needed. Also it was Mike Evans that Sherman said never wanted to get into acting. He is the original Lionel. I always liked Damon Evans too. I thought both Lionels were about equal and Damon had his strong points too. I actually liked Damon a little more than Mike.
Jesus NEVER existed! He is Judeo Christian MYTH!
Jesus NEVER existed! He is Judeo Christian MYTH!
Re: Five Horrible Decisions that Ruined this Great Show
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I didn't have any problems with Jessica being in the final season. She was older now and able to be in several episodes. I'm sure if they did a 12th season, we would've seen even more of her. The episodes she did were good.
Re: Five Horrible Decisions that Ruined this Great Show
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There were several factors that played into the change of direction. Network politics was a part of that. Looking at the early episodes of All in the Family, Good Times, MASH, the Jeffersons and Sanford and Son, they were very political and dealt with current events. In their later years they became more PC.
Re: Five Horrible Decisions that Ruined this Great Show
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By the beginning of the final season in 1984, the landscape of prime time TV had shifted. What had been "adult" entertainment in the early to mid '70s was mostly the very un-PC sitcoms - AITF, Sanford & Son, Jeffersons. By the early 80s, sitcoms had fallen out of favor and "adult" programming had shifted to prime time soaps - Dallas, Dynasty, Falcon Crest.
The new sitcoms that began appearing in the late 70s and into the 80s were more family oriented - Diffrent Strokes, Facts of Life, Family Ties, Silver Spoons, Cosby Show
Existing sitcoms that had been "adult" but were still successful, like the Jeffersons, were watered down somewhat as far as being more PC. The Jessica character is introduced and several episodes center upon her. The comedy during those last couple of seasons is quite a bit more sugary. Bear in mind, though, that part of the reason for this was Hemsley's desire to make the show a little less risque as far as the racial stuff. He told the writers that he was uncomfortable continuing to call Tom Willis a "honky" reasoning that they had known each other for almost 10 years now and were friends. Hence, in those later seasons, you never hear him refer to Willis as "honky" or "zebra" and the "white guy" jokes disappear (although they kept some of the fat jokes).
The new sitcoms that began appearing in the late 70s and into the 80s were more family oriented - Diffrent Strokes, Facts of Life, Family Ties, Silver Spoons, Cosby Show
Existing sitcoms that had been "adult" but were still successful, like the Jeffersons, were watered down somewhat as far as being more PC. The Jessica character is introduced and several episodes center upon her. The comedy during those last couple of seasons is quite a bit more sugary. Bear in mind, though, that part of the reason for this was Hemsley's desire to make the show a little less risque as far as the racial stuff. He told the writers that he was uncomfortable continuing to call Tom Willis a "honky" reasoning that they had known each other for almost 10 years now and were friends. Hence, in those later seasons, you never hear him refer to Willis as "honky" or "zebra" and the "white guy" jokes disappear (although they kept some of the fat jokes).
Did "The Cosby Show" kill "The Jeffersons"?
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http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showpost.php?p=3315692&postcount=13
Read more: Did "The Cosby Show" kill "The Jeffersons"? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards - Forums http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=182535#ixzz3tKm2rZum
The 80s were the decade where brand new shows like the A Team, Knight Rider, Magnum, P.I, and all those crime drama shows a lot of kids watched during the time. It was also the materialistic decade, Iran-Contra scandal, the coke era, Reaganomics, the scarred AIDS epidemic, and much more. The Jeffersons were in a 70s era based show at one point. Racial issues and others were the Norman Lear touches in most of his popular shows, but when the 80s came, it was time slide away from the issue and update the show with a more 80s family based team. Fat jokes are in. No more "Honky" jokes, please, etc. Let us watered down the character a notch or two, making them much tamer than before. Let's do mean ol' George's attitude a complete 180 degree angle for no one to notice and make him a friend with his enemy/neighbor Tom. We want no racial jokes, says the censor of the 80s. Make more fat jokes and no matter how stale the other jokes get, make sure you do complete overhaul with the show as well. That's my take on as to why The Jeffersons changed in the 80s. In my perspective opinion.
Read more: Did "The Cosby Show" kill "The Jeffersons"? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards - Forums http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=182535#ixzz3tKm2rZum
Re: Five Horrible Decisions that Ruined this Great Show
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Yeah, George became more friendly with Tom in the later years, although he might argue with him about things, he wouldn't use the racist stuff anymore. Probably he was used to them being part of the family and just decided to get along with them, especially now that they had a granddaughter together.
What year do you think the Jeffersons started the downward slide?
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Re: Five Horrible Decisions that Ruined this Great Show
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Personally, I was thrilled when Mike Evans returned. He was ideal in the role of Lionel. Damon Evans was rather stiff in the part, especially in his body language.
My primary complaint about bringing Alan Willis back is that the writers did not seem to know how to write for him. There could have been some very good storylines, but they failed to realize that.
Mother Jefferson's passing was addressed in the first episode of the 1978-79 season.
Having Lionel and Jenny have a child was fine with me.
My primary complaint about bringing Alan Willis back is that the writers did not seem to know how to write for him. There could have been some very good storylines, but they failed to realize that.
Mother Jefferson's passing was addressed in the first episode of the 1978-79 season.
Having Lionel and Jenny have a child was fine with me.
Re: Five Horrible Decisions that Ruined this Great Show
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The biggest decision that negatively impacted the show was not giving it a series finale!
Jesus NEVER existed! He is Judeo Christian MYTH!
Jesus NEVER existed! He is Judeo Christian MYTH!
Re: Five Horrible Decisions that Ruined this Great Show
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^ this (x a million)
The biggest decision that negatively impacted the show was not giving it a series finale!
Wait a minute who am I here?
Re: Five Horrible Decisions that Ruined this Great Show
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I don't agree with that stupid Sitcoms Online list at all! The Jefferson was NOT ruined! It's one of the greatest sitcoms EVER and better than any of the garbage on today!
Jesus NEVER existed! He is Judeo Christian MYTH!
Jesus NEVER existed! He is Judeo Christian MYTH!
Five Horrible Decisions that Ruined this Great Show