Having two former members of the 1930s Little Rascals on the show: Stymie Beard and Ernest “Sunshine Sammy” Morrison.She wasn’t just pretty, but she was also smart, talented, ambitious, fearless (I loved the way she stood up to Mad Dog in the “The Gang” episode), and she could put J.J. The ideal role model provided by Thelma.“Bon appetit, y’all!” Willona in “The Dinner Party” (Season Two).This is one of the many episodes that expertly walks a fine line between presenting a serious issue and being incredibly funny. “The Dinner Party,” from Season Two, where a senior citizen friend of the Evans’s has fallen on hard times, and the family believes that she has brought a meat loaf made of dog food to serve at dinner.It’s hilarious (and the only episode after Season Three that I’ve seen multiple times). “Where There Smoke” from Season Five, a Rashomon-type episode where J.J., Thelma, Michael, and Penny each give their own accounts of how the family sofa caught on fire.There’s no denying that the series was never the same after John Amos left, but the three seasons that he was on the show were absolute gold. James’s patented responses in place of the word “yes,” like, “Is fat meat greasy?” and “Is an elephant heavy?”.This talented artist was behind most of the artwork on the show that was presented as J.J.’s. She had a different look in practically every episode! (One of my favorites was her afro in “Sex and Evans Family.”) I’ve heard it countless times and still can’t help singing along. Ralph Carter having the opportunity to display his singing talent in several episodes, including “The Rent Party” and at Thelma’s wedding. The live studio audience – their responses were part of what made the show so memorable – not just the laughing and clapping, but other reactions like shocked gasps and audience members calling out, “Right on!”.The way the show addressed real-life issues like teen drinking, gang violence, teen pregnancy, hypertension, and venereal disease.Seeing guest appearances from performers who went on to be stars, like Roscoe Lee Browne, Judy Pace, Brenda Sykes, Jay Leno, Alice Ghostley, Ron Glass, Charlotte Rae, and Debbie Allen.I’ll never forget when it first aired – everyone I knew was watching and talking about it. Janet Jackson’s four-episode introduction to the series as Penny at the start of Season Five.Florida, Thelma and Willona’s performance of “Stop, in the Name of the Love” in “The Rent Party” (Season Three).“Boy is a white racist word.” We heard this declaration from Michael in several of the early episodes.
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