bkoganbing On the Maude series, the Findlays up there in Tuckahoe had a maid played by Esther Rolle named Florida Evans. I'm sure a lot of even the most liberal thinking people have no conception of the fact that the help which was what Florida was go home to a whole different world. When Norman Lear who just dominated television in the 70s decided to give Rolle her own series, he took her character and moved them to the south side of Chicago where they lived in the projects.This was the first black centered comedy series which had its characters in a poor environment. Still the Evans family faced life on the edge with grit. John Amos was the father who was a working stiff raising with Rolle three kids.Going in ascending order was Ralph Carter who was developing a social conscience and wanted to be lawyer to devote himself to betterment of his people and environment. Bernadette Stanis the middle child was a pretty, but also very intelligent young woman who was going to have a career and marry the man of her dreams. If he was rich or had prospects so much the better.The heart of the show was the oldest Jimmie Walker. He's a comedian and to him the laughs devolved. He was having a bit of trouble growing up and drove his parents a bit nuts. And he brought that one word catchphrase of his to the English language. When something was good it was Dy-No-Mite. The show lost something when Amos was killed off. It got even worse when Rolle took a hiatus. The kids were fending on their own with a look in from their neighbor Janet Dubois. Top show when it started. But as a family show they usually lose something when the family unit is disrupted. Good Times was no exception.

TRhett It's funny to me every time I read about a "modern" TV show/movie/etc. about racial/gender/class issues being "groundbreaking," because Norman Lear was doing some pretty brave "groundbreaking" as far back as the early 70's. "All in the Family" was arguably the greatest, most "realistic" (in TV terms) family sitcom EVER to grace TV (followed closely by "Roseanne"). As if AITF wasn't enough, "Maude" and her ahead- of-her-time politics spun out of that universe, as did "Good Times," which was the first sitcom to really show the gritty reality of lower- class American life since "The Honeymooners." Yes, there were stereotypes . . . yes, there was manipulative "button-pushing," yes, there was lots of "jive talking,'" but like Roseanne, at the heart of all that bravado was a family that REALLY loved and supported each other, and were trying desperately to reach that "American dream." Of course, it was usually futile, mainly because they wanted to keep the shows going, but ironically, it actually reflected the reality of the times . . . which is that unfortunately, that dream is just out of reach for many. But "Good Times" was so well-cast, well-acted, and well-staged (like a very good play), we could overlook its faults . . . because we cared about the characters. Esther Rolle and John Amos had great chemistry together, and the kids were also perfectly cast. I remember hearing things on this show that I had never heard before, like VD, teen pregnancy, the poor resorting to eating dog to survive, the constant struggle of the father figure to provide for his family . . . it just goes on and on. Things that we middle-class white Americans had NO idea of. And that opening - that HAS to be one of the greatest opening montages of images and theme music EVER (The Sopranos comes to mind as a contender). They just don't make 'em like that anymore. Although things began to slip once John Amos left (in one of those "I'm moving on to bigger and better things" mistakes that TV actors often make . . . assuming that a hit TV show is a sure road to super stardom, never to be heard from again except in minor, supporting bits), it was still one of the best of the 70's. So whenever you hear somebody talk about a "groundbreaking" TV show/movie, keep in mind that that ground was "broken" long ago . . .

drystyx I certainly hope that the phrase "Kid Dynamite" will come back into common usage some day.This show about a "lower middle class" or "higher lower class" black family was really about J.J., or "Kid Dynamite", as he would call himself."Kid Dynamite" was the Laurel to the family of "Hardys". He was as skinny as you could get, and wore a hat that made him the kind of guy all kids would admire, and hope to be some day.Flo, the mother, was a stereotypical straight force to the comedy of J.J., but she never lost her dignity, and her character was more three dimensional than one would think. It was just very very subtle.The father and other two siblings were other straight roles to J.J., no doubt about it. It's easy to see why the father left the show. It was a pleasant role that Amos played, but really sort of a block of wood. Playing that role, one would think "why do I even need to be here"? The writers tried to invoke some "thoughtful" ideas into this, but the show was "Kid Dynamite" all the way. And that meant basic comedy. Still, they did a pretty good job of bringing up meaningful topics

GSHARON710 After enjoying this show for years, I use to dream of being able to see them all again and share them with my grandchildren. I am so happy to pay a small amount for the memories that I have found recorded on DVD. Florida was a caring mother with a loving hard working husband, one spoiled beautiful daughter and two sons as different as day and night. Michael, the baby son is a freedom walker and JJ is a clown. I know many Afro-Americans disliked this show, but I know many can relate and should have accepted it as it was. My heart was sad when I learned that Ester Rolle had passed. Tyler Perry is now the leading writer actor of today and I support his work, but not as much since he made such cruel mocking of Rolle in one of his plays. No one should have to hear ugly things about physical appearance. The show started getting less interesting when Daddy James died. It picked up a bit when Florida remarried, but slumped when she took an absence from the show. In all, the show was great and again I am pleased to own copies of part of my past. I do try to keep up with the work of the former stars of Good Times, and I must say, they are one group who has not been wiped up and down with rumors. I think children of today will enjoy this show and I have no problem sitting and watching with children. Congrats to the writer, crew, and stars for years of renewed memories of a time that I can once again enjoy without having to skip scenes.OK so I watch the shows over and over. Lately I have noticed thing that has made me rethink the series, but not dislike them. I think Florida was a bit harsh when it came to money that the children made. Not that the children did not need supervision, but it was done in a way that makes Florida's mothering different. The scenes where Florida had to speak about how other people were not very good looking bothers me now. When James was alive, the show made a big thing out of James wanting his own Fix-it shop, but never lived to see his family out of the projects, but Florida marries someone who owns a fix-it shop. A bit of a slap in the face to an actor who should have ended his time on Good Times showing that he accomplished all he strove for. Lastly, As I watch the shows, I see the series going in to overtime and being renamed "JJ". To be truthful, after James left everything mostly centered around JJ. Not a bad thing, just a noticeable thing. I would not trade my DVD's for any amount of money, but time, maturity and experience began to guide your eyes after a while.