James (John Amos) is excited because he is sure that he is going to get a high paying job. However, at the interview, he learns that he is too old to join the company's union. Meanwhile, Florida (Esther Rolle) and the children (BernNadette Stanis, Jimmie Walker, and Ralph Carter) get ahead of themselves and throw a celebration party for James unaware that he was rejected.

Note: This episode was taped after the pilot to add additional characters and to provide background for those in the pilot episode.

J.J.'s painting of a Black Jesus, becomes the family's good luck charm after a string of success for each family member. However, Florida refuses to entertain the notion that the painting had anything to do with the recent string of "good times". Creator Eric Monte appears as Numbers Runner.

Note: This episode was taped after the pilot to add additional characters and to provide background for those in the pilot episode.

In 2009, TV Guide ranked this episode #83 on its list of the 100 Greatest Episodes.^[1]

With an eviction notice over their heads, the Evans family scrambles to come up with $74 needed for their rent. Despite Florida's opinion, James goes down to the pool hall to try to hustle some money; J.J. comes up with a scheme of his own and Florida and Willona go down to the welfare office.

Guest star: Matthew "Stymie" Beard (former Our Gang child actor) as Monty and Hal Williams as one of the movers

An old friend of James, who is now a shady televangelist (Roscoe Lee Browne), stops by the Evans apartment and offers James a job that would pay $100 a day. James is set to take it, but Florida is against James accepting the job, believing it goes against his morals and values.

Michael comes home from school early one day with the announcement that he has been suspended as a result of telling his teacher that George Washington was a racist because he owned slaves. James and Florida become determined to prove to Michael that he is wrong.

Florida finds what she believes to be a dirty story called, "Sexual Behavior in the Ghetto". Assuming it to be J.J.'s, Florida confronts him, but she is in for a surprise when Thelma claims it and has an even bigger surprise when she learns it belongs to Thelma's latest boyfriend (Philip Michael Thomas).

J.J. is sure he is bound to make it big when he finds a patron in Leroy Jackson (Ed Cambridge), who begins providing him with all the supplies he needs. However, when James discovers who the patron is, he forbids J.J. to be associated with him and J.J. responds by moving out. This leads to a confrontation at J.J.'s new apartment between James and Leroy.

Ja'net DuBois does not appear in the episode

Florida and James are worried that J.J. will not pass into the 12th grade. When he gets his report card, he did indeed pass, but the grades seem to be a far cry from what they should be. This leads James and Florida to do a little investigating.

Michael submits an angry letter about the conditions in the Evans' apartment to a newspaper and gets an immediate response from a housing commission official who quickly finds himself stranded in the ghetto and experiences the conditions first hand.

Florida is running in a cleanest apartment competition and is sure she will win. However, her chances are dashed when Michael tries to help someone in need and brings home Ned the Wino.

Florida comes home from the supermarket with great news – she has been offered a role in a TV commercial. What is even better is the pay she will get – $5,000. However, once she reads the script and tests the product, Florida has second thoughts.

Florida and the children become concerned about James' health after reading an article in a magazine about hypertension. When he learns about their concerns, he goes through the roof and refuses to go for a check up.

A popular girl wants J.J. to paint her portrait and J.J. mistakenly assumes that they will become more serious when he makes plans to ask her to go steady. However, Florida and Thelma smell a rat.

Ralph Carter does not appear in this episode

Florida's strange behavior has the family and Willona wondering what is wrong with her. Michael thinks that she is beginning menopause, while Willona believes that she is fed up with the boredom that comes with being a housewife.

Guest star: Helen Martin as Wanda

After his birthday party, J.J. is arrested on suspicion of robbing a liquor store.

Desperate to raise bail to free J.J., the family considers taking money from a loan shark, the real robber is caught and J.J. is released from jail. Mel Stewart guest stars.

To avoid being bused to a white neighborhood, Michael forges his parents' names on a questionnaire. His principal (Ron Glass) arrives to question Florida and James about their responses.

Ja'net DuBois does not appear in the episode.

Michael must write an essay on the person he most admires. He first picks Florida for her strength and effort in keeping the family together. However, Florida points out that James may be the best person. However, James' recent actions in applying for a new job leave little to be admired.

Thelma has been seeing the same man (Louis Gossett Jr.) for two months and has not introduced him to the family yet. However, when she comes home with an engagement ring, Florida and James demand that they meet him and they are in for a surprise when they finally do.

Michael, one of the brightest boys in his class, comes home with the news that he scored the lowest out of his whole class on an I.Q. test. Infuriated at first, Florida and James hear Michael out and realize that I.Q. tests are designed for certain demographics and in this case exclude black people. Meanwhile, J.J. prepares for a wild date with his latest girl, Henrietta.

Guest star: Austin Pendleton as the I.Q. test creator

An encyclopedia salesman (Ron Glass) is the last person James wants to see when he comes home from work. However, he softens when he learns the man is blind. This leads James to sign a contract and he reads the fine print only after the man leaves.

J.J. has secretly become a member of the Satan's Knights, a gang who are in the midst of a gang war with the Warlords. Two members and the leader of the Satan's Knights arrive at the Evans' home to escort a scared J.J. to a meeting place where the two gangs are to meet. However, on the way there they run into James and Florida and an altercation leaves J.J. shot.

Ja'net DuBois does not appear in the episode.

J.J. is recovering after being shot by Mad Dog, which turned out to be only a flesh wound. Meanwhile, a vengeful James presses charges against Mad Dog but a worried Florida is afraid that James's anger will take over before the law does.

Guest Star: Lynn Hamilton as Mad Dog’s mother; Mrs. Edwards.

A wedding has Florida realizing that Willona is the only friend of hers left who is not married. This leads Florida to try her hand at matchmaking, and she matches Willona with Duane, a friend of James'. However, Florida is a little crestfallen, when Duane leaves the wedding early, claiming he does not feel well and she thinks her matchmaking plans have failed, until they arrive the next day at the Evans door, together.

James finds a bag of robbery loot adding up to $27,000. After some coaxing from Florida, James decides to turn it in. However, what Florida does not know is that there was $29,000 in the bag and James kept the other $2,000. James has no regrets especially after the only reward he was given was a $50 gift certificate for the supermarket.

Cousin Naomi is visiting the Evans' for the Christmas season and the whole time she has been there, has been time spent in the bathroom. However, her visit is not a happy one for Thelma, who discovers that Naomi is hiding a serious drinking problem. Meanwhile, the rest of the Evans family prepares for holiday festivities.

James is sure that he is going to get a sales position at a department store but when he brings Florida along to the interview he is in for a big surprise – the supervisor would rather hire Florida than him. It seems the supervisor would "kill two birds with one stone" hiring an African American woman.

Guest star: Dick O'Neill and Charlotte Rae

Florida comes home excited that she is going to night school hoping to achieve a High School Equivalency diploma, but working in the daytime and going to school at night puts a strain on her relationship with James, who is against her entertaining the notion of school.
Featuring Hal Williams.

A woman, known in the projects as the "Wiggler" (Betty Bridges), asks J.J. to paint a nude portrait of her as a birthday gift for her husband (Carl Weathers). However, Florida has a hard time understanding why a woman would pose in the nude and why she has to pose in the Evans' apartment. Meanwhile, Florida is also not too happy that James is taking such a liking to "the Wiggler".

• Ja'net DuBois does not appear in the episode
• Bridges is also known for being the mother of Diff'rent Strokes star Todd Bridges

Realizing his mechanical skills, Florida suggests that James open a fix-it shop but when they go to the bank, they are turned down for a loan. This leads James to set up shop right in the apartment, despite a clause in the lease, and soon superintendent Nathan Bookman (which is his first appearance on the show) begins nosing around trying to put an end to the family business.

J.J. is enchanted with his new girlfriend, Clarissa (Rosanne Katon), and is all set to take her to a ritzy debutante ball. However, Clarissa has come to the Evans' apartment with some bad news – her parents will not let her go with J.J., saying that they think she is too good for him.

Ja'net DuBois does not appear in the episode.

An elderly resident of the projects appears to be living on pet food after Michael takes out her garbage. The Evans family's attempt to do something for her is complicated when she brings a meat loaf to dinner and the kids suspect it is made from dog food.

A childhood friend (Thalmus Rasulala) of James' arrives for a visit and quickly his gambling problem becomes an Evans family problem when two criminals show up looking for him to pay off a $5,000 debt. Meanwhile, with a house guest, J.J., Michael and James must learn to share the pull-out couch in the living room.

Florida thinks it is strange that she has never met the often talked about Henrietta, J.J.'s girlfriend (Tina Andrews). So when she calls the Evans home, Florida invites her over for dinner. Meanwhile, J.J. announces that he has been thinking of asking Henrietta to marry him. This sends shock waves through the Evans household, but things really get touchy when Henrietta shows up at the door, pregnant.

Ja'net DuBois does not appear in the episode.

While Florida is away in Cleveland for a family funeral, the Evans' family is hit with a double dose of unemployment after both James and J.J. lose their jobs. James' boss at Brady's puts him on a temporary lay-off and the movie theater where J.J. works is closing down. Wanting to support his family, J.J. decides to join the U.S. Army. Esther Rolle and Ja'net DuBois does not appear in the episode.

Guest star: William Christopher (Father Mulcahey on M*A*S*H)

Thelma has a chance of winning a scholarship to an exclusive boarding school in Michigan. However, even before she knows she has won, a snobby girl from a sorority comes around wanting Thelma to join and quickly discovers they just want her because she is black.

A small-fry extortionist named Eddie (Douglas Grant of The Electric Company) bullies Michael into handing over his lunch and milk money on a daily basis. When the rest of the family finds out, turmoil erupts as they argue about how Michael should deal with his bully of a classmate.

Ja'net DuBois does not appear in the episode.

After taking some courses at a trade school, James has graduated and now has a chance at getting better paying jobs. However, James soon finds that he is still in the same old situation of having a hard time finding work. So, when he is finally offered a job, he accepts it despite the fact that there is one catch – it is in Alaska.

It seems crime has been at an all-time high in the neighborhood, causing the Evans family to take extra precautions, such as installing extra locks on their doors. However, James has taken a step that Florida and the children are not ready for – he has bought a gun. Later, when the gun disappears, all hell breaks loose, as James tears the apartment apart, looking for it.

Florida has had a pain in her side for the last two weeks but does not want to see a doctor out of fear of the cost. However, when James learns of her dilemma he decides to pay any cost for Florida's treatment, even after he learns she has to have a gallbladder operation.

Thelma has great news – she is engaged to her latest boyfriend (Carl Franklin), but she is nervous about breaking the news to James and Florida. Later, her opinion of great news differs greatly with her parents who hit the roof after learning this, and in a surprise move, J.J. is on Thelma's side.

Florida plans on borrowing money from her cousin to help pay some unexpected bills. James's pride stands in the way causing him to storm out to a bar, leaving Florida to learn about the shocking news about her seemingly wealthy cousin by herself.

A friend of James' gives him permission to use his cabin to celebrate his and Florida's 20th wedding anniversary. However, the trick is trying to get Florida to stop worrying about the children. While James and Florida are away, J.J. takes over the household by force and acts like a dictator.

While James is out of town, Florida and the children throw a baby shower for a friend, Loretta (Mary Alice). However, the joyous occasion is dampened when Loretta announces her plans of giving the baby up for adoption. Meanwhile, while Florida, Thelma and Willona go out shopping, Loretta goes into labor, leaving J.J. and Michael panicking.

John Amos does not appear in this episode.

While James is out of town, Florida and her brother Wilbert are left to deal with a troubled Michael. Cutting classes, getting into fights at school, and low grades are all warning signs that lead Florida to make an appointment to see Michael's teacher.

John Amos does not appear in this episode.

Guest star: Louis Gossett Jr.

A feud erupts in the Evans' household when James and J.J. take the side of Alderman Fred Davis during his attempt at re-election while Florida, Thelma and Willona take the side of his young opponent. It seems Davis is a shyster who gets nothing done in the neighborhood, which is why she cannot believe James would back such a loser.

Note: In the 2019 ABC special Live in Front of a Studio Audience, John Amos portrayed the role of Alderman Davis, the only cast member to appear.

When J.J. brings home Walter, a man from his art class, he hits it off with Willona. Despite the fact that he is deaf, he and Willona begin a relationship one that Willona thinks is headed for the altar and she is unsure of how to tell him that she is not interested in marrying him without making him think that him being deaf is the reason.

Florida and James become outraged when everyone except J.J. get a touch of food poisoning after eating meat from the local supermarket. She organizes a group of concerned citizens and they boycott the market. The protest brings effective results, but not before Florida experiences her first trip to jail.

Thelma comes home with news that she has won a college scholarship, but is short of funds by $200. Meanwhile, J.J. is commissioned by a bank to paint a mural and in return will receive $250 and agrees to give her the money she needs. However, the bank is reluctant to pay after seeing the finished product.

Thelma brings home a friend who she is tutoring in French and instantly J.J. is smitten. J.J. goes all out trying to impress her. However, when she rejects him he quickly loses all of his confidence and slips into a depression.

A bank robbery in Atlanta has the FBI showing up at the Evans' apartment to question Florida since her nephew, Cleatus is the suspect. Things get worse, when Cleatus arrives at the apartment with a briefcase full of money and wanting a place to stay. Meanwhile, a new stereo that Florida has won causes a power outage whenever the family uses it.

Thelma researches her family tree for a school project and discovers that James's father is alive and living in the Chicago area. However, when James learns that Thelma has invited him as a surprise for his birthday, he refuses to look at him. This leads Florida to discover why James lied about his father still being alive.

An elderly man who Michael befriended stops by the Evans' apartment just prior to the New Year's celebration and knowing that he only has a little time left, decides that this would be the best place to die, surrounded by a loving family and friends. Meanwhile, James is out of town while taking a temporary job and becomes snowbound, causing him to miss the New Years festivities.

John Amos does not appear in this episode.

J.J. and his girlfriend, Diana (Debbie Allen), are getting serious and the topic of marriage comes up, something which J.J. and Diana both want. However, both of their parents are totally against the notion. Meanwhile, Diana has been acting strange, she steals money from her mother and a ring from a jewelry store, but it turns out that this is just a means to support a hidden drug problem.

After their parents sternly refuse the notion of J.J. and Diana marrying, Diana decides to run off to Indiana and elope with J.J. Meanwhile, back in Chicago, Thelma makes two shocking discoveries. First, while at the prom she realizes that J.J. and Diana never showed up and, second, she somehow switched purses with Diana and discovers that she has a drug problem and number for the supplier.

Guest star: Philip Baker Hall as the motel owner

J.J. has been commissioned by a numbers runner, Sweet Daddy Williams (Theodore Wilson), to paint the portrait of his girlfriend, Savannah. In return, J.J. will get his own "one man show". However, Sweet Daddy's influence soon becomes too much for Florida and James to take and try to encourage J.J. to turn Sweet Daddy's offers down. But things take a turn, when Savannah sees J.J.'s painting of her.

Ja'net DuBois does not appear in this episode.

The family is being investigated by the FBI because they are suspected to be security risks due to Michael doing research about and communicating with a Communist country for a term paper. However, the investigation leads to James losing his job and J.J. suspects this is also the reason why he got fired from his job at the Chicken Shack.

Ja'net DuBois does not appear in this episode.

When James and Florida go out of town for a family wedding, the children are left at home alone and J.J. soon begins acting like a dictator. And Thelma and Michael argue at J.J and Wilona stop them for argue. However, J.J. is in for a shock when he receives bad news that he has given VD to an ex-girlfriend. This leads an embarrassed J.J. to debate whether or not to visit a free clinic for treatment. Esther Rolle and John Amos do not appear in the episode. Guest star: Jay Leno as a clinic patron

Note: Due to the sensitive nature of this story, a parental warning was posted prior to the opening for the only time during the series run.

After a morning of being taken granted for by her children and her husband, Florida decides to take her boss (Thalmus Rasulala) up on a lunch invitation. This eventually leads to a confrontation with a jealous James.

Thelma's fiance's idea of romance is taking her to a basketball game but that is the least of her worries after he gets a big break in California leaving her with two options, stay with her family in Chicago or move to California with her fiancé. Florida tries to calm a furious James and insists that it is time to let Thelma make her own decisions.

Guest star: Debbi Morgan as Samantha

While J.J. is in St. Louis at an art show, the Evans family decides to hold a rent party to help out Wanda (Helen Martin), a neighbor in the building, whose electricity has just been turned off. However, the party may come to a quick halt when the heartless building superintendent, Nathan Bookman, catches wind of it. Meanwhile, Michael, Thelma, Willona and Florida all prepare to provide entertainment during the party.

Note: This is the final appearance of John Amos as James Evans, Sr.

Jimmie Walker does not appear in this episode.

The family is getting ready to move to Mississippi where James has a promising new job. However, the family is waiting for the right time to tell Bookman the news. Later, Willona throws a going-away party, but the happiness is interrupted when a devastating telegram comes--James had been killed in a car accident.

The sudden death of James has J.J., Thelma, and Michael not only overcome with grief, but also wondering what is wrong with Florida, who has not grieved once since she heard news of James' death. The kids become even more concerned during a get-together at the apartment after James' funeral, where Florida appears to be laughing and having a great time, acting as if it was an ordinary party. After everyone leaves, the kids confront Florida as she cleans up the kitchen, but Florida keeps assuring the kids that she is fine. Finally, when she gets the punch bowl to put away, Florida snaps and smashes it to the floor shouting, "Damn, damn, DAMN!", overwhelmed with grief. The children rush in to comfort her, as the closing credits then appear, in silence rather than with the usual applause.

Thelma is trying to impress her new ballet teacher, Miss Jessica Bishop (Rosalind Cash), with guacamole. She seems to be more interested in J.J.'s paintings...and J.J. This relationship annoys Florida because she is 15 years older than him. Things really become serious when Jessica asks J.J. to move in with her.

Widespread violence has been running rampant in the neighborhood and a large part of it is due to the street gang, the Warlords. While Florida and some concerned citizens discuss the problem, Michael does his best to conceal from his mother that he is a member of the gang.

Michael is in love with Yvonne but every time he is around her he freezes. When Yvonne meets J.J. she instantly falls for him thus creating a sibling rivalry between Michael and J.J. Meanwhile, Florida must cope with the two fighting siblings and tries to explain to Michael what he is doing wrong.

Alderman Davis makes a visit to the Evans' household wanting J.J. to speak at his re-election campaign. However, when J.J. refuses, an eviction notice is immediately handed to Florida. Soon, the Evans family is caught between a rock and a hard place when they must decide whether or not to stand up for their principles and be evicted or support a political shyster.

After losing his job, J.J. tries his best to find another. However, when Bookman serves the Evans' family with an eviction notice due to late rent, J.J. decides to take a job offer from a couple of his shady friends. Meanwhile, Thelma contemplates dropping out of college to get a full-time job and help the family out.

J.J. is in the money, now that he has a new job working with two friends in a gambling operation. However, little does he know, the gambling business also includes prostitution and drugs. Meanwhile, Florida demands some answers from J.J. and kicks him out when she learns what line of work he is now in and he almost winds up in jail.

The family is looking forward to Grandpa Evans visiting for Thanksgiving dinner, but he has a surprise for them: he has a woman! And to make matters worse, she is staying with Grandpa! When Florida discovers this, she hits the roof and it soon becomes a battle over morals and this leads Grandpa to decide that the best thing to do is leave.

Florida, Willona, J.J., Thelma and Michael are all excited, having each purchased lottery tickets for the state lottery. Good luck strikes the family when J.J. wins the lottery, a total of $2500. However, the luck does not last long, as Thelma's friend Edna shows up with her sister, Rozzie,both wielding pistols and demanding the winning money.

Guest Star: Shirley Hemphill as Rozzie.

The kids feel Florida has been spending too much time alone and they decide to cancel their plans and spend an evening with her. But Florida surprises them all and goes out with Willona. Willona takes her to a local night spot where they have an exciting evening.

J.J. is managing Michael's singing group and gets them a gig at a local tavern. When Florida learns that Michael may be performing in a tavern, she hits the roof and storms down there to put a stop to it, thus breaking up the act. While there, J.J. comes across Judith Cohen, an act whom he knows will hit it big, given the right exposure.

Note: Judith Cohen was the only celebrity ever to appear on Good Times as herself.

J.J. borrows money from a loan shark to back his talented new comedian, Tyrone. However, within days, two thugs come to collect their money, money that J.J. does not have. Time is running out as the pressure comes down on Tyrone, J.J. will get his money if Tyrone is good. However, at the last minute, Tyrone bails, leaving J.J. to do the show.

Florida is in a terrible mood, and takes it out on the kids, yelling at them to get the chores done. A cheerful Willona stops in and makes the announcement that she is off for a relaxing weekend in Lake Geneva. After hearing this, the kids go into the underwear selling business in order to raise enough money to send Florida on a much needed vacation to Lake Geneva.

Thelma and her college friends are having a meeting to decide what to do about the school cafeteria, but things come to a head when the African exchange student, Ibe, starts making sexist remarks about "woman's work". They finally agree to have a picket, but on the day of the picket, the assistant dean ends up then suspending Thelma. Meanwhile, Thelma and Ibe begin seeing each other, resulting in Ibe asking her to move in with him. Florida hits the roof when Thelma announces her plans of moving in with Ibe. However, things begin moving a little bit too fast when Ibe asks her to marry him and move to Nigeria. At first Thelma is all for it, despite Florida insisting that she take time and go slow, but when Thelma discovers she may become part of a harem, she has second thoughts.

Guest star: Johnny Sekka as Ibe

Willona gets a surprise for her birthday, a visit from her womanizing former husband, Ray. Ray does his best at convincing Willona that he has changed and she decides to try to start over with him. However, quickly his old ways surface and he begins making passes at Thelma.

When Florida's away for the weekend, J.J., Thelma and Michael throw a wild party and try to keep it from Willona, who is keeping an eye on them while their mother is away. However, the party gets even wilder than they had dreamed of when one of the guests takes an overdose of sleeping pills and J.J. has to keep him from falling asleep to save his life.

Esther Rolle does not appear in this episode.

Michael has gotten a part-time job working for Carl Dixon at his repair shop. However, Florida is horrified to learn that Michael is harboring atheist attitudes planted by his boss. This leads Florida to confront Michael's boss and get to the bottom of the situation.

J.J., Thelma, Michael and Willona are all excited with the prospects of Florida beginning to date. However, Florida is reluctant to dive into the dating pool but agrees to go on a date with Carl Dixon. Once at the restaurant, she gets into an argument with him when they receive terrible service leading to him walking out.

A father son dinner is being planned at Michael's school and J.J. is all excited about taking Michael to the dinner but when Michael breaks the news that he invited Carl to take him, J.J. storms out. Feeling as if the family no longer needs him, J.J. begins considering moving out on his own.

J.J., with the help of Carl, opens a greeting card business and has the entire family help with creating thoughtful greeting card sayings. However, when an accountant comes into look over the books, J.J. is in for a rude awakening, for he only has $68 in the bank. He finds this out just as he gets a huge order, which will cost him $2000. J.J. soon discovers that getting a loan is not going to be an easy task.

Guest star: Alice Ghostley as Ms. Austin

Florida and Carl's relationship has gotten quite serious and Carl breaks the news to J.J., Thelma and Michael that he is planning on proposing marriage to Florida. However, after a visit to his doctor, Carl decides to break off the relationship, since he has been diagnosed with lung cancer.

After Carl calls off his relationship with Florida, a furious J.J. confronts Carl, who makes up an excuse that a war injury in the groin is the reason why he is breaking up with Florida. Later, a drunken J.J. stays out all night with a drunken Carl, worrying Florida to death. Later, Carl reveals the truth to Florida and he proposes marriage and she readily accepts. Meanwhile, Bookman tries his best to get the Evans apartment re-painted, with the not-so helpful assistance of two lazy painters.

Note: Final appearance of Moses Gunn. In the following season, Florida and Carl were written out to have married and they went to Arizona due to Carl’s health. Esther Rolle left the show, but returns in season 6.

When young Penny Gordon follows J.J. home, she tells the Evanses tall tales about her life without mentioning her abusive mother (Chip Fields). But when Penny changes into a dress, a stunned Willona and Thelma discover the girl's badly bruised back. Willona and the Evans children are convinced that Penny is being abused and discover that she has an injured arm, caused by her abusive mother, but the doctor who treats Penny refuses to believe that she is a victim of child abuse.

Note: This is the first appearance of Penny, played by Janet Jackson.

Esther Rolle is absent during the entire season.

Willona and the Evanses are stunned to discover that Penny and her mother have moved, but soon find the girl hiding in the Evans apartment. Later, Penny's abusive mother abandons her, leaving Willona to ponder adopting the battered youth.

While Willona worries about the adoption, Bookman tries to help by telling the social worker (Alice Ghostley) that he is Willona's husband.

Fed up with her brothers and her lack of privacy, Thelma moves in with three roommates.

Willona's new job in department-store security requires that she spy on changing rooms through a one-way mirror.

Guest stars: Conchata Ferrell and Gordon Jump

J.J. and his friends buy Bookman's beat-up old car and argue over who gets to drive it.

While using a CB radio, Michael makes a connection with a teenage paraplegic girl.

Fed up with Bookman's incompetence, Willona, Penny and the Evans kids start a petition that gets him fired.

J.J., Willona and Michael suspect that Thelma's new boyfriend is married, but find that he is a former bigamist doing time in a halfway house.

Johnny Brown does not appear in this episode.

When local wino Fishbone (Robert Guillaume) is mistakenly believed to have been killed, he attends his own wake dressed in drag as a mourner.

Guest star: Helen Martin as Weeping Wanda

When Penny steals a necklace from a department store, Willona faces the possibility of losing custody of the girl.

Guest star: Alice Ghostley

J.J. assumes the role of father figure when Michael starts to slack off, prohibiting his brother from attending an awards dinner.

Johnny Brown does not appear in this episode.

When Willona rejects an old boyfriend's proposal, Penny thinks she's holding Willona back and tries to run away.

J.J. dates his sexy new assistant, who is also the boss's daughter.

Johnny Brown does not appear in this episode.

With a hole burned into a couch cushion, the Evans kids each flash back to their versions of how it happened.

Johnny Brown does not appear in this episode.

Afraid he will be passed over for a promotion in favor of a white man, J.J. has a crazy dream in which he experiences being white.

Guest star: Sorrell Booke

The Evans fear that their new boarder may become the target of a hitman.

J.J.'s relationship with a married woman gives him an ulcer.

Already suspected of infidelity by his wife, Bookman is caught with Willona in a compromising situation.

James' father visits and proposes marriage to his neglected girlfriend.

Willona reconsiders her marriage plans when she hears her boyfriend's old-fashioned views on marriage and women in the workplace.

Thelma's play is selected as a local theater's latest production, but not without a flurry of changes demanded by the theater's owner (Jane Connell).

With J.J. out of town, the Evanses put on a talent show to save a local daycare center.

Guest star: Gary Coleman

Thelma accepts a marriage proposal from college football star Keith Anderson (Ben Powers), who is negotiating a lucrative NFL contract. Florida arrives home after hearing of Thelma's engagement. Florida arrives without Carl (It has been speculated that Carl died of cancer, however it was never mentioned in the series). J.J. loses his job.

To pay for the wedding, J.J. takes a loan from Sweet Daddy Williams. But while walking down the aisle, Keith injures his knee.

The day after the wedding tragedy, Keith blames J.J. for injuring his knee. Florida rallies the family together while Sweet Daddy Williams comes calling for his payment.

Guest star: Bubba Smith as Claude

Florida competes with a relative of Alderman Davis for a job as a school-bus driver.

Guest star: Gary Coleman

When Penny's 13-year-old friend becomes pregnant, Willona tells Penny that the friend has "stomach mumps".

J.J.'s art student has a violent father (Hal Williams) who refuses to allow his son to take the lessons. So he hides out at the Evans apartment.

Michael plans to move in with a white female roommate whose parents' attitudes make him reconsider.

Note: In this episode, Florida makes a quick reference to John Amos playing Kunta Kinte on Roots.

Vanessa Blake (Sheryl Lee Ralph) is back in town. She and J.J. used to be an item, and he can't seem to break the news to Vanessa that he lost his job. Meanwhile, Bookman has a new assistant named Teresa a/k/a T.C. (Bever-Leigh Banfield), who he constantly mistreats. She falls for J.J., but he only has Vanessa on his mind.

Ralph Carter and Janet Jackson do not appear in this episode.

J.J. is the only witness to a terrible car accident involving a taxi cab and Savannah Morgan, Sweet Daddy Williams' girlfriend. Sweet Daddy shows up and pressures J.J. into saying that the accident was the taxi cab's fault. Things take a very serious turn when he finds out that Keith was the driver of the taxi cab and Savannah hit the cab.

Esther Rolle does not appear in this episode.

A snowstorm hits Chicago and Florida gets stuck in it with her school bus. This leads her and the kids on the bus to take refuge in an abandoned building to keep warm.

Jimmie Walker does not appear in this episode.

Guest star: Kim Fields

When Keith's Scrooge-like boss at the taxi-cab company will not give him Christmas off, the Evans family brings their Christmas party to Keith and holds at the company. J.J. hosts the festivities and it features Michael singing, Bookman (dressed as Santa) dancing, Keith doing impersonations & the girls (Florida, Penny, Willona & Thelma) portraying "The Pointless Sisters" doing "Steam Heat".

The Evans family has found the perfect home to move into and plan on taking out a loan to pay for it. However, they quickly find, as usual, that that's easier said than done, when they run into trouble trying to persuade the banker. Trapper John M.D. star Charles Siebert guest stars as the banker.

A student whom Florida drives to school on her bus becomes the center of attention when Florida discovers he has a hearing problem and his mother refuses to believe Florida's suspicions.

After a near fatal accident, Larry's mother finally realizes that Larry has a hearing problem. Unable to take him to the doctor because she has to work, Mrs. Baker allows Florida to take him to the doctor, which is where Larry makes the announcement that he plans on running away from home.

Sweet Daddy Williams sends his hoods to snatch J.J. from his home and bring him to the hospital. His reasons: J.J. is the only person they could find that matches Sweet Daddy's blood type and Sweet Daddy is in dire need of a blood transfusion.

Esther Rolle does not appear in this episode.

When Willona goes out of town, she leaves Penny in Florida's care. Shortly after, Penny comes down with a virus and Florida takes her down to the free clinic to be examined. Florida quickly comes face to face with the hard-nosed doctor (Paula Kelly) who is out of touch with the people in the ghetto and also planning to leave, right in the middle of what seems to be an epidemic.

A tomboy who has been helping out Bookman, wants J.J. to ask her to a dance. However, J.J. thinks of her as just one of the guys, that is until he has an encounter with her at a seedy pick-up bar.

Guest star: Paul Mooney

Florida discovers she must take and pass a physical examination to keep her bus driving job. However, the night before her physical is utter chaos ending with Michael landing in jail.

Jimmie Walker does not appear in this episode.

Willona's latest boyfriend, Jeffrey, has been showering her and Penny with extravagant gifts even though they've only been seeing one another for a couple months. Little does Willona know, that he is part of a plan to make Willona look like an unfit mother, a plan engineered by Penny's scheming birth mother. Mrs. Gordon, who had married into a wealthy family, supposedly busts Willona in giving a disorderly party in front of a minor, but she herself gets busted when Penny accidentally records Mrs. Gordon's voice admitting that it was all a set up to take Penny back. However, a tearful Penny outright rejects her birth mother and remains with her real mother, Willona.

Jimmie Walker, Bern Nadette Stanis and Ben Powers do not appear in this episode.

This final episode brings all too good news for the Evans family. J.J. gets an offer from a comic company, Keith's bad knee is miraculously healed and he is offered another football contract. Florida is asked if she wants to move in with Keith and Thelma in the fancy apartment building across town where Willona happens to be moving and she just so happens to be her future next door neighbor. Meanwhile Thelma learns she is pregnant and she reveals it to Keith and the family.

Keith's search for a job results in strange behavior that everyone plainly points out is not just frustration, but rather a bigger problem. Little does anyone know, Keith has developed a serious drinking problem.

Note: This episode appeared only in syndication after the show's original run ended. In the case of this and the following two episodes, the actual "original" broadcast date may vary in every market, due to the technique of shipping tapes of the program between stations at the time (known as "bicycling").

J.J. is teaching art classes and one of his students, Emily, has great promise and skill with her paintings. It seems that J.J.'s painting is selected for a contest, and J.J. makes this mistake of asking Bookman to take it downtown for him but he takes Emily's painting to the contest by mistake! J.J. wins first prize for the painting and soon must decide whether or not to take credit for something he did not do.

Note: This episode appeared only in syndication after the show's original run ended.

Florida has a surprise visit from her cousin, Raymond (Calvin Lockhart), who has hit it big and gives each member of the family an expensive gift. However, Florida is reluctant to accept her gift of an expensive three room apartment, when she learns just how Raymond makes his money.

Note: This episode appeared only in syndication after the show's original run ended.