Good Times 4th Season (1976)

Editor's Note A television show that addressed many subjects that had previously been taboo, GOOD TIMES enjoyed a great deal of success in the late 70s due to its humorous presentation of real, socially relevant topics. Comprised of a mostly African-American cast and set in a south-side Chicago ghetto, the series represented a break from the era of shows like LEAVE IT TO BEAVER and FATHER KNOWS BEST, yet retained a core of family values that appealed to a wide American audience. Political themes of government and the economy were mixed with issues of racial bigotry, gang warfare, crime, familial and financial hardship, and discrimination. The fourth season saw a change in direction as the patriarch, John Amos, was killed in a car accident and the family was left to persevere as a single-parent household struggling to survive; Florida, a mother of three, mourns her loss and eventually finds new love. JJ artwork--and JJ himself--finds an admirer in the form of Thelma's teacher, and Thelma herself finds love with an African exchange student, and also considers dropping out of college to help support the family. Episodes include "Grandpa's Visit," "Willona's Surprise," and "Florida and Carl."

	Bernadette Stanis
	Esther Rolle
	Jimmie Walker
	John Amos
	Ralph Carter