MovieChat Forums > Maude (1972) Discussion > Question about the 'Good Times' spinoff

Question about the 'Good Times' spinoff

posted 17 years ago by moviefanTP
10 replies | jump to latest

Since "Maude" took place in suburban New York, how was it explained that Florida Evans, her maid, lived with her family in Chicago on "Good Times"? Did the Evans family move from New York to Chicago at the outset of the spinoff---or did Florida just have a TREMENDOUS commute to work? On "Good Times" it certainly seemed like the family was firmly rooted in Chicago. In fact, I think Florida and Willona (the neighbor) were supposed to be lifelong friends and it seemed as though the Evans family had lived and suffered in that horrible apartment for a long time---it didn't seem like a brand new place they were getting a fresh start in.

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] tafkam08 16 years ago

They changed the characters tremendously when they moved to "Good Times". On Maude, James was called Henry and he was a firefighter! So had they taken that same premise to Good Times, it would've never worked. I don't think they ever explained how Florida moved from NYC to Chicago...

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] bri20119 16 years ago

I think they took the bus.

However, there was an explanation from the blurred memory I have of a 6yr old mind at the time. Though I can not fervently recall what exactly it was that took them there. I think it was a Job for the husband.

"Other than that Mrs. Lincoln how was the play?"

[–] alexbogue3889 15 years ago

She commuted from New York to Chicago.

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] LeaBlacks_Balls 14 years ago

It was never explained. Just really bad continuity.

http://adventuresinmovingpictures.blogspot.com/

[–] jameswarrender 14 years ago

I'm pretty sure that Florida stopped working for Maude at the end of Season 3 which was when she left and moved with her family.

[–] onthemarktexas 12 years ago

GOOD TIMES isn't a spin-off in the traditional sense. The only connection between GOOD TIMES and MAUDE is the character of Floria Evans, who seemed to exist in two realities --

MAUDE
Floria was married to Henry, who was a NYC fireman who made good money and didn't want her to work as a maid of all things. She had mentioned having children, but how many of them nor their names were ever menitoned.

GOOD TIMES
Florida is married to James, who is chronically out-of-work. It is firmly established that the Evans family has always lived in Chicago -- James was never a NYC fireman and Floria was never a maid.

I've only seen the first season of MAUDE, so I have no idea how they wrote Floria off the show. Did the writers actually set up the premise for GOOD TIMES or was her departure even shown?

[–] jefgg 9 years ago

When producers decided to feature the Florida Evans in her own show they applied retroactive changes to her history. Her husband Henry became James, there is no mention of Maude, and the couple lived in Chicago.