MovieChat Forums > Good Times (1974) Discussion > I dislike the Carl episodes

I dislike the Carl episodes

posted 8 years ago by rerunwatcher
23 replies | jump to latest

Right now Antenna TV is showing the Carl episodes. I REALLY don't like the Carl episodes. Does anyone here like them?

[–] sxymommacitaprincess_227 7 years ago

I hated Carl! The episode where he and Florida went out to dinner really got me mad. He was blaming everything on Florida. She was just trying to be polite and at least she had manners. Carl was acting like a spoiled ungrateful 2 year old. If my date had sent me home in a cab that would be the last straw for me. I also wouldn't have dated an atheist.

[–] Green-Eyed-Girl31 7 years ago

I really couldn't believe that the whole family backed up Carl on his behavior at the restaurant after seeing how rude he was when he first showed up for the date. Comes in smoking a smelly cigar, plans on taking Florida to a crappy burger place, belittles her family dynamics and definitely sounds like he has been drinking. Nobody mentions that when they encourage her to give him a second chance. They made his character very distasteful.

"You met me at a very strange time in my life"

[–] Tuppance76 7 years ago

It was never believable even to me as a child that the extremely religious and positive Florida would marry an atheist malcontent like Carl.

But let's be real. Nobody could ever takes James' place.

[–] [email protected] (5497) 7 years ago

That's what I thought. I never understood how Florida could marry an atheist when she was a devout Christian. It's one thing to be friends with someone, but how can you join your life in such an intimate and close way when you have such fundamental differences?

Moses Gunn was a great actor but comedy was not his forte. He just did not fit in with this show. I was always too depressed over James' death to imagine Florida having another husband anyway!

[–] Daisy (3022) 7 years ago

I feel like the show was split- before and after James. I of course liked the episodes with James better. So I agree with you.

[–] [email protected] (5497) 7 years ago

The show definitely lost something after James died. I recently saw an old interview on youtube where John Amos explained how he was released from Good Times.

He said that he had a problem with the show turning into the J.J. show with the character saying "Dyno-mite!" every five minutes. He said that James had two other children and they should get some of the focus. Apparently, they didn't like his outspoken opinions.

But it was Norman Lear's show and I suppose he liked the breakout character of J.J. John Amos was informed by a phone call that his services would no longer be needed the next season.
The death of James was such a shock and a very upsetting episode! I think I cried.

Esther Rolle left the show after the next year because she did not want to do a stereotypical 'single mom living in the projects' show.

Willona ,the neighbor, became the de facto parent on the show. But she overdid the "comedy". Way too heavyhanded if you ask me. lol

I think the show was better as a nuclear family with an annoying neighbor instead of having the neighbor act like their mom.