XPost: rec.arts.tv   
   From: ahk@chinet.com   
      
   A Friend wrote:   
      
   >>. . .   
      
   >I absolutely hated Good Times, and for all the right reasons.  The   
   >series was supposed to be about a strong family making its way forward,   
   >even in Cabrini Green.  Then the dad left, and the show became a farce   
   >headed by a nearly talentless young actor who was armed not with a gift   
   >for comedy or acting but with one of those unfunny stock phrases that   
   >became all too common in the TV of the era.   
      
   As I mentioned elsewhere, the Norman Lear retrospective had a comment   
   that Lear hated the catch phrase, but he was told by the show runner   
   that it would help make the show popular with audiences. Every time he   
   delivered it, he got enthusiastic applause by the studio audience (as   
   enhanced by the laff track). I guess they knew that the tv audience that   
   wasn't looking for actual comedy responded to it as well.   
      
   Esther Rolle could act and she could be funny but when she had anything   
   to do, she was the matriarchal archetype, rarely playing a character.   
      
   John Amos was ok but they didn't do mc   
      
   >. . .   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)