25 feel-good shows to start 2018 off right
By Sundi Rose
Good Times
The premise: A poor, black family lives in the housing projects of inner-Chicago. They are a tight-knit family that relies on their love for one another to get them through the hard times. Led by an invincible mother, Florida (Ester Rolle), the Evans family consists of father James (John Amos), sister Thelma (Bernadette Stanis), and brothers JJ (Jimmie Walker), and Michael (Ralph Carter).
Why it’s so good: It reminds you of how good TV used to be. As one of the only shows about poor people on TV, and certainly one of the few featuring African-Americans as the lead characters, the show stood out in the lineup. However, it quickly became one of the best written and well acted shows of the generation, and remains an example of how good TV can be, even when it doesn’t cost a zillion dollars an episode.
It also made you feel good to watch. The Evans family was totally aspirational to me, and all I wanted as a kid was a fun brother like JJ or a beautiful sister like Thelma. While one of the defining factors of the show was their socio-economic status, it never kept the show from feeling good and being fun to watch.
How to watch: You can watch most episodes of Good Times on YouTube.