The Good Times are back! Relive the Golden Globe-nominated '70s sitcom smash from producers Norman Lear and Bud Yorkin. A spin-off of Maude, which was itself a spin-off of All In The Family, Good Times first aired in Febr... more »uary 1974 and viewers of all races and ages instantly connected with the Evans' family. Money was scarce, but laughs and love were abundant for Florida (Ester Rolle), her hard-working husband James (John Amos), and their three kids living in the projects of South Side Chicago. From the outrageous antics of budding artist J.J., to the romantic dramas of sister Thelma and pint-sized Michael's activist causes, these parents had their hands full. Adding to the fun was next-door neighbor, sassy divorcee Willona, who would later in the series adopt a young daughter, Penny, played by superstar Janet Jackson! Tackling topical, sometimes even controversial subject matter with wit and sensitivity, GOOD TIMES was a breakthrough series in many ways Take home the entire series, here together for the very first time, in one "Dy-no-mite!" package.« less
"Trying to bid or buy for the series by the season can be very costly and time consuming, to say nothing of aggravating. I purchased this set recently and am very pleased! It is compact with all the discs housed in one box. The quality of the discs are excellent and I only noted a slightly hollow, echoing sound on a couple of the episodes. The color is excellent and I'm not seeing any of the graininess I've seen on a couple of the TV series I've purchased in the past. The only drawback is that all the discs are stacked upon one another in a plastic case. A little tender loving care will prevent scratches. An excellent buy for the money!"
Great
Giggles | Dallas, Texas | 01/16/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I think that this show is great, I'm turning 21 soon and I love it! I would give the series 5 stars because it's funny, entertaining and takes me back to a time when I wasn't even born! I give this particular set 4 stars mostly because of the packaging (the box the dvd's are stored in). All of the dvd's are stacked on top of one another with nothing to divide them which means you have to treat them very well in order to keep them safe and clean. The disc are stacked on top of one another and if you watch disc one, finish it and want to watch disc 5 then you have to remove disc 1 through 4 to get to five. The show is great if you like sit coms about African American families scratchin and survivin! Overall I am pleased with the set and would recommend it if you really love the show and want it at an affordable price."
Still love this show!
Brooklin Slym | 06/08/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Brings back fond memories of a simpler time in my childhood. Those were the days when every red-blooded boy of African descent knew in their heart of hearts that when we grew up, we were gonna become rich just so we could take Thelma out of the ghetto...then Keith showed up & ruined our plans.
Seriously, it was always a great show, and i do understand some of the things that upset John Amos and Esther Rolle enough to leave the show (it appeared that those of our persuasion were almost always the subject of buffonery, even when tackling the serious subjects Good Times touched on over the years), but what i never did understand was the backlash that occured in later years, where people associated with the show developed shame because of it. This show was nothing to be ashamed of, not even the bug-eyed clowning of J.J.
Regarding this release, it's all here! J.J. drug-addicted fiancee, pregnant girlfriend (by somebody else), and V.D. scare (look for a youthful Jay Leno & his chin in a guest-spot in this episode). Thelma's romance with Ibe, her romance with the guy on work release, her romance with...aww, hell, ALL her romances. Michael's militant stance and the famous phrase, "'Boy' is a white racist word!" And of course, the murder of a father figure (i call it murder because that's what it was...corporate murder of the black male figurehead. Some can't understand & some just won't understand. For instance, my 12 year old still teases my wife & i for getting teary-eyed over the line, "damn, Damn, DAAAAAAAMN!")
My one complaint is a small one, but i must say the packaging design leaves a little to be desired. The DVDs are stacked so that you can't remove one without having to remove all the previous ones. If this were made different, along with descriptions of the episodes to make finding them eaiser, it would be the perfect package. Still, for the prive, it's unbeatable."
Great Show from TV's True "Golden Age"
Jeffrey A. Russell | Atlanta, GA | 12/30/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This show brought back a lot of great memories for me, from a simpler (yet somehow much deeper) time in television history. As a young white kid growing up in the suburbs, this show was phenomenal to me in offering a glimpse into the struggles (and joys) of a poor black family on the south side of Chicago. We really had such a wonderful mixture of environments on TV in the '70s and 80s (suburbia, urban, rich, poor, even middle class). Today we have more channels, but less variety and creativity. James and Florida Evans come off as real people, thanks in part to the excellent performances of Esther Rolle and John Amos. James Evans was probably one of my favorite TV characters of all time. His range could make you want to laugh and cry all within the same scene. I was pleased to see Good Times released as a "Complete Series", despite the somewhat less that ideal packaging. The lower price might introduce a new generation to a series that tackled issues of crime, teen pregnancy, drug abuse, death, life, and everything in between- all while being hilariously funny. Having owned 2 of the seasons on dvd before this release, I decided to go ahead and sell those to get the complete series, and was glad that I did. I'm considering getting some protective sleeves to keep the discs in, but for the price this series really can't be beat. Also pick up "Sanford & Son" which is offered the same way- no frills, but a complete series. The humor, the gritty subject matter, even the "theatrical style" of the period (taped before a live studio audience) that gives it almost the feel of a broadway play rather than a 30 minute sit-com make it miles away from today's reality shows or police dramas. It can truly be said of Good Times that it shined bright in TV's last great Golden Age."
Great to have the whole series in one box!
Joey Saylor | Louisville, KY | 12/29/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I felt compelled to do a review because of some of the complaints about the packaging. The whole idea is to be able to own the entire series at a reasonable price, and that means compact, no frills packaging. I am very pleased with my set. The discs are nicely stacked (on a spindle) and secured in the box. If you are careful with your DVDs, you won't have a problem. It's also a good idea to keep the cardboard cover on the discs for added security if you aren't going to buy sleeves.
The inside has the title of each episode listed for every disc. There is no synopsis, but if you are a fan of the show the titles give the hint you need in most cases. You can get a complete description of every show just by going on the internet, and then print the episode guide from the site you like best. Doesn't seem like much effort to me.
I wish Sony would do everyone a favor and do all their series like this, especially the ones that apparently aren't going to be finished (The Jeffersons, Maude, Different Strokes, etc, etc). Their costs would be lower and fans would get their shows in their ENTIRETY. Not just a few seasons and vanish when sales aren't what Sony would like.
On a final note the picture quality and sound are just fine, especially if played on a blu ray player with good upconversion. And how sweet it is not to have to watch a bunch of clueless commercials that networks edit the shows in favor of (although I did pay $45 just 2 weeks ago when it is now $30, thanks Amazon!)."