#47

The Jeffersons

Well they’re a movin’ on up.

One of the most successful spin offs of all time is next on our list. The Jeffersons was spun off from All in the Family where George and Louise Jefferson moved from being neighbors of the Bunkers to the East Side in a deluxe apartment in the sky.

George had become a successful dry cleaner, leading to the move.

George Jefferson was a loud and brash black man, who could be obnoxious. But we still loved him because, dep down, we understood the struggle and we knew that he was a good man who loved his wife. Louise aka “Weezie” was a strong woman who was not afraid to throw it right back at George. This central relationship was the key to the show.

Not to say that there were not other great secondary characters on the show. Florence was the wise-mouthed maid who bantered with George at ever minute. Friends and neighbors, The Willis family were a interracial couple and direct neighbor Mr. Bentley was Kramer, before Kramer.

Sherman Hemsley and Isabel Sandford led the ensemble cast that included Marla Gibbs, Roxie Roker, Franklin Cover, Paul Benedict, Mike Evans, Ned Wertimer, and Berlinda Tolbert.

The show covered many themes, but race/prejudice was at the front. Much like Archie Bunker, George had many of these negative traits directed toward white people. George called them “honkies” and he constantly made comments to Tom and Helen. However, when the cards were down, George ditched his own prejudices and came through.

Legend Norman Lear created the show and it ran for 11 seasons on CBS.