Nominated for 13 Emmy Awards and 8 Golden Globes, The Jefferson's was a groundbreaking sitcom that was not only downright funny, But also explored the controversial social issues of its day. The show, which premiered midway through the 1975 season, was a spin-off of the hit series All In The Family, in which the main characters, George and Louise, were Archie and Edith Bunker's neighbors. During its nine seasons, The Jefferson's spent all but the final season as a Nielsen-rated top 25 show. One of the first sitcoms to focus exclusively on the lives of African Americans, The Jefferson's featured what is likely television's first multiracial married couple in Tom and Helen Willis. It was this unabashed attempt to push the boundaries of the status quo that made the show one of the funniest of its time and a valuable resource on American race relations...
The Jefferson's follows the lives of George (Sherman Hensley) and Louise Jefferson (Isabel Sanford), a middle-aged African American couple who own a successful string of dry cleaning businesses. The windfall their business generates paves the way for George and Louise to "move into" an exclusive apartment on Park Avenue. The series consists of Hensley's portrayal of the stubborn and greedy but thoroughly lovable character George, whose sarcasm and antics are matched only by Florence (Marla Gibbs), the witty housemaid of Jefferson's. A supporting cast of ubiquitous neighbors Tom (Franklin Cover) and Helen Willis (Roxie Rocker), the ever-polite Bentley (Paul Benedict), and a tipping bouncer named Ralph (Ned Wartier) provide endless sources of irritation. And trouble for George. Add in George's mother (Zara Culls) and her constant insults to Louise, and The Jefferson's becomes one of the best-written comedy shows of its time...
The Jefferson's DVD contains several hilarious episodes, including the series premiere "A Friend in Need" in which the audience meets George and Louise Jefferson as they settle into their new apartment on Park Avenue. George demands that Louise hire a maid to run the shop, but she refuses because she doesn't want to be bored. Meanwhile, a new friend of Louise's finds it hard to believe that George can achieve such a level of success without compromising his ethics... Other notable episodes from Season 1 include "Lionel the Playboy," in which the Jefferson's son, Lionel, you can see she starts to enjoy the fruit. About George's job and discussions about dropping out of college and "Rich Man's Disease" in which George is diagnosed with an ulcer, leading Louise to try to keep him from getting angry, a nearly impossible task...
Below is a list of episodes included on The Jefferson's (Season 1) DVD:
- Episode 1 (A Friend in Need) Air Date: 01-18-1975
- Episode 2 (George’s Family Tree) Air Date: 01-25-1975
- Episode 3 (Louise Feels Useless) Air Date: 02-01-1975
- Episode 4 (Lionel the Playboy) Air Date: 02-08-1975
- Episode 5 (Mr. Piano Man) Air Date: 02-15-1975
- Episode 6 (George’s Skeleton) Air Date: 02-22-1975
- Episode 7 (Lionel Cries Uncle) Air Date: 03-01-1975
- Episode 8 (Mother Jefferson’s Boyfriend) Air Date: 03-08-1975
- Episode 9 (Meet the Press) Air Date: 03-15-1975
- Episode 10 (Rich Man’s Disease) Air Date: 03-22-1975
- Episode 11 (Former Neighbors) Air Date: 03-29-1975
- Episode 12 (Like Father, Like Son?) Air Date: 04-05-1975
- Episode 13 (Jenny’s Low) Air Date: 04-12-1975
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