Baby... I'm Back!

After SANFORD AND SON Demond Wilson did two short-lived series, this one and THE NEW ODD COUPLE (he did Oscar, Ron Glass did Felix). The premise of this show had a husband who had abandoned his family return years later to try to reconnect with the wife and kids. I haven't seen it since its original broadcasts, but I liked it. Perhaps the idea wasn't appealing to a mass audience but the cast was excellent. Helen Martin played the "mother-in-law Luzelle. Luzelle is French for killer. The day she moved in, the rats moved next door." At least that's what Demond Wilson would repeat during the opening credits. He was great, and it was a better show than THE NEW ODD COUPLE. THAT'S MY MAMA was on for at least two seasons, and starred Clifton Davis and Theodore Wilson (who went on to play Sweet Daddy Williams on the popular GOOD TIMES). And then there was Cleavon Little in TEMPERATURE'S RISING.

I was born in the 90's and I do highly respect old classic shows because they got this feel that is loss in today's shows.

Not sure why a good show that had substance didn't get picked up for another season.

Everything about this show was excellent. It's about An Ex-Con afro male wanting to be part of his family. Obviously didn't sit well with a lot of folks. The SHOW STILL had a lot of positive and meaningful plots and episodes.

This was Demond Wilson's attempt at making it on his own after feuding with Redd Foxx over who made "Sanford & Son" a success. In the show, Wilson returned to his wife who was attempting to remarry. Denise Nicholas was the wife and Helen Martin (later on 227) was her mother, Luzelle, who Demond would say was French for "killer".

Martin mostly sought to recreate LaWanda Page's Aunt Esther as a foil for Wilson here. She did have her moments, especially when she got drunk on the cooking cherry trying to cook that chicken.

First she would stagger out into the living room drunk, then later on, upon entering the kitchen, Martin would be having the plucked chicken do a little two step then take a dive into the bowl.

The show would also have feminist periods, but with the lovely Denise Nicholas making the argument, they were memorable as I still recall them.

In one, Wilson told her that men are always listed before women: "men and women, boys and girls, his and hers."

Nicholas replied with "ladies and gentlemen!"

She would then also hit him up as to why there was never a King Bee.

The show didn't last long, obviously, but those moments with Martin were funny.

Though the premise was somewhat limited, this show itself was enjoyable because of the colorful cast of characters. The contrast and variety of Denise Nicholas playing an uptight ex- wife, Demond Wilson playing a desperate man, Kim Fields as a sassy but very cute little girl (before Facts of Life!), and Helen Martin as a sharp-tongued grandmother, made for lots of fun. The verbal battles between Wilson and Martin's characters were especially enjoyable to watch. Also, Tony Holmes was a unique child actor - and I wish he had gone on to do more. The writing and plots weren't the greatest, but the cast's delivery made them work -- and when watching these episodes nowadays, I am easily reminded of a time when TV was much more innocent and unaffected.

I managed to watch all 13 episodes on YouTube. I had never even heard of this show, but I was doing some IMDb research on Sanford and son and came across this show with Demond Wilson. I've always been a big fan of Kim Fields, and of course who doesn't love Helen Martin. So when I saw someone had uploaded all the episodes to YouTube, I spent a week watching it. I was very impressed. The comedy was great and the writing was excellent. Kim Fields is just too cute in this show and It was really great seeing her before her Facts of Life fame. I don't think that this show was given a fair chance or enough time to become what it could've been. That's always a disappointment to me when a show looks like it will work out pretty well, but gets the plug pulled way too quick. Sanford Arms and Grady and even Sanford were very lame, but this show had potential. The show ended without any farewell as it barely had enough time to find its niche. Helen Martin is as sassy as she always is since I mainly knew her as Pearl.

I will Forever be thankful for YouTube other streaming services that allow us a peak into yesteryear.