Sanford

This was actually a very funny show and the back and forth between Redd and Cal was hilarious. Typical establishment though - anything that is different, people are opposed to accepting. I would have liked to have seen Redd's son in some episodes to complete the transition to just the "Sanford." show. With all the nonsense poor quality shows before, at the time. and since, this show should have lasted much longer and gotten much more credit than it received. I was sorry to see the actor who played Cal passed away. He too had great talent and never went as far as he should have in the business.

Redd Foxx was the star of Sanford and Son. Here he reprises his role as Fred Sanford without his son, Lamont. He has a new partner played by Dennis Burkley. His character is white, overweight sidekick but he's quite funny at times. The other characters include a wealthy widow, Evelyn Lewis, played by Marguerite Ray who does a great job. Lawanda Page comes back to torment her brother-in-law as Aunt Esther. The show was your typical sitcom from the early 1980s. Sadly, sitcoms are no longer in abundance nor are they packaged to be funny anymore. Redd Foxx was enormously funny and outrageous at times without being offensive to the audience regardless of your skin color. I was pleasantly surprised to see this show which must have been under my radar back when it first aired on television. BET has brought it back to new audiences who will rediscover Redd Foxx's wit and comedic genius.

I actually saw this show before I ever saw an episode of "Sanford and Son". After watching them both, I honestly thought that "Sanford" was much funnier. Redd Foxx, in his older age, seems to have a sharper, more spiteful humor. He certainly carries the show, but the supporting characters make great targets for "Fred's" off-color remarks. If your already familiar with "Sanford and Son", then you may not like "Sanford" simply due to the fact that major staples in the show are missing. However, if you haven't grown accustomed to Lamont, and other familiar characters that don't appear in "Sanford", then you will probably agree that it is much more enjoyable over all. Give it a fair chance without expecting it to be just another spin off.

Why is this series so hard to come by? These further adventures of Fred Sanford was just as good as the original series, I thought the show would pick up with the return of Aunt Esther & Grady but the 26 episodes of this series was actually very entertaining especially with Cal replacing Lamont!

Sanford (1980) was an attempt to relive the glory of Sanford and Son. Three years after the first show went off the air, Redd Foxx was back as Fred G. Sanford, proprietor of the Sanford "Empire" (the Sanford Arms and the Junk Store). Lamont wasn't in the series (he was written out of the storyline). Cal, a former colleague of Lamont moves in with Fred and becomes part owner of the business.

Sadly the show was buried by N.B.C. and it never had a chance to find an audience. Several characters from the old series found their way back (Aunt Esther, Grady and Rollo). Redd even found a new love interest, Eve a rich widow. The show lasted for two seasons before it faded into obscurity.

Recommended.