Mama's Family originated with Thelma "Mama" Harper, and her younger sister Fran living together in Mama's house.Mama's Family originated with Thelma "Mama" Harper, and her younger sister Fran living together in Mama's house.Mama's Family originated with Thelma "Mama" Harper, and her younger sister Fran living together in Mama's house.
- Won 1 Primetime Emmy
- 2 wins & 8 nominations total
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Featured reviews
I first discovered this show in 2000 and I loved it right away. This show is not meant for those who expect it to be realistic. It is meant for those who want to take a break from everyday life and just have a laugh. I eagerly look forward to 5:00 am every weekday so I can watch this show. As soon as theme comes on I am instantly in a good mood. The entire cast is marvelous. I recommend anyone who has not seen to tune in to TBS on weekday mornings at 5:00 Central Time! Okay, so the earlier seasons (1 and 2) were great because of the appearances of Carol Burnett playing daughter Eunice, but even the later seasons were funny. I didn't think Beverly Archer was as funny as Carol, but I have to admit, when I hear that "Knock Knock" I immediately start to laugh!
Loved this show from the day it premiered in 1983 until the day it ended it 1990. I remember being bitterly disappointed when NBC cancelled it in 1984. When it was revived for first-run syndication, I was skeptical if it could be as funny without seasoned pros like Rue McClanahan and Betty White, but the new "unknown" cast members quickly made me forget about the old as they made those characters their own. This is one of the few programs that made me laugh out loud during every single episode. But like the Beverly Hillbillies, this show was looked down upon by a lot of la-dee-dah people (as Mama would say) who thought they were above the lowbrow humor. Who cares? I know whenever I need a good laugh, I can always count on that cranky family from Raytown, USA.
This is one of the best shows ever on television. This is the one I could watch forever. But the show really took off when it went into syndication. I like how they worked the name of the city of Raytown into everything, such as Ray-Mart, K-Ray(the radio station) and other goofy stores like The Donut Hut. Too bad the show ended with an open end as they could have gone on for a few more years with the baby storyline. And did anyone else notice that each of the five characters had a specific color they always wore? Iola had pink, Bubba had green, Naomi had yellow, Vint had brown and Thelma had blue/purple?
Mama's Family is the BEST show for anyone who lives in the South. EVERYONE knows people like Mama, Vint, Iola... Mama reminds me of my Grandma. this show is like family to me. If I'm depressed, I pop in my tape of Mama reruns and just relax....it soothes me! I love this show...God bless TBS for caring enough to keep it going. Golden Girls is another show VERY similar to this which just warms your heart! Mama is a permanent part of my life. Did you ever see the one where Mama is home alone? She does Singin on the Rain on the porch! It's a classic!
Most shows that are on the air today are crass, exploitive and just plain not funny. But this eighties gem is hilarious and I recommend you catch at least one episode. It's funny how the show got better after NBC cancelled it. They moved to syndication and the show got much better. The two stars that make this show so funny are the sharp tounged Mama (usually with a can of Big Top Beer stuck in her hand) and her bumbling son Vinton. If you are looking for a show that actually can be funny without being disgusting, then try Mama's Family. I'm the last guy who thought Mama's Family would be funny, but it's become my second favorite tv show. Have to go, Mama's Family is starting. Have a good one.
Did you know
- TriviaThe show ended because Vicki Lawrence chose to leave the series.
- Quotes
Thelma 'Mama' Harper: Good lord, Vinton, what in the hell do you think you're doing?
Vinton Harper: Well Mama... I'm trying to guess your weight...
Thelma 'Mama' Harper: I've got a better idea Vinton... how about you guess which hand I'm gonna smack you upside the head with?
- Alternate versionsThe episodes on the Season 1 DVD set are cut from their original network length (sans commercials) of 24 minutes to the syndicated length of 21 minutes. All the Alastair Quince introductions have been removed, along with other footage.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Laugh? I Thought I'd Die! (1999)
- How many seasons does Mama's Family have?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- ママズ・ファミリー
- Filming locations
- 1027 Montrose Ave. S. Pasadena, California, USA(The Harper family home exterior shots)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime
- 30m
- Color
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